The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-11-20
URGES RACINE
TO BUY SPRAYER
EntOmologist Says Sprayer
Will Drive Out the San
Jose Scale.
CITES RECORD HERE

That the county buy a sprayer to
bring San Jose scale under control
was suggested by S. B. Fracker, state
entomologist in talk before the
Board of Supervisors of Racine coun-
ty today.
A brief survey of the fruit trees
and bushes has shown that this SER
ious insect pest is present in the cities
and villages of Racine, Union Grove,
Burlington, Rochester, Waterford and
in one or two farm orchards in near
ly every township of the county. Sea-
sons favorable for its spread have
resulted in a general distribution in
the county during the past four years.
Before that time it was unknown in
the county except in the city OF Ra-
cine.
- Kenosha Used Sprayer.
The infested fruit trees of Rochest
err have been sprayed in. the spring
of both 1929 and 1924 and the scale
either entirely eradicated or nearly
so. One application was also made to
the infested properties in Union
Grove in April, 1924. The Park Board
of Racine has been spraying the in
tested trees in the city. So far no
treatments have been given, however,
to the infested orchards in the coun-
try districts. This pest is COM
paratively new one in Wisconsin al
though it has been known in certain
cities of the southeastern part of the
state for a period of ten years.
Spraying as has been carried on in
Union Grove and Rochester was done
under private contract and it was
necessary to bring in a sprayer from
outside the county. This resulted in
a considerable expense to the prop
erty owners who, in some cases, felt
that their fruit trees were not worth
the investment. From experiences in
Madison and Racine the state depart
rnent of agriculture assures the coun-
ty that the cost can be reduced about
sixty percent If a county sprayer is
secured.
To Fight San Jose Scale.
San Jose scale is a minute insect
pest which reproduces at rapid rate
and lives by sucking the juices Of the
trees through the bark. 1t attacks all
LH6 COUlIuOA AA0AL 0A0 oAA0No
but only few shade and ornamental
ones, such as Mountain Ash, Rose and
Dogwood. The larger street trees such
as elm, maple, box elder and white
ash are not susceptible.
The effect is to kill the tree after
brief infestation of from three to
six or eight years. Except when
heavily infested, the scales do not APP
pear on the fruit or leaves but only
on the twigs and main trunk.
Inspections Great Help.
This pest is carried on nursery
stock but the nurseries are kept free
from it by careful annual inspections.
Some scattering of the scale has oc-
Cured in Racine county, however,
owing to the dangerous practice of
digging plum seedlings from a neigh
boris or acquaintanee's premises and
carrying them home. The transport
ing of uninspected trees and plants in
this way is prohibited by law on
account of the danger of distributing
insect pests of this kind.
When once established in an or
chard or city the scale will slowly
spread to ne'ghboring trees. While
stationary during most of it's life the
young scales are active about twen-
ty-four hours after birth and may be
blown from one tree 20 another or
carried short distances by birds. Ow-
ing to the mild fall this year the
young scales were observed actively
crawling about the infested trees as
late as thee first week of November.
Spraying for San Jose scale requires
the use of either miscible oils or lime
sulfar, preferably the former. Owing
to the fact that the materials must
be used at comparatively high
strength, instead of very dilute as
they are in summer, the spraying
must be done before the leaves ap-
pear in the spring to avoid injury,
and it is somewhat more expensive
than the ordinary spraying for clean
fruit later in the season. There Is
said to be enough San Jose scale in
Racine county at present to keep
power sprayer Of good capacity busy
for as long a period as the weather
permits it to be operated each spring
for at least the next three seasons.