REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. \TJ 



magnificent trees now stand blackened and disfigured monuments of the negligence 

 of the owners. This appears to be a new pest, trees of the old-timers never having 

 guflPered before." Mr. Gr. M. Kinnear, of Ducks, B.C., also sent specimens of Apple 

 Aphis with report on their serious injury to his trees. 



Late in autumn the females of the Apple Aphis lay small black eggs on the 

 twigs of the apple trees. These Qggs do not hatch until the following spring. In 

 Insect Life (vol. VI. p. 152), Prof. F. M. Webster, of Ohio, announces the impor- 

 tant discovery that in the autumn this insect also migrates to fall wheat, wheie it 

 propagates enormously and does mur-h harm. Perfect females then return to the 

 apple trees to deposit their eggs. The most satisfactory remedy I have found to be 

 the Kerosene emulsion which should be sprayed on the trees early in spring just 

 when the leaf-buds are bursting. As large numbers of eggs are frequently laid on 

 the trunks of trees, these should also be well spiayed. 



The Oyster-shell Bark-louse (Mytilaspis pomorum, Bouch^) is pro- 

 bably the worst pesi of the apple tree, concerning which this year, 

 as well as every other year, there has been much inquiry from every 

 province of the Dominion. The life history of this insect is remark- 

 able. About Ist of June, minute white, mite-like insects with six legs, 

 emerge from beneath the scales on the bark, and for two or three days, 

 during which alone of their whole lives they have the power of loco- 

 motion, run about over the twigs seeking for a suitable place to attach 

 themselves. They then pierce the young bark with their beaks and live 

 on the sap of the tree. They never move from that place again. Each 

 gradually secretes a waxy mantle and by August has transformed 

 itself into a scale covering a cluster of eggs. These remain unchanged 

 through the winter, and the young do not hatch until the next 

 June. 



Remedies. — This insect, like many others, thrives most on unhealthy 

 trees. When detected, therefore, measures should be adopted for indu- 

 cing a vigorous growth as well as for the removal of the scale insects. 

 Oyster-shell Spraying just before the buds open with the Kerosene emulsion will 

 Bark-louse, destroy many of them; but the best time, which will vary slightly in 

 different localities, is when the young lice are active, for they are then 

 most susceptible to injury. Prof. A. J. Cook, of- Michigan, says that no fruit 

 grower or lover of shade trees can afford to be ignorant of the Carbolic acid emulsion. 

 He writes : " I make it just as I do the kerosene emulsion, only stronger ; one part 

 of crude carbolic acid to from 5 to 7 parts of soap solution (one quart of soft soap, 

 or 1 lb. hard soap in two gallons of water) is of the proper strength. This is the 

 best preparation I know of to })rotect against the Apple-tree Bark-lice and Apple- 

 tree Borers. It is applied to the trunk and larger limbs by means of a stiff brush 

 or cloth about twenty days after the trees blossom." With regard to some inquiries 

 which have naturally suggested themselves to two of my correspondents as to how 

 insects which only have the power of locomotion for three days or so, and then only 

 when extremely minute, can spread so rapidly from tree to tree in an orchard, I be- 

 lieve the generally accepted opinion is, that this is effected through the agency of 

 other larger insects and birds, upon which they crawl when they visit the trees, and 

 by which they are carried to other trees. 



An attack upon Apple trees which I do not think has been previously recorded 

 from Canada is of the Otiorhynchid beetle, Anametis grisea, Lee. This was received 

 from Mr. E. Z. Eogers, of Grafton, Ont., together with specimens of the way in which 

 apple trees were injured by having the bark oaten off the young twigs. Specimens 

 of a very similar species were forwarded from Okanagan Mission, B.C., by Mr. F. J. 

 Watson. As these beetles are wingless and have to climb up the stems of trees 

 attacked, any mechanical means of preventing them, such as a band of cotton batting 

 or one of the various kinds of " tree protectors " placed around the trunks at the time 

 when the perfect beetles are about, would prevent injury by the mature insects. In 

 Insect Life (vol. IV., p. 401) reference is made to considerable damage by this beetle 

 to young peach trees in Goodison, Michigan; the beetles hid near the surface of the 

 ground during the day time and ate the bark and buds during the night. Similar 

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