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' + ’ 7 ' a ' ‘ ” ‘ ’ ‘ : ‘ > : a D 1 los : . » . » | an ‘ ? : ' ' . 7 4 . 5 ‘ é ‘ tal 7 ‘ : B 953 ‘ROTHER JONATHAN SERIES”—NO. 2 = TREATISE htt VUE: [Ul COPYRIGHT, 1905, BY THE FRUIT*°GROWEK CoO., ST. JOSEPH, Mo. | “Bro. Jonathan” Trade Mark of The Fruit=Grower St. Joseph, Mo. The Bro. Jonathan Series of Booklets on Fruit Subjects No. 1—Propagation of Trees and Plants. No. 2—A Treatise on Spraying. No. 3—How to Grow Strawberries. No. 4—The Home Garden. No. 5—Packing and Marketing Fruits. Price, 25c Each Fer one Doar |A Treatise on _ Spraying With Description of Insects Attacking Apple, Peach and Strawberry, and Treatment Recommended For ~ Holding Them in Check. Formulae for Spray- ing Mixtures. By J. M. STEDMAN Professor of Entomology, University of Missouri, } and Entomologist of Missouri Experiment: Station. PUBLISHED BY THE FRUIT-GROWER COMPANY SAINT JOSEPH, MISSOURI 1905 FPA ELS © KEES INE Shree Seb LL iBRARY of CONGRESS {wo Copies Reteiveu JUN 12 1905 | GOpyrigit cucy Fe.2Ss fos GLASS @_ AAG Nui SANG COPY 8B. aie ds LIE RNS A LATO EOE ) Brother Jonathan Series Booklet No. 2. Preface This litthke booklet is not intended to take the place of the more elaborate works unon injurious insects. It treats rather fully of the various in- secticides in common use, together with the meth- ods of making and applying the same, but discusses in a very brief way only the more common injurious insects attacking the apple, peach and strawberry plants, giving the best remedies for fighting each of these insects. By studying the first half of the booklet, one should be able to intelligently combat almost any ordinary injurious insect found on any of the common cultivated plants, even though the insect be not discussed in this work. J. M. STEDMAN. Entomological Laboratory, University of Missouri, College of Agriculture and ‘Experiment Station, Columbia, Mo. February, 1905. Introduction With very few exceptions, all insects start their existence as an egg which, as a rule, is deposited by the female upon or within some particular por- tion of some particular plant or animal, or other object. Some few insects bring forth living young instead of depositing eggs; as, for instance, some parasite flies and the noted San Jose Scale; but such instances are few, indeed, when compared with the vast number of insects that always deposit eggs. The eggs of insects may be deposited singly or in rows, or in clusters of various Shapes, which may be naked or covered with an excretion and form con- spicuous objects. They also differ greatly in the time required for them to hatch. Some may hatch in a few days while others will not hatch for a year or more; as, for instance, Phasmidae or Walk- _ing-sticks. Beginning with the egg, we find that insects de- velop to adults in two entirely different ways. It is frequently important from an economic standpoint to know by which method a particular insect de-. velops. In one case, known as incomplete metamorphosis, the egg hatches into an insect that looks very much like the adult, except it is smaller and has no wings. These young insects, known as Nymphs, feed, grow and cast their skins a number of times, each time appearing larger and more like the adult, and if they are to have wings, they become larger at each moult until the adult stage is reached, after which no insect moults again except, perhaps, Ephemer- idae. EHxamples of such development can be found 6 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING in grasshoppers, chinch bugs, bed bugs, plant lice and the like. By observing the Tarnished plant bug at Figs. 32, 33 and 34, one will see illustrateq these incomplete stages.in the method of development just described. Fig. 32, is the young nymph; Fig. 33, an intermediate stage of the nymph, and Fig. 34, the adult stage. The important points to remember about insects developing by this method are that they feed con- tinually from the time they hatch from the eggs until they die; that if they are sucking insects, that is take their food by piercing a plant or animal with their beaks and extracting sap or blood, or are bit- ing insects, that is, take their food by eating away and swallowing portions of the tissue of the animal or plant, that in all cases they continue to thus take their food from the time they hatch from the eggs until they die as adults. In the other cases, known as complete metamor- phosis, the egg hatches into an insect that looks noth- ing like the adult, but resembles a worm, or grub, in appearance, and is called the larva. These larvae . feed, grow and cast their skins a number of times, but still retain the worm-like appearance until they are ready to transform to the pupa stage. The pupa looks nothing like the larva or the adult, but is helpless and quite motionless, and takes no food whatever. It may be naked or enclose@d in some kind of a covering or cocoon. After a time the pupa skin splits open and the adult insect emerges. Ex- amples of such development are found in beetles, moths, flies and the like. The important points to remember in regard to insects developing by this method are that, as a rule the feeding, and therefore injury, is done entirely in the larval stage, the adults rarely taking food; and a, b, b, larvae; ec, pupa; a, 1.—Colorado Potato Beetle. d, d, adult beetle, Fig. eggs; -apple-tree borer has biting mouth parts and the adult beetles illustrating the complete changes in 8 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING that because the larvae usually have biting mouth parts and therefore eat away and swallow portions of the plant or animal they are feeding on, it does not follow that the adults will have the same kind of mouth parts. The larva may have biting mouth parts and the adult either biting or sucking mouth parts, according to the order to which it be- longs. For example, the larva of the flat-headed adult also, while the larva of the canker worm or the cabbage butterfly, has biting mouth parts, while the adult of each ‘has sucking mouth parts. By ob- serving the Colorado potato beetle in Fig. 1, one will notice the eggs, larvae in various stages, pupa and the method of development just described. INSECTICIDES. Before one can hope to intelligently combat an insect, it is important to understand the life history and habits of that particular insect, from the de- positing of the eggs to the development and natural death of the adult; and it is absolutely necessary to know the method by which the insect takes its food in all stages. In other words, it is of the utmost importance and absolutely essential to know. defi- nitely whether the insect you are to fight has biting or sucking mouth parts in the stage in which you are to combat it. On this apparently simple point depends almost entirely the method of procedure, so far as spraying or dusting is concerned, and it is right here that nine-tenths of all the failures to com- bat insects by methods of spraying or dusting fail. Before you attempt to spray or dust, first deter- mine absolutely whether or not you have a biting or a sucking insect to deal with. As it is not always an FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 9 easy matter for the horticulturist to determine this point by examining the insect through a magnifying glass he should rely, as a rule, entirely on an exami- nation of the infested parts of the plant, where the -inseets are feeding. If he finds portions of the tis- sue removed, he knows it must have been done by a biting insect; while, if he finds no portions of the tissue removed, he knows the injury must have been caused by a sucking insect, having inserted its beak into the tissue and extracted the sap. It is evident to all that if we cover the tissue of the plant with an arsenical poison, that just so long as that poison remains there any biting insect at- tacking that part of the plant will remove and swal- low a portion of the tissue with its coating of poison and be killed, since a very small trace of any ar- senical poison, if swallowed, is sufficient to kill most insects. On the other hand, it is equally evident to all that, no matter how much arsenical poison may be on a plant, if a sucking insect feeds there it will simply push its beak through the poison and into the tissue of the plant, suck the healthy sap below and get absolutely no poison into its body, ana hence not be injured or killed. Since an ar- senical poison does not injure an insect except it be Swallowed by the insect, it is useless to try and kill a sucking insect with arsenical poisons, or any insect by simply covering the insect itself. : A