Chapter 34

This insect is often very destructive, attacking the blossom and leaf-buds, and in a few mouthfuls destroying that which must make the leaves and fruit, "nipping in the bud" the entire crop of fruit and debilitating the tree. This worm works in early spring, as soon as the buds begin to open; it delights in the prominent terminal buds and its work stops all new growth, causes many leaves to turn brown, and thus brings to the notice of the orchardist its bad work. The moth measures about three-quarters of an inch across its wings, and is mainly a gray color, the middle of the fore wings being lighter, or creamy. This insect first appears on the buds as a small, dark brown worm, about one-fourth of an inch long, with shining black head and shoulders. It imbeds itself in the center of the bud, tying the leaves together with its web. It is an irregular worker, and leaves the bud in a ragged, brown, dilapidated condition.

Its work is most destructive in the nursery, destroying terminal shoots, which sadly interferes with the growth and symmetry of the young tree. Sometimes it burrows from the bud into the pith of the twig for several inches, killing the shoot to the tip. The worm finally settles upon a leaf, cutting the leaf stalk partly off, so that the leaf withers; it then rolls this soft, wilted leaf into a tube around its body, fastening it with webs and lining it for a nest. From this tube nest it comes forth only at night to feed, and when disturbed it hastens into it out of sight. In feeding, it draws leaves towards its home by silken threads, thus forming a bunch of partly eaten leaves, which turn brown, making the nest conspicuous.

After attaining its growth it lies as a pupa in its silk-lined tube about ten days, when it emerges an adult moth, and in three or four days begins to lay its eggs. These moths appear from about June 1 and remain to July 5 or July 10. They are night flyers, and do no damage in the winged state. As the worms are leaf-eaters, spraying with London purple or Paris green, as for canker-worms, must kill many. Whenever their nests are seen they should, if possible, be gathered and burned, and in a badly infested orchard it will pay to rake and burn all the leaves under the trees.

APPLE CURCULIO.

This insect, fig. 15, is usually of a uniform rusty brown color. Four humps or tubercles are easily seen, two on each wing cover near the rear. The snout varies from half to the full length of the insect. With this snout it drills round holes into the apple; these holes are made for food, and are about one-tenth of an inch deep, widened out below like a gourd. The female deposits an egg in such hole, which soon hatches into a tiny worm that usually burrows to the core, and produces a reddish excrement. In a month, when fully grown, the worm is soft and white, without feet, wrinkled, and curved crosswise, as in _b_, fig. 16; too humped and crooked to crawl about out of the apple, it stays in and changes to pupa, as in _a_, fig. 16, leaving the apple as a perfect beetle after two or three weeks. It passes the winter in the adult state and begins laying eggs about June 1, continuing until late in August. President Wellhouse says he has surely reduced them by spraying.

LEAF-CRUMPLER, or LEAF-ROLLER.

The parent of this is a small grayish moth, _d_, fig. 17, which emerges from the unsightly mass of dry leaves, as in _b_, fig. 18, formed the previous season by the insect, and may be seen, gathered, and burned, during the winter. The female immediately begins laying eggs upon the leaves of the tree. During the fore part of June small, brownish worms appear, which at once construct tubular silken cases, in which they hide. They leave these cases, generally at night, to feed. As they grow they attach webs to the partly eaten leaves and gather them about themselves, so that finally the irregular mass of leaves completely hides the tubular case. In the spring, as the buds swell and the leaves appear, they come out and do great damage. They grow until in May, when they close up the opening to the case, and in two weeks the moth emerges, as above.

_Remedies._ There are two parasites that prey upon them. Collect the cases and tufts of leaves during the winter and burn them. The spray recommended for canker-worm is successful in destroying them.

TWIG-GIRDLER, TWIG-PRUNER, and TWIG-BORER.

Sometimes trouble orchards, but in Kansas they are not bad. Their habits are indicated by their names, and it is scarcely necessary to describe them in this work. Numerous bulletins are issued free, describing them and their habits. See fig. 19.

