The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1910-04-15
SPRAYING THE COOLING MOTH
Spraying Season Almost Here-Be Thor
ough, and You Can Get Prac-
ticalIy Perfect Crop

of particular interest to orchardists, a;
spraying is made obligatory by the
state law. The article is written by
Prof. A. L. Melander, a member Of the
faculty Of the state college, and is as
follows:
The codling moth is brownish mil
Ter about one-half inch in length, which
lays eggs on or near apples. In little
over week the eggs hatch into cod
ling worms. In nearly all localities two
distinct broods of worms occur each
year. After feeding within the apple
for several weeks the worms leave the
fruit to cocoon. Most worms make
their cocoons in the ground; many can
be found beneath rough bark. The
cocoon stage is completed in from two
weeks to a month in the summer.
Worms leaving apples late in the sum-
mer remain in the cocoons over winter.
When the cocoon stage is completed
the codling worm has changed to the
codling moth and is ready to lay its
eggs.
The only remedy for the codling
moth is spraying. Other measures are
useful but cannot be depended on
alone. Clean culture, especially stir
ring up the ground beneath the trees,
is Of great importance, as it destroys
the worms in their cocoons. Banding
trees with burlap will trap 40 per cent
OF the worms. Apples should be
thinned so that no two touch. Trees
should be pruned so that they can be
easily sprayed and cultivated. A new
orchard should be set with trees thirty
feet apart to allow for passage for the
spraying outfit in the future.
After the codling moth has entered
the apple spraying does no good. The
object OF spraying is to provide coat
ing OF poison through which the worm
will have to eat its way. Many worms
enter where apples touch. If the fruit
is thinned so that no two apples touch
the worm is more likely to get poisoned.
Most OF the early worms enter apples
at the blossom end. In order to put
poison in the blossom end a spraying
must be given just after the petals fall
and before the calyx cup closes. This
will be several weeks before the first
worms are Matching, but it must be
given. 1t is the most important spray
ing of all. The other sprayings should
be given just as the first worms of each
brood are Matching.
The time for the first spraying is
definitely fixed. But there is more
doubt as to when the other sprayings
should be given. The best time for
spraying can easily be ascertained by
the following simple method: In a
quart glass jar place number Of CO.
coons obtained from the trunk of an in
tested tree. This jar should have a
cloth cover and should be placed in
the shade in the orchard. Add ten
DAYS to the date when the moths first
appeared in the jar, to allow for the
Matching Of the egg, and the date for
the second spraying is obtained. OBJ
tain some new cocoons month or so
later and rear the moths OF the second
brood in the same way. The date for
the third spraying is thus found. A
fourth spraying should be given one
month after the third in warmer locali-
ties.
Lead arsenate is giving better salts
faction than any other substance. Mix
two pounds Of it with fifty gallons OF
water. Give three or four sprayings,
which are necessary. One spraying
alone will do no good.
Lead arsenate sticks we'll and shows
up we'll on the apple. An ordinary
rain will not wash it off. 1t cannot
scorch. It has given such good re-
suits that it is the cheapest insecticide
in the long run.
If lead arsenate cannot be obtained
use one pound Of Paris green to l25
gallons OF water. Add to the Paris
green two pounds Ono more) Of freshly
slaked. lime in mixing. Keep this mix
ture constantly agitated while spraying.