INSECTS FOUND ON TWIGS OF FRUIT TREES.

In February, 1924, the officers of the Connecticut Pomological Society requested that the Station give additional services to fruit grower members of the Society by furnishing definite and timely information and advice regarding spray treatment for the various insects and diseases found in Connecticut orchards. After a full consideration of the matter, it was decided to attempt this project and of course the work naturally belongs in the Departments of Entomology and Botany.

It was decided that we needed more data on exact conditions in the various orchards, and that some data could be gathered by personal visits, but that orchardists should send in suspected twigs for examination and report. Messrs. Zappe, Garman and Stoddard visited several orchards, examined the trees for pests, made notes, and in some cases brought back twigs for microscopic examination. Orchardists also cut and sent twigs which were examined for insects in the laboratory by Dr. Philip Garman. In this manner, twigs from 18 different apple orchards were given this laboratory examination and the results afterwards reported to the owners or managers. The result of this examination as regards insects on apple is shown in the following table:

In addition to the apple twigs examined, some peach and pear twigs were also received and examined. Thus Elberta peach twigs from the Hale Orchard Co., Seymour; peach twigs from E. Rogers & Son, Southington; Elberta from L. H. Warncke & Son, Cannondale; peach twigs from the Connecticut Agricultural College, Storrs; Elberta from the Mountain View Orchard Co., Hazardville; Hiley from Conyers Farm, Greenwich; Stump, Elberta and another variety from the Connecticut Valley Orchard Co., Deep River; and Mountain Rose, Belle of Georgia, Carman and Elberta from Gulley & Son, Rockville, exhibited no pests. Elberta from W. F. Platt & Son, Milford, from the C. E. Lyman Estate, Middlefield, and Hale, Elberta and Greensboro from L. C. Root & Son, Farmington, showed eggs of the European red mite, Paratetranychus pilosus C. & F., though the infestations were light in all cases. One of the peach twigs from Milford showed evidence, though not unmistakable proof, that it had been attacked by the Oriental peach moth, Laspeyresia molesta Busck.

Pear twigs from the Connecticut Agricultural College had been infested with pear psylla, Psylla pyricola Foerster, and twigs from Conyers Farm, Greenwich, contained some insect eggs not familiar to us, possibly laid by Membracids or treehoppers. Twigs from the J. H. Hale Orchard Co., were marked with scars caused by hail during 1923.

In case of woolly aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum Hausm., galls on the twigs and the waxy exudation were the only evidence. In all other cases except the case bearer, all insects on the apple twigs were in the egg stage.

It is rather surprising and withal somewhat significant that in examining these twigs from 18 different orchards from threefourths of the Counties of the State (only Windham and New London not being represented) that not a single San José scale, Aspidiotus perniciosus Comst., was found.

DUSTING VERSUS SPRAYING.

Season of 1924.

M. P. ZAPPE AND E. M. STODDARD.

The experiments to determine the relative value of dusting and spraying which were begun in 1920 were continued in 1924. While it has been demonstrated that the best grade of apples are grown by spraying, there is considerable value in dusting, especially in dry years. In addition to the plots receiving either spray or dust, we have had during 1924 plots which were both sprayed

and dusted.

The results of previous years work have been published as follows: Report for 1920, page 168, results of 1920; Bulletin 235, results of 1921; Bulletin 245, results of 1922; Report for 1923, page 267, results of 1923.

ORCHARDS UNDER EXPERIMENT.

The two orchards used in these experiments were both used in former experiments. One was located in Milford, the orchard of F. N. Platt, and contains 285 trees about 20 years old. The other was the old orchard at the Experiment Station Farm at Mount Carmel. This orchard is about 48 years old and consists of 40 trees, mostly Baldwins and Greenings.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

The writers are indebted to Mr. Frank N. Platt of Milford for the use of his orchard, power sprayer and assistance in conducting these experiments, and also to Messrs. George Graham, J. L. Rogers, B. H. Walden, P. Garman, T. F. Cronin and H. F. Bender, who helped in the applications of treatments and in harvesting and scoring the fruit.

APPARATUS USED.

The spray outfit was the same as used in the preceding experiments, a 200 gallon Friend power sprayer, carrying two lines of hose with rods and nozzles at about 200 pounds pressure. The duster was a 1923 model Niagara power outfit mounted on an automobile truck.

NUMBER AND TIME OF APPLICATIONS.

Six applications of spray and dust were made in the Platt orchard at Milford, beginning with the prepink treatment on McIn