REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 203 



years I did not spray until about the 20th June ; the insects were then full grown, and 

 I did not know when I had killed them, for they still stuck on the trees." — Edwin 



WoRDEN. 



Fearing that Mr. Worden might have been deceived by the inactivity of the larva? 

 owing to some of them having completed their growth and fastened their cases to the 

 leaves in order to pupate, I wrote to him again, asking him to send me some of the 

 leaves bearing the larvae which were supposed to be killed. These specimens wore sent 

 forward by Mr. Worden on June 19th, when he wrote : — 



" I inclose you the leaves as directed by you. The little pest is hard to conquer. T 

 am spraying again now. If these insects would leave my trees alone, I am satisfied I 

 should have a good crop of apples, but they are even eating the little apples now." 



Upon examining the specimens carefully, it was found that only 17 per cent of the 

 larvje were dead, which was a disappointment, as it indicated that Paris green as a 

 remedy was only partially successful. Mr. Worden was then requested to spray some of 

 his trees with Kerosene emulsion. His answer was as follows : — 



"July 5. — Inclosed you will find some leaves sprayed with Kerosene emulsion 

 about ten days ago. It does not seem to do much good. I am about discouraged. These 

 little insects seem to be getting worse all the time. Will you write and let me know 

 about how long these insects troubled them in Prince Edward Island 1 If they are the 

 same you mentioned in your report for 1891, I notice you say they were on plum and 

 pear trees. Now, I have plum and pear trees side by side with the apple trees, and I 

 never saw one on a plum or pear leaf. How would you think it would answer to have 

 torches burning here and there through the orchard about the first of August 1 I noticed 

 last year about the first of August, if the door or window was open after the lights were 

 lit, the room would be full of little moths. Please write and give me your opinion of the 

 torches and how far apart to have them in the orchard. I am willing to try anything 

 you suggest to get ricl of these insects, for I am satisfied the orchard will not do any- 

 thing while they are on the trees." 



Reply : — " July 20. — I was absent from Ottawa when your letter arrived and have 

 just returned. By this time the case-bearers will have stopped their work upon your 

 apple trees. Dr. Young, of Aldolphustown, who suffered very severely a year or two ago 

 from this same pest, treated it very successfully with Paris green and Kerosene emulsion. 

 My correspondent, the late Mr. Wm. Brown, of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, 

 only had this pest on his trees two years ; his attack was upon plum trees. As you 

 have noted, it is a very remarkable thing how the same insect will attack one kind of 

 plant in one district and another somewhere else. An analogous instance is the ' Shot- 

 borer ' beetle of Nova Scotia, which there attacks the apple tree almost exclusively ; 

 while in England the only reported attack by it, is on plum, and, at the same time, the 

 first attack noticed by this insect was upon pear trees, hence one of its names— the Pear- 

 blight beetle. 



"It is just possible that your suggestion of carrying torches through the orchard 

 when the moths appear may be a valuable one, and I shall be very much obliged if you 

 will try it. The moths are just appearing from the caterpillars which you sent me 

 early in the season, so that now would be the proper time to test this remedy. A con- 

 venient way of destroying them in large numbers, if you find that they are attracted by 

 the light, will be to place in the orchard a lantern or lamp in a basin of water, having 

 first sprinkled a little coal oil on the top of the water. The moths flying to the light 

 will fall into the water and be destroyed by the film of coal oil which floats on the surface. 

 I shall be much obliged if you will try this remedy and let me know how it succeeds." 



From the following reply, it will be seen that the use of a light at night to attract 

 the moths was not very successful : — " I tried the torch light on a small scale. I had 

 to cross the road from my house to the orchard, and, strange to say, while on the road, 

 the moths would come very thick ; but when I got in the orchard, I did not catch so 

 many all night by leaving the torch burning, as I did during the few minutes outside. 

 I think I destroyed about half of the case bearers with the treatment last summer. 

 Next year I am going to try the Kerosene emulsion, but would like to spray a little 

 later than the time you suggest so as to catch the bark louse as well." — Edwin Worden. 



