The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1901-03-28
PESTS OF THE ORCHARDS.
Now Is the Time to Begin War Oh the
Insects that Destroy
Fruit.

Although the spring DAYS have
hardly been warm enough to start
the buds to swelling in the apple
trees, the watchful orchar.list is
already. beginning to take precautions
against the ravages OF the hordes
Of insects aud pests that will attempt
to blight or destroy his seasons har-
vest of fruit. These enemies are SO
numerous aud of such varied species
and such persistent workers, that
from now until the fruit is gathered
the horticulturist necessarily becomes
a constant combatant.
There is a bright prospect for a
big crop of apples this year. Buds
in the average tree are in superb con-
dition aud the outlook generally is
fayorble to the grower. The frost
or cold spell which sometimes APP
pears late in March may do serious
injury and summer storms of wind
and hail may partially blast the rip
ening fruit. Such conditions cannot
be avoided or their results escaped.
The elements are beyond the orchard
ist, bat his greatest difficulty, causing
severe trouble aud vexatioD, is to
keep off the various insects that will,
if not properly treated, destroy not
only the fruit, but the trees. too.
The first and perhaps the most for
midabie enemy to appear is the can
ker worm whose projenitor may be
looked for in the early spring days
during the latter part Of March. The
canker worm il hatchcd from eggs
that have been deposited 10y beetle
in tree crotches or on various
branches. This beetle which buried
itself in the ground last fail in the
form Of big canker worm and has
laid there sleeping all winter,
emerges from the ground at about
this time of the year and begins it's
nefarious work of multiplying its
species. The female, having no
wings, crawls clumsily up the trunk
Of tree on her awkward legs, night
after night. and deposits her eggs, as
regularly as a hen during the laying
season. The eggs are small, perhaps
one-sixteeuth of Ill inch long and are
laid on pieces OF bark myriads. Be-
ing lead colored they are not easily
distinguished.
During the mild spring days the
eggs are easily hatchei in u few days,
and before one eau realize the fact
the tree is literally covered with
countless numbers of small canker
worms. At their first appearance
they are almost too small TO be seen
by the naked eye, but they grow
rapidly aud wax fat OH each new
Leaf or blossom as it comes out. So
| rapacious are they that they destroy
the trees foliage, as well as often
times eating into the tender wood
of the spring growth. They grow as
long as one aud one-fourth inches
aud travel like measuring worm.
They also have means of suspend
| ing themselves from the branches by
a sucking web. Having doue all the
damage possible, they leave an or
chard OF their own accord. 1t is gem
orally between May 10 and May ~
that they drop from the trees, bur-
| row themselves in the ground for a
long summer and winters sleep.
| WHEN TO FIGHT THE WORM.
| Many orchard owners who begin
their fight on the canker worm too
late in the season think, often times
that they have destroyed the old
worms by spraying, when in reality
their Disappearance is due to the
fact that the worms have eaten their
full of leaves and BARK and have
dropped to the ground CT their own
accord. A southern Missouri
grower. his trees having suffered
severely from the depreda'ions OF
the canker worm for several seasons,
resolved to war against the pest. His