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AUTHOR’S EDITION
FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT ON THE EXPERIMENTAL FARMS FOR THE YEAR 1897

CANADA

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM

H REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST

(JAMES FLETCHER, LL.D., F.R.S.C., FL.)

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AUTHOR’S EDITION

; FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT ON THE EXPERIMENTAL FARMS FOR THE YEAR 1897

GAIN ADA.

, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM (ottawe, Ovi
8

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST

(JAMES FLETCHER, LL.D., F.R.S.C., F.L.S.)

1391

OTTAWA
GOVERNMENT PRINTING BUREAU
1898

PAGE

Acknowledgments. -.............0+ee0e 188
AGrOpyriwund CEHENWIN...-. <2 («sesso selves 229
Anatis 15-punctata........ Fie stots es Seat is 203
FOG UIE AO a OCD OC eas a POUR ae Or 200
IAMS: San cddommoonascasagponcg soos 196, 202
ZV DOOS (OMESOAER 5 og ceded BHce bo sao sons 202
WOTALTUUT OULU Ie reiela eWeek «1 cteiai sts a etcetera a oe es
AIS VAEU DO terete) atstetercreketete micsielelcte/ leis Fevers 222
HNOUISE -eracttspater aie 2 a eranels @relesete cake] a elaht ovets 228
Appl exiniit mim ere syejeret-t-meteltehotsre eer 201
Apple Maggot. .202. sews = bey iar sata 201
Apple-tree Weevil, Bronze........ Beets 204
Argyresthia GOnjugella...... 2s sccc teers: 201
Aspidiotus ancylus..............-: 207, 210, 211
OTDEBY sie chave cee ot eon take 207, 210, 211
DERNCOLOSUS rereiatersie\einiefaustaioitotomrelare hace 205-221
Awnless Brome grass.................- 187, 229
Bee NOLES ahr aicielae ose eee clorsleneta sieve 222
Bees, experiments in wintering Bieri cake sstope 225
Bisulphide of carbon for Pea Weevil..... 193
Black -Blistérsbeetle:trceae. corectet-tei</craree'= 196
Blister-beetless cuit or ipa tecinastenvat sleeves le /ere 196
Bromus brévi-aristatus..........00.eee0es 220
Vd LOU FORE’ cami ROtde COCO tS OAOO Con 29
Piinipenlaaniston varecrcieiese tere reis ale 5) svar 230
Bronze Apple-tree Niacin ae ale a 204
BrUCK USED eI Eee eis «ist. (a) -fatshenateletar 192
Burrell, Martin, on San José Scale....... 216
Cankerswonmishatfrr. ey tieets astcrie tue sions 200
Carrot ust=ilyjin te metr cies seksi tcies-)> -iate= 196
Cephus pygmeus,...... ee eva ts cy orsichetcrsas 190
Cereals, insect enemies of. ............. 190
@hienryaAtp lust irectetcts cteweieiew ctl) /<roreto 203
Cherry Scale escr ceshic eitie sic. croveies 207, 211
Ohalocorus bivuIMerUus..... 660-5 coccreoe 217
Clisiocampa Americand.. .......6. sees 200
COLMA or neo ho SOA AOD OOTOTGTE 200
Coccinella 9-notata...... JS 4peeunbasecdnce 203
Currant) Masootren: pecetcis sts sche as 204
Currant Saw-fly, Native..........:...04 205
@utwonmss aves ree piicite sls joins 195
** Dead heads” of wheat.....5.........0-05 190
Epicauta Pennsylvanica...........02.0006 196
FEPOCTUN Gs COMAMENSIS A. crate s.cviciescts\eieie ele o1e ln 204
Mixter, wohms) report) WY7- «121s /ey-ll-bls ile el 224
I May oes Meco LN AeS 5 aiplers BGS OS SRO OrICOTOe 207
RDG MEU Liye #* uatsrscststeictarn alate tolls ceanere cltatete ca tere 191
Fruits, insect enemies of................. 199
Gas treatment for San José Scale........ 219
Grane Plan t-lOUse aac cick oe eieicicievescielenus ciate» 191
(GrARSeseT fe Mipcnh. Geatcoiedle Hee cele ee tials 229
(Crasshoppersiinsccacccvdeace cists cereeene icc 191
Gray Blister-Geetlels i... tosis tosctenieieityere ners 196
Gymnonychus appendiculatus............. 205
Harrington, W. H., help from........... 188
on Native Currant WA Weil yer eae cits 205

UPL SSI TIMELY oc 5 ess Sich ie ceyaymis opts fates tous tenets 191
LY OL PUCT UR DT UT. «41s lata thoes a otic siete viwicie ds 203

=

PAGE.
Howard: Dry 1G; O},0 help trom epee 188
NPSOSOM si sterclac tn) thee Ase nie Dake ee ielatctettoreeter 190
cy OILb=DOLTERY- Ob Wicaibi cre aaireteeeeeieiels 190
JOMb-WOLTIN a eidewe sh teres ie ele eustele eens 190

Kerosene treatment for San José Scale.... 219
Lime-salt-and-sulphur wash for San José

Sealers sya sbeni se at hoement eres Sa 0
Macoun, Prof. John, help from........... 188
Miagcrovd sus Wnzcolar rs a2) nancial 196
Magdalis cenescens......... Nee nate tho pbs E 204
Meetings attended............... en a eo
Mytilaspis pomorum ......6-. seeeee vee 200
WI RIAUSICEN OSU a ata siare sya labels totais orstersielateronete tae 203
Native Currant: Saw-fly so: 220 o< <2 osetss 205
Ormerod, Miss EF. A. Rees from: eo ee 189
Oyster- shell Bark-louse........... Wajeeisorers 200
Peachy Bark borer ner cmiice esireretocre 200
LOD E( a a) ones aay Gamer oo am UA Rae omens. (Oe bic 192
NESE TAN Koln] oo Ue As a PE Na ee SATA 194
Pea Weevall iin: sctiteraco we stator enaters estoy ote 192
Peptaean TaSelhe a san vce cieiogss eevee ele 217
UTEUGM I COMOLESE: «ky sothel aclesarctcie ltaiche teeta 199
Plant-lice on vegetables ................. 196

OM ATUUGTCES or. ho1:,5 30s irerepiei le raver te 202
(PlunivAgshisi esate ook reomeeteci eee 203
Potato Pestss otk. cases ape oetateeie ine 196
Pristiphora GrOSSWlaTz oc ciccacias sels 205
EULA Rc SETTER UO OEE Gide HOOGEC 196
Putnam Sealeyrsris.) acest ie leraeieeiae 207, 211
Root crops, insect enemies Of........-.+.- 195
SAM OGG) SCALC i. 2c, alert | sree s es eee 205--221

Gharactersvoraus sasectrcnteretiecscett: 207

fatal effects of infestation ........... 212

foods plants. assisews salon asters 209

ibiza WU) na) AA OMe eri to AROS AcGors 208

means of distribution....... . ...... 209

occurrence in Canada...... .....-. 212

remedies.......... tee AEE HO Oee G 218
SEOMOSLONTIIGTICOMG vi aes pee ciate cicre scafdcin ears 194
Shotzboreh: + 21 en eee are aaa 200
Supa OtbuCerosar.;2 cms sede iil ais eae tales 198
SUGMONODLOTEIAVENG sc aaadis snteee Wisleiae)-in eee 191
Slug-shot imsechicide=- jac. scsi ee 196
Spinach Carrion-beetle... .. ..........-- 198
Strawberry Crown-borer, Western....... 204
MentiCaterpillansiy come teeiek eee cere: 199
Thonger, Charles, on San José Seale...... 214
Tobacco-and-soap wash for plant-lice ..... 204
TPT CUM MIOTLONEU Cir 4 exten set ciel eas is /=i= gesiel 201
Tyloderma foveolatum. 0.2... cseeeeesees 204
Van Horn, J., on San J: osé Scalerenttasss 213
Vegetables, insect enemies of............- 195
Walsingham, Lord, help from............ 189
Western Rye-grass Seed esatate eiaiateelaiavstovsie ae 229
Wihale:orlisoap wash... sehc. cue cel 219
Wheat-stem Maggot. .......2......+0000- 191
Wiheat-stem Saw-fly.... 0... 2s cece ecieeeis 190
ME UANC TUS ONES TIN CE SO ROS AOE OBOE OrIO 200

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REPORT

OF THE

ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST

(James Fiercuer, LL.D, F.R.S.C., F.L.S8.)

Dr. W. SAUNDERS,
Director, Dominion Experimental Farms,
‘ Ottawa.

S1r,—I have the honour to hand you herewith a report on some of the most import-
ant subjects which have been brought officially under my notice during the past season.

Many other subjects which have required attention have already been treated of
at sufficient length for present purposes in former reports of the Division, or are as yet
incomplete. The correspondence during the year has been large and of a varied char-
acter. There were 1,920 letters received and 2,110 sent out. During the past year I
have had several opportunities of attending meetings in different parts of Canada, and
of studying in the field some of the important problems connected with the protection
of crops from their insect and fungous enemies.

The experiments with grasses and fodder plants, native and exotic, have been con-
tinued and have proved of great interest to visitors. This part of the work of the division
is in the charge of Mr. Berthold Nothnagel, who has shown vreat interest in his work
and is untiring in his efforts to explain to all comers the value and nature of the expe-
riments which are being carried on.

The Awnless Brome Grass having proved to be very successful in all parts of the
Dominion, about 600 1-pound samples were last spring sent out to farmers in all the
provinces. Such reports as have been received up to the present are, almost without
exception, enthusiastic in their praises of this valuable grass. A special interest has
been added to it lately by the discovery that it is particularly well suited for cultiva-
tion on alkaline patches where little else will grow.

During the year several thousands of specimens of plants and insects have been
sent in for identification from naturalists in all parts of the Dominion. From these col-
lections several valuable additions have been made to the Experimental Farm museum.

Meetings.— Whenever official duties would permit of my absence, every opportunity
has been taken of attending farmers’ meetings to meet farmers and to deliver addresses
on the work of the Division.

In January last I attended the convention of the Eastern Dairymen’s Association
at Brockville, Ont., from 6th to 8th of January. The following week I went to St. Mary’s,
Ont., and was present at the convention of the Creameries Association, 14th to 16th of
January. From 20th of January to February 2nd I was in Nova Scotia and New Bruns-
wick, attending meetings of farmers and fruit growers. The annual meeting of the
Fruit Growers’ Association of Nova Scotia was held at Woifville on 20th and 21st of Jan-
uary. The annual meeting of the Nova Scotia Farmers’ Association was attended at
Middleton on 26th, 27th and 28th. On my way back to Ottawa I stayed off at Sussex,

187

188 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

in New Brunswick, and held meetings with Mr. W. W. Hubbard at Hampton, N. B.,
on 29th of January, and at Sussex, N. B., on the following day. In passing through St.
John, N. B., I met the members of the New Brunswick Natural History Society, and
examined their museum on Monday, Ist of February. On 2nd and 3rd of March I was
present at the annual meeting of the District of Bedford Dairymen’s Association, at
Cowansville, Que. On 3rd of June, by instruction of the Honourable the Minister of
Agriculture, I went to Ste. Thérése, Que., to examine some ‘‘ drowned lands,” repre-
sentative of hundreds of acres along the Ottawa River, and to advise what grasses could
be most advantageously grown on land liable to be under water during the spring
freshet for two or three weeks. Some experiments are being tried and will be reported
on later. The next day I started for St. Catharines and met a number of leading fruit
growers, with whom I visited the orchard and beautiful grounds of Mr. Charles
Thonger, near Niagara, where, unfortunately, the San José Scale has been introduced.
I was commissioned by the Honourable Minister to meet these gentlemen and learn
from them what their views were as to proposed measures asked for by fruit growers to
prevent the spread of the San José Scale. The following morning I was driven by Mr.
A. M. Smith to St. David’s, to examine an orchard of Mr. Hendershott’s, in which the
San José Scale was said to occur. This report proved to be inaccurate, the insect in
Mr. Hendershott’s orchard being the Cherry Scale, Aspidiotus I’orbest, Jnsn., a less in-
jurious species. Mr. Smith’s nursery was also examined and no trace of the San José
Scale was found. eye

On the following Monday, 14th of June, I left for Nova Scotia, where some meetings
had been arranged by the Board of Trade of Kentvi'le, and by the Fruit Growers’ Associa-
tion of Nova Scotia. Meetings were held at Kentville, Berwick and Auburn. The
first meeting was largely of townspeople, but there were also several farmers and gard-
eners present who had ‘been brought together by Mr. M. G. DeWolfe, the energetic
President of the Board of Trade. The next day I was driven to Wolfville and had the
pleasure of being shown over the School of Horticulture by Prof. Faville. The same
afternoon, through the kindness of Mr. Barclay Webster, I was driven from Kentville
through the luxuriant orchards of King’s county to Berwick, where a good meeting had
been convened by Mr. S. C. Parker, the Secretary of the Fruit Growers’ Association ef
Nova Scotia. The morning of the 18th was devoted to examining the well-kept orchards
of Mr. Parker and others at Berwick. In the afternoon I proceeded to Auburn, where
I was met by Mr. J. S. Bishop, and driven through the surrounding country, visiting
the cranberry bogs which have been so successfully worked for the last few years. In
the evening a well attended meeting of cranberry growers was addressed and Cranberry
insects were discussed. The next day I returned to Kentville and then went on to
Halifax to attend the meeting of the Royal Society of Canada. I left Halifax for home
on 23rd of June. On 3rd of July I proceeded to Manitoba by instruction of the Hon. Min-
ister of Agriculture and at the request of the Manitoba Government. Incompany with
Mr. Hugh McKellar, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, I held a series of meetings in
some of the important wheat growing districts of the province. Meetings were held at
Neepawa, Gladstone, Dauphin, Glenlyon on the Gilbert Plains, Portage la Prairie.
Brandon, Beresford, Blythefield and Glenboro’. The subject treated of at all these
meetings was ‘‘ Noxious weeds, their nature and habits and the best means to adopt for
their eradication.” We were accompanied at some of these meetings by the Rev. W. A.
Burman, Mr. George Greig, of Winnipeg, and Mr. J. B. Hobson, of Guelph, who all took
an active and useful part in the meetings. I returned to Ottawa again on 22nd of July.
On 12th and 13th of October, I attended the annual meeting of the Entomological Society
of Ontario at London, Ontario.

Acknowledgments.—As in previous years, I am under great obligations to my
friends, Prof. John Macoun and Mr. W. H. Harrington, both of Ottawa, for frequent
assistance in the identification of difficult plants and insects. I also take pleasure in
again acknowledging the valuable assistance I have received from my many correspon-
dents in all parts of the Dominion, who have much aided the work of the Division by
making observations and by sending me prompt notice of the occurrence of injurious
insects and weeds. My thanks are also particularly due to Dr. L. O. Howard, the

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 189

United States Entomologist, and his staff at Washington, as well as to Dr. C. H. Fernald,
of Amherst, Massachusetts, and Lord Walsingham, F.R.S., of Merton Hall, Thetford,
England, for many favours in identifying insects and for valuable publications.

I again thank my kind friend, Miss E. A. Ormerod, for her most useful publica-
tions and valuable advice. On the occasiun of a short visit to England in August last
I had the great pleasure of again calling on this energetic worker and of learning from
her many things of great use to me in my official duties.

The following donations have been received during the year :

Prof. J. Lamson Scribner, Washington: A large collection of seeds of grasses and
fodder plants.

M. G. DeWolfe, Esq., Kentville, N. S.: Several living roots of greenhouse plants,
bulbs and perennials.

T. W. Ramm, Esq., Bewdley, Ont.: Insects.

Rev. G. W. Taylor, Gabriola Island, B. C.: British Columbia plants and insects.

T. N. Willing, Esq., Olds, Alta. : Rare plants and insects from Alberta.

In conclusion, I beg again to acknowledge the great help I receive continuously in
all branches of the work of the division from my assistant, Mr. J. A. Guignard, B.A.,
who has done much by his assiduous attention to bring the Division of Entomology and
Botany to such degree of efficiency as it has attained.

I have the honour to be, sir,
Your obedient servant,

JAMES FLETCHER,

Entomologist and Botanist.

190 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

CHREALS.

The large wheat crop of the Dominion was got in for the most part in good condition.
In some sections of Ontario late rains were a cause of loss, from the grain sprouting
in the field. There was noserious damage from injurious insects in any of the provinces,
although in Manitoba some loss resulted from an unknown cause, by which many ears
of wheat turned white before the grain was mature and the stems remained standing in
the field ; this injury was spoken of generally as ‘‘dead heads” and was in places of
much importance. It was thought by some to be due to the attacks of a fungus, but
other observers spoke positively of finding insects which were actually attacking the
roots. From the information given by correspondents, I judge that this was not the
work of the Wheat-stem Saw-fly (Cephus pygmeus, L.) treated of in my last report but
of a dipterous larva. During the past summer the perfect flies of Cephus pygmaeus were
reared from straws sent from Souris, Man., by Mr. Wenman, thus proving without doubt
the identity of the species which injured Mr. Wenman’s wheat last year. During the
past summer some harm was done by the same insect near Indian Head, N.W.T.

With regard to the ‘dead heads,” Mr. A. C. Hawkins, of Swan Lake, Man., writes
—and his opinion seems well supported :—‘T still think that the ‘ fungous disease’
is an after effect and not the cause of the death of the wheat plant, the cause being,
in my opinion, the larva forwarded in my last letter which you could not find, but of
which, at the time that it was collected, I had no difficulty in’ finding many more than
I wanted, one or two in the root of every plant I examined of which the heads were just
beginning to dry up.”

Mr. A. W. Pritchard, of the Manitoba Department of Agriculture, writes :—
** Numerous reports have been received by the Department, of damage done to the wheat
crop by an insect which is commonly spoken of as attacking the root, though some of
our reporters call it a ‘Joint-borer.’ The effect of its attack is everywhere the same,
to cause the plant to turn white and produce an empty head. The ravages of this insect,
if insect it be, have extended over a large area. The damage done is reported is some
cases as much as one-half the crop.”

Arrangements have been made to study this attack more fully next year, and speci-
mens of injured stems will be thankfully received.

The Joint-worm (Jsosoma ).—An attack on wheat by a joint-worm is reported from
Verdun, Bruce Co., Ont., by Mr. William Welsh, who has studied the matter with some
care. He writes as follows :—

“July 28.—The year before last was the first when I noticed this new pest ; it was,
detected in the broken straw at threshing time, the larve of the insect being easily seen
by splitting the hard pieces of broken straw with a sharp knife. Last fall there was
‘ much more of the broken straw in the threshed grain. It seems almost impossible to
get thes e pieces out with the fanning mill, and consequently many larve are sown with
the fall, wheat. I think this insect must have had much to do with the injured grain of
last fal. On looking in the bins of wheat at mills or elevators, I became convinced
that this insect is worthy of full inquiry and that it is rapidly spreading here.