sucking insect must be killed by some substance which will do its work’ when it touches the insect’s body on the outside, and no arsenical poison will accomplish this purpose. The various substances to be used in killing in- sects, together with the methods of Sedaka! and applying them, are the following: 10 . A TREATISE ON SPRAYING FOR BITING INSECTS. Paris Green. Paris green, when pure, is one of the best ar- senical poisons for general purposes. It is a chem- ical combination of arsenic and copper and is theo- retically insoluble in water. As a matter of fact, however, one finds in practice, that it usually con- tains a small per cent of soluble arsenic, and hence the necessity of adding lime to the spraying mixture in order to counteract the injurious effect of the trace of soluble arsenic on the foliage of many plants. Unfortunately paris green is frequently adulter- ated to a greater or less degree, and hence it be- comes necessary to be careful in purchasing this drug lest one fail in the result expected from its use. We have seen so-called paris green that did not con- tain a trace of any poison whatever, it being simply plaster of paris, colored with indigo and chrome yel- low. Pure paris green should contain about 56 per cent arsenic in chemical combination with copper, and should contain little, if any, trace of soluble arsenic. In many states laws have been passed to prevent this adulteration, the law requiring the paris green to contain 50 per cent arsenic. This law has led to another and even more serious difficulty, however, since in some instances, in order to bring the ar- senic up to the standard required by law, common arsenic has been added, and as this is soluble in water, the use of such paris green has caused the death or injury of sprayed plants. Do not purchase cheap paris green, but be sure and get the best. Test—Pure paris green will dissolve easily in strong ammonia and leave no residue, and the solu- FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 11 tion will have a deep blue color. If a residue is left, or if the solution does not look blue, adultera- tion may be suspected, although this test is not abso- lutely certain in all cases. This is the quickest and best test the general horticulturist can make. The formula for the use of paris green is as follows: Paris green, 1 pound. Fresh stone lime, 3 pounds. Water, 100 to 175 gallons. The lime should be slaked in the usual way and added to the water, stirred and strained through cheese cloth. The paris green should be mixed with a little water to form a paste and then added to the lime water, stirring the while. The amount of water to be used will depend on the plant to be sprayed and the insect to be killed. For instance, if one is to spray only once for canker worm in an apple or- chard, one pound of paris green and three pounds of lime should be added to 100 or 125 gallons of water, while if the apple orchard is to be sprayed for codling moth, which requires four sprayings, ‘then one pound of Paris green and three pounds of lime should be added to 175 gallons of water. The different proportions to be used will be given under the discussion of each insect. Since paris green is insoluble in water and settles to the bottom rapidly, it is absolutely essential that the liquid be kept constantly well stirred while the spraying is going on, otherwise the strength of the spray will not be constant. If paris green is to be added to Bordeaux mix- ture, it should be done by regarding the Bordeaux mixture as so much water, adding the paris green and lime in the proper proportion. \ 12 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING TSG ac yg PME gi ROMER SR SU 2) eee , Scheele’s Green. | , Scheele’s green is an arsenate of copper that has great advantage over paris green in that it is a much finer powder and therefore remains suspended in water much longer, and does not require the con- stant stirring that paris green does. It will, in fact, stay suspended in water twenty-four times as long as paris green. It is to be used in the same propor- tion as paris green and the lime is also to be added. It can likewise be used’in Bordeaux mixture, just as paris green is so used. ‘In fact, Scheele’s green is a perfect substitute for paris green as above stated. Both paris green and Scheele’s green can be ap- plied as a liquid spray, according to the formula - above indicated, either in water or in Bordeaux mix- ture, or they can be applied as a dry dust or pow- der by mixing them with lime dust or flour, aS ex- plained under the discussion “Dust Process.’* - Green Arsenite, or Arsenoid. : Green arsenite, or arsenoid, is a trade name given to a commercial substitute for Scheele’s green and as its composition varies considerably, it is not so reliable or satisfactory to use as the original Scheele’s green. It is to be used the same as paris green or Scheele’s green. iets London Purple. + Since London purple is a by-product from the manufacture of aniline dyes and is not made as a definite substance, its chemical composition varies from time to time, and hence cannot be relied upon to always give good or uniform results. It is an ar- senite of lime, and is cheaper and remains in sus- pension longer than paris green, but not so long a Scheele’s green. It is advisable not to use Londo purple when other arsenical poisons, such as goo FRUIT-GROWER CoO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 13 paris green or Scheele’s green, can be obtained. If it has to be used it should be mixed and applied by the same formula as given for paris green. Arsenite of Lime. As arsenite of lime must be made by the horti- culturist by boiling arsenic and lime, and as its preparation is difficult and uncertain, and also as its use is attended with considerable risk, I will omit giving the formula for its prepartion, and advise you mo let it, alone and to use arsenite of soda in its stead. Arsenite of Soda. An effort to find a cheap arsenical poison that could be relied upon not to be adulterated and that could be sprayed on plants without undue danger to the foliage, has resulted in the introduction of ar- -senite of soda, the formula and preparation of which is as follows: White arsenic. (powdered), 2 pounds. Sal soda, 8 pounds. Water, 2 gallons. Boil 15 minutes. ' The arsenic and:sal soda should be added to the 2 gallons of water and a mark made on the. vessel to indicate the exact. position of the water.:. The vessel should then be placed on the fire snd: poiled vigorously for about 15 minutes, or until everything is dissolved. If any residue remains after 20 min- utes of vigorous boiling some of the chemicals rmust have been impure. Remove the vessel from the fire and add water to make up the loss in boiling. Hence the necessity of having made the mark indicating the original height of the two gallons. The addition of sufficient water to make the original two gal- 14 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING ions is necessary since the solution is a concentrated one, and if less than two gallons of water is used the chemicals will crystallize out when the liquid cools, and ruin the mixture. This stock solution should now be placed in an earthen jug and properly labeled and the jug should never be used for any other purpose thereafter. This stock solution is of course deadly poison and should be kept in a safe place. It can be made up at any time, and will keep indefinitely if the jug be corked. When one wishes to use the arsenite of soda remember that two quarts of this stock solution is equivalent in poison- ig properties to one pound of. paris green; but un- like paris green it will injure the foliage in its pres- ent condition, and hence it is absolutely essential to slake eight pounds of fresh stone lime and add it to 100 to 175 gallons of water, stir and filter, and then add the two quarts of stock solution of arsenite of soda and stir thoroughly. There is very little dan- ger attending the use of arsenite of soda in con- nection with the amount of lime indicated, because a chemical change takes place when the limewater and arsenite of soda are mixed, resulting in the pro- duction of arsenite of lime which is insoluble in water and cannot injure the foliage. This spraying mixture has no special advantage over pure paris green, except the fact that one is more certain of having pure chemicals and the proper amount of arsenic in order to kill the insects desired. If this substance is to be added to Bordeaux mixture it can be done by regarding the Bordeaux mixture as water and adding the eight pounds of fresh stone lime for every two quarts of the arsenite of