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UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
LIBRARY

Reserve

BOOK NUMBER 1

En82B
352197 a

Bul, 17-24

1898-1900

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BULLETIN No. 17—New SERIES. —
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. “
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. ee yer

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PROCEEDINGS Ves

‘TENTH ANNUAL MEETING

OF THE

WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1898.

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BULLETIN No. 17—NEw SERIES.

Ue Sepa PART MEN OF AGRICULTURE.
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

PEN EE ANNUAL MEETING

é OF THE

ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGISTS

|
. WASHINGTON:

; GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1898.

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

U..S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY,
Washington, D. C., October 6, 1898.

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript of the
report prepared by the secretary, Mr. C. L. Marlatt, of the proceedings
of the tenth annual meeting of the Association of Economic Entomol-
ogists, which was held at Boston, Mass., August 19 and 20, 1898. The
proceedings of this association are of the greatest economic importance,
and the secretary’s reports have hitherto been published in bulletins
of this division. Itherefore recommend the publication of the present
report aS Bulletin No. 17, new series.

Respectfully, L. O. HOWARD,
Entomologist.
Hon. JAMES WILSON,
Secretary of Agriculture.

oanao0

CON PEN TS:

3

Page
TENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLO-

GIGUS soobeceocoo bsases bear apebogded odnsce GeSube Souebe seu eades asc0 sedeGnde 5
themDutyiot Economic Entomology 20.22. 2 ---2-- 3-225. Herbert Osborn. - 6
Two Beneticial Insects Introduced from Europe (illustrated)-....---...--.

SOSH OS OS SAORI IS ASE A RUPE aE Sen cae L. O. Howard... 13
Noteson Some of the Insects of the Year in the State of New York. L. P. Felt.- 16
The Brown-tail Moth (/uproctis chrysorrh@d)......------- C. H. Fernald... 24
The Distribution of the San Jose or Pernicious Scale in New Jersey

oe pao eM ett, NC RE ear cta Ail ariats ots SR BEER eae ee J. B. Smith. - 32
Hydrocyanic Acid Gas as a Remedy for the San Jose Scale and Other

1 FOVEXSY CURSE ee a ts eee ea eer es Eee A Ce ----W.G. Johnson.. 39
Some Notes on Oheerunsiodsa IN OVVESt VAT OU Na ee eee A. D. Hopkins..

Notes on House Flies and Mosquitoes............-..----.-L. O. Howard.. dD
Pulvinaria acericola (W. & R.) and P. Sa umerabile Rathy. (illustrated)

Soe See SAD Bae ee A NSS eer eS Oe L. O.-Howard.. 57
AnsApnonmaleCoccmellidis [5.552 - steecngs oes sees eases. - A. F. Burgess -. 59
Notes on Some Massachusetts Coccide..........-..--..--.. R. A. Cooley -- 61
Notes on Spruce Bark-beetles.--.....-.--.- C. M. Weed and W. F. Fiske.- 67
Experiments with Insecticides for the Gipsy Moth and Brown-tail Moth *

5 eS ae Ss gs SE eer fg A. H, Kirkland.. 70
Notes on the Life History of the Woolly Aphis of Apple (Schizonewra lani-

Cig LAU SS UNA); Secrets oon oro te Sa Shale wicked s clele Sie Se Rie ete wre ae we W. B, Alwood.-. 70
On the Life History of Protoparce carolina. ..............W. B. Alwood.. 72
Notes on the Fertilization of Muskmelons by Insects........ BP We teane== 75
Noneszom Rentacaterpillarsion- o20¢- > 42-e sone see sates + esc os CVE Weed: 76
Recent Work of the Gipsy-Moth Committee.-.....-....--- E. H. Forbush.. 78
The San Jose Scale in Connecticut f (map)-..-... aes Leis W. E. Britton -- 81
insects lnpunyoto Millet ts: 2-255 slot 5 ess coe I’, H. Chittenden. - 84
PMncOMoOlo Src aE LMLCS ins 22. sto Soke ees ee kee ec T. D. A. Cockerell.. 87
Vernacular Names of Insects ?. .......----. ---- 222+ -0-+ eee E. W. Doran.. 90
Notes from Maryland on the Principal Injurious Insects of the Yeart

BE ee Pi loim ooh nie Re oe Omi ems WES aaoeetee ear ee eb W. G. Johnson. .- 92
On-whewitesHustory. of ‘Vhrips tritie: *-5-. 2s. :25.2--:. A. L. Quaintance.-- 94.
INOLOSIGNBENISECULCIOCS le hans secu ee eect ces we sees C. L. Marlatt -.- 94
Insects of the Year in Ohiot.----..-.... F, M. Webster and C. W. Mally.. 98

* Withdrawn for publication elsewhere. t Read by title only.

TENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF
ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGISTS.

MORNING SESSION, FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1898.

The association was convened in the lecture hall of the building of
the Society of Natural History, corner of Berkeley and Boylston streets,
Boston, Mass., August 19, 1898.

The following officers and members were present:

Officers.—President, Herbert Osborn; secretary, C. L. Marlatt.

Members.—W. B. Alwood, C.J. 8S. Bethune, W. B. Barrows, W. E.
Britton, A. F. Burgess, R. A. Cooley, H. G. Dyar, E. P. Felt, C. H.
Fernald, H. T. Fernald, W. F. Fiske, K. H. Forbush, H. L. Frost, A. D.
Hopkins, L. O. Howard, G. H. Hudson, W.G. Johnson, G. B. King,
A H. Kirkland, G. H. Perkins, F. W. Rane, J. B. Smith, F. J. Smith,
and C. M. Weed.

The presence of other persons not members of the association gave
an average attendance of thirty to the sessions.

In the temporary absence of the president, Mr. C. H. Fernald was
called to the chair, and some routine business was transacted, including
a report from the committee on popular names of insects, the financial
statement of the secretary, and the presentation of the names of can-
-didates for membership. Under the latter head the following persons
were elected to membership in the association:

Active members.—Edward M. Ehrhorn, Mountainview, Cal., horticultural commis-
- sioner of Santa Clara County, proposed by C. L. Marlatt and L. O. Howard; W. M.
Scott, Atlanta, Ga., State entomologist, proposed by W. B. Alwood; W. F. Fiske,
Durham, N. H., assistant entomologist, proposed by C. M. Weed; J. L. Phillips,
Blacksburg, Va., assistant entomologist, proposed by W. B. Alwood; H. T. Fernald,
Harrisburg, Pa., State zoologist, proposed by L.O. Howard; E. Dwight Sanderson
and Franklin Sherman, jr., College Station, Md., assistant entomologists, proposed
by W. G. Johnson.

On motion of Mr. J. B. Smith, a joint meeting was arranged for the
morning of August 20 with the Society for the Promotion of Agricul-
tural Science, for the reading of papers on entomological subjects only.
A programme committee, consisting of the secretary and Messrs. Smith
an(l Alwood, was appointed. 3

A recess of a few minutes was taken, after which, the president, Mr.
Osborn, having arrived, the presidential address was delivered.

~

oO

6

THE DUTY OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY.

By HERBERT OSBORN, Columbus, Ohio.

When I learned some months ago that this society had honored me
with the presidency, there came to me, along with a sense of gratifica-
tion that so high an honor from a society whose history and mission is
so lofty, the sense of a difficult duty to perform. Our constitution
requires, and custom has established, that each presiding officer shall
present an address, and history has shown that each in his turn has
brought to us of his choicest treasure, and our records include a con-
tinual series of notable contributions.

With such a duty in view, it was natural to cast about for some suit-
able theme, to try to marshal some group of topics that would be a
fitting basis for the address on this occasion. There came to my mind
then some features of our work and of our relation to the public that
seemed to offer suitable material, but hardly had this line of thought
presented itself than the appearance of the report of our previous
meeting and the reading of last year’s address showed me that much
of what had occurred to me, and more that had not, was included in
the address of my predecessor. While a substantial proof of the pro-
priety of my line of thought, this naturally changed the situation for
me and necessitated a review of the entomological horizon.

At our first annual meeting our Jamented Riley presented an dchaake
ive discussion of the resources of entomology and the methods, equip-
ment, and policy involved in such work, a paper to be read by every
man aspiring to enter the profession.

Next, our genial Dr. Fletcher, from across the border, gave us a
magnificent survey of the economic results already achieved by the
studies in this science—a most convincing argument for the value of
economic entomology to mankind. At the succeeding meeting, pre-
sided over by Professor Lintner, this veteran in the ranks found him-
self unable, on account of ill health, to prepare the customary address;
in its stead we listened to a review of the work of the year from the
vice-president, Professor Forbes, and the succeeding year the same
gentleman, so long identified with the entomology of Llinois, brought
forward a critical survey of the entomological work of the year, with
much of suggestive value for future work. In 1894 Dr. Howard’s
exhaustive survey of the official entomological work of the different
countries, showing the advanced position of American entomology, was
‘not only a source of national pride, but a means of stimulating more
effective work upon the part of all engaged in official entomological
investigation. The interesting survey of European entomological work
by Marchal, which supplements this in detail for the countries of
Europe, has particular interest for those who care to compare the ento-
mological work of the different parts of the world.

Professor Smith’s interesting discussion of measures in 1895 was fol-
lowed in 1896 by Professor Fernald’s scholarly essay upon the evolution

of economic entomology, a paper stored with most valuable historical
data and rich in illustrations of methods for different periods of history.
Last year Professor Webster furnished us an address full of thoughtful
suggestion as to the problems that confront the entomologist of to-day.

The entomologist of the present bears a very different relation to the
public than he did a quarter of a century ago. New knowledge and
new responsibilities have come to him; whereas then his opinion was
presented and received as a gratuitous matter to be experimented with
if convenient, his dictum now carries the force of authority, and often
has the support of State and Federal law. Instead of an entirely
gratuitous service, he commands compensation, sometimes ridiculously
meager, it is true, but nevertheless such as to obligate him to faithful
performance. The economic entomologist, then, comes to his work as
to a definite task; it must be to him not only a privilege, an oppor-
tunity, but a sacred and imperative duty, entailing special preparation
and devotion.

What the range of this duty may be is perhaps open to discussion,
certainly in its performance we have seen varied interpretations based
on inclination, public demand, local necessities, but mainly a response
to certain well-defined requirements. Some features of this question I
propose to discuss with you here, and may announce my theme as *‘ The
duty of economic entomology.” We will doubtless all agree to the
proposition that the end and aim of our science is to enable the public
in general to contend intelligently with the numerous insects that inter-
fere with their well being. The essential work to accomplish this end
is, however, open to discussion. It seems to me that its accomplish-
ment must rest on several quite distinct lines of effort:

(1) Acquisition of knowledge of life and habits and direct remedies.

(2) A knowledge of distribution and methods of prevention or control.

(3) Education of people to appreciation of this need and to intelligent
_ methods of application.

DUTY IN INVESTIGATION.

Most obviously the first duty of the entomologist is the acquisition
of new knowledge. Wherever situated, it is not enough that he should
simply restate for the benefit of his constituency the facts that have
been gathered in the past. New problems are constantly arising and
each locality has, from the conditions pertaining to it, special problems
for study.

In lines of investigation, however, there is much room for choice, and
with a multitude of problems presenting themselves, one of the first
and most important duties is the selection of the proper subject or sub-
jects for study. Here a knowledge of what has been done, both locally
and generally, becomes most essential, and no more profitable time can
be spent than that given to reviewing the available knowledge.

While certainly such selection should be made as promises valuable
economic results to the particular territory covered, I firmly believe that

8

we each have a duty to general biology, which furnishes the basis for
all economic work, and that while we choose subjects of immediate
economic importance, we should not neglect such underlying problems
as shall perfect the fundamental knowledge of our science. Much of
the work done must necessarily be for immediate results, to devise
ways and means for control of pests that are demanding notice from
the cultivator, but as we build upon the work of the past, so we must
contribute our share to the foundation for the future edifice.

It is hardly necessary here to call attention to the importanee of life-
history work as the essential basis for economic entomology, and if it
were, I could refer you to the plea for such study so ably presented by
my predecessors. It should not be forgotten, however, that this means
more than the mere breeding of the different stages of an insect, for
beyond them and dependent upon them are many deeper biological
problems, the importance of which in economic work we can probably
only slightly appreciate at the present time. The general problems of
heredity, variation, dimorphism, mimicry, parasitism, influence of envi-
ronment, distribution, etc., may seem at first to belong only to pure
science, but I believe a closer examination will show that in these and
other fundamental questions we have some problems of the utmost
Significance in the application of science to economy, and that from
simple duty we should contribute such facts as we can toward their
elucidation. ;

It has been the fashion to think that the solution of such questions
is most easily sought among the simpler forms of marine life, but many
fruitful fields are certainly still open for the student of insect life.
Problems of distribution are of fundamental importance and can not
be too thoroughly studied, even though the immediate economic returns
seem slight. Undoubtedly there are fundamental factors affecting the
distribution of insects which, when fully known, will be of immense
value in determining methods of control, necessities of quarantine, ete.
While certain species of insects appear to override all barriers, I believe
we will find that m the main they are dependent on certain conditions
of climate and food plant, and that their natural limitations may be
defined with reasonable accuracy. The value of such definition in
determination of crops is evident at a glance.

Determination of limits in food plant is another and closely related
line in which accurate record and extended, though not necessarily con-
tinuous, observation is essential. To know the limits of food plant for
any species is to have a most powerful weapon of control, as for instance
in the treatment of corn-root worm. .

Of great importance also is the recognition of alternations in food
plant and habit, and careful determinations in this direction have not
only high scientific interest, but great economic value. The phorodon
of hop and plum furnishes a striking example of the utility of such
knowledge.

9

DUTY AS QUARANTINE OFFICERS.

One of the most important phases of economic entomology has but
recently come to be appreciated. The distribution of insects and the
means of their dispersal, while long since given study, has only lately
taken its most positive economic form, but with the appreciation of the
fact that insects are constantly being transported from country to
country, and that in many cases their appearance in a new country
marks a period of most rapid increase and extended destruction, makes
it an imperative duty to devise means for preventing such distribution
wherever possible. Whatever we may think as to the possibilities of
Suppression or the best means to accomplish exclusion, we can not but
agree that such exciusion is the only safeguard against such pests.
That the enactment of quarantine laws and adoption of systems of
inspection will prove an absolute safeguard none dare contend, but
until some surer method presents itself, or it can be shown that this
entails more loss than gain, it deserves careful attention, the most
painstaking adjustment of laws to conditions in various sections, and
a cordial support from the working entomologists of the country.

.The heroic effort made by this State of Massachusetts to exterminate
the gipsy moth is one of the best and most effective arguments for a
system of exclusion, the cost of which would be slight compared with
the loss entailed by an imported pest. This gigantic effort is but par-
tially understood or appreciated even by entomologists, and I count it
one of the great opportunities of this meeting that we may each See for
himself the methods‘employed and results obtained in this undertak-
ing, the equal of which is not to be found recorded in history.

Dr. Howard gives most emphatic testimony as to the propriety of
undertaking suppression, and also that the money appropriated for the
purpose has been used in the best possible known method to accomplish
the desired result. I beg to suggest in this connection that when we
may have secured a general consensus of opinion on such questions, we
should each strive to give individual support toit. By raising objec-
tions we tend to obstruct our science, and unless some vital principle
is at stake, we may far better not permit such division of opinion
to go before the public. Diversity of view is one of the essentials of
progress, but let us have expression of such diversity among ourselves,
and so far as possible stand together in final recommendation to the
public.

There crops out at times an indication of a sad lack of appreciation
on the part of scientific men of the aims and results of economic work.
That a reputable scientific journal should consent to such a slur upon
the work of the Gipsy-moth Commission in Massachusetts as has
recently appeared, shows either unfortunate jealousy or unreasonable
prejudice against such effort. When the highest available authority
has been definitely committed to a certain policy, there is certainly
every reason why men of science in related lines should avoid such

10

criticisms or contemptuous sneers as to prejudice the uninformed pub-

lic against such policy. The general public is at best slow to adopt
the results of science and inclined to be suspicious regarding even
well-established points. What else can we expect, then, if some parties
in the name of science denounce such results but that scientifie work
in general shall be discredited and its advancement hampered where
it should be supported.

DUTY AS EDUCATORS.

The problem of how to reach with the facts we have gathered the
people for whom we work, is one of the most difficult to solve. It
seems to me to be so closely connected with our schemes of education
that I venture to make some suggestions upon it here.

No matter how carefully we experiment, how accurate and useful
our results, we must place these results before a public uneducated in
the details of our science—indeed, a public the majority of which have
scarcely the first elements of a knowledge: which will permit them to
use the results presented. This means that we must present explicit
instructions as to method, leaving nothing to the reader, and that he
must follow in the most empirical manner. How shall we remedy this -
difficulty? Teach entomology or zoology in the common schools? I
certainly can not bring myself to advocate such a measure under
present conditions. While I would not discourage any effort toward
a wider knowledge of nature on the part of all school children, I must
confess to considerable distrust of the fad for nature study as it is
cropping out in later years, mainly because I fail to see where suitably
prepared teachers are available to conduct such work. Not one com-
mon school teacher in a thousand, I think it safe to say, is prepared to
take a child and give it instruction in this line. To attempt it with
teachers totally unacquainted with nature is simply to foredoom to
failure. Education here, as in other lines, must go from the higher to
the lower grades. The universities must and are preparing a corps of
teachers who are becoming more and more proficient. These in turn
in the smaller colleges, academies, and high schools will gradually
bring some scientific method and system to the teaching of biology,
and in time, I trust, the subject may be taught in something like suit-
able form to interest and instruct the young pupil. The method, how-
ever, has been much discussed, and we have at present widely varying
policies advocated by distinguished educators. I think we may reason-
ably inquire whether the present trend of university training in zoology
is the best possible for the end we have in view.

The success of economic entomology among the people in general is
dependent on their ability to use the knowledge gained by experiment,
and this ability is dependent on the training received in lower grades
of school work, the teaching of which must come from higher institu-
tions of learning. Our success as economic entomologists, then, is
vitally interested in the methods of instruction employed in the higher

tt

schools. We can not absolve ourselves from an interest or a duty in
this direction even if we would.

From an extreme of systematic zoology, which consisted largely of
memorizing scientific names of species and groups, we have gone to an
extreme in histology and morphology, which in some cases almostignores
the recognition of species or the relationships of the organisms studied.

The refinements of modern technique in sectioning, ete., while of
great value in furnishing knowledge in domains hitherto unexplored,
have carried some of the votaries of microtomy to the point of having
only contempt for other phases of biological science. While of utmost
value in the science and worthy most extended utilization in the train-
ing of the zoological student, such technique should not be made the
end of zoological study. Rather, it seems to me, this work should be
viewed as a most important aid in the determination of phylogenies,
the establishment of fundamentals in the recognition of relationships.

From the standpoint of the general student, and especially from our
own view point, which has in sight the man in ordinary life, there is an
important factor here—the attractiveness of the subject. Experience
shows that young students are far more likely to be attracted by the
comparison of various species, the forming of collections, which involve
more or ‘ess of systematic work, and we certainly may legitimately use
this fact in planing lines of study for general students. To show con-
tempt for such part of zoo!ogical work seems to me quite inexcusable.
Indeed, some of our best zoologists seem to be reaching the conclusion
that to put a student too early upon pure morphology and histology is
quite likely to discourage him and quench his natural enthusiasm for
nature study. Itis certainly unscientific and likely to lead to serious
error to conduct laboratory work with half a dozen species, probably of
different genera, of grasshoppers and allow the student to label them
all, after the guide, Acridium americanum. Exactness here is just as
_ essential as in the determination of how many thousandths of a milli-
meter a section is in thickness. -

It appears to me that properly used there is one of the most fruitful
fields of study for us as investigators, and for subject-matter for instruc-
tion, in the tracing of phylogenies. This implies from the very first a
morphologic basis for all systematic work, a most rigid application of
all the results of modern histology and embryology, the nearest possi-
ble approach to the actual lines of descent and consequent relationship
of the groups considered. No matter how small or how large the group
in hand, the effort should be to leave it with a better recognition of the
characters having phylegenetic significance. With elementary students
such matter must of course take the form of noting similarities of struc-
ture rather than technical discussion of relationship, but the one leads
to the other, and a student familiar with the comparative method of
study will later readily grasp the fundamentals of relationship.

We sometimes hear the statement that the old-time naturalist is pass-
ing away, and in this age, when every profession becomes so specialized

12

that each worker must be an expert, there is perhaps little opportunity
for the cultivation of entomology asa pastime. But the old-time spirit
should not be allowed to decay. The spontaneity and enthusiasm, the
close touch with life where life abounds, are factcrs of greatest value
to the worker who wishes to get the utmost from his exertions.

Briefly, the year has been characterized by active work in entomo-
logical lines. Numerous valuable papers have appeared from the
Division of Entomology of the U. 8. Department of Agriculture, from
the offices of State entomologists, and from various stations workers.
These contributions are too numerous to review in detail, and with so
many of value, to select for special mention is impossible. In several
States insect legislation has been enacted mainly with reference to the
San Jose scale, and active efforts are being made to prevent the dis-
tribution of this pest.

The appearance of Dr. Packard’s text-book on morphology of insects
is a welcome addition in a line but poorly represented heretofore in
American entomological literature.

Our hearts are saddened by the thought that two of our most dis-
tinguished and devoted members have been called from our midst.
Dr. D. S. Kellicott, whose death in the prime of life removes a most
earnest and effective worker. Dr. J. A. Lintner, whose ripe experience
and extensive contributions to entomology have made him for many
years the most welcome and revered of ali the members who have
annually attended these meetings. J would suggest the propriety of a
committee to prepare a memorial for our next report.

In looking to the future of our association, we can perhaps recognize
more fully its international character and encourage in every way pos-
sible the cooperation of foreign members. As constituted, we have no
political boundaries, and geographical boundaries for convenience only,
and we should strive to extend the activity of our organization. This
has a practical importance, for with the greater atteution to the trans-
mission of injurious insects from country to country the cooperation of
foreign entomologists will become more and more important, and I
know no more natural channel for such cooperation than an organiza-
tion such as we have here.

That we have much reason to feel gratified with the record of our
association during its brief career need hardly be said; that we have
before us interesting and important work for this session is plainly
shown by the programme arranged by our energetic secretary; that we
Shall all go from this meeting with renewed zeal, higher ideals of work,
and closer ties of friendship for our fellow workers, awaits only time for
realization, and I propose that without further delay we proceed to the
important work we have before us.

On motion of Mr. Barrows, seconded by Mr. Howard, the thanks of
the association were tendered the president for the excellent address
presented.

13

On motion of Mr. Smith, a committee, consisting of Messrs. Smith,
Howard, and Fernald, was appointed by the president to prepare
appropriate resolutions relative to the loss sustained by the association
by the deaths of Dr. J. A. Lintner, of rs N. Y., and of Dr. David
S. Kellicott, of Columbus, Ohio.

The resolutions subsequently submitted are as follows:

Whereas the deaths of Dr. J. A. Lintner, of Albany, N. Y., and Dr. David S. Kelli-
cott, of Columbus, Ohio, which occurred since our last meeting, have been grievous
losses to entomological science and to our association; be it

Resolved by the Association of Economic Entomologists, That we hereby express our
deep sense of grief at this our loss, and our profound appreciation of the sterling
qualities of mind and heart which endeared our former companions to us and gave
them their eminent standing in science.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted by the Raiae to the
personal representatives of the deceased.

-The reading of papers was then taken up, Mr. Howard presenting a
communication under the following title:

TWO BENEFICIAL INSECTS INTRODUCED FROM EUROPE.

By L. O. Howarp, Washington, D. C._
(a) AN INTENTIONAL INTRODUCTION.

In the autumn of 1895 the writer received through the courtesy of
Dr. A. Berlese, of the Stazione di Entomologia Agraria at Portici,
Italy, specimens of a remarkable Chalcidid, which, after study, was
recognized as Aspidocoris cyaneus Costa, a species described by the
Italian writer in 1863 from specimens discovered in Italy. Later it was
discovered that this insect was synonymous with Scutellista cyanea,
described by Motschulsky in 1859 from specimens reared by Nietner in
Ceylon from Lecanium coffee. Dr. Berlese had reared these specimens
from the common European Ceroplastes rusci, and it iminediately
occurred to the writer that this insect would be a valuable one to
introduce into this country, owing to its numbers in Italy and on
account of the fact that in Florida and other Southern States Cero-
-plastes floridensis is an abundant and injurious scale.

In a paper published in the Rivista di Patologia Vegetale in 1896
the writer figured the species, which is one of very remarkable form,
and redescribed both sexes. In correspondence with Dr. Berlese and
his colleague, Dr. Leonardi, he has since repeatedly urged the sending
of living specimens of this insect to the United States, and has met
with much courtesy from both of these gentlemen, who have on several
occasions taken the trouble to collect and send branches carrying Cero-
plastes infested by this interesting parasite.

None of the experiments have been successful until the present year.
Early in June a package was received from Dr. Leonardi containing
twigs well incrusted with the wax scale, and these were put aside in a
breeding jar to observe the outcome. On the second day after arrival

14

there issued from the scales several specimens of a species of Tetrasti-
chus. This was eminently discouraging for the reason that all of the
species of this genus are hyperparasites, and it seemed possible that
the Scutellista had been killed off by this smaller Chalcidid. No fur-
ther specimens of Tetrastichus, however, emerged, and several days
later the breeding jar, when examined in the morning, was found to
contain many active specimens of both sexes of the Scutellista.

In the meantime arrangements had been made, both at Washington,
D.C., and at Baton Rouge, La., to endeavor to establish the species. Prof.
H. A. Morgan had for several years held himself in readiness to attempt
the experiment, since at Baton Rouge are several trees badly affected by
the Ceroplastes. In the insectary at Washington City a large potted
plant had also been stocked for two or three years with this scale. Liy-
ing specimens found in the breeding jar were immediately transferred
to the last-mentioned tree and kept there under a gauze cover. Thetwigs
and all of the contained parasites were carefully packed and trans-
mitted to Baton Rouge, where, in the absence of Professor Morgan, they
were cared for by Prof. S. E. McClendon. At Washington the Scutel-
lista remained alive for many days under the gauze cover on the potted
plant. They crawled over the Ceroplastes and endeavored to oviposit.
Whether they were successful or not, it is as yet too early to learn. Pro-
fessor McClendon, under date of July 2, has written that the box con-
taining parasites was received in good condition and the twigs were
immediately fastened to a tree badly affected with the Ceroplastes. A
number of the parasites had issued in the box on the journey, and they
were let loose upon the tree, and could be seen ten minutes afterwards
crawling very actively around over the scales. The tree upon which
they were placed is surrounded by a number of others, all badly affected
with Ceroplastes, so “that without any further precautions it is alto-
gether likely that the species will become established at Baton Rouge.

This is one of the comparatively simple introductions which can
readily be made with many of these internal feeding parasites. The

writer first called attention to the ease with which this sort of work can.

be dene in his article on “Parasites of the Coccidze” in the Annual
Report of the Department of Agriculture for 1880. |

0) AN ACCIDENTAL INTRODUCTION.

In 1880 Professor Comstock called attention to the occurrence of the
European Asterodiaspis quercicola (Bouché) upon imported European
oaks on the grounds of the United States Department of Agriculture
at Washington, D.C. This species, he stated in his report as Ento-
mologist for the Department of Agriculture for that year, is not a com-
mon one in Europe, but is occasionallly destructive to an individual
tree. Like so many other European insects, however, when once
imported into the United States, this species has become abundant and
destructive. One large tree upon the grounds of the Department of
Agriculture at Washington has been killed outright.

al le

| |

5)

Since its discovery in the District of Columbia it has been found in
many other parts of the country, and has evidentally been brought over
from Kurope a number of times on independent importations of Kuro-

peanoaks. In America it does not con-
fine itself to the imported species, but
soon becomes established on native
species, and spreads with more or less
rapidity and multiplies very greatly.

There is a most interesting Chalei-
did which occurs in Europe, and which
was described in 1837 by Westwood
as Hneyrtus dalmanni. This parasite
was subsequently placed in Foerster’s
genus Habrolepis by Gustav Mayr in
his revision of the Eneyrtine of Ku-
rope. It is structurally a very re-
markable form, and is one of the most
beautiful species of the interesting
group to which itbelongs. Ithas been
reared in Europe at different times by
Tschek, Schlechtendal, and Reinhard

from an undetermined coccid upon

(Quercus pubescens and Quercus pedun-

i,

MUMMY yyy

5 jpdondd

“i

Fie. 1.—dabrolepis dalmanni; side view of
female—very greatly enlarged (original).

culata. Giraud also reared it from a coccid upon oak which he believed
to be Bouché’s Aspidiotus quercicola, which was afterwards placed by
Signoret in his genus Asterodiaspis, and it becomes probable that the
unnamed hosts from which it was reared by the other authors mentioned

>

OE

. ae NE
onl

ry
Y

Fie. 2.—Habrolepis dalmanni; dorsal view of female—very greatly enlarged (original).

were all this species; in fact, we can say with a reasonable degree of
probability that the European host of Habrolepis dalmanni is Asterodi-

aspis quercicola (Bouché).

The writer had never seen this beautiful Chalcidid (figs. 1 and 2),
except in a single example sent some years ago by Dr. Mayr, until June

- 16

of the present year, when he was surprised and delighted to receive a
large series of specimens from Mr. A. H. Kirkland, who had reared the
species from Asterodiaspis quercicola, which he states has become com-
mon upon the oaks throughout the Middlesex Fells in the region near
Boston. It must be many years since this scale insect became origi-

nally established by means of imported trees near Boston, since it has |

spread so greatly and established itself so thoroughly, and it is more
than likely that the Habrolepis was brought over in small numbers with
the originalimportation. That the scale insect, in spite of the presence
of this parasite, has spread and increased so remarkably is by no
means an indication that eventually the parasite may not become very
abundant and exercise a restrictive influence upon the further spread
of the scale; in fact, we should rather expect that there may at some
time come a season when the parasite will become enormously multi-
plied and seriously retard the increase of its host.