“November 25.—Since corresponding with you I have felt much interest in this
subject, and have made special observations and inquiries concerning the joint-worm. I
send you by this mail specimens of infested straws which I have picked from the fall
wheat stubble. The piece of ground where I had my fall wheat having been seeded to
clover gave me a chance of getting some specimens nearly as good as those I sent before
harvest. I also inclose some samples of the broken straw as found in threshed wheat.
You will find that these short pieces are hard and woody from the action of the insect
upon the growing stem. The pupe are still alive and ready in the warm days of spring
to eat their way out and go through the same routine as their parents before them. In

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST, 191

some of the pieces of straw, a little over an inch in length, there may be found from five
to ten insects. A bushel of such straw lying loose about a barn would give enough
insects to destroy many fields before the grain ripened. I think you will agree with me
that every farmer should see that the cleanings from the fanning mill are either fed or
burned to destroy the insect.”

Remedies.—As stated by Mr. Welsh, the broken hardened pieces of straw noticed
when threshing and cleaning grain should be collected and burned. The grain should
also be examined for these pieces which should be picked out by hand.

Most of the galls or hardened sections of stem in which the insect passes the
winter are low down near the root. The burning of stubbles and deep ploughing are
therefore useful in destroying large numbers of the pupe. The term “ joint-worm ”
probably covers more than one species of minute hymenoptera which attack the stems
of wheat and barley ; but, fortunately, the attack is of rare occurrence in Canada, and
there have been few opportunities of examining the mature insects.

Young plants of fall wheat sent by Mr. Welsh from Verdun in November were
found to be attacked by both Hessian Fry and the WHEat-stem Maccor. These two
pests were also somewhat abundant in Prince Edward Island. Mr. Edward Wyatt,
writing from Pleasant Grove, P.E.I., September 18, says:—‘ The Frit Fry for many
years now has been doing considerable harm to our wheat and hay crops. The Hessian
Fly I have no doubt is the principal aggressor, but the Frit Fly and Wheat-stem Maggot
have been associated with it. Some of the maggots which infest the straw are of a
yellowish colour, others are green. These pests have been on the island continuously for
the last 17 years. The damage was slight until the last three or four years. Many who
sow early have poor crops and with no knowledge of the cause. We all sow now from
May 20 to 24, thus escaping the first attack which, if bad, ruins the crop. We have
never grown better wheat crops than in the past two years-—that is, generally ; fully
one-third of my wheat this year fell down two weeks before it was ripe, still the crop
was a fairly good one ; but should the season prove favourable to these pests, the damage
might be serious.”

THE GRAIN PLANT-LOUSE (Siphonophora avence, Fab.)—Specimens of wheat and
oats attacked by the Grain Plant-louse have been sent in from several localities. The
worst attacks were reported by Mr. John Tolmie, of Cloverdale, Victoria, B.C., on oats
and by Mr. Lewis Rogers, of Cooksville, Peel Co., Ont., on fall wheat, where much dam-
age was done to the young plants in October and early in November. In a case of this
kind, if the vigorous wheat plants which have passed the winter are found to be too few
in spring for a paying crop, clover may be broadcasted over the land before rolling, or
the crop may be helped with a top dressing of some special fertilizer.

GrassHoppErs.—A noticeable feature of the correspondence of the division during
the past season, as compared with last year, was the
almost total absence of complaints of injury to farm crops
by grasshoppers. This state of affairs was anticipated on
“¥e.,account of the abundance of parasites of several kinds

iia, noticed last year and mentioned in my report for 1896.
Fig. 1. The Red-legged Locust. Hair-worms (Gordius) have been sent in from Ontario
and Quebec more frequently than any other parasites. The account of the strange life-
history as far as known, never fails to excite the interest of inquirers. The only
localities from which grasshoppers have been mentioned as injurious are : Sable Island,
N.S., where they destroyed Brome grass which was being experimented with as a sand
binder ; Manitoulin Island, Ont., where they did much harm to turnips ; and parts of
Peterborough,County, Ont., where hay and oats suffered to a limited extent from their
ravages.

192 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

THE PEA WEEVIL OR “PEA BUG’
(Bruchus pist, L.).

Attack,—A. small, brownish gray, very
active beetle, + of an inchlong, with two cons-
picuous black spots on the end of the body,
which emerges from seed pease in autumn
or in spring, leaving a small round hole.
This insect is generally spoken of under the
incorrect name of “pea bug,” and infested
pease, as ‘‘buggy” pease. The egg is laid
on the outside of the young pod, and the

~, grub, on hatching, eats its way in and pene-

=~ trates the nearest pea. Here it remains

Fig. 2.—The Pea Weevil—natural size and enlarged. until full-grown, consuming the interior of

the pea and passing through all its stages from a white fleshy grub to the chrysalis and

then to the perfect beetle. Some of the beetles, the percentage varying with the season,

escape froin the pease in the autumn and pass the winter hidden away under rubbish or

about barns and other buildings. The greater number, however, do not leave the pease
until the following spring, so that they are frequently sown with the seed.

The perfect insects fly easily and resort to the pea fields about the time the blos-
soms appear. They have been observed feeding upon the leaves and flowers of the
pea vines before the pods were formed, but the injury so done is inappreciable compared
with the much greater loss from the injury to the seeds by the grubs.

From the large numbers of beetles which I once found dead, after a severe winter,
beneath the shingles of a barn, I am led to believe that, in those seasons when a large
percentage of the beetles issue in the autumn, many are apt to be destroyed by severe
cold.

Frequent inquiries come in every year for information concerning the Pea Weevil
and the best means of preventing its injuries. }

During the past season, from such reports as have been received, it would appear
that on the whole the Pea Weevil has not been quite so injurious as in former years.
Some correspondents, however, report that the injury is still considerable.

“ Picton, Prince Edward Co., Nov. 6—Our big pea houses report that the Weevil
this year was not as bad as usual. Every effort is now made to destroy the Weevil by
what is called “ bugging” the pease as soon as they are received from the farmers.”—
[ Wellington Boulter. |

The insect itself and its life history are now well known in the districts where it
occurs ; and, if more care were taken to sow only uninfested pease or those which have
been properly fumigated, there would be no difficulty in reducing very considerably the
numbers of this pest, which every year affects so materially the value of the pea crop of
the Dominion. There are vast areas in Canada where good seed pease can be grown as
a paying crop, and where the Pea Weevil does not occur at all. The advantage of
obtaining seed from these districts is obvious and has already been recognized by some
of the large seed firms. In addition to this, the method usually adopted of killing the
weevils, either as grubs or as perfect beetles inside the seed pease, by subjecting them
to the fumes of bi-sulphide of carbon, is perfectly effective. Most of the seed houses at
the present time treat their seed carefully and conscientiously, and the injury to the
crop is now done chiefly by grubs from eggs laid by weevils which have either left the
pease in the autumn and wintered over, or else from pease saved for seed in small quan-
tities by farmers who took no steps to destroy the weevil before sowing time.

Writing early in the present season, Mr. T. G. Raynor, of Rose Hall, Prince
Edward Co., Ont., says :—“I do not think the pea weevil was nearly as bad in this
county in 1896 as in previous years. Perhaps the season had something to do with it.

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 193

Still, every year for some time past, there have been fewer pease owned and sowed by
the farmers themselves. The company pease, which are treated for the bug, have
replaced the others. This must necessarily have its effect for good. I have no doubt
that the pease had more bugs in them than was generally supposed, as the fancy pease
grown here are cut and marketed early, before the weevil has developed much or can be
detected, and the pease are generally treated for the bugs as soon as they are marketed.”

Late sowing is sometimes recommended as a preventive remedy, but is more or less
uncertain in its good effects according to the season, and has never become very popular,
although the method has always a few adherents in all districts visited, the idea, of
course, being to delay the development of the pease until after the season when the
weevils lay their eggs. The chief danger is that late sown pease are apt to be attacked
by the ordinary white mildew of the pea, which reduces considerably the crop.

I quote from my annual report for 1890, a statement by Mr. J. H. Allan, of
Picton, Ont., one of the best informed authorities in the pea trade :—‘“ Many of ow
farmers sow the late sorts of pease late in the season—say, the first part of June—with
goo l results: 1 have seen a field of Golden Vine pease sown early in May. The crop
was literally filled with bugs. The neighbour of this farmer planted his in June, and
his crop had none. I would say, plant as late as possible ; but this will not answer for
all kinds. The extra early varieties must be put in as early as possible to insure a
paying crop.”—(Report of Ent. and Bot., C. EH. F. Report, 1890, p. 173.)

** Weston, York Co., Ont., March 8:—The pea weevil, which eats out the centre
of the pease in the barn, around here destroys about one-quarter of the crop. Some
people sow late to escape the weevil, but they do not get half the crop as when they sow
early. To sum up, if you sow early, you get a good crop of pease and weevil. Sow late,
you get a poor crop of pease and few weevils. We sow about forty acres of pease on
our 250 acre farm.”—[J. La F. Stonehouse. |

Remedies.—Bisulphide of Carbon.— Where the crop is large, undoubtedly the wisest
course to adopt in districts where the pea weevil occurs, is to fumigate whe pease with
bisulphide of carbon as a regular practice as soon as possible after harvesting. In this
way, any weevils contained in the pease will be destroyed in the grub state before they
have consumed much of the substance of the pease in which they are undergoing their
transformations. This may be done by placing the infested seed, according {o the
quantity to be treated, in some suitable receptacle, as a tight barrel, box or bin, or, if
the quantity is large, in a specially prepared building. Mr. Allan describes his method,
which is practically that generally adopted, as follows: ‘“ Nearly every large grower has
a building for the purpose. If properly made, it works well. The whole building must
be very tight to be of any use. Some use tin, others cement and paint and paper lining,
with a double floor and tarred paper between. The pan we use to put the carbon bi-
sulphide in is about three feet across and only about four inches deep. The chemical is
thus exposed to more air than it would be ina deep dish, from which it could not
evaporate quickly enough to do good service. I put my pan up close to the ceibing
above the pease, because the vapour, being so much heavier than air, works down
through them. We fill the building with bags as close as possible up to where the pan
hangs, empty the bisulphide into the pan and get out as quickly as possible, close the
door up tightly and leave it for 48 hours. This must be done in warm weather, as the
liquid does not vaporize well when the temperature is lower than 10 degrees above zero.”
(C. £. F. Report, 1890, loc. cit.)

Perhaps the most convenient receptacle for treating weevilly pease, for farmers, is
an ordinary 45 gallon coal oil barrel, into which 5 bushels of pease may be put at
a time; the quantity of bisulphide of carbon which has been found necessary is one
ounce to every hundred pounds of seed ; therefore, for the above quantity three ounces
should be poured into some flat pan placed on the top of the seed or sprinkled over the
surface, and the barrel covered closely, first with a thick cloth or canvas which has
been damped in, water, and then with boards. The barrel should be in an outside shed
and left closed for 48 hours. .

Bisulphide of carbon is a colourless liquid which voiatilizes very readily at ordinary
temperatures ; the vapour, which is quite invisible but has a strong unpleasant

8a—13

194 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

odour, is heavier than air, and therefore sinks readily to the bottom and permeates the
whole contents of any closed receptacle in which it is used to free grain of infesting
insects.

Great care must be taken in the use of this chemical on account of the extreme in-
flammability both of the liquid and its vapour. No fire, such as a flume or even a lighted
pipe or cigar, must be taken near either the liquid or the bin in which the pease have
‘been treated, for some time after it is opened and the heavy and inflammable vapour has
been let out. Treating seed of any kind with bisulphide of carbon has no deleterious
effect upon the vitality of the seed nor upon its wholesomeness as food.

The question sometimes arises whether pease badly infested with weevils can be
used safely for feed. I find upon inquiry that it is a general practice to grind up weevilly
pease and use them for feed, and no injury to stock has been reported so far. Mr. T.
G. Raynor, answering this very question in the farmer's Advocate for March 1, 1897,
says :—‘“ The cull pease from re-cleaning the pease at the seed houses, after being
treated for the bug, are used for feeding purposes, and I have not heard of any injury.”
Mr. Wellington Boulter, the Mayor of Picton, Ont., one of the most important centres
of the seed-pea trade in Canada, also writes as follows :—‘‘ November 26.—Jn re your
inquiry as to grinding pease infested with pea-weevil for pigs, injury to stock, &c., I
would most emphatically say no injury could happen. I have ground up quantities in
the past. I have also fed pigs with the pease in the natural state and never heard of
any injury. In grinding, the bugs would be ground to powder.”

Holding over seed.—Some people may not care to have such a dangerous material
as bisuiphide of carbon about their premises. For such, an excellent remedy is holding
over until the second year after harvesting any pease required for seed. This may be
done in the case of pease without any injury to their vitality. They should be inclosed
in paper or cotton bags, which will be sufficient to prevent the beetles from escaping
when they emerge. At the time of sowing the pease, they should be examined and if
necessary hand-picked; every grain which has been perforated should be discarded, as
frequent experiments have proved that it is impossible to grow strong plants from
weevilled pease, although unfortunately there is a widespread belief to the contrary.

The Pra Mora (Semasia nigricana, Steph.).—This enemy of the pea, which has
been treated of in former reports without a
specific name, has this year been identified
(from specimens bred from larve collected
last year at Ottawa) through the kindness of
Prof. C. H. Fernald, of Amherst, Mass., who
writes :—Your pea insect was greased and
unspread, and therefore difficult to determine;
but I believe it to be Semasia nigricana.
which is -now considered distinct from
nebritana, Treits, under which it was placed
asa synonym by Wocke in Staudinger’s Cata-
Fig. 3.—The Pea Moth—natural size and enlarged. logue. It is probably identical with pisana,
Guen., and has long been placed under the genus Semasia, but Meyrick in his Handbook
of British Lepidoptera puts it under the genus Laspeyresia, Hbn.

The accompanying figure has been kindly supplied for this report by Messrs.
Blackie & Son, of Glasgow, Scotland. It is by John Curtis, and was used in his great
work ‘“ Farm Insects.”

Six specimens of the moth were bred, and all emerged between the 12th and 15th
of July. As the cocoons were kept under natural conditions this is probably the time
when the moths appear in nature, which would emphasize the value of the remedy
already suggested of early sowing. The moth is small and inconspicuous, ¢ of an inch
long when the wings are closed, mouse-coloured, bronzed towards the tips of the wings,
silvery gray beneath. The only markings are along the front margin or costa and near
the apex of the upper wing. The costal marks consist of about 10 or 12 short black
triangular streaks, separated from each other by similar clear white dashes all directed
backwards ; two of the black streaks, however, the third and fifth, which start from

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 195

about the middle of the costa, are much longer than the others and run parallel to each
other diagonally one-quarter across the wing towards the apex ; these are narrowly
margined with bronze scales and broadly shadowed on the side towards the apex with
bands of peariy gray scales. These bands run right across the wing and unite at the
other margin, thus inclosing a somewhat oval or flask-shaped space, which bears in its
centre 4 or 5 short longitudinal dashes and also includes in its neck the outer of the
two long black diagonal streaks from the costa.

The injury from the caterpillars of the Pea Moth was not so marked in Ontario and
Quebec as in previous years, but in the Maritime Provinces it has been as wide-spread as
usual. Mr. J. E. Wetmore, of Clifton, King’s Co., N. B., sent me on 16th of September
last several pods of Stratagem and Crown peas, also of the wild Tufted Vetch, Vicia
Cracca, with the following notes: “I find that they attack the Stratagems in all stages
of growth, from the most immature to those nearly ripe. I have found but few in the
green Crown pease. In this variety they are almost always among the ripe ones.
Nearly every pod of Stratagem is affected, while but about one-third or one-quarter of
the Crown pease are attacked. Early pease ripening in July are not liable to be attacked,
but, as the season advances, their numbers increase till the tender late varieties are
almost wholly destroyed. I have examined some pods to see where the attack generally
occurs. I thought it was always at the upper end, but of fourteen specimens before me
three are attacked at the upper end and three at the lower end, while eight are at in-
termediate points, so that there does not seem to be any regular spot for the egg to be
laid and the young caterpillar to enter the pod.”

“ Berwick, King’s Co., N.8., 26th November. —The Pea Moth has been vey

destructive to both garden and field pease.” —[S. C. Parker. ]

ROOT CROPS AND VEGETABLES.

Garden vegetables and root crops during the past season have been little attacked
by insect pests.

Cutworms.—There have been the usual local occurrences of cutweorms in different
parts of the Dominion ; but, with the exception of a severe outbreak on Vancouver
Island, there was no widespread devastation complained of. No mention of cutworms
was made in the provincial crop reports of Ontario, Nova Scotia, ar Manitoba. Rev.
Father Burke reports from Prince Edward Island: “ Cutworms seem to dislike a wet
season, like some other insects. We were relieved very much in this respect last spring.”

“Yarmouth, N.S.--Cutworms were not as destructive as usual.” —|C. E. Brown. ]

* Clifton, King’s Co., N.B.—Last season cutworms were very destructive here, so
that it was almost impossible to raise any vegetables ; this year there have been very
few losses from them. 1896 was very dry; this season, 1897, has been moist and
cool ; would this account for the difference in their numbers ?’—|J. E. Wetmore. ]

“ Victoria, B.C., Nov. 8.—Cutworms were numerous and destructive this spring
and destroyed quantities of young garden stuff.”—[R. M. Palmer. ]

*“Thetis Island, B.C., June 3.—-I send specimens of an insect which is working
havoc to the root crops here; my onions are all gone, and beets and carrots are slowly
disappearing ; it cuts off the young plants close by the ground.”—| Peter Hunter. }

*‘ Mattawa, Nipissing, Ont., June 21.—Inclosed find grubs which are working great
havoc in crops attacking almost everything in the shape of vegetables, particularly
beans, corn and cabbage.”—[C. G. Hurdman. |

“ Stonefield, Argenteuil Co., Que., June 25.—The farmers in this neighbourhood,
who have sown feed corn, are troubled to a serious extent by a grub, which cuts off the
young plant as soon as it appears above the ground.”—[ Reuben Wilden. |

“St. Patrick, Temiscouata Go., Que., June 26.—All the gardens in this neighbour-
hood are suffering from the depredations of a grub, which is devouring all the young

8a—134

196 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

vegetables. It is a common grub, but is in such unusual numbers that the poor people
fear that every vegetable will be destroyed.”—[Mrs. D. W. Macdonell.]

No new remedies have been discovered for these troublesome pests of the garden
and farm. The remedies given in my last report have been found very serviceable,
particularly the poisoned bran remedy, when the material was used either dry or
moistened.

Potatoes have been an uneven crop, very good in many places, but in as many
others, there was loss from neglecting to use Paris green for the Colorado Potato-
beetle and to spray for the potato-rot. Mr. W. W. Hubbard, of Sussex, N.B., the
editor of the Cooperative Farmer, says :—“ We had a very wet spring with considerable:
damp, sultry weather through the summer, and this was very favourable to spore
growth. Potatoes were early struck withrust. Scarcely any one will use the Bordeaux
mixture.” This is a great pity, for the results of spraying to prevent the potato-rust,
which later produces the potato-rot, are so marked that any one who will try a sinall
experiment, must be soon convinced of the value of this remedy.

BLIsTER-BEETLES.—The Black Blister Beetle(Zpicauta Pennsylvanica, DeG.) appeared
in large numbers at St. Denis, Kamouraska Co, Que., on potatoes. Several specimens
were sent by Mr. J. C. Chapais. The Gray Blister-beetles (Macrobasis wnicolor, Kirby):
did much harm to potatoes and beans at South River, Muskoka, Ont., and Mr. J. F.
Sheil, having read in previous reports of the difficulties of some of my correspondents in
treating these insects without injuring the crop, tried some experiments with the insec-
ticide “Slug shot,” which he prefers very much to the ordinary mixtures of Paris green

used for this insect, finding it equally effective, with no danger of injuring the foliage of

the plant treated.

