Fighting the Codlin.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 17 January 1918, Page 3

Fighting the Codlin.

It appears to be a general belief in this district that one or two uprisings will suffice for the control of codlin moth; tho average orchanhst being under the impression that it is not necessary to spray till the codli has made its appearance. The method of control, as laid down by the Horticulture Division, is to spray every 21 days throughout the season, beginning with the calyx spray —the main object of this series sprays being to keep the fruit thoroug'-iVv covered with the arsen of lead fixture— using arsenate ot lead at a strength of not less than 1J lbs to 50 gals, water. It is highly important that the calyx spray be applied; it going fu ther towards checking tho moth any subsequent spray. „ r v, OT i Calyx spraying-or spraying when the fruit has set-4s considered of the utmost importance in America, it being there con sidared that the codlin-grub enters the eye of the apple in the proportion of 75 per cent, of affected fruits. Two applicatons are necessary, tn object aimed at being to fill the calyx enp with a poisonous mature the poison to be held m place by tie closing of the calyx, thereby forming a toxic (poisonous) trap for the struction of all grubs that. endeavour to enter the fruit' at this;P° m *: , For applying this_ moth °A ly a high pressure is needed to foice the spray well into the calyx cups This, of course, cannot be (lone aftei they close, which tliey d 0 m a very short time after tho blossoms fall; therefore, owing to the period over which a tree sets its fruit, at least two applications of the spray are required to make the work effective. The first of these is recommended to be "i ven when two-thirds of the blos- ' som have fallen, the sccond when the remainder have fallen. Spraying for codlin is compulsory, persons failing to spray arc liable, on conviction under the "Orchard and ' Garden Diseases Act, 1908, to a penalty not exceeding £20.