Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-12-07

the state. In Allen county it was
very numerous, particularly in an
orchard Of cherry trees, which were
suffering badly from the cherry scale
(Aspidiotus forbesi).
The presence of the pest will prob
ably be first shown by the whiting
and falling of the leaves at an
unreasonable time. A close exami-
nation of the tree, infested with the
insect, will reveal numerous small
holes in the bark. from which in the
case of the stone-fruit trees, such as
the plum, peach, cherry, ETC., there
is considerable exudation of gum.
To show how tho insect may riddle q
tree, piece of bark less than an inch
square, taken from an infested cherry
tree, contained nineteen perforations
about the size Of pin-head.
The insect that is the cause Of the
mischief is a small beetle about one
| tenth of an inch in lepgth by about
ons-third as wide. 1t is black in
color with the exception of the wing
vevers and the lower part of the legs,
which are reddish.
With the beginning of spring, the
| beetles appear and commence to bore
| small round holes thru the bark to
the sap wood, where they make a
| central burrow or brood chamber, on
| each side of which little pockets are
made, in which eggs are deposited.
AS the larvae hatch from the eggs
! they commence to make burrows
away from and at right angels to the
brood chamber, which become larger
as the larvae develop in size.
The Iarva is small grub about
one tenth of an inch in length. 1t is
| footless and white, with the excep-
tion of the head, which is brownish.
] When the larvae has attained its
| full growth it makes slightly en-
/ larged chamber, in which it pupates.
Upon becoming an adult, the beetle
! makes it's way out thru small holes
in the bark, and escapes. 1t takes
about a month for the insect to go
thru it's various stages, SO that dur
ing the summer there may be several
broods. Many of the beetles upon
emerging will return and renew their
attack upon the tree, thus increasing
the damage that has already been
done. In time the tree becomes com
pletely girdled by the numerous
channels, and dies.
| Strong and vigorous fruit trees may
resist for time the attacks of the
beetles thru the exudation of the
igum, which seems to be obnoxious to
both the beetles and the larvae. But
If the attacks are continued for 8
length Of time, the tree may be SC
weakened that the flow of sap will
not be strong enough to repel. In
such case it is not long before the
| fate of the tree is sealed, unless Wig
orous and prompt measures are taker
for it's protection.
/ To prevent loss from this insect
the tree should be kept in healthy
lconditlon. The stronger the tree the
I better it can resist attack Trees
that are diseased or are suffe rims
1 from the attacks of scales or othel
insects seem most subject to attack
| 1t is q good practice to remove anC
destroy all dead wood in the orchard
as it furnishes excellent breeding
| places for insects and is source O
danger to surrounding trees.
Badly infested trees should be cut
and destroyed. In the early sprin,
the trunks of trees liable TO attacl
should be coated with an alkaline
wash, consisting of soft soap reduced
to the consistency of paint by adding
washing soda dissolved in water
Enough carbolic acid should be addet
to give a strong repellant odor to tn
mixture. Apply the wash with
stiff brush. Several application
should be made during the sprin
and summer.
EXCURSIONS TO THE COLLEGE AN