The writer has already called attention to the ease with which these
internal parasites of the Coccide are distributed by means of the com-
mercial distribution of their hosts, and has shown that many of the
species of Aphelinine have already become subcosmopolitan in this
way. A similar commercial distribution of the insects of the sub-
family Encyrtine has not as yet become so marked, yet such a distri-
bution must constantly be going on, and this instance is a good
example of what we may expect with this group as well as with the
Aphelinine.

The extraordinary structure of the Habrolepis dalmanni has been
incidentally mentioned. It is in fact a unique type among the EHuro-
pean Encyrtine, and although it was described more than sixty years
ago from Europe, the writer has always suspected from its oriental
facies that it was originally an importation into Europe. Recent
receipt of specimens from Mr. Koebele has confirmed him in the idea

that Habrolepis is an oriental type. Undescribed species from Japan -

indicate this fact. It is worthy of remark, however, that other speci-
mens have been received from Mexico. These may be descendants
from specimens imported from Japan to Mexico, or the genus may also
be neotropical.

The paper was briefly discussed by Mr. Alwood.
Mr. Felt presented the following paper:

NOTES ON SOME OF THE INSECTS OF THE YEAR IN THE STATE
OF NEW YORK.

By EH. P. FELT, Albany, N. Y.

The present season has been characterized by the scarcity of plant
lice, only one or two complaints having been received, whereas in 1897
reports of injuries by these insects came fromall quarters. The foliage

17

of the forest and shade trees appears to have suffered more than usual.
In Albany, and other cities and towns in the State, the white marked
tussock moth, Notolophus leucostigma Sm.-Abb., and the elm leaf-beetle,
Galerucella luteola Miiller, have been more injurious than-usual. In
the rural districts the tent caterpillars have wrought havoc in orchard

- and forest.

Eriocampoides limacina Retz.—The cherry or pear tree slug causes
more or less injury from year to year in New York State; especially is
this true in nurseries. During the inspection of nurseries last autumn
indications of its presence on pear trees were the rule, and in some cases
the foliage had been materially injured. Last June Thomas Tupper, of
Corning, N. Y., reported serious injury by this insect to both his cherry
and pear trees. :

Byturus unicolor Say.—The latter part of May Dr. Peck, the State
botanist, brought me several beetles belonging to this species, with the
statement that from one to five were to be found in many of the open-
ing buds of his raspberry plants, where they were evidently feeding.
This insect does not appear to have been noticed in the State since
Dr. Fitch gave a brief account of it in his fourteenth report for the year
1870, although Dr. Lintner records in his eighth report for the year 1891
its receipt from New Haven, Conn., where it had been injuring leaves
and buds of the raspberry.

Hlaphidion villosum Fabr.—Complaints of injuries by the oak or
maple tree pruner have come from several localities the present season.
Serious injuries were reported from Lake George and also from Oakes,
Ulster County, where its operations had been observed for several
years past.

Galerucella luteola Miiller.—The prolificacy of the imported elm leaf-
beetle was brought very forcibly before me by certain studies made in
connection with the preparation of Bulletin 20 of the New York State
- Museum. The last day of May I captured two beetles, well distended
with eggs, and determined to ascertain for myself the number they
would produce. One was confined in a small, corked vial and the other
in a jelly tumbler. As might be expected, there was considerable dif-
ference in the number of eggs deposited, the former producing 431 and
the latter 623. <A portion of the discrepancy was probably due to dis-
parity of conditions and the remainder must be attributed to a varia-
tion in capacity. In order to bring certain points out clearly, I have
tabulated the record.

7184—No. 17-——2

18

Record of eggs deposited by two elm leaf-beetles.*

Female in vial. | Female in tumbler.
Date. 3
| Clusters | Total. | Clusters of— | Total:

diate) cesosdssadsasnnGeeas 6 bods osnacucsososcsasescde (2) 29 (4) 42
dU) Wis gs cucons soca on Heb SEoonoUaecs code uebedbSoosae 0 0 00
JME Be sso coonbodse cogasnuse qusatas seca sensetcotcas 9, 9,14 32 18 18
dia: See eee See eee eee AEE Sar Store echo SHoooaoe ned acs roaudedcusédnsadlodcccucc
UNC OP eee ss Seis wo gee Ske ete ees ls Spee mamas ee eteloeis\e ell meee ein ersten are ele erator ere eee | ae
diWinGG ccogdcesededscucssceneesussocuscousccsoccdeds 18 18 26, 21 47
qb EW MEM RRO Rees SESE Sa Oe rae Sea CSCS eead paseo oesees leasceematiacucllosooscatusaccasdeacacacc
JITIOS Ss deb eoducs aooeaaapoe se oncomore cococnouscbas 15 15 4, 26 30
UswnxyeyG} (27 thine) ca ce Sees coosonscpcenoncooodceSse 20 205 | ces) ciersieistisc cigars a aeeeeeee
DUNC Oa sow oc cis a Se oa ac Mates sepee eee a Siee Seema soe | eereeeie tere arse eee eee eee aoe 27 27
Jun eal Ois2 2 si oss Sows cise ae EE See Saar eeeeee 20 (3 p.m.) 20 3, 31 34
PUN OU ere ec ee ae ae ers eele ee Seer ate 23 23. esse see eee ee ool teeeeee
Aft (Oa eee ee eae eee eee eee eas en as Man tempore mene ocasiaa lane sone cboatonedliGacdstos
DUNS = so wes SS sas es Se eee ee See ee ee eae 11,138 P|) Ae Totes 10k 1B, 1) 63
wine Mes esoaocooueeussoudeadsesoauccueCeoceuoaoasee 31 Bt Rae OP am eee || aye ae ae
dina bes aeee ao secsemaotaromonDoEpocHacococossaakc 16,5 21 14, 27 41
SUME MG) Ss5s Ses eS a Bee ass Sale 28 28 30 30
OS haY= 1 by Gee ae ee cesar ines Aen es case re a eae IS Sie tte Mel Re NS eG COE 32 32
une’ 3 (BibSeMb)! aes oe seine Ce ee ee eee eee creme leececeeeeeaaes lbsodsacucsosecccllesosoéac
situ Cp Dos sees Sa, oe She are eee 26, 30 56 10, 26 36
Athy) DG ane se eee 3 te Oe eee os RE a Sseetsd 2,6 8 36 36
UU Oh eis ota One ae ao Sere airerere Popa areine at ee eee ee 3,18 Bl 6, 25 31
Jet OP ae ea ee Sse re a oe a eee See bec osS 2, 20 22 4,31 35
A ftidi(s) CBT ee eee Ree rd See Oo SHE SHB oSo See GndeDnoseeEe 2a 27 Mer TII YG as} 34
DAT N24 Ee OE tk SO chee eee eer arae | siataiataseaicrelotecs [inet cae ecera Rhescieall es sieree re Sees ete eee | ere
SUMS I20 SS accies Ale eee nde ee oe Des Sepia. seis sae fesoabs6c6dog |Sesccbcossusac|coonéeusuccacacdlloscceese
hiv baVeu >] Sees iee Sabeen eae ie Reiger eres eel Mane At RES See Sea oes seme eae iri anaes acta locadace
BOIS OY) Sane RHE Pe eam em Su emi tn Maa are 5,7, 9,15 36 Ibs AA ay 66
June 28 (dead) .....cecee Wialaid wide wieleig wicialeie< wis ee einimine eeleeee ee oe oe Seana eeeeee (dead) 4,17 21

431 623

*The examinations were made, as a rule, between 8.30 and 9 a.m., although occasionally when eggs

were seen in the afternoon they were recorded and the time indicated as in the table. The dates fall-
ing on Sunday are in bold-face type, and as a rule no observations were made then.

It will be seen that from June 1 to 11 there were usually deposited
between 15 and 47 eggs every other day. The 12th, being Sunday, L
did not attend to the beetles, but from there being two or more clusters
found with each on Monday it is probable that one or more were
deposited the preceding day. The record shows that from either the
12th or 13th there was a marked increase in the number of eggs laid
from then until the 23d, there being as a rule from 8 to 40 deposited
daily. In the case of the one confined in the vial the record shows a
discrepancy which is greater than the facts warrant. I was unable to
attend to the insects on the 18th. Consequently it appears as though
two days during this period had been skipped by one beetle, and one
by the other, whereas it is probable that but a day passed without the
beetle in the vial depositing eggs and that the other really presents an
unbroken record in this respect. During this short period of ten or
eleven days there were deposited over half of the total number of eggs
produced during the twenty-eight days a record was kept, the figures
being 238 and 338, or an average of over 21 and 30 eggs per day, —
respectively. The average numbers deposited during the first eleven
days of the month are 14 and 18, respectively, which shows there was
an increase of one-half or more in the case of each beetle after June 11.
Those deposited after the 25th were apparently the last efforts of the

19

insects to provide for the perpetuity of their kind. although the quality
of the eggs had not deteriorated.

During the whole period the beetles were under observation they
consumed large quantities of foliage, comparatively speaking. Many
of the trees outside were also badly riddled by the feeding. If we
consider for a moment the relatively large bulk of eggs produced by the
beetles it is not surprising that they require a large amount of food.
Without attempting to make precise measurements it would seem that
a cluster of 30 eggs would present, after deposition, a bulk about equal
to that of the parent insect. If this be a fair estimate, they produced on
the average from nearly one-half to nearly two-thirds of their bulk in
eges daily during the first eleven days in June, and from the 12th to the
23d the daily average was from over two-thirds to an equal bulk. This
rapid elaboration of eggs must make a large demand upon the system
and require an abundant food supply.

Lest it be thought that the period of oviposition was abnormally
prolonged, I would state that recently deposited eggs were to be found
on the trees up to July 9. This record indicates most emphatically the
value of spraying to kill the beetles, especially before they have
reached the more prolific period mentioned above.

A few notes confirmatory of previous records concerning the life his-
tory of this insect in Albany and Troy wiil undoubtedly be of interest.
The last of the over-wintered beetles were seen early in July. On the
16th recently transformed adults were easily found, and fresh eggs a
few days later, either singly or in small clusters, indicated the begin-
ning of oviposition by the second brood. On the 12th of August Mr.
P. C. Lewis, who has charge of the spraying in Albany, informed me
that the second brood of larve had been quite injurious in certain parts
of the city, and that the beetles, ever on the watch for tender foliage,
riddled the leaves very quickly. A visit to Troy on the 13th showed
_that practically the same conditions prevailed there. Soon after the
foliage appeared it was attacked by the beetles, and by the time the
leaves were about half grown many larve were to be found upon them.
The injury to the elms in Troy by the first brood of larve exceeded
that of the preceding two years, because it was not only much more
extended but the skeletonizing of the leaves was more thorough. As
a rule all the European elms were practically defoliated. The same
would have been true of Albany were it not for the spraying done by
the city. An interesting feature in the latter city was the more extended
injury sustained by the American elms. In Troy comparatively few of
this species appear to have suffered much. The same was true of
Albany two years ago. Last year considerable injury was inflicted,
and the present season much more, in spite of the spraying. It should
be stated that rainy weather, just after the larve hatched, marred the
efficiency of the work seriously. A few of the American elms in Albany
have lost nearly every leaf, and hundreds have been so affected that

20

*

they present a more or less browned appearance. In Watervliet, where
American elms abound, the ravages have been frightful, including
practically all the elms.

Galerucella cavicollis Lec.—In his eleventh report, Dr. Lintner noticed
this insect briefly and gave its earlier history. The species is one that
is apparently changing its habits and becoming destructive. Mr. |
Tupper, of Corning, N. Y., submitted examples of this insect and leaves .
from his cherry trees, with the statement that they were injuring the
trees seriously and might kill them. This is the second record of a |
recent attack on cherry in New York State by this species.

Notolophus leucostigma Sm.-Abb.—The larvee of this species were

unusually destructive in Albany this season. Not only were a large
number of horse chestnuts defoliated. as frequently occurs from year
to year, but many of the maples and lindens were seriously injured.
On some trees the caterpillars were so abundant as to cause an un-
pleasant odor. It appears nearly impossible to secure adequate protec-
tion for trees along the streets, unless if is undertaken by the municipal
authorities. The private individual who inquires what he should do to
protect his trees after two-thirds of the foliage is destroyed usually
neglects to take proper precautions to prevent trouble another season.
The injuries by this species in Buffalo have been so general as to excite
considerable attention from the public, and have led to the issuing of
a special circular by the board of public works, giving directions for
controlling the insect. It was also reported as very abundant at
Flushing, Long Island.

Ravages by tent caterpil’ars.—In early spring a number of reports
came to me of the extraordinary abundance and destructiveness of
the apple-tree tent caterpillar, Clisiocampa americana Harr. In many
localities the larve stripped the trees and nearly covered the naked
limbs with their webs. Such work was clearly the result of neglect,
and yet Dr. S. D. Willard, of Geneva, who eares for his trees each year,
informed me that this insect caused him considerable trouble last spring,
notwithstanding his efforts to keep it under control. Last year the
so-called forest tent caterpillar, Clisiocampa disstria Hiibn., was very
injurious in certain parts of the State, stripping the foliage from hun-
dreds of acres of maples and other trees in Delaware County and in
other portions of the State. It was hoped that the ravages by this
species would not be repeated the present season, but such was not the
case. Examples of this caterpillar were received from Glen Falls, N. Y.,
on June 2, with the statement that they were very numerous and injur-
ing the maples seriously. At Trenton Falls, N. Y., the caterpillars
were very abundant and injurious in the woods, although the trees
were only partially defoliated. At Russell, St. Lawrence County, the
leaves were stripped from 125 acres of maple trees, most probably by
this species. It was also reported to me as very injurious this year in
Otsego, Delaware, and Greene counties.

———

inane een

21

Mamestra picta Harr.—A remarkable abundance of larvze in timothy
hay was brought to my notice on July 13. Mr. W. C. Browning, of
Alexandria Bay, stated that he had been putting in hay from a 20-acre
lot, and the next morning found the surface of the mow literally alive
with caterpillars—identified from examples sent as those of this species.
Large numbers must have been present in the field, as they had prob-
ably been gathered up with the hay accidently. In response to an
inquiry, Mr. Browning informed me that the caterpillars had not been
observed except on this field. Last year they had entirely destroyed
his crop of oats, and this season they were much more numerous than
before.

Xylina laticinerea or X. cinerea.—One of the most interesting and
remarkable outbreaks of the year occurred at Schenectady, N. Y., when
hundreds of silver maples were defoliated by the caterpillars belonging
to one of the species named above. My attention was called to the
insect by a young man bringing me about half a pint of larve with a
story oi their destructiveness. On visiting the city it was found that
the reports were true. The soft maples were practically stripped.
Numerous larvee were seen on the trunks, in some cases 50 to 100 on a
single tree. Many were seen along the walks and in the roadways
bordered by the maples. Even were one deprived of sight, the olfac-
tory organs could easily detect their presence from the peculiar odor
emanating from the hosts of caterpillars. There were no indications
of the insects’ work in Albany, although only 17 miles distant, but
along the Mohawk River, as far west as Herkimer, on the Raquette
River in St. Lawrence County, and in Schoharie County, many soft
maples were defoliated, indicating the work of the same insect, pos-
sibly, although the species could not be determined because no examples
were submitted. The ravages in some of these localities may have
been caused by the forest tent caterpillar, Clisiocampa disstria Hiibn.

I have found no record of serious injury to maples by this species,
although Dr. H. G. Dyar, in a recent letter identifying the insect,
informs me that it is somewhat injurious to soft maples at Bellport,
Long Island, but that they were less common than usual the present
season. This insect, or a closely allied species, has been known for a
number of years as injurious to apples and pears, and in 1896 and 1897
it caused considerable damage in this State to these fruits, but this
appears to be the first record of serious injury to soft maples by a
species of Xylina.

An elm leaf-miner.—This insect has been unusually destructive in
Albany and Troy the present season. For the past three years the
Camperdown elms in Washington Park, Albany, have suffered rather
severely from this species. The present season the insect not only
seriously injured the Camperdown elms, but extended its ravages to
the English, Scotch, and American species. From half to two-thirds
of the leaves on certain English elms in Troy were nearly destroyed by

9D

this insect, and many others presented a sorry appearance on account
of the numerous mines.

Pulvinaria innumerabilis Rathy.—This destructive scale insect is
being constantly brought to notice here and there in the State, although
during the past few years it appears to have been less destructive than
usual. On July 5 this scale was reported as injuring the elms seri-
ously at Sandy Hill, N. Y., and affecting the maples to a less extent.
At that time the young had not left the protecting filaments of the
mother, although they were numerous in the cottony secretion. A few
days later, twigs of maple were received from Baldwin, Long Island,
their condition revealing avery serious attack. One side of each twig
was nearly covered by the adults, while the young fairly swarmed over
everything. I have also received twigs badly infested with this scale
from Batavia and Flushing, N. Y., and Arlington, N. J.

LTecanum armeniacum Craw.—One of the interesting features of the
year was the detection of this seale (identified by Mr. Pergande), in
Erie County, N. Y. In response to inquiry about its introduction, Mr.
Hayes stated that he could not account for it in any manner. The vine
upon which the species was found had been planted ten years. His
neighbors had not set out any Californian stock, and he had used no
fruit from that State for several years. A possibie source of introduc-
tion is the sending to this State in 1896 of examples of this scale infested
with Comys fusca, by Mr. Ed. M. Ehrhorn, horticultural commissioner
of Santa Clara County, Cal. This was done, it was stated, in the hope
that the parasite would attack the New York plum seale.

Lecanium cerasifex Fitch.—This scale, identified as probably this
species by Mr. Coquillett, has been very injurious to several soft maples
in Albany the past two or three years. The trees have been dwarfed by
the attack and each summer are more or less blackened by the copious
honeydew secreted by the insects. Many of the limbs are nearly covered
with the scales on their under surface, and during a portion, at least, of
July and early in August the young swarm over branches and leaves.

The San Jose Scale.—-This pest, Aspidiotus perniciosus Comst., has
demonstrated its ability to thrive in the Hudson River Valley as far
north as Albany, at least. Just across the river at Hast Greenbush,
an infested fruit garden has been under my eye for over a year. The
scale has spread in spite of the efforts of the owner, who used whale-
oil soap to some extent. It has ruined many currant bushes and badly
stunted a number of pear trees, besides infesting to a certain degree
peach and apple trees. On the 9th of last July numerous young were
to be found on the more tender shoots, some appearing as though dusted
with pollen on account of the larvee clustered at their tips. Develop-
ing scales were found in small numbers on the leaves and abundantly
on the fruit. Atits present rate of multiplication, most of the young
trees in that garden will be ruined in a few years. Only this spring
I found the seale at Lebanon Springs, some 20 miles from the Hudson

23

River, and at an elevation of 900 feet, 29° below zero being known in
that locality. Even when exposed to such extremes of temperature,
and probably outside the limits of the Upper Austral life zone, the insect
nad been able not only to hold its own, but had increased some, as the
few trees infested were badly covered with the scale. It had spread
very little, although the trees had been set out since 1895. This is
evidently near the limit where climatic conditions are too severe to
permit of its becoming a very injurious pest. The known distribution
of this scale in the State is very interesting, since it has been found in
localities here and there throughout most of the area lying within the
limits of the Upper Austral life zone. It has been reported from locali-
ties in every county in the State east of the Hudson River, except
Westchester and Washington, and from those on its west bank south
of Warren County, except Greene and Rockland. The following are
the localities: Rensselaer County, Kast Greenbush; Columbia County,
Lebanon Springs, Kinderhook, and Germantown; Dutchess County,
Poughkeepsie; Putnam County, Brewster; New York County, New
York; Saratoga County, Burnt Hills; Albany County, Loudonville;
Ulster County, Boiceville; Orange County, Middletown. Besides
localities on Long Island, it has been found in Tompkins County, at
Ithaca; in Seneca County, at Farmer, and in Cayuga County, at Union
Springs.

In the discussion Mr. Smith stated that he was much interested in
the records presented, because they indicated such remarkable differ-
ences in the habits of insects in neighboring States. Referring to the
elm leaf-beetle, he stated thatin New Jersey the insect was not present
this year in sufficient numbers to make spraying necessary and that
there was no notable injury; the same was also true of last year. The
cottony cushion maple scale, on the contrary, was very abundant,
always on maple. He referred also to the finding of Galerucella cavi-
collis on peach in Pennsylvania and the reported finding of Mamestra
picta on oak and chestnut, questioning the accuracy of the latter obser-
vation and suggesting that some other larva had been mistaken for
picta.

Mr. Cooley referred to the finding of the cottony maple scale on the
English elm, American elm, and the Camperdown elm, but most abund-
antly on maple.

Mr. Howard said that many topics suggested by the paper might be
discussed. He referred to the sending of a parasite of the plum Leca-
nium, Comys fusca, from California to New York through the agency of
Mr. Ehrhorn, as being a case of carrying coals to Newcastle, since the
species has long been known to occur in the East and in New York State.

Mr. Kirkland stated that it had been distinctly an elm leaf-beetle
season in Massachusetts. He also referred to the fact that a green
maple worm apparently identical in character and habits with the one

24

described by Mr. Felt committed serious local damage in the vicinity of
Boston this season. The injury was confined to the silver maple and
the horse chestnut. The larve collected were parasitized and he had
secured no imagos. _

Mr. Osborn commented on the value of records similar to those given
in the paper relating to periodicity and dates of occurrence of insects
in different States, and the possibility after many such records having
been accumulated of obtaining a correct understanding of the factors
determining periodicity and the effect of temperature on times of
appearance.

Professor Fernald presented the following paper:

THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH.
(Euproctis chrysorrhea Linn.)
By C. H. FERNALD, Amherst, Mass.

The brown-tail moth is a native of Europe, occurring in all parts of
that country except in the extreme north. It also occurs in Morroco,
Algeria, and Asia Minor. In Great Britain it is apparently confined
to the southeastern counties of England, though,as Mr. Barrett states,
there is some reason to believe that its range was formerly much wider
than at present. There are two records of this insect having been
taken in Scotland, and it has also been taken in Ireland, but this last
is believed to be an error.

It is an interesting fact that this insect is becoming rare in parts of
England where it was formerly common, and active measures are being
taken by English entomologists to prevent the extinction of this and a
few other species that appear to be doomed to the same fate. Various
reasons have been given for the gradual extinction in England of the
brown-tail moth, the gipsy moth, and several other species, but none
of them, so far as I can judge, are under our control, and I do not feel
entirely sure that the real cause of their extermination has as yet been
discovered.

NAMES.

This insect was first scientifically described and named Bombyx chry-
sorrhea by Linnzeus in 1758, but it has since been placed by different
authors in other genera, as Euproctis, Liparis, and Porthesia. The
oldest of these, the genus Euproctis established by Hiibner, has been
adopted by many of our leading entomologists, and seems to be the
most correct one to use. We have, therefore, adopted the scientific
name Huproctis chrysorrhea Linn., and the common name, brown-tail
moth, since this appears to be almost universally used in modern
Erglish writings.

FOOD PLANTS IN EUROPE.

The brown-tail moth is reported in Europe as feeding on apple, pear,
plum, oak, beech, elm, willow, mountain ash, blackthorn, Cotoneaster
vulgaris, Sanguisorbis officinalis, and other plants.

25 ‘
REMEDIES IN EUROPE.

The method of destroying this insect in Europe is to remove and
burn the tents in which the young caterpillars hibernate. This is done
during the winter months while the young caterpillars are in the tents.

LAWS IN EUROPE.

A law was enacted in France for the destruction of this insect as
early as 1734, but later it was extended so as to include the gipsy
moth and some other injurious species common in Europe. Belgium
and other European countries have also enacted similar laws requiring
the destruction of these insects, and when the occupants of the prem-
ises neglect this work at the proper time, it is done under the direction
of the authorities, and the expense is assessed on the owner or occu-
pant of the land, and collected with his usual taxes.

INTRODUCTION INTO AMERICA,

The brown-tail moth was first reported in this country in Somerville,
Mass., in the spring of 1897, and careful inquiries revealed the fact
that this pest had been observed by some. of the residents of that
locality for at least five years.

In the center of the infested region is a florist’s establishment, where,
previous to 1890, roses and other shrubs were imported from France-
and Holland, and it seems very probable from all the facts obtained
that the brown-tail moth was accidentally introduced on some of these
plants as early, perhaps, as 1885.

DISTRIBUTION IN THIS COUNTRY.

A somewhat superficial examination of the infested territory made
soon after learning of the presence of this insect in Massachusetts
showed that at that time it occurred in the greater part of Scmerville,
a large part of Cambridge and Everett, a small part of Medford near
the Somerville line, and a single colony was found in Malden near the
Revere line. The area in which serious damage had been done by this
insect at that time was nearly circular in outline, with its center near
the junction of Vine street and Somerville avenue, in Somerville, with
a diameter of about a mile.

The female as well as the male moths fly readily by night, but the
flying season is of limited duration. It was exceedingly unfortunate
that a severe gale of wind oceurred at the height of the flying season
in 1897, which distributed these moths for a distance of 10 or 12 miles
to the north and northeast. This gale, according to the data kindly
furnished by Mr. J. Warren Smith, of Boston, began in the early part
of the night of July 12, the wind blowing steadily from the south with
a velocity of from 13 to 16 miles an hour. After midnight it increased
in velocity to 20 miles an hour at 2 a. m. (July 13); 25 miles an hour at
8a.m.; 28 to 30 miles an hour at noon; 35 miles at 5p. m., and reached

26

the maximum velocity of 40 miles an hour late in the afternoon. By
midnight the gale had decreased to 14 miles an hour, but increased
again rapidly, reaching a velocity of 20 miles an hour at 2 a. m., July
14, and 45 miles an hour at 840 a. m., then decreased to 30 miles at
noon, and 20 miles at 6 p.m. The direction of the wind varied from
south to southwest, distributing the moths toward the north and north-
east. Since the moths fly only by night, the day movement of the wind
is unimportant, but it is evident that during the nights of the 12th and
13th, the wind was effective in distributing the pest. Notwithstanding
this extensive distribution to the north and northeast, but few moths
have been found this year to the east, south, or west of the old colo-
nies.

Although no extensive and critical search has as yet been made to
learn the exact and entire distribution of the brown-tail moth in Massa-
chusetts, it is known to occur to a greater or less extent in the follow-
ing cities and towns: Arlington, Belmont, Boston, Burlington, Cam-
bridge, Everett, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Revere, Saugus, Somerville,
Stoneham, Winchester, and Woburn. It is probable, from the very
nature of the case, that it already has even a wider distribution than
the above would seem to indicate.

LIFE HISTORY.

The moths are on the wing about the middle of July and each female
lays from 200 to 300 eggs in an oblong cluster on the under side of a
leaf near the tip of a branch, covering them with a dense mass of
brown hair from the tip of the abdomen. These eggs hatch early in
August, and the young caterpillars feed only upon the epidermis of the
leaves, causing them to turn as brown as though they had been burned;
and, as the leaves of these trees were devoured in the spring by the
preceding generation, the trees may be practically defoliated twice in
a season. The caterpillars also attack the fruit of the apple and pear.
While still young they begin to make a regular dwelling in which they
hibernate during the winter. This habitation is constructed at the
ends of the twigs, and is made by drawing together a few leaves, lining
them with silk and surrounding them with a mass of silken threads.
These tents are so firmly fastened to the twigs that they can rarely be
removed without using considerable force.

The young caterpillars retire into these tents late in Seqitember and
hibernate during the winter, emerging again about the middle of April.
They then feed upon the buds and later upon the leaves, devouring

their entire substance except the midrib, and in leaves having strong.

ribs, like those of the maple, all the larger ribs are left untouched.
When the caterpillars are numerous, they devour not only the buds,
leaves, and blossoms, but even the green fruit.

When the caterpillars are done feeding, which occurs from the first
to the middle of June, they transform to pup among the leaves, spin-

27
ning an open cocoon of coarse silk. Im about a month the moths
emerge, and after mating, lay their eggs.

RELATIVE PROPORTION OF THE SEXES.

My assistant, Mr. Kirkland, from whose observations I have taken
the more important facts in this paper, collected a large number of the
pupe in 1897, and the moths emerged as follows

| |
Date. Males. Females. | Date. | Males. | Females.
UN Vcr es chadsocsgseeepsacoes 5 De Wl yied emerse sicietaais paseieiscaere 21 53
eee ane ieee ee 12 8 Pee ee we 9. 12
OE ase on pe, a ae ee | 41 3 1G ee te ee 0 0
Cee ees San eas eee 153 | 135 UY (eae a ae eer Sea | 1 3
Til basket oye ee ey einer aes 32 | 46 (Le ee
eae wiotc ia denisionieistoae 64 | a4 Hf BG) I eee 399 451
Ei oaks oS ee | 61 | 100 |

IRRITATION CAUSED BY THE HAIRS.

While in the larval and pupal stages these insects are the source of
a great deal of annoyance from the intense irritation which is caused
by their hairs when they come in contact with the skin of a person,
especially when one is perspiring. Many persons in the infested region
suffered so severely as to require the aid of a physician. Some of the
gipsy-moth employves were so badly affected in the work of destroying
the caterpillars the present season that the chemist employed on the
work, Mr. F. J. Smith, was directed to investigate the matter, to ascer-
tain what was the real cause of the irritation, and to discover, if possi-
ble, an antidote. These investigations are not yet completed, but so
far as already carried seem to disprove the idea at first entertained that
it was caused by formic acid; nor can anything be extracted, as Mr.
Smith informs me, that will irritate the skin.

Mr. Smith made extracts from molted caterpillar skins with water,
alcohol, ether, chloroform, and petroleum ether, a list of solvents that
he thinks would dissolve anything in the nature of organic acids or
alkaloidsif they were present. In the water extract the water becomes
slightly colored, but does not become charged with any nettling mat-
ter. The alcoholic extract removes a great many spines, which may be
seen floating on the surface of the liquid. Ether gives an extract a
little more pronounced than chloroform, both removing the spines in
large numbers. If the unfiltered extract be rubbed on the skin it pro-
duces the nettling sensation, while the filtered extract does not. From
these experiments Mr. Smith is inclined to think that the irritation
caused by the spines is mechanical and not due to chemical snbstances.
Further investigations, however, may lead to different conclusions.

