The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1908-04-10
San Jose Scale.
To the Editor:

partant industry OF this section. I
feel that | am entitled to space in
your paper to discuss some of the
things that are necessary to success
tul horticulture; and there is so
much that can be profitably said
that l will only attempt one branch
each week. And while. I would
much rather take up the subject at
the foundation, it seems more i'm
portant that the San Jose scale
(Aspidotus Perniciosus) should be
discussed, as this is the time to most
eHectually combat this, one of our
worst enemies.
No insect pest has been so much
discussed as the San Jose scale. and
1t has been the cause of more legis-
lation in this country and abroad
than any other insect pest known.
AS a result the insects have assum-
ed international Importance and
occupy a prominent place in the
regulation of our business.
The principal injury done by
these insects is the extraction of
the sap from the tree. It. inserts
its beak into the bark, the fruit or
any portion of the tree it may be
resting on; and while the injury
done by single scale is very small
when we have thousands of these
little pumping stations located on
a single branch, it will in a short
time cause the death of the tree.
The insects winter in the larval
stage, generally about half grown,
both sexes being found. From the
18th of May to the first of June, ac-
cording to climatic conditions, the
females become fully developed and
begin to bring forth their young.
The species is vivaporous, produc-
ing no eggs. While the insect is
very small, by sharp inspection the
young ones may be seen with the
naked eye as they run over the foli-
age. In color they are light lemon
yellow. They have six legs and are
apparently we'll organized, but they
shortly assume very degraded con-
dition. Usually in a few no lrs
they find a suitable location, insert
their slender proboc;s, and begin to
grow; the first evidence of which is
a waxy substance exuding from the
body mats down over the insect,
and which continues to grow as long
as the insect lives. The female
moults twice, and the covering
thrown off becomes attached to the
waxy substance, in fact becomes
a part of it. Soon after the second
moulting the females reach full SIZE.
and when fertilized by the male soon
bring forth their broods- of young.
The males after moulting become
winged, and although quite frail
they can, with favorable conditions,
fly quite distance.
The number of young produced
in a season varies according to eli
matte conditions. However, it is
safe to say that the progeny of a
single parent will be millions in a
season. Hence the rapid spread of
the pest. ..
The waxy covering of this insect
necessitates a strong solution to
eradicate it, but / have tried the
formula below and know that it will
do the work if spraying is done
thoroughly.
FORMULA FOR SAN JOSE SCALE.
Good lime, 40 lbs; good sulphur,
20 lbs; water, so gallons. e.
Put lime and sulphur in a vat
.ar barrel; slack to consistency OF
thin paste; strain through wire
screen into boiling vat and boil un-
til the solution is thoroughly mixed.
Use while hot, as better results are
obtained by doing so. Be sure that
every part OF the tree is covered.
Don't do your work in half-h heart
ed way, but do it thoroughly and
it will pay you.
The best time to spray for scale
is Just as the buds begin to swell.
GEORGE DAVENPORT.
Mabton, Wash, April 2.