280 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



curious point that in certain localities in Florida growers refuse 

 to spray for the Mytilaspis scales on account of the fact that spray 

 ing increases their number. Experiments which he himself had 

 made indicated the truth of this general idea, particularly when 

 the spraying was done with fungicides. He was convinced that 

 the fungus known as Ophionectria coccicola is a true scale para 

 site and that this fungus is destroyed by the spraying, allowing 

 the scales to multiply unchecked. From the practical standpoint 

 he considered that the important insect enemies of the orange 

 tree, viz., the red scale and the white fly, have been greatly les 

 sened in number and that only the unimportant ones were un 

 harmed by the freezes. Mr. Marlatt said, however, that insects 

 previously considered unimportant might now, and probably 

 would, become important, owing to the enfeebled condition of 

 the trees. This w r as particularly apt to be the case with bark- 

 boring beetles. Mr. Ashmead agreed with Mr. Marlatt and 

 stated that in his own experience of many years in Florida he 

 had found very serious damage to result from bark-boring beetles 

 following severe freezes. He also stated that after a check to the 

 growth of a tree it might become attacked by new parasites 

 which gradually might change their food-habit and become ene 

 mies of healthy trees. 



JUNE 6, 1895. 



President Ashmead in the chair, and the following members 

 also present : Messrs. Gill, Hubbard, Marlatt, Benton, Patten, 

 Judd, Howard, Waite, Heidemann, Swingle, E. F. Smith, and 

 Fernow. 



Mr. Ashmead read the following paper : 



DISCOVERY OF THE GENUS ELASMOSOMA, RUTHE, IN 

 AMERICA. 



By WILLIAM H. ASHMEAD. 



The genus Elasmosoma was described by J. F. Ruthe, in a 

 paper entitled ic Beitrage zur Kenntniss der Braconidas," pub 

 lished in Vol. II of the Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift, 1858, 

 with one species, E. berolinense, and up to the present time the 

 genus has remained monotypical. 



