The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1899-12-22
THE COOLING MOTH.
WunctlcaI Methods % DEALING Witr
the Enemies Of cur Apple OrsN
eaarda 8unnoataa

shard 10 almost every locality one Of the
frst things that attacks our attention
when examining the fruit is small
macs Of brown PARTICLES, usually on the
calyr end Of large number Of apples.
This naass is so prominent that even the
inexperienced eye will notice it and few
will escape without asking what caused
it. Here the explanation given by the
average three year old child thatsn "old
worm" did It will probably be the srat
absorption that can be givsni but as
time moves on, the next generation be-
gins to take an active part in problems
Of interest to tho parents and is not sat
islied with the mere knowledge that
-wormv does the damage. Fathers and
mothers will be called upon to tell more
Of the story Of the life Of this "old
worm" How few OF US knOw this story
In order to successfully combst the
oodling moth we must understand it's
life habits; we must undersland where It
lives. how it lives and when it lives; we
must understand how to reach It in it's
different stages and must know what
effect our methods Of procedure have
upon the insect.
There are three different stages Of life
after the larea leaves the egg. When the
young worm forces it's way from beneath
the shell Of the egg it comes into the
world Of insect life ss a small csterpilar,
known as larva. and Immediately be-
gins it's ravages in the chosen apple.
Here it remains until it has attained it's
full growth, which Is 10 about three
weeks. when it leaves the fruit aud
searches for some crevice, scale or bark
or other suitable place in which to spin
it's cocoon in which It undergoes trans
formation. From the larval stage the
worm next enters the Pupal stage. Here
1t is inactive, it is in a dormant state
and has not the power of locomotion.
Prom the pups it emerges as an adult
moth which soon begins to lay eggs on
the fruit and leaves, and thereby starts
numerous progeny which Immediately
begins it's ravages Hence we have the
yearly liFe.cyc!e Of the codling moth.
Now the next question that confronts
ua is 'iu which Of these stages must we
undertake the fight against it to save
our apple crops" This may be ques
tion for experience to decide.
It has been conclusively ppoyen that
the codling moth can be reached ineach
~ .ts sFsasri stlgH Ni,et bs ihr p.
plieauou Of arseniies for the larva; sec
oud, by the fumigation with carbon bi.
aulphide or hydro cyanic acid gas for
the pupa and moth, and third, by plac.
ing tempting bats OF poisoned sweets
among the trees Tor the moth. The last
Two methods are neither satisfactory
nor practicable and we must resort to
the 6rss for beneficial results. Let us
begin by spraying with paris green.
Many OF our Orchardists will say that
they are tired Of spraying, that they have
sprayed their trees annually for years
lbut without successful results and that
some other means must be devised. Put
ting this method temporarily aside, we
will then turn to the banding method
Tor destroying the worm mechanically
AN who have tried this alone will say
that this does not seem to check the
moth; that while they succeed in trap
lping q great number Of the worms they
could not keep pace with the increase,
Both Of the above objections may be
we'll founded upon facts, but il we will
carefully inspect the work We will find
isome imperfeotions in the manner in
which it was,dOne. Nine chances out of
ten thespray was either not thoroughly
iapplied or the work was delayed until
ltoo late or the quality Of the insecticide
was poor, while with the bands we will
probably mud "a great deal Of scaly bark
touithetrees, or cracks and oreviees in
which a.sutiicient number of worms sue
peeded in alternating to furnish mater
iial for the succeeding generation. 1t lie
folly to, expect good results without fully
carrying cut the principle eiDvolved. Let
lus.ask our worthy school teacher if we
,can got the correct answer to aproblem
lin partial payments or compound in
iterest without correctly carrying outthe
mule.
The main question that we have to
deal with. however, is. "How can we
ssave our apple orop3" This may be
,another question that only experience
,can decide. butletlus endeavor to'fully
,carry outipractieable means that have
proven successful in other states, We
will take the orchard 10 the spring Aa
esoon AZ the blossoms fall and while the
young fruit is still in an almoat,vertieal
Iposition we shouldspray with asOlution
consisting Of paris green, one pound
,unslacked lime one pound and water
tabout l5Ogallons. Twice the amount Of
lime will do no harm This sspray should
lbe applied thoroughly any time within
IA week after the blossoms fall and
SHOULD be repeated 10 about eight or ter
l5ays aftsrward. Should we have q
ashower ofsuaicient magnitude to wash
tthe poison from the leaves.and fruit i'm
,mediately after the spray has been ap
Iplied, ,it will be ineeesaary 70 repeat the
operation at once.
We do not claim thetthis spray vii
,destroy all the worms and hence save
1.-THE fruit. butif 1t is iadieionsly applied