Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1913-10-03
SPRAYING TIME
IS NEAR At HAND
State Board of Entomology Tells How
to Keep Down the San
Jose Scale.

time with the orchard men of Geor-
gia. Spraying has come to be about
as important feature of fruit-grow-
ing as blowing is of farming.
The first spraying for San Jose
scale is usually done from the first
to the middle of November, and the
second from the first to the 18th of
February, or just before the trees
begin to bud In well conducted or
chards, where the scale has shown
any sign of acquiring a foothold, two
sprayings are made each season,
though in many cases orchard men
spray only one time, usually just be-
fore the buds begin to appear on the
trees. The double spraying, however,
has been found both advantageous
and profitable, says the State Depart
ment of Entomology, in that it practi-
cally rids the orchard of the insect so
far as any damage is concerned during
the fruit season.
Ever since the scale was introduc-
ed into Georgia, presumably by in.
fected nursery stock from New Jer-
sey, there has been a constant fight
of the fruit growers to mitigate and
lessen its destructiveness. 1t seems
impossible entirely to eradicate, but
by careful attention and thorough
spraying, its ravages may be reduced,
says State Entomologist E. Lee Wor-
sham, to a practically insignificant
minimum.
The San Jose scale was first dis
I,1 lc {y1
California, in the early seventies. That
was where 1t got its name. 1t was
brought to this country either from
Japan or China. It spread rapidly
from California and by 1887 reached
New Jersey. In ten years more 1t
had gotten a foothold in practically
all of the fruit growing states, and
since its introduction into Georgia
in 1889, 1t has spread to more than
100 counties. Latterly, however, its
spread has been slow, owing to the
rigid laws enforced against 1t by the
State Board of Entomology.
Work of the Scale.
This pest is small insect which
covers itself with waxy scale under
which it lives. 1t attacks all parts Of
the tree, - trunk, stem, leaves and
fruit. The trees are injured by the
extraction of the plant juices and
by poisoning of the sap through the
punctures made by the insect. AS
these insects increase very rapidly,
an infested tree will soon become
entirely covered, turning grayish in
color and dying if nothing is done
to stop the ravages of the scale.
Young trees are injured more rapidly
than old ones, and may be killed en-
tirely within two or three years.
So far as has been determined
by careful experiments, the most
effective remedy is spraying with
either manufactured or home
made preparation of lime and sui
phur.
There are various soluble oils sold
by manufacturers for spraying for San
Jose scale, a number of which have
been thoroughly tested out by the
State Department of Entomology. In
bulletins which it has issued the de-
partment gives a statement of the re-
suits attained from the use of these
oils and emulsions, which in a num-
number of instances were eminently
satisfactory.
The Best Remedy.
When everything is said, there is
no doubt about the fact that the best
results have been attained by the use
of the homemade lime sulphur solu-
ton. This is made of Il pounds of
stone lime, IS pounds of -four of sui.
phur and fifty gallons of water. To
prepare, mix the sulphur into a paste
with a small amount of hot water,
| then add fifteen or twenty gallons OF
hot water. Stir until the sulphur is
well mixed and then add the lime.
Boil vigorously for forty-five minutes
| To secure the dirty greenish-yellow
| color. which the solution will have
when properly boiled, may take long
er or less time, depending on how II
| is cooked Many now use steam in
cooking this solution, which is by far
the best way. When boiled sufficient
| ly dilute with water to fifty gallons,
| and spray on trees while the solution
is still warm. Use only on dormant
| trees.
This is the most inexpensive and
| at the same time, the most effective
| remedy known for San Jose scale.
| mere are d uulJDtI Vi plCpol GU iiilAC'
sulphur solutions made by the vari'
GUS chemical companies, which are
equally effective in the destruction OF
the scale, and which may be used
| at approximately the same cost as the
homemade preparation. Where a
very small quantity is needed, it is
| perhaps cheaper to use the ready
made solutions than to purchase the
necessary equipment for making it.
Both the manufactured and the home
made solutions have been found equal
ly effective in scale eradication in
Georgia, but the homemade goods
carrying a heavier percentage of free
lime, eventually clean the trees more
thoroughly of rough bark and dead
scales. Another advantage of the ex
cess of lime is that it leaves the trees
white, thus showing any part OF the
tree not sprayed.
Two Sprayings Best.
Two sprayings, one in the late fall
and one in the very early spring be
fore the buds come out, should eff
fectually keep down the scale in any
orchard. The department does not en-
courage summer spraying because a
spray strong enough to kill the scale
will also seriously injure the foliage