The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-10-23
Michigan Horticulturists.

| FARMERS Review Special Report)
Professor Taft spoke on pests new
and old. During the last few years we
have had brought in, at least to our
notice. a number of new insects and
diseases. The most dangerous of these
Is the San Jose scale. / do not know
OF any In this state, but it may be here
In large quantities, for 1t is not usually
discovered by the ordinary farme- till
the third year, whenythe tree Is drying
from its effects. Then the orchardist
begins to hunt for a name. A single
scale on a tree in the spring will de-
velop millions before the season is
over, and SO you see the difficulty OF
fighting 1t. If any of you have bought
trees from New Jersey, you had better
look them over. The trees, II infested,
will look as If they had been sprinkled
with coal ashes, and when these specks
are examined 1t will be seen that there
Is depression near the center of the
insect and in that depression is little
| yellow speck. If tree Is found with
them on the trunk, you had better cut
1t down and burn It; If on the branches,
you may be able to save the tree by
burning the branches.
The plum scale is in our state. but
1t Is doing little damage on trees that
are growing properly. The only
remedy for all Of the scales Is whale
oil soap or kerosene emulsion. some
thing that will kill by contact and not
by being eaten, as the scales live by
| sucking.
During the last few years many
peach growers In New Jersey and some
| other states were troubled by what
they thought was the yellows, but on
investigation 1t was found to be due
to the black aphis swarming on the
roots. Trees that have been brought
to this state have been found infested
in number of cases and generally the
trees have died. When these insects
are found on the branches they can be
killed by the whale oil soaps, or to-
bacco water or kerosene emulsion. But
on the roots it is more difficult. Some
apply kainit over the roots; but In
| applying, one should not dig the earth
away so the kainit will come in direct
contact with the roots.
Q.-When we bring oranges from
California and they have the scale on
them Is there not a danger that they
will introduce the scale into this sec
ton?
Professor Taft certainly think
| there is. We should have law to keep
out those insects whether they come
in stock or fruit, though it might be
hard to stop 1t on the oranges.
r. d. Graham of Grand Rapids spoke
on the New American Fruit Growers
Union. He described the meeting at
Chicago, which was for the organizing
of an association Of state and provin-
cial (Canadian) associations. The
Michigan association had not yet seen
reason for taking part in the, move
ment. He took up the question of uni
formity of packages advocated by
some. He did not think it was advis-
able to have uniform package for diff
ferent markets have different ideas
about this; but as to capacity he
thought there should be uniformity. A
bushel basket should contain bushel,
| and others should contain what they
are represented to contain. We already
have a law to that effect that should
be enforced
s. H. Comings.-We should have that
law enforced. for a good many snide
packages are being put on the market
from this state, and 1t is hurting the
fruit trade. There are two forces that
are working for the reduction of size
Of packages: first, the manufacturers
want a smaller package for then they
sell more Of them; and the transporta-
ton companies want smaller packages,
so they can get more for carrying
them.
Mr.. Morrill, spoke on the transporta-
ton of fruit. We are approaching
time, we'll be in it within 80 days,
when the state will need better trans
portation facilities for fruit than at
present. There should be organization
in selling fruit, to prevent the many
losses in various ways. The state Is
full Of men who have lost consignments
of fruit sent to men they know nothing
about. They do not even look IN
Bradstreet's to see If the man has any
standing, or that he exists at all. If
we have strong association we can
sell to better advantage and induce the
package manufacturers to make pack
ages according to law.
Mr.. Ruth.-We have too easy way
of selling our fruit. We pack it and
take 1t to the dock and that ends it.
So our ability to sell has withered as
any other ability withers when not
used. Now want to see an organiza-
ton, but how can we 60 about 1t?
Mr.. Munson, of Grand Rapids, told
of the fruit sellers association of that
vicinity. They have a membership of
several hundred members who pay 81
per year membership and 81 extra
for every 1000 bushels of fruit
sold. They send out circulars to all
the great fruit-buying centers and So
licit buyers, stating what fruit they
baua nm hand Tho nIoy, hoe