The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-08-24
LIFE HISTORY.

They then pupate and come from under the
scale as tiny winged insect They fly around
impregnating the females which shortly reach
maturity but do not leave the scale but commence
reproducing about the first Of June, bringing
forth living young which crawl around the
branches of the tree from u to "a hours and then
if female settles down, inserts its beak and re-
mains there the rest of its life 1t requires about
six weeks for it to reach maturity and # then in
turn, brings forth living young. There are from
three to four generations each year. 1t has been
estimated that the progency of one female in one
seas on is over 3,675,S25. Thus you readily see
how tree only slightly infested one year may be-
come badly infested during the season.
MEANS OF DISTRIBUTION.
The insect cannot go from tree to tree or
orchard TO orchard by itself 1t depends on out
side agencies for distribution and only can these
agencies disseminate the pest during the repro
ducing season. During summer birds light on
infested limbs, the young crawl on their feet and
the birds carry it to another tree or bush Wind
sometimes blows infested twigs or branches from
tree to tree, and man and teams going through
an orchard often assist in spreading the insects
from place to place. Other agencies often assist
in distributing the insect
MEANS OF CONTROL.
This insect can be efectually controlled by
spraying your trees at the proper season with
the proper solution made correctly, and applied
thoroughly. The best all around solution to en-
ploy is undoubtly the lime, sulflr and salt wash
This is dormant remedy and should be applied
to infested tree in fall or spring. Badly infested
orchards should receive two applications, one in
the fall and one in the spring. But if only one
treatment can be applied. we find applying the
wash in the spring to be the most effective, and
further as late in the spring possible, just be-
fore the leaves and buds appear or open.
While the lime, sulphur and salt wash is some
what troublesome to make and apply, we know
it is effective. We know what materials and the
quantities that are in the wash, they are all good
for trees Then again it is cheap. Therefore
would not advise the use of any of the other
solutions until it has been proven conelusively
that it is effective in controlling the pest
The lime sulfup and salt wash should be made
according to the formula following.
Formula-Good quality freshly burnt lime. 20
pounds; flowers OF sulfur, Is pounds; common
salt. 10 pounds, water, so gallons
Direetions-Put 20 gallons of water in an iron
pot or hog scalder and bring to a boil and then
| add the stone lime and sulfur. The suiur should
be made into paste with hot water before pac.
ing in the boiler in order to facilitate its mixing
After the lime and sulfur have been boiled for
some Time add the salt. Boil the mixture stirring
| occasionally from 80 minutes to one hour, or I'm.
til the sulfur is thoroughly dissolved and produces
a clear amber colored solution. Then dilute by
adding sufficient hot cold water to make so gal
Ions. Pass the mixture through etrainer with
at least 20 meshes to the inch into the spray bar
rel and apply to the trees warm.
In treating badly infested apple trees where
only one application is made. better results may
be secured by increasing the suifur and lime each
pounds more than given in the formula above.
GENERAL REMARKS
1t makes little difference whether you gentle
men are engaged in the business of fruit growing
or not. You should all have sufficient apprecia-
ton of your family and yourself to produce fruit
for your home use. Don't let your fruit trees be
killed by this pest. The insect has just COM
menced its ravages in parts of Cecil County. take
it in hand now. don't put it off until it is too late
Examine your orchards and if on are in doubt of
| the trouble send some specimens to me at once
and shall be glad to give you any assistance.
Examine your hedges for they are great harbor
tor the pest. aud often a hedge win infest fruit
trees for great distances in every direction. Cut
| the edge down, it is dear fence.
There is law which compels all who have in
festatons of this other injurious insect or plant
disease to either treat it or destroy it We are
forcing this law in the other parts of the State and
we are going to enforce 1t in Cecil County. All 1
want is to find out who the persons are who will
do nothing, neither treat nor destroy and we will
do it for him and charge the expenses of the came
| to the property. From what 1 have said do not
! think for one moment that We like to have any
thing to do with such men. for If a man has any
sense of reason at ALL he will readily understand
the condition and likewise realize our position.
that of performing our duty to the orchardists of
the State and accordingly treat destroy his trees
| as advise. but If he should not. want you to
knqw that we haye the law behind US and we IN
tend to enforce it.
We believe that everyone WHO owns an apple
tree. peach tree. plum tree, fruit tree OF any
kind. should spray that tree or out it down. We
believe this because observations and experience
have convinced us that there indeed few fruit
trees that not infested with some insect pest
or fungus disease and every infested tree that re-
mains standing and neglected is a constant men
ace to the many valuable orchards of the State
This obligation should rest not alone on those
should apply we'll to the farmer who grows
fruit only for family use, and to the dweller in
town or city who grows only a few trees on the
back yard OF ip VACANT lot 1t should apply
With PARTICULAR force to the two last classes. The
progressive hortcqlturist knows that the
health, even the life of his trees the quality of
his fruit and hence the degree of his success
often times depend on the right use of the spray
pump.
In conclusion gentlemen let me say that spray
ing is the best insurance you can employ towards
the production Of healthy plants and fruit and
that it is the only way in which you can save
your trees from the rayages of the San lose scale.
We want to help you in this county hut we
must have some cooperation from you.
Messrs. Reynolds, Balderston and
Thompson were appointed COM
mittee on inspection of premises
and an adjournment was taken to
enjoy a most excellent repast.