Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-03

Orono, Me, May Especially 1.-The
following was made public here today
by Charles D. Woods, director of the
Maine Agricultural Experiment station:
Ever since the publication by the
Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
in 1889 of the results Of the investlga-
tions of studies by Professor Harvey OF
the Station on the apple maggot. this
insect has figured in Maine entomology
cal literature as an apple pest of serl-
GUS economic Importance.
From the protected situation OF the
maggot within the fruit. it is evident
enough that sprays will avail nothing
against this insect in the larval stages.
Based upon this fact the control meas
ures recommended have been for years
confined to the various methods Of the
destruction Of the infested fruit with
the object of preventing the maturing
of the fly and thus reducing the num-
Der Of the maggots for the succeed
ing year. These measures are still as
important as ever and should not be
lost sight Of nor neglected. Where 1t
Is practical to carry them out thor
oughly no other remedy would seem to
be needed.
W1tnln INe last lew years. IloWcNCI,
there have arisen hopes that the apple
fruit fly, or adult of the apple maggot,
might be induced to lap up poisons
sprayed upon the trees previous to her
egg laying and the infestation of apples
by her numerous progeny thus be pre-
vented by her death.
AS long as ten years ago one York
county orchardist insisted 81 keep my
trees we'll sprayed with Paris Green
and my apples are free from maggots,
while my neighbors who do not spray
harvest fruit unfit for the market 1t Is
not uncommon to hear an Oxford coun-
ty man protest 'In commercial ORCH
ards properly sprayed with arsenlcals
against other pests, the apple maggot
does not enter as an element OF I'M
portance." On the other hand there
are Maine orchards apparently we'll
SPRAYED with arsenicals where the ap-
pearance of the apple maggot is an
annual occurrence.
Such conflict Of testimony is by no
means confined to Maine, nor to the
practical orchardists
In view Of the lack Of uniformity of
initial results in this very complex
problem, and the serious work of the
apple maggot in Maine, it seemed ad-
visable to have experiments conducted
under local conditions in this State.
The Maine Agricultural Experiment
Station accordingly secured in this
connection the services of Dr. Henry
H. p. SEVERN, a man experienced in the
use Of poisoned bait sprays for various
fruit flies, and in touch, through liter
ature and correspondence, with other
experts interested in the same problem
both in America and abroad.
Bulletin No. 251, now in press, gives
the results Of Doctor Severins work at
Orono during the seasons 1914 and
1915 The experiments were for the
most part confined to soluble poisons
because these are more rapid in their
action than the insoluble arsenates
and it was believed that if these did
not prove effective in killing the flies
It was Of little use to experiment with
the slower poisons.
The following paragraphs are quoted
from the Bulletin.
"Formula-In 1915. the following
formula of the poisoned bait was used
in spraying the six orchards and the
apple trees in the residential section:
Potassium arSenate "a o. (dlSSOlVeO
in boiling water), molasses l pit, water
gallons.
1.-The solution was prepared by stir
ring the molasses in three gallons OF
water until all of the molasses on the
bottom of the pail was dissolved. The
potassium arsenate was first dissolved
in about quart Of boiling water and
was then added to the diluted molasses
The poisoned bait was thoroughly agi-