The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-03-27
CORRESPONDENCE
The Editors are not responsible for the views
NJ Oorraspondeuts
THE HOME ORCHARD AND ITS
PES1S.

Life Study Gives Progressive Farmer
Readers Some Valuable sints
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
The farmer who surrounds his home
with an abundance and variety OF
fruit trees, is generally voted to belong
60 the advanced aud provident class.
But this reputation shall for the future
belong only to those who are willing to
fight for it; and fight they must, early
and often.
Destructive scale and other pests
have multiplied 80 extensively in re
cent years that il is almost impossible
to grow tree fruits without constant
and we'll directed efforts against these
pests. The San Jose scale was discov.
cred by the writer in North Carolina
i'm 1895 Since then despite the effort
Of the State and private agencies to
check IL, the scale has spread until it
is probably found noW in every neigh
borhood where rec fruits especially
the Japan plums-are. cultivated.
It will no longer be possible for the
busy farmer or toWnsman to plant
trees about his house and wait in pa
thence and confidence for the crop.
The chances are that the scale will take
the trees or so injure them shat they
will bear nothing worth harvesting
This dismal proclamation applies more
especially to the japan plums. But
peaches are nearly as bad. The trouble
Is that not only are plum and peach
trees more liable than other fruits to
harbor the scale, but these trees are 80
tender towards the washes CT sprays
which must be used against the scale
that it ia almost impossible to eradicate
the pest without at the same time kill
ing the tree.
Apples and pears are less infested
and are less liable to injury by the
washes. Small fruits are rarely in
tested and in any case are not liable to
great injury from scale bugs. There
fore the writer feels muca like advis
ing the busy man who loves fruit, but
has not the time OF skill to be constant
~ fussing with and fighting scale bugs
to avoid Japan plums and peaches
Plant only apples, pears, grapes, black
berries, figs and strawberries. Goose
berries and currants are more fire.
quently infected by San Jose scale than
any osher small fruit. As there are
few localities East Of the Blue Ridge
where these latter fruits give a fair re
turn, il may be well to avoid them
also.
For the man or woman who is de
termined to grow plums and peaches,
maugre tn scale, the following advice
may be OF service.
In the first place, buy your trees only
of a licensed nursery man and see that
they are certified by the State Crop
Pest Commission.
In the second place, as soon as the
trees are we'll established-one or two
years in the orchard-begin to spray
or paint them every spring a few weeks
before the buds open with a warn so
luton of 2 pounds Of fish oil soap in
one gallon OF water.
Thirdly, inspect the young wood
diligently during ~theAsummer, using a
good magnifying glass. If you see
any small, era Wing, yellowish specks,
cut off the twig Dr. piece Of bark upon
which the object is seen and send it to
the State Department Of Agriculture
for Identification. The older scales
appear like small circular or oval spots
Of Whitewssh in which a good eye will
discern 3 eoncentric rings and a dark
dot in center. This is San Jose scale.
The oyster shell scale resembles a
mussel shell; the scurfy scale is nearly
oval but pointed at one end. These
three are the most common and abund
ant scales in North Carolina. But
there are many other species.
In addition to the scale bug, the
peach tree is pretty generally infected
and much injured by three other in
scots. These are the root borer, which
causes the gum so often seen about the
roots Of this tree. This insect should
be dug out in February or March. II
you have o attended to this yet, do
80 this week-before the next issue of
The Progressive Farmer. Draw the
soil away from crown Of tree with a
hand troWel or small hoe. Use a short
sharp wire to trace the worms and
kill when found. From 2 to 10 worms
may be found in a tree. Let soil re
main away for few weeks, then paint
the trunk of tree from crotch to main
root with Soul milk thickened with
hydraulic cement until it is about as