ROOT-LOUSE, or WOOLLY APHIS.

The young are hatched from a minute egg laid in crevices of the bark, near the ground, and are covered with white down. The grown female measures about one-tenth of an inch in length, oval in shape, with black head and feet, dusty legs and antennae. They attach themselves to the branches and trunk with their long beaks, sucking the vitality from the tree, which they will kill if in large numbers. During the summer the females are wingless, but at autumn both sexes have wings, and it is in this condition that they spread rapidly. They are produced alive at this time of the year with wonderful rapidity. Where plentiful the trunk and branches have a moldy appearance. "Lady-birds" and their larvae, the larvae of lace-winged flies and syrphus-flies, the small chalcid fly and spiders devour them. No birds are known to feed upon them.

_Remedy._ Plenty of lye wash, even soap-suds or soap wash is good. Kerosene emulsion is good. The insect above described is only one form, viz., woolly aphis. The other form, as root-louse, is described below. To the public they are two distinct insects.

ROOT-LOUSE.

They work underground, puncturing the root to draw its nourishing juice, causing the root tissue to expand into knots and irregularities, _a_, fig. 20, thus making the roots unhealthy and very brittle. These insects are often found in myriads, looking like bluish-white wool, on the roots. Certain beetles, maggots and flies prey upon them, but to only a small extent.

_Remedy._ Scalding water, at 150 degrees, poured on the uncovered roots. If some concentrated lye is added it is still better. Filling above the roots with tobacco dust is recommended. Soap-suds and wood ashes are beneficial. Young trees from the nursery, if infested, should have the roots well trimmed (burn the trimmings) and then dipped in lye. If quite hot it is still better.

FRINGED-WING APPLE-BUD MOTH.

The following is condensed from bulletin No. 42, written by Prof. J. M. Stedman, entomologist of the state university, Columbia, Mo.: The fringed-wing apple-bud moth is a new and heretofore undescribed species of insect, increasing rapidly and infesting new areas. The best spray to destroy them is, one pound pure Paris green, three pounds of fresh lime, and 150 gallons of water, constantly agitated while spraying. First application as soon as the buds open sufficiently to give the tree a green tinge; second, five days later; third, at time flower-buds open; if it rains do it over at once. Kill the worms before they eat into the bud. The egg is very small, light yellow, and oval, and apt to escape notice. The young worm is also very small when hatched and of a light yellow color, which afterwards turns to pale green, a shining black head, and a brown spot (which soon turns black) back of the head. It has three pairs of dark-colored true legs under its fore parts, and five pairs of prolegs under the rear three-fifths of the body. As soon as hatched they begin to feed on the unfolding leaves, and at once crawl to the heart of the expanded flower or leaf-bud.

The destructive effects cause the tree to look as if swept by fire, owing to the brown and partly developed foliage. See fig. 24. These worms (fig. 21) complete their growth in about four weeks, enter the earth, and, passing one or two inches below the surface, spin a cocoon. They come out as adult moths in about six weeks, or about the middle of July. Fig. 22 is the moth enlarged; fig. 23, natural size. The females soon begin to lay eggs, singly, on the young apple leaves. From these eggs a second brood is hatched more quickly than the spring brood. This second brood often eats through the heart of the terminal bud into the twig. When grown, this second brood enters the ground as did the first, but do not come forth as adults until the following spring.

RABBITS.

The Wellhouse rabbit trap, of which we here give description and illustrations, is one used by President Wellhouse. He has 3000 of them, distributed two per acre, and says it is the result of thirty years' experience. He uses nothing else to protect his trees. Figure 25 is a longitudinal section of the trap. Figure 26 is a front-end view of the trap, on a scale three times that of fig. 25, and shows the details of the door. The trap consists of a box made of fence boards (old ones preferred) six inches wide and one inch thick. The boards are cut twenty-two inches long, and the top and bottom boards are nailed onto the side boards, thus making the opening four inches wide and six inches high. The door, _a_, is made of wire, shaped as shown in fig. 26, and hung to under side of the top board with two staples, shown at _dd_. The trigger, _b_, is of wire, bent as in fig. 25, spread out, or with a loop or figure 8, at the hanging end, and is fastened loosely along the center on the under side of the top board with two staples.

