OCR Text |
Show SPRAY FOR SAN JOSE SCALE Multiplying Powers of Little Insects Are Enormous Formula Given for Effective Mixture. (By H. W. DOYLE. Department of Agriculture, Agri-culture, Kansas. Copyright. 1914.) Look for a flattened circular scale about the size of the head of a pin. The color is almost or quite black, with a ring near the center, on the inside in-side of which may be distinguished a small nipple. The .multiplying powers of the San Jose scale are enormous. They lie fiat against the bark, skin oi fruit or leaves of trees and rapidly cover the entire plant with a continuous continu-ous layer of minute scales. Each 6cale sucks sap through a tiny beak. Fruit and scales cannot grow on the same tree. Young trees succumb. The San Jose scale is especially fond of the peach, currant, plum, pear and apple. Hopelessly infested trees should be cut down and burned completely. A very effective spray, which also de stroys peach leaf curl, apple scab and other fungous diseases, is one consisting consist-ing of 20 pounds of quicklime, 15 pounds of flowers of eulphur and 5(1 gallons of water. With a little water mix the sulphur into a thick paste in a separate vessel. Place the lime with about ten gallons of warm water in a 30-gallon iron kettle ket-tle over fire. Add water as needed tc keep the slaking lime from sputtering, stirring frequently. When the lime is broken up into a pasty mass add the sulphur. Then boil for an hour, adding add-ing hot water from time to time. When the color changes to clear brown re move from the fire and add hot water to make 60 gallons. Stir and straiE through burlap or an iron or brass strainer with at least twenty threads to the inch. Use while warm. In using lime provide covers for the horses for protection against the Bpray. Old cotton sheeting or bags sewed together will answer the pur- Apply in the spring just before the buds open. Before spraying is attempted at-tempted - trees should be severely pruned and all loose bark scraped off. Absolute thoroughness in covering all scales is necessary because the spray kills by contact only. In orchards of 100 trees or less a good spray pump with a large air chamber, mounted on a 50-gailon barrel, bar-rel, will answer the purpose. All working parts should be of brass. It should be fitted with a 20-foot hose, an eight to twelve-foot extension rod and a nozzle that will throw a fine, misty spray. At least two men will be required to operate the apparatus, one to pump and the other to manage the hose. Large sprayers with gasoline engine power are used in big orchards. |