Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-24
AGRICULTURAL.
MATTER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOR
THE "REcoRD UaIoN."
Work for orchardists s. Destroying the
Cooling Moth = Mixing
soils-Etc.


The cooling moth begins to make its appear
ance in this State, according to locality and
season, from the middle of April to the 1st
OF March. Before that time, if the orchardist
would make 8 crop OF apples or pears for
sale. or if the owner Of 2 few trees would
have any fruit for family use, he should have
hunted up and killed every apple worm or
chrysalis or pupa that may be hid Iaway on or
about his trees, or on his premises
It requires an experienced eye and knowl-
edge Of the hiding places of these worms to
find them, and come persevering work to get
rid of them. The first place to look for the
worm is under the loose bark and in the
creyices aud crutches of the tree. When
found in this wsy it may be picked out with
the point Of knife and destroyed. A better
way, however, to make sure job of it, is to
procure scraper, such as is used by sailors in
scraping the decks and sides of vessels. and
scrape the body of the tree clean of all its
rough or loose bark, from the limbs down
to the roots Before beginning this work.
however, spread few sacks or other
cloth around the roots of the tree to catch all
the scrapings, and when each tree is so thor
oughly scraped, gather up these sacks or
cloths, and empty the scrapings into sack or
basket carried along for that purpose When
lot OF scrapiDgs have been gathered in this
way, dump them into FIRE in the house or
elsewhere. and burn the same, and the worms
so burned will never become moths or do any
damage to your fruit. The nest of the worm
in which he winters, whether on the tree or
in any other hiding place, is generally com
posed OF collection of litter, woven in with
t. e worms web and fastened securely in cor
ner or crevice. 1t is sure to be in some coy lit
tie niche or crevice, and to detect it pretty
good and practiced eye is required. 1t some
times will be found nestled among the roots
OF the tree from the surface down below, six
or more inches. So let the soil be dug away
from the roots down that distance, and the
roots closely inspected. 1t also hides away
In any loose or dried cluster Of weeds, or in
any old boxes or other safe place thai may be
convenient about the orchard or fruit packing
house, and will most certainly be found in
the old fruit boxes. whether in or out of
doors. The worm is of a yellowish white,
and when full grown is of pinkish color,
about half an inch long. and has a black
head. The chrysaiis is of darker hue. as
amber or light brown. The time to fight
this little enemy and protect the coming
fruit crop IS from this time on. But
Lett the work be done thoroughly
before the moth emerges from the winter
nest. When once out, this moth is most sure
to lay the foundation for a generation that
will live and come to maturity in the young
fruit on the trees. By killing one worm or
chrysals before it becomes moth, you stop
the production of from US to 200 similar
worms, that would distribute themselves
among your fruit trees, and destroy as many
apples or pears When the trunk of the
tree and roots have been scraped as described,
and the scrapings burned, the tree should be
thoroughly washed with some strong alkaline
wash-as soft-soap with per cent. potash.
This soap should be mixed with sulphur.
say one pJund of sulphur to four Of
soap, and then pound CT the mixture to one
gallon of water. Or regular codling moth
wash composed of whale-oil soap and sulphu
may be obtained and used. The object of the
wash is to kill any remaining worms on the
tree and to cause it to produce clean,
smooth bark, in which the worms will find no
hiding-places hereafter. Having done all
that can be done to destroy the worm or
chrysalis before it is transformed into a
moth, the next step is to destroy the moths
that hatch out from the nests not destroyed,
and then to catch and destroy the
next brood of worms before they go mo
their hiding places to make their nests and
go through the changes again and become
moths. The moths make their appearance,
as before stated, from March to April LIST,
and at any time during the spring and sum-
mer after that date. They lay their eggs in
the seed end of the growing fruit or on the
skin of larger fruit. The eggs SO laid hatch
out the young worm. which at once seeks
food in the fruit, and then goes through its
worm life, and when about to go into nest
to turn to chrysaiis, it leaves the fruit. let's
itself down to the ground, and seeks hiding
place in the open soil, or about the roots, or
on the body of the tree. Now comes
tbs second grand time to fight it.
The best way to do this is to clean the soil of
all weeds and trash in which it would be
likely to hide and make a nest, and thus
force it to go for the body of the tree. Here
on the tree place your trap-by wrapping any
old cloth or strips Of coarse paper around the
body in such a way as to decoy the worm into
it for nest. We have noticed that strips CT
old grain or burlap sacks are especially
sought for by them. The wrapping may
be foot or two, or more, above the
ground, and two wrappings, one above
the other, may not be amiss, 30 that should
the little peat reject the first and ascend to
the next, it will most surely make its nest
in or under the second. The trees all
wrapped, then begins the work of destruc-
ton. Let the wrappings be examined at
least every six days, and every worm found
under or in them be killed on the spot. Any
fiat piece of wood may be used as the instru-
ment of execution, and the moths may be
turned into fluid insectcide, carried along
for the purpose. The cloth or paper wrcp.
pers should be kept on and examined for the
worms as long during the season as there are
found any worms under them, and this may
be till September, as the codling moth goes
through two aud even three generations in
this State, if not more, in favorable seasons.
Mixing Soils.
Natural processes do not always form the
best Of soils, and hence comes the necessity
for the exercise Of good judgment by the
farmer in correcting the errors or imperfect
work of nature. Science has here an impor-
tant work also in determining the defects of
soils and suggesting remedies for the same.
Although as g rule the soils OF California are
deep and rich, and much more lasting than
the soils of other portions Of the earth, yet
even here we hnd work for the scientist and
practical farmer IN suggesting and executing
improvements. We have large amount
of land in many of the best parts of
the State too largely impregpated with alkali
and requiring the application of correctives.
When soil is in this condition, of course it re-
quires chemical changes produced by the ap-
plication of ingredients that will neutralizs
or counterfeit the alkali. These ingredients
must be ascertained by an analysis of the
soil and the application of such correctives as
such analysis may suggest. Here is large
field for agricultural chemists, and here is an
opportunity for men who have the necessary
knowledge and practice in chemical labora-
tories. not only to make themselves
yery useful, but to make themselves
a name and competence. The dis
inclination OF individual farmers to
inaugurate the necessary investigations to
determine what their soil needs, has suggested
in some countries, more especially in Ger.
MANY aud France, the organization of associa.
lions having for their objscs the investigation
of the soils and their detects, and the applica.
ton OF artificial or natural means of improve
ment. In Germany these organizations have
taken the form of agricultural stations or
schools, each station being in charge of a
competent agricultural chemist, who is at the
same time a practical culturist. The station
is made useful TO all the section Of
country by making analysis of all
the different kinds of soil found In