Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-04-28
THE SAN JOSE SCALE.

Foreign countries have and are legisla
ting against American fruit, not because
they object to its lusciousDess, but to the
immigration into their territory of the
aspidiotus peruiciosus. which is the ento-
biological title for San Jose scale.
This little speck of scale, no larger
than the period at the end of sentence, is
living, moving, rropagating insect, with
a complicated organism, by means of which
he works great destruction to fruit trees,
roses, currants and all similar growths.
To the casual observer, it is very in
significant, and might and does pass for a
simple point of discoloration on the Tempt
ing fruit you hold in your hand, ready to
enjoy, at the expense of his life, for he
cannot survive a bath of gastric juice.
Examine the next lemon you buy, and if
you see little dark specks on its skin.
scrutinize one of them under a strong
microscope, and you will see most
formidable appearing six legged insect. If
he has wings he is male scale, and if
without wings female.
This scale is more important animal
than many imagine, as is SHOWN by the
European prejudice against him. He holds
very high place in chronological society.
Professor L. o. Howard, etomologist of
the United States Department of Agricul-
ture, said in speaking of him:-
Never in the history of economic ento-
mology in the United States has single
species of insect excited so much interest
as has the San Jose scale. ]"
THE BANE AND ANTIDoTE.
Mexico and carries Spanish name. When
the entomol0gists classified him and added
to his genus the word pernicious they de-
scribed him we'll, for he is most pernici Us
He has entered into the United States,
travelled over its entire extent where fruit
trees grow, and has made his entry into
Europe.
The scale is the most prolific insect in
the world" said Professor W Bentenmuller,
entOmolOgist at the American Museum of
Natural History, when asked him about
the little creature last week He follows
every line of travel where fruit groWs.soon
gains Judgment, and begins his destruc-
tive work on the trees. He takes the life
out of whatever he lives on He draws the
juices from the trees, and the result is that
their fruits shrink and finally they die.
He is extremely difficult to get rid of,
for besides being very prolific he is tena-
cious cf life. If he once gains Judgment
incessant work ls necessary to keep him
from spreading with most disastrous results,
He destroys the bark by sappipg its life
away. No tree can Withstand such treat
ment."
The female scale does not lay eggs, but
is viviparous, and her young are fixed on
the bark of the tree they inhabit and are
at home in less than a day. Then they
grow and wax strong, and in a little more
than month are parents themselves. This
sort of thing continues all Summer and
far into the Fall. and as the first progeni-
tor and succeeding generations are living
off the tree all OF this time, the result is
easily imagined.
What is the antidote Many have been
suggested and recommended, but with any
it is constant battle to make Roadway
against the pests. There is a Southern
fungus called by the botanical name of
Spheuoctlbe coccophllla, which is said TO
be death to them and not injurious to the
tree. 1t produces a disease from which
the scale die. Hydrocyanic acid gas as
fumigator is said to kill them land kerosene
oil used as a wash is recommended as being
equally fatal. Then scalding hot water is
guaranteed to be sovereign remedy. Any
of these things is well enough if you reach
all of the insects, but if any escape they
will soon infest large orchard