soda. Arsenate of Lead. Arsenate of lead can be purchased in the market properly prepared under the trade name “Dispar- FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 15 ene,’ but commercial arsenate of lead must not be used, hence unless “‘Disparene’ be purchased one must make his own arsenate of lead, according to the following formula: Acetate of lead, 24 ounces. Arsenate of soda, 8 ounces. Water, 100 gallons. Only the best chemicals should be used in the preparation of the arsenate of lead. First-class crys- tallized acetate of lead contains about 59 per cent available lead oxide, and first-class arsenate of soda should not contain more than 3 per cent chloride. The acetate of lead should be thoroughly dissolved in a half bucket of water, and the arsenate of soda thoroughly dissolved separately in still another half. bucket of water. After both are thoroughly dis- solved, turn them together into a receptacle, stir: thoroughly, and allow it to remain over night. .A chemical change takes place and there is formed arsenate of lead which will nearly fill the liquid with a white flocculent precipitate. Add all to the spray- ing tank containing 100 gallons of water, stir and it is ready for use. Arsenate of lead has the following advantages over other arsenical poisons: First, it is not so liable to injure foliage, no matter how strong it be ap- plied; secondly, it is easily prepared, does not re- quire the use of lime and hence does not need to be strained; thirdly, it is very fine and flocculent and hence remains in suspension with very little stirring, and does not clog or stop up the spray nozzles; fourthly, it sticks much better on the foliage than any other arsenical spray, even after repeated rains, and as it is white, it is very easy to see just where and to what extent one has sprayed. I regard this 16 = A TREATISE ON SPRAYING arsenate of lead as the best known arsenical poison with which to spray plants for biting insects. Occasionally when some of the chemicals above given cannot be had nitrate of lead is used instead of acetate of lead, or arsenite of soda instead of ar- senate of soda, but nitrate of lead and arsenite of soda are not used together. The formula and prepa- ration is the same in all cases. Powdered White Hellebore. This substance is used as a substitute for arsenical poisons when one desires to spray plants, the fruit on which is about ripe and ready to eat, such as strawberries, raspberries and currants. It is made (by pulverizing the roots of the white’ Helleperc plant and will kill most biting insects that swallow it, provided it be fresh, but it soon loses its poison. ous properties when exposed to the air on plants, and hence becomes harmless in a few days. In pur- chasing this powder one should be sure to purchase fresh material or at least freshly pulverized roots, otherwise it may have lost its poisonous properties before you wish to use it. It may be applied as a dry powder, dusted full strength on the plants, especially when a dew is on them, or it may be mixed with three parts of flour or air slaked lime, or it may be sprayed on the plants by mixing one pound with 50 gallons of water. FOR SUCKING INSECTS. Kerosene emulsion is the every-day insecticide to use in combating sucking insects, ‘and must be made by the horticulturist at the time,- cr soon before the time, he wishes to do the spraying. The following formula for making kerosene emulsion must be fol- lowed exactly, since otherwise one will ee make 4° complete emulsion: FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 17 Hard soap (preferably good whale-oil soap), one- half pound. ot Kerosene, 2 gallons. Water (soft), 1 gallon. Churn ten minutes. Add water, 19 gallons. The hard soap should be cut up into small pieces and thoroughly dissolved in the one gallon of soft water by the use of heat. When the soap is thor- oughly dissolved and the water boiling hot, remove the vessel from the fire and add two gallons of kero- sene (coal oil). The receptacle should ke large enough to contain about twice this amount of ma- terial. Remove the spray nozzle from the pump and churn this material thoroughly for ten minutes by pumping it back into itself. In a few minutes the material will look like milk, but one should not stop, but keep this churning up the whole time, otherwise a complete emulsion may not be formed. At the expiration of the ten minutes’ churning, the material will be thick and creamy in consistency, and will now keep a long time without the kerosene separating and forming on top. When one desires to spray this stock emulsion should be added to 19 gallons of water and the whole stirred thoroughly. Should the stock emulsion be too thick and hard to mix readily with water, it can be heated silghtly, but this heating should ke done out doors, and one should be careful not to get the stock emulsion atire.. The effectiveness of kerosene emulsion is improved by the addition of a pound of pyrethrum. In applying kerosene emulsion, pumps should be used that do not have rubber valves. If the pumps have spherical rubber valves you should remove them and substitute marbles, since the kerosene emulsion, especially when whale oil soap is used, 18 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING acts very rapidly on rubber. In making the kero- sene emulsion any hard laundry soap will answer, but better results are obtained if good whale oil soap be substituted. There are a great many poor brands of whale oil soap on the market, and one will have great difficulty in making an emulsion from them. Good Caustic Potash Whale Oil Soap should be obtained, if possible. Kerosene emulsion is troublesome to make, and for that reason many people do not use it when they should do so. Of recent years the better manu- facturers of spray pumps have added an attachment to their pumps by means of which pure Kerosene is placed in a special tank and the water or the Bor- deaux mixture (either one containing arsenical poison if necessary) is placed in the barrel, and by means of an indicator the proper proportion of kerosene and water can be mixed and sprayed upon the plants. In general, the indicator should be set for ten per cent kerosene. Theoretically, this is a most excellent device, since it does away with all the trouble connected with the making of kerosene emulsion, and enables us to use the kerosene for sucking insects in connection with Bordeaux mix- ture and arsenical poisons, thus enabling us to spray with one operation for not only biting and sucking insects both, but for fungus diseases also. In most cases this mechanical mixture of kerosene and water kills insects much more readily than the emulsion and on most plants has no special injurious effect. Practically, however, these pumps cannot be abso- lutely depended upon to throw the percentage of kerosene and water indicated, nor to throw the same per cent continually. Occasionally one obtains a pump which will work satisfactorily, but more often the pumps need constant attention, lest they FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 19 spray too much kerosene or not enough. It is a good plan to thoroughly test a pump before taking it to the orchard, and even there to make a test at the end of each row to see that the pump is work- ing properly all the time. The test is usually easily made by turning the spray into a glass jar and allow- ing the kerosene to separate and rise on top, when the variation from ten per cent kerosene can be easily determined. In general, pumps which have a separate pump for kerosene receptacle and another distinct pump for the liquid in the barrel, are prefer- able to those pumps which suck both kerosene and water through the same cylinder. Whale Oil Soap. It is frequently much quicker and handier to use whale oil soap than to make kerosene emulsion or to use the kerosene and water mixing pump. Soft bodied insects such as plant lice or aphids can be readily killed by a spray made by dissolving one pound of caustic potash whale oil soap in seven gal- lons of water. Here, again, it is important that the best whale oil soap be used. Many of the brands now on the market are practically useless. Whale oil soap used in the proportion I have just indicated is cheap and easily prepared and does not injure any of our ordinary plants. In spraying for the San Jose scale, whale oil soap is used in the proportion of two pounds of soap to one gallon of water. This proportion becomes quite expensive for a large or- chard, although where only a few trees are to be sprayed it is not excessive. In order to dissolve the two pounds of whale oil soap in one gallon of water and