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Show PEACH LOUSE IS INJURIOUS All Trees Should Be Carefully Fum. gated by Nurserymen as Mere Matter of Precaution. (By E. F. SMITH.) This insect derives its name from it. Intense black, color and smooth, shining apeparance. A great deal of the injury done by this insect is not recognized by the grower,, who may charge it to yellows,, to application made during the winter for other purposes, or to climatic causes. Where the insects are numerous on the roots the tree simply looks sick. Tlia foliage is thin, imperfectly developed and light in color. The lice are especially es-pecially destructive to nursery trees and to orchards just planted or in tha second year. Nursery trees, especially on light laud, are often infested. If such trees I are set out without treatment, the iu- I sects may multiply without causing much or any perceptible injury the first season, confining themselves to the trunk and larger roots close to it. At the beginning of the second season the insects spread outward to tha smaller rootlets, increase in number so as to form a drain on the vitality of the tree and then the check to growth becomes apparent. If the trea sustains itself during the second summer sum-mer it will probably continue to live and may outgrow injury, especially II well fed. But a tree so checked and weakened in early "life rarely does what it should, and is apt to be at- fSMf liSWWpSllll IllliSMlilil ! Black Peach Louse as It Appears on Roots of Young Peach Trees. tacked by disease and insects, like tha bark beetles, which need some debilitated debili-tated trees for their best development. All peach trees should be carefully fumigated by the nurseryman as a matter of precaution and. If properly done, this Is entirely safe. Where the trees have not been so treated they should be very carefully inspected before setting, and if any signs of plant lice are noted, the roota should be washed so as to free them of most of the dirt and then dipped in a strong tobacco decoction. The dipping should be thorough and should be done just before setting. Instead of dipping in a decoction, the washed roots may be thoroughly dusted with finely ground tobacco when setting and a handful of ground tobacco should be thrown around the trunk before filling the hole and firming. firm-ing. If a young orchard is found to be Infested after it has been set, remove the soil for a foot around the trunk so as to form a shallow basin, put in a pound of ground tobacco and- cover. See that the trees are kept well cultl : vated and supplied with sufficient plant food to stimulate rapid and vig- I orous growth. ? |