118 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



can be detected by the expulsion of their sawdust-like castings and 

 the exudation of sap, especially on the stone fruits. 



The wire screens used by some orchardists to exclude the long- 

 horned beetles from the trunks of the trees do not avail for the saw- 

 horned species; but the repellant washes, if applied to the lower part 

 of the larger branches as well as the trunk, will serve to keep off all 

 species of insects that attack these parts. The most efficient applica- 

 tion is made from soft-soap thickened to the consistency of paint by 

 the addition of washing soda, and two applications should be made^ 

 one in June and one in July. A thorough coaling of white-wash will 

 also deter the beetles from placing their eggs upon the trees. Where 

 the preventive washes have not been used in time, the small borers 

 may be cut out with a knife by tracing them from the spot where the 

 castings are extruded. A bit of curved and pointed wire is sometimes 

 necessary to reach the larger larvte that have penetrated into the hard 

 wood of the tree. 



The Grape-vine Scale f Aspidiotus uvw, Com. J. — This comparatively 

 new bark-house is beginning to attract some attention in the vineyards 

 of Missouri and should be recognized and measures taken for its ex- 

 termination before it becomes a serious pest. It appears upon the 

 vines like a profuse, dingy white scurf, the scales being very closely 

 placed, often overlapping each other upon the older wood — never 

 upon that of less than two years' growth. They are found upon the 

 inner bark during winter, protected by the shreds of the exfoliated 

 bark of the previous season. The effect upon the vine is seen 

 in diminished growth, pale and scanty foliage, irregularity in the ripen- 

 ing of the fruit, which also lacks the usual flavor, and in a generally 

 sickly appearance. Under a large proportion of the scales will be 

 found, early in the spring, from 30 to 40 very minute pale-yellow eggs. 

 From these the young lice begin hatching about the middle of May, 

 and extend their territory by settling on the wood just in advance of 

 that occupied by the parent colony. The individuals do not seem to 

 be active for more than a few days, but as the period of hatching is 

 somewhat prolonged, it will be more than a month before all will have 

 become stationary. While active, they are so small as to be almost 

 invisible to the naked eye, but under a strong lens are seen to be of 

 oblong form and pale orange color, with darker head. The beak is 

 long, but so extremely fine that it requires the powers of a compound 

 microscope to reveal it. 



Where the scales have been numerous the effect of the punctures 

 of the young lice are apparent upon the vine very shortly after the 

 insects become fixed. The scales are white and nearly circular, those 