keep it in the form of a liquid it is nec- essary to do the spraying while the solution is hot, and this is liable to eat up the rubber hose or any other rubber coming in contact with the same. 20 A 'TREATISE ON SPRAYING > Tobacco Tea. It is sometimes convenient to use tobacco tea for sucking insects instead of the kerosene emulsion or of the kerosene and water mixture, or even of the whale oil soap, although the tobacco tea does not give as good results in all cases. It is an excellent spray for plant lice, especially on small plants, and as it is easily prepared, it becomes useful where one does not have enough spraying to warrant the prep- aration of the kerosene emulsion. Any refuse to- bacco, preferably the strippings or stems, should be used for this purpose, and in the foHowing propor- tion: Tobacco, 1 pound... Water, 2 gallons. The tobacco should be placed in cold water and the same boiled for a few minutes, after which it can be strained and the liquid or tea sprayed upon the plants. When one is using a large quantity of this material its killing properties can be increaséd by the addition of one pound of caustic potash whale oil soap to each fifty gallons of the tobacco tea. Tobacco tea as an insecticide for sucking insects should be used in preference to the kerosene. prep- arations where one wishes to spray plants the fruit on which is nearly full grown or the leaves of which we are to eat, since the tobacco tea will not taint the leaves or the fruit, while kerosene emulsion or kero- sene and water mechanically mixed will taint them so as to render them unfit for food. Tobacco tea is an excellent thing for such oe as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and the like, when the fruit is nearly grown. Lime, Sulphur and Salt. There are several different formulae used by fruit- srowers and experiment stations combining lime, FRUIT-GROWER Co., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 21 sulphur and salt, or caustic soda, only two of which will be given here. The first one requires boiling by artificial heat and is as follows: Lime, 15 pounds. Sulphur, 15 pounds. Salt, 15 pounds. “Water, 50 gallons. The above mixture is prepared by slaking the lime to a thin whitewash and then adding the sulphur (which has previously been made into a paste by means of hot water), the whole is then stirred, and the salt (dissolved in enough water to readily dis- solve it) is then added and the entire mixture boiled for two hours. After boiling for a sufficient length of time, enough hot water is added to bring the entire mixture up to fifty gallons. This spray is more effectual when applied hot. The time and method of applying will be given under “The San Jose Scale.” Experiments recently conducted at the Geneva, N. Y., Experiment Station go to show that the use of salt in connection with the lime and sulphur has no insecticidal effect whatever. They have, there- fore, omitted the salt in the above formula and found that it killed the San Jose scale as effectually and as thoroughly and with no more injurious ef- fect upon the trees than from those washes contain-_ ‘ing the salt. The method of preparation is the same as above given with the omission of the galt. Ex. periments conducted at the New Jersey Experiment Station, however, seem to indicate that the ee of salt has an advantage. The second formula is as follows: 22 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING Lime, Sulphur and Soda. Lime, 30 pnounds. Sulphur, 15 pounds. Caustic soda, 6 pounds. Water, 50 gallons. As this mixture is prepared without artificial heat, the chemical heat of the mixture being depended upon entirely to convert the substance to the proper union, a somewhat different method of procedure becomes necessary. The lime should be placed in the proper tank and about six gallons of hot water turned over it. The sulphur is now made into a thin paste by means of hot water and as soon as the lime commences to slake the sulphur paste should be. turned over it and the whole thoroughly ang con- tinually mixed. As soon as the lime is nearly slaked the caustic soda should be added and also hot water as needed to keep the material from becoming too hard or the stirring too difficult. It is also im-. portant that the mixture be stirreq thoroughly dur- ing the boiling process after the caustic soda has been added. As soon as the chemical action has ceased the proper amount of hot water should be added to make the fifty gallons, and the whole thoroughly mixed. It is then ready to apply. ‘This formula and the method of making the mixture without artificial heat originated with the Geneva, New York, Experiment Station. In some of my ex- periments and those of other experiment stations the self-boiled mixture has not always killed all the San Jose scale, while no difficulty of this nature has been experienced with the mixture requiring arti- ficial boiling. The best fresh stone lime and the best caustic soda should be used in order to obtain the best results. FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 23 FOR BOTH BITING AND SUCKING INSECTS. Pyrethrum. Pyrethrum is a yellow colored powder made by pulverizing the flowers of the pyrethrum plant, and is one of our best insecticides. It undoubtedly owes its poisonous properties to a volatile oil, and while deadly poison to all kinds of insects,—especially when. enclosed in a room or box,—it is absolutely harmless to man and all kinds of domesticated ani- mals. It is absolutely essential in order to have suc- cess in the use of this material that one obtain ab- scolutely fresh material, and also material. that is pure. Pyrethrum powder loses its poisonous prop- erties in a very short time, and hence cannot be Kept over from one season to another, even in an air- tight jar. It is better to order this material as need- ed from some reliable wholesale drug house. It cannot be purchased for less than forty cents per pound, plus the carriage. There are on the market many insect powders of various.names, which are nothing more nor less than pyrethrum adulterated with flour or other substances. These various pow- ders should not be used by the horticulturist, and he should be careful in regard to adulteration, since pyrethrum is frequently mixed with flour, colored with chrome yellow, and an enormous profit made. . Fresh pyrethrum powder can be applied as a dry powder either unadulterated or mixed with common flour in the proportion of one pound of pyre- thrum to three pounds of flour, or it can be sprayed on the plants by mixing a pound of pyrethrum in three gallons of water. Pyrethrum has no injurious effects whatever on any plant. It is used more especially on strawberries and other small. fruits when the same are ripening. 24 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING Carbon Bisulphide. Carbon bisulphide is a clear liquid looking much like water, but it is very much heavier and evapor- ates immediately on exposure to the air. The fumes are heavier than the air and therefore settle to the bottom of the room, bin or box, and will not be disseminated through the same like gas. The fumes of bisulphide of carbon are deadly to all kinds of insect life, provided the air contains a sufficient quantity and the insects be confined, such as would be the case under ground or in a room or box. Bi- sulphide of carbon is one of the best insecticides we can use when the insects are thus confined in a closed place. The only precaution to be taken in the use of bisulphide of carbon is not to go into the room containing the fumes of this material with a lighted pipe or lantern, or any trace of a fire, or to handle or use bisulphide of carbon when a light of any kind is near; since an explosion may thereby occur. Bisulphide will not explode from handling. It is well to know that bisulphide of carbon can be obtained from the manufacturers for ten cents a pound in fifty-pound drums. So far as the horti- culturist is concerned, bisulphide of carbon is used principally for subterranean insects. Where one wishes to kill the insects in a room or box, two pounds of the bisulphide of carbon should be placed in the upper part of the same for every one thousand cubic feet of room space, regardless of the amount of material to be fumigated. This can be done by saturating rags or by placing the liquid in shallow dishes. It will do no good to put the same on the floor. The room or box should be closed up for two to three days, and then opened up and allowed to air out thoroughly. Al] cracks - FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 25 ae and crevices should be stopped up so far as possible in order not to