Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-05-17

Potomac Fruit Growers Association
[ReporteD: f3r the Alexandria Gazatte,l


[Reportai f3r the Alexandria Gazatte.l
CONCLUDED.
No one who Is acquainted with the apbldes
and the various insects that prey upon them
will ever Permit valuable plant to suffer In
jury from these pests. He will collect some OF
| their enemies alive. aud set them free en- the
affected plant, where they will remain as long
As their tacl lasts. The aphldes have more
numerous aud more inyeterate enemies than
the insects ci any other group, aud through
what in check. Among them are the aphls
lions, which are the Larvae OF the golden eyed
and lace winged flies. belonging to the natural
order aeuraptera. They are reddish brown,
with dark stripe down the middle and cream
colored one on each side bodies long, narrow,
and wrinkled transversely. Their jaws are long,
curved like sicklcs, and project horizontally
from their heads
The lady bugs (coicincll,ddp) mentioned pre-
viously, are among the most active enemies OF
the apbides. The eggs are laid in clusters OF
twenty to forty, on the under side OF leaf TO
which they are closely glued; they are oval and
light yellow in color They hatch into small
blackish larve which are very active and bold
attacking the aphidcs much larger than them
| selves ard leaving only their empty skins.
They consume hundreds while in the arval
state about two weeks when they attach them
selves by the tail and enter the pupa state:
| Nearly hundred species Of lady bugs are found
in this country. They wage endless war upon
the aphis, both in the larval and perfect form,
and should always enjoy the protection OF the
| farmer, fruit grower, and gardner.
The sitlhjiae, Which are two winged and re-
semblc the common horsehy, except that they
| are hanlsomcr, are also enemies OF the aphldcs.
They deposit their eggs where the aphldcs exist,
and the maggots which hatch from them seize
upon the first aphidcs that come in their way;
A medium sized worm will consume hundred
Of the lice in an hour.
| lad thought, said friend Gillingham, to
have finished the description OF this order OF
tree pests in the present paper, but find the list
too long Some will, therefore. be reserved as
tho subject Of another article. Ii the assoc!a'
ton is one half as much benefited 10y the de.
scrinrions of these insects and their habits and
enemies, as the writer is. in culling them out,
we shall all be well paid lethen exhibited
live specimen of the apple tree borer (Sdper,ht
Ljt.itidt,) and the conversation turned upon the
borers and the various ways OF protecting trees
from their attacks.
MIR. Read spoke of lis orchard, which at in
tcrvals Of a few years, had been Subjected TO 4
vigorous inspection Of the roots, and app.lca-
tions Of lime and ashes He had no doubt that
it saved the trees from 4 great deal OF injury
and thought it would be better to inspect the
trees every year.
MIR. Myers thought that not sufficient care
was exercised in examining the roots OF trees
when set out. If you put them in the soil as
they are you are as likely to raise crop OF
worms as OF fruit and the worms will come
first
| Friend Gillingham was of the same opinion,
and said that it was not enough to examine the
roots for borcrs, but we should carefully prune
of the dead, bruised, and broken ones. that
| the tree may have lair start on sound basis.
| lie thought it good plan to dip the r0ots.lnto
pail OF strong ye before setting. Ihey re-
ouirc too, attention and culture alter planting.
| He once lost ten thousand trees by negicct,
after setting them out.
DR.. Lloyd believed that powlng an orchard
was good to exterminate the borer. lie set out
an orchard himself few years ago, and plowed
il two or three times during the season every
year. and put lime and ashes about the trees.
| The orchard il now doing well, and shows few
| signs Of the hOrrr.
| Mr.. J. II. Bramha thought that the appli-
cation of the lime and ashes did the business
| for the borer, and not the plowi ng.
DIR. Lloyd maintained however, that it was
the cultivation and stirring OF the soil, and not
the applications, that protected the trees; and
cited an instance Of hog yard in an orchard,
where the swine were continually roofing up
the ground about the trees, to which no lime
or asphes were applied. These trees were re-
markably thrifty.
j. r. Bramba | do not yet see that cul.
tivation harms the insects. II can not be denied
that it benefits the orchard, hut in an entirely
different way. In the last instance cited, the
cultivation was very small item compared
with the feItizng the trees received, and the
fact that all the wormy fruit was devourrd az
soon a. it fell to the ground,
Dr. Lloyd 1t is certainly mainly due to
cultivation. BY cultivating the ground, the
trees are made healthy and thrifty, and can
therefore better withstand the attacks of the
borcr and other insects.
DEEP ORCHARD PLowINd. Capt. Sherman
inquired if deep blowing in an orchard ls bene-
fetal.
Friend GillingLam said it is, while the trees
are Young bat it is unwlse to plOw deep near
them II il ia an old orchard. that has not
been plowed for several years, it is best TO pillow
shallow at first, going little deeper every time.
Mr.. Myers. Il an orchard is plowtd while
the trees are young, the roots will descend
but If not plowed, the roots Will lie near the
surface. lie knew OF an orchard IN the State
Of New \ ork that had not been plowed Tor SIX.
teen years. At his suggestion, the pillow was
put in. Many large roots near the surface were
cut and torn off, but the branches were pruned
in proportion, and the trees showed marked
| improvement the next year. lie had not seen
the orchard since, and could not speak of the
final result.
| Crops IN THE ORCHARD. Capt. Sherman
| We are told that if We p!ow young orchard
deep the roots will 90 below the surface soil and
draw only from the raw subsoil. Can We not
then use that surface soil for other crops!
Friend GiIlingham Perhaps We might, il
we return to the soil a. much material as W.
take off, cultivate a deep plowed orchard until
the trees get 50 large as to shade 1t. They
would then occupy the whole ground, and the
| roots, too, would need more room
PLUMS THE chair mentioned an Instance
| of an orchard chiefly OF peaches, which had
borne sparngy for years NATL it came into the
hands q, 4 widow Who by building fires IN