The morning news., 1897-08-07
THE SAN JOSE SCALE FOUND.
A THREATENING DANGER TO THE
TREES OF SAVANNAH.

Chairman stone of the Park and
Tree Commission Notifies Mayor
MeIdrfm to This Eject - The Scale
Found In Forsyth Park and Else
where - An Insect Which Propn-
gates at an Enormously Rapid
Rate and For Which No Sure De-
structive Agent Has Yet Been
FOund.
The dreaded San Jose scale, the great
est enemy Of the fruit growers of the
United States and the deadly foe of tree
life generally, is believed to exist in Sa-
vannah. The discovery of it's existence
here is due to the recent session of the
horticultural society in Savannah
Considerable time was given to the dis
cussion of the scale and possible means of
dealing with it by the society. Prof. AL
wood of the Virginia experiment station
gave a thorough description of it's charac-
teristics, together with his experience in
dealing with the pest. The existence of
the scale in the fruit growing sections OF
Georgia for some time past was known
and when it was stated that the scale
attacked a great number of forest trees,
as well as fruit trees it at once became
an object of interest to know if the pest
had made its appearance here.
Mr.. Paul NJ. LeHardy, who was an in
terested spectator at the sessions of the
society brought to the meeting a branch
from a tree in Forsyth park, the purple
leaved Persian plum, which had attracted
his attention because of the scaIy
excrescences on the bark. This branch
was presented to Prof. Atwood, who at
once stated that it closely resembled the
San Jose scale. He was not willing to
pronounce upon it, however, until he had
examined it under the microscope.
DR.. George H. Stone, chairman of the
park and tree commission, was present,
and heard Prof. Awoods statement. Be
ing always interested in everything affect
ing the trees he began an investigation
yesterday morning. He was not surpris-
ed to find what he had anticipated would
be the case that a number of trees in
various parts of the city were infected
with the scale. Portions of the twgs were
examined by DR.. Stone under the micro
scope and compared with twigs brought
here by Prof. Atwood containing the scale
for the purpose of illustrating his lecture.
Dr. Stone was convinced from his ex-
animation that the scale upon the twigs
culled in the park and elsewhere In the
city and that upon the twigs left here by
| Prof. Atwood were one and the same. The
only apparent difference was that the Nir-
ginia scale was dead and consequently
harmless, while the local scale was live
and vigorous. The scale upon the twigs
! taken from the park answered even more
closely 10 Prof Alwood's description of
the pest than did that upon the specimen
twigs which he brought here. the peculiar
reddish spots, mentioned by Prof. Atwood,
intermingled with the white scale, being
especially noticeable.
The scale. as described by Prof Atwood
in his interesting lecture before the hor-
ticultural society, is an insect. In the
spring Of the year the scale, which have
retained their vitality during the winter,
begin to propagate, and do so with great
rapidity. the young being produced alive
by the female at the rate OF four to six
/ a day. The insects are very small but
can be seen with the naked eve. They are
equipped with legs. and at once begin TO
crawl about. The female seeks the most
convenient branch or twig. where they at
once take hold burrowing their beaks into
the bark and feeding upon the sap or life
! blood Of the tree. Their legs shortly dis
appear aud their bodies become covered
with a whtish scale. 1t Is this scale
| which protects them and makes them inn
peryious TO the washes and sprays which
| have been found effective with other in
| sect enemies of the trees. No effective
| destroyer OF the scale has yet been dis
| covered. though every effort In that direc-
ton has been made by the fruit growers
who have been the chief sufferers from It's
ravages 10 seems TO flourish Ia on por-
! tions OF the country. and 10 be equally
harmful In all
IL wns first discovered IN the San Jose
valley Ia California about ten years ago.
and was spread throughout the country by
nursery shipments before is harmful
character was fully known Temporary
results only have been obtained with the
remedies 80 far applied and the only offec-
tive measure has been TO destroy affect.
ed trees by burning them. As the work OF
the scale is gradual II can exist for some
| length OF time before being discovered
aud the grower usually wonders why his
trees are dying out before "a close examl-
nation reveals the scale. The usefulness
OF the tree is nrst destroyed and "a grad
unl death follows unless the tree Is
promptly removed
~ 1t be- true that the forest trees are
equally affected with the fruit trees IL be-
hooyos the city authorities 90 Doe on the
alert 90 take advantage of the best means
az hand FOR restricting the rlYarcs 81 the
scale o. they cannot hc entirely cxtCrmln.
ntcd. lr stone said that be- would Tot
Mr Hovlll, former foreman of che street
and lane force, 70 make o careful examin-