Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-02-24
ORCHARD AND FARM.
TIMELY AID VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS
ABOUT FRUIT TREES.
Bow to Clear Trees Of Insect Pests-Spray
ing Process-A Few Scale Insect
Notes About the Farm.

A representative of the RECORD UNION
called upon Mr.. Cooke, Chief Executive
Horticultural Officer, yesterday, in relation
to inquiries made at this Office concerning
the clearing of fruit trees from insect pests,
etc. Mr.. Cooke stated that now is this
time to attend to This work, and that peo-
pie in this city or elsewhere having . few
fruit trees, especially apple and pear, in
their gardens, could at very small cost
secure the crop of fruit from the ravages of
the codling moth, or SO called apple-worm,
and that if the following directions were
followed the net gain will be equal to at
least 500 per cent. on the amount ex-
pended.
HOW TO CLEAN THE TREES.
The most approved method of proceed
ing against this class of destructive pests,
he said, was as follows: Make a spread
Of old grain.sacks sewed together, with
which 10 cover the ground around the tree.
Procure, if you have not already got, a
tree.scraper, which can be found at the
hardware store, at cost of from fifty to
seventy five cents. Scrape off all the
rough bark, and clean out the crotches
and crevices Of all loose matter.
The scrapings should be carefully
gathered and burned, without fail, as
the object is to destroy the Larvae
alternating on the trees. Every larya Of
the cooling moth killed at this season of
the year is equal to the destruction of one
thousand at least in the coming fall, ss
this pest produces at least three broods
each season. If the trees are only infested
by the codling moth, the body should be
washed as high az scraped with solution
of one pound of concentrated I've to each
gallon of water used the crotches and
crevices should be thoroughly sUaked.
It would also be advisable to scrape the
tree three or four inches below the surface
OF the ground, as very often the Larvae go
below the surface to make their nests on
the bark of the tree. Nearly all the pear
and apple trees in gardens in this city are
infested with this pest, and should be
cleaned within the present month.
SPRAYING FOLIAGE AND FRUIT.
AS soon as the fruit sets, or is about the
size of a marble, the foliage and fruit should
be SPRAYED with the whale. oil soap. One
pound to each gallon of water used, and
the washing and spraying repeated in about
three weeks, and, Unnecessary )" three weeks
after second spraying. This lying will
prevent themoths from depositing their eggs
on the fruit, and will prevent mildsw, be-
sides improving the appearance of the tree
and fruit. Il may appear that the amount
of spraying mentioned would cost more
than the fruit would be worth. But, as an
example of the cost, an orchard contain
ing 10000 trees was thoroughly sprayed
twice last year, and the total cost for
wash, labor, etc, was less than 5000.
BANDS FOR THE TREES.
About the 10Th of May bands made of
old grain sacks or paper, about eight inches
wide, should be placed On the trees few
inches from the ground, and also rags or
sacks placed in the crotches. Should any
of the worms mature in the fruit, when
full grown they leave the fruit and look for
| a place to 90 through their transformations
| which is often under the loose bark, or in
crotches or crevices found in the tree.
These bands should be examined every
seventh day, and the Larvae found under
the bands or in the rags or material placed
| in the crotches of the tree, destroyed.
| That fruit can be saved in this way hes
been fully demonstrated. OF course it will
cost more in proportion for few trees than
where larger number are to be cleaned.
But large trees can be cleaned, where
there is only codling moth, for less than
fifty cents per tree.
NEW SCALE INSECT DISCOVERED.
On large number of pear trees of this
! city is found scale insect known as the
! Diaspis ostreaformis. AT the present time
! it is not found in any other place in the
United States, but has been very trouble
some in England on apple and pear trees.
| Prof. J. H Comstock, entomoiogist of the
Department of Agriculture. Washington,
D. c., in the report of 1881, states that
| this species of scale insect has not been
found in the United States. Ga the Sd OF
/ March, 1882, he wrote as follows:
"Mr. Cooke Your letter and specimens
| received. Without doubt you are right.
The scale is the d. ostreoformis This is
very important, as it is the first instance
of which l know of this species in this
country. Strong measures should be
taken TO destroy it before it gains foot
hold" etc.
Owners of trees, especially pear trees,
| should examine them carefully by scrap.
| ing with the blade of a pocket. knife the
debris found in crevices or around orifces
where branches and limbs have previously
| been cut off, The under side of the scale
| is white and the insect of purplish color
/ it measures one thirty. second part of an
inch in length. Trees infested should be
sprayed with the I've solution, while the
sap is dormant, or with the whals-oil soap
| and sulphur mixture lone pound to one
gallon of water when the tree is in leaf.
THE APPLE.LEAF LOUISE
| (Aphis mal0 is spreading rapidly on apple
| trees in this city and vicinity, and should
| be destroyed. 1t covers the foliage and
| fruit, leaving sticky matter, and in cases
where the trees are badly infested it pro.
duees a disagreeable smell. The ova or
winter eggs can be found on the branches
of trees infested last season, bus as they
measure only enc. fiftieth of an inch lens
is required to see them. The same treat.
ment as for tee d. ostreGfoTmis scale viii
destroy them. The woolly aphis, or
APPLE TREE ROOT LOUISE,
Is found on msny apple trees. 1t appears
as q white cottony substance in the sum.
mer season but # this cottony mass is
examined, it will be found TO be mass of
insects. At this season the trees should
be thoroughly sprayed with the I've solu-
| ton, SO as to destroy any winter eggs on
the tree; then dig a trench around the
tree down to the roots put in shovelful
! or two Of fresh lime; on this pour enough
water to cause it to commence to slack
then cover up with the earth taken out of
the trench. This will effectuaIly prevent
the lice from coming up out of the ground
If the roots OF apple trees infested by this
species Of aphis are examined, large excres-
cences will be found, caused by the sting of
this peat. Parties buying young apple
trees fer planting should examine the roots,
and if they find any of the roots knotty or
with these excrescences, they should rot
buy them, as by planting such trees they
are nlantinp the disease on their premises