The nettling of the skin may be caused by contact with the caterpil-
lars, both old and young, or the cocoons, but in the latter case contact
is not necessary, as the hairs from the cocoons are blown about by the

28

wind. An English journal mentions the fact that travelers are often
affected when the wind blows strongly from infested hedges along the
side of the road.

FOOD PLANTS IN AMERICA.

The brown-tail moth does not appear to have so wide a range of food
plants as the gipsy moth, yet the number is so large and the value of
many of them so great that this insect must be classed among the

Serious pests.

It has already been found feeding

Basswood, Tilia americana.
Geranium, Geranium sanguineum. |
Grape, Vitis cordifolia.

Virginia creeper, Ampelopsis quinquefolia.
Sugar maple, Acer saccharinum.

White maple, Acer dasycarpum.
Sycamore maple, [cer pseudo-platanus.
Red clover, Trifolium pratense.

Wistaria, Wistaria conseqguana.

Plum, Prunus domestica.

Cherry, Prunus avium.

Wild black cherry, Prunus serotina.
Peach, Prunus vulgaris.

Spirea, Spirwa thunbergii.

Raspberry, Rubus strigosus.

Blackberry, Rubus villosus.

Strawberry, /ragaria virginiana.

Rose, losa nitida.

| Crab apple, Pyrus coronaria.

| Pear, Pyrus communis.

on the tollowing species:

Pyrus pinnatifida

Apple, Pyrus malus.

Quince, Cydonia vulgaris.

Japan quince, Cydonia japonica.
Currant, Ribes rubrum.
Gooseberry, Ribes grossularia.
Weigela, Weigela rosea.
Burdock, Arctium lappa.

White ash, FPraxinus americana.
Plantain, Plantago major.
Swamp dock, Rumex verticillatus.
Curled dock, Rumex crispus.
Rhubarb, Rheum rhaponticum.
American elm, Ulmus americana.
Black walnut, Juglans nigra.
Weeping willow, Salix babylonica.

The majority of the plants in the above list were attacked by the

caterpillars when migrating from defoliated pear orchards.

Pear seems

to be the favorite food plant of this insect in the infested region, but
the winter webs have been found on pear, apple, quince, plum, cherry,
peach, oak, maple, elm, rose, and grape.

PARASITES.

Three parasites have been bred from the pupe of the brown-tail moth
in this country: Pheogenes hebe Cr.; Diglochis omnivora Walk.; Hupho-
rocera claripennis Macq.

A large number of unnamed dipterous parasites and multitudes of
Diglochis have been bred from the pup the present year. The work
of Diglochis is worthy of special commendation.

PREDACEOUS ANIMALS.

Podisus serieventris Uhl. has been found destroying the caterpillars.
The Baltimore oriole, black-billed cuckoo, crow-blackbird, and English
sparrow have also been observed feeding on these insects. Mr. Kirk-
land wrote me as follows: “* Whatever may be the sins of the English
Sparrows, we must give them credit for destroying large numbers of

29

brown-tail moths. Not only do these birds eat the moths themselves,
but they also feed them to their young. I saw the sparrows repeatedly
hunting along fences and carrying off the resting moths to their nests
in July of the present year. At Somerville last year it was no uncom-
mon sight to see flocks of twenty or more sparrows collecting the moths
from a picket fence.”

Bats feed continuously on the flying moths at night. Their work is
noiseless, but can be followed by watching the falling wings. Bats
were seen feeding on the moths around an electric light in Malden on
the night of July 14, 1898, and on the following morning 200 wings of
the brown-tail moth were counted on the ground beneath that lamp.

Toads must also be reckoned in the list of the enemies of this insect.
They devour the caterpillars during the early summer and the imagos
later in the season.

Electric are lights destroy large numbers of these moths, chiefly
males, however. Under an are light in Somerville on the night of July
16, 1897, at 3 a. m., 236 males and 71 females were counted. Under a
second are light 29 males and 11 females. Under a third light, 7 males
and 4 females, and under a fourth were counted 3 males and 4 females.
Are lights also attract hundreds of moths, mostly females, that alight
upon the poles and houses in the vicinity, where they remain till the
next day, when they fall an easy prey to the English sparrows.

EXPERIMENTS WITH INSECTICIDES.

In the early part of this season, as no provision had then been made
for work against the brown-tail moth, though the bill which has since
become a law was before the legislature, it was decided to perform a
few experiments upon this insect with some of the more common insece-
ticides. For this purpose a number of badly infested pear trees from
10 to 15 feet high, and containing from six to ten undisturbed winter
webs, were selected in the southern part of Malden and sprayed May 19,
1898. The caterpillars were at that time in the second and third molts.

The first tree was sprayed with arsenate of lead, 1 pound to 150
gallons of water. In two days no results were apparent. In three
days the stripping of the trees had ceased. In four days 50 per cent
of the caterpillars were dead. In seven days 90 per cent were dead,
and in thirteen days all were dead. The second tree was sprayed with
2 pounds of arsenate of lead in 150 gallons of water, and the results
were very similar to those on the first tree. The third tree was sprayed
with arsenate of lead, 5 pounds to 150 gallons of water. In four days
80 per cent were dead, and in nine days all were dead. The fourth tree
was sprayed with arsenate of lead, 10 pounds to 150 gallons of water.
A few were dead in two days, 50 per cent in three days, 80 per cent in
four days, and all were dead in six days.

The fifth tree was sprayed with Paris green, 1 pound to 150 gallons of
water. In three days 10 per cent were dead, 50 per cent in four days,

30

70 per cent in six days, 90 per cent in nine days, and all were dead in
twelve days.

The sixth tree was sprayed with Sheele’s green, 1 pound to 150 gal-
lons of water. No results were visible in two days, but 5 per cent were
dead in three days, 25 per cent in four days, 50 per cent in six days, 75
per cent in nine days, 95 per cent in twelve days, and all were dead in
fifteen days. This insecticide burned the foliage quite badly, while
neither of the others caused any injury whatever.

There was a great deal of rainy weather at the time of these experi-
ments, and no glucose was used in any of them. We must conclude
from the results obtained that the brown-tail moth succumbs to arsen-
ical poisons as readily as our common native insects, and does not pos-
sess the power of eliminating poison to any such extent as the gipsy
moth.

REMEDIES.

The remedies generally adopted for the brown-tail moth are to cut off
and burn the webs during the winter while the young caterpillars are
still within them. Mr. C. W. Minott, one of the superintendents of the
gipsy-moth work, called my attention to the fact that some of the webs
fall off and the caterpillars pass the winter in them on the ground. In
this case they may ascend and attack trees in the spring that were
Supposed to have been entirely cleared.

LAWS IN MASSACHUSETTS RELATING TO THE BROWN-TAIL MOTH.

Iinmediately following the discovery that the brown-tail moth had
made its appearance in this Commonwealth, the attention of the gov-
ernor was called to the danger that threatened because of this pest,
and his excellency sent a message to the legislature concerning the
matter. A bill was then introduced authorizing and directing the
board of agriculture to undertake the work of exterminating this insect,
with an appropriation of $6,000. Upon this failing to pass the legisla-
ture, another bill was immediately introduced, which became a law June
11,1897. This law made it the duty of the city or town government
within whose precincts the pest was discovered, to take immediate
steps for its extinction and to prevent its spread. It was also made
the duty of the board of agriculture to cause inspections to be made,
upon receipt of notice from local authorities, or whenever they had rea-
son to suspect the presence of the insect in any city or town, and to
furnish the local authorities with printed information concerning meth-
ods of dealing with the pest. Severe penalties were imposed by this
law in case of neglect or refusal to comply with the requirements of the
statute. This law was only partially operative, and, like similar laws
in Europe, did not prove entirely successful. During the winter of
1897-98, however, as soon as inspection was made and notice of infested

31

estates sent to the local authorities, an attempt was made to enforce the
law. In Somerville, Cambridge, and Medford the trees along the streets
were cleared by the city authorities, and the owners of the infested
estates were required to clear the webs from their trees. In other cities
and towns but little was done, the people having experienced no incon-
venience from this insect, allowed the work to go by default. In Som-
erville, where the pest stripped the trees over large areas, and the eat-
erpillars migrated from one orchard to another in great swarms, and
also where many people suffered severely from the irritating effects of
these caterpillars, the authorities and citizens carried on a somewhat
systematic campaign against this insect in the winter of 1897-98. As
a result, there were practically no brown-tail moths last spring in all
those places that were successfully worked over.

Local work as carried on last winter was uneven. Wherea vigorous
effort was made to carry out the law good results followed; but where
half measures were adopted the results were unsatisfactory. Somer-
ville and Medford tried to exterminate the moth, but Malden, adjacent
to these two cities, made no effort. This year the southern part of
Malden has raised a sufficient number of brown-tail moths to restock
the greater part of Medford and Somerville.

From the experience of the past year it seems very doubtful whether
it would be possible to exterminate this insect from so large an extent
of territory as it now occupies in this country if the enforcement of the
law be left to the town or city authorities, but it may be possible to
keep it more or less under subjection, as is done in Europe, and as was
done in some of the above-named cities the past year.

During the last session of the legislature the following law was
enacted putting the work of exterminating the brown-tail moth into the
hands of the board of agriculture, and revoking the previous law
relating to this insect: :

Whenever the pest known as the brown-tail moth is discovered in any city or
town of this Commonwealth, it shall be the duty of the State board of agriculture
to take immediate steps to prevent its spread; and, in the discharge of the duty
imposed upon said board by this act, said board is hereby vested with all the powers
now conferred upon it by law in exterminating the gipsy moth, and may expend of
the money heretofore appropriated for the extermination of the gipsy moth a sum
not exceeding ten thousand dollars.

Any person who shall purposely resist or obstruct said State board of agriculture
or any person or persons under their employ, while engaged in the execution of the
purposes of this act, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding twenty-five dollars
tor each offense.

It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to bring the insect known as the
brown-tail moth, or its nests or eggs, within this Commonwealth, or for any person
knowingly to transport said insect or its nests or eggs from any town or city to
another town or city within this Commonwealth except while engaged in and for
the purposes of destroying them. Any person who shall violate the provisions of
this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars, or by
imprisonment in the house of correction not exceeding sixty days, or by both said
fine and imprisonment.

39

The distribution of this moth about Boston was discussed by Mr.
Kirkland.

Before the session adjourned, on motion of Mr. Howard, a nomi-
nating committee was appointed by the MMos louie consisting of Messrs.
Howard, Weed. and Fernald.

AFTERNOON SESSION, FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1898.

The programme committee had associated for the afternoon a series
of papers relating more particularly to scale insects. The first was
presented by Mr. Smith, as follows:

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SAN JOSE OR PERNICIOUS SCALE IN
NEW JERSEY.

By JoHN B. SmitH, New Brunswick, N. J.

We have more, and at the same time less, San Jose or pernicious
scale than ever before in our State. New Jersey is credited with hav-
ing distributed this species throughout the Eastern United States, and
to a large extent this is probably so. Yet, on the other hand, New
Jersey has received from other States a considerable amount of infested
stock, which it has been very difficult to locate, so that honors are tol-
erably even.

When I say that we have less scale than ever before, it means that in
districts where the scale has been known to exist in years past ener-
getic efforts have been made to stamp it out, in most cases with good
success, and there is not now one badly infested orchard or one that
has been badly infested which is not in much better condition than at
any time since the infestation was discovered.

When I say that we have more than ever before, it means (eee a num-
ber of new scaly orchards have been discovered, or new localities into
which the scale was introduced from points other than our own
nurseries.

I wish here to claim for at least one of the New Jersey nurseries that
unintentionally distributed the scale the credit of doing all in its power
to enable infested points to be discovered; for the Parry Brothers have
always furnished, on request, complete lists of all their customers in the
States from which the requests came; and lately the Lovett Nursery
has found that this was the best policy for them as well. I can not say
that my requests to nurseries in other States who have sent scale into
New Jersey have been equally well treated.

I have in the past called attention to the fact that the line formed by
the red shale in New Jersey was in a way a boundary which limited
the distribution of the scale, and have also detailed experiments which
seem to indicate that the shale itself had little or nothing to do with
their development—that is, it was not the character of the soil which

33

prevented the multiplication of the scale. This year my division of
the State has been broken into, not badly by any manner of means, but
sufficient to demonstrate that it was not the shale; but some other fac-
tor which limited the spread of the insect and resulted in keeping the
northern half almost free.

Here the introduction of the scale from other States has assumed
cousiderable importance. Throughout the southern half of the State,
using that term very roughly to indicate everything below Middlesex
and Monmouth counties, the orchardists have been chiefly supplied by
the Parrys and the Lovett Nursery; but some also by a small nursery
near Mount Holly, which has no foreign trade and need not be specified
therefore for the protection of out of-State orchardists. This little
nursery has, in a way, done more harm than either of the larger ones,
because its very insignificance enabled it to escape detection at the
beginning. While, on the other hand, the energy of its proprietor has
made it an important factor, because he did much personal canvassing
and secured many orders which were difficult to trace up later on.

North of the counties above mentioned almost all the stock found
infested has come from other States. This again has been in some
respects fortunate, because in no case has the infestation extended
beyond the orchard in which it was originally received, and curiously
enough the insect has been unusually fatal op the infested trees and
shrubs. Fifty thousand currant bushes were received by oue dealer
from northern New York, a region where the scale is not officially known
to exist. The nursery had a certificate, and the stock escaped inspec-
tion in New Jersey for that reason. It was discovered within a year
after it uad been set out, and what was left has been since destroyed.
So far as I have been able to learn there has been no spread from this
point of infestation into the immediate vicinity, but some of the stock
had been sold into other States before the trouble was discovered. The
hurseryman immediately notified all his customers for this stock and
offered to replace it if that previously sent was destroyed. In almost
every case he was invited to duplicate his order, but there is no proof
that the stock previously sent had been really taken out.

It was with some surprise that I received a few badly infested speci-
mens from Somerset County, N. J., in June, and on investigation found
a Small peach orchard which had been almost utterly killed out by the
scale. It is one of those unfortunate cases where the owner of the
iarm lives in another State and gets a new tenant almost every year,
so that it is practically nobody’s business to look after the condition of
the place. We are on the red shale here sure enough, and there can
be no question now that the character of the soil, or rather the pres-
ence of red shale, does not serve to check the insect; but fortunately
here also the scale seems not to have spread from the original point of
infestation. An appeal to reason and a slight indication that the
powers of the law would be invoked, if reason was not successful, was

7184—No. 17——3

34

sufficient to induce the owner to order out the infested orchard. A
large proportion of the trees came from Dansville, N. Y., and were
peach trees probably not grown by the nurseryman who sold them.
This gentleman held a certificate, and on being notified of the condition
of affairs has evinced a considerable amount of fear lest his name
should be mentioned in this connection. A number of apple and pear
trees on the same farm also proved to be scaly, and these came from
Long Island, from a nursery known to be infested by the insect.

In Warren County, N. J., | have found three points in which the
scale is, or rather was present, and most of the stock there came from
Alabama. The nursery from which this stock was sent out also has a
certificate, and I presume the stock that is sent out at the present time
is at least as good as that received by us in New Jersey.

I have found several other cases in other localities where the scale is
traceable, without any doubt, to other than New Jersey nurseries, and
two of these cases are among the worst we have. Here the infestation
came on Duchess pears from Geneva and Rochester.

I do not have to tell most of the members of this association one of
the secrets of the nursery business, for those certainly, who have had
to do with inspecting nurseries, know about it tolerably well. You
know that almost every nurseryman has a specialty which he has
learned to grow to the best advantage or for which his land is peculi-
arly adapted, and that he buys almost everything else; he may have
200 or 300 acres in nursery stock, and it may be chiefly one particular
kind of fruit, though in his catalogue hundreds of varieties are listed.
In New Jersey we grow peaches—I was going to say for the world, but
certainly for a large part of the United States. Our annual crop of
these nursery trees runs far above the million, and many of them are
sold as home-grown stock by dealers in other States. I have reason to
believe that some of the trees that went out of the State with my cer-
tificate came back into it with one bearing quite another name. One
nursery alone in Mercer County had one and one-half millions of trees
in 1897, of which either one-half or three-fourths of a million became
available that season, the number each year depending somewhat upon
the fluctuations of trade. We raise, of course, in our State a large
number of other fruit trees, but in a general way it may be said that
most of our apple and pear trees (Kieffers excepted) come from the
North. Most of our Kieffers come from the South and nearly all our
plums come from that region. Almost all the plum trees of recent
setting that have been found to be infested in New Jersey have been
grown in Southern States, though they may have been sold by New
Jersey nurserymen.

During the past year there have been received in New Jersey under
certificate scaly trees from Florida, Alabama, Maryland, New York,
and Pennsylvania.

It is not intended to make it areproach to the gentleman who signed
these certificates that this was the case, for I am perfectly well aware

batts teat

35

that some scaly trees have gone out from New Jersey with my certificate
attached. Ido not believe that I saw all these trees; in fact, I know
that some were bought by the nursoryman who sent them out. But, on
the other hand, I would not feel particularly guilty if it were proved
that I had really been in some of the blocks from which the scaly trees
were taken. I have no objection to admitting to an assemblage of this
kind my belief that in a lot of 250,000 peach trees in full foliage a few
may escape my observation, even if they are scaly.

When we come to the point where the nurseryman puts his certificate
on all the stock that he sends out irrespective of where it is grown, of
course the danger of scaly stock vetting out under certificate becomes
the greater. One New York nurscryman sent his tags with printed
certificate to his correspondent in Pennsylvania, and this correspondent
filled directly all orders for the particular stock grown by him. All
parcels were tagged from the supply furnished and all bore printed
certificates, though the only stock actually examined was growing in
Wayne County, N. Y.

This is perhaps wandering a littlo from my subject, but it is in some
measure necessary, because it is important to indicate the fact that
limiting the scale distribution, even in a State where it is known to
exist, is by no means an easy task, because the sources of infestation
are SO numerous and may be in localities of which no suspicion has
been entertained. It may also serve as a hint to some of my good
friends who have said uncomplimentary things of New Jersey that
their work of locating the scale is not all done when all who have been
supplied from that State have been visited.

Almost all, if not all, the nurserymen in what may be termed the
nursery district of central and northern New York have certificates,
yet there is no doubt that thousands of scaly trees have been sent out
by them and not a few into New Jersey, else I could not speak of the
matter so positively. These trees will not, as a rule, be particularly
examined when the question of the presence of scale arises, because
the locality is not under suspicion, and only when it becomes so bad
that the condition of the trees arrests the attention of the grower will
they be brought to the attention of the entomologist. It goes without
saying that in a region of small farms, where almost every one contains
some fruit trees, personal inspection of all of them is hardly feasible.

It is therefore impossible for me to say with certainty that I know
all the infested points in our State, but I think that I know sufficient
to speak of the general distribution. In no State has so much litera-
ture relating to the scale been so generally distributed; in no State do
farmers’ institutes reach so large a proportion of farmers; in no State
is it easier to reach every locality by rail within a few hours, and in no
State has there been a more systematic effort to learn, by correspond-
ence and personal visits, the exact location of infested orchards. There
have been published in the past maps showing the general distribution
of the scale in the United States, and these give, quite unintentionally,

&

36

no doubt, yet very effectually, an erroneous idea of the condition of
affairs with us. Compared with the rest of the United States, New
Jersey shows only as a very little odd corner. Usually a rather prom-
inent, easily seen black spot or blotch is used to represent a scale
location, half a dozen of which will go very comfortably into Ohio or
Illinois; but when you come to put ten or a dozen of them into New
Jersey there is nothing left of the State. This gives us a very ugly
showing, yet when the infestation is actually marked in some DED ets
tion to the size of our State the situation is not quite so bad.

It is for this reason that I call your attention to the accompanying
map.’ You will see that in a general way there are two, possibly three,
scale districts. One of them, and much the larger, extends along the
Delaware from a little south of Kinkora almost to Camden. The stretch
is perhaps 25 miles, and every township in this stretch may be said to
be scaly. The points from which this region became infested are
Parry and Mount Holly, and therefore there is a greater circle around
both of those places than there is in any other direction. This stretch
is the most dangerous, because of the number of villages with gardens
which it contains, and the consequent number of persons to be dealt
with.

The second districtis along the Monmouth shore, and has for its cen-
ter of distribution Little Silver. Nearly all the growers in that district
purchased their trees from the Lovett Company, which was the largest
nursery in that vicinity, and therefore we have here another pretty gen-
erally infested territory. I have marked the points actually known
here, but there are probably more in the same general locality. There
is, however, more clear than infested fruit land in each case. It is in
the Delaware River territory that the scale has escaped into woodland.

These are the only real centers that exist in New Jersey. In most of
the other points only one or two isolated orchards are known to exist,
and in some cases less than half‘a dozen trees. The possible third
district is in Atlantic County, where from Egg Harbor City to Pomona
there are more infested orchards than at any one other point, save the
two previously limited. You will see that there is a point in Cumber-
land County, at Vineland, and another at Bridgeton; but so far as I
am aware there is no extension from the original point of infestation in
either case. In Vineland the infested trees were in a city garden, and
I believe that they have been taken out. Near Salem, in Salem County,
there is an orchard of about 150 small trees infested; at Shiloh three
infested trees were taken out and destroyed; at Tuckahoe a few south-
ern plums were killed, and at Glassboro a lot of New York Duchess
trees are infested. Aside from that, the entire southern region in New
Jersey bordering on Delaware River and Bay is uninfested. I found
some scaly trees at Hammonton, and on the faith of a report have marked

! nee map of Noe nomen haw ing ae: eeten districts, exawieds in connec-
tion with paper.

37

Winslow as scaly, though I have not received actual specimens. Pos-
sibly there may be more infested trees than I know in Hammonton gar-
dens, but | am sure the orchards are not infested to any extent, because
they are usually so well kept that the insect would have reached me ere
this were it present. There is said to be some infestation in the vicinity
of Trenton; but I have never been able to find it, and the report rests
on rumor more than on positive evidence. In Middlesex County there
are two badly infested orchards near Prospect Plains, but they are
somewhat isolated, and I do not believe that there has been any spread
from them. A careful canvass of the territory between Hightstown
and Jamesburg failed to show any other points save one, where three
scaly Alabama plum trees were ordered and taken out. There is also
a point of infestation in New Brunswick; but this is in my own garden
and intentionally established, and therefore I do not feel that there is
any very great danger from that point. In fact, the beasts are so nearly
exterminated now that I am afraid to make more experiments for the
present lest the stock be completely exhausted. Near Elizabeth, in
Union County, a lot of 50,000 scaly currants were introduced from New
York State; but I believe that this has been entirely rooted out, though
I have left the blue mark present. In the back gardens of Jersey City
Heights and extending northward for some little distance the scale is
distributed, and this infestation appears again at Hackensack, where
there is one point, and at Paterson, where there is another. At Mont-
clair some of the gardens have scaly trees which are dying or being
taken out. I have received samples of scale from the vicinity of Mor-
ristown, in Morris County; but am informed that the insects died out
without any effort on the part of the owners of the trees. Near Bed-
minster, Somerset County, there is one infested orchard which has been
already referred to, where all the_trees came from New York State.
This orchard has been taken out, but the region, of course, is under

- suspicion at the present time, and I am trying to locate other trees sold

by the same agent. Finally, there are three points in Warren County
where each infestation is confined to a very small district, and in two
cases this came from a lot of plum trees that was received from one of
the Southern States. The trees were sold by a local nurseryman, and
most of them died the spring after they were set out. <A few of them
are yet living in one orchard near Washington, where several are
infested by the scale. At both the other points the infested trees were
so few in number that the owner had no hesitation in digging them out.
The complete destruction of the infestation at Delaware I verified
myself only a few days ago.

Now, if you will compare the scaly district as it actually exists with
the actual size of the State you will see that it is rather unfair to
charge against us such a general infestation as should act as a deter-
rent to all purchasers of fruit trees. A number of our tree growers
have suffered severely from the loose charges made against our State,

38
and on the other hand the desire to save a few pennies has induced
men from the very State where warnings against New Jersey were
most urgent to buy largely of the most discredited of all our dealers.

I can speak of the effect of the scale only as I have seen it in New
Jersey. We have had it with us as long as it has been anywhere in
the East, perhaps longer, if we have distributed it so generally as it is
charged. It is certain that some of the orchards now infested have
been scaly for nearly ten years. I speak for New Jersey only; but,
except in the case of young plum and pear and peach trees generally,
many of these are very little the worse for their infestation. Some
hedges of Japanese quince at Moorestown are simply swarming with
the insects, yet they were up to this spring, when I last saw them,
quite as flourishing as those that are free; and a number of other plants
show little or no ill effects.

It seems also to be almost probable that the scale is to some extent
losing vitality with us. It is not nearly so bad on some old infested
trees that have never been treated as it was three years ago. Whether
this is due to the fact that the trees themselves are developing a resist-
ing power, or that the climate is taking hold of the insects, it is certain
that a smaller proportion of them survive, and also that the broods are
decreasing in number. This was marked to some extent last year, and
it is still more marked during the present season. .

Heretofore the second brood was found hatching in great abundance
before the middle of July. This year it was rare to find a full-grown
scale of the first brood ready to reproduce before the 20th. In fact, a
careful examination made of a badly-infested orchard on August 5
showed that there was not, even then, any general hatching that would
cover a tree with a mass of the second brood of young. There was
quite a number of larve and there were a few recently set seales, but
there was none of that general hatching that was noticeable in previous
seasons. In fact the August 5 status in 1898, with much more favor-
able weather, was behind that of July 15, 1897. Another feature that
deserves some attention in this connection is that where an orchard is
treated at all it seems to check development as well as to kill a very
large percentage of the larve that set on a treated tree. This is par-
ticularly true where kerosene has been used, for here the majority that
survive the treatment never get beyond the white stage.

The subject of remedies is not a part of my present essay. The sub-
ject of distribution carries with it the question of increase or decrease,
and I am happy to be able to say positively that there is a very general
decrease in the amount of scale in New Jersey as compared with the
two years last passed. I do not mean to say that at any one point
where many large trees were badly infested the scale has become en-
tirely exterminated. I do mean to say that a number of heretofore
badly infested orchards have been so far cleared that the scale does no
mischief, and that their owners understand the subject sufficiently well

aide » 2

3”

to prevent the insect from ever causing them any additional injury.
The two nurseries that originally distributed the scales are practically
clean, and their arrangements for growing stock at the present time are
such that I believe that material received from them is about as safe as
that received from any district where scale has ever been known to
exist. There is no doubt that in the Delaware Valley region the scale
has run away. I have every reason to believe, however, that where
it has run into wild land it is meeting sufficient natural checks to pre-
vent its doing any particular harm to the vegetation that it infests. I
am not sure that this escape will not prove to bea benefit for the reason
that natural enemies can breed here undisturbed, and if there is such
a thing as mastering it these enemies wili in due time find their way
into our infested orchards. I do not believe it possible to say definitely
that any district in which a sealy tree has once stood for an entire
season is completely free from the scale. It is known to all who have
had any practical experience that it is just as easy for a bird to carry
larvee a mile as it is to carry it from one tree to another. Probably
most of you have also had the experience of finding isolated or even
half a dozen scales on several adjacent trees from which no young had
ever hatched. This was due, of course, to the fact that only one sex
had been transferred or that the two sexes were so widely separated on
the tree that the male could not find the female.

I have been carrying on an elaborate series of experiments during
the present summer in the direction of controlling or destroying the
Scales, and these are resulting very satisfactorily. The season, how-
ever, .s not sufficiently far advanced to give results that may be consid-
ered in any way final.

Mr. Johnson followed with a paper entitled:

| HYDROCYANIC ACID GAS AS A REMEDY FOR THE SAN JOSE SCALE
AND OTHER INSECTS.

By WILLIs G. JOHNSON, College Park, Md.

After a preliminary inspection of the orchards and nurseries upon
my arrival in Maryland, I found such an alarming condition of affairs
that I deemed it advisable to begin my experimental operations with
hydrocyanic acid gas without delay, as I had plenty of material upon
which to work. Accordingly, in November, 1896, after constructing a
fumigatorium, 1 began my experiments upon badly infested peach,
plum, pear, apple, and nectarine stock direct from the nursery, and
one-year old pear, plum, and apple trees from the orchard. Many pre-
liminary tests were necessary, using the potassium cyanide from 0.12
to 0.25 grams per cubic foot of air space inclosed. The time of exposure
was also varied from fifteen to sixty minutes.

40

By these tests we concluded (1) that nursery stock and young trees
of one and two years old to be replanted should be exposed to the
gas for thirty minutes or longer and (2) that from 0.18 to 0.25 grams of
potassium cyanide should be used for every cubic foot of air space
inclosed. On large bearing trees 0.20 grams of cyanide gave us the
best results.

At first the amount of acid we used was the same as the cyanide,
while the water was three times that quantity. We followed this for-
mula, as it had been generally used and recommended in California and
by the United States Department of Agriculture at Washington. Our.
results however were not satisfactory. The cyanide in all cases did not
act as it should, and the residue was at times blackish instead of being
bluish or milky. We then began a series of experiments to determine
the relative amounts of acid and water to use with a given amount of
cyanide in order to get the best possible results. At last we observed
that our results were satisfactory where we used a half more acid than
eyanide and a half more water than acid. In other words, if I used 2
ounces of cyanide I would require 3 ounces of acid and 44 ounces of
water.

Having concluded these tests, Il again began my work upon young
trees in March, 1897, and continued it until April 15 of that year. All
the trees used for these experiments were badly infested, and after
fumigation were set out in an isolated field and watched carefully
throughout the spring, summer, and fall of 1897 and spring of 1898.
Up to the present time I am happy to report not a living scale has
been detected upon any trees except those used for checks, all of which
were destroyed June 7, 1897, at which time the first young appeared.
~ So conclusive and satisfactory were these results, I was prompted to
begin an extensive experiment in a nine-year-old pear orchard the fall
of 1897. My equipment, perhaps the most extensive of the kind ever
gotten together in the Hast, consisted of twelve tents Two of these
were kindly loaned by Dr. L. O. Howard, United States Entomologist,
two more were bought by the Maryland Experiment Station, and eight
were secured through the generosity of Capt. Robert S. Emory, one of
Maryland’s most successful and enterprising fruit growers. With this
equipment of tents, 150 pounds of cyanide, and 3 carboys of sulphuric
acid I began an experiment full of almost insurmountable difficulties.
Although successful upon citrus trees in California, it was an open
question whether the gas method could be used economically and to
advantage in deciduous orchards in the East and South, where climatic
and local conditions are very different. Anxious to settle this question
beyond all doubt, I set out to determine the following points:

(1) The physiological effect of the gas upon the tree.

