The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-01-23

again.
A branch from fruit trees affected
by San Jose Scale has reached the
Times Office, and it recalls the fact
that it will soon be time for apply
ing spray as remedy for the pest.
The spread of the scale in this vi
4cinity has been the occasion of for
mer articles in these columns. In
various door yards about town
there are trees more or less affected.
Trees in the advance stage can be
seen on the premises OF Manual
Knight at the corner of Fourth and
Jefferson, Unless treated in the
near future, there are trees on the
place that will not long survive.
Pear trees at the Bier place. other
trees in the Lees yard and the lots
adjoining are more or less affected.
On the lets of D. M. Smith in the
northwestern portion of town there
are trees on which the ashy colored
limbs unerringly denote thepresence
of scale. These instances of the
pest are only few among many.
for fruit, expert said yesterday
that it is probable that in more than
half the doory ards in town, the pest
is prevalent. Its presence is some
times made noticeable by the fact
that all the leaves do not fall from
the affected tree. These leaves
seem not to have vitality enough to
drop off, but remain on etwig and
dry there, an almost certain indi-
cation of the trouble that besets the
affected tree.
WHEN THE SCALE cRAwLs sf
AS everybody knows, at least
fruit men do, the scale is a thing of
life that multiplies with great ra-
pidity. and by sucking the sap,
gradually destroys the vitality of
the tree. Under proper climatic
conditions, the tree may die in two
or three years after itbecomes afec-
ted. Under different circumstances,
a much longer period may result
before the damage has fatal ter
1nination. A rigid application of
spray of the proper character, is the
only remedy. Unless it is applied
the tree is doomed. In the case of
nearly all other pests, it is only the
fruit or foliage that is affected. In
case of scale, it is not only the in
jury of the fruit, but it is the very
life of the tree that is at stake. For
this reason, it is important that
treatment may be applied, to the
end that orchards may be saved.
For about 4S hours after birth
Hhe infant scale crawls about the
tree. 1t has body, six legs and
a beak. The main thing about it
is its beak, for that is the thing
about this very small creature, that
kills the tree. After 48 hours, the |
baby scale no longer crawls. By
that time it has fixed its deadly |
beak either in the bark, the fruit or
the foliage of the tree.
IT'S DEADLY BEAK.
The presence of the infant scale
in the fruit is denoted by a red
spot with a brown center The
little bug is in that spot with its
death-dealing beak buried deeply
in the flesh of the apple. In the
bark of the tree, small ashen col
ored scale denotes that the bug is
there, with its beak buried deeply
in the fibre. Ultimately, this beak
is all that is left of the little organ
ism. After the creature fastens it's
bill in the fibre, the legs and body,
begin to be absorbed. In time
they disappear altogether, leaving
the beak with a deposit over it,
which is the result Of the diversion
of sap from its natural flow. When
tree gets enough of these beaks in
1tS ct1rfaCa it iS q oNper on5 ,,,ox, I