The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1922-02-17
the buds, and tho seemingly active,
Goes not appear to be feeding.

ooSs iot appear W De leeulfR.
On Nov. II of this past season. we
put out an experimental lime-suphur
spray, using a proportion of gallons
of water to l gallon of lime-sulphur
solution. Trees were chosen for this
spray which were badly infected with
blister mite, and a thorough job OF
spraying was done. The experiment
was made in order to ascertain wheth-
er spraying in the fall would be as
effective as a spring application. Five
Gays after the application, some bud :.
were examined and it was found tha !.
tnly about 60 per cent had succumbed,
the other 40 per cent being still ac-
tive, but somewhat sluggish in their
movements, caused from the spray
effects. Three weeks or possibly d
month from the time of spraying, an.
other test was made and at thus
time the "kill" seemed to be much
greater, for perhaps about 80 per cen
were dead, but still there were plenty
of live ones. About three month
from the time the experimental spra
was made, Feb. 8, 1922, more buos
were examined, and this time there
were practically no signs of life of
the mite, tho the body of the mite
was still in contact and retained its
yellow color. AS before, when the
first test for per cent of life was
made, the dead bodies were in state
Of decomposition, the conclusion was
drawn that the warmth of the wealth
er at that time was the cause, while
in the latter case the insect had beel
preserved by the cold winter weather,
tho life was extinct.
Twigs from unsprayed trees were
also examined on this same date,
Feb. 8, and these showed the blister
mite in decidedly healthy condition
apparently unaffected by the severe
cold, quite active, and even moving
about the bud scales, which proves
conclusively that in the other case the
"kill' was from the spray and that
rigid weather does not destroy them.
They are right on the job, ready to be-
gin destructive work, just as soon as
they can enter the bud, just as It
breaks into leaf in the early spring.
However, now we know that the
lime-sulphur solution will kill this
blister mite if applied at the proper
time. But do not think they die at
once, for they linger on over period
of time, possibly for a shorter period
if the weather is warm.
This spraying MUST be done BE
FORE the buds break open in the
spring, for when the little leaves ap-
pear after the buds break, the blister
mite at once enters to the inside of the
bud and cannot then be reached by the
spray, as it gets between the tissues
of the young leaves.
Fruit ranchers should be making
preparations for their water supply
to do this dormant spraying, as thi
spraying must be done before the IT.
rigation bitches are turned on.
To "clean up" on the blister mite
the spraying must be very thorough,
no twig should be missed, and as tn.
mite is particularly fond of the new
shoots and fruit buds, do NOT miss
the tips of all small twigs, as ono
small spur even, left untreated, will
carry enough blister mite over to in
feet the whole orchard. In places
where the blister mite was bad, it
would be advisable t C go through
your orchard twice, the second time,
the opposite way from the first time
through.
Again, let me repeat, NOW is the
time to be thinking of the blister mite
spray, for this spraying can and
should be done just as soon as you
can get into the orchard with a spray
er. One gallon Of lime-sulphur solu-
ton to 10 gallons of water, should be
a sufficiently strong mixture.
AL DARLINGTON,
Dep. Hort. Inspector