(2) The effect of the gas upon the San Jose scale.

(3) The practical utility of this method in large growing orchards in
the East and South during all kinds of weather conditions.

To determine the first two points many preliminary experiments were

Al

necessary, and when these were finished the third point was taken up
and continued from October 16 to November 27, 1897.

The orchard chosen for these operations belongs to Mr. Emory, and con-
tains about 2,500 nine-year old dwarf Bartlett pear trees, which had
become infested with the scale from an adjoining young Lawson pear
orchard. All the trees were full of foliage. The scales were breeding
and active, and, taking it all in all, the conditions could not have been
more favorable for my experiments. The preliminary tests were begun
September 27, 1897, and continued at all hours of the day and at night,
and were finished October 1. '

These tests.show conclusively—

(1) That the gas is not injurious to foliage during sunshiny days, late
in the fall, between 9 a.m. and 4p.m. In every instance where trees
were treated between these hours, the foliage was singed. In several
instances it was perfectly brown, looking much like the effects resulting
from a heavy frost. One important point was noted, however, that the
leaf petioles were blackened about two-thirds their length, the base

being perfectly green, and, therefore, the leaves fell readily a few weeks

later. Another point that should be noted in this place, is the fact
that the function of the foliage had been performed; consequently, we
used the gas much stronger than we would have done at any other
season when the trees were in full foliage.

(2) That the dormant leaf and fruit buds on the trees treated with
gas sufficient to turn the leaves brown in the fall are not injured.

(3) That leaves which have heen injured by the gas fall readily and
do not remain clinging to the tree.

(4) That trees treated in the morning before 9 and in the afternoon
after 4 have the foliage very little affected by the gas.

(5) That trees treated at night with very strong doses of gas do not
have the foliage, dormant leaf, and fruit buds affected at all, even where

double the amount of gas ordinarily used is generated.

(6) That the San Jose scale is entirely destroyed by the gas when

applied during a calm, sunny, or cloudy day.

(7) That the cost of treatment, aside from the equipment, is less than

for whale-oil soap.

(8) That the gas can not be used when the foliage is wet with dew,

fog, or immediately after a rain.
(9) That the gas can not be used with tents upon trees under 5 feet
in height with satisfactory results. |

In order that I might report the definite and final results of these
experiments, I made a careful examination of every tree in the orchard
on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Where there were hundreds
and thousands of scales breeding on the trees at this time last year
not one can be found now, except upon trees under 5 feet in height and
those fumigated when the foliage was wet with dew or fog, or imme-
diately after a rain, and even on these trees the young larve are very

42

few as compared with their numbers at this time last year. Where the
fruit was much pitted and scarred by the scale last year not one has
been seen upon a pear thus far this season.

In all, the experiment is thoroughly satisfactory, in that it demon-
strates by actual trial that this method can be used in our largest bear-
ing orchards, even under the most adverse conditions, with excellent
results.

I do not recommend the adoption of this method to the average fruit
grower; it must be in the hands of an expert, thoroughly familiar with
the process in every detail and the conditions which insure success.
Where the scale is confined to a few trees under 15 feet in height it is
the most effective remedy for its suppression.

The gas can also be used in the spring in peach, plum, and apple
orchards, after the buds have begun to unfold. A block of one hun-
dred six-year old plum trees at Annapolis Junction was fumigated
March 17 and 18, 1898, and up to the present time not a living scale has
been found upon any trees, except those sprayed with 50 and 100 per
cent gasolene. The trees in this orchard were very badly infested, the
most of them being so literally covered it was impossible to see the
bark at any point on the trunk and larger branches.

Other experiments were conducted in scale infested bearing orchards
in May, June, and July, the results of which can not be finally reported

at this time, except that no living scales have been found upon any of

the fumigated trees.

Much encouraged by the outcome of these experiments, I have
applied this method to other insects. Experiments were conducted
upon the Euonymus scale (Chionaspis euonymi) December 16, 1897,
with most excellent results. The shrubs were very large, some of them
being 10 to 12 feet in height and from 6 to 8 feet in diameter. They
were literally covered with the scale, and seven of them had been killed,
while seven others were still alive. ~

The treatment was the same as used in the orchard, and not a ine
insect has been detected this season.

The apple-leaf aphis (Aphis malz), being very bad in Maryland in one-
year, two-year, and three-year old orchards this spring, I began some
experiments to see if this method could not be applied for its destruce-
tion, as it was practically impossible to reach the insects with any
spray on account of the curled and folded leaves. Trees covered with
tents in the direct sunshine (95° F.), and fumigated for five mE eee
were not injured in the least, and all the lice were killed.

Two-year peach trees badly infested with the black peach aphis (A.
prunicola) were treated and exposed in the same manner with identi-
cally the same results.

Three-year and four-year old pear and cherry trees, being defoliated
by the slug, were successfully treated; but it required a longer expo-
sure. Ten minutes killed all insects, but the foliage was also injured,
and I would not recommend its use.

43

Aside from outdoor work, hydrocyanic acid gas has, in my opinion, a
great future for the destruction of insects in grain bins and ware-
houses. It has been suecessfully applied to greenhouses infested with
insects, and can be used to good advantage, even in private houses,
against household pests. I predict a great future for this substance
in entomological science.

An illustrated detailed account of these experiments is published as
Bulletin No. 57 of the Maryland Experiment Station.

Mr. Alwood pointed out the impossibility of determining with any
great certainty the actual distribution of the San Jose scale. He
stated that in Virginia he had found no difficulty in controlling this
insect. ‘The work had been undertaken promptly and energetically, all
infested stock being uprooted and burned and the rest disinfected by
fumigation. He claimed to have been the first to use hydrocyanic acid
gas, more particularly for disinfecting nursery stock, in the East, and
his results had been entirely satisfactory, following the formula given in
the reports of the Division of Entomology of the United States Depart-
ment of Agriculture. He had employed the gas very extensively and
expected to continue its use in the future. In Virginia this scale, he
said, was practically removed as a destructive factor in orchards.
Many infested orchards had been thoroughly freed from the scale with
the application of soap and kerosene, and others by fumigation. For
orchards he now uses the pure kerosene almost exclusively, and makes
the application at any time, thoroughly atomizing the liquid. Of hun-
dreds of trees treated none had been killed. The application had been
made at all seasons, but is preferably made in winter. In the fumiga-
tion of nursery stock he had buildings arranged with double compart-
ments, using the rooms in alternation, as a saving of time. Fumigation
is continued forty minutes, at the close of which an upper window and
a door are opened. The room is not entered until after the lapse of
ten minutes. The apple-root louse, Schizoneura lanigera, which is much
worse in Virginia than the San Jose scale in amount of damage occa-
sioned, he controls on nursery stock by fumigation in the same manner
as the San Jose scale.

Mr. Johnson gave a résumé of the distribution of the San Jose scale
in Maryland.

A general discussion followed, participated in by Messrs. Smith,
Marlatt, Hopkins, and others, on gas treatment, Mr. Johnson reading a
portion of a paper by himself relating to the effect of the gas on trees,
concluding with some notes on its effect on man and lower animals, and
particularly some experiments with a dog and chickens, all of which
illustrated the necessity for the greatest caution to avoid inhaling the
gas.

44

Mr. Smith commended the course of Mr. Johnson in not publishing
the names of nurserymen who were using their best efforts to extermi-
nate the scale and who were distributing none but sound stock.

Mr. Marlatt pointed out the necessity of knowing the absolute value
of the chemicals employed in the case of formulas requiring very
definite weights and amounts of the materials. He pointed out the
variability in the strength of potassiam cyanide, and that the strength
of sulphuric acid used is not indicated in the reports of experiments
made by Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Hopkins presented the following paper:

SOME NOTES ON OBSERVATIONS IN WEST VIRGINIA.
By A. D. Hopkins, Morgantown, W. Va.

THE SAN JOSE SCALE (Aspidiotus perniciosus) has attracted more
attention in West Virginia during the past two years than any other
of our common insect pests. It has been reported from numerous
new localities during the past year, many of which I have visited, but
only in three places had it multiplied and spread sufficiently to prove
destructive. One of these was a large orchard, said to contain 300
trees, near Van Clevesville, in Berkeley County, which was visited in
March, in company with Mr. Coquillett, of the Division of Entomology.
We found nearly all of the apple trees, the majority of which were ten
years old, completely incrusted from the roots to the terminal twigs, and
many trees were dead or dying. This orchard was, soon after our visit,
thoroughly sprayed with pure kerosene, several barrels having been used,
and applied quite liberally. I visited the orchard again on June 29,
when, after a thorough examination, only a few living scales were found.
These were on a few of the terminal twigs of but one tree. Some of the
trees showed no injurious effects of the treatment, while others were
quite seriously injured on one side, including the bark on the trunk
and branches. Upon inquiry, I learned that, owing to the way the wind
was blowing, only one side of the rows of trees could be sprayed during
the morning and middle of the day, and that the other side was sprayed
later in the evening, and a few of the trees just before a rain. The sides
sprayed first were not injured, while all that were sprayed later were,
some of them quite seriously.

The other two orchards in which the trees were killed by “ho scale
were found near Seymour, in Lewis County, both five years old from
planting. In one of 30 trees only 4 living trees remained, and, in
the other, of 75 trees, 9 had died. AlJl the remaining apple and peach
trees were literally covered with the scale. On the peach trees nearly
all of the scales appeared to be dead, while on some of the apple trees
the bark, leaves, and fruit were covered with moving and recently set-
tled young. The kerosene treatment was recommended for these trees,
but I have no information as to the result.

45

In all of the other orchards in which the scale was found, only a few
infested trees occurred, and on some of these most of the scales were
dead.

From what I have observed, I am confident that in the few localities
in the State in which the climatic and other conditions are favorable
for it to multiply rapidly, the pest can be quite easily controlled.

THE FORBES SCALE (Aspidiotus forbesi) appears to be widely dis-
tributed over the eastern portion of the State, since I have frequently
met with it there on apple and cherry, but only in one apple tree did I
find it in sufficient numbers to cause perceptible injury. I found that
one of the characteristic evidences of the presence of this scale is the
pitted condition of the infested bark and an absence of a purple con-
dition of the inner bark, beneath the scale.

THE ASPARAGUS BEETLE (OCrioceris asparagt) was collected near
Martinsburg, in Berkeley County, in June of the present year, where I
found it quite common in two market gardens, but so far as I learned
it had not been recognized by the gardeners as a pest. This is the first
record I have of the occurrence of the insect in West Virginia.

THE TIMOTHY BILL-BUG (Sphenophorus sculptilis)—This root and
stem borer has caused considerable damage in my timothy variety
plats during the past three or four years. The larve occurred in June
to September and the pupz and adults in August to October. From
what I have observed of the work of this species, I am confident that
it is one of the prime causes of the early failure of meadows so com-
monly complained of. It would also appear that the permanent injury
caused by this and other enemies of the roots of timothy can be largely
prevented by liberal applications of stable manure, tobacco dust, lime,
or other suitable fertilizer to the sod immediately after hay harvest.

A TIMOTHY LEAF-MINER also did considerable damage to the grow-
ing plant this season. An adult reared from one of the infested leaves
has been kindly determined for me by Mr. Coquillett as Odontocera
dorsalis.

THE CLOVER-SEED CHALCIDID (Brucophagus funebris).—Additional
evidence obtained from the study of all stages of this insect, together
with some observations on its habits, seems to leave no doubt that this
interesting little Chalcidid is a destructive enemy of the seed of crim-
son and common red clover. I also determined that it passes the win-
ter in the seed left in the open field, evidently in the larval stage. The
injury to clover seed mentioned by Dr. Lintner in his Eleventh Report,
page 152, as that of Grapholitha intersinctana was evidently caused by
this Chalcidid, which at the time his report was prepared had not been
recognized as a clover-seed pest. The parties sending the damaged
seed to him refer to it as being “hulled out like beans eaten by bugs,”
which is the characteristic appearance of seed from which the insect
has emerged. |

A6

A ROSE APHID PARASITE (Ephedrus incompletus) was found to be
quite effective in keeping the rose aphids in check in the rose house at
the experiment station. I found it on March 19, 1897, and when,
according to my request, the ordinary remedies of fumigation and the
application of tobacco dust was discontinued, it rapidly multiplied and
soon succeeded in keeping the aphids sufficiently reduced to prevent
injury to the plant. The aphids infested by the parasites change in
color to a deep black, instead of a brown, as is usually the case when
infested with parasites. The species was kindly determined for me by
Mr. Ashmead. |

THE SPRUCE GALL MITE (Chermes abietis) has been observed on
cultivated Norway and other spruces at Morgantown, and on the native
black spruce, both in the northern and southern sections of the spruce
area of the State. In some cases it had apparently caused the death of
small trees, and in the northern part of the State, near the Pennsy]l-
vania line, it was reported as being very common and destructive in
the summers of 1890 and 1892.

CERAMBYCID AND BUPRESTID BEETLES, BREEDING IN SEASONED
HICKORY.—One of the interesting results obtained from the insectary
described in my former paper is that relating to Cerambycid and
Buprestid beetles, developing broods three years in succession in one
lot of hickory placed in the breeding room in 1896. The material was
from trees cut twice a month and oftener during 1895. In 1896 a large
number of beetles and their parasites and predaceous enemies emerged
from the wood. In 1897 a larger number of the wood borers and fewer
of their enemies appeared, and again this year quite as many beetles
emerged as in 1896, but scarcely any parasitic or predaceous enemies
appeared. I supposed at first that the late arrivals were simply the |
result of retarded development of the larve, due to the seasoned con-
dition of the wood, but, upon an examination of the material, I found
that sections of the wood which were not infested when placed in the
house, had yielded quite as many, and in some cases more than those
that were. I made still further examination in August, 1898, and found
that the wood and bark were infested with young and quite active larve.
The principal species which have emerged during the three years are
as follows: Cyllene picta, Xylotrechus colonus, Neoclytus erythrocephalus,
and Crysobothris femorata.

LYMEXYLON SERICEUM.—On June 29, 1897, three females and one
male of this rare beetle were cut from a living chestnut tree near my
home. I have never collected this insect, except from its galleries in
the tree, and there appears to be only a few days in June of each year
that they can be had in this manner. This is about the time the first
chestnut flowers appear. While I have no additional data to that
mentioned in previous papers, I am convinced that the larve of this
species live several years before changing to adults. This is evident
trom the fact that when adults are found in the trees, all stages of

47

larvee are also found, from quite small to nearly matured. A long
period of development would also account for the rarity of this, one
of the most destructive insects of chestnut and red oak timber.

EUPSALIS MINUTA DESTRUCTIVE TO STAVE TIMBER.—On July 10,

1897, I received specimens of wood, from white oak stave bolt, from a
cooperage company in St. Louis, Mo., with the statement that the wood
was infested with so-called ‘seed bugs,” which was causing serious loss
to the stave and cooperage industries. Another larger section of a
bolt was received on July 30,in which numerous specimens of very
young Brenthid larve were found, making microscopic holes entirely
through the bolt. Previous observations of the habits of Hupsalis
minuta made it plain to me that the larve might be either in the wood
of the tree before it was felled, or the eggs deposited after the bolts
had been split and piled. Upon further inquiry it was learned that
the timber was cut in the winter and spring and left in ricks in the
woods until they could be hauled to shipping points during the spring
and summer. Thus the ricks of unseasoned wood were naturally both
in a position and condition to attract the beetle for oviposition. It was
found that the young, almost microscopic larve, excavated their bur-
rows directly across the grain of the wood in such a manner as to ren-
der it worthless for the purpose for which it was intended. The remedy,
or rather preventive, recommended was to commence cutting the tim-
ber late in the summer and early fall, and endeavor to have the bolts
hauled out of the woods before the middle of April, or, if this could
not be done, to have the timber split into smaller dimensions and piled
so it would be partly dried before the beetles commenced to deposit
their eggs in the spring. Keeping the bolts in ponds or streams, or
spraying them with strong brine was also recommended, when it was
necessary to keep the timber in the woods during the time the beetles
were flying.
- This insect has since been found in stave timber in West Virginia,
and from what I have observed and the information I have obtained,
the loss occasioned by this so-called ‘‘seed bug” aggregates many thou-
sands of dollars each year in this and other States, which, it is believed,
can be largely prevented by slight changes in methods of cutting and
handling timber. The work of two or three species of Ambrosia beetles
was also observed in the wood sent from St. Louis, and that observed
in West Virginia.

SCOLYTID INJURIES ''0 WHISKY AND VINEGAR BARRELS.—My atten-
tion has recently been called to the fact that some insect boring in the
staves of whisky and vinegar barrels causes considerable loss from
leakage. The character of the specimens of work I have examined
indicates that this trouble is caused by species of the genera Xyleborus
and Monarthrum.

BUPRESTID LARVA DESTRUCTIVE TO LIVING WHITE PINE TIMBER.—
On Decemer 1, 1897, while making some investigations in the white

48.

pine forests near Crow, Raleigh County, I found that portions of the
trunks of some of the largest and finest looking white pine trees were
rendered worthless by the work of a large Buprestid larva, which had
entered the living wood from eggs deposited in slight wounds in the
bark. They mine in all directions through the heartwood, causing it
to become completely honeycombed, and finally resulting in the total
destruction of the heartwood from decay. Some full-grown larve
and fragments of an adult were found which were sufficient to identify
it as a very large species, probably closely allied to Chalcophora virgin-
iensis. The large woodpecker, Campephilus principalis, appears to be

fond of the larvee, since in some living trees infested by this insect I

found large, square holes, some of them 3 by 5 inches at the surface
and 5 inches deep.

PERIODICAL CICADA, CICADA SEPTENDECIM.—The appearance of a
swarm of Brood XV over the larger part of the State in May and June,
1897, enabled me to obtain much additional information regarding the
distribution of this and other broods in the State. It appears from such
data as I have collected that we have at least eight broods in West
Virginia, namely: Broods XV, XVII, XX, XXI, XXII, V, VIII, XI.
It was also found that the Cicada did far greater harm to old apple
trees than was heretofore supposed, owing to the wounds made by the
female in the terminal twig failing to heal, also to the fact that the
woolly aphis often inhabits the wounds and prevents them from healing,
both on young and old trees.!

Some evidence derived from the study of the phenological features
as related to the periodical Cicada, and certain widely distributed forest
trees, makes it seem probable that the dates of the periodical appear-
ance of the different swarms of the Cicada is governed by the same
phenological laws as those governing the periodical phenomena of
plants. Consequently, the first general appearance of the insect in any
given locality will probably correspond closely to the first general
appearance of leaves and flowers on certain plants, as with the first
flowers of the yellow or black locust, tulip tree, wild cherry, etc.

I was also led to conclude from a study of phenological and tempera-
ture data that there is quite a uniform period of three to four days
difference in the periodical phenomena of insects and plants for each
degree of difference in the normal temperature of April to September,
inclusive, between two or more near by or distant places.

This evidence led to a study of the temperature data of this and
adjoining States, and especially that relating to the Appalachian pro-
vince, in order to determine the rates of difference in normal tempera-
tures at different elevations and degrees of latitude.

From the information thus obtained, I formulated rules and tables for
the approximate determination of the sum of heat, or normal tem-
perature of the season of growth and reproduction at any place in the

' Bulletin No. 50, West Virginia Experiment Station.

& my Fe -
ee ae ee ee ae tet

49

State, without the aid of meteorological instruments. By comparing
the normals obtained by this method with those recorded at our princi
pal meteorological stations it has been shown that where the local con-
ditions are similar there is but very little difference between the
estimated. and recorded normals. Indeed, it is believed that the nor-
mals obtained by this method are quite as useful in furnishing evidence
for the determination of life zone areas and boundaries as is voluntary
meteorological data, which at best is far too meager for the purpose, and
often entirely unreliable. The method I have adopted for estimating
the normal temperature of a place may be briefly outlined as follows:

The recorded daily temperatures, or sum of heat, from April to Sep-
tember, inclusive, for a long series of years, at a given meteorological
station at the southern boundary of the State, is reduced to sea level
by adding the degrees of temperature due to altitude. The normal
temperature of the same period at any other place in the State is then
taken to be equal to the degrees of temperature due to the elevation of
the place above sea level and the degrees and minutes of latitude north
of the station, minus the reduced normal. This gives an approximate
normal, which may be subsequently corrected for local influences of
soil, exposure, river valleys, etc., by phenological and biological records
compared with similar records at another place of known normal tem-
perature. The table I have prepared, to show the calculated, or esti-
mated, normals for each 200-foot contour of elevation in belts of 15/ of
latitude across the State between latitudes 37° 15’ and 40° 45’, pre-
sents some interesting evidence of the normal temperature of different
sections of the State and the range and boundaries of the life zones, so
far as determined by laws of temperature. It indicates that the nor-
mal temperature of the season of growth and reproduction in West
Virginia ranges from 69.4° at the lowest southern elevations to 53.3° at
the highest elevations. It also shows that the boundaries between the
several life zones do not follow regular contours of elevation, but so far
as determined by temperature, they rise southward at an average rate
of about 100 feet for each 15’ of latitude.

In the discussion of this paper Mr. Smith called attention to the fact
that in the use of kerosene Mr. Hopkins’s experience conformed with
his own in New Jersey and was quite at variance with those obtained
by Mr. Johnson in Maryland. He suggested the setting aside of an
hour for the discussion of the subject of the use of kerosene. No action
was taken, but an informal discussion followed, participated in by
Messrs. Johnson, Alwood, Smith, Marlatt, Osborn, and Howard. The
discussion was of considerable importance, and a statement has been
obtained from most of the participants, detailing their remarks sub-
stantially as given, as follows:

7184—No, 17——4

50

Mr. Alwood stated that he had used kerosene for two years, spraying
it upon the plants undiluted, and his results have,in the main been
very satisfactory. Where he used it himself with proper caution he
never killed a plant of any kind; and in most cases where he advised
others to use it the results have been very good, with few exceptions.
One of the most marked of these exceptions he had happened to examine
immediately after the treatment had been completed, and the trees had
been completely drenched with the kerosene, so that it flowed down the
trunks in quantity; the result was that the trees were killed. These
trees consisted of about twenty full-grown bearing peach trees and
three pear trees which had been two years set. The treatment was
applied in the fall just as the foliage was maturing. In one notable
instance, a fruit grower applied the kerosene under his instructions to
several hundred Japanese plum and Kieffer pears in the spring just as
the buds were beginning to open and not a tree was killed or percepti-
bly injured, yet the San Jose scale was almost entirely destroyed by
the one application. On partof these trees the treatment was repeated
about two weeks later when they were coming into bloom; yet no harm
resulted from this second application. Where the second application
was given he had for the past two seasons been unable to find a live
seale. During the past spring he had had treated under his direction,
but not by trained men, a large number of premises, including small
house grounds and orchards of considerable size, with the result that at

this date not a single case where the trees were killed has been reported

to him. On the contrary, every report has been favorable. The appli-
cations were made during the entire spring, beginning when the trees
were still dormant and continuing until they were in full bloom, and
included all varieties of fruit trees, pears, peaches, plums, and apples.
In some cases the treatment was applied purposely when the trees were
in full bloom to see whether it would have any effect upon the setting
of the fruit or upon the trees themselves. The man who had done this
work reported that up to the present time absolutely no harm had been
done to the trees, and part of them had been inspected by Mr. Alwood,
and he was unable to discover any injury whatever. In Montgomery
County and at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, he had a large num-
ber of trees treated both with pure kerosene and with dilutions ranging
from 15 to 50 per cent kerosene, and where the application has been
made with proper weather conditions and in @ cautious manner, no
harm has resulted; but where he purposely had the work done in dark
or stormy weather, or had the application repeated either the same day
or within a few days, the result had been harmful, and in some cases
the plants have been destroyed. But in all the work that has come
under his personal observation, including all classes of fruit trees, where
the applications have been made in a properly atomized spray under
proper weather conditions, no injury has resulted, and the San Jose
scale has been, as a rule, destroyed by the one application. In fact, he

51

could not remember any case in which the spray had been applied under
his personal direction where it had failed to destroy the scale. The
applications in his work have been made with a blast atomizer, such as
is illustrated in his bulletin, No. 74, of the State experiment station of
Virginia, or with the Deming pumps, using their mixing apparatus for
the diluted applications, and for the pure applications the Vermorel
nozzle, with one-twentieth-inch aperture. He added that in one
instance he had an entire nursery sprayed with kerosene early in the
present summer, and that no harm resulted except to a few rows where
a storm came up before the kerosene had evaporated. These were
somewhat burned, but at this date the fact can not be noticed, and the
stock is in as good condition as the rest of the nursery. He intends
pushing work with pure kerosene the coming fall and winter.

Mr. Smith said that his experience since the last meeting in the use
of kerosene had been, on the whole, extremely favorable, many barrels
of the material having been used in New Jersey during the winter of
1897-98, and in general with very good success. One correspondent
sprayed his entire orchard once in January, and part of the worst
infested trees had been sprayed the preceding September. The twice
treated trees were pears, and they bore a fair crop this year, while the
scales were so reduced in number that only a few could be found during
September of this year. Several hundred peach trees were sprayed in
January, and these included trees that had been set out in the spring
- of 1897, and all ages from that up to bearing trees. Of the bearing
trees none were injured, and they bore a full crop this year. The trees
are in excellent condition as a rule, although there has been consider-
able rot and some yellows. ‘The scale is still present on some trees, but
there has been a very general reduction, and he has advised against mak-
ing any treatment on these trees during the coming winter, since the scale
can not increase next year to such an extent as to harmthem. A large
- orchard of pear trees covering 8 acres solid had every tree sprayed thor-
oughly with undiluted kerosene, and it had a full crop this year, and no
trace of injury done by the oil. -Of the one-year old peach trees that
were sprayed, about one-half of the Mountain Rose were killed, but no
‘other variety was affected, so far as could beseen. An orchard of 2,000
peach trees, thoroughly encrusted with the scale so that it had begun to
die, was drenched with kerosene during the winter and all the trees
were killed; but the farmer himself in this case says that he is quite as
ready to charge the scale as the kerosene with this effect. He has seen
absolutely no reason to change the recommendations that he had pre-
viously made. He yet believed that the proper use of kerosene is one
of the best measures that we have at our disposal, but he was not ready
to say that it is the best. He was strongly inclined to believe that he
had found something better and less likely to be harmful in actual use.

Mr. Marlatt stated that the tests with pure kerosene made by him
and reported at the previous meeting of the association had been

52

repeated during the winter of 1897-98, the applications being made
under different weather conditions. In no case had any damage
resulted except in the first test, which was conducted on a still day
with a very moist atmosphere, the sun breaking through the light fog
which prevailed. The trees included peach, apple, pear, and quince,
and it was noted that the bark gave evidence of being oily and remained
dark colored for along time, the oil seeming to have soaked in, and did
not readily evaporate afterwards. The peach trees included in this
first test were all killed to the ground, the apple, pear, and quince trees
sustaining no damage whatever. Later tests in bright weather on the
Same varieties of trees and also on cherry trees did not develop any
injury to any of the trees, not even the peach suffering in the least.
In this instance, however, the wet or oily appearance of the bark was
not noticeable as in the former instance except for a short time
after the treatment. He referred to the experience of former years in
which diverse results had been obtained, and was inclined to adhere to
the ground taken in 1897, namely, that treatment with oil is dangerous
and liable to kill the trees or greatly injure them, and its use should
never be recommended without calling attention to this possibility and
leaving the grower to undertake the work at his own risk.

Mr. Osborn reported that his experience with pure kerosene as an
insecticide was too limited for him to express a decided opinion. From
the difficulties cncountered in getting a uniform spray in case of windy
weather and the varying rapidity of evaporation during different
degrees of humidity it would seem as yet unsafe to recommend it gen- —
erally. In future experiments it would seem desirable to keep careful
records of humidity, temperature, wind, and the particular species of
plants sprayed, so as to arrive at some sure foundation in case it proves
safe under certain conditions. Even then there would be danger that
the average orchardist would not be so careful in securing the necessary
conditions as might be required to secure safe results.

Mr. Howard stated that in view of the diverse experiences given by
different speakers, and also shown in the literature of the subject, he
felt that the recommendation that he had made in Bulletin No. 12,
Division of Entomology, on the San Jose scale in 1896-97, was still
pertinent, namely, that it is not advisable to recommend the pure kero-
sene spray as the result of any one’s experience without first advising
the individual fruit grower to experiment in a small way and determine
for himself by experience in his own locality and under the local con-
ditions that exist there whether he can use kerosene to advantage.

Mr Johnson stated that his experience with pure kerosene in Mary-
land was such that he could not recommend it for spraying young and
bearing trees in the orchard, unless done under his own personal super-
vision. Even then, he said, he would use the material with reluctance,
as he felt sure he was using a substance more disastrous to the life
and vitality of a tree than the San Jose scale itself. In all the experi-

53

ments conducted in that State with pure kerosene on bearing trees,
the tree had either been killed or injured, or the fruit buds had been
destroyed. He cited an instance where 132 nine-year-old Buffum pear
trees had been sprayed during the middle of January, 1898, with pure
kerosene in the hands of an expert, and that the entire block had
either been killed outright or injured to such an extent that they have
since been dug up and burned. He presented a photograph which was
taken May 24, 1898, of one of these trees. It was as free from foliage
as a tree in midwinter. Other photographs were presented showing
trees which had been seriously injured by the use of pure kerosene,
and which had been eut back to the trunks. In striking contrast with
these, still another photograph was presented showing one of these
trees, which had been sprayed with whale-oil soap at the rate of 2
pounds per gallon of water, in full foliage and heavily set with fruit.
Mr. Johnson also stated that still another block of thirty-year-old
Duchess pear trees had been sprayed at the same time and under the
same conditions, none of which were killed, but at the same time all
the fruit buds were destroyed, and the development of the foliage
ereatly retarded in the spring. Other trees in the same block which
were not sprayed with kerosene contained a full crop, and it was a
very easy matter to ascertain at a glance the very tree where the kero-
sene spray had been exhausted. In every instance, bearing trees,
whether sprayed the ‘middle of a September sunshiny day,” in mid-
winter, or spring, from 50 to 100 per cent of the fruit buds had been
killed, and the vitality of the tree more or less affected, if not killed
altogether. Where pure kerosene had been used upon peach and
young plum trees, and in all cases with pear and apple, the growth

had been considerably retarded, the peach having been so seriously
- injured it was necessary to cut back all the branches to the main
trunk. The peach and pear were so seriously injured that they made

but a very feeble growth during this season and stand in striking con-
trast with other trees by their side which were sprayed at the same
time with whale-oil soap at the rate of 2 pounds to a gallon of water.

