Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-01-04
ORCHARD INSECT PESTS.

ORCHARD INSECT PESTS.
Otero County Horticultural Society
Discussion.
The Otero county Horticultural Soci-
ETY. met at the old school house Saturday
afternoon, r. o. McClain, president, in
the chair, W. G. Steele, secretary.
Hon. q. W. Swink addressed the meet
ing. saying that as he had the oldest bear
ing orchard in this vicinity he had an OPP
rortunity for knowing most of insect
pests, which was the subject for discus
sion ut this meeting. Three years ago
his orchard had very few coddling
moth. Two years ago an increase was
noted, and one year later the pest was
quite plentiful The remedy for them
WIS gunny sack bandaees around the
trees He put on two bandaScs, one
higher up on the trunk than the other.
The first will catch most OF the worms,
caught In the second. The bandages
should be put on in May, taken of week
" and the worms killed This can be
done by pouring on boiling water, or,
what Is better yet, where one hRs large
orchard, running the bandages through q
clothes wringer, or the bandages may be
thrown into the chicken yard where the
worms will be quickly disposed OF to the
mutual advantage of the chickens and
the trees. Mr.. Swink accounts for the
presence Of the coddling moth in his Or
chard from the fact of his having taken
home from his store barrels and boxes in
which apples had been shipped from the
east; also from having thrown out the
refuse portions OF imported apples There
is no more important work for Otero
county horticulturists than the thorough
renovation Of their orchards Now, while
the orchards are new and the insects but
very few, Is the time to make the work
count largely for the future. Now is the
tune to prepare for vigorous spring
campaign. MIR. Swink was sangulne OF
the best results for fruit growing, it prom
Using to be one of the foremost Industries
Of the valley, but to insure this certainly
attainable success the horticulturists q
work must be done energetically and IN
telhgently. To aid in this he favored
the formation of County horticultural
Board, and the appointment OF County
Inspector, which can be done by the
Commissioners upon the application OF
fifteen fruit-growers- It will be the duty
of this inspector to look after the import,
alton of insect-mfected nursery stock, and
to enforce such lawful regulations as
shall be for the best interests OF the hor-
ticulturists of the county. This inspector
will be paid by the county at the rate OF
50 per day for each days actual service,
the salary for any one year not to exceed
500. The county board will act in con-
junction with the state board.
W. C. Steele said the first thing to do
in the suppression of insect pests was
spraying the trees. The coddiing moth.
lays its eggs in the blossom and the egg
matches out as soon as the blossom drops.
The spraying should be done from the
10th Of May to June LIST, using Paris
green. The inst spraying should be fol-
lowed by a second, one week later. The
leaf-roller and the canker worm are pests
that affiict orchards in other sections, but
which have not reached Otero county.
Both of these may be prevented by spray
ing. He would recommend the purchase
of the Paris green Of the house that you
you buy your sprayer, as the chances OF
getting a pure article are thereby m
creased, and use it according to manu-
facturer's directions. When the apples
begin to come to maturity and to drop,
turn in hogs or sheep, because the fallen
apples must be destroyed unless you
would have a large increase OF insect
pests. Keep all rubbish out OF the Or
chard as it Is good shelter for insects.
The bandages spoken Of by Senator
Swink should be six inches wide and
kept on the trees from June LIST until the
apples are all off. It is well to keep the
trees free from old bark. II second
hand barrels are used for packing fruit
see that they are thoroughly scalded, as
they may be infected with insects. The
cellar in which fruit is stored should have
close fitting doors or screens, that the
millers may be prevented from escaping
in the spring and doing their damaging
work in the orchard. 10 prevent rabbits
from destroying trees Mr.. Steele suggest
ed the following mixture which Is ap-
proved by J. r Cotton in Field and
Farm: Take ~ gallon wooden bucket
and put in lump Of lime about the size
of mans double fist, and pour in hot
water enough to slake it, and while. this
is shaking put in one-half pint Of gas tar
stirring the mixture 30 as to get the gas
tar well mixed with the other ingredients
and add more hot water until the bucket
is nearly full, then put in earth and keep
stirring until it is as thick as whitewash.
The bucket by this time should be.fuu
take whitewash brush and rub the trees
with this late in the fall or as late as Feb
ruary. A rabbit will never touch tree
rubbed with this mixture, and it Is
claimed that II there are any Dorers N
the trees it will kill them. When the
spring rains come the mixture will wash
on and the trees will look green and CLOS
sy, and will make fine growth. Try
this both summer and fall and you will
never quit using it. It is cheap and
harmless to the tree. The woody apis, a
juice-sucking louise, and the pear. blight
were annoyances of which We knew moth
ing. The following recipe was highly
recommended for use in sprayers: Dis
solve 3 pnunds Of sal soda and 4 pounds
of resin in 3 pints Of water above fire;
when properly dissolved add water slowly,
while boiling, to mako 36 pints of COM
pound To make the kerosene emulsion
add to the above compound an equal
amount Of kexosene. To use this emul-
sion in the sprayer add five parts Of water.
This will be fog1a l,eful on small fruits
and vegetables where Paris green could