Mesa free press., 1900-01-05
NESI FREE RRE86
A. P. sHEwMAN. PuBlrsHEa.
OUR INSECT PESTS.

At this time Of the year il is aR-
propriate to cali the attention Of those
xho msy be importing young trees to
the danger sofineroduciug with them
y.rions irsecss Inasmpch es there iis
at present no system Of horticultural
quarantine in Arizona, it is necessary
for each individual importes to see
THAT his own trees sre clean; and it Ii
to his interest to persuade hia neigh
bors 80 far as they are importers of
trees, to be similarly careful.
There is = e9mmQn belief in the
Salt River valley that infested trees
may safely be planted. because the
scales or other pests yshlieh isl. @ay be be
upon them will aot suryiye There is
plenty Of testimony proving that shee
black scale of California has repta,-
edly been brought to Rhoeni4 on
| young orange trees, and the trees set
cut insested; yet at the present time
no trace of the black scale can be de-.
tected in the orchards. This points
to what is Indeed the fact. that scales
and other insects brought from rela-
lively moist regions to Arizona have a
hard time to exist and propagate.
Especially when they come on young
trees, they are exposed to the direct
rays OF the sun, and are liable to
perish before the plsnt affords enough
shade to protect them.
Admitting all this, however, there
is plenty of reasgon for the mos; .erup-
pl6us cere. Under certain :ponditions
scales which normally inhabit moist
and relatively cool regions, wiat
flourish even in the Salt River val
ley. The San Jose scale is case in
point. This has been brought in,
un1 ouhtedly on young trees. and has
uryived for many years in Phoenix
IT, a. orchard at Glendale, where the
pear trees are fairly large, aud are
| protec,e ed by shade trees frcm the full
force of the sun. this scale is rampant,
covering ;;he bark 4 the trees, and
overrnnning the fruit and leaves, rem :
derins the product quite worthless.
50, sssiin, the pssr F. e. lea: blister "'' 9
has been introduc4d On ornamental
plants, and is abundant on certain
oIsanders IN the strsers of Fhoenix.
Now this scale is we'll known pest
Of the orange. and whil4 it night not
live on young orange trees it is more
than likely that i, would flourish in
yha denass enc shade afforded f by trees Of
larger growth.
From Dewey. Arizona, We have re-
ceived specimens OF the woolly aphis,
| reported as 'njaring apple tfess' The
owner of tise trees mentions that he
got them fco4 certain nursery in
! Nj iesouF:
It is not always easy to detect
pests on plants. Scales, when few in
number, are very easily overlooked.
Similarly, eggs Of moths or of mites
are extremely incorspicuous in many
cases. Little cigars6aped case worms,
which may be found on trees from
New York state, are quite the color
Of the bark, and practically invisible
unless one examines closeiy. Woolly
| siiphis, from its mildew-iike secretion.
is much more easily seen than most
things TO ound on imported trees.
just because it ID so hsrd to See
these things, it is lest 10 haye ell i'm :
ported treea examined ny . pan who
knows what he IS looking ro,. qna IS
an expert at the business. Tia eat;
aiyet Valley saoud certainly hsys a
horticulture. qaaysnclne officer ~,,D a
sui "a Die Ia" giving ain power 90 de-
stroy infested plants, The valley Is
isolated and pants can only come in
by ra,l; the interests involved are great
aad daily increasing; and the valley is
at present aekAbly free from pests.
1t ia sood precaution, in case of
lasecta beng ogerlookod, 70 apNy
some insectlr'de To imported pants
before they a.e see QUE. W.ien there
is suitaole Officials to do the work
,La gas ,rea,ment Is doubtless the
N