The Lamar register., 1906-12-19
COTTONY SCALE
PEST THAT INJURIES SOFT MAPLE
TREES.
BEST TREATED IN WINTER
Directions Issued by Colorado Expert
ment station-Best Treatment Is
BY Use Of Kerosene, Soap and
Water Emulsion.


BY Use Of Kerosene, Soap and
Water Emulsion.
The cottony maple scale is a rather
common pest on soft maple and some
other trees. especially those which are
planted In parks and along the streets
| for shade and ornamental purposes.
1t belongs to group of very much spe-
cialized insects which have a habit of
spending a very large portion Of their
| lives attached to one place on the plant
on which they live. During the greater
portion of their existence they are COW
cred with shell of greater or less
hardness, which often resembles very
closely the surface of the food plant.
Owing to these characteristics and the
fact that they look so little like in.
sects. they are commonly overlooked
by all except those who are making a
specially of studying them. The In
Jury Is done while the insect is taking
its food. To do this 1t thrusts hairlika
bristles from its mouth into the plant
tissues and draws out the sap.
The adult form of the insect is most
easily recognized during May ard June
when 1t secretes a white cottony mass
of wax about the size of a pea from I'M
der the scale. These masses appear on
the twigs and small limbs. They may
range in numbers from Il few scatter
ing individuals to where the under
sides of the limbs are nearly covered
with them. The masses at this time
are more commonly found on the lower
limbs and most often on the under
sides OF these. In the center OF the
fluffy masses the insects lay several
hundred tiny oval nearly white eggs
and then die. The egg laying contin-
ues with different insects from the lat
ter part Of May till about the first of
July. The eggs hatch in June and
July and the tiny young soon find their
way to the leaves and begin to feed
Most often they settle on the under
sides near the veins, but they are some
times found on the upper sides and
even the young changing their posi-
ton. 1t is during this season that the
injury is done to the leaves. The Old
deserted cottony masses still cling to
the limbs and are sometimes to be
found there for more than year after
they were formed. They, Of course.
do no injury. In August and Septem-
Der the male scales develop into tiny
winged insects, but they soon after
ward die.
The females remain on the leaves
the twies and limbs. At this time they
are little over sixteenth of an inch
in length. They fasten themselves for
the last time, usually lengthwise the
twig. and more often than not on tho
under side Of It. During this fall mi
grafton great many are lost by cling
ing to the falling leaves and otherwise
failing to secure good alternating
places.
Throughout the winter the scales
| may be found in this position and dur
| ing this time they take but little II
any nourishment.
AS soon as the sap begins to flow In
the spring they begin to grow. Their
color is almost exactly that of the bark
and they escape unnoticed. BY the lat
Tier part of May or early in June they
are full grown and measure about
three sxteenths OF an inch across. The
waxy mass is secreted from the under
sides and this GRADUALLY raises the in
sect until 1t stands at an angle of sixty
degrees or more to the twig on which
/ il rests.
As already stated the insect does
most injury to soft maple trees, but 1t
is also sometimes very abundant on
black locust and Virginia creeper
Nearly fifty food plants are known
but commonly only the ones mentioned
will he so badly infested as to need
treatment
| Rcmedies-The scale is SO wen pro
Itected at most STAGES of its life that II
lis very hard to kill without injury 10
1.-The tree. The best time is during the
winter while the trees are in a dor
mant condition An insecticide can
lthen be used which ia strong enough
Ito kill without injury to the tree. All
parts of the tree can be reached. which
cannot be done when they are in foil
age. The amount OF insecticide re
uuired is very much less than in sum
mer.
The insecticide most commonly used
is kerosene emulsion. This is a mix
Iture of kerosene and water accom-
lpIished through the use of soap and
made according to the following for
mula:
| Kerosene ...,.....-...z gal.
| SOAP ................ SaI.
Water . Sal
Dissolve the soap in boiling water
and while still boiling remove from
he fire and add the kerosene. Then
with the force pump. pump the liquid
hack on itself for five or ten minutes
until the mixture assumes a creamy
consistency and no free oil rises to the
surface when the emulsion Is permitted
to stand q few minutes. This makes
he stock solution. If the oil refuses &c
omulsify after considerable agitation
the mixture may be put over the fire
and warmed somewhat. II this is done
treat care must be taken that the oil
does not boil over or serious results
may follow. II the soap is first dis
solved in two gallons of water the re
sulting mixture will be warmer and
more apt to emulsify readily.
Common laundry soap Is most read
lily obtained, but any brand will an
swer. whale-oil soap will do equally
we'll. If the water is hard or alkalied
lit will be necessary to use larger
portion of soap, or to treat the water
in way to soften 1t. Soft naphtha
soap is sold by which good emulsion
may be made cold or by only slightly
warming the water. It is necessary to
nse fifty per cent. more of the soar
when used in this way. This is a good
method where large quantities of the
emulsion are to be used and the task
lrf heating the water is serious prob
lem.
For use on this scale the original
stock solution must be diluted until
There are four gallons Of water to every