APHIDES or plant-lice were very abundant last season, almost everything being

attacked severely. No specimens were received, but several correspondents refer to:

injury to carrots by a species of plant-louse which spotted the foliage and stunted the
roots of the carrots. This occurred in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Mr. C. E.
Brown, of Yarmouth, N.S., reports :—‘ Among hardy vegetable crops there was injury
and in some cases there was a total loss of carrots from the attacks of aphides. These
pests were prevalent not only throughout this county, but in the adjoining counties.”

Tue Carror Rust-riy (Psila rose, Fab.).—Attack.—Early in the season the leaves.
of young carrots turn reddish and the roots will be found to be blotched with rusty
patches, particularly towards the tip. These carrots when stored for winter use,

i ; although sometimes not showing much.
injury on the outside, may be found
to be perforated in every direction by
dirty brown burrows, in which are
many semi-transparent yellowish mag-
gots about + of an inch long. These

\ taper toward the head, where is a black
hooked tip, forked at the base, by which
the maggot makes its way through the
the roots. The puparium is reddish-
: brown, and the maggots, as a rule, leave
Fig. 4.—The Carrot Rust-fly—natural size (1, 5,7), and the carrots before assuming this form.
enlarged (2, 6, 8.) : 2
The fly and its work are shown very well:
in the figure (Fig. 4) by John Curtis, which I am able to present herewith through the
courtesy of Miss Ormerod and Messrs. Blackie & Son. The mature fly is two-winged,
z of an inch long, bright shiny black, with yellow legs and red eyes. The wings are:
beautifully iridescent. The winter is passed either as a maggot or in the puparium.
Miss Ormerod, the eminent English entomologist, who has studied the insect for many
years, describes the attack as follows:
“The method of life of the Carrot Fly is to go down into the ground, where she:
can find a chink or cranny by the carrots, There she lays her eggs on or by the roots,

maggots are blunt at the tail end, but.

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 197

and the little yellowish or whitish maggots which hatch from these work their way into
the root itself, or, if this is still very small, often destroy the lowest part. When full
fed they leave the carrots and turn to the chrysalis state in the ground. The chrysalis
eases are cylindrical and of a rusty or ochreous colour, and from these (in summer) the
little blackish-green, two-winged flies, with rusty, ochre-coloured heads, come out in
about three or four weeks.” (#. A. Ormerod. Ann. Rpt., 1898, p. 11.)

During the last ten or twelve years occasional complaints have been received of
injuries to carrots by the larvee of the Carrot Rust-fly. These have been mostly from
the province of New Brunswick, but also once or twice from Ontario and Quebec.
This attack is a serious one, the carrots stored for winter use being rendered useless
for the table from the discoloured burrows of the numerous maggots which some-
times occur in a single root. In 1895, Mr. J. S. Armstrong, of Rothesay, King’s
County, N.B., who had suffered severely from the ravages of this insect, noticed that
late sown carrots were less injured than those sown at the ordinary time. This practice
has since been recommended, and has been adopted with considerable success.

“Upper Sackville, Westmoreland Co., N.B., March 4, 1896.—-My son William has
written me that he was talking to you about the carrots we grew in our garden the past
two years. He wished me to send you a sample; but they were so badly affected in the
fall that we fed them to the cattle. I send you 2 small roots I found in the cellar.
They will show the disease, but they do not represent the growth, as they are too small.
The crop was large enough, but I think every carrot was diseased. It was in 1894 that
we first noticed that something was wrong. In 1895 I planted in another place, but
they were no better. Carrots had been grown on the same land previous to 1894 and
were sound and good.”—[John Fawcett. |

“Brookville, St. John Co., N.B, Dec. 20, 1896.—I send you carrots badly
infested by some maggot which entirely destroys them, burrowing in every direction
through the root.. The carrots came up well, but after I weeded and thinned them
they began to wither down in spots. The remainder seemed to grow pretty large, but
when pulled were all full of maggots and are not fit for use.”

“Feb. 15.—In reply to your letter, I sowed my carrots the first week in May. TI
have made inquiries of some of the farmers here and find that those who sowed later
had their carrots not nearly so badly attacked as mine. Do you think cropping the
same ground year after year would affect the roots ?”—| Benjamin Hevenor. |

“Upper Sackville, Westmoreland Co., N.B., Jan. 5, 1897.I sowed a much larger
patch of carrots on another part of my farm later in May and had an excellent
crop. No appearance of the maggot; but last year ours were so bad that we had to
buy for table use. The man we bought of lives some eight miles from here. This year
his carrots are affected, to all appearances as ours have been. I know of no other cases.
He has been growing carrots on the same plot for some time.”

“ Dec. 15.—We have had no trouble with carrot-fly this year since we changed the
place of cultivation. I have heard of another attack, however, on a friend’s place ten
miles distant. I will send you some infested roots as soon as I can get them.”—
[W. W. Fawcett. ]

“Clifton, King’s Co., N. B., Sept. 16.—I find it almost impossible of late years to
get a crop of carrots on account of a small white grub which attacks the roots from
the time they are very young and continues its ravages throughout the season.”

“Dec. 10.—In reply to your favour inquiring about injury to my carrots this year.
Last year they attacked the carrots severely. I did not harvest more than one third of
acrop. This year they attacked the young plants and cut them down very badly in my
field, and in disgust I ploughed them under and sowed late turnips. From appearances,
had I left them, I would not have had more than one sixth of a crop, if any at all. One
of my neighbours had about one-third of a crop, and another still less. There are very
few carrots raised here of late years, on account of this pest.”—[J. E. Wetmore. |

Remedies.— Where remedies have been applied by my correspondents, the best
results have been secured by the use of ordinary. coal oil, either in the form of sand
saturated in the proportion of one half a pint of coal oil to three gallons of dry sand,
ashes or land plaster, which was sown at short intervals along the row, or of kerosene

198 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

emulsion, one part of the ordinary Riley-Hubbard formula to 10 of water sprayed along
the rows.

Miss Ormerod gives the following advice :—‘“ For prevention of attack generally,
what is needed is a well prepared soil which will push on good growth of the plant, and
also not be liable to crack, and also such management of ground and plants at thinning-
lime as will not allow the Carrot Fly to get down to lay its eggs by the roots. This
point is the vmportant matter in the prevention of the Carrot-grub attack, commonly
known as ‘rust.’ If the fly cannot get to the roots to lay her eggs, obviously there
will be no maggots to harm them, and the reason why carrots which have done well up
to thinning-time often fail after w ards, is beeause the ground is thrown open in the
operation.

“T always advise that the greatest amount of thinning that can be managed should
be done as early as possible, then give good waterings after thinning, and from time to
time afterwards to drive the surface soil together.”

From our Canadian experience it would appear that late sowing has a particularly
good effect. When carrots are grown as a farm crop, it is, of course, well to sow them
as early as convenient and thus secure as heavy a crop as possible; but, for table use, I
have found by experiment that this vegetable may be sown very much later than is the
usual practice, and, if frequently hoed or cultivated, will give a good crop of excellent
roots, while at the same time the danger of loss from the Carrot Rust-fly will be much
lessened. Carrots sown as late as the third week in June produced a crop of table
carrots of good size and excellent quality.

Where this fly is known to be prevalent, carrots should be sown every year as far
distant as possible from land which is known to have been infested. Where carrots are
stored during the winter in sand or earth, this, of course, must be treated to destroy the
pup which leave the roots and enter the soil to pass their last preparatory stage.
Miss Ormerod suggests that this earth might be put into a wet manure pit so as to pre-
vent the hatching out of the flies. Should neither of these methods be convenient, at
any rate, it might be buried in a deep hole dug in the ground for the purpose.

Tur Spinach CARRION-BEETLE (Silpha bituberosa, Lec.).—Attack.—Shiny black,
very active, flattened grubs ? of an inch in
length, shaped like wood-lice, which devour
the leaves of plants belonging to the spinach
or goosefoot family (Chenopodiacec) and also
5, members of the Gourd family. In my Report
S| as Entomologist for 1893 is given an account
of injuries to crops by this carrion-beetle. Dur-
ing the past summer there was a new outbreak
at Calgary, Alta. Mr. E. D. H. Wilkins
jee writes :—“ May 30.—A black grub is swarm-
ing in my garden this spring and devouring
the leaves of the spinach and beet. I also
find it on the weed commonly called lamb’s
quarters. Please advise me as to a remedy, for this grub is doing a great deal of damage,
and I do not like to use poison on the spinach leaves.”

“ June 13.—I sent you a few days ago some more xrubs, as you wished. I have
tried Paris green traps and used overgrown spinach plants. We have had only five
hours’ rain this year, so that it is a struggle to keep things going. There is very little
succulent vegetation to use for traps such as you suggest. Your advice about keeping
the place clean of all weeds is more to the point here. Last year I was careless and let
lamb’s quarters grow in great quantities in waste places 1 in the garden. That is evidently
why I am now plagued with these beetles. After trying the Paris green traps I counted
twelve corpses in one row. I am satisfied that with these, as I have found it is the case
with cutworms, the best preventive measure is to clean up everywhere and leave no
weeds or lainb’s quarters growing, so that the insects can have no chance to breed.”

Fig. 5.—Carrion-beetile (5, 6); larvee (1, 3, 4).

REPORT OF THE ENIOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 199

Remedy.—The only remedy which can be suggested for this insect when it attacks
such plants as beetroots and mangels is to dust the young plants at the end of May and
during the first part of June, when the grubs appear, with a poisonous mixture such as
Paris green and some powdery diluent, e.g., flour, land plaster or ashes, one part to 50.
In the case of spinach, it may be necessary to cover the plants with netting or cheese
cloth for a time; or a more attractive food plant such as lamb’s quarters, or the native
weed of the West, Monolepis, which is stated to be the favourite food plant of this insect,
may be sown close to the spinach to draw off the attack.

Hew EES.

The fruit crop of Canada for the year 1897, although in no way comparable for
quantity with that of last year, has been, on the whole, a good crop, and where spraying
has been adopted good profits have been made. It is to be regretted, however, that
some of our less progressive fruit growers have not yet adopted this most useful means
of saving money. This is in some measure due to the ignorance of fruit buyers, who, it
seems, cannot be taught that there is not the slightest danger from the use of fruit from
trees which have been sprayed, and that, if sufficient poison were used to make the
practice dangerous, the fruit grower would be the first to suffer, because the amount of
poison necessary for that would cause both leaves and fruit to fall from the trees long
before the fruit was ripe.

It would take too much space to give extracts from letters of practical business men
who have learnt from experience the value of the practice of spraying against injurious
insects and fungous diseases ; but hundreds might be cited.

Among fruit insects of the present season the San José Scale has been the subject
of extensive correspondence ; but many other insects which, except for the anxiety
thus aroused, would not have attracted notice, have also been inquired about. Some of
those species which may be called the standard pests of the orchard and fruit garden,
have been lessin evidence than usual. Next tothe San José Scale, Tenr CaTERPILLARS
called for most information, and occurred in injurious numbers both in orchards and
upon forest trees. In the Ottawa district basswoods (Zilia) were much injured and
groves of aspen (Populus tremuloides, Michx.) for many miles along the Ottawa River were
stripped perfectly bare of foliage in the month of June. At Bewdley, Northumberland
Co., Ont., Mr. T. W. Ramm, says :—‘‘I never saw so many Tent Caterpillars as there

x were here this spring.” Mr. Ramm also bred from the cocoons several
specimens of the useful “ichneumon fly ” Pimpla pedalis, Cress. Mr.
< F. W. Payne sent specimens of the Forest Tent Caterpillar from Hall’s
Glen, Peterboro’ Co., Ont.:—‘ July 17. As I drove along the road 24
miles from here, I noticed that the maple trees were defoliated to the
extent of 4 to 3 of their foliage, and hundreds of moths were flitting
through the branches. The cocoons hung in the maples, by hundreds,
one to each leaf with the edges drawn together by a web.”

Tent Caterpillar injuries are also reported from the Annapolis
Valley, Nova Scotia, by Mr. 8. C, Parker, of Berwick, and Mr. M. G.
DeWolfe, of Kentville, N.S.; and in Manitoba Mr. H. W. O. Boger
found them unusually abundant at Brandon, attacking currant bushes,
roses, choke cherries and the mountain ash.
TelG! ores: Tent ~. In British Columbia these insects swarmed on every hedge and also
Caterpillar. did much harm in orchards.

“ Victoria, B.C., April 28.—Tent Caterpillars are hatching and are very

numerous.—[R. M. Palmer. ]

200 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

“ Victoria, B.C., May 18.—Tent Caterpillars swarm everywhere, but as usual a
large proportion bear the eg ggs of parasites
(Tachina). I am sending you a specimen of my
the Caterpillar with no less than 8 eggs on it; [14
- from this you will see the abundance of the
parasites.” —[E. A. Carew-Gibson. |

The specimens represented in Mr. Carew- [3
Gibson’s sending were Clistocampa Californica &
and C. Americana.

*« Agassiz, B.C.-We have this year swarms
of Forest Tent Caterpillars. The hazel, willow,
crab apple, birch and alder in the woods, all ANE oe
seem to be infested.”—[Thos. A. Sharpe. | Fig. 7.—Forest Tent Caterpillar ; eggs and moth.

Fig. 6 shows the Forest Tent Caterpillar and Fig. 7 the eggs (natural size and
enlarged) and female moth of the same. All the Tent Caterpillars ee each other
very much and will be easily recognized from these cuts.

The remedies for Tent Caterpillars of all kinds are handpiceine of the eggs and
young colonies and the spraying of the foliage of infested trees before the caterpillars
get large enough to do much harm.

CANKER-WORMS (Anisopteryx).—Two references only to injury by Canker-worms have
been made this season ; but I observed while travelling through Nova Scotia in June
last the abundant presence of these insects in certain localities. I was much pleased to
notice the general adoption of spraying by the leading fruit growers. . These caterpillars
must be treated while they are young, or the ordinary spraying mixtures are not strong
enough to destroy them.

‘Grimsby, May 31.—Mr. Laws has handed me a box of apple boughs cut from his
father’s orchard near Camden, Ont., where the Canker-worm is very bad. He says he
has tried Paris green faithfully without effect. The orchard looks as if fire had been:
through it in summer.”—|L. Woolverton. |

“ Berwick, N.S.—The Canker-worm still crops up in some sections ; an infected dis-
trict takes a long time and careful work to clear up. I do not know of any serious
losses this year from its ravages.”—[S. C. Parker. ]

SHoT-BoRER (Xyleborus dispar, Fab.).—This injurious enemy of the apple continues
to commit serious depredations in the orchards of Nova Scotia and Prince Ed-
ward Island, where it attacks both apple and plum trees. The most extensive
injury brought to my notice during the past season occurred at Grand Pré,
King’s County, N.S., where Mr. George Johnson, the Dominion
Statistician, found the beetles working much havoc in his own
orchard as well as in those of several of his neighbours. The best
remedy for this insect is the wash mentioned by Mr. John S. Wood-

ae worth, of Berwick, N.8., in my Report for 1894, viz., washing the

nat, size & trees liable to attack three times,—-early and late in June and once

ee an July, with the following : Soft soap, 1 gallon ; water, 3 gallons ;

carbolic acid, 4 pint. This same mixture has been “used successfully : against
the Peach Bark-borer (Phleotribus liminaris, Harris).

OYSTER-SHELL BArK-LOUSE (Mytilaspis pomorwm, Bouché).—Every year
brings numerous complaints of the deadly work of this enemy of the fruit
grower, and 1897 has been pre-eminently a scale-insect year, owing to the
anxiety about the San José scale having directed a more than usual amount
of attention to these inconspicuous but frequently fatal enemies of fruit trees.

The best remedies for all scale-insects which, like the Oyster-shell Bark-
louse, have only one brood in the year, is to spray the trees before the buds
burst, and again in June when the young are moving, with the Riley- pig, 9—
Hubbard kerosene emulsion (1 to 9), or with whale-oil soap, 1 Ib. in 2 Oyster-shell
gallons of water. In addition, —and this is of great importance,—a healthy, Beth lot:

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIS?. 201

vigorous growth should be induced by manuring liberally, frequent cultivation of the
land, and judicious pruning of the trees. On this point Mr. 8. C. Parker, the Secretary
of the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers’ Association, writes :—‘‘I notice in your report for
1896 many complaints from Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island, ete., of the Oyster-
shell Bark-louse. I would like to wager a trifle that in four out of five cases these
orchards are in grass, perhaps a cow pasture. It is of little use to try to grow trees in
Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island without thorough cultivation and annual applica-
tion of fertilizers. I have yet to see a healthy tree growing vigorously that will spend
any time bothering with bark-lice.”

The Appie Maceor (7'rypeta pomonella, Walsh), referred to in my last report as the
cause of considerable injury in Dr. Young’s orchard at
Adolphustown, Lennox Co., Ont., has apparently not:
increased during the past season. Dr. Young writess
‘“‘ September 27.—We have a few of the Apple Maggott
in the fruits of the same trees as last year, but not
nearly so many as there were then. We ploughed and
cultivated the ground last fall, and once in the winter
when there was quite a thaw, and then again gave it a
deep ploughing in the spring.”

Fig. 10.—Fly of Apple Maggot.

The Apple Maggot is extremely abun-
dant in the state of Vermont close to the
borders of the province of Quebec, and
Mr. J. T. Macomber, of Grand Island,
Vt., writes to me that “it occurs every
year and is increasing fast ; in some or-
chards more than 50 per cent of the fruit
is ruined. Numbers of the maggots are
found in each apple tunnelling all through
the pulp and utterly ruining it, except
for stock.” Fruit growers in the Eastern
Townships should be on the lookout for
any such injury to apples as is shown
on the cut of an infested apple given
herewith, or for an insect resembling
Fig. 10, which shows the fly enlarged. LB) .
These flies will be found after midsum- Fig. 11. Apple iafasted a ‘Apple Magaet
mer. They are dark in colour, with yellowish head and legs, with clear white bands across
the abdomen. They are not very active and may be looked for on the apple trees in late
summer and autumn. The remedy which is most relied on is the prompt gathering and
destruction of all windfalls before the maggots leave them to go into the ground. °This

_ can be done by keeping poultry, pigs, sheep or other stock in the orchard.

