Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-09-28
PLAN TO EXTERMINATE
THE TREE SCALE HERE
Experts Find Many of Our Trees In
tested, and With City Authorities
Assistance Will Destroy Pest.

- 1ob0AAdC Will 0Lt1Qf LELs
That the tree scale has a hold on
the citrus fruit and other trees in
Brownsville Is easily seen when one
takes the trouble to make an exam
~ination of the trees. The leaves and
fruit on the orange trees are literal
ly thick with the scale, as can be
noted by only a casual examination.
Closer examination will show that
the trunks and branches are affected.
These facts were called to the re-
norteris attention yesterday by
Messrs. Lawson and Tackett. state
inspectors for the agricultural de-
partment. There are probably 200
varieties of the scale, and Messrs.
Lawson and Tackett, who are here
Ito look into the infestation, state
that almost all these are represented
here. Some trees withstand the pest
longer than do others, but all finally
succumb to its ravages, If no proven
tative methods are instituted.
Under the state law, nurserymen
must have certificates showing that
the plants they send out are not in
Tested. Brownsville has no nurser-
les, but a scattering of plants are
sent out to various places from here
at times. II they happen to be in
Tested, it is reasonable to expect that
the scale will transmit itself to
plants wherever the infested plants
hapen to be transplanted.
This infestation in Brownsville Is
worrying the nurseryment up the
county as they fear transmission Of
the pest. Several OF them will meet
in Brownsville this morning at 10
O'Clock at the Chamber Of Commerce,
together with Messrs. Lawson and
Tackett, the mayor and members Of
the city council. At this meeting
the council will be asked to stand
the expense Of a couple Of laborers,
and a wagon and team, to haul the
chemicals and air pump. A hundred
feet of hose will be required so that
the spray may be applied to trees in
any part of a yard or garden.
It will probably take two or three
sprayings to thoroughly control the
infestation here. After this regular
spraying must be made SO as to keep
1t down. Every infested tree and
shrub must be we'll sprayed with
the chemicals, for If left or passed
over, the scale will spread again in
a short time.
"A trip over various parts of the
city and an examination Of the trees
yesterday convinced both of the ex-
perts that many trees in this city
are in a bad way, and they say that.
lif the trees are not given attention
1t may be only a matter of a short
time until the city will be treeless.
A leaf from a tree here and there
was scraped over with a knife, and
in some instances enough scale would.
be gotten off to almost cover a small
blade.
On some Of the trees II appeared
as though every leaf was brown with
the i~nfestation. The oranges in par
ticular were infested. Two or three
ebony trees in town were found to
be almost l~eafless because Of the in
festation. The trunk and branches
of one tree was almost white with
the scales. Two or three trees were
noted which are not subject to this
Iinfestation, and there was a won
derful difference in the amount Of
foliage as compared with the in
tested trees.
During the our of Investigation,
another pest was discovered which
the experts had not e here here
~tofore. This is the white fly. Ex-
amined with a microscope 1t is a
beautiful white in color, as its name
implies, although 1t has somewhat of
"a purplish hue. Except in color It
resembles the house fly. This pest
attacks the citrus fruits, and it's long
suit is the cap jasmine, which shows
the work OF the white fly in a rusty
color.
4