have a circulation of air. ; Hydrocyanic Acid Gas. This is the most poisonous substance known, and great caution should be taken in regard to its use. The formula is as follows: Sulphuric acid, 1-2 pound. Water, 1 1-2 younds. Cyanide of potassium, 1-4 pound. The amount above given is sufficient for six hun- dred cubic feet of room space, and more or less should be used according to the size of the room. The amount of material to be fumigated should not be taken into account in figuring the cubic contents of the room. The gas should be allowed to act from thirty to forty-five minutes, after which the fumi- gating chamber should be aired thoroughly before one enters the same. The better plan to follow is to place the water in a large, deep earthen vessel, Such as a crock, then turn in the sulphuric acid slowly stirring the while, and when everything 1s all ready drop in the proper: amount of cyanide of potassium and get out immediately, closing the room up tightly. Hydrocyanic acid gas is used more espe- cially for fumigating nursery stock, small plants, greenhouses and the like. METHODS OF APPLICATION OF INSECTICIDES. LIQUID PROCESS. In most instances insecticides cannot be applied full strength either because of injury to the plants . or because of undue waste of material. Therefore water has been used and is still generally used as a carrier for these substances, and, in most cases, is the best carrier known. It has some disadvantages, - notably the great weight that must be carried about. 26 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING The water, however, can be managed perfectly under practically all conditions of weather, and can be thrown as a fine or coarse spray at will; it has the advantage of sticking upon the foliage of most ~ plants, therefore causing the insecticide to remain fastened to the plant. Many insecticides cannot be applied to plants by any other carrier than water, and in nearly all cases water gives the most satis- factory results, although in a few instances it is not as convenient as dust. THE DUST PROCESS. Of recent years dust as a carrier for various in- secticides has been used, especially in Missouri, and a vast amount of discussion has arisen in regard to the effectiveness of this process as compared with the liquid process. Air slaked lime in a finely powdered condition is the usual substance used as a carrier in the dust process, although for small plants flour or finely sifted wood ashes can be used. The dust process cannot take the place of the liquid process for applying insecticides in all cases, but in many instances it is just as effectual, while in a few it seems to be more so. Where one has a number of small plants, such as cabbages, straw- berries and the like, it frequently happens that the dust process is more effectual than the liquid, and also has an advantage over the liquid process in that it is much more easily handled. On the other hand, in spraying large orchard trees it is not so effectual, especially for the codling moth, as is the liquid pro- cess. However, there are a number of instances where it is practically impossible for the orchardist to spray the orchard at the proper time if compelled ‘to use the liquid process. For instance, many or- chards are located on steep hillsides, where it is EFRUIT-GROWER CoO., ST. JOSEPH, MO.) 27 practically impossible for a team to draw a heavy load of water. The ground in other orchards is so soft during the spring that it is practically impossi- ble to draw a heavily loaded water tank through the orchard. In still other orchards the location is such that it is impossible to obtain sufficient water for the spraying. In such instances, it becomes a matter of using the dust process or none at all. It is advis- able, therefore, that this dust process be used in all such cases. The dust has a decided advantage over the liquid process in that it does not require any- thing like the bulk and weight to be carried through the orchard. In the garden this becomes unusually apparent where a person cannot readily use a barrel mounted on a cart. The dust process is so much lighter that a person can readily carry the machine and do the dusting that would require a barrel of water in case of the liquid process. The dust pro- cess also has .an advantage in that, in many in- stances. it is much more readily made up, and many people will use a small hand dust machine ‘where they will not go to the trouble of using a liquid one. There are some precautions, however, in the use of the dust process that do not enter into the liquid. The paris green or other arsenical poisons used in the dust machines readily float in: the air, and are blown a considerable distance by the wind, so that in dusting the trees one should be careful to see that the dust does not blow in the face, otherwise one is apt to inhale too much arsenical poison. The horses should also be kept away from the dust. It is advisable in the use of dust to apply it early in the morning while the dew is on the plants, or soon after a rain, and it is also well to apply the dust when there is a slight breeze. The wind will carry the dust through the tree, so that it will not 28 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING SI 1 ‘FIG. 2. Spray pump with kerosene attachment, FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 29 be necessary in all instances to dust from two sides. The dust, when properly made and applied, has a tendency to cover more surface than the liquid process with the same amount of work, but unless the plants be somewhat damp the dust has a less tendency to remain on them. In making the various insecticides for dust ma- chines it is advisable to use finely powdered lime as a carrier for the poison, although it is possible, espe- cially with small plants, to use common flour, or finely sifted wood ashes. In making the powdered lime, it is well to do so in the following way: Take ten pounds of fresh stone lime and break up the lumps so that they will be about the size of a hen’s egg. Place these in a ' sieve, the bottom of which should be made of com-. mon wire mosquito netting, and sprinkle water slowly over this so that the lime will take up all the water. When it begins to slake stop pouring, and begin again when it becomes necessary to keep up the slaking; the idea being not to allow the water to drop down through the sieve, or to put on enough water to cause the lime to become putty. With very little experience one will soon learn to slake this lime in such a way as to cause the fine particles to drop down through the sieve as fine slake into the box underneath, and yet not wet the powdered lime that has fallen through. It is well to stir the lime in the sieve occasionally. About three quarts of water is required to properly slake the ten pounds of lime. After the lime is all slaked, and has been sifted through, cover the box over and allow it to heat for a time. If this process be properly conducted there will be no further need of sifting the lime, as it will all be in a fine, dry powder. This may now be kept indefinitely in a dry place. : A TREATISE ON SPRAYING 30 *Sa]110qM 8.148 Se yons sjuvfd MOT JO ‘dund aa107 fav Y}IM UOT}IVUNOD UL pesn pus uOSeM Aue 0} 2qeyo"I}e ‘IakevIdg ple ous, -¢e ‘OIA engatizeghitiel tecat? &,* Diy ph =. ae SSanence?~ | tae, % ‘ Sa 490 -sceercacecroaseges woeseest om eoegonwosss ‘a fe steeeedtecsncacep, . easeeesstesttit < eo? FRUIT-GROWER CoO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 31 When one wishes to spray for a biting insect, all that is necessary is to thoroughly mix a pound of paris green or Scheele’s green with twenty to forty pounds of powdered lime, fill the machine and ap- ply. It is possible with some machines to make this mixture twice as strong and yet not waste the in- secticide, because of the fact that they can be so regulated as to allow but a certain amount to be applied. In the case of cabbage and potatoes, paris green or Scheele’s green can be put into the ma- chine without lime, and the machine so set as to dust “one pound to the acre, but even here it is advisable to mix the insecticide with a few pounds of lime or flour. One disadvantage in the use of dust sprays is that we are restricted in the use of insecticides to those that can be powdered. So far as my experi- ments go, I have not been able to use arsenate of lead or arsenite of soda with as little trouble as we can paris green or Scheele’s green, and yet, in many instances, it is advisable to use the arsenite of soda or the arsenate of lead. In the use of the dust process for sucking insects I have not had anything like as good success as