The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-02-15
PRESS BULLETIN NO. 1873.
New Mexico College Of Agriculture q
Mechanic Arts and Agricultural
Experiment Staten.

experiment SNdbiSu.
The following information will en-
able the New Mexico fr~uitgrowers,
who are not already familiar with the
San Jose Scale, and whose trees are
infested with it, to recognize the in
sect to spray for it.
The San Jose Scale, when very
abundant kills the trees and also at
lacks the fruit, causing small circu-
lar reddish blotches wherever it at
taches itself to the apple or pear. In
the early stages of infestion a few
scales may be found, usually about
the rings and rougher parts of the
limbs or on the crotches of the tree.
The infested apple trees in the Mes
lila Valley that the writer has inspect
ed during the winter have practically
all of the scales on the lower limbs.
The younger and newer growth to-
ward the ends of the limbs show very
few, if any, of the insects. A large
number of the insects on these trees
have been found dead. Although the
San Jose scale has been known in
the Mesilla Valley for about Is years,
it does not seem to spread much nor
has it cen a very serious pest.
The insec is very small in size.
about lie of an inch in diameter and
inconspicuous in color. AS the scales
multiply in number the limbs of low
er parts of the tree infested become
practically covered with the insects,
giving the tree or part of the tree the
appearance of a grayish cur depos-
it on the bark. The natural color of
the bark is obscured by these num-
erous scales and the limb looks as
though it had been covered over with
fine a~sh-colored bran. If these badly
infested limbs are rubbed over with
the thumb nail or some other object
many of the insects will be crushed
underneath the protecting scales and
a moist and oily appearance will be
produced; while others will be over
turned and the small yellowish, soft
bodied insects revealed.
The mature females are nearly cir
cular in form and each is slightly rails
may be e between the outside edge
elevation which is lighter in color
han he rest of the scale. BY exam
ming the scale with a small magnify
ing glass evera concentric circles
ed inthe center forming a nipple-like
of the scale and the nipple in the CEN
tn1. Tf tho ooo1a ic an-af,I1v ca;-~l
with a sharp pointed instrument, a
knife for example; the little yellowisa
insect itself can be seen attached to
the bark OF the limb.
Many of the insects perish during
the winter but each female of the
over-wintering generation is capable
under favorable conditions, of produc-
ing about 100 young. So, realizing
the rapidity with which these insects
increase, it is mo- surprising that ev-
nay completely infest the tree. Here
then, lies the great Importance of tho
roughly spraying the trees during the
winter or spring. Every insect should
be destroyed or else the ire is like
ly to be infested during the season.
The insect belongs to the sucking
kind, which must be killed by contact
sprays. Many of these sprays have
been used from time to time with We
~ good results but the one now uni
versally used is the lime, sulphur,
salt" spray. This remedy. according
to recen reports is the leading one
for the San Jose scale. The materials
used in the preparation of this spray
are good unslaked stone lime, flowers
of sulphur. salts and water.
The results of the more recent in
vestigations in other states show
that the lime and sulphur wash. with
out salt, has been practically as eff
cient as with the salt added to the
mixture if one wishes to d. so. but it
does not seem to be necessary.
Lime-SuIphur Wash Formula.
Good unslaked stone lime 20 ID
Flowers of Sulphur. 10 ID
Water. so gal.
In preparing this spray mix the sui
RNNA me- a liAh PdoIS WlIn just
enough water to break up all the
Jumps. Take a large kettle with Is
gallons of water. place it on a fire
and heat it to the boiling point. Add
the sulphur paste to the boiling water
and mix it thoroughly. Then ado n
20 pounds of stone lime and while the
lime is shaking stir often and vigor-
ously enough to keep the lime and sui
phur well mixed. Keep the mixture
bailing vigorously for at least an hour
or until a dirty orange rec color ap-
pears. If salt is to be used with
lime n sulphur. 10 pounds can be
added at any time as it dissolves quite
readily.
When the mixture has boiled long
enough it is ready to be strained into
the spraying barrel and diluted to the
so gallons. 1t is better to dilute the
wash with warm water. The diluted