The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1904-05-15
Horticultural Notes
By F. WALDEN.

trouble with the inclOSed limb is due
to the oyster shell bark louise ?" There
is no question but the limb is affe cted
with this particular louise. Happen
ing to meet A. Won Holderbeke, state
horticultural commissioner, the limb
was shown to him when he pronounc-
ed the infection to be the oyster shell
bark louise. The tip of the limb is
dead but whether this is the result OF
the presence of the louise or from
some other cause, we can not deter
mine by this twig alone. II the In
sect whose presence is shown on the
limb has been on the tree for some
time the probability is that it
caused the limb to die. The remedy
for this louise is to spray with the sui
phur-lime wash the same as for the
San Jose scale. But this must be
done while the tree is dormant. That
cannot be done before next winter. Ii
the insect likely to prove injurious
to the trees during this summer, then
I would recommend that after May 10
the trees be sprayed with kerosene
emulsion, one part to ten parts water,
or whale oil soap, one pound to hVe
gallons water. See The Ranch for
April Is, page IL, for the preparation
of this emulsion 1t may be said Of the
oyster shell bark louise that it is not so
pernicious as the San Jose scale louise.
But it will do a good deal OF harm II
not checked No one, however, need
be alarmed by it's presence, for with
proper care it can be controlled, if not
completely eradicated.
It is somewhat amusing to see how
some men magnify the dangers from
insect pests. This is especially so if
the person writing happens to have
some remedy to sell to the credulous
people. Not long since | heard OF a
man who dug up his orchard because
he found that he had the wOOlly aphis
on his trees This was brought about
by man, who ought to have known
better, telling him what direful thing
is this same louise. 1t is amusing to
read in some of the circulars put out
by the patent medicine men how terri
bly, the human family is afflicted. The
object seems to be to alarm the credu-
lous people and then sell them some
particular medicine which is warrant
ed to cure in all cases. So if man
has a particular dope" that is sup
posed to be panacea for all the Ills
that trees are heir to, he tries, in not
a few cases, to make the people be-
lieve that their trees will soon be
ruined, and of course the only way out
is to buy his dope" The worst pest
that we have to contend with is the
cooling moth. 1t does not injure the
trees, of course but it destroys more
fruit than all other pests combined,
according to the testimony of some OF
our leading entomologists. And yet we
go on raising fruit, and good fruit, and
make some money at the business, not
withstanding this insect. If we can
successfully control this worst of all
insects, then let no one be scared out
of his boots at the presence of the
lesser evils.
While speaking of this tendency toI
scare the credulous in order to sell
them something, wish to mention the
fact that a certain tree peddler tried
to get a man to dig up an apple or
chard of 1000 trees that had been set
one year because they were from piece
root CRAFTS. The man who owned the
orchard was inexperienced and was
strongly inclined to take this honest
CD tree peddler's advice, but wrote to
l. ATAxx Vn.-lIA