Summing up the results of his experiments in Maryland, Mr. Johnson
stated that it seemed certain (1) that pure kerosene can not be safely rec-
ommended in Maryland as a spray for young and bearing orchard trees
at any time of the year; (2) that very old trees of certain varieties, such
as the Duchess pear, resisted the destructive effects of pure kerosene
more than other bearing trees, such as Buffum, a condition no doubt due
to the fact that the wood of the very old varieties is harder and more
matured, thus resisting the penetrating properties of the kerosene;
(3) that from 80 to 100 per cent of the fruit buds are killed on the bear-
ing trees, whether sprayed in the fall, midwinter, or spring; (4) that
young trees, especially peach and plum, are seriously injured or killed ;
(5) that pure kerosene emulsion or kerosene diluted can not be safely
recommended until further experiments are conducted. He further

54

stated that from what he had seen of the effects of pure kerosene upon
fruit trees, he would advise the fruit growers, especially of Maryland,
to avoid the use of mineral oils. He said Captain Emory, one of Mary-
land’s largest and most successful fruit growers, had been persuaded to
spray his Buffum and Duchess pear orchards with pure kerosene upon
recommendations made in Bulletin No. 125 of the New Jersey Experi-
ment Station, which he received in January, 1898. Captain Emory
asked his (Mr. Johnson’s) opinion regarding this treatment, and was
strongly urged by him not to spray the entire block, but to limit his
experiments to a half dozen trees and see the results, and be his own
judge as to the efficiency of this method for the destruction of the San
Jose scale. Instead of using a few trees, as advised, 132 trees were
sprayed, and the results were so conspicuous he was of the opinion that
this ocular demonstration | presented photographs] ought to be sufficient
for the most skeptical. Captain Emory assured him that if it had not
been for his appeals to him not to spray with kerosene, he would have
killed his entire orchard, and thus lost several thousand dollars in fruit,
as the trees not sprayed were this year laden. He said it was needless
for him to say that this experience was sufficient for one of Maryland’s
most enterprising fruit growers, and that Mr. Emory was now thoroughly
convinced that pure kerosene sprayed during the * middle of a sunshiny
day,” in the ‘finest possible mist,” in the hands of an expert, is surer
death to certain trees than the San Jose scale.

Mr. Johnson also called attention to the reference Dr. Smith had
made in his report for 1897, to the pear trees he had sprayed with pure
kerosene September 30, on Captain Emory’s place. Dr. Smith had seen
these trees about fifteen days after they had been sprayed, and reported
that they were none the worse for the treatment. Such a report was
misleading. While it was true that the foliage and the tree, so far as
it looked in the fall, was not seriously injured, nearly all the fruit buds
had been killed. The tree sprayed in the morning had only 7 pears,
the one treated at midday 11, and the one in the evening 17, while
those surrounding, sprayed with whale-oil soap and fumigated with
hydrocyanic¢ acid gas, were laden with fruit. The pears on two trees
were counted; one contained 214 and the other 197. These pears were
extra fine Bartletts and were valued at one-half a cent each. The
fruit, therefore, on one tree was worth $1.07, while the other was esti-
mated at 98 cents. The difference between the value of the fruits
upon those sprayed with kerosene and those sprayed with whale-oil
soap or fumigated was enough to have purchased the soap or cyanide
for 25 trees. Mr. Johnson, who had with him photographs. of these
trees, said he did not think it good policy to report upon such experi-
ments too soon, aS such statements were very often misleading. He
did not see any advantage in using pure kerosene anyway if 50 per
cent kerosene and water would destroy the scale. He said he was
now using kerosene diluted one-half with water in Maryland as a sum-

55

mer wash against the scale. As yet he had not noted any serious

results to the vitality of the tree or to the fruit buds; but he empha-

sized the fact that he was not recommending this treatment to the

fruit growers of Maryland or any other State. |
Dr. Howard presented the following paper:

NOTES ON HOUSE FLIES AND MOSQUITOES.

By L. O. Howarp, Washington, D. C.
[Author’s abstract. ]

The speaker referred in some detail to the experimental work against
the house fly which he has been carrying on at Washington for the past
two years, the results of which had just been published in Circular No.
36, second series, Division of Entomology, United States Department
of Agriculture. He also described at some length the experiments
against mosquitoes which had been conducted on a large scale the past
Summer under the supervision of his office by some of the members of
the Richmond County Country Club on Staten Island, N. Y. Referring
to the widespread publication during the year of a recommendation of
permanganate of potash as a mosquito remedy, he said:

“One of the mosquito developments of the year has been the exten-
sive publication in all sorts of newspapers of an item (usually credited
to the Public Health Journal) which reads as follows: _

“Two and one-half hours are required for a mosquito to develop from its first
stage, a speck resembling cholera bacteria, to its active and venomous maturity.
The insect in all its phases may be instantly killed by contact with minute quanti-
ties of permanganate of potash. It is claimed that one part of this substance in
1,500 of solution distributed in mosquito marshes will render the development of
larve impossible; that a handfulof permanganate will oxidize a 10-acre swamp, kill
its embryo insects, and keep it free from organic matter for thirty days, at a cost of
25 cents; that with care a whole State may be kept free of insect pests at a small
cost. An efficacious method is to scatter a few crystals widely apart. A single
pinch of permanganate has killed all the germs in a 1,000-gallom tank.

‘¢The item is so obviously ridiculous upon its face that it would hardly
seem worth while to make any attempt to refute its statements. Nev-
ertheless, it has been so widely read that definite experimentation
Seems necessary to set the matter at rest. The unknown author’s
ignorance of the life history of mosquitoes in the opening sentence need
not necessarily imply that he would not know a good remedy if he found
one, Careful experiments were undertaken in July with various
strengths of permanganate of potash in water containing mosquito
larve from one to six days old. It was found that small amounts of
the chemical had no effect whatever upon the larvee, which were, how-
ever, killed by using amounts so large that, instead of using a ‘hand-
ful to a 10-acre swamp,’ at least a wagon load would have to be used
to accomplish any result. Moreover, after the use of this large amount
and after the larve were killed, the same water twenty-four hours later

56

sustained freshly-hatched mosquito larve perfectly, so that even were a
person to go to the prohibitive expense of killing mosquito larve in the
swamp with permanganate of potash, the same task would have to be
done over again two days later.”

Mr. Smith, referring to the use of kerosene as a means of controlling
the mosquito on Staten Island, stated that the botanist, Dr. Britton,
had entered a complaint against the use of this oil on the ground that
it was very destructive to all water plants. Referring to the possi-
bility of mosquitoes being carried by strong winds to considerable
distances, he stated that he had noticed that they would not rise or
take flight when a brisk breeze was blowing, and even a comparatively
slight breeze will keep them from upper stories of houses. He there-
fore doubted the wide distribution of mosquitoes by high winds.

Mr. H. T. Fernald gave an experience with mosquitoes at Coldspring
Harbor, Long Island. He stated that with a north breeze there were
no mosquitoes; with a south breeze, on the other hand, they were often
very troublesome, especially after a prolonged gentle wind of five or
more hours’ duration. There were no pools on the center of the island,
and the mosquitoes were supposed to have been carried from the south
shore, a distance of some 15 miles.

Mr. Hopkins stated that the reference to the so-called ring-legged
mosquito breeding in saline swamps, reminded him that among the hills
near Morgantown there occurs a similar mosquito which apparently
breeds in pools and small streams fed from coal-mine drainage, the water
of which contains a large per cent of sulphate of iron. He suggested
that this sulphur water might offer favorable conditions for this mos-
quito, which is quite common in the neighborhood of such waters. He
also stated that since an extensive pumping station had been located
near the river bank where the oil-pipe line crosses, a mile above Mor-
gantown, the oil frequently escapes out over the river and is apparently
the cause of the city being almost exempt from mosquitoes during the
past ten years.

Mr. Osborn described the mosquito conditions existing at the agri-
cultural college at Ames, lowa. He stated that in dry seasons the
small pools within a quarter to half a mile of the college building dried
up and the mosquitoes disappeared, in spite of the fact that within
about a mile there were large pools which never became dry.

Mr. Howard, referring to the instance of mosquitoes breeding in water
coming from coal mines, cited by Mr. Hopkins, mentioned having
received the larve of an Ephydrid fly from Los Angeles, Cal., which
breeds in pools of waste petroleum about the oil wells in that vicinity.

Mr. Smith asked if it were possible for the mosquito to breed in mud,
and suggested that there was no reason to believe that the actual pres-
ence of water was necessary for all mosquito species. Mr. Howard
thought that such possibility was doubtful. .

lt

naecwats 1 EO CT

ot

Mr. Howard described a scheme suggested by Mr. W.C. Kerr for dis-
seminating oil over the marshy tracts to be treated ,on Staten Island,
namely, by putting in barrels of oil in winter when the ground was
frozen and piercing the barrels with small holes so that the oil would
escape slowly throughout the breeding season.

Mr. Howard presented the following paper:

PULVINARIA ACERICOLA (W. & R.) AND P. INNUMERABILIS
RATHV.

By L. O. HowarRp, Washington, D. C.

Every one interested in economic entomology and in the Coccide
will remember the Walsh and Riley figure on page 14, Vol. I, American
Entomologist (fig. 3), which gives at b a drawing of Lecanium maciure
n. Sp., which represents a
Pulvinaria upon a branch
of Osage orange, and ata,
Lecanium acericola n. sp.,
representing a Pulvinaria
upon a leaf of what is
apparently silver maple.
There is almost no de-
scriptive matter concern-
ing the Lecanium aceri-
cola, but the figure is a
clear, sharp one, and, as
events have shown, it is
quite distinctive. The la-
mented J. Duncan Put-
nam, in his admirable .
paper on Pulvinaria innu-
merabilis, published in
Vol. II, Proceedings of
the Davenport Academy Fic. 3.—a, Pulvinaria acericola (W. and R.) on leaf of silver
8 Wisireell Sietonet I The 22 ee mete ee Ee Te
1879, considered Lecaniwm
acericola to be a synonym of P. innumerabilis, while Lecaniwm maclure
he considered a possible synonym.

Miss Emily A. Smith, in her paper entitled ‘“‘The maple-tree bark-
louse,” published in Vol. XII of the American Naturalist (1878), ques-
tions the accuracy of the Walsh and Riley figure of the insects upon
the leaf of maple, but “the idea that the species is different from P.
innumerabilis, the commodn twig-inhabiting form throughout North-
eastern United States, does not seem to have occurred to her. Dr.
S. S. Rathvon, however, who originally described P. innumerabilis in
1854, writing to Mr. Putnam about 1879, stated that he had all along

58

been impressed with the belief that there are two species of Pulvinaria
to be found upon the maple tree, the form occasionally found upon the
leaves being not so large, the secreted cotton mass somewhat depressed,
faintly bilobed, and transversely undulated or indented.

The receipt during June of the present year (1898) of specimens of
a Pulvinaria on the leaves of a silver maple from Prof. Hunter Nichol-
son, of Knoxville, Tenn., and which plainly differed from P. innumera-
bilis, and resembled at the same time perfectly the Walsh-Riley figure
of Lecanium acericola, induced the writer to search for the original
specimens in the old Riley collection. They were found, and the accu-
racy of the figure in the American Entomologist was perfectly estab-
lished; the identity of the species received upon leaves from Knoxville,
Tenn., with the American Entomologist figure was also established,
and that the insect is specifically distinct from Pulvinaria innumerabilis
Rathvon was without difficulty ascertained. The description by Walsh
and Riley, as has already been stated, was inadequate, yet the accurate
figure amply suffices to carry the name, and this smaller leaf-inhabiting
Pulvinaria must in future be known as Pulvinaria acericola (Walsh
and Riley), its known habitats being Davenport, lowa; , Indiana
(B. W. McLain), cf. American Entomologist, Vol. II, page 14; Lancaster,
Pa. (Rathvon), and Knoxville, Tenn. (Nicholson).

The writer has the species under daily observation at Washington,
and expects at an early date to publish its full life history, which must
present some interesting variations from that of P. innumerabilis.

The paper was discussed by Mr. Hopkins, who referred to a species
occurring on the yellow locust in West Virginia. |
Mr. Smith stated that he had been puzzled with these insects and that
in New Brunswick, this season, the only species present was the one

occurring on the leaves.

Mr. Howard referred to the great range of Pulvinaria innumerabilis,
extending from the Mississippi Valley eastward, and commented on the
inaccuracy of the old records.

The committee appointed at the last session to nominate officers for
the ensuing year presented the following names: .

For president, C. L. Marlatt.

For vice-president, Lawrence Bruner.

For second vice-president,C. P. Gillette.

For secretary-treasurer, A. H. Kirkland.

The persons nominated were duly elected to the offices named.

On motion, an evening session was determined upon to begin at 8
o’clock.

59
EVENING SESSION, FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1898.

The first paper of the evening was presented by Mr. A. F. Burgess,
as follows:

AN ABNORMAL COCCINELLID.
By A. F. BurceEss, Malden, Mass.

The economic importance of scale insects and Aphids is correlated
with that of the Coccinellids, a group which furnishes the chief checks
upon their increase. The introduction of the Vedalia cardinalis and
allied species into California will illustrate the benefit derived from an
accurate knowledge of the habits of these predaceous beetles, and a
thorough study of the food habits of our native ladybirds probably would
show that they are the chief agencies controlling the increase of many
of our indigenous scale insects, and without their assistance these
insects might prove highly injurious.

Our most common Coccinellid, Adalia bipunctata, plays an important
part in checking the undesirable increase of certain Coccids and Aphids
in this region, and an interesting fact concerning this species, noted
during the present season, may be recorded properly at this time. On
April 13 while collecting in the Middlesex Fells, Malden, Mass., I took
a pair of ladybirds in coitu on a white birch upon which Aphid eggs
were thickly massed. An examination of the specimens showed the
female to be a normal Adalia bipunctata, while the male was black in
color with a blood-red marking at the humeral angle of each elytron;
posterior to each of these markings was a small dot of the same color.
The beetles were fed upon Aphid eggs at the insectary, and upon April
20 the female laid a cluster of fourteen eggs, followed by another of
eight eggs on April 23. These lots of eggs hatched in four and seven

days, respectively. ‘The larve were fed upon Aphids, and from the

material left after the preservation of specimens two imagos were
reared, both being of the blark form. The male parent insect was
placed with a female Chilocorus bivulnerus on May 3, but, as expected,
died without mating. The female Adalia continued to lay up to June 1,
the eggs, with the exception of the last four clusters, proving fertile.
Many of the larve died before completing their transformations, and
only a single black adult was reared.

On May 5 another pair of these insects were found in coitu near the
place where the first pair was taken, and in this case the male was of
the black type, the female being a normal Adalia. From eggs depos-
ited by this female there were reared two beetles of the black form and
an Adalia of the normal color and form. These three insects were
placed in a jar with the three beetles from the brood previously men-
tioned. On June 15 two of the black form were found pairing, the eggs
subsequently laid proved fertile, but the larve died before reaching
maturity. June 26 an Adalia male and a black female (both belonging

60

to the above lot) were found mating, and from eggs laid by the female
there have been reared ten typical Adalias and four of the black form.

The latter seem to correspond closely with Coccinella humeralis Say,
which was described from two specimens taken near the Rocky Moun-
tains. Le Conte, in his edition of Say’s writings published in 1859,
states that this species is unknown to him, and probably for this reason
Mr. Henshaw does not include it in his list of the Coleoptera.

I am unable to decide whether the black form is an abnormal Adalia
or represents a distinct species. Against the ground that itis an abnor-
mal or “sport” Adalia may be placed the continuity of this form through
two generations. If the preceding was the case it would seem that in
the progeny of this form there would have been a greater reversion to
the Adalia type. On the other hand, if the black form represents a
distinct species, we have clearly a case of hybridization, resulting in
the product of fertile hybrids. In insects, hybrids generally partake
of the characters in size, form, and color of both parents. In this case
the progeny of these mismated insects do not show any blending in
these respects. The black forms are duplicates of the black parents
and the Adalia are of the normal Adalia type.

[Since presenting this paper Dr. John B. Smith has kindly compared
the black form with specimens in the Horn collection at Philadelphia.
He says: “I find in that collection a number of specimens, some of
them resembling yours closely, some differing in details and marked
Adalia bipuncta var. humeralis Say. The localities represented in this
series are Minnesota, Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, and Oregon.
You will see, therefore, that the form is widely distributed, and, in fact,
occurs wherever the type occurs.” I have also, through the courtesy
of Mr. Samuel Henshaw, examined the specimens in the Le Conte col-
- lection at the Museum of Comparative Anatomy at Cambridge, Mass.
I find several examples of the black form placed in company with
examples of Adalia bipunctata and labeled C. humeralis Say.

Thus it appears that we have here a strongly marked variety, which
retains its characters even when inbred with typical forms of the spe-
cies. So far as [ can learn, the inbreeding of these forms has not been
recorded heretofore. |

This communication was discussed by Messrs. Howard and Smith,
the latter referring to the value of genitalia of insects as a means of
separating species or groups of species, stating that in some genera
these characters have no value whatever, while in other genera the
characters found might be absolutely relied on as indicating specific
differences. He said that a difference in genitalia always means a
different species, but a similarity or identity in genitalia does not
necessarily mean the same species. He believed the black form

61

described by Mr. Burgess to be the normal black dimorphic female of
the species.

Referring to the feeding of the species on the San Jose scale, he stated
that this record was important as showing that our native species may
do the work which it was desired to accomplish by the importation of
foreign predaceous insects.

Mr. Cooley read the following paper:

NOTES ON SOME MASSACHUSETTS COCCIDZ.
By R. A. CooLry, Amherst, Mass.

The ‘‘ maple leaf-louse,” Pseudococcus aceris, continues to be a serious
enemy to street maples in this State, and a brief account of our expe-
rience with it may be of interest to the members of the association.
The worst infested locality which has come under my observation is
the one in Springfield, although another in Holyoke is scarcely less
important. The authorities of Springfield have been fighting this insect
ever since their attention was called to it a number of years ago,
but their efforts have been attended with only partial success. During
the winter of 1895-96 the trunks of the trees were scraped smooth and
treated with a concentrated solution of whale-oil soap, applied with
whitewash brushes. Visiting the locality on April 9, 1896, the writer
gathered specimens on pieces of bark from the trees and took them to
the insectary, where they were examined and all found to be dead. It
seemed certain then that the insect was well under control, but by fall
it had again multiplied to destructive numbers. The treatment was
repeated during the winter of 1896-97, but, if the writer is correctly
informed, the insects were more abundant than ever the next summer.
Last winter the trees were under the care of Mr. W. F. Gale, who has
been appointed city forester in place of Mr. Clark, who previously held
‘the position. Mr. Gale treated the trees with an insecticide prepared
as follows: Three pounds of whale-oil soap were dissolved in 3 gallons
of hot water, and to this solution was added 1 gallon of kerosene. This
mixture was churned till an emulsion was formed, after which 2 drams
of crude carbolic acid were stirred in. Before applying the emulsion it
was diluted with an equal part of water. The writer examined the
trees on July 20 and again on August 6, and could find comparatively
few specimens of the insect and the trees appeared to be perfectly
healthy.

Quite in contrast to this experience in Springfield has been that of
Mr. D. H. Newton, city forester of Holyoke. Mr. A. V. Capen, Mr.
Newton’s foreman, informed the writer that in February of 1896 the
infested maples in Holyoke were sprayed with whale-oil soap solution,
1 pound of the soap in 1 gallon of water, and that since that time the
insects had never been abundant enough to require treatment.

62

While the writer does not attempt an explanation of the difference
in results obtained with the same insecticide in the two cities, it is
possible that one may be found in the fact that the insecticide, being
applied as a spray to the the trees in Holyoke, reached more of the
limb surface and killed a greater percentage of the insects than did the
application with whitewash brushes in Springfield. |

At the time of the writer’s visit to the trees in Springfield on July
20 the adult females were laying eggs and a part of those laid had
already hatched. The young lice, however, had not migrated far, being
still clustered around the parent insect. In the cottony masses envel-
oping the eggs and crawling about over the leaves and branches were
great numbers of the larvee of the Coccinellid beetle, Hyperaspis signata.
These larve were feeding voraciously on the eggs, larvee, and adults of
Pseudococcus aceris. Fully 75 per cent of the cottony egg masses which
I saw contained either a larva or a pupa of the beetle or had been
devastated and abandoned. Dr. Howard has already recorded this bee-
tle as an enemy to Pseudococcus aceris in Insect Life, Vol. VII, page
239. Desiring to learn if the beetle had appreciably reduced the col-
ony of the Coccid, the writer paid another visit to the city on August
6, as has already been stated, and found that a remarkable change had
taken place. A majority of the trees had only here and there an
infested leaf, while others showed no signs of the insect whatever.

The “imported elm bark-louse,” Gossyparia ulmi, is a very widely
distributed and well-established enemy to elms in the State, ranking in
importance second to none, with the possible exception of the San Jose
scale. It is a noticeable fact that as common as this insect is in Mas-
sachusetts, with very few exceptions it has never been sent to the
experiment station at Amherst. An explanation of this may be found
perhaps in the fact that the species, being fixed to the bark and some-
what resembling the lichens on the tree, bears but little resemblance to
what the ordinary observer recognizes as an insect. Were legs and
antenn visible, and did the creature move, without doubt it would
more often be recognized as a pest. __

This difficulty in detecting the insect is obviously an important factor
in the problem of its control. It is often the case that a tree or row of
trees infested with the species is known to be turning yellow or losing
here and there a limb, while the owner sees no cause for the damage
and takes no action. Meanwhile the trees are being destroyed and the
pest is spreading. Precisely these conditions existed in a block of a
number of thousands of elms in a large nursery located at Concord.
The owner was aware that the trees were in a sickly condition, but did
not know the cause, until the writer, visiting the nursery, called his
attention to this insect, which was there in great numbers.

As has been stated by many authors, trees previously weakened by
other causes are more liable to be attacked by this insect than those
which are heaithy. The writer has observed that trees located in the

63

heart of a city and fighting against unnatural conditions are sometimes
conspicuously attacked. On the grounds of the Massachusetts A gri-
cultural College, Camperdown elms and Scotch elms have been found
particularly susceptible to the inroads of the pest. One Camperdown
elm has already been destroyed and others have required attention
each year.

In a number of instances there have been serious outbreaks of the
louse in nurseries in the State. One notable case, that at Concord,
has already been referred to, and others equally important might be
cited.

While it very often occurs that the insect becomes established and
causes injury before its presence is detected, in the experience of the
writer it is not a difficult pest to subdue when it is discovered. Kero-
sene emulsion and whale-oil soap solution have both been used with
entirely satisfactory results. A medium-sized American elm infested
with the species was sprayed with kerosene emulsion, one part in nine
parts of water, early in August, 1896. The young lice had begun to
hatch about the middle of July and had continued to appear until near
the end of the month. With a view to killing all the insects with one
application of the insecticide, the tree was not sprayed until all had
appeared. Since the time of the application the tree has been exam-
ined repeatedly and only a single living specimen has been found. In
June of 1897 the writer’s attention was called to a row of elms in
Amherst which were very thickly covered on the trunks and lower
limbs with the over-wintered females of this insect. Whale-oil soap
solution, 1 pound of the soap in 2 gallons of water, was applied, a large _
paint brush being used for the purpose. Only a few individuals sur-
vived the treatment, and the trees are in a good healthy condition this
season. |

Wishing to obtain duplicate specimens of the species for exchange,
the writer removed the bark for about a foot and a half from the trunk
of a badly infested tree, about an inch in diameter. Before pinning the
bark away it was kept in a glass jar for a time, to see if any parasites
would emerge. About a half dozen specimens were procured, a part of
which were sent for determination to Dr. Howard, who replied that
they belonged to a new species, which I might call Coccophagus gossy-
parice of his manuscript. So far as the writer is aware, this is the first
positive knowledge we have of a parasite on this notorious Coccid.

It is now nearly three years and a half since the San Jose scale,
Aspidiotus perniciosus, was first detected in Massachusetts, and that
it has gained a firm foothold in the State since that time is evidenced
by the large number of localities which are now known to be infested,
and by the frequency with which it is received at the experiment sta-
tion. To the 14 localities which have alveady been recorded in print,
Fairfield, Beverly, Dracut, Middleboro, and Natick may now be added.
It can hardly be doubted that the pest exists undetected in other local-

G4

ities, since for a number of years trees were sold to patrons in the
State from nurseries which later proved to be infested. In fact, as was
recently brought out in Mr. Kirkland’s commendable paper on the
insect, published in the Massachusetts Crop Report for June, there is
great probability that the owners of one of the nurseries of the State
have been distributing stock which they knew to bear the scale.

With the single exception of these nurserymen, who have, moreover,
allowed a large colony of the insects to remain in their nursery without
making any attempt to reduce it, the nurserymen and orchardists of
the State have shown commendable energy in their efforts to eradicate
the pest, and have no doubt in great measure prevented its spread.

In connection with the foregoing remarks on the San Jose scale, it
should be stated that Aspidiotus forbesi and Aspidiotus ancylus, two
congeners of perniciosus, now notorious because of their resemblance
to that species, have both been found in Massachusetts as well as a
third, aspidiotus fernaldi of Professor Cockerell’s manuscript, a species
which in some respects very closely resembles the San Jose seale.

Asprdrotus ancylus is a very common insect in this State, occurring on
a large number of food plants, and has in a few instances been very
injurious. The most notable case that has come under the writer’s
observation is a young apple orchard in Malden, in which nearly every
tree. was infested with the species, some very abundantly, while one
was dying from the attack.

Aspidiotus forbest has been found by Mr. Kirkland in a single
instance at the Shady Hill nurseries on apple trees received from
Geneva, N. Y. |

Aspidiotus fernaldi occurs on a row of Honey Locust trees in the
Charles Bank Park in Boston. The same trees are also badly infested
with Aspidiotus ancylus.

On January 26, 1898, Mr. A. H. Kirkland sent the writer specimens
of ascaleinsect on Prunus mume from the Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica
Plain, Mass., which on examination proved to be the new peach scale,
Diaspis anygdali. The infested trees were received from Japan in the
spring of 1897, and being in an unhealthy condition were planted in
an out of the way place, where they had remained for nearly a year
previous to the date mentioned, when they were found to be nearly all
dead. Specimens of the insect were later sent to Dr. Howard, who
confirmed the writer’s identification, stating also that Mr. Jack had
already sent him specimens which had been determined as Diaspis amyg-
dali. Auother tree, Prunus subhirtella, received from Japan on April
17, 1894, is infested with the scale, but does not appear to be seriously
injured. An explanation of this may be found perhaps in the fact that
the tree is located on a southern slope where the sun beats down
strongly in the early spring, making the spot very warm during the
day, while at night it is severely cold. Visiting the tree on March 28 of
this year the writer found nearly all of the over-wintered females alive,

65

though at a later visit, on June 14, nearly all were dead, the living
specimens being without exception on the side of the tree opposite from
_thesun. The alternating extremes of temperature or some other cause
had so reduced the number of adult females that comparatively few
young had been developed. If similar conditions have existed since
the tree was planted in the spring of 1894, it is not difficult to under-
stand why it-has not succumbed to the attack of the insect.

While these observations show conclusively that this scale can sue-
cessfully exist in Massachusetts in spite of the rigors of our New
England climate, it seems doubtful if the insect will prove a serious
pest in this region.

These specimens of Diaspis amygdali, together with others received
from various sources, were compared with specimens of Chionaspis
prunicola received from Professor Maskell, the author of the species,
and found to be identical. The writer therefore considers Chionaspis
prunicola to be a synonym of Diaspis amygdali, since the latter specific
name has priority.

In the discussion, Mr. Smith, referring to the notes on Pseudococcus,
said the experience cited was interesting from its contradictory nature,
but he questioned if the explanation of the disappearance of the insect
in some instances was due to the treatment. He was of the opinion,
on the contrary, that it might be from an entirely different cause. He
illustrated his ground for this belief by his experience with this insect
in New Jersey, where it had disappeared without apparent cause after
having increased steadily for three years. Hereferred to the possibility
of clearing them from the surface of the bark by the application of a
strong stream of water from a watering hose.

Mr. Alwood expressed considerable interest in the report of excessive

injury from the presence of Aspidiotus ancylus, and particularly in the
fact that a tree had been killed by this insect. He stated that he knew
of a tree vovered with this scale in Virginia, and that fatal results had
not followed. He said that it was a difficult species to determine on
account of its variability. He had never known it to be sufficiently
numerous to destroy trees, referring particularly to its occurrence on
apple. He stated that he had often received A. forbesi from Georgia,
where it was very destructive.

Mr. Johnsou remarked that he had also had forbesi from Georgia,
receiving it from Mr. Scott. In Illinois he had found this species two
brooded, but the specimens received from Georgia indicated a possibility
of four full broods in that State. This species, which he said was often
mistaken for perniciosus, had been received by him from Mr. Fletcher
in Canada and from Mr. Cockerell in New Mexico, and it also occurs in
Maryland. It is a very common species on apple, and can always be
recognized by the pitted appearance of the bark of an infested twig,

7184—No. 17 5

66
due to the apparent sinking of the scale into the bark. With regard to
ancylus, it is widely distributed in Maryland, and he has also received
itfrom Ottawa.Canada. Itis often associated with forbesi. Gossyparia
ulmi he had recently found in Maryland on old trees growing on the
estate of General Myers. The trees had doubtless long been infested
and the lower branches had been killed. Psewdococcus aceris occurred
in the Allegheny Mountain regions of Maryland, maple trees being quite
defoliated in certain streets in Cumberland. He had bred the larva of
a predaceous fly (Baccha sp.) from this scale in considerable numbers.
In answer to a question, he stated that he had never noted that forbesi
was viviparous in Illinois, but that there might be a viviparous form in
the fourth brood in the south.

