Smyrna times., 1926-06-30
FRUIT GROWERS FIELD MEET
Will Discuss the Codling Moth Prob
lem as 1t Relates to Apple Grow
ing Industry in Kent County

ing Industry in Kent County
Orchardists of the county and state
are being extended invitations through
the Office Of Kent County Agent Rus
sell E. Wilson to attend field meet
ing which will be held on the farm
of Frank G. Bancroft, near Camden,
on Thursday afternoon, July /, at two
o'clock, for the purpose of inspecting
the results obtained in the large
screened observation cage which has
been constructed around a bearing ap-
pie tree in this orchard as a means of
determining the most practical and
effective measures for controlling the
codling moth in this area. Arrange
ments and plans for this field meeting
have been made by DR.. H. j.. Dozier,
Entomologist of the Delaware Agri-
cultural Experiment Station, and
County Agent Russell E. Wilson, and
in all probability DR.. J. F. Adams,
Plant Pathologist of the University of
Delaware cooperating with the State
Board of Agriculture, and Director
G. "A. McCue of the University of Del
aware, will also be present to discuss
the codling moth problem as it relates
to the apple growing industry in this
section of the country. The large
cage in the Bancroft orchard is sim
liar to the wire enclosures which were
built this spring in the orchards of S.
HI. Derby, near Woodside, and S. H.
Baker and J. Leonard Soper in the vi
cinity of Magnolia, under the direc-
ton Of the Entomologist and the Kent
County Agent. These four bearing
apple trees were screened for the pur-
pose Of studying the life history of
the codling moth with special refer
ence to the second and third broods,
as these later generations are the
ones which cause the fruit growers so
much concern each year in the pro-
duction of the late varieties of apples.
Practically Every Apple Attacked
On June it was estimated that at
least SO percent Of the apples in the
Bancroft cage had been stung by the
codling moth, and an accurate record
taken of the clean and damaged fruit |
on June 10 showed that 81 per cent
of the apples were infested, and many
of them showed evidence of having |
been punctured from five to seven |
times. Since that time there has been |
an increased infestation in this par
ticular observation cage to such an eX-
tent that practically every apple has
been attacked by this insect. These
large screened cages were infested
early in the spring by placing in them
several baskets which were heavily in
tested with the codling moth larvae,
and from which the adult moths
emerged and attacked the apples |
which were not sprayed in these en-
closed areas. During the period of |
the past few weeks there has been not |
only heavy infestation in the apples
on hese unsprayed trees, but also a
severe emergence Of adult moths IN |
the packing houses where picking |
baskets were stored during the winter.
The first moths were observed flying |
in the packing houses this spring as
early as May 20, which indicates an
early emergence in protected places, |
as well as long period Of delayed
and struggling adult emergence thru
out the entlre season.
DIR. DOzier Will Talk to Orchardists
Among the interesting facts to be
discussed by Dr. Dozier at this field |
meeting will be the packing house in
festation and the large number of |
adult moths caught on sheets of fly
paper which were tackled over the |
windows, in addition to the action of
these insects in the screened cage.
This information and these observa-
tions should be of decided interest to
those fruit growers in the county who
are producing late varieties Of apples
especially, and it is expected, there
fore, that many of these orchardists
will be present at the Bancroft farm
on Thursday afternoon of this week
to discuss these problems of codling
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