To operate the trap, push the door, _a_, inward, and with the forefinger catch the hooked end of the trigger, _g_, and pull it forward until the door rests on the wire above the hook at _g_. The rabbit enters the trap, prompted by curiosity or otherwise, and by so doing pushes the trigger, _c_, back as he would a little brush in a hollow log, without any suspicion or alarm. This action loosens the door, which falls behind him, its lower edge resting against the shoulder at _f_, and bunny is then caught. This trap was invented by Walter Wellhouse, but it is not patented. He uses no bait. The trap cannot be sprung by birds or wind. If new lumber is used, it must be stained some dark color, using material not offensive to a rabbit's delicate sense of smell.

APPLES FOR THE TABLE.

Compiled, by request, by Miss GERTRUDE COBURN, Professor of Domestic Economy, Iowa Agricultural College, Ames, Iowa.

Chemical analysis of apples, fairly representing the average composition, indicates that the total nutriment is about fifteen per cent. of the whole weight, and consists principally of sugar, organic acid, and pectin (which gelatinizes when boiled and cooled). Although the fruit is thus shown to be but slightly nutritious, it is generally palatable and wholesome. It easily supplies variety in diet throughout the year, and it has the advantage of being suitable for any meal and combining agreeably with many other common food materials.

When ripe, and carefully selected, the uncooked apple is toothsome and healthful, either alone and between meals or as one of the table fruits. The indigestible skin and cellulose, with the water and acid, contribute to the dietetic value, in that they make the whole raw apple a laxative food, especially effective when eaten before breakfast or at night.

Cooked entire, and without any addition, the well-flavored apple is among the most perfect and economical of the subacid fruits for every-day use, and for the invalid's tray is seldom surpassed. Baked in its own juice, with sugar and additional flavoring, or boiled in syrup, it is relished equally with the breakfast mush, the dinner meat, and the supper bread and cake. Combined with cream, custard, whipped white of egg, or tapioca, which add nutriment without destroying the fruit flavor, it affords a delicate dessert, inexpensive and easily prepared. Steamed or baked, with a light covering or crust of biscuit dough or pastry, it has a variety of forms, all used for dinner, and usually made complete with sweetened cream, or in other cases with a bit of good cheese.

The skin, while not digestible, is not often injurious, and as the best flavor is contained in the surface portion of the apple, careless paring is wasteful and unnecessary, especially when the fruit is to be baked. The unbroken envelope retains the steam produced as the juice is heated, thus hastening the process of expanding and bursting the tiny cells and converting the firm pulp into a delicate sauce. This suggests that, in order to produce the desirable lightness, the oven should be sufficiently hot to change the water of the fruit into steam. If the skin is tough or for other reasons is removed, the clean, unblemished parings, with the cores, may be simmered in water until the flavor and color make it a useful addition for pudding sauce, preserves, or jelly. It is usually best to remove the core before cooking, and, when the apple (as for compote) is not to be otherwise cut after paring, it should be cored before the skin is taken off, to prevent breaking.

The various forms of boiled and steamed apples are attractive and generally liked. The requisites are: To select good fruit and wash it clean before cutting; to remove only a thin paring, _all_ of the core, and the bruised, discolored and defective parts; to intensify rather than obscure the apple flavor, using only enough of sugar, spice, or lemon, when any is needed, to accomplish this purpose; to use granite or porcelain-lined utensils (avoiding even tin covers) and silver or wooden spoons; to retain by slow cooking and careful handling the perfect form of the fruit, or else to produce, by stirring and straining, a light, lumpless sauce; to serve the apple preparation with the same respectful and dainty care that is usually bestowed upon the rarer but not more worthy pineapple and orange.