Mr. Alwood stated that he had not yet found forbesi in Virginia, but
that specimens coming from Southern States to him both in winter and
Summer had invariably proved to be viviparous; in fact, he had
examined a good deal of material and had never seen an oviparous
specimen.

Mr. Howard said that according to Green’s generalization the species
should be oviparous, since its anal plate bears grouped pores. Refer-
ring to the pitting occasioned by scale insects, he stated that this was
most notable so far as his observations went in the case of Asterodiaspis
quercicola.

Mr. Cooley, at Mr. Howard’s request, gave some notes on the ocecur-
rence of the latter species in the Middlesex Fells, where it was most
generally distributed both on white oaks and swamp white oaks. He
had not found it on black or red oak. It occurred also on old English
oaks at Medford, indicating its long existence in that region.

Mr. Howard mentioned the fact that it was probably introduced
upon the Department grounds at Washington about 1870.

Mr. Kirkland stated that the old English oaks in Massachusetts
referred to were from 50 to 75 years of age. He also gave further notes
on the occurrence of this species in Massachusetts, and also of Gossy-
paria ulmi. Referring to the killing of trees by Aspidiotus ancylus, he
instanced some plum trees killed by this scale in Massachusetts. He
stated that the San Jose scale had been found at Fairfield, Mass., at
an elevation of 1,300 feet.

Mr. Barrows stated that Gossyparia ulmi was very abundant on the
grounds of the Michigan Agricultural College. He thought it very
likely that it was carried from place to place by the agency of “honey
dew,” which attaches the young lice to flies or other insects. . He was
very skeptical about scale insects being carried about by birds.

Mr. Johnson called attention to the great injury experienced, espe-
cially in parts of western Maryland, from Lecanium nigrofasciatum
Pergande (MS.). He referred to the driving out of the San Jose scale
by honey dew secreted by the pear tree Psylla in a certain orchard in
Maryland.

67

Mr. Fiske presented the following paper, which had been prepared
conjointly by Mr. Weed and himself:

NOTES. ON SPRUCE BARK-BEETLES.
By CLARENCE M. WEED and W. F. FIiskr, Durham, N. H.

During the summer of 1897 a complaint was received at the New
Hampshire Coliege Experiment Station of damage done to spruce in
northern New Hampshire, supposedly by a bark-beetle which had been
identified by Mr. F. H. Chittenden as Dendroctonus rufipennis. In the
course of the season two trips were made to the infested region by the
writers, and the object of this paper is to give a brief account of the life
history and habits of the species and of the damage done.

In company with Mr. Austin Cary, of Maine, a forester of long
experience, a narrow strip of primeval forest in northern New Hamp-
shire, about 10 miles long, was explored. The principal trees of this
area were hardwoods, birches and maples predominating, but among
them were considerable quantities of black spruce. The dead stubs of
the latter species, many of them far advanced in decay, were ample
evidence that at some previous time it had formed a much larger per-
centage ot the forest. In the course of the three days that were spent
in the woods a great many dead and dying trees were examined, and
in almost every case where the bark was still clinging to the trunk the
peculiar remains of the Dendroctonus burrows, to be described further
on, were discernible.

In spite of the great amount of damage which has been and is still
being done, it was quite difficult to find the insect actually at work.
The infested trees would retain their green color until the young larve
had reached their full growth, the beetles in many cases flown, and the
space under the bark become so filled with a myriad of the smaller
Scolytidez that it would be impossible to say with certainty to which to
ascribe the original attack. On one occasion, however, we had an
unusual opportunity to observe the working of the Dendroctonus, and
the following is copied with little change from notes actually made in
the field:

In the afternoon of August 5 we came across a group of affected trees.
As in those found the day before, they were in various stages of death
and decay. On some the leaves would still be dropping, but there
would be no sign of the Dendroctonus save the remains of the peculiar
burrow already mentioned. Others were in more advanced stages of
decay, while a few were still green and apparently healthy, but around
their bases would be a fine dust, which seems to be discharged at the
very beginning of the burrow, and on the trunks would be the telltale
tubes of pitch which guarded its entrance. In one tree in the latter
condition the limbs approached near enough to the ground to enable
one to climb into it. At a height of about 25 feet the trunk was peeled

68

without discovering anything but perfectly sound wood. On peeling
downward there was found, 2 or 3 feet below, the beginning of a burrow
containing a pair of beetles. They had tunneled completely through
the bark, but had barely touched the wood. Continuing operations
large numbers of embryo burrows were disclosed, some containing one
beetle, some a pair. In a space 15 inches long by 5 wide no less than
eight burrows were discovered. They were in all stages of develop-
ment, from a mere hollowing in the bark containing a single beetle, to
a tunnel 2 or 3 inches long, and in these cases, also, there was usually
but one inhabitant, though it was not rare even then to find the male
still accompanying his spouse.

The eggs were found in groups of four to six, in little cells or chambers
in the substance of the bark close to the entrance to the burrow. Con-
tinuing down the tree, every stage of development might be observed,
until when near the base the parent beetle would be found dead at the
end of her burrow, while her progeny were fast approaching maturity and
numbers of the smaller Scolytidz were entering the breach thus made
to continue the work of destruction. In one or two cases the complete
larval excavations were found surrounded by perfectly sound wood, and
the following description is taken from a field note: First, a gallery is
excavated in the bark, running vertically up the tree for a distance of
from 35 to 4 inches, and sometimes making a sharp semicircular turn at
the further extremity. At the beginning it is two or three times the
breadth necessary to allow the beetle to pass through, but after the
eges are deposited in the tiny cells prepared for them the whole space
is filled with bits of wood packed solidly together, and through this
mass a tunnel is excavated barely large enough for passage. It is these
tube-like structures that are so characteristic and which are so readily
identified after the trees are long dead.

The eggs were only found in some of the young colonies in cells near
the entrance, but it is evident that they are laid at intervals the whole
length of the excavation. The young larve would each start a some-
what crooked mine in a different direction from the cluster of eggs.
Sometimes these would coalesce later on and several larvee would be
engaged in making one broad excavation, filling in the space after them
as they progressed. When full grown they would have traversed a
distance of from 3 to 4 inches, and the area covered by them would
spread out in a fan shape on each side of the parental gallery. The
whole space beneath the bark would in some cases be occupied. In
others there would be quite large areas of sound wood, but this was
being rapidly eaten away by the smaller Scolytids.

That the Dendroctonus is the primary cause of the death of the tree
there is practically no room for doubt. That in some cases, at least,
they are the first insects to appear in the affected trees is sure, and
from the conditions existing in the dead and dying groups, where the
insects obviously spread from one tree to another, hardly any other

69

conclusion is tenable. The fact of their attacking a single tree in over-
whelming force is peculiar, but apparently not inconsistent with the
- habits of the other species. In a large portion of the territory explored
nearly every tree was affected except the youngest and those partly
decayed. The explanation of the immunity of the first probably lies in
the thinness of the bark, which does not offer sufficient protection for
so large a beetle. Why the others are not attacked is not so evident.

As to natural enemies, very few were noticed. One or two species of
small Cleridz were observed on the trunks of the dead trees in some
numbers, and several species of the larger Braconide were observed
ovipositing there. Some hymenopterous cocoons were found in a burrow
believed to belong to this species. Evidence of a fungous disease was
also seen. That these insects are sometimes checked by natural means
is probable from the fact that the death of the trees has sometimes been
attributed to the numbers of little flies that were found under the bark.

If the destruction of all the spruce that has been reported as dying
in northern New Hampshire and the adjoining portions of Vermont,
Maine, and Canada is to be attributed to this cause, the injury done is
certainly very great. Mr. Cary reports it as working in numerous
localities in New Hampshire north of the White Mountains, in north-
eastern Vermont, and in Maine as far as the western head waters of the
Dead River. It is probable that it extends over a much greater area,
but_within these limits the damage amounts to many hundreds of
thousands of dollars. This region, which is mountainous and thinly
settied, is largely covered with virgin forest, and in this the insect does
the greatest amount of damage. Compared with the white pine which
covers the hills and valleys in the more southern portions of the State,
the spruce is of very slow growth, and the problem of keeping the
areas in perpetual forest is a difficult one in any case. It is possible
that, as the insect troubles only the older and thicker barked trees,
‘the second growth may be exempt until it is big enough for the har-
vest, but this is one of the many points that need looking into. The
number of broods a year, the extent of the flight of the female, the
probability of natural checks, and the possibility of artificial ones,
together with a more thorough knowledge of the conditions necessary
to a successful attack, are but a few of the points that remain to be
worked out in regard to a most destructive pest of one of New Hamp-
shire’s best possessions.

Mr. Hopkins discussed the paper at length, describing the galleries
of the species named and allied species, giving some details of the
habits of these insects in spruce and pine in West Virginia. He
believed Dendroctonus simplex and rufipennis to be distinct species, but
could not determine from the notes given by Mr. Fiske which of these
species the latter had in mind.

10”

Mr. H. T. Fernald gave, not for publication, an informal review of
the work in past years in economic entomology in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Howard, in discussion of Mr. Fernald’s remarks, said that for
many years no reports of damage by the wheat midge had been received
at the Department of Agriculture in Washington, and asked for the
experience of other members of the association.

Messrs. Smith and Johnson both stated that this insect was very rare,
or at least not troublesome in New Jerseyand Maryland. Both speakers,
however, reported the great abundance of the Hessian fly the present
season in their respective States.

Mr. A. H. Kirkland read the following paper:

EXPERIMENTS WITH INSECTICIDES FOR THE GIPSY MOTH AND
BROWN-TAIL MOTH.

By A. H. KIRKLAND, Amherst, Mass.

[ Withdrawn for publication elsewhere. |

Mr. W. B. Alwood presented the following papers:

NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE WOOLLY APHIS OF APPLE.'

(Schizoneura lanigera Haussman. )
By Won. B. ALwoop, Blacksburg, Va.
[Abstract of paper. ]

This well-known species was studied both in the field and in the green-
house, where breeding experiments were carried on in control colonies.
The common observations as to the identity of the root-feeding and —
stem-feeding individuals were repeated, and the individuals colonized
from the roots upon stems and from the stems upon roots with perfect
success, and many observations of an incidental nature relating to the
ordinary life history of this species were recorded.

The principal object of the breeding experiments was to furnish a rec-
ord of the generations which occur at this place and to study the winged
form and the sexual generation. It was hoped that we might settle
the part which the winged individuals play in the dissemination of the
species, and whether its perpetuation is dependent upon the sexual
generation; also it was desired to make critical observations on the
overwintering of the agamic form.

Observations ou colonies in the orchard were begun in the autumn,
and colonies were also started in the greenhouse on potted plants. Col-
onies on unprotected stems in the orchard persisted all winter, but

'This paper was prepared from observations made by the writer and Mr. W. M.
Scott while the latter was an assistant in the Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

71

much the greater number of the individuals perished. Wherever indi-
viduals were protected in the crevices of the wound or under injured
bark they persisted over winter, without exception, though suffering
great diminution. Practically no mature individuals persisted over
winter. It was also noted that whenever bright days occurred for any
yeriod of time in the early winter, so that the mercury ranged from 40°
to 50°, where full-grown females occurred in the winter colonies they
gave birth to young.

The colonies in the greenhouse flourished and continued breeding
without hindrance during the entire winter season.

In order to note the normal reproduction in this latitude an over-
wintered female was taken from the colony on May 5 and colonized upon
a potted plant. When taken from the colony she was not full grown,
but completed her growth and gave birth to young on the 12th of May.
These young were taken as the first generation from the over-wintered
agamic female, and on the 30th of May preduced young of the second
generation. These were likewise colonized for observation and pro-
duced the third generation on Junel4. Proceeding in like manner, the
successive generations were produced on June 29, July 10, July 19, July
30, August 7, August 17, August 26, September 7, and September 20,
reaching with this date the twelfth generation in a direct line from the
over-wintered female colonized in the spring.

At this date the individuals in our colonies, regardless of their
generation, began to become winged, and winged individuals were pro-
duced in great abundance, extending over a period of thirty days. The
number of the generation had nothing whatever to do with the phe-
nomenon of becoming winged. However,a considerable portion of the
individuals in our colonies showed no tendency to become winged,
and quite invariably immature lice removed from any colony where
winged individuals were being produced failed to become winged when
colonized upon fresh plants. It would appear that the mere fact of
disturbance and removal to a fresh host plat sufficed to arrest the
tendency to become winged.

The winged individuals remained ordinarily at rest in the colony
among the unwinged lice, but they made no attempt to feed. After
several days they would become restless and fly away. Attempts to
trace them were in every case fruitiess, and we were not able to estab-
lish the normal habit of this individual in regard to the production of
its young. In no case did we observe them producing young among
the individuals of an old colony, and we were unable to locate the young
when allowed to breed out of confinement.

Retained in confinement, after four or five days they produced their
young, usually four to six, within the space of twenty-four hours. These
young proved to be sexual individuals and were quite characteristic in
their size, organic structure, and coloration. In the first place, they
were beakless, having the mouth parts represented by a triangular,

(2

bulb-like process. The females were much larger than the males and
of a yellowish appearance. The size of the female is about half that of
the ordinary agamic female, and the male is about half the size of the
true female. They are very obscure individuals, and, so far as we could
observe, took very little nourishment if any at all. From the condition
of the mouth parts they could not possibly take other than liquid food.
They completed their growth in about eight days, passing through four
molts, and the female then deposited a single egg, which is about 0.75
millimeter long and ovoid in shape, and of 4 dark-brown color.

Such trouble was experienced in rearing the sexual individual that we
were not able to nake extensive observations on oviposition, nor were
we able to carry eggs over to the hatching period to produce a stem
mother, but they were carried long enough to conclude that the egg does
not hatch in the autumn.

The formation of the single egg can be observed in the female soon
after she passes the first molt, and at maturity it is plainly visible, occu-
pying much the larger part of the body cavity..

From the long series of observations made, covering nearly two years,
it is concluded that the sexual form plays a very unimportant part in
the propagation and perpetuation of the species in this latitude.

The agamic individuals are always present, usually in great numbers
on the roots and to a less extent on the stems of the apple trees, and
these colonies persist, so far as our observations go, and reproduce
other agamic individuals in a direct line without cessation and without
apparent loss of virility.

ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF PROTOPARCE CAROLINA.

By Wo. B. ALwoop, Blacksburg, Va.
[Abstract of paper. ]

In the spring of 1890 IT began observations on the life history of the
tobacco, horn-worm, Protoparce carolina, at Blacksburg, Va. It may
be well to state that, although this place is well toward the southern
boundary of Virginia, it has a temperate climate, similar to middle New
York, because of its elevation, the mean height above tide being about
2,500 teet; but the temperature is also influenced by the prevaiiing
northwest winds, which come to us over the higher ranges of mountains.
The soil is mostly heavy clay. Frosts occur in spring, usually until
the middle of May, and in the fall about September 20 to 30 our first
frost is to be expected.

The tobacco grown is the heavy dark varieties.

The earliest dates at which the moths were observed were June 7,
1891, June 9, 1892, and June 12, 1893, and almost invariably in any
year by the 12th of June moths in small numbers may be taken at

13

honeysuckle in the early evening. I have never seen the moths occur
in numbers in June.

By June 12 the tobacco plants have usually been. partially set out,
but many are set later in some seasons.

The early moths, in my observations, confined themselves to tobacco
plants remaining in the plant beds, and the earliest recorded egg lay-
ing occurred June 20. After this date eggs were constantly found,
but in small numbers, up until after the middle of July, when they
became more abundant. ‘They are always deposited singly and nearly
always on the under side of the leaf.

From the fact that eggs are deposited in the dusk of evening, it is
not easy to be certain that one has the exact date of oviposition in any
case, as the eggs are necessarily not found until the next day. How-
ever, eggs, presumably fresh, hatched in periods varying from four to

Sere days.
The first molt occurs under poral conditions almost invariably on
the fourth or fifth day from hatching. The subsequent molts occur
quite regularly in four to five day periods, there being invariably. four
molts before pupation. Frequently the larve eat the eggshells after
hatching and the shed skin after the earlier molts. A sample record
will illustrate the statement as to periods of molting:

July 20, 1891, two eggs (not freshly deposited); July 21, both have
hatched; July 25, first molt occurred; July 28, one larva disappeared;
July 30, remaining larva molted second time; August 4, third molt;
August 8, fourth molt; August 13, larva full grown, burrowed in soil;
August 25, pupa renioned | in good condition’

The records of a large number of larve, carried through from egg to
pupation, showed four ecdyses, with characteristic changes in the larve,
before attaining full growth and burrowing in the earth for pupation.
After entering the soil the larve burrow extensively, in some instances,
before coming to rest and forming the oblong cell in which pupation
takes place. This cell is simply a cavity in the earth, made by pressing
the earth particles firmly and smoothiy out of the way, so that before
pupation the larva lies free therein. Pupation, in my observation,
never occurs under seven days from time of entering the soil, and is
‘usually completed within twelve days.

These records are of worms in confinement, and I should say that
the larve on entering the soil often showed much restlessness under
these conditions.

The number of broods per year is a matter of some interest. Having
approximately settled the question of first occurrence of imago and the
beginning of oviposition, as full observations as circumstances per-
mitted were made on growth period of the larve and period from
pupation to issuance of imago.

The earliest recorded larve observed hatched June 21. The earliest
larva of which full record was made hatched June 28. Two larve of

T4.

this date completed growth and entered the soil July 19, or in twenty-
one days. Hight days later pupation was completed and the two pup
examined; apparently normal; removed to cage under cover for obser-
vation. One imago issued August 23, or twenty-seven days from
pupation. The other pupa was examined at this time and found to be
dead.

Our records show these early larve produce moths occasionally up
to September 5, but, so far as we are able to determine, the great bulk
of the pupze remain dormant until the following season. Of fed
larvee, the earliest record of issuance of the imago the following spring
in my notes is June 24. This larva completed feeding on August 4,
previous year, and went into the ground on that day. From this date
(June 24) up through July I have constant records of issuance of moths
from over-wintered pupe, the last date being July 29. Larve occur,
feed, and pupate up to the last of September at Blacksburg, the last
ones usually occurring upon tomato.

It would appear from my observations that this moth is, to a slight
extent, double-brooded at Blacksburg, but that on the contrary the
greater per cent of the overwintered pup produce imagos in July,
and that the larve from these moths quite invariably enter the pupa
state in twenty-eight to thirty days from Toten and lie dormant as
such over winter.

The breeding experiments were carried on for two years and extended
into the third year. Many hundreds of larve were under observation
during this time, but the procuring of accurate data was often much
interfered with by two enemies of this Sphinx larva.

These were the common braconid Apanteles congregatus, the pupa
cases of which are seen so frequently attached to the larve late in the

season, and a Tachinid fly of the genus Chetolyga, the larve of

which attack the horn-worm pupze in the soil. Many of our fed speci-
mens were in this wise destroyed, in some instances fully three-fourths
of the pup being destroyed by the Tachinid.

The discussion took the form of a number ef questions propounded .

to the author by Messrs. Johnson, Howard, Fernald, and others.

MORNING SESSION, SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1898, 11.15 O'CLOCK.

The first hour of the morning was spent by the association in the
joint meeting with the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science,
as already provided, listening to the reading of papers on entomological
subjects. the reports of which will be given in the proceedings of the
society mentioned.

“ey ur bi WES Cy wat a ee
ai ee ST ae aS Pic * ‘ meen
——— reer na neeate

BENE 5 ne heey mn aeltye Seeee rt eet 2

15

On the reassembling of the Association of Economic Entomologists
the first paper was presented by Mr. F. W. Rane, on the following
subject:

NOTES ON THE FERTILIZATION OF MUSKMELONS BY INSECTS.
By F. WM. RANE, Morgantown, W. Va.

Last season a great many varieties of muskmelon were grown at the
New Hampshire College Agricultural Experiment Station. The season,
however, was very wet, and much of the fruit did not set, which was
attributed to the absence of insects, upon which the plants are sup-
posed to depend.

As we stated in Bulletin 52 of last season, we are now carrying on
some experiments in hand fertilization to determine if the operation is
successful, whereby we would be independent of unfavorable seasons.
We found that we have been mistaken in our idea that the muskmelon
is moneecious, aS upon examination of our entire list of ninety-five
varieties the so-called pistillate flower is to all appearances, excepting
in the mammoth varieties, perfect. According to this, the flowers were
not necessarily feitilized from the pollen carried from one to another.
Upon microscopical examination it was found that to all appearances
there was equally as much pollen in the perfect as in the staminate
flower. Many flowers containing pistils were covered with bags before
they had opened, and self-pollinated when fully open; while others were
simply covered to see if they were capable of self-fertilization. We
have succeeded in setting some of the fruit fertilized by its own pollen,
although it 1s not yet mature. Where we did not hand pollinate the
fruit has not set.

Upon close observation of the insects at work, and from the structure
and arrangement of the stamen and pistil, we believe that self-fertili-
zation through the agency of insects is quite the natural one. The tri-
lobed pistil is so formed that the three stamens are virtually set into
grooves, the pistil projecting upon all sides. When the insects come
in search of nectar it is but natural that the pollen from this flower be
brought into contact with the stigma.

Should self-fertilization prove successful, there seems to be no expla-
nation of the office of the staminate flowers, which are so numerous.
When watching the insects at work upon the melon blossom I have
seen a single bee go from flower to flower for five minutes without
touching asingle so-called pistillate blossom. Accordingly, I have had
one row picked each day of its staminate flowers to see if a larger
proportion of the fruit would set. I find that we have only about the
same amount of fruit set thus far on this asin the other rows. With
a season like the present, when the insects are numerous, doubtless
there is little gained in so doing, but to insure fertilization in seasons
when insects are few it seems plausible.

16

It was my intention to report upon the insects most commonly visit-
ing the muskmelon flowers, but as Mr. Fiske, the assistant entomologist
of the experiment station, is here, he doubtless will give a brief report
in the discussion.

In the discussion of this paper the question was asked by Mr. Smith
whether the insects remained in the flowers over night. Mr. Rane, in
reply, stated that some of the minute ones did. Mr. Smith reported
that in case of cucurbits certain insects, especially a species of bee,
remained over night in the bloom, and that this fact led him to ask for
additional confirmation of this habit.

Mr. Fiske suggested that the male Bombus might have this habit,
and Mr. Smith said that this might be true, but that he referred also
to a smaller bee, Xenoglossa pruinosa.

Mr. Weed read the following paper:

NOTES ON TENT CATERPILLARS.
By CLARENCE M. WEED, Durham, N. H.

For the last five or six years the central portion of New England has
suffered from the ravages of the American tent caterpillar to an extraor-
dinary degree. Over large areas the unsightly nests were to be seen
along every roadside and in nearly every orchard. In many localities
the outbreak apparently reached 1ts maximum in 1897, during which
season large numbers of parasites of many species were at work upon
the larve. Egg parasites were also present; these, with certain dis-
eases and various vertebrate enemies, did much in checking the pests
last year.

During the present season in the region under the writer’s observa-
tion there appears to have been a decided checking of the attack due
to various natural causes. Just after the larvee had hatched last April
a heavy and long-continued rainfall caused tbe death of enormous num-
bers. An examination of the apple and wild-cherry trees after the
storm showed that in most cases the only larve present were those hud-
dled together on the lower side of the egg mass, where they were pro-
tected from the washing effect of the rain. These survivors developed
in sufficient numbers to be decidedly in evidence in May, but they had
to succumb to avery great extent during the last weeks of their growth
to a bacterial disease that killed them in vast numbers. The effective-
ness of this disease was doubtless increased by the wet weather pre-
vailing at that time. Early in June nearly every nest was full of dead
and dying caterpillars, many of those on the outside of the web grad-
ually shriveling up until only the dried skins remained. A series of
observations made upon a large number of nests just before the time
for pupation showed that more than 90 per cent had been killed by this
disease. As a result there were few of the caterpillars crawling about

(eR

the streets in early June, although during previous years great num-
bers were to be seen at that time. There were also comparatively few
moths to be found later in the season.

This wholesale destruction of the Clisiocampa larve must have
brought about also a very general destruction of the parasites of
these caterpillars. In 1897 Mr. Fiske and myself had begun an inter-
esting study of these parasites, observing many facts regarding the
curious interrelations of host, primary, secondary, and tertiary parasites,
which we hoped to complete in a measure this season; but the microbes
interfered with all that.

Our 1897 studies showed, however, that Pimpla conquisitor was much
the most abundant parasite. Several hundred adults of this species
were bred, which appeared to have attacked the occupants of at least
half the large number of Clisiocampa cocoons collected. The eges
appear to be deposited in the full-grown caterpillars and to be devel-
oped into larve that do not emerge from the host until the latter spins
its cocoon. The pupa stage of the parasite lasts from five to seven
days. The most abundant secondary parasite preying upon Pimpla
conquisitor was Theronia fulvescens, which was reared in considerable
numbers. Many other parasites were reared and studied, accounts of
which we hope soon to record in a bulletin of the New Hampshire
College Experiment Station.

Various experiments with remedies brought out little new informa-
tion. The careful use of a very small amount of kerosene (a teaspoon-
ful to a nest) in wetting the silk of the nest was found a satisfactory
way of killing the partially grown caterpillar; but care is needed, as
if sufficient kerosene is added to saturate the bark the tree is injured.
One of the most satisfactory remedial measures that came to my notice
related to the removal of the egg clusters. In the village of Newrfields,
N.H., the improvement society offered the school children 10 cents a
hundred for all the egg masses, or ‘‘caterpillar’s belts” as they are
locally called, that they would bring in. Many of the children worked
‘faithfully, and when in February I was called to point the moral of
the process I found that 8,250 of the egg masses had been obtained.
I doubt if the expenditure of $8.25 by a village improvement society
often does more good than was done in this case. The caterpillars
were destroyed, and the effect was easily noticeable in the spring and
early summer, while the boys and girls had a remarkable lesson in
nature study.

A more serious outbreak than that of the American tent caterpillar,
because more sweeping in its character, is that of the forest tent cater-
pillar (Clisiocampa disstria), which has gradually been developing in
New England during the last three or four years. At present the
attack 1s most severe in New Hampshire in the Connecticut Valley,
where a great deal of damage has been done over an extended area, but
there is evidence to show that the insect is gradually increasing in
many regions away from this valley.

78

These caterpillars have attacked nearly all kinds of deciduous trees,
causing special damage to shade trees like the elm and maple. Many
sugar orchards have sustained injury that will interfere with their pro-
ductiveness in the immediate future. The attack appears to have been
more severe in the villages than in the country. ;

The disstria.caterpillars hatch a week or more later than do those of
the americana, and there is considerable variation in the time of hatech-
ing within the species itself. Ina given region caterpillars of various
sizes could easily be found late in May or early in June. They feed on
leaves in all parts of the tree, having a preference apparently for the
upper branches. They commonly eat out the blade along either side of
the midrib, severing the marginal part so that it falls off. These sev-
ered portions are to be found abundantly on the ground under the
infested ,trees. The result of this curious mode of attack is, of course,
greatly to increase the amount of damage done for the amount of leaf-
age actually consumed. At times of molting the caterpillars collect
together in masses on the tree trunk.

Cocoons are spun for the most part after the middle of June. Many
of the caterpillars in the trees inclose their cocoons in leaves, while
many make them in the bark, and others on the ground, in any shelter
that may be at hand.

Mr. Perkins discussed this communication and stated that he had much
experience with C. disstria, and that it was especially bad on the west
slope of the Green Mountains, affecting chiefly the sugar-maple groves.
It was less troublesome on the Connecticut River side. Referring to
the two species, he noted the confusion likely to arise from the not infre-
quent occurrence of the two species in the same nest. He confirmed
Mr. Weed in the very greatly increased parasitism of the present year,
and concurred with him in assigning great value to hand collection of
eggs.

Mr. H. T. Fernald described an unusual habit as noticed by him in
Pennsylvania. In a large peach orchard the insect was found on per-
haps one tree in ten, and yet did not occur at all in an adjoining apple
orchard.

Mr. Forbush presented the following report:

RECENT WORK OF THE GIPSY-MOTH COMMITTEE.
By E. H. Forsusu, Malden, Mass.
[ Author’s abstract. ]

Ever since the gipsy-moth exterminative work was placed under the
management of the Massachusetts board of agriculture, the plan of
operations has been to work from the outermost limit of the known
infested region toward the center.

Obviously such a method, if properly executed, would best carry out
the purpose of the State law; first, for the prevention of the spread,

79

and second, for the extermination of the moth. In accordance with
this plan it has been the policy of the board to clear the outer towns
from the moth, and at the same time to reduce, so far as the money
granted would permit, the number of the moths in the central towns.
It was hoped that when the outer towns were cleared the force could
be largely concentrated in the inner towns, clearing them also. If the
board had each year received the sums it has deemed necessary and
annually requested, this policy would by to-day, it is believed, have
been carried on to complete success. But since the necessary legisla-
tive grant annually asked for by the board has been cut down year after
year from one-third to one-half, the moths have so increased in the cen-
tral towns that they have been scattered into and have seriously threat-
ened the towns cleared or nearly cleared in the outer belt.

Under these circumstances it has been found necessary during the
seasons of 1897-98 to concentrate large bodies of men in the central
towns to prevent a further wide dissemination of the larve into the
outer towns; the outer towns meanwhile receiving less than their full
share of attention.

The present year the full amount asked for ($200,000) was granted
for this work by the legislature. Unfortunately the grant was so de-
layed that much of the necessary work of egg destruction (by burning
before hatching time) could not be done. The heavy rains, too, which
prevailed through May and June greatly hampered the spraying.
Nevertheless, the burlap work, which was done more extensively than
ever before and over most of the territory known as infested, proved
so successful, that nowhere in the whole burlapped territory were any
considerable number of trees stripped by gipsy-moth larve.

We have also this summer done extensive burning, beginning in
August. Burning will be continued where needed.

