The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1915-02-18
SPRAY FRUIT now
FOR Jose SCALE
Can Spray For Scale And Leaf Curl
AT Same Time, Says Ento-
mology Board


control and exterminate the San jose
scale. The origin and history Of the
scale matter little; whether il came
from Japan OF China, cuts no figure
now. The important fact is II is here;
the important problem, how to get rid
of it. or at least keep it down.
The San Jose scale is controlled by
spraying with lime-sulphur solution,
and spraying time is here. During the
next thirty days all peach and other
fruit trees upon which the scale has
made its appearance, even in most
limited extent, should be given their
spring spray treatment, says State
Entomologist E. Lee Worsham.
A brief description Of the scale will
help in recognizing it. The scale it,
self is the covering of a tiny insect
Cold weather kills many of them, but
they have been found crawling as late
as November and December and as
early as March. Tie young insect
sticks its beak into bark Of the
tree and covers itself with a scale
formed from waxy secretions which
spring from all parts Of its body
How the Scales Lock
This scaly covering is at first al
most white or pale yellow, but the
color slowly changes. First the scale,
both male and female, becomes round
and jet black except for the central
nipple. These round black scales cas-
lily distinguish the San Jose scale from
nearly all Other. scale insects. AS the
scales mature they lose this character
issjc black color and when full grown
are of an ashy gray color, with a pale
reddish or yellow nipple in the center.
This description applies to the female
scale. The male scale differs from
the female by being oblong-oval in
stead of round and is nearly twice as
long as it is wide. The males are
smaller and often darker in color, and
the nipple will be at the end instead
of the center as in the female.
Fruit growers or those who have
only a few trees from which they want
| to get perfect fruit, should use the
Iime-sulphur spray now at any time
before the buds open. Where there
was a winter spraying, it may only be
necessary to repeat on bad trees, but
! ii there was no winter spraying, every
tree should be gone over thoroughly.
There are two lime-sulphur washes
used effectively in Georgia, one con.
tanning salt and the other without it
Experiments Of the State Board Of
Entomology show the wash without
the salt is just as effective, and the
use Of salt causes spraying machin-
cry and boilers to rust.
What To Spray With
In making the solution without salt.
mix 16 pounds OF ground sulphur into
a paste and add about Is gallons OF
boiling water in kettle or boiling tank
if steam is used. Add 20 pounds Of
fresh unslaked lime and stir occasion.
ally while the lime is slalSing. Boil
about As minutes or longer II neces.
sary to secure the proper color. After
boiling sufficiently the solution, when
stirred, should be a dirty greenish-yel
low color. The bright yellow color OF
the sulphur should not be apparent
If it is, the mixture needs more boil
ing. After the concentrated mixture
Is sufficiently boiled, dilute with warm
water to a total Of so gallons and use
while warm, spraying the trees thor
oughly with a spray pump.
Sometimes a still later spraying is
needed when the fruit is half-matuTed,
in order to keep it perfect This
spraying should be made with an
emulsion made Of one-half pound
of hard soap dissolved in one
gallon of boiling water. to which
add two gallons Of kerosene OF,
and agitate the mixture violently
for 10 minutes. Dilute with gallons
of water TO make a 20 per cent solu-
ton for this spraying. This is val
liable contact insectieide for destroy
ing plant lice, San Jose scale and
other scale insects,
Peach Leaf Curl
/ REACH lICSS SAOulO We u SeLCu AOl
peach leaf curl in the early spring at
the same time the spraying treatment
is given for San Jose scale. This
spraying should be made about one
month before the buds open, and a
little later on, any unsprayed spots
should be touched up with the spray.
ing mixture.
Peach leaf curl comes in the spring,
but there are no outward signs of it
until it is too late to be controlled
for that season. The affected leaves
take on an abnormal color, become
curled and much thickened and finally
drops The disease is due to micro
scopie fungus that lives and feeds
upon the juices within the leaves.
While experiments have shown that
/ the Bordeaux mixture Clime 6 pounds.
copper sulphate pounds, water so
gallons) is the most satisfactory spray
I for peach le1f curl from an econom-
ical standpoint, it is also true that
the lime-sulphur wash IS equally eff
feetive, so that spraying for San Jose
scale and peach leaf curl may be made
at the same time. In other words, if
you are spraying for San Jose scale,
+ you will get the peach leaf curl at the
same time; but if you are spraying