can ke obtained by the liquid process. It is possible to dissolve concentrated lye in the water that is to be used for slaking the lime, and thereby render the lime caustic enough to kill many insects by contact; but it does not have the wide killing power found in the use of kerosene, either as an emulsion or as a ten per cent mixture in water by means of the new spray pumps. It will be seen from the above that the dust process has advantages, as well as disadvantages, over the liquid process, and that it cannot take the place of the liquid process in all cases in combating ve 2 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING the various insects. I advise all fruit-growers, agri- culturists and especially gardeners to obtain at least a hand dust machine for use in connection with the liquid sprays. There are several machines now man- ufactured for the distribution of dust. Some of them jit H “is W 1] Sn ° al THAIN haf dda AD qo SS SS r ti KANSAS, CHIH uid ee ae Te have advantages over others, but, as a rule, the ma- chines that use a crank power are better than those that use other methods of generating the air blast. APPLICATION. Whether one be using the liquid process or the dust process, thoroughness of work is of the first importance. This is especially the case where a liquid spray is being used to combat sucking insects, because here’ one must touch each insect itself ine order to kill it, and nothing short of the most thor- ough work will accomplish the best result. In using the liquid process one should exert as much pressure E-RUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 33 as possible in order to throw as fine a spray and ~ with as much force as can be accomplished by a hand machine. It is impossible for hand _ spray pumps to spray as fine a spray and to throw the FIG. 5. Hand Dust Spray Machine. | Same with as much force, as automatic or gasoline machine; but one should keep as much pressure in the pump as possible. It is a well known fact that the finer the spray the more evenly distributed will be the insecticide, and, other things being equal, the Ju nag A 'TREATISE ON SPRAYING FIG. 6. Large Orchard Dust Spray Machine. more thorough the work; and it is also a well known fact that the finer the spray the more insecticide one can cause to remain on the plant, provided one does not spray long enough to cause the material to FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 35 form in drops and run off the leaves. It is, there- fore, always advisable not to spray a plant until the liquid runs off on the ground, but to stop just be- fore the accumulation in large drovs occurs. Of course this does not apply to the dust process. It is also important in using most insecticides with the liquid process to keep the material constantly well stirred during the entire spraying operation, otherwise some of the material will settle to the bot- tom, and the spray will not be uniform or give satisfactory results. This is especially the case in using paris green or London purple. MACHINES FOR APPLYING INSECTICIDES. There are a great many different machines on the market for applying various insecticides, either liquid or dust, and the price 1s as varied as the ma- chines. It is always advisable to purchase the best makes of pumps or machines, since in the long run they are very much cheaper, will cause less annoy- ance and delay and bring you in better returns in the. end. There are a number of different manu- facturers making excellent pumps or machines, any one of which is about as good as the other. One should, in buying a pump, obtain one that has metal valves, and all parts of the pump in which the liquid comes in contact made of brass. The _ so-called rotary or clock pumps are not as satisfactory as oth- ers. One should write to a number of the better manufacturers and obtain their catalogues and make his own selection, regardless of price. Pumps for applying liquid sprays are shown in Figs. 2 and 3; and machines for applying dust are shown in Figs. 4,5 and 6. 36 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING oa re INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE APPLE. ATTACKING THE ROOTS. WOOLLY APHIS. Schizoneura lanigera, (Hausm.) This insect is so well known to all apple growers that it needs no scientific description. A very brief Statement of its life history may, however, be use- ful. The adult insects are found in two forms, as can be seen by carefully examining a colony late in the summer. One form has Wings and does not ex- crete the downy matter (See Fig. 7 A), while the excretes from the pores on its abdomen the bluish- White downy or cottony matter that covers the in- sect and renders it so conspicuous (See Mise If this downy substance be touched it will be easily removed from the insect, which will immediately excrete more. Figure 7A represents a winged form, Which is an agamic female; B, a Wingless, or ap- terous, form, with the downy matter removed; and C, one with a smal] amount attached. Both B and C are apterous agamic females. Al] three of these figures represent the females magnified, while .the hair lines under the winged and between the wing- less forms represent the natural size of each re- spectively . 7 The solitary eses of this woolly aphis may be found during the winter in the crevices of the bark at or near the base of the tree, where they are usually seen completely enveloped in the dead skin of the mother, who lays a single egg. In the spring these eggs hatch into Wingless agamic females, like the ones figured at B and C. These females then bring forth living young rapidly and without males ~—parthenogenetically. These. young are always FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 37 wingless agamic females. Their offspring do like- wise. This is continued during the summer, each generation being apterous agamic females only. To- wards the latter part of the summer winged agamic females are developed (see Fig. 7A). Some of the mimesca, forms leave the infested. tree and fly >to VIG. 7. Woolly-Aphis of the apple, Schizoneura lanigera, magni- fied; a, winged agamic female; b, c, apterous or wingless agamic females. (Stedman.) other trees, where they establish another colony by Paneineg:; forth living young. Late in thefall, té- wards the approach of cold weather, some of the agamic females bring forth living Wingless and mouthless true males and females. These pair, and 38 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING eee as oe eS a Se ak ee a the females each develop a Single fertilized egg and perish. Hach aphis, whether winged or Wingless, is inde- pendent and derives its nourishment by piercing the bark with its long beak or mouth parts and sucking the sap below. North of the Missouri river most of the woolly aphis perish during the severe cold of winter, and the eggs are frequently the only means of continu- ing the species the following summer. South of the Missouri river, however, the aphids themselves are usually able to hibernate in large numbers, and hence it is that we find this pest so much more numerous in the southern half of the United States. Hach hibernating aphis commences to bring forth living apterous agamic females just as soon as warm weather is established and as hundreds of them may hibernate on the roots of a single tree, it is readily understood why this insect is so much more numer- ous south of the Missouri river. The woolly aphis is found not only infesting the roots, but may occur also on the trunk or limbs where its presence is readily detected by the bluish- white cottony or downy looking substance that is excreted and covers the greater part of each wing- less aphid; and since these insects live in clusters. or colonies, the patches of white matter are very conspicuous, and can scarcely escape the notice of even the most casual observer. In the central part of the United States the woolly aphis occurs more especially and does its greatest damage by infesting the roots, while in some of the eastern states, and especially in Europe and Australia, the presence of these insects above the sround frequently kills. the trees outright. The woolly aphis is frequently arti- ficially induced to attack the trunk by mulching or by using wrappers around the base of the tree as FRUIT-GROWER CoO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 39 a protection against borers and rabbits. But what- ever may be the cause of their presence above the ground, the result is the same, viz., to cause an ab- normal growth of the infested portion, resulting in the formation of a rough and pitted surface known as a gall. The presence of