The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1913-08-01
APPLE OF GREEN APHIS.

the green apple aphis leads to the
thought that others might be interest
ed. The weather, season of 1913, with
more than normal rainfall, has favored
increased numbers of green apple aph-
is. Hot dry weather checks develop
ment OF the green aphis. Usually
southern Idaho has hot dry weather in
July. The aphis is checked thereby
and is not then sufficiently trouble
some to require protecting measures.
The green aphis attaches itself to
the underside of the leaves on vigor-
GUS growing trees, commencing work
on the tip, shoots, and leaves because
most succelent and tender. The aphis
Is not often found in large numbers
on the older trees or on mature foil
age.
Remedial Measures.
Lime sulphure solution of standard
strength as used for San Jose Scale,
applied in early spring before buds
and leaves open will usually sterilize
most of the eggs of the green apple
aphls. From all the information | can
gather the chepest method of combat
ing aphis Is with the lime sulphur
spray used in early spring if trees are
three years old and over. Where aph-
Is attacks only few trees in the or
chard they may be checked by spray
ms one and two-year trees with a
hand pump carried; older trees with
a, barrel or power sprayer. The aphis
are quite likely to select Rome Beauty,
Grimes Golden and Delicious trees be-
fore Jonathan and Winesap on account
of the more succulent character of the
foliage. In our own experience the
aphis were not noticeable until well
into May, at first on comparatively few
trees. II sharply checked at this time
much less harm comes than if allowed
to grow to winged form and then fly
to other trees. Our state inspection
department recommends the use of
Kerosene Emulsion, which may be
made of any good laundry soap. Many
use fish or whale oil soaps. Formula:
One pound of soap dissolved in one
gallon of hot water. Remove from
fire and add two gallons of kerosene
oil. Agitate violently by pumping with
force pump until completely emulsi-
fled, at this stage a cream colored sub
stance. The work of emulsifying
should be well done in five minutes or
less. II there is any free kerosene oil
the foliage will be injured. To each
gallon of this emulsion add eight gal
Ions of water when ready for field
work. When large amount is needed
we use eight to ten pounds of soap
with proportionate oil and water and
make in a few minutes enough to run
two barrel pumps all day. Dilute as
needed.
Silas Wilson reports good results
from use of whale oil soap, one pound
to five gallons of water. Others use
nicotine, one part to nine hundred
parts of water. AS nicotine is very
expensive, leading authorities advise
the kerosene emulsion. Kerosene
emulsion applied with force will check
the woolly aphis, pest more difficult
of control when we'll established than
San Jose Scale. In the Manual of Hor-
ticulture for Idaho, published in 1907,
Prof. A. F. Hit gives the life history
of the green aphis as appended: The
apple or what is commonly called the
green aphis, is by far the most con-
spicuous and probably the most trou-
blesome of the list That they do SER
ious injury at times, especially TO
young fruit trees cannot be questioned.
The egg is laid in the late fall season
by the mother insect, mostly on apple
and pear trees. If on the apple you
may look for them near the end Of the
last seasons growth. If on the pear
tree you may find them on the some
what larger limbs and in and around
the crotches. When first laid they
are of a greenish brown color gradual
" turning to a shiny black. The win
ter over in this stage and the eggs be-
gin Matching with the early warm days
of spring. | have noted them already
Matched as early as the 18th of Febru-
ary and have also noted the insect
laying eggs as late as December 20.
The insect soon inserts its probascls
and begins sucking the sap OF the tree
or plant. 1t is wingless and usually
remains so, but grows rapidly ana
soon begins to produce living young.
1t is sometimes called a 'stem-mother,
because it is the source from which
numerous generations issue during
the season. All the young born by
this process are, like herself, without
sex: that is, they are neither males
nor sexually-developed females. The
rate at which they are born varies,
but as many as eight living young have
been born from a single specimen IN
twenty-four hours, and it is common
to find great cluster OF ten to twenty
Young around one stem-mother. COR
ditions of the weather have mucn 10
do with the increase of this insect /,
Warm, damp weather is most favor
able to it's rapid increase. Colo
frosty weather in early spring is I'M
Favorable 70 this insect and sometimes
has much to do with checking and re-
ducing the sum total for the season
Under favorable conditions the young
that were first brought forth are IN
turn ready to reproduce in six or elgh,
days, and thus it will be seen .ha'
many generations are brought fortn IN
a season. At almost any time after
the first generation, portion OF them
NAV become winged and fly to othel
plants or trees and there form intc
colonies. Just what causes solhe -.
them to become winged and others u
romo;n wingless is not known bul