The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-04-30
STRAWBERRY PESTS.
College Men on The. Fruits
Enemies.

"Last fall, while examining the
work of the strawberry crown
miner, l occasionally found large
grub boring in the strawberry roots.
In January, received letter of
inquiry regarding this pest, from
Roseburg, the writer stating that
his strawberry plants had been en-
tirely ruined for three years in
succession. In a recent visit to
Southern Oregon the same borer
was found to be doing considerable
injury in the vicinity OF Ashland
and later found it present in small
numbers at Hood river.
From the fact that this pest is
capable of so much destruction,
and is SO widely distributed, and
since it has never been recorded as
Injurious in this state, it has been
thought best to take this .opportu-
nifty Of calling the attention Of
strawberry growers to it.
The .borers when fully grown
are nearly or quite lhree-iourths OF
an inch long, are yellowish white
i'm color with head, brown. They
are the larvae of a clear winged
moth somewhat resembling the
moth of the peach, h,root borer.
Just when they first attack the
plants not known, but the fact that
in the fall all the larvae are of uni
form size and fully grown, would
indicate that the moths issue and
deposit their eggs at least before
June 1st, and that the period ol
egg deposit is not prolonged
throughout the season as in the
case of the peach borer.
Several of these large borers
may be present in the same plant
each of which excavates a large
cavity in one of the main roots
filing it with it's dark brown exc
cretions. In this cavity, the larva
lives through the summer and win
ter, Transforming in the spring tt
dark brown motionless pupa, ant
shortly afterward issuing as the
adult moth, which flies rapidly
about in the bright sunshine, dc
posting her numerous eggs ior an
other generation of borers.
/ SAT present, no method OF pre-
venting injury from this pest cal
be suggested, other than to destroy
all infested plants in fall Or win
ter and thus prevent the moth Iron
issuing the following spring. Ex
periments are being conducted
however, with view to finding
out Just when the moth issues, ane
when and how the eggs are depos
tied, and to determine, if possible
whether any substance can be ap
Piled to the plant at that time
that will prevent deposition, o
4 destroy the borer when frs
hatched."
: He speaks also ef the strawber
: ry crown miner. He says this kes
is easily destroyed by moving TIN
vines in the fall, then, when dry
: piling them upon the plants ant
, burning them. -.
Prof. Hedrick thus discusses tn
strawberry leaf blight:
This destructive desease Of tn
, straw berry is found in all parts o
, Oregon, and very seriously affect
the total yield. In the strawberr
districts of Portland, Hood Rive
, and Milton, the blight is maxim
:, considerable headway and mean
should be taken this season to pre-
vent its spread. 1t is reported a
doing much damage around Asl
land, and can be found i'll almos
) any strawberry patch in the Will
annette valley.
''The disease first appears on tn
leaves as small purple spots whic
t increase in size until they are fror
. one eighth to one fourth of an inc
in diameter. This purple color
: soon replaced by a reddish brown
7 which, in its place, becomes
: lighter color as the season advances
: the edges of the spots general
.etaining the original purple colo
The fungus passes the winter i
the leaves or by means OF spore
formed uDOn them.
The treatment for this reaso
should be to NOW off the oil
= leaves after the crop is harveste
- and destroy taem. The new growt
should then be sprayed twice, wit
an interval of four weeks, wit
Bordeaux mixture. Non bearin
: plants this fall should receive til
5 same treatment. When the ne'
[ growth starts in the spring anothe
y spraying or two should be givel
: The Bordeaux may be made a Iii
: tie weaker than when used i'll a
+ orchard, and as it is quickly an
: easily applied the expense of tn
i three or four sprayings will be yer
small"