860 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



water spurted on the plants, as has been recommended by the author 

 for aphids, mealy bugs, and the like, is fairly effective, as also are soap 

 emulsions. Sulphur fumes in some eases have proved satisfactory, but 

 none of these remedies seem effectual against the eggs. Kerosene 

 emulsion, however, is effective in all cases and will, it is thought, be 

 found the most convenient and satisfactory remedy. 



A new garden Smynthurid (Smynthurus albamaculata), F. L. 

 Harvey {Maine Sta. Bpt. 1896,pp. 121-126, figs. 5).— A detailed descrip- 

 tion is given of a new Smynthurid which the author calls Smynthurus 

 albamaculata. It is found abundantly in gardens during May and June 

 and docs considerable damage to early garden plants, attacking rad- 

 ishes, beans, cucumbers, squashes, etc., in the leaves of which it eats 

 numerous holes and sucks away the juices until the leaves wither. 

 The habits are thus the same as 8. hortensis of Fitch. The species is, 

 however, readily distinguished from the latter species by the purple of 

 the head, antennae, terminal segments of the body and elater, and by 

 the obscure white marking of the body, and especially by the 9 instead 

 of <» segments in the terminal portion of the antennae. 



The young are much lighter in color than the adults and often show 

 only 8 segments in the terminal portion of the antenna-. 



Under the head of remedies the author states that he can not agree 

 with Fitch that the work of the smynthurids is entirely secondary, for 

 this species, at least, seems caj table of sucking the juices of plants 

 without the aid of other insects. This species was very abundant on 

 cucumbers in his garden, but there was no evidence of the flea beetle. 

 Some do/en or more would sometimes be found on a single leaf and in 

 a few days it would be noticed that the leaves turned whitish, and an 

 examination of the epidermis would show the existence in it of numer- 

 ous little pits. A hole through the leaf was rarely if ever found. The 

 new leaves, cotyledons, etc., are attacked. Dirt, ashes, sulphur, or 

 pyrethrum will act as deterrents until the plants are large enough to 

 be out of danger. 



A bacillus pathogenic upon the phylloxera and certain acarids, 

 L. Dubois (Gompt. Bend. Acad. 8ci. Paris, 125 [1897), No. 20, pp. 790, 

 701). — In a mixture of earth and manure the author found an organism 

 that in certain hemiptera produces a veritable infectious disease. 

 Apparently it enters the body through the mouth and may be found 

 either by means of the microscope or by cultures in the bodies of insects 

 that have succumbed to the disease. In certain solutions it seems 

 capable of retaining its virulence for a very long time. 



It exists in 2 forms: In filaments off to 7 // somewhat undulating in 

 form, in links and as a coccus from o.L' to 0.;; ;< in diameter. The coccus 

 is slightly motile and has an annular zone, usually distinguished as a 

 somber tint surrounding a central rather clear area. There is no 

 vacuole. In some cultures the cocci seem to develop from spores. 



The organisms stain with difficulty by ordinary methods. The best 

 results were obtained by the author with 10 cc. of a 25 per cent solution 



