21 



brown. Ench scciiiciit or rine is provided with a trnnsv(^ise row of tubercles from wliich 

 arise clusters of loiia- spreiidiiiL; luiirs. one pjiir of tubercles on the sides of the serond sej^nv-nt 

 much larirer than any ol the others and witli a larger cluster of hairs ; in each cluster there is 

 oiic or more hairs, very loiifr, longer in some instances than tlie emire body of the larva, there 

 is a dark brown broken stripe alonp each side. Hairs mixed, brown and whitish. Chanaes 

 take place in its y)i)ifarance at each successive moult until finally it presents the appearance 

 given in fiL'. 14. and is in adirnnuut one of the most beautiful catcrjiiilars we know 

 of with its Vermillion rid head and collar, the graceful pencils of long; black hairs at each 

 extremity, and the cream coloured brushes or tufts alons its back. 



Nine different parasites l)ave bi en found infestinir this iarva\ These fiiendly hcljiers 

 must do much towards keeepint; this destructive creature within reasonable limits. Of 34 

 cocoons lately taken at random fnmi different trees, only tcu wore found with efrgs attached 

 and quite a large pro]iortion of the remainder were infested with parasites. Hence when 

 collectinn; these cocoons in winter none should be takon or destroyed, but those which 

 have egg mas.ses on them, as all the others will contain eiUn^r useful parasites or else the empty, 

 harmless male chrysalis. As the female never travels beyond hercocoon, it is clear that tliis 

 insect can only spread by the wanderings of the caterpillar or the careless introduction of tggs 

 on young trees, no doubt the latter has been the most prolific source of evil. 



THE APPLE-TREE BLTOHT. 



This .strange disease, affecting the tips of the branches of apple and quince trees, has 

 been very common during the past summer, and h.is extended over a large portion of the 

 western p.irt of Ontario. 'J he first specimens we received this year were f.om Mr. James 

 Dougall, of U'indsor. Fie writes, on the 27th of June, as follows — "I send you to day, by 

 expre.ss, some twigs and shoots of apple and quince trees, affected by what I presume is the 

 twig borer. 1 have never been able to discover any insects or larva" in the shoots, but possibly 

 I may have been late in lookins fir them. The year before last this pest was very bad down 

 the lake shore, about Ruthven, the orchards were browned with it. Last year it attacked my 

 larger apple trees badly, and in the nursery rows some Alexander trees, which were five years 

 old suffered, while the younger ones were not touched ; this year it is wor.se than last. My 

 quinces have been badly injured for the past three years." 



On the same day ive received another package from C. F. Treffry, of Hawtry, Ontario, 

 with the following note — " I herewith enclo.se for your inspection some small branches from 

 some of my apple trees. In passing through my orchard I was surprised to find three of my 

 finest young trees affected as enclosed. 1 have watched closely for the insee! which must 

 have cau.sed sueli damage, but without success; neither can 1 find anything in the Society's 

 lieport for ISTii which will give me any inform.ition respecting it." 



This same disease affected the trees very much on the grounds of ^Ir. Charles Arnold, 

 of Paris, and many or hards in that section of country were similarly injureil. In our own 

 location we observed it in one instance only, affecting a few fruit-bearing twiss on a quince 

 tree. About Hamilton, and between that city and Dundas. we saw, in July, many trees 

 which had been badly injured, and. on returning from New York, a few weeks later saw evi- 

 dences of the same trouble in some of the apple orchards in the western portion of that state. 

 Thus it will be seen that this disease has affected many trees in widely distant portions of 

 our country, and probably has extended much further th ^n we are at present aware of. We 

 shall be glad to hear from our fruit-growing friends in reference to this matter. 



The advent of this disease is shown by a sudden witherintr of the twi'.'S and extremities 

 of the branches, particularly the fruit bearing pcutions, and embr leinir the whole of the new 

 growth. Soou the leaves appear as if scorched, and tiie wood of the affected portions becomes 

 black. Hero the trouble seems to end, and Liter in the season the tree partially recovers its 

 vi.;our and throws out new shoots from below the basi' of the affected portion. The fact of 

 the fruit branches bein^ principally involved tells heavily on the crop for the year, and makes 

 this disea.se a much more serious matter than it would otherwise be. The effects produced 

 are so similar in appearance to the damag- done, in some inst.inees by the twig borers that we 

 do not wonder at the prevailing opinion that the injury is in some way caused by insects. 

 The mo-t careful examination, however, fails t) reveal the .sli'.rhtest cvideoee of insect work, 

 and, like the mysterious pear tree- blight, its origin and progress are at present involved ia 