On the whole, the granting this year of the full sum asked will make
it possible for us to accomplish far more in 1898 than has been accomp-

lished in any previous year.

While it is true that two colonies of the insect (one in Lincoln, dis-
covered in 1897, the other in Manchester, discovered this year) are
known immediately outside of the limits of the territory hitherto defined
as infested, these discoveries, under all the circumstances, do not in the
least surprise me, since I have believed from the first that afew of such
extralimital colonies might confidently be looked for. Still these dis-
coveries emphasize the necessity of far more inspection work outside
the limits of known infestation. We have been absolutely unable in
past years, with the money hitherto granted, to do nearly all that is
needed to be done in this line of work. This year as much as possible
was done in this line, revealing, however, no infestation.

Efficient work has been done both in Manchester and Lincoln. The
center of the Manchester colony appears to be stamped out. Much
work will be necessary in its immediate vicinity this fall and the coun-
try surrounding it must be carefully watched next year. The Lincoln

80°

colony has been brought to such a condition that there is little danger
of dissemination from it.

Nevertheless, the moth is scattered through hundreds of acres of
woodland there and extermination in Lincoln and the adjoining town
of Weston, into which a few larve have been dispersed, will be costly.

The work of spraying and burning the past season has been greatly
facilitated by improved apparatus prepared under the direction of Mr.
i. C. Ware, of the department, and in part invented by him. An invi-
tation is extended to the association to inspect this apparatus at our
Malden office. [This invitation was accepted by a large delegation from
the association. |

Information about the gipsy moth has been widely scattered through
the region adjacent to the infested territory. People have learned to
dread the moth and are on the watch for it. The Lincoln and Man-
chester colonies were discovered and reported to us by citizens. To
secure still further the intelligent cooperation of citizens in this work,
itis planned to distribute from house to house, within the towns imme-
diately bordering the infested region, an illustrated bulletin descriptive
of the gipsy moth, its habits, and something of its history.

In no previous year have we been able to speak so confidently of prog-
ress so early in the season. The great wooded tracts, especially in the
eastern, western, and northern divisions of the infested territory, are
now in excellent condition. More than ever this year have I been
impressed with our power to cope with and in due time to utterly extir-
pate the gipsy moth when we are sufficiently supported by legislative
grants.

If the legislature promptly provides for several years to come an
appropriation strictly limited to the gipsy-moth work and equal to the
amount granted this year, there can be no doubt of the final extermina-
tion of the gipsy moth from Massachusetts.

This paper was preliminary to an excursion to the gipsy-moth dis-
tricts, offered by the gipsy-moth committee to the members of the asso-
ciation, to occupy the afternoon of the last day of the session, and the
discussion of the communication was deferred to an informal one during
the excursion.

A committee, consisting of Messrs. Bethune, Osborn, and Smith (J.B.),
was appointed to express the opinion of the members of the association
regarding the work against the gipsy moth in the State of Massa-
chusetts. The report submitted by this committee follows:

Resolved, That the work of the gipsy-moth committee in the State of Massa-
chusetts, having been inspected in all its details by a large number of the members
of this association and its methods of operation observed, it is our opinion that too

much praise can not be bestowed upon those who are carrying out this important
work. We consider that they have adopted the best methods yet devised for con-

|

81

trolling the spread of and ultimately exterminating this destructive insect; that
their work, on the whole, has been remarkably successful, when the extensive area
to be gone over and the insufficient or retarded appropriations are considered; and
that there is every prospect of the accomplishment of the object of the committee—
the absolute extermination of the insect in the State of Massachusetts—provided
that funds sufficient for the purpose are placed at their disposal.

We consider that a stoppage of their work, or any serious reduction of it, would
involve not only the loss of all that has been already accomplished, but would also
permit this destructive insect to ravage the State and eventually spread over a large
part of the Union, and cause an incalculable amount of injury to the whole
community.

We trust that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will continue to make early
and ample provision for carrying on this work in a thorough manner for a few years
longer, when we expect that the insect will have been brought under such control
that a much more limited expenditure will be sufficient.

CHARLES J. 8S. BETHUNE,

HERBERT OSBORN,

JOHN B. SMITH,
Committee.

The papers not read, or the authors of which were not present, were
ordered read by title and printed in the proceedings.

On motion of Mr. C. H. Fernald, seconded by Mr. Weed, the United
States Department of Agriculture was asked to undertake the publica-
tion of the proceedings, as has been the custom hitherto.

The following new members were proposed and added to the rolls:

IF. H. Mosher, proposed by Mr. Kirkland.

E. D. Ball, assistant entomologist Colorado Experiment Station,
proposed by Mr. Osborn.

A. L. Quaintance, State entomologist, Florida Experiment Station,
proposed by P. H. Rolfs.

A vote of thanks was tendered to the officers of the association for
the efficient performance of their duties, and also to the Boston Society
of Natural History and the Horticultural Society of Boston for use of
halls and other courtesies.

The association then adjourned, to meet in accordance with the usual
custom, on the two week days preceding the annual August meeting for
1899 of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and

at the place selected by the latter body.
C. L. MARLATT, Secretary.

——$

The following are the papers read by title and ordered printed in the
proceedings :
THE SAN JOSE SCALE IN CONNECTICUT

By W. E. Brirron, New Haven, Conn.

The presence of the San Jose scale (Aspidiotus perniciosus Comst.)
in the State of Connecticut was first discovered in 1895. On June 12,
while investigating a leaf-curl of plum trees in the orchard of Mr. Ale
L. Raub, at New London, Dr. W. C. Sturgis, mycologist of the experi-

7184—No, 17——6

82.

ment station, observed that several small peach trees had just died,
and upon further inspection found the trunk and branches of each dead
tree well covered by scale insects. Twigs were taken to the laboratory
in New Haven, where they were given a more thorough examination.
The scale was suspected to be the San Jose, or pernicious scale, but
as no one at the station had ever seen that species, specimens were
submitted to Mr. M. V. Slingerland, of Cornell University, and to Dr.
L. O. Howard, of the Department of Agriculture, at Washington. Both
pronounced it A. perniciosus. The writer visited Mr. Raub’s orchard on
June 25, in company with Dr. Sturgis, and took notes regarding the
infested trees and their surroundings. The orchard was badly infested.
Fortunately, however, it was the only orchard in the immediate
locality, so that the conditions necessary for the rapid spread of the
insect were not at hand. Living scales were found upon about half
the trees, but there were also many dead scales which were about half
grown and had probably been kiiled the previous winter. Trees of the
orchard were obtained from the Pomona nurseries, Parry, N. J., dur-
ing the seasons of 1891, 1892, 1893, and 1894. The plantings of 1891
and 1892 were badly infested, and it was amongst these that the dead
trees were found. The stock of 1893 undoubtedly was infested when

planted, but was still vigorous, while the trees planted in the spring of -

1894 appeared to be free from scale. Previous to this the owners of the
above-mentioned nurseries had instituted vigorous measures to rid
the stock of insect pests. Mr. Raub destroyed immediately many of the
worst infested trees of his orchard, and applied whale-oil soap solution
. to the other trees. This treatment was repeated the following April,
and gave good results. arly in the spring of 1896 a bucket of “ Den-
drolene” was sent to the station by its manufacturers, the Bowker Fer-
tilizer Company, of Boston, and Dr. Sturgis forwarded it to Mr. Raub,
with the request that he give it a trial on some of his trees. Through
a mistake all trees of the orchard whici were infested with scale were
coated with the substance about May 1. On June 4 Mr. Raub wrote
that all of his trees were dying. A later examination proved that the
trees had been killed by the “ Dendr On” and by killing the trees the
scales were destroyed.

As soon as it was learned that infested nursery stock had been sent
into Connecticut from Parry’s nurseries, a letter was addressed to Mr.
Parry asking for a list of his Connecticut customers during the period
between 1890 and 1895, that we might the more readily learn of the
extent of the distribution of the scale in the State. Mr. Parry cour-
teously complied with our request, and sent usa list containing ninety-
two names.

Circular letters were sent to these addresses calling attention to the
presence of the scale in Connecticut, and asking each owner to examine
his stock and report, a card for reply accompanying each circular.
Forty-three replies were received. Twenty-eight reported no scale,
while ten found indications of its presence.

83

Shortly after the pernicious scale was discovered at New London,
Specimens were received from Hartford and Bridgeport. Still later it
was learned that infested localities existed at Darien, Groton, Mystic,
Farmington, New Britain, Plantsville, and New Haven. At this date
(August 18) we may add to the list Greenwich, Nichols, Woodbridge,
Hamden, Cheshire, Wallingford, Meriden, Ivoryton, and Burnside.

Thus, infested localities are known to have existed in at least nine-
teen different towns of the State, while three or four different localities
in Hartford and at least five in New Haven have been discovered. It
may also be of interest to note that most of the centers of infection are

@. NEW HAVEN
Ke

MAP OF

CONNECTICUT

Fic. 4.—Map showing the distribution of the San Jose scale in Connecticut (original).

situated along the lines of the New York, New Haven and Hartford
Railroad. In nearly all cases where infested trees were found the
“owners had purchased stock of either Parry or Lovett. In one or two
cases infested stock was unquestionably obtained directly from other
nurseries, but it may have originally been sent out by one of these two
New Jersey firms. No list of customers has been procured of the Lovett
Company, and it is probable that many other localities, to us unknown,
have already become infested by means of stock from this nursery.
During the latter part of 1897 infested currant twigs were received
from Mr. M. N. Wooding, of Hamden. A visit to Mr. Wooding’s place
followed, and an inspection of all vegetation in the vicinity showed the

1 All localities now known to exist in the State are shown on the accompanying
outline map (fig. 4), prepared by the author of the paper.—L. O. H.

84°

only infested spot to be in the center of a small currant patch, having
an area of perhaps one-fourth of an acre. Mr. Wooding had grown his
own plants from cuttings for twelve years, and had purchased no cur-
rant stock from nurseries. Only three or four bushes were infested,
and how the scale got there remains a mystery.

In suggesting a treatment against the scale we have usually advised
the destruction of the worst infested trees, and recommended that
others be sprayed while dormant with a solution of whale oil soap—2
pounds of soap in 1 gallon of water. If considered best to spray trees
in foliage, 1 pound of soap to 5 gallons of water has been advised. On the
1st of last March several seriously infested Japan plum trees in New
Haven were sprayed with kerosene. Two months later no living seales
could be found. The kerosene was applied by means of a ‘‘ Success”
bucket pump, through a Vermorel nozzle, and the spraying done on a
bright day, with plenty of air stirring. Where the kerosene was applied
with care, little or no injury resulted. One tree literally covered with
scales was drenched with kerosene; nearly all the branches were killed
back about halfway to the trunk.

At the station uninfested trees of apple, pear, peach, plum, chore
and quince were sprayed with kerosene February 28. The only injury
that resulted was the killing of a few fruit buds.

During the past year the writer has been called upon to inspect four
different nurseries. In two of them no ‘indications of the presence”
of A. perniciosus were found, and the owners were provided with certifi-
cates to that effect. Each of the other two nurseries contained a few
small trees that were scale infested.

Connecticut hes no law requiring the inspection of nursery stock,
but these inspections were made at the request of the owners. Several
cases have been noted where infested trees were purported to have
been purchased from local dealers whose stock had been examined and
was apparently free from scale at the time of the inspection. The loca-
tion of these trees being such as to preclude the probability of their
having become infested after leaving the nursery leads me to believe
that the San Jose scale has been distributed very extensively in Con-
necticut upon nursery stock, and that nearly every nursery in the State
has at some time contained infested stock which the owners have
unwittingly sold to their customers.

INSECT INJURY TO MILLET.
By F. H. CHITTENDEN, JVashington, D. C.
FLEA-BEETLE INJURY.

During the last week in June, 1898, Mr. C. L. Shears, of the Division of
Agrostology of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, called the writer’s
attention to injury on the experimental plats of millet on the Department

|
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th pimpin

85

grounds. On investigation it was found that two species were at work,
Chetocnema denticulata Ill. and pulicaria Cr. The former was by far the
most abundant species of insect on the entire experimental plat, and
was so numerous on broom-corn or Indian millet (Panicum miliaceum)
as to be readily seen at a few paces distant. A smaller number of the
latter species was present on the same plat, and both were found in
considerably smaller numbers on other species of millet, the injury
effected being hardly appreciable. The following were infested in the
order named: Panicum capillare and molle, German millet (Setaria
germanica), and pearl millet (Pennisetum spicatum). Adults were in
copula for the most part, and many were hidden in the panicles of the
flowers, where the grass blade partially concealed them from view.
Nearly every leaf of broom-corn miilet was badly injured, damage show-
ing in holes varying from the size of a pin prick to long slits a quarter
of an inch and more in length. The blades were also badly discolored,
this discoloration showing as long white marks placed closely together.

From adults captured during the first week of July eggs were
obtained. The following week the beetles were noticed in decreasing
numbers, and search made about the roots at different times till August
failed to discover the insect in any stage of growth, although nearly a
hundred plants were examined. Careful examination of many plants
about the roots showed injury by some larva, particularly just above
the roots and at the bases of some of the larger ones. It was very
plainly the work of a coleopterous larva, as shown by the nature of the
attack and the excrement, but it could not be discovered whether it
was the work of Chetocnema or of the wireworm larva, which was
found in some numbers at the same time and which will be mentioned
later.

The following description of the egg of Chwetocnema denticulata is
given: Subelliptical, a little larger at one end than at the other.
Opaque, pale buff yellow. Surface of moderately small shallow con-
- Cave areas, perfectly hexagonal, with thin edges, like honeycomb, when
seen under a high magnifying power; afew scattered granules. Length,
0.74 to 0.76 mm.; width, 0.26 to 0.29 mm.

This flea-beetle, it will be remembered, was mentioned in a paper by
the writer presented before the last meeting of the Association of
Economic Entomologists (Buil. 9, n.s., Div. Ent., U. 8S. Dept. Agric.,
p. 22) as an enemy of the common barnyard grass, Panicum crus-galli, the
prediction that it would “probably be found later to be injurious to
some of the useful Graminacee” being now verified. We must look for
its native larval food plant among our indigenous species of Panicum.

WIREWORM INJURY.

July 12, while searching for the larve of Chetocnema on the plat of
broom-corn millet previously mentioned, larve and pupz of the wire-
worm, Monocrepidius bellus Say, were found at the roots of many plants.

86.

The species was mostly in the larval condition and the pup found had
recently transformed. The roots of this plant are rather short, and the
larvee were for the most part within an inch or two of the surface of the
ground. Ten days later practically the same conditions were observed,
the species still being chiefly in the larval condition. One beetle fully
matured, however, was taken and one of the pupz found on a previous
oceasion had begun to mature.

The pupe did not attain maturity, but on July 22 a full-grown larva
was taken, which transformed to pupa that day and to adult on the
28th, having passed about six days in the pupal condition. The -
weather was very hot during this period. On the day of its transfor-
mation the beetle was of a light yellow color. This changed to reddish
on the following day, and the normal coloration of the species could be
seen on the afternoon of the 30th. When next examined, August 1, it
was fuliy matured and actively running about in the rearing jar in
which it had undergone transformation.

Monocrepidius bellus has not, to the writer’s knowledge, hitherto been
noticed as injurious. Its larva and pupa are almost exact counterparts
in miniature of J. vespertinus, a common species southward in corn
fields. ‘The larva when mature measures 6 to 6.5 mm. in length; the
pupa is of about the same dimensions as the beetle, 3.5mm. long.

~OTHER INJURIOUS INSECTS; SUMMARY OF INJURY.

The Southern corn root-worm (Diabrotica 12-punctata) was also found
in the larval stage, and beetles were taken that had just transformed
from pup; this observation adding a new larval food plant for this root-
worm. Young larve of aspecies of Lachnosterna were also at the roots,
as was the larva of an Oscinid fly, Chlorops assimilis. These species,
with the addition of the chinch bug, which was present in all stages,
-mnake a list of seven species of insects attacking this plant. It was the
worst injured of all the forage plants on the Department grounds, and
from this experience it would appear that this species of millet could
not be profitably grown in the States lying in the same life zone—the
Upper Austral—as the District of Columbia. |

The flea-beetles had done the most injury of all the insects enumer-
ated, the most obvious damage having been committed in their mature
condition. Unfortunately, owing to the bad condition of this particular
plat, the workman in charge cut down what remained of it after the
writer’s first observations, and it was impossible to carry the matter
further. The wireworm larvze occurred in considerable numbers and
materially assisted in injury, and all the other insects, with the possible
exception of the Chlorops, are capable of much damage.

87

ENTOMOLOGICAL ETHICS.
By T. D. A. COCKERELL, Las Cruces, N. Mex.

“What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under law, but under grace? God for-
bid.”—Paul, Epistle to the Romans, vi, 15.

I am aware that a Biblical text is not the customary prelude to a
paper presented to this association, but the words of Paul are so appro-
priate to what follows that no excuse is needed for quoting them.
Entomologists in the public service enjoy a large amount of liberty.
I think we are all glad that such is the case, and would be, without
exception, resentful of any attempt to diminish our freedom. Science
must be free—must be allowed to follow the devious path that leads to
the summit of the hill of knowledge, even though that path often seem
to have no trend in the direction of the distant goal. In the name of
science we demand the right to investigate as we will, and publish
without hindrance whatever results we obtain.

It is, however, quite certain that liberty in matters scientific, as in
the State, can only be maintained when rightly used. He, therefore,
who misuses his freedom is an enemy of the whole fraternity, for he
threatens its most precious possession.

I think we need to consider among ourselves sie is our precise
duty to the United States and to one another. In certain particulars
I have observed very diverse practices and very divergent opinions,
and it can not well be that these are all correct.

The entomologists of the experiment stations are all of them custo-
dians of more or less extensive and valuable collections of insects.
What may they do with these collections? What are their rights in
regard to them?

I have myself observed the following rules:

(1) The entomologist has no private ownership of anything in the
collections.

(2) The specimens may be disposed of in any manner which best
furthers the interests of science. This involves the two following rules:

(a) Specimens, even uniques, may be sent to specialists who will work
- them up and publish the results. It is, I think, far better to part alto-
gether with a rare specimen than to have it remain in the collection
unstudied. As others take the same view, it results that the collec-
tion acquires from elsewhere corresponding numbers of valuable speci-
mens belonging to the groups specially studied by the entomologist.

(b) Types of new species ultimately go to some central institution,
preferably the U. S. National Museum. This is important, because in
the long run much trouble is saved to entomologists by having the
types all together; and also, because such places as the National
Museum offer a far better guaranty of safe-keeping than most, at least,
of the agricultural colleges.

88°

I may add to the first rule that I do not keep any private collection
whatever. I do not know whether you will agree with the above rules,
but after much consideration I believe them to be sound.

Now, it is on the question of private ownership that difficulties have
arisen, and I believe that some entomologists have permitted them-
selves entirely too great liberties.

One of our station entomologists actually has advertisements run-
ning in the entomological and botanical journals, offering insects and
plants for sale. I think we ought to agree that no station official
should sell any part of his collections, unless, of course, the money is
turned in to the institution he is serving. Even so, it would not usually
be wise. It is quite impossible for a man to conduct a private business
and at the same time be a faithful station official, even admitting—
which I do not admit—his right to so dispose of a portion of his
material.

1 believe a station official never ceases to be on duty, but that even
when on leave of absence he should lose no opportunity of serving, I
will not say the institution, but the science for which the institution
exists.

While I have said this, I wish it to be understood I am concerned
with the motive rather than the deed. As a college professor, I have
considered my duties to extend far beyond the four walls of the college
building, and have, in fact, gone so far as to produce and edit an edu-
cational journal. This may appear to you a Sin against the law that no
public official may conduct a private business; but there was just this
about it—it was not a private business, but a public one. The sole aim
of the publication was to further the interests of education, and I think
an inspection of its balance sheet would convince the most skeptical
that there were no financial ends in view.

This last instance shows the value of our freedom, for it would be
hard indeed to frame laws which would prevent all improper enterprises
and yet not interfere with any proper ones.

To return to the matter of collections. A very serious question is,
What may a man take away with him when he leaves an institution?
It is a great hardship to be severed from a collection on which one has
labored for many years, perhaps through no fault of one’s own, and with
the knowledge that the next man will be quite unable to make proper
use of it. Yet I would say that the entomologist ought only to take a
set of duplicates, and that with the knowledge and consent of the
authorities. In one case known to me the entire collection of one order
of insects was removed, not a single named specimen being left. This
was done in perfect good faith, and no objection was made at the time.
I mention it merely to show how extreme are the differences of opinion
on this subject and how desirable it is to arrive at some mutual
understanding. ;

It has lately been charged that specimens have been removed from

FPN pins.

89

one of the station collections wrongly and without permission. This
can not possibly be tolerated, and I urge that this association take steps
to inquire into the matter. If the charge is untrue, it is even more
important to investigate it than in the reverse case, so as to remove an
unjust suspicion from one of our number, reflecting to the discredit of
all of us.

We may now turn to the discussion of certain phases of our relations
to one another. What should be the relation between the beginner and
the old hand? What that between the collector and the systematist?
I think those who have advanced somewhat in the science do not, as a
tule, do enough to help on those behind them. They are, perhaps, some-
times afraid of being themselves outstripped! The number of students
of any branch of entomology in this country is lamentably few in view
of the enormous field to be cultivated, and therefore no one can do a
greater service than to encourage new students.

What sort of encouragement should be given? To name specimens
by the dozen is not, I begin to be convinced, the best way. Latterly I
have begun to write in this wise: ‘* You say you are going to study
Coccidee. Well,study Coccide, and when you have done so, send me your
manuscripts and drawings, and some of the specimens, and we will dis-
cuss the subject together.” Sometimes one hears no more of the corre-
spondent, but often he gets to work and something really valuable
results to himself and the science. The great artificial difficulty of the
beginner—that of not having or not knowing where to find the litera-
ture, and the natural and inevitable errors of inexperience—can be
mostly overcome for him by one more matured in the study; but the
observation and recording of the facts of nature should surely be left
to the beginner himself.

I think teachers do a very grievous wrong when they allow their
students to incorporate their work with their own, and make it appear
as if they—the students—had done everything. Itis promoting a par-
ticularly base kind of dishonesty, and the evil is the more insidious,
because the student rarely realizes what he is doing. It has been my
experience that beginners will rarely think to give credit for any help
they receive, and I have known men to innocently, and without thought
of evil, appropriate even a whole description of a new form, communi-
cated to them in manuscript, publishing it as their own!

Now, as to collectors and specialists. The collector, at the present
day, is not properly encouraged, and rarely (there are a few brilliant
exceptions) is he helped to make the most of himself. Only to-day I
received a journal containing a great number of descriptions of new
Coleoptera, and in no singleinstance was the collector’s name mentioned!
This is by no means a rare occurrence. Field data, as I have often
found, are not asked for, and when received are often ignored or wrongly
quoted! This is all utterly bad, and should be remedied at once. I
think this association might do worse than appoint a committee of two

90.

to examine all entomological papers published in America between this
and the next meeting, and furnish a black-list of those who had ignored
the collectors or the field data.

How much the collector can do, if he knows his work will be appre-
ciated and he will get proper credit! A good way, I have found, is to -
divide a paper into two parts: (1) Systematic, by the specialist, and (2)
biological, by the collector. When the systematist has written his part,
he returns it to the collector, who immediately exerts himself to make
his part as complete and instructive as may be. The outcome 1s an
article which is both valuable and interesting, and the collector’s part
of it is frequently the best.

In the above remarks I have, of course, oniy covered a very small
portion of the ground, but I hope there will be found sufficient material
for discussion and perhaps action.

VERNACULAR NAMES OF INSECTS.
By Epwin W. Doran, Clinton, Mo.

At theninth annual meeting of the Association of Economic Ento-
mologists, held in Detroit last year, Prof. C. P. Gillette read a paper
on this subject. giving a list of the vernacular names of many of our
common insects. A committee was appointed by the association to
report on the matter at the next meeting. I wish to offer a few sugges-
tions through this committee to the association.

It is very evident to me that in the paper referred to there are several
mistakes in the compounding of words. In fact, I believe most of the
forms preferred by Professor Gillette are not in accordance with the
best usage. There are certain laws for the compounding of words,
which are just as definite and fixed as any other laws relating to the
use of good English, and I see no reason why entomologists should not
observe these laws. It will be a serious blunder to perpetuate upon
the present and future generations of entomologists a mass of incorrect
forms.

It may be argued that the forms given are in use by many people,
and that is true; but many entomologists are woefully ignorant of good
English, and should not be allowed to determine matters outside of their
sphere. This is a question for English scholars to settle for the most
part. I have consulted the best authorities in the English language,
and in the list, as I give it, only upon one name is there any disagree-
ment.°

In the list of names as published the arrangement is entirely illogical.
It is not in accordance with the development of the language in regard
to such words. For example, Professor Gillette writes the name in
three parallel columns, as illustrated by his first word, thus:

Aphis-lion, Aphis Lion, Aphislion.

91

The first form and the second should be exchanged. Then the order
of the words will represent a growth; for the more common words
become, the more closely they are united—first separate words, then
joined with hyphen, then joined directly without hyphen. AJ] words
do not pass through the three stages, but they almost invariably pass
through the second stage before they are used in the third. Thus we
would first write fish-moth; then after long use, we write fishmoth.

The arrangement of the words has much to do with the meaning.
For example, a crow is a black bird, but not a black-bird or blackbird.
We might even have a white black-bird, but not a white black bird. A
cabbage root-maggot would indicate one of many kinds of root maggots;
but a cabbage-root maggot would indicate a maggot which feeds upon
the root of cabbage, and there might not be another root-maggot in
existence. A Colorado potato-beetle would mean a certain kind of
potato-beetle; but a Colorado-potato beetle would mean a beetle that

_injures the Colorado potato. A shifting of the little hyphen entirely

changes the meaning.

There seems no use whatever for capital letters, except at the begin-
ning of words derived from proper names, as in Colorado potato-beetle
or Angoumois grain-moth. In all other cases I have not used them,
though Professor Gillette begins each name with a capital. I have
also arranged the names in alphabetical order. They were partly so
before.

In the list below, the form which Professor Gillette prefers I have
followed witha G. In some eases he gives his sanction to two forms
as equally good. The forms I prefer I have followed witha D. We
agree on about one-fourth of the forms.

LIST OF VERNACULAR NAMES.

Angoumois grain moth,G Angoumois grain-moth,D Angoumois grainmoth

black swallow tail
blister beetle, G

boll worm, G

bot fly

bristle tail

bud moth, G
cabbage butterfly, G

cabbage root-maggot, D(?)

cabbage worm, G
caddis fly, G

black swallow-tail, G
blister-beetle, D
boll-worm, D

bot-fly, D

bristle-tail, G
bud-moth, D
cabbage-butterfly, D
cabbage-root maggot, G
cabbage-worm, D
caddis-fly, D

ant lion, G ant-lion, D antlion

_ aphis lion, G aphis-lion, D aphislion
apple maggot, G apple-maggot, D -applemaggot
apple weevil, G apple-weevil, D appleweevil
bag worm bag-worm, D bagworm, G
bark louse, G bark-louse, D barklouse
ped bug bed-bug bedbug, G, D
bee flies, G bee-flies, D beeflies
bee louse, G bee-louse, D beelouse
black fly, G black-fly, D blackfly

black swallowtail, D
blisterbeetle
bollworm, G

botfly, G

bristletail, D
budmoth
cabbagebutterfly
cabbage rootmaggot
cabbageworm
caddistly

carpenter bee, G
cave cricket, G
chinch bug, G
clover-hay worm, D
codling moth, G

Colorado potato beetle, G

corn plant louse, G
currant borer, G
cut worm

dragon fly, G

fish moth, G

flea beetle

flesh fly, G

gall fly

grain moth, G
guest fly, G

hawk moth
ichneumon fly, G
lady beetle

lady bug

leaf folder

leaf hopper

leaf roller

pine leaf scale
plant louse, G

red legged locust
saw fly

scurvy bark louse, G
silk worm

Span worm

squash vine borer
tussock moth, G
two lined prominent
white ant, G, D (?)

92

carpenter-bee, D
cave-cricket, D
chinch-bug, D
clover hay-worm, G
codling-moth, D

Colorado potato-beetle, D

corn plant-louse, D
currant-borer, D
cut-worm
dragon-fly, D
fish-moth
flea-beetle, D
flesh-fly, D
gall-fly, D
grain-moth, D
guest-fly, D
hawk-moth, D
ichneumon-fly, D
lady-beetle
lady-bug
leaf-folder, G, D
leaf-hopper, G, D
leaf-roller, D
pine-leaf scale, G, D
plant-louse, D

red-legged locust, G, D

saw-fly, D

scurvy bark-louse, D
silk-worm
span-worm, D

Squash-vine borer, G, D

tussock-moth, D

two-lined prominent, G, D

white-ant, D

carpenterbee
cavecricket
chinchbug

clover hayworm
codlingmoth
Colorado potatobeetle
corn plantlouse
currentborer
cutworm, G, D
dragonfly, G
fishmoth, D, G
fleabeetle, G
fleshfly, G
gallfly, G
grainmoth
guestfly
hawkmoth, G
ichneumonfly
ladybeetle, G, D
ladybug, G, D
leaffolder
leafhopper, G
leafroller, G
pineleaf scale
plantlouse
redlegged locust
sawtly, G

scurvy barklouse
silkworm, G, D
spanworm, G, D
squashvine borer
tussockmoth
twolined prominent
whiteant

NOTES FROM MARYLAND ON THE PRINCIPAL INJURIOUS INSECTS
OF THE YEAR.

By WILuIs G. JOHNSON, College Park, Md.

