The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-03-11
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CITRUS SCALES AND
WHITEFLY.
ny T. w. EER9ER,
10. Agricultural Experiment station

e
81 N III E aA 81 AG llE ar NJ IA Hsr q
When there is a great increase O
scales, whether or not whi,eflv is alst
present, II is evident that the fungus dis
. eases or these insects are absent OF ar,
not thriving, In this case sprayin.
with some good contact insecticide, O
iumigation, should be employed TO Civ,
immediate relief.
When to Spray
In the spring, summer, and fall il i.
not possible TO use strong spraying mix.
lures, and il may be advisable TO spray
the infested trees several times at inter.
walls OF some weeks. IL will not ALWAYS
be necessary TO spray the whole grove.
but only the most infested trees. When
whitefly is present, the spray should of
course be applied TO its larvae as we'll as
to the scales.
he following precautions should be
kept in mind when spraying for scales
in spring, summer, or fall
| l. Spray when many young scales can
be seen with lens to be crawlieg about,
or to have just attached themselves.
These young scales appear either as oval
moving SpeckS or as round whilish dots.
They are easily destroyed BY a weak
spraying solution which will not iniure
the fruit or foliage in any stage of
growth.
?. Any contact inSecticide NAV be
employed, such as soap solutions, emul-
SionS OF oils, or good proprietary insec.
ticides. Soap solutions OF l pound of
soap TO 6-9 gallons of water will DESTROY
the crawling scales and those just set,
together with the young whtefly larvae,
without injuring the trees.
5. Avoid insecticides which are rec.
commended as useful for fungus diseases
OF citrus, because they also DESTROY the |
fungus diseases Of the scales and white |
fly. Whale-oil soap causes little or no |
injury TO these fungi, and the same is !
true OF some of the best proprietary in
Secticides.
4. During the period of summer rains
the fungus diseases of the scales and
whitefly should be distributed TO those
trees in which they do not occur in suf-
ficient quantity.
The eggs of the scale insects. being
sheltered beneath the old scales, are not
easily destroyed by sprays. The old
scales are protected by their waxy GOV.
ering, and are not destroyed in great
numbers by spraying solutions, unless of
Extra strength. Hence spraying in warm
weather, when the young are patching,
nay be made more effective than winter
praying.
Whitefly and Increase of Scales
During the past two or three years ,
Gale insects have in some instances in
'reaSed abnormally in citrus trees that
we're infested with whiIeily. 1t was
bought that this increase of scales had S
'een somehow brought about by the r
after insect. That the whitefIy cannot I
e the cause is indicated by the facts $
hat increase OF scales has not ALWAYS p
cen preceded by whitefly, and that :,
'hlteiiy lnteStation is not always accom- +
anted by increased numbers OF scales. y
he worst cases oil infcStation BY scales,
luSng partial or complete defoliation
nd much loss OF small twigS, are in To- a
llities suffering from lack of moisture.
appears that this lack of moisture is n
K primary factor, and that the white. n
y made bad condition worse bv =
irther eNhausting the sap of the trees.
he lack OF sufficient moisture weak.
led the trees. 1t also checked the de
'loPment OF the fungus diseases which hi
DTmally keep the scales under control. te
al the trees been supplied with sufii h,
emit moisture they would have been Dc
We 10 put on a fairly good growth.
he new leaves would have supplied
ore food to the trees. Leaves are not Ut
lily the lungs OF the tree, but also the 10
gans in which food is elaborated W
MS food would have gone partly to If
I'd the scales and whitefIy, and partly
maintain the vigor OF the trees. ",
lese leaves would also have supplied %
ore moisture 10 the air. Their shade -
'uId have kept the interior OF the ~
eS moister. This would have resulted p,
a thrifty growth of the almost univer- wi
~ present fungus diseases of the
lies and whitefly Ii has been noticed
Il scale fungi and whi1efly fungi often fol
i've remarkably well, even in dry To- l
tiles, in vigorously growing trees tn.
n abundant foliage. W.
The better the condition in which
we is kept, the less likely is it TO suf-
from the de?redationS OF insects. ma