Graham guardian., 1912-04-05
THE COOLING MOTH
By A. W. Moarill, Entomolo-
gist Arizona Horticultural
Commission
SPRAYING

OpTdyluS iS Tie IpOSI iinpoT Idut
feature of codling moth control
The use of arsenate of lead in
either powder or paste form or OF
arsenate Of zine is recommended in
preference to other poisons. In
formation concerning these mater.
ials is given at the end Of this cir
cular.
The first application to apples
should be made when nine-tenths OF
the petals have fallen; the second
application Z to 10 days after the
first application; the third applica.
ton 6 weeks after the second ap.
plication. and the fourth, fifth and
sixth applications at intervals OF
from four to five weeks.
The above schedule applies only
to the late varieties of apples in the
warmer sections of Arizona with
elevations of three thousand or less,
where the pest has not heretofore
been reduced to condition of con-
troll by consistent and thorough
spraying. Between elevations of
four and six thousand feet two or
three applications should be as eff
fective as four or six at the lower
elevations where the temperature
conditions favor a more rapid in
crease in the number Of the insects.
The first application should be
made under high pressure, from 125
to 200 pounds if possible. using a
large capacity nozzle and strong
driving spray. The object of this
application is to fill the so called
calyx cup of every newly set fruit.
1t is important to spray downward
to accomplish this, and either an
angle nozzle or an elbow joint should
be used. For the second and later
applications, a fine mist like spray
is to be preferred. the object
being to leave an even mist like de-
posit of spray on every apple in the
infested orchard.
Spraying pear trees for the pro-
lection of the fruit from codling
moth differs only in that the first
application recommended for apples
can be omitted and the pears spray
ed for the first time at the time of
the second application for apples.
Two leading causes for unsatis-
factory results in spraying for the
codling moth in Arizona are: Fail
ure to keep the spray mixture we'll
agitated and failure to prune the
trees properly and to thin out the
orchard in cases of too close plant
ing, making il impossible to apply
the spray with sufficient thorough
ness. The first difficulty can be
avoided with only moderate atten-
tion.to agitation by paddles or other
means when soap is used. as here
after recommended, to help hold
the particles of poison in suspension.
BANDING
Banding is an important adjunct
to spraying and is considered by the
writer to be absolutely essential in
the warmer districts of Arizona if a
satisfactory control of the codling
moth is to be attained. There is
little to be gained by the practice.
however. unless spraying is properly
done. The object of banding is to
provide an attractive place for the
larvae or worms to pupate in. After
leaving the fruit the majority Of
the worms crawl down the branches
of the trees and spin their cocoons
under loose bark, in cracks of the
trees or in other protected locations.
For each tree band of burlap
about foot wide and long enough
to go around the tree once or twice
is required. Fold the strip of bur-
lap once lengthwise and wrap it
around the trunk of the tree just
below the lower crotch. The free
end or both ends may be held in
place by small headed nail driven
into the tree. If properly arranged
the band can be removed for exami
nation and replaced without remov-
ing the nail. Bands should be re-
moved and examined every eight or
nine days to insure that no moths
develop and escape. They should
be in place upon the trees by the
middle Of May and should remain
until the fruit is picked. Codling
moth larvae iworms) and pupa
found at each examination should
be killed by crushing or by cutting
in two with knife. 1t should al
ways be borne in mind that if not
regularly examined and the insects
destroyed the bands are a positive
aid to the insects. In order to in
duce as many worms as possible to
go under the band to pupate the
loose bark should be scraped from
the largest branches and the tree
trunk and cracks and holes in the
tree should be filled in with cement.
To prevent the development of
those codling moth worms which are
carried to the ground with falling
fruit all windfalls should be picked
up and fed to hogs or disposed of
in some equally effective manner
once a week or oftener. The prac-
tice of thinning of the fruit. espec-
tally the picking of infested fruit
from the trees as far as practicable