The AppLe Fruit-MINER (Argyresthia conjugella, Z.).—Considerable space in my

Hp” og last report was de-
voted to a new enemy
of the apple which
in British Columbia
caused last year great
anxiety from the ex-
tentandseriousnature
of its injuries, which
closely resemble those
of the Apple Maggot.
Last spring the per-
fect insect was suc-
Fig. 12.—Apple injured by Apple-fruit Miner, and the same cut open. cessfully reared both

2)2 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

by Mr. E. A. Carew-Gibson, in Victoria, B.C., and by myself at Ottawa. It proved to
be a beautiful little Tineid moth belonging to the genus Argyresthia. One of the speci-
mens was sent to Lord Walsingham, of Thetford, England, a high authority on Micro-
_ lepidoptera, who reports as follows :—

‘“‘Merton Hall, Thetford, England, Dec. 13, 1897.—The moth which you have sub-
mitted for determination is Argyresthia conjugella, Z., which in Europe feeds in the
fruit of Pirus Aucuparia, but has not been recorded, so far as we know, from /irus
Malus. Lord Walsingham has a worn specimen from Esquimalt, Vancouver Island,
and he is inclined to think that his identification of the allied species mendica, Hw.
(Insect Life, ITI, 118), as occurring at Washington, may have been erroneous, as the
specimen was evidently not in good condition, and he would suggest that search should
be made for the larve there and elsewhere.”—[Jno. Hartley Durrant, Ent. Asst. to
Lord Walsingham. |

The moth is a slender insect measuring 3 inch across the expanded wings. Upper
wings silvery gray, mottled with darker patches. Along the inner margin, from the Lase
to the middle of the wing, is a broad silvery band of white ending abruptly on the inner
margin but in a spur running backwards at the outer angle of the band. This is fol-
lowed by a conspicuous black patch, which, widest at the inner margin, runs diagonally
backwards across the wing ; next to this is an elongated triangular white patch mottled
with brown, having the base on the inner margin of the wing and the apex elongated and
directed backwards toward the tip ot the wing, which terminates with an eye-like spot
somewhat like a peacock’s feather. The dark gray lower wings are heavily fringed all
round with long silky gray hairs, as also is the lower apical margin of the upper wings.
The frontal tuft and the thorax are of the same silvery white as the broad bands on the
upper wings, which, come together when the wings are closed and, joining with the
thorax, form a continuous white dorsal stripe from the front to half way down the
wings, where it 1s cut off by the dark bands which cross the wings diagonally. The
two white triangular patches also come together when the wings are closed, forming a
crescent-shaped saddle toward the tip of the wings. When at rest the posterior end of
the body is raised up at an angle of 45 degrees and the insect is supported on four legs
very widely separated. At such times the moth bears very little resemblance to an
insect and may certainly be easily overlooked.

Mr. Carew-Gibson was the first to breed this moth ; one of his specimens which he
kindly forwarded to me, emerged from the cocoon on May 20, and another a few days
later. The single pair which I bred at Ottawa from apples collected at Agassiz, B.C.,
by Dr. William Saunders, emerged on June 2 and 3, the cocoon having been taken out
of the cellar May 24. Although they were male and female, I failed to get them to
pair; thus no studies could be made of the eggs and the mode of oviposition. There
has been little complaint of injury by the Apple Fruit-miner during the past season. Mr.
R. M. Palmer, in a valuable report on the insect injuries of the year in British Col-
umbia, with which he has favoured me, says:—‘‘ The Apple Fruit miner, as I expected,
has been very little noticed this season, although I occasionally see specimens of apples
injured by it ; so, it has not quite disappeared. The apple crop of the province this year
has been an exceptionally good one, and the fruit better coloured and freer from scab
than for many years past. The practice of spraying is now pretty general, and the season
has also been favourable.”

PLANT-LICE (Aphidide) of all kinds and upon almost every crop cultivated have
been particularly abundant during the past season in ali parts of Canada except British
Columbia, where, strangely enough as this province in most years suffers severely from
them, there were less than usual :—

“ Victoria, October 4.—Aphides of all kinds have been less numerous this summer
than any year since I have been in the province. Aphis brassice, however, was an
exception and was very troublesome on the islands.”—[R. M. Palmer. ]

“ Yarmouth, N.S., November 30.—The excessive rains of April, May and the first
half of June during which there was a precipitation of 18-8 inches were not propitious
to insect life, except that we were visited by unprecedented swarms of Aphides that

———

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 203

covered all the young growth of fruit trees and were most destructive to the fruit crop.
In some varieties of apples, the Gravenstein suffering most, the crop was utterly ruined,
and in all it was greatly diminished. Young trees in the nursery were destroyed, or the
growth for the year stopped.”—[Charles E. Brown. ]

“Sussex, King’s Co., N.B., November 19.—On young apple trees the green aphis
was in very large numbers, always with the attendant ants.”—|W. W. Hubbard. |

Mr. Martin Burrell, of St. Catharines, Ont., has favoured me with the following
useful observations on some Plant-lice of the orchard made by him during the past
season :—

“‘ As far as fruit-growiny is concerned the different species of Plant-lice have been
by far the most serious pests we have had this season. I do not recall such a scourge
for many years. Every kind of fruit tree was affected, and even the weeds did not
escape.

“ The principal damage has been doneby theCherry Aphis (Myzus cerast, Fab.), whose
attacks on the sweet cherry of this peninsula were simply disastrous. I do not think I
should be overshooting the mark if I said that half the crop was ruined. I saw many
cases where not only the foliage was covered but even the fruit, and especially the
stalks, with lice. The application of kerosene emulsion is sucha “messy ” business and
the pressure of other work is so great at that season of the year that the pest is rarely
checked on its first appearance. We shall have todin it thoroughly into our heads that
the stamping out of the early generations of both the black and green aphis is the most
important work of the day. The green species did an enormous amount of harm, not
only to the growing shoots of young plum and pear trees, but to the foliage of the fruit-

' ing trees, thereby impairing both the size and flavour of the fruit and further depressing ~

already congested markets by dumping on them large quantities of half-coloured, insipid
and worthless plums. It is, of course, well known that the black species of lice are more
resistant to insecticides than the green. I find that the kerosene emulsion should be
diluted with only 6 or7 times the quantity of water to be effective against Myzus cerasi,
while | to 12 or 14 is all right for the green forms.

““Tobacco water should be on the strong side too. I did not find 1 pound to 6
gallons thoroughly effective. A closer proportion would, I think, be advisable, and the
tobacco should be boiled thoroughly. The lady-birds did good work this year among
the lice, as might be expected, especially Coccinella 9-notata, Hbst., and Anatis 15-
punctata, Oliv. Myzus cerasi, which usually keeps pretty much to the sweet cherries,
appeared in my orchard of Early Richmond cherries toward the end of June, and by
July 1st was increasing very rapidly. During this time the larve of Anatis 15-punctata
were doing good work on the lice. By July 4th most of the larve had pupated. The
pupal period was only from 4 to 6 days, and by July 10th any quantities of the beetles
could be seen, the predominant colour being a creamy white or even lavender, with the
characteristic markings. The lice by this time had decidedly lessened in numbers and
I felt that I could leave them safely in the hands of our coccinellid friends.”—{ Martin
Burrell. |

THe Prum Apuis (Aphis prunifolii, Fitch) has been unusually abundant in many
parts of the Dominion, being the Plant-louse most often inquired about in correspondence.
Reports of Plant-lice on plum from Manitoba, the North-west Territories and British
Columbia probably referred to a different species, Hyalopterus pruni, Fab., which is also
stated by Prof. C. P. Gillette in the Proceedings of the Ninth Annual Meeting of the
Associition of Economic Entomologists to have been particularly wide-spread and very
injurious to plum trees in Colorado during the past summer.”

‘‘ Woodville, Lot 2, P.E.I., June 10.—I send you specimens of an insect that has
over-run our orchards of plums and Damsons. They cause the leaves to curl, dry up and
die in a short time. Please let me know what they are and how to get rid of them.”—-
[Michael McGrath. ]

The specimens sent with this letter were Aphis prunijoli, Fitch.

“ Nappan, Cumberland Co., N.S., July 8.—I send you specimens of Aphis prunifolii.
These are a terrible pest on our plum trees. The kerosene emulsion is a sure cure if if

204 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

strikes the insect, but it seems almost impossible to get at the Plant-lice when they are
on the underside of the leaves.”—_[W. S. Blair.

Severa] specimens were also sent from different localities in Ontario. Mr. A. W,
Donaldson found them very troublesome at Shakespeare, Oxford Co., Ont.

* Leamington, Essex Co., Ont., Nov. 24.—The most troublesome insects we had to
contend with this season were Aphids on the plum and cherry trees. They were especially
bad on the plum. I have never before seen them so numerous. They came in such
numbers that we could do nothing with them. I sprayed, but after the leaves had
curled it was hard to get at the insects. I had to mike the emulsion as strong as we
dared to use it ; otherwise it would not kill them.”—{W. W. Hilborn. |

Remedies.—Many of my correspondents, while acknowledging the efficacy of kerosene
emulsion as a remedy fatal to all Plant-lice, at the same time dislike using it on account
_of its odour and destructive effect on India-rubber hoses. Recent experiments have
shown that good work can be done with some of the other washes usually recommended.
Mr. R. M. Palmer, who has had a great deal of experience in treating the Apple Plant-
louse and other species in British Columbia speaks very strongly in favour of the
following tobacco and soap wash : ‘Soak 4 pounds waste tobacco in 9 gallons hot water
for 4 or 5 hours (or in the same quantity of cold water for 4 or 5 days) ; dissolve 1 pound
whale-oil soap in one gallon hot water; strain the tobacco decoction in the dissolved
soap, and apply the mixture to affected trees with a spray pump, using a fine nozzle and
all the force possible.”

Prof. Gillette, when speaking of the attack on plums in Colorado by Plant-lice,
says :—‘ In our experiments whale-oil soap, in the proportion of 1 pound to 8 gallons of
water has been more effectual than the ordiaary kerosene emulsion in destroying the
lice. The powdery excretion upon the surface of these lice interferes greatly with any
successful treatment unless the application be made with much force.”

THE Bronze APPLE-TREE WEEVIL (Magdalis enescens, Lec.).—Complaints have been
received from time to time of injury from this weevil, the larve of which infest the
hark of apple trees in British Columbia. Last summer a new attack was observed by
tev. G. W. Taylor on Gabriola Island, B.C., when the perfect beetles swarmed in
myriads on cherry trees and devoured the foliage.

THE WESTERN STRAWBERRY CrOWN-BORER (TZyloderma foveolatum, Say).—
Specimens of this British Columbian beetle were received from Vancouver Island last
summer. References have been made occasionally to injuries to the strawberry plant in
British Columbia by a crown-borer. As I had never found nor received from that pro-
vince specimens of the ordinary Srawberry Crown-borer I was very anxious to secure
specimens of this western pest, for identification. In June last I was pleased to
receive specimens of the mature beetie, from Messrs. E. A. Carew-Gibson and R. M.
Palmer of Victoria. These proved to be T'yloderma foveolatum, Say, ‘which had not been
previously recorded as a pest of cultivated crops. Mr. Carew Gibson writes “I am
sending you some weevils from a strawberry patch which they have completely wiped
out this spring ;’ and Mr. Palmer writes on the same subject—“Thank you for the name
of the strawberry weevil ; the specimens were sent to me from Cowichan, where they had
entirely ruined a small strawberry bed.”

Tue Currant Maacor, Currant Fly (£pochra Canadensis, Loew.).—Another
question which has been settled during the past summer, is the indentity of an insect
which does an enormous amount of injury to Black Currants in British Columbia,
the fruit being rendered quite unfit for use owing to the Jarge numbers of maggots
which infest it. I have for years endeavoured in vain to get specimens of the fly or
infested fruit so as to breed the fly. I am now under obligation to Mr. Carew-Gibson,
for an opportunity to examine some flies bred by him from these maggots.

‘Victoria, May 21.—I am sending you some specimens of the flies hatched from
my currant fruit worms, i.e., the insect which lives in the larval stage inside the fruit of
the currant. Is this Lpochra Canadensis? The flies hatched out yesterdy (May 20),
and I now recognize them as a very common fly here at certain times.” The flies
received were well marked examples of Hnochra Canadensis, Lew., an insect which

——”*

a ea eT

ee a ee ee

a

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 205

notwithstanding its name Canadensis, I had never before seen in Canada, nor have I

heard of its injuries in any other part of the Dominion than British Columbia.

In a very complete monograph upon this insect, published in 1896, by Prof. F. L.
Harvey, of Maine, full details are given of the life history and habits. With the excep-
tion of British Columbia, this insect is certainly nowhere common in Canada, although
an he Apple Maggot it is abundant in some seasons in the State of Maine close to our

orders.

Tue Narive Currant Saw-Fty. (Gymnonychus appendiculatus, Hartig).—This
insect which was formerly called Pristiphora
grossularie, Walsh, is by no means common
in Canada, but last spring the larve did con-
siderable damage on Vancouver Island. The
Rev. G. W. Taylor wrote fron Gabriola Island,
B.C., on July 29 last :—“ The saw-flies of the
gooseberry and currant appeared early this
season and practically spoiled the bushes for the
mas year. A second brood appeared at the middle
of June, but the larve were much less nume-

Pig. 13—The Native Currant Saw-fly—larva ous.” Several specimens of the mature insects
a etule were bred by Mr. Taylor and forwarded for ex-

_ amination. These were submitted to Mr. W. H. Harrington, who has made a special

study of this class of insects and he has kindly provided me with the following report
upon them :—

“Gymnonychus appendiculatus, Hartig—I have made a carefui examination of
the sawtlies received by you from Rev. G. W. Taylor, and find them to be Gymnonychus
appendiculatus, Hartig. On my first examination the insects were referred to the genus
Pristiphora, and seemed to answer very closely to Norton’s description of his P. relativa,
the type of which was from Great Slave Lake, collected by R. Kennicott. On reference
to Cameron (Brit. Phytophagous Hymenoptera, I1., p. 66) the description of Vematus
appendiculatus was found to apply very closely to the Vancouver Island specimens, and
a microscopical examination of the claws shows that the species belongs to the new
genus Gymnonychus erected by Marlatt (Wematine of N. A., p. 122) for those species
of Pristiphora having the claws entirely untoothed (gwmnos = naked, and onux = a claw).
The species, therefore, is now named as above cited and is the currant saw-fly named by
Walsh as P. grossularie, and treated of under that name by Walsh, Packard, Glover,
Riley, Saunders and other writers (see Marlatt, Joc. cit.). Norton’s 2. relativa may pos-
sibly be identical—| W. H. Harrington. |

THE SAN JOSE SCALE

(Aspidiotus perniciosus, Comstock).

“Well, how about this San José Scale we hear so much about?” is a trite question
which has been very frequently put to the Entomologist during the past season.

Early in the present year undoubted specimens of the San José Scale were received
for examination from orchards near Chatham, Kent Co., and from near Niagara, Lincoln
Co., in western Ontario.

In 1894, in anticipation of the spread of this most injurious pest of the orchard
from infested States to the south of us, and so that our fruit growers might be warned
beforehand, articles were prepared and published in the report of this Division, the
Annual Report of the Entomological Society of Ontario for the same year, and the
Farmers’ Advocate of London, Ont., an influential agricultural journal with an extensive

206 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

circulation. In these articles will be found a full account of the life history and devel-
opment of the insect, characters by which it may be recognized, and what were at that
time thought to be the best means of fightin: against it. Ever since it b»came known
certainly that this scourge had effected a footing in our orchards, great anxiety has been
shown by fruit growers in all parts of the Dominion, to obtain reliable information
about it. Numerous specimens of various kinds of insects, fungi, corky excretions on
the bark, ete., have been sent in for examination. The importance of every one concerned
being enabled to recognize this pest as soon as possible, so that prompt action might be
taken to control it, suggested the advisability of issuing last summer a large wall poster
which could be put up in conspicuous places such as post offices, railway stations, news-
paper offices and public halls throughout the district, where the scale was likely to occur.

This poster (2 ft. 3 in. by 1 ft. 8 in.) was got up much in the same form as a
similar poster issued by Prof. Webster, the State Entomologist of Ohio, on the same
subject and gave the excellent illustrations prepared by direction of Dr. Howard, the
United States Entomologist, showing an infested pear and a piece of a branch, also
enlarged figures of the female insect and her scale. The object of this poster was to warn
fruit growers that the scale was already in Canada and that if it were allowed to spread
great loss would certainly result. The best way to recognize the pest was given, with
advice as to the course to pursue, should it be discovered in an orchard.

Fig. 14—Branch infested by San José Scale. Fig. 15.—Pear infested by San José Scale.

A great deal has been written concerning the San José Scale since its unfortunate
introduction into the East, and its detection as 2 serious enemy of fruits by Dr. Howard
in August, 1893. This scale has been treated of at considerable length in previous
reports of this division, and numerous articles in government publications are accessible
to any one who wishes to inform himself on the subject.

For the purposes of this report, it seems more useful to give a concise account of
the insect, its appearance, so that it may be recognized, its life history, occurrence in

“a

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 207

Canada, and the most approved remedies so far tried ; also to answer briefly some of the
pertinent questions frequently asked by correspondents and others concerning it.

What is the Saw José Scale?—It is a very small (the largest specimens, not more
than }inch in diameter) round, flattened and inconspicuous scale-insect ; that is, like
the well known Oyster-shell Bark-louse and the Scurfy Bark-louse, a sucking insect
covered by a waxy scale, which, as we find it on trees, is the only part visible, except in
the early larval stage, when scale insects for a few days have the power of walking.

What 2 1s not.—From the many different kinds of insects which have been sent in,
it seems advisable to state that the San José Scale is not an easily seen insect resem-
bling a beetle, a grub or a spider, nor has it well-developed wings and legs, but it is a
minute creature which can only be detected by the closest examination, and even then
requires some skill and experience to recognize it as an insect.

Among the objects which have been received under the supposition that they might
be the San José Scale, were many things which in no way resembled scale-insects ; but
some, such as the small corky excrescences known as lenticels, which are found upon the
young bark of some trees—apples, pears, birch, walnut, &c.—and certain minute fungi
which are found on dead wood, do bear some resemblances to scale insects. Their
different nature, however, may generally be easily detected by the fact that they cannot
be detached from the bark without tearing the tissues, whereas all scale insects may be
removed easily from the surface of plants by a gentle pressure.

How to know it.—The general appearance of the bark of infested trees is dirty,
seurfy and grayish in colour, as though dusted with ashes. The scales usually are found
in enormous numbers, frequently overlapping or occurring altogether on the top of other
scales; they may be found throughout the summer of all sizes from the newly hatched
moite-like larvee to the fullgrown insects. In severe cases of infestation this massing of
the scales produces a scurfy, dirty appearance of the bark, which when once seen is
easily recognized. On young twigs, fruit and leaves, there is usually a well defined
purplish ring surrounding each scale which is sometimes us ful for detecting its presence
when the scale itself might be overlooked ; and although th s purpling eftect is produced
by a few other scales, such as the Putnam Scale (A. ancylus, Put.) and the Forbes
or Cherry Scale (A. Yorbesi, Jnsn), it is particularly characteristic of the San José
Scale, and even upon large branches, although invisible at the surface, may be found by
cutting away some of the outer bark.

The scales of the males and females differ somewhat in shape.

Female :—Scale very thin, almost circular in outline, much flattened; size ranging
from ,', to 4 of an inch in diameter ; white at first, becoming grayish or blackish, par-
ticularly in the centre, and later much blackened by the fungus Fumago salicina, so

commen on trees attacked by many kinds of bark-lice and
plant-lice. In the centre of the scale there is a small dark,
or when the insect is dead or rubbed, yellow, nipple-like
elevation surrounded by a distinct circular depression,
which, as pointed out by Prof. Webster, is one of the best
| distingnishing marks between this scale and some closely
allied species.

Male :—Scale about half the size of that of the female,

rounded-oblong, with the nipple-like elevation plainly nearer
' to one end than the middle.
The drawing herewith shown was made by Dr. C. E.
| Saunders from a group of scales found upon a plum on 25th
of July last. They are all, therefore, of the first brood of the
season, although certainly some of them were born later
Tie than others. The first young of the year were reported
Big. 16-—Sun Tse Scales, male from Niagara on Ist of July, so that the largest specimens
‘would be about three weeks old. This was by Mr.
Charles Thonger, a careful observer. Male insects almost ready to emerge from their
seales, were Fria amore the seales shiawn in the ficure.

