Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1913-06-20
Small Fruit Pests.

Small Fruit Pests.
Garden vegetables are remarkably
free from diseases and insect pests.
This is due to the fact that they are
nearly all ANIMALS and they are grown
in small qualities and on different
locations every year or SO.
Small bush fruits. on the other hand,
are almost certain to be seriously dam.
aged by number of parasites unless
they receive the necessary care to pro-
tect them. The conditions under
which this class of back yard crops
grows is favorable to the development
of these pests.
The plants are long lived and fire.
quently carry the larvae or the spores
of their respective parasites over from
season to season. AS handled by most
people, the diseased stems, leaves and
fruits are left on the ground about the
bushes. and parasites propagate in
such rubbish with vigor.
Probably the most general and the
most destructive pest encountered on
the bush fruits Is some form of foliage
eating worm, like the larvae of the saw
fly. There worms appear almost as
soon as the leaves are out and they
will soon strip the entire bush of its
foliage unless they are promptly ex.
terminated. 1t is fortunate that they
can be killed very easily II properly
treated, and the treatment will apply
equally well with any leaf-eating
worm.
The saw-fly's eggs are laid on the
under side of the leaves, especially
those leaves located well down in the
center of the plant. Watch your berry
bushes closely and get busy as soon
as you notice little holes in any of the
lower leaves, as that means that the
worms are there and are getting in
their work of destruction. If taken in
hand now, there will be little trouble
or expense involved, SO act promptly.
Get some powdered white hellebore
and dust 1t on all of the foliage in the
region where the worms have begun
work. Scatter 1t thickly and get it on
both sides of the leaves. Do the dust
ing early in the morning, before the
dew is off the leaves. The powder will
then stick fast and will remain until
the next heavy rain.
II it should rain Immediately, pow
l
treated II the worms have got good
start. and II you allow these worms to
strip the foliage the fruit will be
small, shriveled and tasteless. Re-
member that the leaves are both the
digestive and respiratory organs Of the
plant, and without them 1t can neither
eat nor breathe.
If large numbers of ants appear on
the bushes. investigate the under sur.
face of the leaves for tiny green
aphis. or plant lice. A good spraying
with tobacco water will fix them.
Cane borers, gall beetles, tree crick.
cts, etc, kill individual canes and the
| only remedy is to cut out and burn all
infected canes and clean up all rub
bish.
| Red rust is prevalent in some SEQ
tons and it is very deadly and espe.
cially contagious. 1t is a parasitic dis
ease which causes spots of rusty-look
Ing fungi to appear on the stems. Cut
ting out and burning diseased canes
and spraying the rest frequently With
Bordeaux mixture is the only means OF
combating 1t. This mixture is hard to
handle in a small garden.
Anthracnose is another deadly dis
ease and is indicated by the presence
of purple patches on stems and foil.
age. Treat as for rust.
Certain varieties are more resistant
to these diseases, and these should be
planted in localities known to be in
fected.
For mildew on currants and goose
berries, use powdered sulphur and ap
| ply 1t in the form of dust while the
| dew is on the leaves.