Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-06-25

looking after during June Insects
have become so numerous and destruc-
tive that unless special pains are taken
to DESTROY them much injury will be
inflicted upon the orchard, garden and
farm. A little effort made at the right
fine may often be the means of saving
a valuable crop. In dealing with in
sects it is highly important to be in
season. and he who delays will see his
crop ruined. | wish now to call atten;,
tion to some of those insects which are
especially injurious to old orchards at
this season.
THE CoDLISG-MoTH.
The codling-moth is the most de-
structive insect that the apple-raiser
has to contend with, so far as his fruit
crop is concerned. In many sections OF
the country the larvae of the codling-
moth render one-half or more of the
fruit of the apple orchards unstable
With the warm weather which brings
out the apple blossoms, the codllng-
moths emerge from their cocoons,
where they have abode since they en-
tered them the fall before. Soon after
the fruit sets the moths visit it and de-
posit their eggs on the calyx, where
the eggs soon hatch and the young
hrvae begin to eat their way into the
apple. A New York fruit culturist re-
ports that be has made the discovery
that the worm very soon penetrates the
heart of tho apple and destroys its vital
ity, then leaves it and enters a sound
specimen, and so on, thus destroying a
large number Of apples. He also stated
that Prot G. V. Riley endorses his
views upon this method. He suggests
that the trees be daily examined and
all the infected fruit be removed, so
that all the worms NAV be destroyed
before they have entered other apples,
thus saving fifteen or twenty apples
tor every worm destroyed. 1t has gen
orally been believed that the worm re-
NAMED in the apple first entered until
it was sufficiently developed to under
transformation, and generally fell to
the ground with the apple. According
to this fruit culturist the worm seldom
falls to the ground in the apple until
late in the season. This is a point
well worth further investigation by
frtnt-growers, as it is an important
matter to determine, and has practi-
cal value in regard to the adoption of
means to control the increase of the in
sect6.
REMEDIES AND MEANS OF PROTECTION.
AS to remedies against the codling
moth and its larvae, the use of paper,
cloth or straw bands about the tree
truDks are the means most generally
relied upon by those who attempt to
protect their fruit. The bands should
be about six inches in width, and should
70 once or twice around the tree, being
fastened by pin or tack. Under this
band the larvae of the codling-moth
will crowd to await their transforma-
tien, and by examining the bands
every ten days they may be destroyed.
The bands should be applied as soon as
ttF Grst Of June, and inspected every
eight or ten days until the last of Aug.
In this way large portion of the in
sccts may be destroyed, and the second
brood will be so far diminished in num-
bers that the apples at harvest time
will show only small proportion of
affected fruit. The first brood of lar
vac can beet be destroyed by syringing
the trees with Paris green, one table,
spoopfR5 to barrel of water, at time
when the apples are about the size OF a
hazel-nut. The young worms are then
on the outside of the fruit, and small
quantity Of poison kills them. This
method has been practiced for two years
at the Michigan Agricultural College,
and the Professors have been unable
by tho closest analysis to detect any
trace of arsenic upon or in the fruit at
harvest time OF course it would not
be advisable to apply Paris green after
the fruit has attained considerable
size, as the poison might lodge in the
calyx or in worm holes. BY using it
when the apples are small the first
brood Of worms can be greatly dimin-
ished, and by the use of bands the sub
sequent increase can be to large ex-
tent controlled.
THE APPLE TREE APHIs.
The apple tree aphis, or leaf-louse,
is very small insect, but sometimes
does great injury to the apple trees.
AS soon as the buds begin to open in
spring, the aphides or lice hatch out
from the tiny eggs deposited the pre-
eecding autumn. They locate them
selves upon the young leaves, and be-
gin to feed upon the sap. In two or
three weeks they reach maturity, and
begin to bring forth young at the rate
'of two daily for two or three weeks,
and thep-4ie. Tn two or three weeks
the young lice in like manner begin to
multiply, and SO on, so that the in
crease of these insects is surprisingly
rapid, and the tree soon becomes alive
with them The leayes thus infested
becomes distorted and twisted about,
the tree ceases to grow, and may be
destroyed. AS soon as these insects
are detected (and they should be look
ed for) a solution of half q pound of sal
soda to pailful of water should be ap-
piled to the tree with fountain pump
or syringe. Soapsuds may be used in
the same way. The application should
be repeated from time to time till the
inGects are exterminated.
THE APPLE TREE BoRER.
The apple tree oorer beetles lay their
eggs upon the bark Of the tree during
TIC last of June or the first of July. |
The eggs soon hatch, and the young
borcrs begin to eat their way into the
tree. Then is the time to destroy
them. Prof Saunders recommends q
wash made Of soft-soap, thinned with
a solution of washing-soda in water to
the coneistence Of paint, to be applied
TO the trunk and larger branches of the
tree the first OF June. This will de-
stroy any young borers with which it