The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-01-21

verse opinion is entitled to much con-
sideration.
Though the collin moth is one of
the most destructive of insects and
causes nearly as much complaint as
all others combined it is safe to say
that not one orchardist in twenty-five
has ever seen the adult moth. So shy
and retiring is the insect in its habits
that only by the closest search can it
be found even when abundant. Bv
rearing the larvae. however, the moth
can easily be obtained. All that is
necessary is to put the infested apple
In jar over which piece of gauze is
tied. When fully grown the "worm"
or larva leaves the apple and in a
sheltered place builds thin brownish
cocoon In which it changes into a
pupa. Ten days later the moth
emerges. 1t is beautiful little crea-
ture, the wings being chocolate brown
IN color, barred and streaked with
paler graylsh bancs. 1t would repay
every orchardist to raise few of the
adult moths, just to be able to recog-
nize them. A good many orchardists
labor yet under the impression that
the moths that fly about lights at
night are the adults of the apple
"worm;" )" an error that has led more
than one fruit grower to put in ex-
pensive light traps to catch them. 1t
is true that the Goblin moth flies main
ly at night but it is never attracted to,
but on the contrary avoid lights.
To control the Goblin moth only two
methods have been found that are
profitable. The first and most i'm
portant is by spraying with one of the
arsenical poisons, preferably Paris
Green, using it at the rate of l pound
to 15O or even 200 gallons of water.
To make the spray stick better, some
experimenters have added glue or
soapy compounds; theoretically this
seems desirable improvement, but as
yet has not been much used.
The object of the spraying is to keep
the apple covered from the first with a
thin layer of poison, so that the
moment the larva matches from the
egg laid On the young apple and be-
gins to burrow therein it will be pois-
oned. 1t is therefore evident that if
the apples could be kept sprayed the
whole season, that a crop free from
worms could be raised To do this,
however, would require sprayings every
10 50 II days through the season, en-
| failing an expense that is excessive.
| Each spraying costs from 5 cents to 10
cents per tree according to the size,
and the practical experience of most
growers is that two sprayings yields
the best profit. Subsequent sprayings
do not save enough more apples to pay
! the additional cost. The first spray
ing should be made within a week
after the blossoms fall the second ten
days later. This should be sufficient
if the weather remains clear. Should
rain occur during this period, addition
al sprayings become necessary. Only
in cases where the young apples are
kept we'll sprayed during the first two
weeks of their growth can satisfactory
results be obtained.
The second method of combating
the Goblin moth takes advantage OF
the habit of the larvae of pupating in
sheltered crevices on the trunk of the
tree, by preparing suitable places to
which they are attracted to pupate
and in which they may easily be de-
stroyed. The simplest method is the
so-called "band system" This con-
sists simply in listening strip of bur
! lap around the trunk foot or so above
the ground. 1t is better that the bur-
lap should reach twice around the
trunk, and it may be fastened by a
string or nail. If the trunk of the
tree is kept free from loose bark and
moss, practically all the larvae which
escape being poisoned by the spray,
will pupate beneath the burlap band
and are there easily destroyed. The
bands should be examined every two
weeks during the summer. If longer
time elapses some of the moth will
emerge from the pupae and escape.
Especial care should be taken to ex-
anime the bands after the leaves fall
in autumn and before the buds open
in spring so that all alternating ln-
dividuals may be destroyed. The
danger from the first brood in spring
is thus greatly lessened During the
month of June and July careful atten-
ton to the bands will we'll repay the
work as by this means large proper
ton of the second brood is destroyed.
The use of the two systems together
| furnishes the best means Of fighting
the Goblin moth, and there seems little
hope of improving much on them.
The insect is SO well protected in the
apple and hides itself so carefully
when pupating, that few arc destroyed
by other insects or birds. 1t is true
that two different parasitic insects are