232 Agbicultdeal Experiment Station, Ithaca, N. Y. 



the twigs, branches and tmnks of the trees. In some instances 

 it appeared in such quantities that it literally rained from tJie 

 trees upon the vegetation beneath; in cultivating the orchard the 

 back of the horse and the harness often became covered with the 

 sticky substance dropping fi-om the trees; in gatheidng what little 

 fruit matured the hands and clothing would become smeared 

 with the sticky iiuid. The honey-dew appeal^ on the trees soon 

 after the leaves expand and is found throughout the season. It 

 attracts thousands of ants, bees and wasps which feed upon it. 

 If copious showers fall during the early part of the season much 

 of this honey-dew is washed off, making it less noticeable. 



At first the honey-dew is clear like water, but soon a black 

 substance appears and, spreading rapidly all through it, gives it 

 a disgusting blackish api)earance as if the trees were covered 

 with smoke from a factory. This black growth is a fungus, 

 Fumago salicina,* which grows luxuriantly within the honey- 

 dew, but does not attack the tree. It forms, however, with the 

 lioney-dew, a coating which must close many of the breathing 

 pores of the tree and thus materially affect its healthy growth. 

 Many trees appeared as though treated with a thin coat of black 

 paint. 



The attention of the entomological department of this station 

 was first called to the pest by Mr. H. S. Wright, Ithaca, N. Y., 

 in the latter part of November, 1891; or not until the insect 

 had done its damage for the season. A visit to his orchard a 

 few days later revealed a most deplorable state of affairs. The 

 whole orchard appeared as though a fire had swept quickly 

 through it and scorched the trees, blackening the trunks, large 

 branches and tJie smallest twigs; both young and old trees of 

 dwarf and standard varieties had been attacked, the Bartlett 

 and Dutchess varieties suffered the most; most of the trees had 

 made little or no new growth dui-ing the season, and many buds 

 were then dead. oS'eighboring orchards were similarly affected; and 

 Mr. Gr. T. Powell reported that his orchard at Ghent, N. Y., 

 presented a similar appearance. Several trees in some orchards 

 died before spring. 



• W. S. Farlow, BuU. Bussey Inst., Mar. 1876, p. 404. 



