744 



HORTICULTURE 



November 21, 1914 



PINES ATTACKED BY NEW IN- 

 SECT. 



The U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 Is calling attention to the introduction 

 and establishment in America of the 

 European pine shoot moth, -which 

 threatens to cause serious loss. This 

 insect has been already mentioned in 

 Horticulture during the past season. 

 It is a small orange-red moth, the 

 larva of which hollows out new buds 

 and kills or injures the ends of twigs 

 of pine trees. This injury causes a de- 

 formity which is serious in ornamental 

 trees, and in trees grown for lumber 

 makes a crooked growth and a conse- 

 quent waste when the tree is cut. 



In Europe the insect not only attacks 

 all native pines but is equally injurious 

 to American species cultivated there. 

 The department states that the young 

 larvae came into this country within 

 the buds on imported pine seedlings 

 which have come from France, Eng- 

 land, Holland, Belgium or Germany. 

 The departments investigators have 

 discovered it in only ten localities, in 

 «ix states from Massachusetts to Penn- 

 sylvania, but it is likely that it may be 

 found in other localities. It has not 

 been found in any native trees in the 

 forest, and with only one exception has 

 always been on European pines in 

 nurseries and private parks. There is 

 no evidence to indicate that it has 

 been in tliis country more than a year 

 except on Long Island, where it has 

 existed for more than two years. 



There are several native pine shoot 

 moths, but none of them inflict the se- 

 rious injury of the European species. 



The department hopes that the new 

 pest may be stamped out before it be- 

 comes too widespread to be controlled. 

 At present the problem of its elimina- 

 tion is confined mainly to nurseries, 

 but if it once gets into the native pine 

 forests the experts think that it would 

 be beyond control. In its larval stage 

 the moth is so effectively protected in 

 the buds and slioots that it can not be 

 reached l)y any insecticide, and the 

 only method of getting rid of it is to 

 prune out and destroy the shoots 

 which contain the insect. This should 

 preferably be done during the fall and 

 •winter. Though it is easier to locate 

 the injured tips and shoots after 

 growth has started in the spring, it is 

 safer and better for the tree to have it 

 done in the fall. Measures for control, 

 to be effective, can not be accom- 

 plished without the cooperative action 

 of all who grow or plant European 

 pines or deal in them. 



Further information in regard to the 

 Insect may be obtained by application 

 to the bureau of entomology, Washing- 

 ton. D. C. 



GERANIUM LEAF SPOT. 



Apropos of the fact that we had re- 

 ceived so many inquiries from differ- 

 ent sections of the country and that, 

 every fall and spring we see in the 

 trade papers considerable discussion 

 of a geranium leaf-spot supposed to be 

 caused by a fungus, we have had our 

 State Horticultural Department take 

 the matter up and they have in turn 

 referred it to the U. S. Dept. of Agri- 

 culture at Washington. In response. 

 Prof. P. H. Chittenden, of the Bureau 

 of Entomology, writes as follows: 



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specimens of geranium leaves and beg 

 to state, as before mentioned, that the 

 injury is apparently entirely that 

 known as stigmanose. This was for 

 some time believed to be a specific 

 fungus trouble but by experiments has 

 been determined to be the result of in- 

 jury either by thrips or aphides. Un- 

 der certain conditions plants attacked 

 Ijy these insects seem to develop this 

 peculiar adventitious cell growth 

 which much resembles the attack of 

 certain species of fungus. Fumigation 

 or tlie application of proper insecti- 

 cides for thrips and aphides would un- 

 doubtedly lessen tlie injury. The at- 

 tack of these insects may be responsi- 

 ble for the yellowing of the leaves but 

 I am unable to state this definitely." 



Prof. C. E. Temple, of Md. Hort. 

 Dept., writing further on the subject, 

 says: 



"I may add that Mr. Anspon and I 

 are planning some experiments to de- 

 termine the cause of this trouble. It 

 will take some time, but I am sure 

 that we will be able to get some re- 

 sults. I am unable to see how the 

 trouble can be considered especially 

 serious, and personally I do not be- 

 lieve the spot wliich we have liad most 

 to say about is caused by a fungus." 



Prof. Temple would be pleased to 

 receive any information or data relat- 

 ing to the disease from any florist who 

 has the trouble, so that he may come 

 to some definite conclusion as to what 

 the real cause is and thereby the 

 remedy. 



R. A. Vincent. 



Whitemarsh. Md. 



NEWS NOTES. 



Southington, Ct. — The Oleson & 

 Mitchell Florists' Company will here- 

 after be known as the Mitchell Com- 

 pany, Mr. Oleson having withdrawn. 



Marlboro, Mass. — Joseph Jones of 

 Keene, N. H.. has purchased the War- 

 ren House Greenhouses on East Main 

 street. 



Chatham, N. Y. — The greenhouse 

 whicli has stood for some time on 

 Richard Mason's premises in Kline 

 Kill has been purchased by Mrs. R. H. 

 Finch and is now being re-erected on 

 her premises on "Brooklyn Heights." 



Galesbury, III. — I. L. Pillsbury has 

 just finished rebuilding one green- 

 house, which will be used for palms 

 and decorative stock. The house was 

 built over twenty years ago and was 

 getting out of shape, so he tore it 

 down and rebuilt higher and broader. 



St. Louis — The students at the Mis- 

 souri Botanical Garden have organized 

 a club of which Fred Grossart is presi- 

 dent; Carl Giebel. vice-president; Paul 

 Kohl, secretary and treasurer. They 

 will hold monthly meetings. The first 

 meeting was held Nov. 5 in the Lec- 

 ture Room of the Garden and Dr. Geo. 

 T. Moore addressing the young men. 

 Interesting features will be at each 

 meeting during the winter months. 



The chrysanthemum show at the 

 Missouri Botanical Garden is now at 

 its height. The public is taking greater 

 interest this year than heretofore. 

 Max Schiller has charge of the show. 