the root-inhabiting form is read- ily detected by removing the earth from the roots of the infested tree. The appearance of the bluish- white or mildew-looking substance, or of knotty and distorted roots, will indicate its presence. It is this root. or subterranean form that causes so much dam- age to the apple orchards throughout the greater part of the United States, and also to apple nursery stock. The woolly aphis sucking the juices from the roots of the apple tree causes an abnormal growth of the attacked portion of the roots, resulting in the forma- tion of gall-like swellings or -excrezc2nce. These swellings are usually irregular and knotty in ap- pearance, and sometimes attain considerable size, while that portion of the roots between the ex- erescences is frequently undeveloped. Fig. 8, which is a photograph of two such roots, will give one a good idea of the attacked portion. The woolly aphis and the dirt were removed in order to show the exact condition of the roots themselves. The woolly aphis will ke found in large numbers and in clusters over the surface of the swellings, and especially between them in the numerous crev- ices that the larger excrescences contain. The roots thus attacked, distorted and swollen, soon begin to decompose. Saprophytic fungi and bacteria enter the dead and decaying portions and help to hasten the work, and soon that portion of the root perishes. Sometimes the roots seem to be killed outright by 40 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING FIG. 8. Roots from a two-year-old apple tree, showing the ab- normal growths and knotty excrescence caused by the Woolly-Aphis. (Stedman.) the immense numbers of aphis sucking the sap and causing the abnormal growth. As the woolly aphis attacks in immense numbers the main roots at or near the trunk, and as these roots are usually event-. ually killed and then rapidly decay, the tree loses its support and falls with the first wind. FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 41 a —— The infested apple tree appears sickly, it does not grow aS it should. Its leaves are less numerous, and ‘they. have more of a pale green or yellowish color than is natural, and finally the tree dies outright or is blown over with the first wind. In nursery stock the damage usually comes directly from the ex- crescences or galls that are formed upon the roots, and which makes such trees unsalable, although they may not contain aphids or their eggs. No variety of apple tree seems to be exempt from the attack of the woolly aphis, nor does the age of the tree make any difference. It attacks and injures alike, seed- lings, nursery stock, young and old bearing trees, although old trees appear: to withstand this pest much better than young ones. Remedies.—The aerial form of the woolly aphis can be easily killed by one or two thorough spray- ings with kerosene emulsion. If these aphids are on the trunk only, as frequently happens when the wooden wrappers are used against the attack of borers, they can be killed by washing the trunk with the emulsion by means ‘of a whitewash brush. The root inhabiting form can be killed by remov- ing the earth from about the trunk of the tree for some two feet and about four inches in depth, and filling this space in with a liberal supply of tobacco dust, then covering it over with the earth again. The rains will’ wash the nicotine down about the roots and kill the aphids and prevent others from enter- ing. It is important that ground tobacco or tobacco dust be used for this purpose, since chopped up stems and refuse tobacco not in a finely divided state will not answer the purpose. While this pow- dered tobacco should be placed about the tree, as suggested, aS soon._as indications of injury appear, nevertheless the best results are obtained by put- 42 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING ting this tobacco dust about the trees, as indicated, early in the summer, when the first settled warm weather appears, One will thus kill the hibernating aphids, or the young that may hatch, before a col- ony has been established and more or less injury accomplished. In sections of the country where the woolly aphis is extremely troublesome, it is always a good plan to put a liberal supply of tobacco dust about the roots of the young trees while setting them out, and then each spring to place about the trees in the manner suggested a liberal supply of tobacco dust, especially if any indications appear of an undue number of aphids. The tobacco dust not only kills the aphis and prevents others from attacking the trees that year, but it also acts as an excellent fertil- izer. The use of bisulphide of carbon injected into the ground a foot and a half away from the trunk and main roots will kill the woolly aphis, but will not prevent others from reinfesting the tree in a short time; hence it is advisable to resort to the use of tobacco dust in the first place. The use of hot water or kerosene emulsion turneq about the roots is not advisable. From my experiments with this insect I can say that the use of tobacco dust as above indicated is far superior to any other or all methods. | ATTACKING THE TRUNK, LIMBS AND STEMS. ROUND-HEADED APPLE TREE BORER. Saperda candida, Fab. The adult of the round-headed apple tree borer is a beautiful long-horned beetle. It is from three- fourths to nearly an inch in length, and with the antennae or feelers nearly as long as the body. The under surface of the body is silvery white, while the FRUIT-GROWER CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 43 upper surface is light brown with two white stripes running from the head to the tip of the wing covers; the legs and antennae are gray. A picture of one of these adult beetles is shown in Fig. 9c, natural size. The adult beetles emerge about the last of May as a rule, but vary a month or so in emerging, and as a result they are nearly two months in depositing their eggs. The eggs are deposited at night, usually in the bark of the trunk near the base, but may sometimes be deposited higher up, and even in the FIG. 9. Round-Headed Apple-tree borer, Saperda candida Fab.; a, larva; b, pupa; ec, adult. limbs. The larvae or borers on hatching burrow in the sap wood for the first season, and, if the tree be young or there be several in the tree, they may girdle it. The second year the borers usually work more or less into the heart wood, and the third year they gnaw out towards the bark, where a cocoon is made within the tunnel out of their excrement 44 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING and gnawings, and within this the pupa stage is passed. The adults on hatching eat their way out and escape. One can tell whether a round-headed or a flat-headed apple tree borer be in the tree by the presence of gnawings or droppings that accumu- late about the base of the infested tree, and by dig- “ging into the tree, or by observing the holes out of which the adults emerge, one can determine wihicn of these two borers he has to deal with; the round- headed borer, both in the adult and larval condition, makes a round hole, while the flat-headed borer, both in the adult and larval condition, makes an ob- long burrow. Thus it will be seen that it requires three years from the time the egg is deposited until the adult round-headed apple tree borer appears, the borer being within the tree-all this time. Fig. 9a shows a picture of the larva of the round-headed borer, natural size, and figure 9b a picture of the pupa, natural size. The round-headed apple tree borer also works in the pear and quince, and in fact in nearly ali members of the family Pomaceae. Remedies.