In the summer and autumn, when the fruit is at its best, no additional flavor is needed. Toward spring, when it becomes less palatable, the deficiency may be best supplied with a little lemon juice and grated rind, a bit of pineapple or quince, a few drops of almond extract or rose water, or a few whole cloves. Sweet apples which are dry and rather tasteless may be utilized satisfactorily if stewed, canned or preserved with one-third their bulk of quince.

Apples, Raw, for Breakfast.--Select fresh, unspotted apples of good flavor, but not very sour, wash and wipe thoroughly, and arrange tastefully, alone or with other fruit. For serving, use small plates and fruit-knives, to be removed with them. Individual taste must decide whether the fruit should be eaten before or after the heavier part of the breakfast.

Apples and Cream.--A delicious breakfast dish, to be served with the cooked cereal or alone, consists of fresh, mellow, sweet apples, pared and sliced, sprinkled with fine sugar and dressed with cream.

Apples and Bread and Milk.--For a summer luncheon, a bowl of rich milk and bread may be pleasantly varied by the addition of a ripe sweet apple, pared and thinly sliced. If the fruit is not thoroughly ripe and mellow, it is improved by slow baking until quite soft.

Baked Apples.--Select moderately tart or very juicy sweet apples, of equal size. Wash them, remove the cores (or at least the blossom ends) and any imperfections, with the skin also, if it is objectionable. Put in a shallow baking dish, and fill the cavities with sugar and such flavoring as seems to be demanded, allowing from one-third to one-half of a cup of sugar and about one-fourth of a teaspoonful of nutmeg or cinnamon to eight apples, with sometimes the juice and grated rind of half a lemon. Cover the bottom of the dish with boiling water (which may need to be replenished if the fruit is not very juicy), and bake in a hot oven until soft, basting often with the syrup in the dish. Sweet apples need to bake longer and more slowly than sour, and when done should be very soft. Set the baking dish in a cool place until the fruit is almost cold, then transfer the apples to a glass dish and pour the syrup, which should be thick and amber colored, around them.

Apples in Bloom. (By consent, from "Boston Cooking-School Cook-Book," by Miss Farmer.)--Select eight red apples, cook in boiling water until soft, turning them often. Have water half surround apples. Remove skins carefully, that the red color may remain, and arrange on a serving dish. To the water add one cup sugar, grated rind one-half lemon, and juice one orange; simmer until reduced to one cup. Cool, and pour over apples. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or cream sauce.

Baked Apple-Sauce. (By consent, from "Every-Day Dishes," by Mrs. E. E. Kellogg.)--Pare, core and quarter apples to fill an earthen crock or deep pudding dish, taking care to use apples of uniform degree of hardness and pieces of the same size. For two quarts of fruit thus prepared, add a cup of water and, if the apples are sour, a cup of sugar. Cover closely, and bake in a moderate oven several hours, or until of a dark red color. Sweet apples and quinces, in the proportion of two parts of apple to one of quince, baked in this way, are also good. Cut the apples into quarters, but slice the quinces much thinner as they are more difficult to cook. Put a layer of quince on the bottom of the dish, and alternate with layers of apple until the dish is full. Add cold water to half cover the fruit, and stew in the oven, well covered, without stirring, until tender. Fruit cooked in this way may be canned while hot and kept for a long period.

Stewed Apples.--Pare, quarter and core six or eight tart apples; put them into a granite kettle, strew with one cup or less of sugar, add juice of half a lemon and a few bits of the yellow rind; cover with boiling water and simmer (not boil) until tender. Dish carefully, without breaking, and serve cold.

Green-Apple Sauce.--For sour green apples it is best to use a sharp silver knife, to prevent discoloration. Cut the apples in quarters, remove the cores and skin, and drop them as fast as pared into a bowl of cold water. Skim them out into a granite kettle with a large bottom, so that there will not be much depth to the apples. Add boiling water enough to show among the pieces, cover tightly, and cook quickly. Shake the pan occasionally, and as soon as the fruit is soft mash it with a silver fork, add sugar to taste, and when it is dissolved remove from the fire. Serve hot or cold. This sauce should be free from lumps, light colored and not very sweet. A pinch of salt may be an improvement.

