CONTROL OF CODLIN MOTH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1895, 26 October 1918, Page 4

CONTROL OF CODLIN MOTH.

(By G. H. Cunningham, Government Orchard Instructor.) It appears to be a general belief in this district that one or two sprayings will sullice lor the control of codiin moth, the average orcliardist being under the impression that it is not necessary to spray till the eodliu has made its appearance. The method of control, as laid down by the Department of Horticulture, is to spray every 21 days throughout the season, beginning with the calyx spray —the main object of (his scries of sprays being to keep the fruit thoroughly covered with the arsenate of lead mixture —using arsenate of lead at a strength of not less than It lbs. paste to 50 gallons of water. It is highly important that the calyx spray be applied, ii going further towards checking the moth than any subsequent spray. Calyx spraying—or syraying when the fruit lias set —is considered of the utmost importance in North America, it being .there considered that the eodlin grub enters the eye of the apple in the proportion of 75 per cent, of aiteeted fruits. Two applications are necessary, the object aimed at being to (ill the calyx cup with a poisonous mixture, the poison to he held in place by the (dosing of the calyx, I hereby forming a tonic (poisonous) trap tor the destruction of all grubs that endeavour to enter (he fruit at this point. For applying this method thoroughly a high pressure is needed to force the spray well into the calyx cups. This, of course, cannot he done alter they close, which they do in a very short time after the blossoms fall: therefore, during 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 given when two—-thirds of the blossom have fallen, ihe second when the remainder have fallen.