The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-03-23
H San JOSE A
What It Is, and What Destruction 1t Can
Cause--How to Get Rid of It.

What It Is, and What Destruction 1t Can
Cause--How to Get Rid of It.
RALEIGH, N. c., March Is.
The Experiment Station regrets to
announce that the dreaded San Jose
scale has reached North Carolina. Bull
letin No. 1873 describes the character Of
this destructive pest, the damage
which il has done to the fruit industry
in other States, and what it is likely to
do in North Carolina unless it is
stamped out at once. It is stated in
the bulletin that from a single pair,
8. 600, 600, 600 insects may result in a
single season. Although these scale
insects do not move from place to
another of their own accord, yet they
are blown by wind or else carried on
the feet Of birds to other orchards not
infested. Such is the rapidity Of in.
crease that these orchards will soon be
covered and the trees will be destroyed
in a very short while, besides being q
standing menace to other localities
The Horticultural Society, aided by
the Experiment Station, prepared q
bill which was enacted by the legisla
ture, the purpose of which is to pre-
vent the introduction and spread of
such insects. There are other insects
and fungous pests as bad as the San
Jose scale. Some of these pests are:
the cotton boil weevil, now proceeding
northward from Mexico and Texas the
Gypsy moth Ito destroy which the
State Of Massachusetts hes already
spent $3.50, OOO the tobacco leaf miner,
a recently discovered insect OF most
destructive tendency, and the peach
yellows, which has practically ruined
the peach orchards of many States.
The San Jose scale, as has been said,
is a member Of the Order Hemiptera
Or bugs. It differs from most other
genera of this order in that the males
undergo a complete metamorphosis,
and when mature have only n pair
of wings. The male and female in
sects pass the winter beneath tb cir
waxy scales as young. About the time
the peach buds begin to swell, he
young awake and resume their growth,
which is soon completed. The male
then emerges and fertilizes the female,
which soon begins to give birth to liv
ing young instead Of eggs. The young
continue to be born for about six weeks
nt tho wofo If obOy1t twO 6cuor row Iou
according to the observations of Mr..
Theo. Pergande of the chronological
Division Of the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture. The young scale
bugs have legs and ~feelers, and are
very active for a few hours. They
then afix themselves, insert their
beaks into the plant and begin to suck
the sap. After three or four days, they
will have covered themselves with a
waxy scale like the parent. After
about twelve days they mott their skin,
legs and ~feelers, and the females lose
their eyes. After several more molts,
extending owe about twenty FIVE days,
the males become mature and Quit
their scales. 1t requires nearly forty
days for the full growth Of the female
scale bug. Mr.. Pergande found four
successive broods at Washington, D.
Q. In North Carolina and southwark.
there may be from five to sever broods.
The fecundity Of this insect is prodig
lous. Starting with a single fertilized
female in spring, il all the increagelive,
we may have at the end of the fourth
brood more than 8 900, OOO. 900 insects.
Being so very small while young, and
o covered by a hard, waxy scale, it
Is probable that most of the scale bugs
born do live when left to themselves
and mature.
In California, where this insect first
became a dangerous orchard pest. The
favorite remedies are fumigating with
h~ydrocyanic acid gas, and spraying
during the winter season with a com
blnation of sulphur, salt, and lime. O
a solution Of soda, rosin and fish oil
Toe gas treatment ia effective but dan.