Apple-Sauce For Goose or Pork.--Pare, quarter and core six tart apples. Put them in a granite saucepan, cover with water, boil until tender, and press through a colander; add a teaspoonful of butter, a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon, and sugar to taste, being careful to keep the sauce tart.

Canned Apples. (By consent, from Mrs. Rorer's "Philadelphia Cook-Book.")--To four pounds of apples use one pound of sugar, the juice and yellow rind of one lemon, and one quart of water. Choose fine ripe Pippins or Bellflowers. Pare, core, and throw them into cold water. When you have sufficient to fill one or two jars, lift them carefully from the water, weigh, then put them in a porcelain-lined kettle, cover with boiling water, bring quickly to the boiling-point, and then stand them over a moderate fire, where they will scarcely bubble, until tender. While they are cooking, put the sugar and water into another kettle, stir with a clean wooden spoon until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved, add the lemon, and boil three minutes. With a perforated skimmer lift the apples from the water, hold a moment until drained, and then slide them carefully into the boiling syrup; continue until the bottom of the kettle is covered; boil until the apples are sufficiently tender to admit a straw, then lift them carefully and slide one at time into the jar. The jars should be thoroughly cleaned and heated and set on a folded wet towel. After passing a silver spoon handle around the inside of the filled jar to break any air bubbles present, screw on the top as quickly as possible. Stand the jars in a warm place in the kitchen over night, and in the morning again tighten the covers and put away in a cool, dark, dry closet.

Apple Compote. (By consent, from Mrs. Lincoln's "Boston Cook-Book.")--Make a syrup with one cup of sugar, one cup of water, and a square inch of stick cinnamon. Boil slowly for ten minutes, skimming well. Core and pare eight or ten tart apples and cook until nearly done in the syrup. Drain, and cook them for a few minutes in the oven, with the door open. Boil the syrup until almost like a jelly. Arrange the apples on a dish for serving, fill the core cavities with jelly or marmalade, and pour the syrup over them. Put whipped cream around the base and garnish the cream with jelly.

Apple Preserves. (By consent, from Mrs. Rorer's "Philadelphia Cook-Book.")--Core and pare fine ripe Pippins, and cut them into quarters. Weigh, and to each pound allow one pound of granulated sugar and a half pint of boiling water, the grated rind of one and the juice of two lemons. Boil the sugar and water until clear (about three minutes), skimming when necessary; add the lemon juice and rind, then the apples, and _simmer_ gently until they are clear and tender, but not broken; then stand aside to cool. When cold put them into jars, cover closely, and stand them in a cool, dark place for one week. At the end of that time turn them carefully into the kettle, bring them to the boiling-point, and _simmer_ for five minutes; then return them to the jars, cover closely with tissue paper brushed over with the white of an egg, and put in a dark, cool place to keep.

Apple Butter. (By consent, from Mrs. Rorer's "Philadelphia Cook-Book.")--This should be made from new cider, fresh from the press, and not yet fermented. Fill a porcelain-lined kettle with cider, and boil until reduced one-half. Then boil another kettleful in the same way, and so continue until you have sufficient quantity. To every four gallons of boiled cider allow a half-bushel of nice, juicy apples, pared, cored, and quartered. The cider should be boiled the day before you make the apple butter. Put the boiled cider in a very large kettle, and add as many apples as can be kept moist. Stir frequently, and when the apples are soft beat with a wooden stick until they are reduced to a pulp. Cook and stir continuously until the consistency is that of soft marmalade and the color is very dark brown. Have boiled cider at hand in case it becomes too thick, and apples if too thin. Twenty minutes before you take it from the fire add ground cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. It requires no sugar. When cold, put into stone jars and cover closely.