The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-03-22
Office State Board of Agriculture,
Harrisburg, Penna,

| 10 We IcWVSytOdVtu DOte DOdFU |
OF agriculture:
GENTLEMEN AS Pomologist of
your honorable body, l would report
the appearance in Pennsylvania of
that very pernicious insect known as
the San Jose Scale, which is generally
acknowledged to be one of the most
destructive pests that the fruit grower
of the United States has TO contend
with.
The San Jose Scale first appeared
in the United States in California,
about the year 1870, it having been
brought to the Pacific coast on trees
received from Chill. Fruit shippers
first noticed it in 1873 at San Jose,
and from this it derived the name by
which it is now known. 1t is reported ,
to have caused great pecuniary loss on
the Pacific coast, having, In the |
course of twelve years spread through |
all the fruit growing regions of Cali
fornia, Oregon and Washington, re-
sulting in the destruction of thousands |
of trees. 1t was introduced into
Pennsylvania during the past season
through nursery stock brought from I
another State.
Pears and prunes shipped from
states on the Pacific slope have
carried the San Jose Scale, and it has
thus obtained foothold in the At
lantic Coast States, and bids fair in
short time to spread over the entire
country.
Twigs infected with this scale, OBJ
tanned from a Central Pennsylvania
fruit grower, are exhibited at this
meeting, and are thus described by
the grower from whom they were re.
= ceived: A serious pest which mul-
tiplies beyond anything that | have
ever before seen in insect life. 1t will
cause much trouble unless checked.
l 1t makes pears unsaleable; it is
worse on the Bartlett pear than on
7 others, and this is our most common
j variety"
Specimen twigs from The orchard
Of the same frult-grower were submit
ed to Prof. Howard, Acting Entomo-
J logist of the National Department: of
Agriculture, and he paid visit to the
u premises where it was first discovered
: in this State, and he has pronounced
{ it the San Jose Scale beyond doubt.
! Prof Howard states that the San
. Jose Scale belongs to the same group
{ of scale insects as the common and
well known oyster-shell bark louise CT
q the apple family. 1t differs from this
IS insect, and in fact from all other
eastern species from deciduous fruit
:, trees, in that the scale is perfectly
, rourd or at most very slightly elongat
!, ed or irregular. 1t is fiat, pressed
d close to the bark, resembles the bark
81 Of the twig in color, and when fully
!, grown is about one eighth OF an inch
q in diameter. At or near the middle
Il of each scale is small, round, slight
&c ly elongated, blackpoint, or this poin
- may sometimes appear yellowish.
y Prof. Howard recommended tina
't where trees have been badly infested
" the safest and, in the long rnn, th'
IN most economical course to pursue |:
to cut and burn trunks and branches
,h Where infestation is less marked, in
u. secticide washes and sprays may b
ey used. He favors the kerosene emul
&c sion for destroying the young lice, ant
~ a preparation of resin and causti
ne soda for the older scale The formul
Vo for the latter preparation is as follows
Pss Resin, 20 pounds Caustic Sod
40 90 per cent. strength), S pounds
o' fish oil, pints with sufficient waite
.eS added to make 100 gallons This
,y to be applied to the trees by means {
VIC We sprayer.
-, Prof. Howard, in continuing h
nS experiments with spraying mixture
~ for the destruction of the San Jos
Scale, writes to me as follows
80 have found that while kerosene emu
he sion treatment during the summt
!, -" = time is good enough, SO far as it goe
1,a the habits of the insect prevent
30 from being very effective, since the
nn are continually Matching throughol
% the entire summer, and two days ate
:. Matching have formed enough Of
"a - scale to be nearly impervious to Il
ne nv emulsion. By these sprayings wi
=. the emulsion at intervals througho
IN the summer, the insect can be ke
! from increasing, but its numbers ca
m, not be greatly decreased. The prop
sss m spray is a strong whale oil solutiC
,on ~ Immediately after the leaves fall
On On the autumn, and again just before Il
;nn buds burst in the spring.
,,e The matter of appearance OF Il
ery San Jose Scale was made known
nai the State Horticultural Association
@ ,@e,s its annual meeting at Reading, Jan
'ost ary 18th and 9th last. Prof. Brintc
the late of the New Jersey Experime
on Station, who was present, made
,iDh examination of the insect under
l.