The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-07-09
INSECT BADLY DAM
AGING SHADE TREES
COTTONY MAPLE SCALE PLAY
ING SAD HAVOC IN CEN
TRIAL MINNESOTA.
MANY TREES Are DOOMED
STEPS MUST BE TAKEN AT ONCE
TO EXTERMINATE THIS
DEADLY INSECT.


The worm known as the .'Cottony
Maple Scale" has attacked the shade
trees of Sank Centre with a ven
geance, and unless s:eps are taken
Immediately to exterminate the pest
many of the beautiful shade trees
which adorn the streets and lawns OF
the city are doomed.
This is the verdict of the state ento-
mologist.
The Women's Civic League are TAX
ing an active interest in the move
ment to save the trees and it was
largely through their fundamentally
that A. G. Ruggles of the University
of Minnesota, Division of Entomology
Department of Agriculture, visited
Sank Centre last Friday for the pur-
pose of comforting with the city
council and advise them of the steps
necessary to take to relieve cOndi-
tions.
The purpose of the Entomology di-
vision is to disseminate knowledge on
insects in teaching, experimental and
extension phases of the work. Mr..
Ruggles is in charge of the tree. in
sect and spraying branch of the work,
and has been with the department
since 1902. Every man in the depart
ment is specialist in some branch OF
the work.
F.. L. Washburn, the head of the de-
partment has charge of the mill and
warehouse insects.
The Herald understands the trees
IN this city have been more or less
Affected for number of years, the
box elders suffering most, but more
severely this year than ever before.
"The cottony maple scale is one OF
the worst pests on shade trees like
, box elders and soft naples" said Mr..
Ruggles. at also attacks the sugar
maple and elms, although it seems TO
do more damage on the first two men
toned.
''In July, at the time the insect is
most conspicuous, often covering the
entire surface of the limbs, great
deal of damage has already taken
place. Earlier in the season, on ac-
count of the scaly covering which
closely resembles the bark, the insects
are not noticed unless attention IS
called to the secretion of honey dew
which gums the leaves and smears
everything beneath the infested tree.
The cottony material IS waxy secre-
ton which is pushed out from under
the scale by the female. In this ma
terial she deposits her eggs. The
young soon hatch, leaving the pro-
tecting waxy fibers and find their
way to the leaves where they insert
their beaks to obtain nourishment.
They remain attached here until fall
when they migrate to the under side
of the twigs. The female only lives
through the winter-the male dying
the first year.
when the infested portion of the
tree is easily accessible, brushing with
a stiff broom that has been soaked in
kerosene emulsion will be an effective
means of control. Even washing off
with the hose, when there is a good
head of WATER will destroy many. II
the insects are not noticed until the
eggs begin to hatch, the tree should
be headed in and sprayed thoroughly
with summer spray of lime sulphur,
or with ten per cent kerosene emul-
sion, or any other gooc contact in
sectide. In the fall or the following
spring, when. the leaves are off the
trees, thorough spraying with the
dormant lime sulphur spray should be
given"
The gentleman stated that the trees
should be thoroughly trimmed or
"headed" in before being treated. The
winter or dormant spray of lime sui
sphur is the most. effective way of
treating the pest.
In an interview with the Herald ed
itor Mr.. Ruggles answered several
pertinent questions relative to the
conditions existing in Sank Centre.
"Unless some effective step is TAX
en- to exterminate the pest what will
be effect on the tree 2"
"The trees will positively be DOOM
ed" said Mr.. Ruggles. "In fact some