Control Measures For Summer Pests

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 10

Control Measures For Summer Pests

For the control of codlin moth on apples, pears and quinces, spraying should be commenced as soon as the blossoms fall, and at reasonable intervals throughout the whole growing season. The active agent to be used for this purpose is arsenate of lead, which is available in either paste or powder form. Both forms are equally effective, and they should be used according to directions, as follows: Paste, 141 b to 50 gallons of water, or one tablespoonful to 2 gallons; powder, 141 b to 100 gallons of water, or one teaspoonful to 1 gallon. In either form it is easily mixed with water and is easily and quickly applied. Arsenate of. lead is poisonous and must be used and treated as a dangerous substance, but as it is harmless to plant life its use in the garden as a means of dealing with caterpillars, grubs and other destriuctive insects should be much more general. The application will, to some measure, depend upon the weather. In periods of dry weather the material will remain effective longer than when heavy rain is experienced. In spraying it is important that every branch of the tree containing fruits should receive a portion of the solution applied. At this time most of the fruit is in an upright position, and, as the moth usually deposits its eggs in the eye of the fruit it is important that this part should receive some of the solution. If the spray is applied through a

very fine distributing nozzle, almost every portion of the tree will be moistened. THE LEAF EATERS

For the destruction of the leech that attacks the foliage of plums, pears, quinces, cherries, flowering peach and other trees, the same solution is equally effective. It is surprising the number of trees that are seen every summer to be almost denuded of every particle of foilage—the result of neglect in spraying. In such cases, all growth is checked, and a premature ripening of wood takes place, resulting, in many cases, in the trees making weak autumn growth, and in developing flowers that should, under healthy conditions, remain dormant until the following spring.

It is by not means difficult to keep this particular pest under control, as it can be effectively destroyed by an occasional spraying with arsenate of lead. Another pest in the leaf-eating series is the Bronze beetle, the adult form of the grass grub, which can cause great destruction to rowan, fruit and other trees. This also can be kept down by the use of arsenate of lead spraying. At the first sign of damaged leaf a spraying would probably settle for a season the activity of this bettie in a particular area.

In badly infected and neglected areas it may be necessary to spray again, especially if wet weather prevails, but in no garden, with such an effective controllant as arsenate of lead at hand, should Bronze beetle, tomato grub, leech, or codlin moth be allowed to become a serious pest.