154 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 



scaly, because that he had not realized, but simply because they were 

 dying and of no further use. When I pointed out that every one was 

 badly infested, he directed that they be all cut down and burned. This 

 direction was carried out, because on a later visit I found that the trees 

 had disappeared. In a large block of apple, pear, quince, plum and other 

 fruit trees, not far from these bearing trees, I found the scales scattered 

 everywhere; scarcely a plant was entirely free, while none was very badly 

 infested. It was a general seeding down and at that time the larvse were 

 moving about. I pointed this out to Mr. Lovett and warned him of the 

 danger in sending the trees out. He promised not to do so without treat- 

 ment, and I arranged that later in the season I would again visit the 

 nursery that I might see just how matters stood. This visit was made 

 after mid-summer, and I found an increase in the number of scales on the 

 nursery stock, found the original source of infection gene, and discovered 

 the scales on a few other trees in another part of the nursery. These 

 trees were destroyed by Mr. Lovett, and there remained then only < ne 

 block upon which the San Jos6 Scale existed. After consultation with 

 Mr. Howard concerning the practical details of gas treatment of nursery 

 stock I recommended a fumigating box in which all the trees should be 

 exposed to the gas before being sent out. February 22nd I again visi'.ed 

 the nurseries with Mr. Collingwood, of the Rural New Yorker, and at his 

 request. The stock had all been removed from the infested plot, and the 

 apple trees, comprising much the greatest proportion of the number, 

 were heeled in close by, in trenches. Mr. Lovett showed us the box con- 

 structed according to my suggestion, and which was suitable for the pur- 

 pose, and stated that everything on that block had been fumigated. An 

 examination of the scales on a considerable number of the apple trees 

 indicated that the application had been successful. According to the fore- 

 man, who had actually attended to the work, the exposure to the action 

 of the gas had been between one and one-half and two hours, and the 

 amount of cyanide used was fully up to the amount recommended. I did 

 not find a single living scale insect in the C9urse of the examination made 

 by me. All that I examined were white and flattened ; none of them 

 ' plump and yellow : nowhere could I get any appearance of life. It was, 

 of course, a physical impossibility that I should examine each of the five 

 or six thousand trees in the trenches ; but I did examine trees here and 

 there at different parts of the rows and made a point, as far as possible, 

 of examining the scales where they were grouped most densely, and 

 would be naturally most difficult to destroy. I believe that the treatment 

 was as nearly successful as one treatment can ever be ; but asked Mr. 

 Lovett, as a matter of extra precaution, to fumigate again before sending 

 out the stock, which he promised to do. The other stock that had been 

 upon this nursery block had been in great part sold, but there yet remained 

 a considerable number of pear trees of different varieties. These I found 

 to be infested, and on these, though according to Mr. Lovett's stateim-nt, 

 they had been treated as had the apple trees, the scales were alive. 



