The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-10

insect was first detected But the Chilean
authorities claim that they first found 1t
on pear trees sent them from the San Jose
valley. The insect has also been found in
Australia and the island of Hawaii; so that
the original home is a matter Of much UNI
certainty. 1t soon spread over the western
half of the United States, but did not reach
the Eas! until in the spring Of 1887, when
it was sent OIL plum trees from the San
Jose valley, California, to Stark Bros, of
Louisiana, No. They were not suited with
the grade of the stock and did not unpack
it and later, ut the request of the original
shippers, sent the whole consignment to
two nursery companies in New Jersey. 1t is
from this lot that the most, if not all, Of
the eastern half of the United States has
been infected either directly or indirectly
1t has now been found in nearly all the
Eastern States.
Our first infection came to us probably
from Rochester, N. Y, and was purchased
by Mr. II. T. Kern In 1891 and planted on
the lot now owned by Mr.. ]. NJ. Mitchell;
at least his property is in the center of the
infected district, and several of the infected
trees have died apparently from the effect
of this insect. 1t has been found in the
adjoining lots in all directions; in some in
stances being more than two squares away.
This scale has also been found on trees that
We're sold in 1894 by agents representing
John Sebenthaler, of Dayton, o. This in
sect attacks a great variety of trees and
shrubs; it having been found on the plum,
peach, apple ounce, cherry, Usage orange,
Japan ounce, grape, currant, birch, willow,
elm rose, sumac, linden, catalpa persim-
mon, pecan, wahoo mountain ash, croten
aster, several species of poplar; and, finally
Mr.. r. w. Braucher found it on Princes
Feather (Polyganum orientale Id It has
also been found on other hubaceous plants,
including the strawberry. The bark of
tree that is badly infested has, to the naked
eye, scaly roughened appearance, is of
dusky or dark gray color: when rubbed the
finger detects a slightly oily soapy feel,
due TO the crushed insects. When examined
with d magnfyirg glass the bark is found
to be covered with small nearly circular
scales, many of which have a tiny nipple
like projection on the back; this protuber-
anco is surrounded by small groove. These
features are very characteristic and serve
to distinguish this species from several
others that infest our fruit trees. The
species which most nearly resemble it is
the Minor or Forbes scale (Aspidiotus
Forbesi Johnson) it requires a. microscopic
examination to make a positive diagnosis.
The Putnams scale (Aspidiotus ancyclus
Comstock); the obscure scale (Aspidiotus
obscurus Cornstock) and the Howards scale
CAspidiotus Howard, CockrelD all look very
similar, but usually lack the protuberance
surrounded by a depression so common on
the San jose scale The Minor or Forbes
scale has the same groove and nipple. but
with this scale the nipple and groove are
nearly white in the young, while with the
San Jose scale the nipple is light gray with
dark gray groove, or dark gray with light
gray groove, and the scale outside of the
groove is dark gray or nearly black.
A SIMILAR INSECT.
The oyster shell bark louise and the scurfy
bark louise are often found on fruit trees,
but they are not such serious pest and
can usually be distinguished from the San
Jose by their larger size or oblong shape,
also by the fact that when these scales
are lifted from their attachment on the
bark during the winter they are found to
cover a mass of tiny eggs, while in the
San Jose scale they cover contain minute
live insects. This species seldom if ever
lays eggs, but brings forth its young alive.
When a little more than a month old the
female brings forth young, varying in num-
Der from one to six hundred, and many
as four generations usually occur in this
latitude in one summer, all reproducing at
this rate. 1t has been computed that a
single female may become the proud
mother, grandmother, great-grandmother,
and the Observation-Disclosures of more
than billion and a half scales in one sea-
son. When we add to this the fact that so
far this insect has had no serious enemy,
and that it is almost certain death to the
alize that we are about to face an enemy
that calls for our best and united efforts
in trying to subdue it.
When it comes 20 the matter of treatment
we find our task is still harder. For a few
hours after a young scale has been born it
crawls about in an aimless sort of way,
then thrusts its long slender beak into the
bark and remains there the rest of it's life
sucking the vitality out of it's host. The
outer portion of the beak is divided into
four or five fiaments, which, after passing
through the bark, are insinuated between
the bark and wood. The females have no
wings, and seldom travel more than a few
feet from their place of birth. Males bear
wings during the latter part of their life,
but their flight is short and has nothing to
do with carrying the insect to new locai-
ties. SO that, unaided by external agencies,
the migration of this insect would be very
slow. The principal means by which it is
conveyed is by nursery stock. This being
the case everything sent from a nursery
should be sc"upulously examined both be-
fore it is sent and before it is received. If
this were carefully done its present rapid
spread would soon be checked. 1t has also
been carried long distances on shipped
fruits. After it has once been carried into
a locality it may be further distributed by
the larger insects and birds, on whose feet
or wings it may be carried to neighboring
trees or orchards and new colony set up.
When the branches interlock they will read
lily crawl from one to another. 1t is also
claimed that the insect is sometimes carried
to neighboring trees by strong winds or
currents of water.
When q locality is once badly affected
nothing but the most thorough and heroic
treatment will succeed. When a tree is
we'll covered by the scales it should be dug
up and burned 2or even though the treat
n ent be successful the injury already sus-
tanned would make the tree practically
worthless. While those that are less Sc
riously infested may be saved by a thorough
washing or better. sprayed, so as to reach
every part of the tree from the tips Of the
limbs to three or four inches below the
surface of the ground with a strong solution
of whale oil soap-two pounds to a gallon
of hot water-applied while hot. In case