208 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

Life History.—The winter
is passed by the partially
grown insects beneath their
scales. With the return of
warm weather the nextspring,
growth is resumed, and the
males reach maturity a few
days before the females. They
are extremely small two-
‘winged flies (Fig. 17) and
when examined under a mag-
nifying glass are found to
have orange yellow bodies,
iridescent dusky wings and
black eyes. ‘Lhese minute
creatures have no mouths, so
| A can takeno food; consequently
A} after having fertilized the fe-

ns x males they very soon die.

Fig. 17.—San José Scale, male—much enlarged. The natural size is Lhe date when the femalex
shown by the line in the circle below the right wing. become full-grown and begin

to produce young varies with locality and climate. In Arizona the young larve
are recorded as appearing in March. At Washington it is by the middle of May; in
New Jersey during the last days of May; in the state of New York, early in June. At
Amherst, Mass., they were first noticed 12th June, and, as far as I can learn, in our
Niagara district between the middle of June and Ist of July. Most careful observations
have been made under direction of the UnitedStates Entomologist, by Mr. Theo. Pergande.

The following condensed life-history is -ompiled chiefly from United States Division of

Entomology, Bulletin No. 8, N.S., in which Mr. Pergande’s observations are recorded.

The adult female gives birth to living young, instead of laying eggs like most other
scale insects. Ordinarily, as with the Oyster-shell Bark-louse, eggs laid beneath the
seales, in the course of a longer or shorter time, hatch, and the young larve migrate to
different parts of the plant; but in the case of the San José Scale living young are pro-
duced day and night for a period of nearly six weeks before the exhausted female
perishes, and this at the rate of about nine or ten every twenty-four hours. After birth,
the young larva remains mctionless for a short time beneath the scale of the mother, it
then forces its way out and runs over the plant, seeking a suitable place to settle. It isa
microscopic creature, pale orange in colour with an oval body, six legs and two feelers.
The long thread-like proboscis, with which it sucks the sap of the plant, is doubled on
-itself and lies in a groove of the body wall. After crawling about for a few hours, the
larva settles down and works its bristle-like sucking tube through the bark and remains
fixed, if it be a female, for life, and if a male, until fully developed, when it will have a
few hours more active life, during which it can fly about.

The development of the scale begins even before the larva becomes fixed. The
secretion of the scale starts in the form of very minute white waxy filaments, which
spring from all parts of the body and rapidly become more numerous until, within two
days, the insect is entirely concealed by a whitish shell or scale, which has a prominent
central nipple. The scale is formed by the matting and melting together of the waxy
filaments. As in the development of most insects, there are also with these sca‘e-insects
distinct periods of the larval life, divided by moults of the skin, and, in the case of the maies,
marked by important structural changes. The first moult takes place when the larva
is twelve daysold. Up te this time, the male and female scales are exactly similar
in size, colour and shape; but after the moult the insects beneath the scales bear no
resemblance te each other; the males are larger than the females and have large purple
eyes ; while the females have lost their eyes entirely. The legs and feelers have dis-
appeared in both sexes. Eighteen days after birth the second moult occurs and the
males change to the first pupal condition (pro-pupa). The male scales now assume an

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 209

_ elongated shape. The legs and feelers have appeared again, and there are now promi-

nent wing pads extending along the sides of the body. About twenty days after birth
the male insect changes to the true pupa, in which all the parts shown in the pro-pupa
are much more developed, and a slender organ at the end of the body called the style
has appeared. From four to six days later, or from twenty-four to twenty-six days after
birth, the males mature and emerge by backing out from the rear ends of their scales; this
is chiefly by night or in the evening.
The changes which have gone on beneath the female scale are less striking than
those described above. After the first moult the body of the female is practically an
= a almost circular, flattened sac, with
indistinct segmentation and with-
out any visible organs, except the
long sucking bristle with which it
draws up continuously the sap of
the tree it is infesting. The female
moults a second time about 20
@ days after birth, and the last seg-
ment now shows the important
characters of the mature female,
which are of so much service in
the exact identification of the spe-
cies. The segmentation of the
body at this stage is quite distinct.

a

fl" ! Hiv

i.
Sree

mi Ep Fone
th aE
: “t

Thirty days from birth the
females are full grown and the em-
bryonic young may be seen within
their bodies. The mature female,
prior to the development of the
young, is ,', of an inch wide by ;';
: of an inch long. The length of

b.) Seal ae <a age) J a aa ; time necessary for the development

() Seale puch cnlagsed, (g) Female showing yous, of a generation varies somewhat

according to the Washington ob-

servations, it covers a period of from 33 to 40 days from the time a young larva appears

until it develops into a mature female bearing young. The San José Scale is enormously

prolific. It has been calculated that a single female may be the progenitor of 3,216
million descendants in a single season.

The exact identification of the species is of the greatest importance, for the San
José Scale is now known to have many very bad characteristics not possessed by several
other scales which resembie it very closely in appearance ; and these make it a matter
of public interest that no effort should be spared to control so dangerous a public enemy
whenever it is detected in anew locality. The chief differences, in this connection,
between the San José and some of these other scales are: (1) the fatal effects on the tree
due to its greater rapidity of increase, and (2) certain minute but important structural
characters which can be seen only with the help of a microscope.

The careful experiments at Washington, already alluded to, show that in one
season from a single female an increase of 3,216 millions is possible. It is not, of course
to be expected that all of these would survive ; but with the San José Scale there are
many circumstances which make it less liable to diminution than many other insects.
As a matter of fact, it is known that this scale does not spread from a new point of
infestation with very great rapidity to contiguous trees, and also that, when once estab-
lished upon a tree, it soon increases enormously in numbers—indeed, unless checked,
usually spreading rapidly over the whole tree and destroying it. This rapid increase is
characteristic of the species and is due, of course, to the great fecundity of the females.
The fact that they bring forth their young alive throughout the season and that these
are very quickly protected by a scale which is impervious to many liquids, affects very

8a—14

210 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

seriously the question of remedies, making it necessary to apply several successive treat-
ments, if it is hoped to thoroughly free a plant infested by this enemy so difficult to
‘conquer.

The mere fact of a scale-insect occurring, even in vast numbers, upon a given plant
does not necessarily prove that the species is a dangerous enemy to that kind of plant ;
for, although it may possibly be so and should be regarded with suspicion, this habit of
occurring in great numbers on isolated trees, but on no others surrounding these, has
frequently been noticed with scale-insects, and is probably due to some lack of vigour in
the individual tree. In the case of the San José Scale, on the other hand, if other trees
are reasonably near, it is almost certain that they will soon become infested ; and, when a
severe case of infestation is found, one of the first things looked for when considering
whether the pest is actually the San José Scale or one of the other species which super-
ficially resemble it very closely, is, whether surrounding trees are also infested.

This important difference of habit in spreading and the much more fatal effects
upon trees from the presence of the San José Scale, make much more stringent measures
necessary to secure its eradication than with many other species, even frequently render-
ing it advisable or imperative to destroy many trees, if not whole orchards. This being
the case, the very great advantage is obvious of being perfectly sure as to the identity
of an infesting scale-insect before valuable trees are condemned to destruction.

Unfortunately, as stated, there are several species of scale-insects which bear a
very close superficial resemblance to the much to be dreaded San José Scale. On this
point, which has been referred to by many entomologists, Mr. T. D. A Cockerell, a
high authority, may be cited: “It has been a matter for dispute whether the San José
Scale can be certainly recognized in the field. Its effect on thetree, killing the branches,
is characteristic, but hardly in any sense diagnostic, while the reddening of the tissues
of the plant adjacent to the scale is sometimes well marked with A. ancylus, as well as
with perniciosus. <A little experience, however, enables one to recognize the ashy gray,
generally thickly massed scales of perniciosws, with the dot and ring of the male scale,
as against the dark scale and contrasting reddish orange exuviz of ancylus, or the
similar scales of ostrewformis and Forbesi. At the same time, it is to be recommended
that the diagnosis made in the field be in every case confirmed by examination of the
insect under the compound microscope if either locality or plant is new.” (Technical
Series, Bull. 6, U. S. Div. of Ent., 1897.)

The above is from a valuable pamphlet prepared under Dr. Howard’s direction for
the special purpose of helping students to distinguish between these different scale-
insects. Prof. F. M. Webster says: “I know of no insect the detection of which has
given expert entomologists more trouble than this one. Its extreme minuteness, its
close resemblance to the other species less harmful, and the frequency with which it is
found concealed in cavities and about the wrinkles of the bark or under buds, render
its detection, when present in limited numbers, a matter of extreme difficulty.” (Ohio
Bulletin 81, p. 183.)

For the exact separation of these closely allied species it is necessary to take the
females from beneath the scales and examine them under a microscope after special
preparation. The differences are then readily seen, but these are beyond the power of
ordinary pocket lenses or magnifying glasses, and require compound microscopes, which
are expensive instruments not in the hands of ordinary fruit growers, and for the use of
which special knowledge is needed.

; As, therefore, there are several kinds of scale-insects resembling each other so
closely at first sight as to make it necessary for even expert entomologists to examine
them with a microscope before being positive as to the identity, and as one of these, to
wit the San José Scale, is extremely injurious and the others not nearly so much
so, we invite all fruit growers to send for examination and report specimens of any
suspicious scale-insects which they may find upon their trees before they adopt extreme
measures or even decide upon what measures they will take to free their orchards. Not
only does the San José Scale spread more rapidly than many other species, but it has
been found much more resistant than others, to the ordinary applications used for scale-
insects.

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 211

Food Plants.—The list of plants upon which the San José Scale has been found as
a serious enemy is a very large one and may almost be said to include all deciduous
trees and shrubs, and it has also been found in Maryland by Prof. W. G. Johnson, upon
such unlikely plants as milk-weed (Asclepias) and crabgrass (Panicum). It is particularly
noted, however, that the San José Scale does not attack Conifers—pines, spruces, cedars,
&c.—and has not so far infested injuriously any of the citrus fruits, such as oranges,
lemons, &c., although it has been found on these trees, and in the case of one species
Citrus trifoliata was found in large numbers in New Jersey by Prof. J. B. Smith.

The botanical order to which most of the food plants belong is the Rose family.
So far, I have seen specimens of this scale in Canada, upon the following trees : pear,
plum, peach, black currant, apricot, apple, Russian mulberry and Japanese walnut.

So far as we know, the Forbes Scale has similar food habits, but Prof. Cockerell
says that A. ancylus, the Putnam Scale, differs somewhat. This last is especially a maple
species but will flourish on poplar, oak, etc. It does not seem to take very kindly to fruit
trees as a general rule. It also does well (probably best) in the Transition faunal zone,
whereas the San José Scale belongs to the more southerly Upper Austral. In Canada
both the Putnam Scale and the Forbes Scale have been found on plum, pear, apple and
cherry trees.

“The manner of attack is different, more or less, in the various species under dis-
cussion. A. ancylus, on fruit trees, will be found upon the smalier branches, but in my
experience more or less scattered, rarely in any great quantity. A. perniciosus is found
largely upon the branches, becoming very abundant, covering and killing them. Onthe
young shoots the reddening effect is very marked, though ancylus will also produce
reddening. A. Forbesi, as seen on apple trees in Mesilla (N. Mex.), occurs largely under
loose bark on the trunk, wintering there in numbers, and only invades the branches
in limited quantity. Thus there may be quite a lot of Forbes: on a tree without its
being noticed.”—(T. D. A. Cockerell, Technical Series, Bull. 6, U.S. Div. of Ent., 1897.)

“ At first glance it is not easy to distinguish this species (A. Yorbesi, the Forbes
Scale), popularly known as the Cherry Scale, from the San José Scale. The purplish tinge
of the bark is also quite conspicuous on some varieties of apple and pear where the Cherry
Scale has established itself. The general appearance of the last segment of the female
very closely resembles that of the San José Scale ; but it can readily be distinguished
from that species by the presence of spinnerets.”—( Willis G. Johnson, Proc. 9th Ann.
Meeting, Ass'n Econ. Ent., 1897.)

Means of Distribution.—It is thought probable that most scale-insects are distri-
buted while in the minute larval form, chiefly by means of larger insects and of birds.
Since the San José Scale has been so critically studied, this has been actually proved to
be the case with that species, the young larve having been frequently observed crawl-
ing upon lady-bird beetles of several kinds, ants, and other insects which resort to the
trees during the breeding season. Isolated colonies of scale-insects in the tops of other-
wise uninfested trees and in close vicinity to the nests of small birds have doubtless
originated in this way. It is stated that the larve are also carried by the wind ; this
seems difficult to understand, but has been proved by Mr. W. G. Johnson in Maryland.
This insect may also undoubtedly be distributed by means of farm implements, domestic
animals and workmen attending to orchards.

Much has been said about the danger of distributing the San José Scale through the
sale of infested fruit ; but, after considering the matter very carefully, I must still differ
in opinion from many good entomologists who think that there is great danger from
this cause. Fruit badly infested by the scale is generally disfigured too much to be
marketed, and upon fruit which is not sufficiently injured to be condemned for the
market the chances of the scale-insects surviving a long journey after the fruit is
removed from the tree, packed and shipped, and then of its being peeled and the peel-
ings thrown out in an orchard or near enough to a tree for the young larve to infest it,
are so slight that I cannot even see the necessity of considering this danger. Further,
I have failed to hear of a single instance where infestation could be attributed to such
a cause, but it would, of course, be well, should any one detect the scale upon imported
fruit, to be careful to burn all peelings and not throw them out in a yard or garden

8a—144

212 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

where, in the event of any of the insects being alive and breeding, the young might be
carried on to surrounding trees by flies or other insects attracted to the peelings during
the short time that they were still moist.

Fatal effects of Infestation.—It has been noted by all observers that plants attacked
by the San José Scale die with greater rapidity than from the attacks of other insects.
“In the whole category of injurious insects we have not another one that is so difficult
to detect, so pernicious in its effects and which breeds so rapidly as the San José Scale.”
—[{F. M. Webster, Wooster, Ohio. |

“Tf the tree survives the attack, the infested wood becomes knotty and irregular,
partly from the sapping of the juices by the insect and also without doubt largely from
the poisoning of the sap of the cambium layer by the punctures of the insect, as indi-
cated by the coloration. Young peach trees will ordinarily survive the scale only two
of three years. Pears are sometimes killed outright, but generally maintain a feeble,
sickly, existence, making little or no growth for a somewhat longer period.” (Howard
& Marlatt, Bull. 3.)

Whether from the fact that the climate of Canada is not so well suited to the rapid
increase of this scale as the warmer regions to the south of us, or from some other cause,
it would appear to take a longer time in Canada for the San José Scale to produce fatal
effects upon infested trees than stated above, and I only mention this as it has been
several times referred to by correspondents when discussing whether or not the scale
insect which has been found in Canadian orchards is really the San José Scale.
Unfortunately, there is not the slightest doubt about this, and disastrous results have
already attended its presence in Canadian orchards. To the credit of those fruit
growers on whose grounds this scourge has been detected, it may be said that they have
endeavoured to stamp out the occurrence promptly, sometimes at what seemed to those
who did not understand the gravity of the case, to be a considerable and unnecessary
sacrifice. The danger of heavy pecuniary losses in the various kinds of fruit trees, as
well as in shade trees and ornamental shrubs, should the San José Scale be allowed to
spread in Canada, must not be lost sight of, as there is hardly a deciduous shrub or tree
which it will not infest. Now is the time to put forth great efforts to eradicate the
pest wherever it may be found. The Federal Government and the Provincial Govern-
ments of Ontario and British Columbia are using every effort to learn of any occurrences
in the country, and fruit growers will be suicidally foolish if they adopt the narrow-
minded policy of trying to hide the fact if they have been so unfortunate as to
accidentally introduce the pest into their orchards. A single tree neglected may be
the means of infesting a whole orchard, from which the trees in every other orchard,
garden, public park or cemetery in the neighbourhood may suffer irreparable injury.

Occurence in Canada.—The San José Scale is now known to occur in injurious num-
bers in a few Canadian orchards. These are situated in the fertile peach districts of the
province of Ontario. The most western points in Ontario where infested orchards have
been found are near Kingsville, Essex County, and Chatham, Kent County ; others
occur in the neighbourhood of Niagara and St. Catharines, probably the orchard worst
infested being actually within the limits of the last named town.

In British Columbia there have been four distinct occurrences, all of which have
been promptly ‘eradicated through the energy of the active Inspector of Fruit Pests, Mr.
R. M. Palmer, who saw that every infested tree and those immediately surrounding
them were cut down and burnt as soon as the scale was detected. The localities where
the San José Scale was found were at Kelowna, on the shore of Okanagan Lake, in 1894,
at Victoria in 1896, and at Salt Spring Island and Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island,
during the past summer.

The first occurrence of the San José Scale in Ontario, as far as I can learn, was on
the grounds of Mr. John Van Horn, of Chatham, Ontario. This gentleman has made
every effort to eradicate the pest and has kindly kept me posted during the season on
the progress he was making against the scale. I have been similarly favoured with
regard to the Niagara outbreaks by Mr. Charles Thonger, of Niagara, a practical and
successful fruit grower and an accurate observer, moreover, possessed of the most re-
markable eyesight for detecting San José Scale or any other injurious insect , also by

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 213

Mr. Martin Burrell, of St. Catharines, a trained observer and a practical fruit grower,
who has studied injurious insects for many years, one, therefore, who was well calculated
to observe and record any matters of value bearing upon the presence and increase of
the San José Scale and the general condition of any orchards visited. All of these
gentlemen, as well as Mr. M. G. Bruner, of Olinda, Essex Co., Ontario, who has observed
carefully since its discovery the occurrence of the San José Scale in the orchard of Mr.
John D. Wigle, at Kingsville, have favoured me with voluminous notes upon this im-
portant subject during the summer, and, as their experience and notes, both as to means
by which orchards have become infested and the effect of measures adopted to control
the spread of the San José Scale, are of general interest, I give herewith lengthy extracts
from their letters.

Mr. Van Horn’s letters :

- “Chatham, Kent County, Ont., Jan. 12, 1897.—I have, unfortunately, got San
José Scale on a lot of fine young plum trees. I am preparing to dose them with the
‘California mixture mentioned in your report of 1894.”

“Jan. 19.—I send you cuttings of Simoni plum and Lombard plum covered with
what I think is San José Scale. Kindly give meall information at hand.”

“Feb. 11.—Yours of the 9th received with thanks. Two years ago this spring I
ordered a lot of plum trees from Parry’s ‘ Pomona’ Nurseries, New Jersey. Among the
lot was one dozen Simoni plum trees—a fine lot of well grown and handsome trees. After
putting out, they all grew finely ; all made vigorous growth in spite of a very dry sum-
mer. During the summer I received a circular from the nurserymen saying that San
José Seale had got into their trees, imported from California, and stating that no further
danger need be feared, as they were disinfecting all stock after discovering the pest.
I paid no more attention to it, as my trees were doing so well. I did not notice any-
thing wrong till this winter, and one day while going through them I noticed four of
the Simoni looking sick, the bark looking as if dusted with ashes. As the disease was
new to me I sent samples to them, as well as to you. They (Parry’s) like yourself,
answered that it was the dreaded scale all right, and recommended digging out and burn-
ing if badly affected, and if but slightly, to wash with whale-oil soap. I cut off two
trees near the ground, intending to drench the stumps and let the trees sprout again
from the roots. Those only slightly affected, I cut back severely and have sprayed with
the salt, sulphur and lime mixture and will go over them again shortly with the same,
and then later on will give them a dose of whale-oil soap suds.

