The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-15
THE SAN JOSE SCALE.
q New Insect Fatal to Fruit Trees


THE SAN JOSE SCALE.
8 New Insect Fatal to Fruit Trees.
AS many of our fruit-growers and
orchardists may be importing trees
from nurseries outside the state this
spring, word of caution may not be
amiss regarding the danger now ex-
listing of introducing the San Jose scale
most formidable insect foes which now
threaten the fruit industry of the state,
and while almost impossible to eradi-
cate when it once gets a foothhold, it's
introduction may be prevented. with
care and the adoption of heroic meas
ures, whenever it first makes its ap-
pearance.
In the March number of the Mime
sofa Horticulturist, Prof. Otto Lug
ger of the Minnesota agricultural ex-
pertinent station has the following to
say of this insect plague:
This insect is as much to be dread
ed, almost, as the grasshopper; GER
tainly more to be dreaded than the
chinch bug, and you know what that
scourge means to Minnesota 1t is
known as the San Jose scale, deadly
foe to all manner of fruit trees, and
if it were introduced into this state,
the extent of the damage cannot well
be estimated. for, though very tiny
as an individual, taken in the aggre-
gate it becomes a vast devastating
power
Fifteen states have already taken
legislative action looking to an Grad
ication or a prevention of the pest. 1t
is almost impossible to prevent it's
spread when once it has gained a foot
hold. 1t was first found in California,
whence it takes its name of San Jose.
1t was carried in fruit or on shrubs of
some kind to New Jersey, where it
has already done much harm. It was
not known in California until about
eight years ago, and no one knows
where it came from. before it reached
that land of fruits.
This scale is not a fungus growth,
but live animal, male and female,
capable of vast reproduction, and one
scale may be a daughter, a mother, a
grandmother and a great-grandmother
in one season. 1t derives its name
scale from its appearance, a tiny
particle not more than an eighth, or,
generally, not more than a sixteenth
of an inch in diameter, and shaped
with a crest or covering which makes
it look like a scale. Sometimes they
are a dull gray in color; sometimes
darker in hue. They have very bust
ness-like way of going about things,
anu WIlcH IHey nave HnlSleu up d tree
there isn't much left but the skeleton.
They may be carried from one tree
to another by birds, who get the young
and active insects on their feet or legs
or on their bills. Sometimes they are
carried by ants, and if the trees are
close together they will pass from one
to the other of their own accord. The
scale saDs the life of the tree, COM
pletely destroying it and rendering it
n in loI1f he 10
1t has a jointed beak, which passes
down into the wood and takes up the
sap.
Not only do they infest the trunks
and branches of the trees, but they
are found on the leaves and fruit as
well. When they are abundant on the
fruit, it is destroyed or rendered
worthless, though the fruit appears
sometimes with only a purple discol-
grafton around single scale. They
do not usually begin active operations
until early in June, and they pass the
winter in a practically dormant condi-
ton. Apple, pear, plum and cherry
trees are the quickest to be attacked,
but other fruit trees, currantS, goose
berries and rose bushes are sought for
when the supply of fruit trees gives
out.
There are various insecticides recon-
mended but so destructive is the pest,
the best way of getting along with
them is not to have them at all. To
this end we should have a law, and
one is already prepared and is now in
the Legislature for consideration. pro-
viding that no nursery stock afflicted
with the San Jose scale shall be al
lowed to come into or be sold in the
state, and requiring certificates of in
Spection from sellers of nursery stocks
showing that their nurseries have been
inspected and are free from the pest
A few days ago l attended a meet
ing of entomologists attached to the
various western agricultural colleges,
held in Chicago, where the San Jose
pest was considered in detail and con-
certed action sought for that it be kept
from spreading further. Since it
reached New Jersey it has passed on
to other states and is now doing great
damage in a state as far west as Hi
noiS.
The Ohio State Horticultural society.
realizing the the danger from the
spread of this pest and others allied
to it, has called a general meeting of
the Horticultural societies of the
United States to assemble in general
conference in Washington on the 9Th
of the next month to consider means
national as we'll as state in their
scope-to prevent the further spread of
THESE. pests. Agricultural societies and
experiment stations are expected to be
represented as we'll. National and
supplementary uniform state Iegisla-
ton is to be asked for, not only to pre-
vent the spread of all such PESTS in the
United States. but to prevent their in
PRODUCTION into this country from for
eign lands.
Action should most certainly be
taken in order that the pest, which has
been slowly working this way, may be
kept out of the state. It's introduction
here would result in immense loss to
the state.
Winter Rearing.
Anoar.ioon Ia ~