248 



STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



cmli'il inward, always act as sliichls for tlio mites. Jn order to reaeii them, a nozzle 

 that will admit of sprayin<j upward from beneath, like the cyclone nozzle, or some side 

 delivery type of the Vennorel. jnust be used. The spray must be forcibly aj)plied and 

 faeh tree nuist be thorou''lilv treated. 



THE EUROPEAN FRUIT-SCALE. 



{Aspidiotus ostrewformis, Curtis.) 



It is the unjileasant duty of the entomologist to warn the fruit-growers of a new 

 pest which possibly will jnove to be a serious one. It belongs to the group of scale 

 insects and very closely resembles the eccentric scale, sometimes called Putnam's scale. 

 It is. however, much more prolific and sometimes forms a crust of superimposed scales, 

 vhich is conspicuous, over the limbs and trunk of a tree. This insect was discovered 



Fig. 2. European Fruit-scale, Aspidiotus ostreceformis, scale of male and female. (Original.) 



in America during the past year (1899) by Mi-. Theo. Pergande, of the Division of 

 Entomology, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



In an article on the subject. Dr. C. L. Marlatt,* assistant entomologist of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, states that the scale is now in New York. Ohio, Michigan, British 

 Columl>ia, Ontario, Can., and Iowa. He gives a list of food plants, including apple, 

 plum, pear, cherrj', prune, J'opulus tremuloides (aspen), Platanus orientalis, date 

 palm, Calluna vulgaris, oak and white oak. The Avriter has found it also on silver 

 maple (Acer dasycarpum) , mountain ash, and currant. 



When material, suspected of belonging to tliis species, was first found, it was sent 

 to Dr. L. 0. Howard, entomologist of the Department of Agriculture, who kindly 

 verified the specimens for the writer iintil subsequent familiarity with this species 

 made determination at the home station certain and accurate. 



On account of the extremely close resemblance of this scale to one or two other 

 species, it was found much more satisfactory to compare suspected material with 

 authentic specimens than to work from descriptions alone. 



The insect is a well-known fruit pest in Europe and probably was introduced into 

 this country as early as 1890. One case in the State is thought to have been infested 

 from a shipment of plum trees received from an eastern nursery about nine years ago. 



In our State there are known to be few localities infested, and these few are well 

 defined and none of them in or near nurseries. The scale has killed several fine, large, 



* Science July 7, 1899, pp. 18-20. 