“The trees were ordered direct from the nursery and not by agents, so there may be
no more in this part of the country. I have examined a number of my neighbours’
orchards, but can find no trace of the scale. Tam very anxious to wipe it out, so that
it may not spread tomy neighbours’ orchards, as well as the rest of my own. IfI
thought it necessary, I would dig up and burn all infested trees, but with your kind
assistance by way of advice, I would be delighted to master it otherwise. Iam very °
fond of fruit growing and dislike very much to be beaten by such things as San José
Scale or any other pest and will conquer it if I can.”

** April 8.—I got the trees from Parry’s nurseries. I gave my son-in-law, who
lives a few miles from me, a nice Simoni tree. I did not see the tree again till last
week, when I was helping him trim his trees. On coming to his Simoni, which he was
very proud of, as it had grown so much last summer, I said, ‘You had better get your
spade and dig it up at once,’ for it was crusted all over with scale. I took my magni-
fying glass and let him see for himself. I did not loose sight of the tree till it was in
the fire. I could see no signs of the scale on his other trees, and I hope they are not
infested.”—[J. Van Horn. |

At the end of the season Mr. Van Horn wrote to me that he believed his orchard
was quite"clear of the scale. During the month of December, 1897, I visited his
orchard and examined the trees very carefully. I found the following state of affairs,
Of the two trees which were badly infested, one had been dug up and destroyed
entirely, the other was cut off last winter within a few inches from the ground and
thoroughly drenched with the “lime, sulphur and salt” mixture and subsequently with the
whale-oil soap solution. This stump had thrown up during.the summer, some vigorous

214 : EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

young shoots upon which no trace of the scale could be found, although on the old stump
many of the scales which had been killed by the treatment given them last winter
were still discernible. Besides these two badly infested trees, those which were slightly
affected and had been severely cut back last winter and then treated, had made vigorous
growth. Upon some of these a very few living scales were found, showing that,
although the treatment with whale-oil soap was extremely effective, rendering it possible
to find the scales only by very close search, yet it was not absolutely so, as there were a
few still alive. Mr. Van Horn had attended to this matter very carefully, being much
interested in it and being also keenly solicitous for the welfare of his neighbours.
Every tree in his orchard had been sprayed, and he intends to repeat the operation
regularly during the coming season.

Mr. Thonger’s letters :

“ Niagara, May 10.-—I have discovered San José Scale on several of my trees, but
do not think it is in any other orchard in the neighbourhood as yet, as nobody seems to
know anything about it. I have dug out several dwarf trees—the worst—and sprayed
with whale-oil soap solution all those immediately surrounding the infested spot. That
was on Thursday last, and I thought these looked cleaner a day or two after, and I
almost regretted that I cut down the others ; but this may be fancy. I feel considerable
responsibility i in the matter and shall be glad of any information you can give me.’

“May 11.—I send you to-day some infested twigs (pear tree). I have selected them
with the object of showing the difficulty of detecting the scale when only a few are
present, rather than the extreme stages, when, the whole trunk being covered with a
mass of scales that hide the bark, it is obvious enough.

‘“‘T noticed only one tree last summer and was struck by its disgusting appearance.
This tree was planted eight years this spring. Including this tree, I have taken out to
burn seven trees as too badly infested to cure, and left about as many nearly as bad,
to spray. The infested stock must have been from F. C. Young, Rochester, N.Y., and
planted in May, 1894; or perhaps with a replace not later than 1895. This would
indicate that the scale may spread one or two seasons without being observed, or even
longer, or migrate from the infested stock and develop quicker in the new location.
The infestation is evidently very slow in developing to such an extent as to attract
attention, unless it happens to strike a pear tree-or one as favourable to its growth and
development. The scale appears to have started in the south-west corner of a plot and
spread north and east to some 5U trees. I must spray the whole plot, and will try and
keep you informed of my progress.

“My farm is well situated for isolating the attack. On the lake shore there is noth-
ing to take the infestation to the north-east or west,—I think the wind has much to do
with spreading it—and the infested area is well sheltered by woods from all quarters but
south-west to south-east. I think it would be quite to the interest of the fruit growers
of this country if the Department of Agriculture would send an expert here to examine
into the matter on the spot, and decide what is the best thing to do and to assist in
carrying it out.

“Ttis clearly of the utmost importance to prevent the scale from getting a foothold
in the country. The Black Knot experience shows that the individual growers will not
take the pains to eradicate a pest that does not kill the tree at once, but this sort of
action will not do in this case. Rather than assume the responsibility, as well as the
cost, of attempting to fight the pest myself, I would rather cut down and burn every
infested tree ; but I do not think that course would be in the best interest of either the
country or myself.”

“May 27.—I have been making a tree-to- (eae examination through the orchard,
taking row by row and have found two peach trees much farther away from the pear
trees than the dead tree of which I sent you samples. The nearer tree is one about ten
years old. I think the confidence we have had in the precautions to keep the scale out
of the country is largely to blame tor the hold it has now among us. I cannot look at
this tree without the conviction that, had I even glanced at it three years ago with scale
in my eye, it must have been detected at once. Even last summer, wher seen on the
pear tree, [ was quite unsuspicious, and only when two men who Lave been among fruit

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 215

ae all their lives said they had never seen it before, did I think it must be the dreaded
scale.

“The most remarkable thing I observe among the peach trees is the limited area to
which this scale is confined. An infested tree will have one or two limbs affected, and
the others, perhaps, quite free, with only a few scales scattered about the base of last
year’s laterals. On the trees immediately surrounding the infested one, perhaps only a
- scale or two can be found, or in some instances a few small groups of six or eight. I
marked the spots with red lead as I came to each tree, and on trees considered centres
of infestation I drew two rings round the trunk; the others with few scales, or even
one only, I marked with red spots. There is no danger of losing them and I shall know
just what spraying to give when I get the material. I recognize about three centres of
infestation among the peach trees, and some 50 trees that should be thoroughly
sprayed, over and above the pear trees.”

“July 5.—I first noticed the young on Saturday, 3rd inst., and by Monday noon
they were quite plentiful on the trunks of infested trees and even a few on the fruit of
the pears. They are extremely minute, nearly globular in form and, as far as I could
see with a magnifying glass, without any vestige of legs or head; the colour, a light
yellow verging to white. The characteristic stain is quite marked on the fruit and
makes the nature of the minute spot distinct. The scale is more abundant than might
be expected, even on pear trees painted with a 2-pound to the gallon whale-oil soap
solution.”

“July 21.—The samples I send you are from a tree treated three times with soap
spray (the last time of 1 pound of soap to 5 gallons of water), and once with kerosene
emulsion strong enough to nearly strip some of my peach trees of leaves. The young
scale comes out freely on to the new pear wood and fruit, but I have only seen one
young scale on a new peach shoot; perhaps later in the season they may work out.
Probably the fuzz on the peach would protect the fruit from the inroads of the scale, so
that fruit from an infested peach tree would have little, if any, effect in spreading the

est.

“Tt looks as if painting the trees with a 2 pound to the gallon soap solution had
but little effect on the old scale. In places where they are thick I can squeeze out quite
large insects.”

“ November 27.—I have not myself seen any more cases of infestation than my
own, but a man who has been cutting back in my infested trees the last month or so
and who knows the appearance of the scale well, tells me that two or three days ago he
had found numerous adult scales and young on trees in his village lot, and that his
neighbours have several trees as badly covered with scale as any of mine, and also a
considerable quantity on another adjoining orchard of several acres, the grower of
which talks of cutting out 8 rows so as to reduce the area of infestation to dimensions
which he thinks he might treat with some prospect of disinfecting them.

“From the time the first brood of lice came out till September 9, I sprayed my
infested pear trees with the whale-oil soap solution (1 pound to 5 gallons of water) once
a week. I think it had very little, if any, effect in checking the increase of the scale
on those trees, for all those slightly infested in the spring were almost covered as badly
as the few I had taken out at the beginning of the season. I have since taken out and
‘burned all the pear trees, dwarf and standard, in the small orchard that you saw near
the house. Some of the trees at the north end were not affected and were doing well,
but blight as well having got hold of many I did not think it worth the risk and
trouble of further treatment. I intend to concentrate all my efforts on the peach trees.
T am cutting them back (especially those infested) as far as I think the tree will bear, not
to kill it, and hope to do something to keep the scale in check. I have very little hope
whatever of getting rid of it entirely. I find infested trees through an area quite eight
times as large as was infested in the spring, chiefly on trees three and four years
old. These are easier to examine than those larger, but it indicates that quite half
of the orchardsshould be treated to have even a chance of not missing any. I am con-
sidering now either to spray the whole orchard next year with kerosene and water, say
from the end of Apri! till the leaves or blossoms come out, in hopes of keeping the infes-

216 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

tation down and raising a crop; or with a scalding spray of either soap solution or pure
water ; but either course involves considerable outlay.

“T am really thoroughly disheartened in the matter, being convinced that we have
either to destroy the infestation absolutely at once or be ruined by the expense of keep-
ing it so far under control as not to destroy the trees or crop. It is just one of those
things like a house on fire in a town, the whole force of those interested should at the
beginning have been concentrated on the infested spots to smother it out.

“You ask, July 26, to note what distance young scales travel from the mother.
In the summer I saw on pear shoots 18 or 20 inches long, young scales of the first brood
only three or four leaves away from the extreme ends of the shoots. These were few in
number, but the mother scale could not have been closer than the terminal bud of last
year’s growth, and most likely not as far out as that. This year, on Nov. 10, ther-
mometer 55 degrees, cloudy day, I saw young lice crawling about. The first brood of
the year did not come out till the first week of July, with a temperature of about 85
degrees in the shade.

“The man who told me he found scale three days ago said there were lots of young
lice, and he thought he saw them move. The day was rather warm, south wind and
about 60 in the shade.”—{[Chas. Thonger. ]

Referring to Mr. Thonger’s suggestion to spray with a scalding hot spray. I have
found the application of hot spraying mixtures in the first place impossible, because the
breaking up of the liquid into a spray causes it to cool before it has reached a distance
of one or two feet from the nozzle, and, besides this, all hot water remedies are both
extremely inconvenient to use and to make, and also very destructive to apparatus.

I have not had an opportunity of visiting this orchard myself this autumn ; »ut I
know Mr. Thonger to be a close observer, and he has reported to me from time to time
on the progress made. Mr. Burrell has also visited this and some other infested orchards
in the neighbourhood of St. Catharines, and his report appears herewith. I have been
lately shown a letter published by Mr. Thonger in the Rural New Yorker, in which he
speaks of treating his infested trees mechanically with a wire brush to free them of the
scale. Although undoubtedly by this method a large number would be destroyed, still,
this being an imperfect method, as many scales must necessarily escape the brush, I fear
that it would be a dangerous practice to adopt, owing to the feeling of false security which
would be created from the apparent cleanness of the trees. They might seem to be quite
free from scale, but it would be impossible to treat the scales on the branches and small
twigs with such a brush, and, judging from experience in other matters, I am confident
that, although Mr. Thonger might follow up the brushing of the trunks with a thorough
spraying of coal oil emulsion or of whale-oil soap solution, many others would not do so
owing to the extra amount of labour and time necessary for two operations.

Mr. Martin Burrell’s observations: |

“ St. Catharines, Ont., Oct. 11.—With reference to your inquiry as to the San José
Scale, its spread, development, &c., I am very happy to give the results of my own
observations in this district. In the two orchards where the scale is at work, there has
certainly been an extension of the infested area since spring. The infestation of new
trees has, however, not been nearly so marked as the extraordinary increase of the scale
on trees that were only moderately attacked in the spring. In the latter case the scale
has, in nearly every instance, spread over the whole tree, including leaves and fruit.
On one three year old Japanese plum tree which was affected severely last year only on
the trunk and the bases of the main limbs, the insects had spread to such an extent by
the middle of July that out of 407 plums on one tree, 405 were attacked. One plum
had on its surface upwards of 450 newly set scales, and in more than one case there
were between 1,500 and 2,000 scales on a single leaf. When the breeding process is in
full swing, the trees appear to have been dusted with a yellow powder. So minute and
in such numbers are the insects, that on a raised piece of bark no bigger than a pea I
have carefully estimated that there were more than 150 larve. It has been stated by
some that the larve are not very active and move but an inch or so from the parent
scale. The facts I have mentioned rather contradict this. It is true that, as far as my
observations go, the larve do usually set within a short distance of the old scale, but,

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 217

for such an extremely small insect, it can travel fairly fast. I have timed them, when
nearly an inch per minute was covered. As a matter of fact, I have found newly set
scales 13 inches from the mother insect, and I see no reason why in many cases the dis-
tance should not be much greater. One can readily see, therefore, how rapid would be
the spread among nursery stock. In stating that the spread, as far as new trees were.
concerned, was not very marked, it must, of course, be borne in mind how difficult it is
—indeed almost impossible—to detect a fresh case where a few isolated scales only are
on the tree. Quite recently I saw an English Damson tree some eight years old with
one of the upper branches slightly atttacked, the fruit also showing scale. This tree
was not contiguous to any infested trees, nor were the scales present on the trunk or
lower limbs. The scale had evidently been carried by birds or other insects. This sort
of thing may exist undetected in many instances, and the following season witness the
usual rapid spread of the pest on all such trees. Ina favourable season it is probable
that four broods would occur in this latitude. They probably commenced breeding
here about the middle of June, and although the cold weather of the last day or two has
checked any activity on the part of the larve, there are any quantity of them so
recently hatched as not yet to have developed the waxy scale. Only this morning I
took 15 young ones in various stages of development from the body of one female.
Taking June 15 as the date of the first brood’s appearance, and assuming 39 days as the
time for one generation (in the breeding case here, the time occupied was from 36 to 39
days) the fourth brood would commence emerging on October 10 and under favourable
autumn conditions doubtless many of this last brood would develop sufficiently to winter
over as half-grown females. I have watched carefully for any sign of the little lady-
bird (Pentilia misella) which has done such good work on the San José Scale in Cali-
fornia and even in the Eastern States, but have failed to see a single specimen. The
Twice-stabbed Lady-bird (Chilocorus bivulnerus) I have found on infested trees, both in
the larval and adult forms, but not in sufficient numbers to render it of any economic
importance this season. The food plants upon which I have seen scale in this district
are: the pear, the peach, the plum (both of the domestic and Japanese types) and the
red currant.

“In conclusion, I may express my belief that the scale is liable to be a serious
menace to Canadian horticulture, unless the most stringent measures are adopted to
stamp it out of the few orchards where it exists, and the strongest precautions taken to
prevent the sale and the planting of infested nursery stock.

“November 20.—I send a few additional notes on the orchard infested by San José
Scale near here :—

First saw the trees on July 3. Breeding had probably been going on for some time
prior to this ; scales of all ages were found and the larvee were commencing to set on
the young fruit.

July 10.—By this date some of the plums and many of the leaves were almost
covered with scales.

July 26.—Some of the badly infested leaves dropping, and fruit and leaves showing
marked red discoloration.

October 9.—Frost enough to shrivel a large proportion of the grape foliage.

October 13.—Warm and sunny. Breeding very active. Found from 20 to 30
Pentilia misella beetles on one badly infested tree, and over 30 on another. First time
of observing these beetles. One Pentilia larva also apparently full grown.

Sprayed one badly infested tree with pure kerosene—a good soaking.

October 17.—Hard frost, quarter of an inch of ice.

October 18.—Breeding still active. Sprayed tree, apparently uninjured. Cut bark
from four different parts of the tree, and a microscopic examination showed that every
scale was dead.

October28.— Breeding still going on. Pentilia beetles and Chilocorus bivulnerus
both seen. (Have never found more than three or four of the latter on any one tree.)

November 19.—Cold and wet lately. No larve moving and no beetles.

“Now about the spread. These Abundance trees were planted in the spring of 1895.
T should infer that at time of planting ten trees were infested, because there were just

218 HX PERIMENTAL FARMS.

ten trees in July the trunks of which were covered with scale. There are 40 or 50 of
these Abundance trees together, and next to them on one side is a row of young Beurré
D’ Anjou pears, and on the other Lombard plums. I have pretty carefully examined
the rows of Abundance and these two adjacent rows, and this is what I find at this date,
November 19:

60 infested trees (out of a total of 78 in the block) composed as follows :—

10 infested in 1895, now covered and very sickly ;

4 less severely, probably attacked last summer or early this spring ;

46 slightly, varying from a slight scattering over of the tree to a few scales on a
single limb. Every one of the young pear trees is infested slightly, and nine out of the
13 trees in the row the other side of the Abundance block. I have not had time to
examine all the trees in the orchard (some 300 or so), but a walk through and a hasty
look round revealed one or two trees slightly infested, and I have no doubt a thorough
examination would bring to light a good many more cases. The spread, therefore, has
been very extensive this year.”—| Martin Burrell. ]

The Kingsville occurrence of the San José Scale was first reported to me by Mr.
Milton G. Bruner, who also kindly showed me, in company with the owner, M. John
D. Wigle, the infested spots in the orchards. Mr. Wigle has probably 6,000 trees and
there are three centres of infestation, the scale occurring in different orchards, but all
comparatively close together. As far as I could judge from a two hours’ examination
upon an extremely cold day, I should say that there were altogether about 300 trees
infested more or less, most of them plum trees, the remainder being dwarf pears. Mr.
Wigle is much exercised in this matter and has expressed himself as willing to do
anything in his power to prevent the insect from spreading. My thanks are due to
him and to Mr. Bruner for assistance in examining his orchards and also for facilities
afforded for meeting the fruit growers of Essex County. While witn these gentlemen, I
had an opportunity of holding two meetings at Olinda and one at Kingsville. These
meetings were well attended by leading fruit growers, and the matter of the San José
Scale was thoroughly discussed. Mr. Bruner I found had made himself well acquainted
with the subject and was able to recognize the species as well as was possible from a
superficial examination. He had given much valuable information to those with whom
he had been brought in contract in his official capacity as Township Inspector of Black
Knot and other orchard pests.

- Remepies.—The remedies other than total destruction of the trees which have been
most successfully used towards checking injury by the San José Scale are: (1) Spraying
with kerosene emulsion or pure coal oil ; (2) washing with whale-oil soap; (3) fumiga-
ting with hydrocyanic acid gas ; and (4) spraying with the lime-sulphur-and-salt mixture.

When a tree is found to be badly infested, save under very exceptional circum-
stances, the cheapest plan will be to cut it down at once and burn it. If, however, a
tree is only slightly infested or there are special reasons for trying to save it, the tree
should be pruned back as closely as it will stand and then washed thoroughly two or
three times with whale-oil soap—two pounds of soap in one gallon of water. This is an
expensive treatment, but on the whole is the most effective yet discovered.

