OCR Text |
Show FALL mmva'n((A 1 ADULT ROUND-HEADED APPLE-TREE BORER. From now until the end of December Decem-ber Is the best time for killing insects In orchards, though the work may be continued during mild weather until the buds begin to swell in the spring. Many destructive insects are held In check only' by spraying ' during the time when trees are dormant, as stronger washes may be used then thun when the trees are in leaf. Many Insects spend the winter on the trees In the egg, larval or pupal stage, and are more easily destroyed then than at any other time. All necessary pruning should be done before the spraying is begun, as the removal of the surplus limbs and twigs makes the spraying much easier, besides saving material. Of course, the parts pruned from the trees should be gathered and burned at once, so as to destroy whatever what-ever insects may happen to be on them. Lime-Sulphur Spray. The spray which is now most widely used for killing orchard insects is the lime-sulphur combination. Full directions direc-tions for making it can be secured from every experiment station, and where It is to "be used in large quantities quan-tities It is better to make it at home, but where only a small quantity is wanted for use on a home orchard it is visually better to buy it, as it is now stJtl by nearly all seed dealers. The work requires a spray pump, and these may now be had in almost any size from the so-called bucket pump suitable suit-able for work on a few trees to the large gasoline outfits employed in large commercial orchards. The work must be thorough to be effective, as it is necessary to spray all parts of the tree, the smaller limbs and branches as well as the main trunk. Effective Treatment. The lime-sulphur spray is very effective ef-fective in destroying most scale insects, in-sects, and one application will usually be sufficient, though the San Jose sometimes requires several treatments. The common oyster shell scale, the cherry scale and several others are easily held In check by a single treatment. treat-ment. The treatment is also effective against the pear-leaf blister mite, which is usually present on pears and which is often a serious pest on apples. ap-ples. Several kinds of plant lice win ter in the eggs on apple trees, especially especial-ly on the young twigs. Many of these will be killed by the spraying, though It is often necessary to spray for them a second time, after the leaves come out In the spring. Fortunately, the spring treatment can be given with a very weak mixture which will not injure in-jure the leaves. Where the winters are mild, the wool apple louse often lives on the trees through the winter, especially around wounds where the thin bark is exposed, but are killed by the lime-sulphur. Other Sprays Needed. While this lime-sulphur spray, applied ap-plied in the fall or early winter, is more effective than Is any other one treatment, still it does not kill all insects in-sects which affect the orchard. It has little effect on the terrapin scale of the peach, which should be sprayed with a strong kerosene emulsion, and, as pientioned above, a spring spraying is often needed for the plant lice which attack the apple. Other Work Needed. There is other work besides spraying spray-ing which should be looked after during the winter while there are no leaves on the trees. The codling moth, the cause of wormy apples, passes the winter in silken cocoons under scales of bark, in crevices and in knotholes In the trunk, and trees having rough bark should be scraped with a dull hoe to destroy the hiding places. The tent caterpillar passes the winter in clusters clus-ters of eggs on the smaller limbs where they are easily seen, and are very easily seen. while pruning. The fall web-worm, which was such a pest last summer, spends its winter on apple and other trees, and the flimsy cocoon is easily recognized from the hairs of the caterpillar mixed In with the silk. Look After Borers. Peach and apple borers should bs looked after at once, as their presence is quickly recognized by the borings which they throw out of their holes. Several grape insects winter among the fallen leaves, which should be raked and burned. A little work in the orchard between now and the end of December will make a great difference in the crop of next year. |