The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-07-01
WHY SPRAYING IS MecES-
! SARY.
tBy j. G. Sanders J

Past and gone are those days when
larg. crops OF perfect fruit, unInJured
by cufculio. cooling moth. Or scae,
e1ul: be harvested thou. thousht Of
eptays ana spray pumps, III lead
srsen1,e or par green, II Fme-sutfur
and rdea m xtute, and OF other
treatme1ta for tYoU yles winch 1924
treatments for the t%TOupies when
contest the modern frat growers sue
cess
IE the early Jays young
required out little care after planting
other than occasional cultivation,
until in Que time the perfect, unblem-
ishei fruit was gathered. A Gradual
change has taken place with the IN
PRODUCTION and OF new
insect pests and plant until
now spray apparatus and materials
are absolutely necessary
These changing conditions nave
taught us a strong lesson of the pos
sioility Of even more disastrous intro
auctions Of pests. There are still many
serious pests in foreign lands which
have not become established in our
country, but doubtless will be sooner
or later if systems of rigid Inspection
Of imported plant material are not
soon inausurated. An insect or dis
ease which is uniInpOrtant III It's
native land, may become a serious
menace when placed under new con-
ditions and environments, where CHM
ate is favorable and natural enemies
are LACKING.
The awakening Of the entomolOeists
and the public in general to the dan
ger of introducing serious insect pests
and fungus diseases, was caused more
largely by the Introduction or the San
Jose scale than any other one factor.
No other insect has caused so much
state and national legislation as the
San Jose scale "a harmless insect in
its native home in central China J.
which infests a wide range Of fruit
trees as we'll as many ornamentals. II
there had been no inspection service
during the past fifteen OF more years,
his pest would now be found in every
State. county and township in the
Union where deciducus trees are
growing The damage caused by this
tiny insect was early recognized by
entomologists and means were sought
to prevent its spread But before ade-
Quate means of control were CiScOV-
cred, it had gained a fOothoid in many
sections of some of our eastern States
and in spite Of all precautions has
gradually spread.
What is true of fruit trees is alSe
true Of shade trees. Take, for instance
the injury to our beautiful birch tree:
by insects. Such a general destruction
Of birch trees in ornamental planting!
uAS ocCuTiSO III Tic pdSl lOuI - NV
years throughout some sections, tina
the attention Of a great many peopl'
has been attracted to the loss. Sew
eral theories have been advanced 70
the gradual dying of the birch trees
but the real cause is the bronze col
ored beetle.
The small white larva Of the bronZ
birch bOrer burrows just beneath tn
bark, eating it's way i~rregularly arOuE'
the trunk ond limbs of the tree in tn
sap-bearing layers, leaving windin
galleries OF castings and cutting oi
the flow Of sap beyond the point at
tackled. On the younger branche
these winding galleries are reveale
by the corresponding ridges on the ez
terror Of the limb.
No adequate remedy has been fcun
to combat this pest, although a heav
coating Of whiteWash applied j
spring before egg laying begins migi
prove a valuable check. 1t is alway
advisable to cut out and burn all il
tested limbs very early each year b.
fore the adults merge.
Until this serious infestatiOn pass.
over. il is not n visa bic TO plant al
birches. for los Of the tree is almo
sure to result.