The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1916-10-27

THE PURPLE SCALE.
j. r. Watson.
!. j. j. j. !. !. i. j. :. j. j. j. J. !. !,

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Next to the whitefy, the purple
scale probably does more damage to
Florida citrus groves than any other
insect. 1t is certainly the most
abundant scale, although scale for
scale it is not so injurious as the Flor
ida red scale.
Like all armored scales, the female
lays eggs under a covering where they
hatch in about a week in summer. The
young crawlers wander for a few
hours, after which they become at
tached and do not move again. 1t
then takes two months to complete
their growth. There is a marked
tendency toward generations in Flori-
da groves. The crawlers are album
dant in March and April and again
In May and June. Other things be-
ing equal, these are the best times to
spray for the scale. However, pur-
pie scale, in most groves, is accom-
panied by whitefy. Indeed, these two
insects form one problem for most
growers. The honey-dew which is
given off by the whitefy, enables the
sooty mold to grow and form a pro-
lection for the purple scale from it's
natural enemies. The result is that
the purple scale is more abundant in
groves heavily infested with the
whitefy.
The insecticides which are used
against the whitefy are the very best
with which to fight the purple scale.
In groves which are regularly spray
ed for whitefly, purple scale will ordi-
narlly be controlled. The best sprays
are emulsions of the paraffin oils, in
GLIDING the formulate originated by
W. W. Yothers of the Bureau of En-
tomology U. S. D. A. Ordinarily /
three sprayings a year are sufficient |
to control these two insects. Two of
these sprayings should be with paraf- /
fin oils and one with fungi. The best /
time to spray with paraffn oils is
about the first of May and again
sometime in September Cor the last of
August in south Florida). 1t is nee
essary, of course, to spray thoroughly
to do efficient work.
Early in the rainy season, groves
hat have large numbers of scales,
should be sprayed with spores of fun
q. If possible one should use the
'cd-headed, the gray-headed, and the
black scale fungi, all in the same wa
er. Material with these fungi on it
S soaked IN water about half an hour
md then thoroughly agitated to wash
IF the spores. The water from this
material is strained to remove all 4
natter that may clog the spray pump.
t is then ready to be sprayed into
he trees. Use a spray outfit that
las never contained Bordeaux mixture
r llme-sulphur. The tank should
lot be made Of copper, as that metal
injurious to the spores of the fun
i. 1t is better to keep knap-sack
prayer especially for this and no 9TH
+ purpose.
If one has sufficient material it is
ctter to spray the water containing |
he spores all over the whole Of the
Gale infested trees; otherwise, the
pray should be confined to a portion +
each tree. In this case it should
c the north or shady side of the tree. ,
S it is here that the fungi thrive best, =,
nd the scales are usually more album
ant. These fungi will grow into :
ne bodies of the scales and destroy y
lem. d
If whitefy is in the grove. the
rown and red whitefy flung and also Il
licrocera, if it is readily obtained, t.
Mould be used in connection with the d
ale fungi. n
The purple scale is often particu- a
rly injurious in young groves be- Il
use the fungi do not thrive well in ,
lch sunny places. In such cases, it :,
ay be necessary to spray the grove =
it'll the paraffn oils moro than twice
year. July is a good time for the
ird spraying.
In case of a severe infestation of R
e purple scale, it may be necessary
spray twice. with an interval of
'out a month between The first 6,
'plication does not kill the eggs I'M h.
+ the old females. In a month -
eSe will have hatched and the young -,
ales will be killed by the second ~ Il,
raging. For the second applica- I'll
IN one can either use one Of the
S, or substitute q solution of whale es
or some other soap of q concen-
alton of one pound to five gallons
hard water, or six gallons of soft
-ter-Agricultural Experiment Sta al
n. -,