The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-22
SPRAYING FOR GOBLIN MOTH
Practice Would Improve Quality Of
Vermont Fruit

Practice Would Improve Quality Of
Vermont Fruit
Why is 1t that the average farmers
is getting only from $125 to $1.75 a
barrel for his apples at harvesting
time instead of from SO to IS? Is it
because the apple buyers control the
market, and offer him any price re-
CARELESS of the real value of the
fruit, or is it due to some other rea
son? Undoubtedly the farmer is not
always offered fair price for his
product, but it is nevertheless true
that the main reason why he fails to
do better with apples is due to the
fact that he neglects to raise a salts
factory product.
One of the most pernicious pests
that infest the apple orchards of
this country is the Goblin moth,
sometimes called the apple worm.
Next to the San Jose scale it is the
most serious pest with which the
apple orchardist has to deal. 1t
causes every year very extensive
damage to the apple crop by tunnel
ing through the growing apple, thus
materially decreasing the crop both
in quality and quantity. In Ben
nington County it is the most potent
factor preventing the farmer from re-
ceiving remunerative prices for his
apples. Yet how many farmers at
tempt to overcome it's activities?
What Is the Goblin moth, and how
may its .ravages be lessened? In
answer TO this it might be described
as moth whose shape is very SINH
lar to that of other moths, its length
being one half inch, and its color
grayish brown. The moths first APP
pear in the spring just about the
time the apple blossoms are falling
and they continue to appear for two
to three weeks thereafter Very
soon after their first appearance the
moths lay their eggs generally at
the blossom ends of the little APP
pies. Not long after this the egg
hatch and the worms, which are
white in color and not over one half
inch in length when full grown, BE-
gin Immediately to eat the fruit,
eventually finding their way to the
core of the apple. Usually there is
more than one brood of the moths
dul lll6 INC CGdSOH Dul Ny
the first brood the later brood is al
most completely destroyed.
The ravages of the Goblin moth are
decreased and almost totally dimin-
ished by spraying with arsenate of
lead This is poison which may be
procured at most of the hardware
stores in the county, and which is
generally put up in the form of a
paste, though more recently in the
form of a powder. The mixing of
the spray is very simple matter,
and its application is far from diff
cult. For the Goblin moth a mixture
composed of 2 10 pounds of the
paste arsenate and fifty gallons of
water is used. Where the powered ar
senate is used one to one and one half
pounds is mixed with fifty gallons of
water and smaller amounts in pro
portion. There is no danger in us
ing larger amounts of the arsenate
as it will not harm the foliage under
most circumstances, but the amounts
indicated will be found sufficient. In
| mixing the arsenate a thin paste is
first made bY adding a little water to
the paste or powder and stirring un-
til all Jumps are removed. Then
this is added to the desired amount
of water. When applying the mix
ture il must be kept stirred. or other
wise the arsenate will settle
The time for applying the spray
for Goblin moth is just after the
blossoms have fallen Should one
! spray earlier than this it will en-
danger the bees who help the farmer
by pollenizing the fruit. Care should
be taken that the spray is directed
upward so as to fall into the blossom
end of the apple where the worm
begins its work. One cannot be too
careful in this connection for il the
spray fails to reach the calyx tubes.
the worms will not be poisoned and
the work will have been done for
nothing. Promptness as well as
thoroughness. is a decided necessity
in spraying for the Goblin moth, and
is of equal importance. In five or six
days time after the blossoms fall the
| calyX lobes on the small apples be-
gin to close and if spraying is delay
ed until this time 1t will be just ex-
actly as effective as If il were not
done at all.
Should any resident of Bennington
County care to take up the matter Of
spraying for the Goblin moth within
the next few days the County Agent
Will be glad to give further advice
concerning it, either by letter, or by
visit If possible
John l.. Sherman, Co. Agt..
Manchester. Vermont.