THE WHITE ANT.—The season of 1898 has been a very exceptional one
from the entomological point of view up to the present time. The so-
called white ant (Termes flavipes) was the first insect of any particular
economic importance to come to my attention. I noticed an account in
a local paper, April 7, that a swarm of insects had appeared in the
Sunday school room of the Protestant Episcopal Church of All Saints
in Baltimore during the session of the school which so completely
demoralized the scholars that it was impossible to restore order. I
made an examination of the place April 8, and found a very serious
condition of affairs. The church is a large one, built of stone and brick,
with the Sunday school room on the first floor and the auditorium

93

~

above. All the timbers in the floor of the Sunday school room were
completely tunneled out by the termites, and the floor in many places
had given.away. The insects were still issuing through holes in the
floor near the furnace and from under the carpet in a small room adjoin-
ing. After this hasty examination, I was convinced that the entire floor,
the sills of which rested directly upon the ground, would have to be
removed. The floor was taken out a few days later and my suspicions
were well founded, as all the sills had been entirely honeycombed. The
insects had also gone up the studding which had been used for lath and
plaster against the stone walls for about 6 feet. Even the laths had
been mined until they were mere shells. The insects had also tunneled
into the hard wood of the rostrum and into the partition dividing the
Sunday school room from the class room. It was necessary to remove
all the woodwork in the room and replace it with new. About 2 feet of
earth was removed and the new floor placed on joists resting on iron
girders set upon brick piers. All the heavy timbers were also dipped
in tar.

THE BLACK PEACH APHIS.—The black peach aphis (Aphis prunicola)
_was the next insect to command my attention. April 12 I was called
to examine a block of 400,000 peach seedlings in which this insect had
made its appearance. Its distribution has been very general over the

State, the greatest injury having been done to young peach trees in
nurseries just as the buds were shooting. The loss to nurserymen
alone, to say nothing about the losses sustained in one and two year
old orchards, has been considerably in excess of $50,000 this season.
No such an outbreak has been recorded in this State for the past eight
or ten years.
THE CLOVER-LEAF WEEVIL.—The clover-leaf weevil (Phytonomus
punctatus) made its appearance and was first observed by us April 12,
doing considerable injury in fields near Annapolis Junction. ‘Two days
later we noticed the appearance of Hmpusa (Entomophthora) sphero-
- sperma, a fungous disease attacking the larva. _ By the 1st of May it was
very difficult to find a living larva. Their dead bodies were every-
where seen curled about leaves, weeds, straws, in fact, rubbish of all
kinds in the field.

THE CORN CRAMBUS.—The corn crambus (Crambus caliginosellus)
appeared in corn at many places in the State the latter part of May
and early in June, causing considerable apprehension about the safety
of the crop by the growers. One field, near Hyattsville, was visited
by us May 31, at which time several pup were found. The most of
the larve were fully grown. July 6, we examined other fields near
Mason Springs, Charles County, at which time we found nearly
matured larve.

THE CORN STALK-BORER.—The corn stalk-borer (Diatrea saccharalis)
has been very common and troublesome in the southern and eastern
shore counties this season. It is known t~ most of our planters as the

94

“corn bud worm.” Early in July I saw many fields in lower Charles
County that had been practically abandoned on account of the attacks
of this pest.

THE HESSIAN FLY.—The Hessian fly (Cecidomyia destructor) has
been largely responsible for the shortage of the wheat crop in this State
this season. Fully one-fourth of the shortage reported is due to this
insect. In other words, the losses in Maryland this year from this
insect are about $750,000. Many wheat fields in the northern counties
were plowed up early this spring and planted to corn.

THE ROSE BUG.—The notorious rose bug (Macrodactylus subspinosus)
made its usual appearance this year and did much damage to grapes
and peaches. June 8 it was reported to me that this insect had been
responsible for the death of a number of young ducks and turkeys. It
was Stated that the fowls died shortly after eating the insects.

THE BOLL WoRM.—The boll worm (Heliothis armiger) has been very
abundant in corn, and unusually common in tomato fields, attacking
the green as well as the ripe fruit. The injury is especially noticeable
in the late crop of tomatoes.

THE GRAIN MOTH.—Another insect that has been much more common
than formerly is the grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella. Its attacks upon
corn and wheat in store has been very conspicuous throughout all
excepting the three western counties of the State.

YVHE CABBAGE PLUSIA.—The cabbage plusia (Plusia brassice) has
been responsible for the entire destruction of many fields of cabbage
thisyear. The Harlequincabbage bug (Murgantia histrionica) has been
conspicuously absent in most of the central and northern counties,
although it appeared in large numbersearly thisspring. At the present
time I am unable to account for the marked decrease of this pest.

ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF THRIPS TRITICI.
By A. L. QUAINTANCE, Lake City, Fla.

[Published in Bulletin No. 46, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station. ]

NOTES ON INSECTICIDES.
By C. L. Maruatr, Washington, D. C.

The writer has presented at various times before this association the
outcome of experiments with different insecticide substances. Without
referring to miscellaneous subjects, it is proposed to give now merely
a résumé of the results so far obtained with pure kerosene, fish-oil
Soaps, and arsenite of copper (Scheele’s green), bringing the records
down to date.

> Pees a -

es) a

3 35
KEROSENE.

The first essays with pure kerosene against scale insects were con-
ducted in the winter of 1893-94, when a number of peach trees on the
grounds of the U. 8. Department of Agriculture infested with the new
peach scale, Diaspis lanatus, were treated with the undiluted oil as one
of a series of experiments with various substances against this insect.
Applications were made during January and February and later, early
in March. The results were very successful so far as the test with
pure kerosene was concerned, the scales having been killed and the
trees remaining uninjured, blooming abundantly the following spring,
and showing no damage later. As this scale is confined to the trunk
and larger limbs of the trees, the application of oil was not general,
but was limited to the parts named, and deductions could not, there-
fore, be drawn as to the effect of the treatment of trees in toto. A
résumé of the results was presented in August, 1894, at the sixth
annual meeting of this association. !

In the active experimental work undertaken against the San Jose
scale during the following winter (1894-95) the results with pure kero-
sene against the peach Diaspis were considered of sufficient significance
to lead to the repetition of the tests on San Jose scale infested peach
trees at Riverside, Md., and in January, 1895, applications of pure coal
oil were made to two trees, one badly incrusted with scale, and the
other very slightly infested. The scales in this instance were all killed,
as had been the case with the Diaspis, but the trees unfortunately failed
to survive the treatment.’

The outcome of this preliminary experiment with kerosene against the
San Jose scale, while demonstrating that the pure oil will kill the scales
perhaps more effectively than any other application known, and at very
slight cost, was yet accompanied with such disastrous results to the
plants themselves that further tests were not made until the subject
was again given prominence by the report, in discussion of the use of
pure oil, in Ohio, by Mr. Webster, at the eighth annual meeting of this
association, in 1896.°
_ Following up this new suggestion of the possible value of undiluted
kerosene as a means of controlling the San Jose scale, a series of tests
were made during the winter of 1896-97, and reported last year at the
ninth annual meeting of this association.

The outcome of these experiments seems to contradict the earlier
tests, although the latter were carefully conducted, and much more

so undoubtedly than would be the case in normal orchard work.

As noted in the paper cited, the experiments of the winter of 1896-97
were not followed by any real or permanent injury to any of the trees

1Insect Life, Vol. VII, pp. 118 and 119.
2TInsect Life, Vol. VII, pp. 365-374.
. 3Bull. No.6, n.s., Div. Ent., Dept. Agric., p. 42.

JO

treated, and the tests extended to young peach trees and old trees, and
also young apple, pear, cherry, and quince trees, and several ornamental
shrubs.

In the meantime the experiments of others had given a variety of
results, in some cases the plants being killed or much injured, in others
no deleterious results following the treatment.

Our conclusions, as expressed at the time, were that spraying with
pure oil will often kill trees, and that kerosene as an insecticide is to be
used with caution and with the full appreciation of the fact that the
death of the plant may result.

In the winter of 1897-98 the tests made with young trees of the
previous winter were repeated, the applications being made under
different weather conditions; in some instances during cloudy or
moist weather, and in others on bright, warm, and dry days. The
results duplicated in the main those of the previous year, with the
exception of certain peach trees, included in one of the first tests,
which were killed to the ground. Peach trees subjected to treatment
later were uninjured. The trees killed were sprayed on a still day, with
a very moist atmosphere, the sun occasionally breaking through the
light fog, and it was noticed that the kerosene remained in evidence on
the trees for some time; it seemed in fact to have soaked into the bark
during the moist period, and in the bright weather following was not
readily given up. Apple, pear, cherry, and quince trees, however,
treated at the same time developed no appreciable injury.

The tests, therefore, up to the present time made with this oil indicate
that it may often be used with little if any danger to the plant and
with perfectly satisfactory results so far as killing seale insects is con-
cerned, but that the peach tree under unfavorable weather conditions,
or such as lead to the slow evaporation (and these conditions are not
always easily recognizable), is very apt to be killed or badly damaged,
and that corresponding damage to other trees is possible, though less
likely to result. The general ground taken in 1897, therefore, is
adhered to, namely, that the treatment with oil is dangerous and
may kill the trees, and its use should never be recommended without
calling attention to this possibility, leaving the grower to determine
for himself whether he wishes to take the risk or not.

FISH-OIL SOAPS.

The writer has made reports on these soaps at various times, more
particularly detailing the results of experiments undertaken to deter-
mine the characteristics of the best soap for insecticide purposes, and
to detect the deleterious substances or qualities which render many of
these soaps unfit for use. The determination of the water constituent
of soap, and of the bearing of the latter on the value of the article for
insecticide purposes, was one of the first things investigated, and it
was demonstrated in the report before the seventh and eighth annual

97

meetings of this association that a good fish-oil soap should not con-
tain more than 10 to 15 per cent of water for the hard soaps, and from
25 to 30 per cent for the soft soaps, and that many of the formulas
which purported to produce a very cheap soap merely meant a soap
swelled to great weight and volume by the very large water content.

The greatest objection to most of the soaps on the market, as often
pointed out, is that when dissolved in water at the great strength now
employed, a gelatinous mixture results on cooling, which is very diffi-
eult or impossible to spray except at high temperatures difficult to
maintain in winter work. The source of this objectionable feature was
first Supposed to be in the use of the cheaper caustic soda instead of
the more expensive caustic potash, the former making a hard soap not
readily dissolved in water, and the latter a soft soap and one much
more easily soluble.

The possibility that the hard gelatinous quality of certain soaps was
due to the useof tallows and other refuse fats, strong in stearin, was
also suggested. Examinations and analyses of many different brands
of soaps indicated that the difficulty was not entirely explained by the
first of these suppositions, showing as they did in the first place that
practically all the fish-oil soaps on the market were made with caustic
soda, and in the second place that a caustic soda soap did not neces-
sarily present the objectionable feature noted. The second of these
suppositions, namely, that the use of waste tallows and fats of that
character had something to do with the gelatinizing of soaps in solu-
tion, was shown to have some basis in fact, but did not explain the
difficulty in all cases.

In examining the process of soap making it seemed that the addi-
tion of salt might have some effect in producing a soap which would
behave properly in solution, and further, that the addition of lime might
have a similar influence. The tests made with salt showed that this
substance exerted no effect on the behavior of soap. With lime, on the
other hand, it was found that its addition to the soap in solution in
sufficient quantity would break it up, so that it would remain of a fluid
consistency even when chilled. A true fluid, however, was not obtained,
but a granular substance caused by the lime precipitate, such as 1s seen
in the use of soap with hard water.

The cause of the marked gelatinizing of soaps in solution was still
far from being satisfactorily explained. What is probably a very fre-
quent if not the usual cause of this difficulty has, I think, now been
determined.

It seems that soap makers in the East very frequently cheapen their
washing soaps by the addition of silicate of soda, a gelatinous sub-
stance costing only about a cent a pound, and, perhaps, not working
any serious mischief to the soap for washing purposes, but for all insec-
ticide uses rendering it comparatively valueless.

7184—No. 17 fl

98
ARSENITE OF COPPER.

The writer recommended this substance as an insecticide in July,
1895.1 Several years of experimental testing have followed, some of
the results of which have been reported at various sessions of this
association. :

During the last year or two this substance has also been experimented
with by several station entomologists and individuals. Itis an insec-
ticide which can be used with as great safety as Paris green, and I
believe should be recommended by every station entomologist, from the
fact that it has the decided advantage over Paris green—(1) in costing
only one-half as much, and (2) in being a very fine pulverulent powder,
which remains easily in suspension. It is perhaps slightly more caus-
tic on foliage than Paris green, due solely to the finer division of the
powder, as proven by various experiments with Paris green, when the
latter is ground up somewhat approaching the fineness of arsenite of
copper. It now comes from the manufacturers” in a better form than
the original samples received and much freer from soluble arsenic,
being thorougkly washed before drying, to remove any uncombined
arsenic. In its present form it contains about 50 per cent of arsenic.
Itis put on the market under the name of green copper arsenite.

INSECTS OF THE YEAR IN OHIO.
By F. M. Wetster and C. W. Matty, Wooster, Ohio.

There has so far been no very disastrous outbreak of any insect in
Ohio during the present year. Chinch bugs are attracting some atten-
tion locally in widely separated localities, but the trouble is less than
during the last four years. Canker-worms have been reported from
several localities. The spring was rather noted for the sudden appear-
ances of swarms of insects, not usually noted, but whose habits are of
that nature. The most noted of these was the sudden appearance
early in May of great numbers of the pear-tree blister-beetle (Pom-
phopea enea Say) on the grounds of the experiment station at Wooster,
where they covered a very small area in the midst of the orchards, but
devoted their entire attention to plum, seemingly ignoring the pear
trees which were close by. Anomala undulata appeared at Bolivar May
14 in the evening and stripped the plum trees, remaining under boards,
ete., during the day. At Minerva a few days later the same insect did
considerableinjury to the young growth of the pear. A similar appear-
ance of Hoplia trifasciata occurred at Grand Rapids, Ohio, in April,
the beetles attacking the cherry trees, eating the foliage, but more
especially the petals of the blossoms.

‘Insect Life, Vol. VII, p. 408-411.
2 Adler Color and Chemical Co., 96 Maiden Lane, New York

99

Of a somewhat similar nature as the foregoing phenomena was the
outbreak of Loxvotenia clemensiana in clover meadows in the vicinity
of Alliance. The larvee were excessively abundant, and drew the apical
leaves together after the manner of leaf rollers in general, and fed
within the domicile thus formed, causing the foliage to take on a brown-
ish color. So abundant were these depredators in many fields that the
clover was sufficiently injured to give the field a browned appearance,
though the hay crop was probably not injured thereby. In timothy
and wheat the larve simply tie the edges of the leaf together, forming
a Slender tube within which they feed, singly, often pupating therein.

From a mass of dead and dried grape leaves collected May 5, in a
vineyard near the lake shore about Gypsum, there emerged between
June3 and July 15, great numbersof adults of Pyralis costalis, these being
most numerous during June, the larvee from which they came having
in all probability wintered over in the fallen leaves. From this same
lot of leaves we secured a considerable number of adult Ampeloglypter
sesostris, which must also have hibernated among these fallen leaves, a
condition quite the contrary of what Riley supposed, as shown in his
First Missouri Report.

A lot of larvee of Ichthyura apicalis, from Carolina poplar, were put
in a breeding cage in September, 1897, many of these completing their
transformations therein. On April 2, and again on the 18th, 1898, there
appeared.a single adult Pyralis farinalis in this same cage. How these
came to be introduced, or what attraction there could possibly be for
the larve there, in case these made their own way there by working
their way in behind the glass slide, as well as what they could have
subsisted on after having gotten there is a mystery, at least to us.

Trogoderma ornata was reared from ears of popcorn, the larve feeding
on the kernels. Corn sent by Hon. R. H. Warder, superintendent of
parks, Cincinnati.

Chelymorpha argus was reared from larvee found by Mr. 8. J. Bennett,
Willard, Ohio, on his strawberry vines. Some of these had pupated in
transit while others did so in our breeding cages, but without feeding.

Hydnocera verticalis was reared from galls on or near the ends of
twigs of willow, Salix sp.

Mr. J. W. Snider, La Carne, Ohio, reported that in jarring his plum
trees for plum curculio more Magdalis olyra were collected than the
former, which were quite abundant. On the experiment station grounds
at Wooster, Gymnetron teter was jarred from plum trees May 28, and
was observed in great numbers about mullein plants on June 8 at
Mantua. In regard to jarring trees for the purpose of catching cur-
culio, there has this year been considerable adverse proof in regard to
the value of this measure to the fruit grower, especially where every-
thing that dropped onto the sheet or “catcher” was summarily
destroyed. In the first place Aphides of various sorts have been very
abundant and especially those attacking plum and cherry. This has
given origin to great numbers of Coccinellidz, especially of several

100

species of Coccinella, Adalia bipunctata and Anatis 15-punctata, and
these dropped with the curculio and were destroyed. At the station
the use of kerosene in connection with the ‘‘catchers” was abandoned
entirely, and the curculios were separated out and killed, while the
Coccinellidze were allowed to escape! Anatis has a habit of pupating
on the green plums, and we have received complaint after complaint of
their supposed ravages, thus showing a sad deficiency in rudimentary
entomology, among what are usually classed as intelligent people.
That myriads of these beneficial insects have been slaughtered through
misapprehension the present season does not admit of a doubt.

Mr. S.C. C. Shriver, of Shawnee, Ohio, reported with specimens, that
what had been termed the “Elephant Corn Bug” had committed
Serious ravages in his corn planted on bottom land in Butler County,
Kans. The area of depredation appears to be somewhat limited,
covering a small territory, about a mile wide in the southern part of the
county and including only two or three farms. The insect sent proved
to be the well-known Lirus mucidus, and it is reported to have destroyed
the young corn by puncturing the stalk and eating out the heart.
This is believed to be the first report of injury to grain crops by this
species.

Rhyssematus palmacollis and Brachytarsus alternatus were sent to us
by Dr. J. C. Arthur, who had reared them from galls on the gopher
vine, [pomeapandurata, caused by a fungus, Cystopus ipomea-pandurane.

Chramesus icorie was reared from larve infesting twigs of walnut
collected at East Cleveland, Ohio, April 7, 1898.

Orgyia leucostigma has appeared in overabundance in both Cleve-
land and Youngstown, but are being overcome by their natural ene-
mies, the Chrysopa being very abundant, as stated to have been true
in the case studied in Washington, D. C., by Dr. Howard.

Pyrrhia umbra was reared July 27 from larve found eating into and
destroying rosebuds. These larve entered the ground June 4, had
pupated by the 8th, the imagos appearing as stated.

The common cricket (Gryllus abbreviatus) has been accused of work-
ing great injury to young, recently transplanted tomato plants, by eating
them off just above the surface of the ground. The same authority,
Mr. John A. Bryce, Batavia, Ohio, states that crows destroy the tomato
worm to such an extent on his premises that he has no trouble with
that insect.

Phytoptus phleocoptes occurs generally over the State, its attacks
being directed more especially to the damson plum, but also appearing
toa limited extent on the lombard and other varieties. Itis errone-
ously supposed by many to cause the black knot, the galls being mis-
taken for the very young knots.

The minute, cosmopolitan parasite (Arrhenophagus chionaspidis) has
been reared in great numbers from Diaspis rose on wild raspberry canes,
females only appearing. (See Dr. Howard’s paper in Proc. Ent. Soe.

101

of Washington, Vol. IV, pp. 133-139, 1898.) A large number of the
infested canes were placed in a breeding cage, some of these having in
them the eggs of Gicanthus niveus, and when the young hatched they
developed within the cage with no other food than was afforded by the
growing canes. They were observed to feed on Diaspis rose, but at the
same time there were some appearances of the foliage of the plants that
could only be accounted for on the assumption that the tree crickets
had fed from them.

In October, 1897, a Japan flowering cherry tree, imported from Japan
the winter before and planted out in nursery row in April, was again
transplanted to the station grounds at Wooster, being placed outside
in order to determine whether or not the Coccid, with which it had evi-
dently been infested when brought from its native home, would survive
the frigid climate of our winters. On March 9, 1898, the tree was
examined and of five Diaspis amygdali three were dead and two were
evidently in a healthy condition. The lowest temperature which these
live females had experienced during the winter was 9° F., on February
2 and 3, 1898. While on July 26, present date, the species does not
appear to have thrived at all as well as it did on another tree kept in
the insectary, yet there is ample proof that a lower temperature than
that given above will be necessary to destroy the scales. For informa-
tion regarding the second tree, kept indoors, see Can. Ent., Vol. XXX,
p. 78, 1898, as it was from the scale of this tree that Archenomus bicolor
was reared. |

Serious injury to oats by attacks of wireworms was reported from
Roachton, May 28, rather an unusual occurrence, especially at this
season of the year, and raises anew the question as to a remedial or
preventive measure that will apply in fields of growing grain. On
October 14, 1897, three plats, each 1 rod square, were selected in a field
of wheat suffering badly from the attacks of wireworm, and kainit
applied to these on the surface of the ground in varying quantities, the
first receiving 2 pounds, or at the rate of 320 pounds per acre; the sec-
ond 8 pounds, or at the rate of 1,280 pounds per acre, and the third 15

- pounds, or at the rate of 2,400 pounds per acre. The soil being at the

time very dry, about 6 gallons of water was immediately applied to
each plat by sprinkling the surface, and a second similar application
was made two days later, after which there were abundant rains. By
November 18 the worms had ceased working on the wheat, and on that
date an examination was made on these plats, and at depths of from 5
to 12 inches from the surface, but not below this, a number of wireworms
were found, apparently in hibernation.

On March 16, 1898, the plats were again examined. and samples of
the soil taken for chemical analysis. Although samples were removed
from all three of the plats, as a matter of fact only those from the last
plat, or the one receiving the greatest amount of kainit were used, as
the results here seemed sufficiently conclusive. The ground at the

102,

time was thoroughly saturated with water, and at a depth of from 11
to 12 inches from the surface in the last or most strongly fertilized plat
sample 3 of this plat was taken. An examination of this sample after
it had been removed to the laboratory revealed the presence of three
small, partly grown wireworms, alive, and to all appearances perfectly
healthy, and still in their place of hibernation. As will be observed
by the analyses, this sample gave the strongest reaction when tested
for chlorine.

These tests were made by Mr. L. M. Bloomfield, at that time assist-
ant chemist of the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, and in the
folowing manner: Of each sample 500 grams were digested in 1,000
cubic centimeters of distilled water for six hours, and in 100 cubic centi-
meters of the filtrate, equal to 50 grams of soil, the chlorine being
determined volumetrically by a solution of nitrate of silver, 1 cubic
centimeter of which equals 0.003546 gram of chlorine.

The following are the results of the analyses, all being, as has been
stated, from different depths in the plat on which kainit had been
applied at the rate of 2,400 pounds to the acre, and it was in sample No.
3 that the young wireworms had evidently passed the winter:

Sample No. 1, from surface to a depth of 1} inches, gave 0.0039006 gram chlorine.

Sample No. 2, from depth of 5 to 7 inches, gave 0.0063828 gram chlorine.

Sample No. 3, from depth of 11 to 12 inches, gave 0.0078012 gram chlorine.

The soil of check plat, to which no kainit had been applied, tested as
follows:

Sample No. 1 gave 0.001773 gram chlorine.

Sample No.2 gave 0.001773 gram chlorine.

Sample No.3 gave 0.0014184 gram chlorine.

The check samples were of course taken from the same depth as
those from the treated plat. These results would seem to indicate that
no reasonable amount of kainit applied to fields will either destroy or
drive away wireworms. Also, it is interesting to note that at a depth of
1 foot from the surface there was almost double the amount of kainit
present, nearly all of which must have been encountered by the worm
on its way downward.

LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

OF ECONOMIC

ENTOMOLOGISTS.

ACTIVE MEMBERS.

Adams, M. F., Buffalo, N. Y.

Aldrich, J. M., Moscow, Idaho.
Alwood, William B., Blacksburg, Va.
Ashmead, William H., Washington, D. C.
Baker, C.F., Auburn, Ala.

Ball, E. D., Fort Collins, Colo.
Banks, Nathan, Washington, D.C.
Beckwith, M. H., Elmira, N. Y.
Bethune, C.J.S., Port Hope, Can.
Bogue, E. E., Stillwater, Okla.
Bruner, Lawrence, Lincoln, Nebr. -
Bullard, W.S., Bridgeport, Conn.
Britton, W. E., New Haven, Conn.
Burgess, Albert F., Malden, Mass.
Campbell, J. P., Athens, Ga.
Chambliss, C. E., Knoxville, Tenn.
Chittenden, F. H., Washington, D.C.
Cockerell, T. D. A., Mesilla, N. Mex.
Collins, Lewis, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Comstock, J, H., Ithaca, N. Y.

Cook, A. J., Claremont, Cal.

Cooley, R. A., Amherst, Mass.
Coquillett, D. W., Washington, D.C.
Cordley, A. B., Corvallis, Oreg.
Davis, G. C., Los Angeles, Cal.
Doran, E. W., Clinton, Mo.
Ehbrhorn, E. M., Mountain View, Cal.
Felt, Ephraim P., Albany, N. Y.
Fernald, C. H., Amherst, Mass.
Fernald, H. T., Harrisburg, Pa.
Fiske, W. F., Durham, N. H.
Fletcher, James, Ottawa, Canada.
Forbes, 8. A., Urbana, II].

Forbush, E. H., Malden, Mass.
Frost, H. L., Boston, Mass.
Garman, H., Lexington, Ky.
Gifford, John, Mays Landing, N. J.
Gillette, C. P., Fort Collins, Colo.
Goding, F. W., Rutland, 111.
Gossard, H. A., Ames, Iowa.
Hargitt, C. W., Syracuse, N. Y.
Harrington, W. H., Ottawa, Canada.
Hart, C. A., Urbana, 11.

Harvey, F. L., Orono, Me.
Hillman, F. H., Reno, Nev.

Hine, J.S8., Columbus, Ohio.
Hopkins, A. D., Morgantown, W. Va.
Howard, L. O., Washington, D.C.
Hubbard, H.G., Washington, D.C.
Hudson, G. H., Plattsburg, N. Y.

Hulst, G. D., Brooklyn, N. Y.

Johnson, W.G., College Park, Md.

King, George B., Lawrence, Mass.
Kirkland, A. H., Malden, Mass.

Lowe, V. H., Geneva, N.Y.

Lugger, Otto, St. Anthony Park, Minn.
McCarthy, Gerald, Raleigh, N.C.

Mally, C. W., Wooster, Ohio.

Mann, B. P., Washington, D.C.

Marlatt, C. L., Washington, D.C.
Morgan, H. A., Baton Rouge, La.

Mosher, F. N., Malden, Mass.

Murtfeldt, Miss M. E., Kirkwood, Mo.
Niswander, F. J., Cheyenne, Wyo.
Osborn, Herbert, Columbus, Ohio.
Packard, A.8., Providence, R. I.

Palmer, R. M., Victoria, British Columbia.
Pergande, Th., Washington, D.C.
Perkins, G. H., Burlington, Vt.

Phillips, J. L., Blacksburg, Va.

Popenoe, E. A., Manhattan, Kans.
Quaintance, A. L., Lake City, Fla.

Rane, F. W., Durham, N. H.

Reed, E. B., Esquimault, Brit. Columbia.
Rolfs, P. H., Lake City, Fla.

Rumsey, W. E., Morgantown, W. Va.
Sanderson, E. Dwight, College Park, Md.
Saunders, William, Ottawa, Canada.
Schwarz, E. A., Washington, D.C.

Scott, W. M., Atlanta, Ga.

Sherman, Franklin, jr., College Park, Md.
Sirrine, F. A., Jamaica, N.Y.

Slingerland, M. V., Ithaca, N. Y.

Smith, J. B., New Brunswick, N. J.

Snow, F. H., Lawrence, Kans.
Southwick, E. B., New York, N.Y.
Stedman, J. M., Columbia, Mo.

Stimson, James, Watsonville, Cal.
Summers, H. E., Ames, Iowa.
Test, F. C., Dundee, Ill.

103

104

Thaxter, Roland, Cambridge, Mass. Weed, C. M., Durham, N. H.

Toumey, J. W., Tucson, Ariz. Weed, H. E., New Orleans, La.
Townsend, C. H. T., Las Cruces, N. Mex. Wilcox, E. V., Bozeman, Mont.
Washburn, F. L., Eugene, Oreg. Woodworth, C. W., Berkeley, Cal.

Webster, F. M., Wooster, Ohio.
FOREIGN MEMBERS.

Berlese, Dr. Antonio, R. Scuola Superiore di Agricoltura, Portici, Italy.

Bos, Dr. J. Ritzema, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Carpenter, Prof. George H., Nat. Hist. Mus., Dublin, Ireland.

Cholodkowsky, Prof. Dr. N., Institut Forestier, St. Petersburg Russia.

Cotes, E. C., 201 Iffley Road, Oxford, England.

Danysz, J., Laboratoire de Bareeislonie: Bourse de Commerce, Paris, France.
Enock, Fred., 21 Manor Gardens, Holloway, London, England.

French, Charles, Melbourne, Australia.

Froggatt, W. W., Sidney, New South Wales.

Fuller, Claude, Department of Agriculture, Cape Town, South Africa.

Giard, A., 14 rue Stanislaus, Paris, France.

Grasby, W. C., Parkside, Adelaide, South Australia.

Helm, Richard) Perth, West Australia.

Hory sh. Dr. G., Musée Nationale Hongroise, Budapest, Hungary.

Lampa, Prof. Sy en, Department of Agriculture, Stockholm, Sweden.
Lindeman, Dr. K., Landwirthschaftliche Akademie, Moscow, Russia.
Lounsbury, Charles P., Department of Agriculture, Cape Town, South Africa.
Marchal, Dr. Paul, 16 Rue Claude Bernard, Paris, France.

Musson, Chas. T., Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Richmond, New South Wales.

Ormerod, Miss Eleanor A., Torrington House, St. Albans, England.
Portschinsky, Prof. A., Ministére de l’Agriculture, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Reed, E. C., Rancagua, Chile.

Reuter, Dr. Enzio, Fredriksgatan 45, Helsingfors, Finland, Russia.
Schoéyen, Prof. W. M., Christiania, Norway.

Shipley, Prof. Arthur E., Cambridge, England.

Targioni-Tozzetti, Prof. A., R. Staz. d. Entom. Agrar., Florence, Italy.
Theobald, Frederick B., Wyecourt, County Kent, England.
Thompson, Rey. Edward H., Franklin, Tasmania.

Tryon, H., Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Urich, F. W., Arima, Trinidad, West Indies.

Vermorel, V., Villefranche, Rhone, France.

Whitehead, Charen Barmipg House, Maidstone, Kent, England.

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