1. Kerosene.—Prof. John B. Smith, of New Brunswick, N.J., Mr. C. L. Marlatt of
Washington, D.C., and some other experimenters, have found that a light spraying
of pure kerosene oil may be applied to trees without injury, if it be done sparingly, so
as only just to cover the bark, and upon a bright day, when the oil will evaporate
quickly. I must acknowledge that some limited experiments of my own have not been
quite satisfactory. Professor Smith’s experiments, however, have been very satis-
factory to him, and on Ist of September last, he publicly recommended fruit growers
to “spray thoroughly in September ali infested bearing apple, pear, plum and
peach trees with undiluted kerosene during the middle of a clear sunshiny day. By
undiluted kerosene is meant the ordinary burning fluid used in lamps, in exactly the
condition in which it is purchased. It should be applied in the finest possible spray,
and every part of the plant should be thoroughly wet, but no more.”

At the last meeting of the Association of Economic Entomologists held at Detroit,
August 12-15, 1897, Mr. Marlatt read some ‘“ Notes on Insecticides,” in which he speaks

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 218

of some experiments in treating several kinds of trees early last spring with pure kerosene.
His report is as follows: “ Much to my astonishment, no ill effects of any moment resulted
in the case of any of the trees sprayed with kerosene. In the case of all the trees,
spraying was continued just long enough to moisten the plants thoroughly, but not to
cause the oil to run down the trunks and collect about the base, and, with the young
trees, the soil was carefully mounded up and pressed about the crown to avoid ail
danger of the oil collecting at that point.” (U. S. Div. of Ent., Bull. 9, N. 8.)

In view of these facts, it seems impossible to doubt but that if Prof. Smith’s
instructions are followed carefully we may have in kerosene (ordinary coal oil), a remedy
of great value. . At any rate, it is well worth the while of any one who has fruit trees
infested with San José or other scale-insects to risk the losing of one or two trees if he
can discover a remedy which will save his whole orchard. Care should be taken to
mound up some loose soil around the base of the tree treated to catch any superfluous
oil. This should be taken away again after the spraying, to prevent the oil from injur-
ing the roots.

2. Whale-owl soap is the remedy which I have recommended to my correspondents
to be applied, as advised by Dr. Howard, in the dilution of only one gallon of water to
two pounds of the soap, the trees to be washed or sprayed with the mixture during the
winter, some time after the leaves fall in the autumn, and again the following spring,
before the buds open.

One of the chief difficulties with “ whale-oil” or fish-oil soaps is the want of uni-
formity in their composition. It has been found after many experiments at Washing-
ton that what is required for spraying purposes is a caustic potash and fish-oil soap
which does not contain more than 25 per cent or 30 per cent of water. Mr. Marlatt
states that a brand of soap known as ‘“‘ Good’s Caustic Potash Soap No. 3” is perhaps
the best which has been recently put on the market. This is a soft soap, which is
shown by analysis to be a true potash soap, containing about 27 or 28 per cent
of water. Soaps made with caustic soda have been found unsuitable for spraying pur-
poses. Mr. Marlatt concludes his account of the Washington experiments up to date
as follows :—‘‘ Our examination of the soap question up to the present time seems to
indicate that we shall have to insist on a potash soap made with a fair quality of fish
or Menhadden oil, and that the water should be eliminated by boiling, so as not to
exceed ati the outside 25 per cent of the weight of soap. Such soap can be used at the
rate of 2 or 24 lbs. or more to the gallon of water, as a winter wash, without difficulty.”

3. Gas treatment :—¥or thorough work in treating infested nursery stock, the fumi-
gation with hydrocyanic acid gas seems in California to have given the best satisfaction.
This method, however, is expensive and the materials used are intensely poisonous.
However, for large nurseries where many young trees have to be disinfected before being
sent out, this is the best method and is very generally adopted by the large American
nurseries. * The plants are placed under a canvas tent made air-tight by painting it
twice with linseed oil. The first coat must be quite dry before the second is applied.
the size of the tent is immaterial, but it must cover the trees entirely, and its edges
should be long enough to lie on the ground, so that the tent may be made perfectly air-
tight by having earth thrown upon the edges to prevent the gas from escaping. The
latest formula for generating the gas is as follows, for every 100 cubic feet of space to
be fumigated :—

Cyanide of potassium (98 per cent) 1 ounce.
Sulphuric eid’ (667) 4. sai teat;
Winters 227). esr ogeo og .... 2 ounces.

Put the acid and water in an earthenware vessel, large enough to prevent spatter-
ing, then place the jar under the tent, add to it the cyanide of potassium and close
the opening quickly. The trees should remain exposed to the gas for at least 45
minutes, when it will be found that insects of all kinds have been destroyed. For the
fumigation of nursery stock before shipping, many of the large United States nurseries

*Full details cannot be given here, but will be supplied on application to any one requiring them.

220 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

have special buildings in which all trees and shrubs are treated whether known to be
infested or not. To save time, these buildings are divided into two compartments, so that
one may be emptied while the stock in the other compartment is being disinfected.
For treatment of a small number of trees a box may be rendered air tight by pasting
paper over all cracks and openings.

4. Lime-Salt-and-Sulphur Wash :—This wash is one of the favourite washes on the
Pacific coast and has certainly given excellent results in British Columbia. Mr. R. M.
Palmer has found it most satisfactory for some years and in his last report refers to it
as follows :—‘ Another year’s experience with the No. 1 spraying mixture (lime, salt
and sulphur) has added further evidence of its value as a winter wash for all kinds of
fruit trees and bushes. It is generally noted that so much improvement results from
its use in the health and vigour of the trees to which it is applied, as alone to justify
the cost of the work.”

Mr. Marlatt, when in California, noticed the same good results there in the vicinity
of Pomona, Cal., where “ unsprayed orchards were badly infested with San José Scale,
while in adjoining sprayed orchards the scale was entirely killed and the trees were
rapidly recovering and showing vigorous and healthy new growth. In contiguous
orchards also of the same kinds of trees which had been cultivated in a similar manner,
those trees which had been sprayed yearly were at least one-third larger than the
others.”

The mixture which Mr. Palmer has found so valuable is as follows :—

“Time, unslakedt..c.<tee te 30 pounds.
Sulphur, powdered fy. 207. we ae 3 DONA
Salt, coarach: Souder ae oe 15 nS
Wratter co hs Ga ahs tute cetacean 60 gallons.

“Place 10 pounds of lime and 20 pounds of sulphur in a boiler with 20 gallons of
water, and boil over a brisk fire for two hours, until the sulphur is thoroughly dissolved.
It will then be amber-coloured. Next, place 20 pounds of lime in a cask and pour
enough water over it to thoroughly slake it. Add the salt. When dissolved, add to the
lime and sulphur, and boil. half an hour longer. Add enough water to make 60 gallons.
Apply lukewarm. Spray when the trees are dormant, or as soon as the leaves fall, and
again in the spring before the buds swell. A good force pump should be used, and care
must be taken to cover the infested trees thoroughly with the mixture, which should be
constantly stirred when applying.

“To insure freedom from lumps, it is advisable to pass the mixture through a wire
sieve or strainer.”—|R. M. Palmer, Insect Pests and Plant Diseases, Victoria, B.C., 1897. ]

Prof. J. B. Smith also speaks of the good results obtained with this wash on the
Pacific coast in his Annual Report for 1896, p. 487 :—“‘In Yuba and Sutter counties, the
lime, sulphur and salt wash is the favourite. The testimony to its efficiency is universal.
Few claim that a single spraying is absolutely effective; all contend that two sprayings
will kill practically all the scales. Absolutely perfect work cannot be expected, and so
there is always a small amount of scale in the orchard ; but, as they have found that the
use of this wash is beneficial to the trees by seeming to make them more vigorous, less
liable to fungus attack and, in the case of peach trees, less susceptible to leaf curl, the
spraying is continued every year, whether the scale is abundant or not. A man who
does not spray is considered a very poor farmer.”

The above quotations are given for the benefit of British Columbia fruit growers,
all of whom are urged to take the fullest advantage of the excellent work which is being
done by Mr. R. M. Palmer, Inspector of Fruit Pests. His Annual Reports to the Pro-
vincial Board of Horticulture are indispensible to the farmer, fruit grower and gardener,
in all parts of the province.

This valuable remedy of the West, however, it must be acknowledged, has not
given satisfactory results in the East, Mr. Marlatt even going so far as to say, while
acknowledging its value in the West :—‘“ Our experience with the wash in the East had
thrown doubt on its real efficiency as an insecticide, and it has been clearly demonstrated

that under the climatic conditions east of the Alleghanies it is almost valueless.”

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 221

Whatever the reason may be for this great difference, the value of the remedy for the
West is undoubted and well attested. Similarly, the gas treatment has given less satis-
faction in the Kast than on the Pacific coast, but this is to some extent due to the difti-
culty of treating deciduous trees, such as are infested by the San José Scale, which have
a more spreading, open growth than the close-growing, thick-foliaged trees of the Citrus
family, upon which this method is chiefly used in California for other kinds of scale-
insects. For the disinfection, however, of nursery stock, the gas treatment is certainly
most convenient. Probably the remedies which will be found most available for Ontario
fruit-growers will be the whale-oil soap wash and the kerosene emulsion. The latter
should be applied as soon as the leaves drop or during the winter, made according to
the Riley-Hubbard formula and diluted with only four parts of water, to be followed
before the leaves expand in spring by the whale-oil soap wash, 2 pounds in 1 gallon
of water.

Mention may be made of the fact that where trees are closely planted the scale has
spread more quickly than where the trees are farther apart. This points to the advan-
tage of having the trees planted as wide apart as possible without waste of land.

Since the San José Scale is already established in several centres in Ontario, it is
now too late to prevent its introduction into the-country ; still, no effort should be
relaxed which will prevent further importation from infested nurseries in the United
States, and it should not be forgotten that nearly all of the Canadian outbreaks have
been traced back to nurseries in the State of New Jersey. There are some precautions
which common sense would seem to dictate to all fruit growers, such as: (1) Do not buy
either from nurseries known to have been infested, or, as it is unnecessary, even from
States where the scale is known to exist. The home-grown trees of all our Canadian
nurseries are much safer to purchase than those coming from any of the usual sources
in the United States. Up to the present not a single Canadian nursery has been found
to be infested.

(2) Examine all trees upon your own grounds and upon your neighbours’, particu-
larly those which have been planted or grafted during the last five years.

(3) Plant no young trees without examining them carefully for any trace of the
San José Scale. Should any case of infestation, or even suspected plants, be found, at
once report the matter and send specimens for examination to the Government entomo-
logists at Ottawa or Guelph for advice.

On account of the exceedingly inconspicuous nature of this enemy and its habit of
hiding beneath scales of bark, buds, etc., as well as the extreme danger which attends
its introduction, in those cases where it is considered necessary to purchase from
American nurseries, it would be well for fruit growers not to trust to the certificates
that the trees are free from scale, which are sometimes supplied by nurserymen, unless
they are actually signed in writing by state entomologists of recognized standing, and
also for the actual consignment of trees with which they are imported.

As an illustration of the difficulty of detecting the young scales when they are few
in number, Prof. F. M. Webster has published an illustrated article in the current
December number of Hntomological News, showing a twig from a peach tree which had
been submitted to him for inspection and of which he says: “ The most diligent search
with a lens failed to reveal any outward trace or indication of the presence of San José
Scale. When one of the buds was removed it was found that there was behind it a half
grown scale which had been completely covered and concealed by the bud.” This
showed that practically no one could be certain that a tree was absolutely free from
scale without removing all the buds, which of course is out of the question.

222 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

aa hy ACPD Ack oe.

The practical management of the Apiary, as heretofore, has been satisfactorily
carried on by Mr. John Fixter, the Farm Foreman. The interest shown in the Apiary
has been very encouraging ; large numbers of visitors have examined it, who have been
gratified by the attention shown them and by the explanations given in all matters con-
nected with bee-keeping. One experiment was particularly observed, namely, what has
been called the “House Apiary.” This is treated of by Mr. Fixter in his report
appended hereto. Many of the experiments begun in former seasons have been
continued ; but those on wax foundations were not taken up this year. In addition to
the explanations given to visitors, two valuable addresses were delivered by Mr. Fixter
to the students of the Ottawa Normal School upon the subject of bee-keeping, and he
also attended two meetings of Farmers’ Institutes, one at Russell Village, Russell County,
Ont., and the other at Bell’s Corners, Carleton County, Ont., at both of which the
directors of the institutes requested that the subject of bee-keeping should be brought
up.

5% The season at Ottawa, with reference to bee-keeping, has been a very remarkable
one. Although in June there was a good amount of blossom on flowering plants, bee-
keepers in the district were all surprised to find how little honey was stored by their
bees.

Notes are being taken, with the dates, of the different kinds of flowers which are
attractive to bees, and will be published at some future date. The Breaking Buckthorn,
or, as it is more generally known, the Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus Frangula), was
noticed to be particularly visited and for a very long period by bees. A supply of the
seed of this shrub was, therefore, collected and distributed to all bee-keepers who asked
for it before the supply was exhausted.

The condition of the Apiary I consider quite satisfactory, and it is a branch of the
Farm work which is growing in popularity from year to year (a fact, it must be stated,
almost entirely due to Mr. Fixter’s skill and good management).

RESULTS OF THE WORK OF THE SEASON.

On August 28th all the supers were removed from our hives, when 212 partly filled
sections were found. This was all the surplus honey which had been made during the
year, and the whole of this was returned to the bees for their winter sustenance. It
should also be mentioned that not only has there been an entire lack of surplus honey,
but the bees have also failed to swarm, so that the number of colonies was not increased.
These results appear the more extraordinary when we consider the large quantities of
honey made per colony during the past two years. In 1895 the average was 54 sections
per colony, and in 1896 it was 50 sections, besides 16 lbs. $ oz. of extracted honey per
colony, all having been under the same management and care. There seems to have
been an unusual deficiency of nectar in the flowers. The bees worked industriously, but
were barely able to accumulate enough for their own subsistence. Indeed it was neces-
sary to supplement their stores with considerable quantities of sugar in order to keep
them supplied.

This discouraging condition of affairs prevailed all over the eastern parts of Ontario.
In the western parts of that province better results are reported.

The following extracts from letters received will show the peculiarity of the season
of 1897, in the Ottawa district :—

“Ottawa, January 7, 1898.—<As you are probably aware last season was one of the
most peculiar, if not the most peculiar, in the history of bee-keeping in this section of
Canada.

W's il ee

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 223

‘Soon after my bees were removed from winter quarters I noticed that although
seemingly working hard every fine day, they were getting little if any honey, and were
very rapidly using up the balance of their winter supply. I think I am safe in saying
they got nothing from either maple, willow or fruit bloom, that is to say, early fruit
bloom such as apple, plum, cherry, currant, &c. After my bees had been out about a
week I began feeding systematically every evening, giving perhaps half a cupful to
every hive, and by the beginning of May, even with this amount of feeding, they were
still drawing heavily on the not very large amount left over from wintering, so much
so that by the second week in May scarcely a colony in all my apiary had more than a
very little unsealed honey and the hives were absolutely filled with brood, more so than
I have ever seen them before, many of the frames having brood in the first row of cells
from the top bar of the frame.

“T could not detect any honey being brought in until after the 24th of May, and
then only in small quantities from the raspberry bloom. I fed steadily until the 23rd of
May, and am quite satisfied that I realized handsomely by doing so. It is perhaps worth
mentioning here that in the spring of 1896 all my strong colonies filled the two outside
frames so full of honey that I removed them and put empty frames in the hives
between the middle frames. The flow was from the willow. Swarming began on the
4th of June, and I have never had finer swarms than during the past season, the
great trouble was there appeared to be no end to the swarming season, as I had
several swarms in September, as late as the first week, when buckwheat honey was
coming in freely.

*T took 45 hives out of winter quarters, having put away 46 ; the one lost was from
dampness, it was touching the outside wall of the cellar. I sold twocolonies just before
swarming, and by the end of September I had 90 good colonies, most of them very heavy
with honey, even the late swarms in September filled up well with buckwheat and
goldenrod (Solidago) and required very little feeding to bring them up to the 55 pound
limit. I sold 25 colonies this fall and have 65 in the cellar now. My total yield of
comb honey was a little over 1,100 pounds, of which two-thirds was white clover, bass-
wood and possibly some raspberry mixed, the balance was goldenrod and buckwheat
mixed, making a quite agreeable honey.

““T have an idea that the reason of the excessive swarming was partly on account
of the honey flow being very intermittent, perhaps two or three days of a heavy flow
and then several days with little or none. During the idle days the working force
would hang about the hives and amuse themselves building queen cells. Then in a few
days out they would come. The total return for the past season by the sale of bees and
honey was $325, less about $15 for honey fed in the spring.”—| Percy H. Selwyn. ]

‘‘ Almonte, Jan. 12, 1898.—This year I got no white honey. Last year 1 had
between 2,500 and 3,000 pounds. This year’s dark honey was about 20 per cent of
last year’s, and similarly, new swarms were about 20 per cent of last year’s. As for
feeding, I do not do much of that. Most of my colonies go into winter quarters, heavy
with natural stores ; but some of the old colonies had none too much, and two or three of
the new ones this year did not actually gather enough to winter on.”—[J. K. Darling. ]

“Chard, Ont., Dec. 27.—I set out 105 colonies on April 23. I had a few colonies
set out some days before that. The first pollen was seen coming in on April 22. By
July 1, through robbing and starving my colonies were reduced to 70. At the end of
the season these were increasod to 82. I got 500 lbs. comb honey and 1,500 lbs.
extracted, all dark honey. Another bee-keeper here says he began the season with 40
colonies. He had no increase in swarms. He got 50 lbs. comb honey and 860 lbs. ex-
tracted, all dark honey.”—_|W. J. Brown. ]

‘“‘ Bearbrook, Jan. 8, 1898.—I never experienced such a hard spring and summer
since I have kept bees. I carried out 22 hives. Four or five were weak, so I united
four colonies into two. I ran 4 of my strongest hives for comb-honey and 16 for
extracting. The spring was cold and dark, and the summer hot and dry. There was
no clover until September, perhaps a little in August; but I never saw such a fall
harvest. My bees never did better, even in June and July, than they did for me this
year in September off the wild flowers, which grow on the low swampy land along
streams. The honey was dark, but of a delicious flavour.—[A. R. McRae. |

if

Aug.

ce

EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

REPORT OF MR. JOHN FIXTER.
SEason oF 1897.

5.—Hives all taken out of their winter quarters and placed on their summer
stands. The bees came out at once and flew well.

6.—Cloudy, but not cold ; no flying.

7.—Fine but cool ; flying well.

8.—Fine, cool toward evening ; bees flying about three hours.

9.—Dull day ; no flying.

10.— Warm ; some flying.

11.—Warm ; bees flying well, some bees attempting to rob; openings closed to
one bee’s space.

13.—Cold and wet ; little flying.

16.—First pollen gathered from swamp willows.

17-20.—No flying.

21.—All bees flying and gathering pollen off different species of willows.

22.—All flying and working on the flowers of the Siberian squill.

22-May 11—Working well, gathering pollen.

11.—Plum trees and dandelion beginning to bloom. Bees very thick on both.

13.—Bees working well on wild cherry.

19.—Cherry and apple trees in bloom, very attractive to bees.

25.—Bees working on the Siberian pea tree (Caragana).

1.—Many dead drones and some worker bees were carried out to the entrance
of several hives, a most unusual occurrence at this season of the year, a
result probably occasioned in some instances by scarcity of new honey.
A very close inspection being made, several hives were found to be short
of stores and had to be fed, although there were many plants and shrubs
at that time blooming.

