The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-01-05
Orchard Pests.

-OAAO"ihS PoPOl was IcitQ u.
Trevor Kincaid before the Thurstol
County horticultural Society at tn
November meeting:
"The damage done by insects in tn
United States is almost beyond belief
A conservative estimate places the los
at 100000. Up to a recent dat,
the orchards of this state have beer
comparatively free from injurious in
sects. But now that the acreage il
fruit has been vastly increased anC
many of the Eastern pests imported
with fruit trees brought from infected
districts, it is becoming necessary tc
wage stern war against the intruders
"In defending ourselves from the
attacks of insects it is of vital import
ance to have general knowledge oi
the changes through which they pass
at different periods. In the life oi
every insect there are four well
marked stages:
"First-the egg, during which per-
lod no damage can be done.
"Second-the caterpillar or larva
1t is during this stage that the largest
amount of injury is done.
"Third-the chrysalis or pupa stage,
during which most insects remain
quiet and take no food
"Fourth-lhe perfect insect.
"Some insects are injurious in all
their stages after leaving the egg, but
In most of them only the larva is de-
structive.
'Insects injurious to vegetation
may be divided into two classes by the
nature of their attacks:
"The first group consists of those
that have mouth parts adapted for
biting and chewing The second
group consists of those that have the
mouth parts developed into beak or
snout adapted for sucking.
"The best method of destroying the
first group is to apply some poisonous
material to the foliage, such as Paris
green Or London purple. This being
eaten with their food causes the death
of the insect. The second is much
more difficult to deal with, including
as it does the various scale insects,
plant lice. etc. AS their food is drawn
from beneath the surface, surface
poisons do not affect them, and appli-
cations arc required which will kill by
mere contact with their bodies The
remedy of this nature that has the
widest use is kerosene emulsion.
"a pest that has made itself rather
onpC,>ioro,,c fh,o fn1l N oDoo,oc rf
canker worm. The eggs of this insect
are laid by the female moth on the
twigs of the trees which they infest,
such as apple, plum, prune, etc. In a
short time these eggs hatch out into
small caterpillars which Immediately
begin to feed upon the leaves. Dur
ing the next few weeks they gradually
increase in size. When they have
reached their full growth they are
about two inches long, of various
shades of green and brown in color.
and move in a curious looping manner
which has caused them to be named
loop worms, measuring worms, etc.
They now crawl down the trunk of the
tree or drop from the branches by a
silken thread to the ground, and bur-
rowing into the soil change to the
pupa or chrysalis. Here they remain
till the moths hatch out. Strange to
say, the females, which come out of
the ground before the males, are abso-
lutely wingless. Being entirely una
BILE to fly, they seek out suitable tree
and climb up the trunk into the
branches. Here they are joined by the
perfectly winged males. After they
have paired, the female proceeds to
lay the eggs for another brood.
"The best remedy for this pest is an
application of Paris green at the time
the young caterpillers hatch out, or
the females may be prevented from
climbing into the trees by tying bands
of some sticky substance such as tar
around the tree trunks. ."-Olympia
Standard.