Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-10
Mine Has New Insect
Pest to Combat.
na lose Scale Discovered in
Limerick Apple Orchard.
s...lol Orders Issued at the Adju.
taut Generals Office.
sTATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
N.st Meeting of Governor and Council
Thursday, May 81, at 1890 A. N.

A matter which is causing n great
dsal of uneasiness and apprehension on
! tho part OF the agricultural authorities
If the State is the discovery of the
!, nresence within its boundaries of the
Gan Jose scale (Aspidiotus peniciosus),
which is perhaps the most to be dread
ID BY the orchardists, of all the in
sect pests Heretofore the scale had
81 far as is known been kept out of
Maine. but the receipt a short time
ago by Prof Htchings, the State en-
tom0ogst, Of some samples of bark
, from the town of Limerick, in York
county, which were covered with the
scales, was evidence enough that the
.ect had at least made its appear
ance
So far az has been reported only two
trees have been found to be infected,
and AS the samples received at the
department of agriculture We're found
10 be dead il would indicate that they
had been killed by the winter weather
Of Maine. There may be others, how.
ever that are alive and Prof. Hitchings
will at once take action in the mat
ter He expects to go to Limerick the
full examination Of all the trees in the
orchard from which the samples We're
secured. The infected trees will be cut
out or otherwise disposed Of and Prof.
Hitchings will spray the orchard, or
such part as is found to be infected,
with q solution of lime and sulphur,
which is the most powerful spray that
has yet been discovered for the de-
struction of. the pest. 1t is thought
that by thus taking the matter in hand
at All early date the pest can be de-
stroyed before it has time to gain much
Of q foothOld.
The San Jose scale is a native of
China and was evidently brought to
this country on infested trees, shrubs
or fruit. 1t was discovered in the San
Jose valley in California in 1880 and
since that time has gradually spread
south and east until it is now found as
far south as Florida, north to British
Columbia and east to Massachusetts,
being found in the latter state in 1895,
ard 3ections are now quite badly in
fested, especially around Boston.
AS usually found upon the tree or
shrub the insects appear as very small,
some what circular scales, irregular in
outline, and when mature somewhat
resembling a miniature volcanic cone.
They arc so small as to appear indis-
tinct to the naked eye and Il pocket
lens is needed to determine them. When
young they are of a grayiSh white
color. turning darker with age. If album
dant these scales overlap as do those
of tn" common oyster shell bark louise,
and the surface is rough to the touch.
the tree has lost its thrifty appearance
and soon dies. The life history of the
insect is in part as follows:
In common with all the armored
scales, the life round of this insect.
with the exception of Il few hours of
active iarvdl existence and an equally
bret winged existence of the mature
male, is passed under the protection OF
waxy scale. The winter is passed by
the nearly fun grown insects under the
protection of the scale Early in April
in this latitude Washington the hiber-
mating males emerge. ana by the mid
die OF May the overwintered females
mature and begin to give birth 10 Il
new generation, continuing to produce
young for 4 period of upward of six
weeks, WHEN obey reach the limit OF
production of young and perish. The
viviparous habit of the giving birth to
the living young, possessed by the san
Jose scale. finds a parallel in many
other insects. In the case of the san
Jose scale the eggs are fairly we'll
formed within the body of the mother.
The females begin to breed in from 50
to ~ days after birth.
-Four or five generations We're rec
ognized at Washington. In summing
up the progeny of 4 single female from
spring to- fall the number of individu-
ais amounts tn from | 500. 100000 to over
3,0O0000 600 The females are continu-
ously producing young from the middle
of May to early frost SO that the young