No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 427 



the seed in wliich it feeds as a young larva, developes, changes to a 

 chrysalis and passes the winter. The fruit may hang on the tree, 

 or fall to the ground. It bores out through the seed and fruit in 

 the spring to produce another generation. The best possible means 

 of suppression is to destroy all fallen fruit, and all that hangs upon 

 the trees in winter. Pasture with pigs or sheep. This pest causeH 

 the fruit to remain very small, stunted and irregular in shape. 



The Railroad Maggot was not as bad as some years, but it continued 

 destructive in summer apples, especially sweet varieties, in the re- 

 gions draiued by the northern waters of the Susquehanna River. The 

 use of a coarse poisoned sweetened spray, or drops of this liquid, 

 on the lower limbs of trees in infested regions will destroy the insects 

 before they lay their eggs. 



The Pear Midge is spreading in the southeastern part of Pennsyl- 

 vania. Hundreds of little fly larvaB or midges may be found as 

 minute maggots in the fruit of the pear when it reaches a size as large 

 as the end of a man's smallest finger. The fruit swells and drops, 

 and the pests come to maturity within it. Spraying just after the 

 blossoms fall with tobacco decoction or soap solution, repeated in 

 two weeks, should suppress these pests. 



The Pine Shoot Moth has been found by our inspectors doing dam- 

 age to pine trees in certain parts of the State where it has been in- 

 troduced recently. It should be watched, and cut out and burned, or 

 it will result in considerable loss and deformity to pine trees. 



The Pear-leaf Blister-mite continues to be a serious pest to pear 

 and apple. When the leaves commence to look as though soot had 

 been rubbed into them in blotches, they should be sprayed once per 

 week with tobacco decoction and soap, or with kerosene emulsion. 

 The Angoumois Grain Moth has continued to cause much loss in the 

 southeastern quarter of Pennsylvania. It is spreading and needs 

 attention. Fumigation when the temperature is above 60 degrees, 

 with one pound of carbon bisulfid for each one hundred cubic feet 

 of space occupied by the grain, is effective. 



(d) Native Insects tvith Modified EaMts 



It is my great pleasure to report to this Board some new and im- 

 portant discoveries by the Bureau of Zoology of the Pennsylvania 

 Department of Agriculture during the past summer and fall, con- 

 cerning two important insects which almost suddenly became abun- 

 dant and destructive, and the habits and native food of which were 

 not known until these investigations were made, and have not been 

 published anywhere before this time. These insects are the Red 

 Leaf Beetle (Galerucella cavicoUis) and the Poplar Beetle (Litia 

 tremula). 



Two years ago there were a few reports of damage to the leaves 

 of cherry and peach trees by the Red Leaf Beetle in Lycoming county. 

 A year ago there were reports of injury by this pest in the counties 

 adjoining Lycoming. Last summer there were reports from more 

 than a dozen counties of northern and central Pennsylvania, that this 

 insect was severely damaging peach and cherry trees, and in many 

 cases attacking apple, pear, plum, and even some herbaceous or 

 smaller cultivated plants. Dr. L. O. Howard, U. S. Etomologist, in- 

 formed the writer that the native food plant and the habits of this 



