Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 270, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 November 1911 — Winter Spraying for the San Jose Scale [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Winter Spraying for the San Jose Scale

M.W. RICHARDS,

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Efc— The reason why spraying often tails In controlling the scale. 2 and S only coated In spots. Spray as in No. t- and kill ail of the Insects. B—A convenient arrangement for making home boiled Urns sulphur.. Sifting In the sulphur after lime has slaked.

The San Jose 1 scale Is now found in every county of Indiana. This pest was imported from China and thus has no natural enemies in this country. Wherever man does not combat it the scale multiplies unchecked until the trees on which it Is found die. Most of our old home orchards have* passed out of existence by way of the scale route. This loss of good, healthy, bearing trees is a preventable one and some of the very effective remedies should be applied in the earlier stages of the scale infestation. The best remedy for the San Jose, scale that has yet been found is limesulphur wash. This material can either be bought in the form of a commercial mixture or made up at home. When bought it should be one of the high-grade articles and should test better than 32 degrees Baume. The home-made material can be made by cooking together 38 pounds of good, freshly burned lime and 80 pounds of high-grade flowers of sulphur in 50 gallons of water for one hour. This home-made solution should test about 26-28 degree/Baume. Both the commercial mixture and the homemade solution are concentrated and should be diluted before being applied to the trees.

As the San Jose scale is an armored insect protected by a waxy covering, a very caustic material must be

used in its control. In order not to injure the tree this material must be applied while the trees are dormant, Hence all spraying for the scale must be done during the winter months. Any time when the weather, permits from November to Jdarch will be satisfactory. ■ The commercial lime should be diluted at the rate of one gallon to nine of water and the homemade solution diluted at the rate of one gallon to six of water. Both spray solutions will then test about 4.5 degrees Baume on the hydrometer. As the lime sulphur solution Is a contact insecticide, every portion of the tree should be coated. If the scales are to be killed they must bo struck with the spray solution. Great care should be exercised In the application of the material as those scales not killed can reinfect the whole tree in one season. Contrary to popular belief, the San Jose scale Is not the hardest pest to control which Infests the orchard. Proper material applied at the proper time ..and in the proper way will kill 90 per cent of the insects. Either purchase a good brand of. commercial lime snlphuf or carefully make your own and then apply ft conscientiously and you will be able to save your home orchards from destruction by the San Jose scale.