THE CODLIN MOTH AND AMERICAN SCALE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1095, 24 February 1893, Page 8

THE CODLIN MOTH AND AMERICAN SCALE.

HOW TO CUKE IT.

Of all pests the codlin moth has become the worst enemy to orchardists in the Wairarapa. In many gardens the apple crop is simply worthless and the revenue of many settlers thereby considerably curtailed. We are pleased to be able to give some particulars of a simple and effective manner of dealing with both the codlin moth and scale pest. Mr Holdaway, of this town, who is an euthusiast in fruit culture, and who intends to establish an extensive orchard on his Ballance property, has for some time past made a study of dealing with the pests named. Together with his own observations and applying the methods of other fruit growers he has succeeded in getting his trees cleaned and thia season his fruit looks remarkably well. At the same time Mr Holdaway does not intend to hide his light under the proverbial bushel, but is anxious to give the public the benefit of his knowledge and the use of the compositions he uses for dealing with the enemy of the apple trees. This last spriDg he has taken the trouble to apply his preparation to the trees of several residents here, all of whom speak very highly of tho results obtained—in fact one gentleman (Mr Owen) rays that this season he has 75 per cent of his fruit sound and good whilst lost year scarcely twenty per cent was free from the moth. Mr Holdaway finds that the moth is about in the first week in December and lays the egg-—not in the flower — but in the sunny side of the apple, from whence the grub eats its way into the fruit, and that this is the proper time to apply the mixture. This year he has found that a second flight of moths has appeared about ten days ago, and a few of his apples are consequently affected as he did not anticipate that they would appear at this time, and his application of tho compound was mads two months ago, but on the whole very little damage is done. For the Scale the mixture used is six pounds of lime, four pounds of sulphur, boiled for one hour in five gallons of water. This -is then reduced to eighty gallons, or one in sixteen. The lime to apply the liquid for Scale is between the first and twentieth of November, and should be done with an ordinary syringe on a dry day when tho young scale is found to be on the move. The same mixture used for the Codlin Moth, with the addition of a small teaspoonfull of Paris green to every four gallons of the reduced liquid. This is applied about the first week in December, the grower, of course, taking particular note when the moth is about, and he may repeat the appli cation should he find it necessary. The mixture should not be used a second time till several days have elapsed, otherwise the foliage may be injured by the Paris green. This compound is found to form a thin film on the fruit and will either lull the egg if laid on the fruit or prevent it taking hold if dropped after the application, at the same time doing no injury to the fruit. It should also be applied on a dry day, otherwise it is apt to be washed off and no good will result.

Mr Holdaway says the new cyclone nozzle is not suitable for his mixture, and uses the ordinary garden syringe because he finds that he would lose the best part of the liquid with the finer spray of the cyclone. If orchards in any locality were all treated in this manner, there is every likelihood that in a short time these pests would almost entirely disappear.—Wairarapa Times.