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Show PEST REMEDY KILLS TREES FRUIT GROWER LOSES $8000 A loss of $S,000 has been sustained sustain-ed by a fruit grower on Provo Bench this summer in following the advice of an article in a Philadel-I Philadel-I phia farm paper telling how to kill insect pests, peach borers, San Jose scale and other fruit pests. The loss is represented in the destruction of 200 four-year-old peach trees and 50 five-year-old trees which died as a result of the application of the remedy recommended in the article. The trees would have born thousands thous-ands of bushels of peaches this year and would have continued to bear fruit for several years to came had the grower not heeded the "advice." The article in question which apparently ap-parently was sent to the paper by a subscriber reads as follows: "I have a remedy that is of great value in combating insect pests, borers, San Jose scale, etc.,' says E. J. Barkley. 'Before the sap rises, or about that time, take a currycomb nnd begin nt the root of the tree nud for about a foot high, scratch the bark well to (he inner bark. Then take a brush and saturate the tree all around with crude carbolic acid. The sap will take this acid through every branch and twig (much more thoroughly thor-oughly than by spraying) and scale, insects or borers, getting that sap will die right there and besides, it is a wonderful stimulant to the tree. This has been thoroughly tested and 1 we know its worth'." Apparently the editor of the farm paper in question did not believe very strongly in the method for he had inserted in parenthesis after the article, "Sounds severe. Editor." The Provo Bench fruit grower who followed this drastic departure of killing pests found to his sorrow that the remedy not only kills the insects but the trees aiso. After trying out the method and seeing the terrible results, the fruit grower did what he should have done before testing the method consulted with County Agent J. P. Welsh. There was no advise to be given at that late stage of experiment. experi-ment. For the benefit of other farmers and fruit growers who may be inclined in-clined to experiment with uutired methods that the county agent or the pest crop inspector should be consulted before taking any drastic measures along such lines. "The government, state and county, coun-ty, co-operate in keeping a man in the county to assist the farmers with information that may bo needed need-ed from time to time," said Mr. Welsh. "The county ngent is always al-ways willing and ready to assist any resident of the county on any question ques-tion pertaining to agriculture or horticulture. What is the good of the money spent for. such .work if the advise is not sought nor heeded? We are her to serve the county nnd the state. The men who have been assigned to these positions are well qualified to give expert advise, far better and more profitable to follow than any such ndvise as given out in the columns of the eastern farm paper." |