9.—The Bush Honeysuckle (Lonicera Tatarica grandiflora) came into bloom.

13.—White clover coming into bloom ; notwithstanding the abundance of bloom,

no increase in honey was observed.

13-15 and later.—Bees working on white clover, alsike clover, Alder Buck-
thorn (Rhamnus Frangula), also raspberries and Mock Orange (Phila-
delphus). All hives fed on syrup, very little new honey having been
gathered.

15-20.—Weather very fine. Bees flying well but no honey appeared to be
gathered.

25.—All flying and working well on white clover and alsike, carrying in some
pollen, no surplus honey being stored at this date. Several hives fed
with syrup (made by dissolving two parts sugar in one part water, the
sugar being added to the water while hot and stirred until dissolved).
Bees beginning to improve, showing signs of greater vigour.

30.—Fine weather; bees flying freely. Some new honey was stored by the
strongest colonies ; it was, however, found necessary to feed some hives.

1-6.—Bees working well ; all hives gained rapidly in weight during this period.
6.—Bees working well.

11.—Basswood just coming into bloom ; flowers scarce, and, on account of the
extreme heat of the weather there was but little gain in weight from this
source.

18.—Bees working on basswood, buckthorn, Catalpa and also on asparagus.

24.—Bees working on horse beans. Buckwheat in bloom and bees working on it.

1.— Buckwheat honey was gathered freely.

1-28.—The weather was very fine and bees were flying well, but very little
surplus honey was stored. All supers were removed ; 212 partly filled sec- |
tions taken off, which were afterwards returned for winter stores.

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 225

EXPERIMENTS IN WINTERING (1896-97).

Euperiment No. 1.—Nov. 16, 1896.—Fifteen colonies were put into winter quarters
in the cellar and placed on the shelves, beginning eighteen inches from the floor. Under
the back end of each hive was placed a three inch block, by which means the back of
each hive was raised so as to ensure free ventilation. Each hive was raised from its
own bottom board three-eighths of an inch at the back. All front entrances were left
wide open, the woodén covers all removed, leaving the propolis quilt on 12 hives and
placing a chaff cushion four inches thick on each. On the remaining three hives no
propolis quilt was used, but the chaff cushion was laid close to theframes. No differ-
ence could be seen between the colonies having on the propolis quilt and those which
had none, that is, as to dampness, &c.

Temperature was taken once a week all through the winter :—

Highest. Lowest.

Nia venioers EOAGOOO Ny s cus e.s sc cocate «caved ahalt'c, spa Cwenenere 46 40
‘Deyieri] Ne) is ae ee Gee ae ee veh erate Maree 43
SULINEEV Tiesto Pe Nea fo ees edo iw bie wae ee ON LING, Pada ta tele Lite +4 43
Pobraainy fo8 Nees 1. SF i od ARG STOVE tbe 45 43
LAPEER ANS ae, sere tt tno Ms Ste eles Las 46 42
TRUER cco ge hier Sete. care ee Ae teem ean. s 46

The bees were quiet throughout the winter, very slight hum being noticeable.

On April 5 all hives were removed to their summer stands. The temperature was
kept regular in the cellar by means of a coal stove and careful watching. The stove
was placed in an adjoining room, and was lit when the temperature was low or the
cellar damp. ‘The stove and ventilators require a great deal of watching, so as not to
allow sudden draughts of warm or cold air, as either disturb the bees too much.

As the advantageous use of the coal stove requires experience, at present I would
not recommend it to beginners.

Since the cement floor, shelving and complete ventilation have been put in the
cellar, it has given entire satisfaction.

During the past winter every colony in this experiment was perfectly dry and clean
and showed no uneasiness of any kind, and all came out in excellent condition.

Average weight of each hive when put into winter quarters was 51 pounds ; when
taken out on April5, the average weight was 41 pounds 10 ounces per hive, showing that
each hive had lost 9 pounds 6 ounces, which was rather less than the usual amount,
owing to the comfortable cellar.

Experiment No. 2.—Colonies Nos. 14 and 20 were put into the cellar with tops
and bottoms of hives left on, just as they were brought in from the bee-yard.
These were to be watched for dampness. During November and December there was
a slight hum in both hives, but they were quite dry.

Jan. 11.—Hive No. 14 was damp and noisy ; hive No. 20 was dry.

Feb. 1.—Both quite dry, but there were many dead bees at the entrance of hive
No. 14.

Feb. 8.—Colony No. 14 very noisy and hive damp ; cover removed and sedtilatine
given at bottom by raising the front entrance an additional two inches.

Feb. 22.—Both hives perfectly dry and quiet.

Mar. 1-29.—Hive No. 14 had some spots of feeces on the entrance, and when removed
from the cellar on April 5 there was about one inch of dead bees and
some mould on the bottom board, but the bees were in fair condition, as
the colony was a large one.

April 5.—Hive No. 20 noisy, but dry ; very few dead bees on bottom board. Total
weight of the two hives when put in, 105 pounds; when taken out,
82 pounds. No. 14 weighed 13 pounds less, hive No. 20, 10 pounds
less than when put intq winter quarters.

May 24.—Hive No. 14had 7 frames of bees and 53 frames of brood ; hive No. 20 had
8 frames of bees and 64 frames of brood.

8a—15

226 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

Experiment No. .—Hives stored in a root-house. Two colonies, Nos. 4 and 6,
were kept in a large root-house, which is 100 feet long, 25 feet wide and 10 feet deep.
The hives were placed on a shelf nailed up against the side wall, about 3 feet from the
ceiling and projecting 2 feet. A curtain was hung from the wall over the top and down
in front of the hives, so as to keep out ali light. The propolis quilt of hive No. 4 was
taken off and a chaff cushion put on in its place. The propolis quilt was left on
hive No. 6 and a chaff cushion placed above it. The fronts of both hives were raised
an additional half inch to give free ventilation.

Temperature was taken every Monday of each week.

Nov. 3-6.—Bees in both hives quite dry, but making considerable hum.
December.—Temperature of root-house, highest 38, lowest 36; both colonies noisy and
. quite damp, scarcely any dead bees on bottom of hives.

January.—Temperature of root-house, highest 39, lowest 37 ; both colonies very noisy,
damp and mouldy.

February.—Temperature of root-house, highest 39, lowest 37; both hives quite damp
and mouldy. Colony No. 4 showed signs of dysentery.

March.—Temperature, highest 43, lowest 35; both hives showed signs of dysentery ;
some few bees coming out of both hives; very few dead bees around
either.

April 5.—Both hives removed to bee-yard. Both colonies showed signs of dysentery,
dampness and mould, but both were very strong in numbers.

Another experiment was also carried on with these two hives; the propolis quilt
was left on hive No. 6 between the chaff cushion and the frames. On hive No. 4
no propolis quilt was used, the chaff cushion being placed next to the frames ; the object
of this was to see if the propolis quilt was liable to hold the moisture in the hives.

After careful watching all the winter, no difference could be noticed.

Weight of hive No. 4 in the autumn of 1896, 604 pounds; in the spring of 1897,
45 pounds a loss of 15% pounds.

Weight of hive No. 6 in the autumn of 1896, 63 pounds; in the spring of 1897,
504 pounds, a loss of 124 pounds.

Another examination was made on May 24. Hive No. 4 had 5 frames of bees and
4 frames of brood.

Hive No. 6 had 7 frames of bees and 6 frames of brood, so that they were in excel-
lent condition for a honey flow.

Experiment No. 4.—Nov. 16, 1896.—Colonies Nos. 1 and 3 were put into a pit dug
in the side of a hill, 3 feet deep by 3 feet in width and 10 feet long, in such a way that
the ventilators at both ends might not be immediately above the hives, which were in
the middle of the pit. The hives rested on two cedar poles laid the full length of the
pit. A third cedar pole of the same length was laid in front of the entrance of the
hives, and insured the necessary circulation of the air from the two ventilators one at
each end of the pit. These ventilators, which were 3 inches by 4 inches were made of
boards, three of which reached down to the bottom of the pit, the fourth only to the top
of the pit, and the ventilators rose three feet above the ground. In each hive half inch
strips of wood were laid under both sides and under the back end, between the brood
chambers and the bottom boards, so as to provide more space at the bottom of the hive
in case a quantity of dead bees should accumulate there.

The pit was filled up with loose straw up to four inches from the top, which was
made of cedar poles along the length of the pit, the middle ones higher than the others,
covered with a layer of straw and one foot of soil. A small shaft was also arranged
between the hives, down which a thermometer could be let by means of a string, so that
the temperature of the pit could be ascertained. The thermometer was examined once
a week. If the temperature rose too much, some of the covering might be removed ; and
if the contrary, some added. Temperature was taken once each week.

Temperature for November was 42 each time it was taken, and no sound was heard
at any time through the shaft or ventilators.

~~ =) ee
= ey

REPORT OF THE FNTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 227

Temperature for the first two weeks of December was 42 ; remainder of month, 39.

On December 21, ene foot of horse manure was placed over the pit to try and raise
the temperature, but no difference was appreciable.

The temperature for February and March was 39, and a not vary one degree
during the two months.

The temperature of the pit on April 5, was 40; the day being very fine, both
colonies were removed to the bee yard

Hive No. 3, was very damp and mouldy, and had half an inch of dead bees on the
bottom board, but no evidence of dysentery.

Hive No. 1 was also very damp and mouldy and the entrance had some evidence of
dysentery ; on the bottom board there was about half an inch of dead bees.

Mice had found their way into the pit, but had not been there long enough to do
any harm.

The weight of hive No. 1, in the autumn of 1896, was 50 pounds, and in the spring
of 1897, 40 pounds, a loss of 10 pounds.

The weight of hive No. 3, in the autumn of 1896, was 52 pounds, and in the spring
of 1897, 44 pounds, a loss of only 8 pounds.

May 24, another examination was made as to the strength of the colonies.

No. 1 had 7 frames of bees and 6 frames with brood.

No. 3 had 8 frames of bees and 64 frames with brood.

This experiment, therefore, is very satisfactory, and the method is one which can
be adopted at small expense by any one who wishes to keep bees. Care must be taken
to choose a well drained spot for the location of the pit, and to cover the ventilators
with wire netting to keep out mice.

Experiment No. 5.—Wintering in wood shed (house apiary).
Two colonies, Nos. 46 and 48 were left in the wood shed with some additional

' packing as stated in last year’s report, page 270.

The wood shed has walls which are double boarded, with an air space of four
inches. The floor, which is about one foot from the ground is also double boarded and
there is no draught under it. The hives were moved one foot from the wall, and placed
on a double thickness of sacks laid on the floor ; the wooden covers were removed and
replaced by cushions. In addition to this, the hives were covered above and all round
with a double thickness of the same packing. No ventilation was provided for one hive
(No. 46); for the other, (No. 48), a small shaft half an inch square extended from the
opening of the hive to the outside of the shed, and half-inch strips of wood were placed
under both sides and under the back, and between the bottom boards and the brood
chamber, so as to give more space at the bottom of the hive in case a quantity of dead
bees should accumulate.

No flying took place from the time they were packed until they were opened in
the spring.

No difference could be noticed as to strength of colonies.

April 5, both hives had two inches of dead bees on the bottom boards and were
damp and mouldy, and both colonies were in a he y weak condition.

Another examination was made on April 22, when both hives were found to be
deserted. ~

Hive No. 46 weighed in the autumn of 1896, 63 pounds, and in the following spring it
weighed 48 pounds, showing a loss of 15 pounds.

” Hive No. 48 weighed in the autumn of 1896, 53 pounds, and in the following spring
it weighed 37 pounds, a loss of 16 pounds.

Conclusions.—The mode of wintering that has given most satisfaction is No. 1.

No. 2. Hives put in the cellar as they came from the bee-yard had not sufficient

ventilation. This result agrees with that of last year. During the winter of 1897-98

this experiment is being repeated and also two hives have been stored in the same way

except ae the wooden covers have been removed, leaving nothing but the propolis quilt.
a—l5}

228 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

No. 3. Wintering in a root-house. This experiment was fairly satisfactory, but
the hives were too damp. An effort is being made this year to keep the hives drier, by
having more ventilation at the bottom.

No. 4. Wintering in a pit out of doors. This experiment was satisfactory, but is.
being tried this year without filling up the pit with loose straw as was done last year,
and two inches of space have been left both at the back and in the front of the hives for
better ventilation.

No. 5. Wintering in a closed shed, the hives being merely protected with a double
thickness of sacks above and all round them. This experiment was a failure. The cold
of winter destroyed most of the bees, very few being alive in spring. The experiment
is tried again this winter with the hives placed farther from the outside wall and with
more protection against frost.

House APIARY.

An experiment was carried on in a wood-shed, a part of which was partitioned off
for that purpose and is now called the House Apiary.

This house apiary opens into a yard that is 30 by 60 feet, surrounded by a close
board fence 6 feet high, which gives an excellent shelter from prevailing winds. Both
the south and east sides of the shed are covered with grape vines, which seem to keep
the building cool during the very hot weather, and the vines are trained so as to leave
the entrances perfectly clear. One part of the space in the shed devoted to this purpose
faced the south-east and was 7 feet high, 6 feet long and 4 feet wide.

In this portion were placed two tiers of hives ; the bottom tier was set on the floor,
which is one foot from the ground and double-boarded. The second tier was set on a
shelf 3 feet 6 inches from the floor.

Another portion of the shed facing the south-west 7 feet high, 4 feet wide and 32°
feet long. There were here 12 hives in one row upon the floor.

From the experience of the past year gained with the part first mentioned, I would
recommend two tiers on the south-west side, so that the vacant space might be profit-
ably occupied. The entrances to the hives were 3 feet apart and were cut through the
wall of the shed ; they were 6 inches by 6 inches, with an alighting board projecting 7
inches by 12 inches wide and sloping so as to throw off rain. The hives are set close to
the wall, so as to confine the bees to their own hives.

Conclusions.—During the past two summers the colonies in the house apiary,
which is surrounded by an inclosed yard, having more shelter from the cold winds of
both spring and autumn, were frequently observed to be flying, while the colonies in the
exposed open apiary remained in their hives. ;

Another advantage of this arrangement is that there is less danger of robbing.
When the hives are being inspected the examination is obviously more convenient in
wet weather, being under shelter; further, if the apartment were made 6 feet wide,
instead of 4 feet, and a shelf placed on the wall to hold bee appliances, this would add
greatly to its convenience. The alighting board might be made to project only 6 inches.
and be 10 inches wide.

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 229

GRASSES.

AWNLESS BROME GRASS

(Bromus inermis, Leyss).

One of the most valuable pieces of work which has been accomplished by the
fxperimental Farms is the successful introduction into Canadian Agriculture of the
Awnless Brome Grass, which, on the whole, has done better than any other introduced
grass we have sent out for trial, both for hay and for pasture. The seed of this grass
was imported from Russia during the first year of the institution of the Experimental
Farms, and it has been grown ever since, with remarkable success. Every year small
packages of the seed have been distributed free, in every province of the Dominion to
such farmers as have asked for samples, and the reports receivea from them have been
most satisfactory. On the prairies of the West, where, on account of the rapid settle-
ment of the country and of the increase in the numbers of stock, the native grasses are
now failing, the Awnless Brome grass is found to be a most useful substitute.

The seed germinates readily and the young plants soon become established. It is
a perennial grass with running root-stocks, and is conspicuous for its free leafy growth
and tall stems (3 to 5 feet high), which bear an abundance of seed. It flowers at Ottawa
in the last week of June or the first week of July. It is very hardy and early, and pro-
duces a large crop of hay, which, although rather coarse-looking, is soft, sweet-smelling
and palatable to all stock; chemical analysis also shows that it possesses great food
value.

Not only does Awnless Brome grass thrive in the rich, moist soil of the eastern
provinces, but its growth and productiveness are so wonderful, even it the dry plains of
the West, that its cultivation, together with that of the Western Rye-grass (Agropyrum
tenerum, Vasey),—another most valuable grass, a native of North-western America,
which indeed is the well known “ Bunch Grass” of the West,—may be said without
exaggeration to have solved the problem of fodder production on a large scale in the
arid western sections. Under irrigation on the farm of Mr. Wm. Hull, of Calgary,
Brome grass has given on 200 acres of land the enormous yield of 4} tons of grass per
acre. It seems to stand a little more water than Timothy when irrigated. On good
lands in the east it produces without irrigation from 1} to 24 tons of hay per acre.

One notable feature which distinguishes this grass, is that, while most grasses after
the flowering period deteriorate rapidly while the seeds ripen, Awnless Brome grass can
be left standing till the seeds are fully ripe, and yet the hay crop will be heavier, without
being poorer, than if it had been cut when in flower, as should be done generally for all
hay grasses in order to get the best value. This remarkable characteristic of Brome
grass is due to the fact that after the seed-bearing stem has grown up, a great number
of leafy sterile shoots spring up from its base. It is owing to this supplementary growth
that the straw, after threshing, still makes hay of excellent quality.

A special value for this grass has lately been discovered, namely, its adaptability
for alkaline soil. Mr. Mackay, having tried some experiments, reports as follows :—
“ Indian Head, Assa., Nov. 12.—The Brome grass on alkaline land, which I referred to
in speaking to the Committee on Agriculture while in Ottawa, was grown on two low
spots ina field of about 15 acres. The spots are not very large (? acre in both), but,
before sowing, the bottoms were white with alkali, though not so bad as low places in
other districts. A good many crops had been grown on the field prior to the grass
being sown, and no doubt have had some effect on the alkali. It seems to me as if
alkali washes out of the soil into low spots, for we find it in varying quantities in places
where water stands for a few days and then settles into the soil. ast June we had a
deluge of rain, leaving us a 5-acre plot in one of the grain fields covered with water

230 EXPHRIMENTAL FARMS.

until September. That spot is covered with alkali now, and so far as I know there has
been no alkali there before.

“The crop of hay on the # acre was very heavy, but the land being moist would
cause a good crop in any case. Part of this year’s crop of Brome hay was grown on low
places, upon which alkali is observed every year we plough them ; and in these places the
crop was very heavy. As no record was taken of the yield on the alkaline spots, I
cannot give any exact quantity per acre, but there was at least one-third more hay on
them than on the ordinary land.”—| Angus Mckay. |

“Urquhart, Alta., Nov.-—The 1-pound bag of seed received was sown June 11, on 330
square yards of a field which had been sown with grain for the two previous years ; but
in this particular position little or nothing had grown, the soil being alkaline clay, which
is always baked hard in summer. The ground was ploughed in May and well harrowed,
and again harrowed previous to the grass being sown, in order to destroy the weeds.
The grass grew to a height of 16 inches, but not vigorously over all the ground, some
patches being quite bare. It was green and fresh when all the surrounding grass on
field and prairie was withered and dead from the early frost. It was not cut. I feel
satisfied that it will be a capital grass for hay or pasture, and I intend to sow the whole
field (7 acres) with this grass.”—|{P. McDonald. ]

The above quotations suggest a special value in this most excellent grass which was
not thought of at the time it was introduced.

In certain parts of British Columbia, the two native species Bromus Pumpellianus,
Scrib., which closely resembles B. inermis, and a large succulent species, B. brevi-aristatus
Buckl., have been preferred by some growers and further experiments with these species
are now being carried on.

,

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