Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-06-30
The Apple-Bark Louise.

June is the best month for destroying that
most pestiferous Of all insect pests, SO far
as the apple orchard is concerned, the apple
bark louise, or coecuS conchif0rmiS, as the
entomologists call it, from its resemblance to
an oyster.shell. During the warm days Of
the middle of june 10 the Eastern and Mid
die States, and earlier at the South this in
sect matches its young, and hatchlng time
should be butchering time for they multiply,
some thirty, some sixty and some an hun.
dred fold. The number of eggs under each
scale varies greatly apparently depending
upon the vigor Of the tree. DIR. Fitch, the
New York entomoogist, states that he has
counted from bakers dozen to over one
hundred in one nest. In this ratio Of geo.
metrical progression it docs not take many
years to cover all the available space ou the
bark Of an apple tree with this scaly insect,
aud we have known trees so infected with it
that specimens could be found on the leaves
aud fruit. This louso is only an eighth OF
an inch long, and to the casual observer may
appear to be too insignificant to be worthy
OF notice, especially as the most part Of its
life is stationary aud apparently torpid
The damage done by one or a dozen, or even
hundred, Of these insects would be insig-
nifcant but when the tree has thousands
and tens of thousands Of these little pests
sucking away at its life blood the inhnItes-
imal damage becomes finite if not infinite
There is an indefinite number OF apple trees
at this very moment dragging out an un-
healthy and unlruitful existence because O
this pest. and multitudes have succumbed
to it aud died. In fact there are very
few orchards in New England, or the Middle
States, that are not suffering moro or les
from the bark louise, though its operation
are so stealthy that many farmers are no
aware Of the cause of the unhealthy and un
fruitful condition OF their orchards. The in
sect is stationary, except for a few day
after it is hatched, and as it is very small
aud has the color of the bark, many haV
never noticed it, or certainly have not stud
led its habits, and we may therefore do th
farmers a service by short account Of tn
coccuS oonchitorBiis and the simple mode i
which he eau be checked, ii not extermin
ated.
In still warmer climates the larvae Of th
bark-louse is hatched early in May, but Il
New Egand we have never seen them Ill
June, and it requires practiced eye to sc
them at any time. Those first hatched ofte
stay under the scale il the weather is coo
! When they do walk abroad they appear lik
minute white dots, and can scarcely be dis
, tinguishod by the naked eye from the whit
glands of the bark bat by careful watch
ing they can be seen to move with consider
} able agility. The larv@ arc not as large 1
tho eggs which can be seen under the seal
4 and the microscope is necessary to make an
3 close observation Of them. Few farmer
t will have patience to study the habits
0 this insect but who are infested with th
Q pest-and few are not-will be glad to knO
. how to get rid of the "litLle varmints
Q We cannot promise perfect exterminatio
o for they squat on the extreme twig where
n is difficult, if not impossible, to administ,
i medicine to them.
q The insect doctors recommend many rem
{ dies for the bark-louse. Among these a
Q whitewash, strong ley, sulphur, dry ashe
s infusions of quassia and tobacco, nackere
brine, tar-water, etc. We have tried mo
i of these, but the remedy we have found mo
It effectual in killing the lice, and at the san
: time Of giving life to the tree, is domest
s soap diluted with WATERFALL soap al
i half water for old trees and less soap +
Is young ones, whose bark is tender and cam