—The methods of combating the round- headed apple tree borer may be divided into three classes, viz., destroying the borers, mechanical bar- riers, protective washes. In no case should one rely upon any one of these methods, and especially where the borers are very troublesome, all three methods should be resorted to. _ Every year about the last of August or during the first of September one should go through the orchard and by means of a sharp knife dig out and kill the borers before they have mined too far or have done much damage; sometimes a wire will be useful. Kerosene gradually turned into their holes ERUIT-GROWER CoO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 45 is sometimes successful, especially where capillary attraction will carry the oil through the castings “which fill up the burrows and thereby reach the larva and kill it. Wire gauze or mosquito netting or thin wooden Wrappers are of value, and should be placed about the base of the trunk in the early spring before the adults emerge. The wooden wrappers are satisfac- tory, and, as they can be purchased for about three dollars per thousand from box and basket makers, they are now the most economical. They should be pushed down into the ground so that the adults can- not burrow under to deposit their eggs, and the tops should be stopped up with cotton wool in order to prevent them from entering there. Young trees should be thus protected. These wrappers are also of value in preventing ‘“‘sun scald” during the sum- “mer, and in the winter they will keep rabbits away. Protective washes of various kinds are used to a great extent. There are many patent washes on the market, some of which are of value, but the great bulk of which are useless, and all of them are ex- pensive. I have found that the following wash is as effectual as any, and is extremely cheap, and one can do no better than to use this mixture in prefer- ence to any patent wash yet placed upon the market, regardless of price: ; : Dissolve aS much common washing soda as pos- sible in six gallons of water; then dissolve one gal- lon of ordinary soft soap in the above; slake a quantity of lime to a thick paste and add enough of this to the above mixture to make a thick white- wash, which will stay upon the trees an eighth of an inch or so in thickness. It is better to scrape off all the loose bark possible from the trunks and main limbs of the trees, and also remove the earth 46 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING — from the base and scrape the loose bark from this. Apply the wash liberally from the main limbs to the ground, covering all portions of the bark. The dirt can then be placed about the base of the tree as before. The use of powdered sulphur has no effect whatever as regards insécts, and hence can just as well be omitted from these washes. It must be understood that these washes have no effect upon the borers once they are under the. bark; they act as repellants and prevent the adults from depositing their eggs. Washes must be ap- plied in the spring before the adults appear, and again in about three weeks or oftener if necessary; the application should be made by means of a white- wash brush. All cracks and crevices in the bark must be filled and the bark thoroughly and com- pletely covered. | THE FLAT-HEADED APPLE TREE BORER. Chrysobothris femorata, Fab. The adult of the flat-headed apple tree borer is a beetle measuring about one-half an inch in length; the upper surface is of a dark, metallic brown color, and the under surface is of a coppery brown color. A picture of one of these adult bettles is shown in Fig. 10d; at a, the larva or borer, and at b, the pupa. The adults appear in the spring at practically the same time as those of the round-headed borer, but differ much from them in their habits. The beetles deposit their eggs during the daytime upon the bark and limbs of trees; the larva and borers usually mining and feeding in the sap wood. They hiber- nate on the approach of cold weather, and the next spring make their pupae within the infested tree, and the adults ultimately emerge by eating their FRUIT-GROWER. CO., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 47 way out. Both the larvae and the adults make an oblong shaped burrow in cross section. Thus it will be seen the flat-headed borer lives only one year within the tree. It is usually not as destructive an insect as the round-headed borer, end is largely found in the limbs, sometimes in considerable num- bers; and is more apt to attack injured and dying than perfectly healthy trees. Its range of food plants is quite large, including besides the apple, the FIG. 10. ‘Plat-Headed Apple-Tree Borer, Chrysobothris femorate Fab.; a, larva; b, pupa; d, adult, natural size. - peach, plum, pear, oak, hickory, chestnut, maple. box elder, Sycamore, linden and willow. Remedies.—While the life history «nd habits of this insect differ considerably from those of the round-headed apple tree borer, the methods of fighting it and the remedies are the same. These are given under the round-headed apple tree borer. 48. A TREATISE ON SPRAYING FRUIT TREE BARK-BEETLE. Scolytus rugulosus, Ratz. The fruit tree bark-beetle was introduced into the United States from Hurope about 1870, and it has ‘since spread over the eastern portion of the United. States from Kansas to Massachusetts, and from Michigan to Alabama. The beetle attacks the plum, cherry, apricot, nectarine, peach, apple, pear and. quince, but the greatest amount of injury seems to ‘be done in the apple orchard, probably because it is the more abundant fruit. The beetle prefers and will attack first of all those trees or parts of trees that are injured, weak- ened or dying from any cause whatever. I have, however, seen many trees infested with this insect that were apparently as healthy and sound as any tree could be; but the insect undoubtedly .prefers unhealthy trees to healthy ones, attacking the per- fectly healthy trees only when the insects become unduly numerous. It matters not what causes the injury to the tree, as long as it is not in a perfectly healthy condition the insects readily attack it. This is the case with neglected orchards, where the trees are weakened from undue attacks from borers or woolly aphis, or a lack of cultivation and fertiliza- tion, or from severe drought. very numerous they may ruin the entire crop of fruit by eating the skin off and also more or less of © the pulp, and in some cases devouring the entire fruit and even eating into the seed, while the same is in a soft condition. When full grown the larvae transforms to pupae inside of the slight web which they have spun over the folded leaves, and later come out as moths, which deposit their eggs on the twigs as before stated, where they remain over winter. Remedies.—Thorough spraying with arsenate of lead as soon as the larvae first appear and before they have become sheltered will kill them. BAG WORM. Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis, Haw. During the winter, while the leaves are off the trees, one frequently notices little oblong bags, made ERUIT-GROWER Co., ST. JOSEPH, MO. 101 of silk and portions of the leaves of the tree, hang- ing suspended from the twigs. If these are opened one will find inside some of them a mass of eggs, within what appears to be the pupa stage. These are the females, one of which is shown in Fig. 25, c. . The males are moths with rather transparent wings and of the general size and shape showing in Fig. eo we WIG. 25. The Bag-worm; a, caterpillar removed from the bag; b, male chrysalis; c, wingless and legless female moth; d, male moth; e, bag cut open showing female chrysalis and eggs; f, cater- pillar in the bag; g, cones made by young larvae. : These eggs hatch in the spring after the tree leaves out, and the larvae feed upon the leaves. They soon make a case about their bodies composed of silk and portions of the leaves upon which they are feeding, and enlarge it as they grow. They 102 A TREATISE ON SPRAYING | carry this case about with them wherever they go. When they become full grown, which is towards the latter part of summer, they fasten these cases to the twigs by means of bands of silk, and inside of it transform to the pupa stage. These insects feed upon a great variety of shade, as well as orchard trees and some ornamentals. or White Grub .. 2... 6e ese a 107 Attacking the Stem URE WO TELS Aas Ver'ci see See) oe 6 eo be POR ROMER eral Re NET CHE 109 PONV EE SO OLS lice co cce ce Sha et bial aie Oe ais eh eiele. etiwia ra i ia ee Attacking the Leaves etraywnerry deat Roller (oor der be cel 113 PASE UM ELTORED |. Syste pi ekorscuta (cle aa Ue ace wales ele eae 115 Attacking the Flower and Fruit ee nmisived SE lant Bue ier do ese le selene as eye eeeng 116 ba ee | 1, ‘ ae che r} dl Wi sap | Ss "| i LI UI ae eg §| The Fruit-eGrower Company can furnish, at nominal prices, books covering almost every subject in connection with fruit-growing and general farming. If you are inter- ested, send at once for our book list, which will tell you how to secure “The Bro. Jonathan Series” complete, or any other books on our list, without cost to you. If you have not seen a copy of The Fruit-Grower, send for a sample, which will be sent free. If you will _send names of a few of your friends who grow fruit, we will appreciate it. Address all correspondence to The FRUIT-GROWER COMPANY ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI MISSOURI LIBRARY OF CONGRESS | | | ST TOREEE MISSOURI America’s Leading Horticultural Paper Published Monthly—Send For a Free Sample Copy - “Brother Jonathan” Trade Mark of The Fruit=Grower St. Joseph, Mo.