40 AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGY. 



found that a new deposit had been made, and that the young 

 worms were then devouring what their predecessors had left. This 

 fact exhibited the inefficacy of the practice of laying bare the 

 roots during the winter. " About the close of July, many of 

 these insects, having assumed the winged state, soon after de- 

 posit their eggs in peach-trees, just beneath the surface ; first 

 wounding the bark in different places, which, on examination, 

 appears to have been effected by a blunt pointed instrument. 

 They leave from one to fifty, and in some instances, nearly three 

 hundred eggs in each tree, according to its size and capacity to 

 support the future progeny : these soon appear, but it is difficult 

 to detect them until they have acquired a growth of two or three 

 weeks, when they are four or five lines in length. From this 

 period, their growth is accelerated or retarded in proportion to 

 the quantity of nourishment afforded. In general, however, the 

 pupae are formed early in October, in the midst of a conglomera- 

 tion of gum, fibrous and excrementitious matter, and about the 

 close of the month the insect issues from the chrysalis, deposits 

 its eggs as before mentioned, and prepares to hybernate, like 

 others of the same tribe, in the roofs of houses, beneath the bark 

 of old trees, &e. The larvae appear in April, assume the nymph 

 state, and accomplish their final transformation in the course of 

 July. Thus, there are two periods in each year assigned for 

 their production and reproduction : nevertheless, individuals may 

 be seen during the whole season, in almost every stage of exist- 

 ence." Having thus ascertained an important part of the natural 

 history of the species, and the inefficiency of the applica- 

 tions hitherto made with a view to prevent its depredations, Mr. 

 Thomas was led to make another experiment, which, he informs 

 us, has been completely successful. ''Remove the earth from 

 about the trunk of the tree quite down to the lateral roots, press 

 with the but end of the pruning knife against the bark in differ- 

 ent places ; if it appears to adhere firmly, and no gum or moisture 

 issues, a thin coat of the composition described below, may be 

 applied both above and beneath the surface, by a brush or 

 wooden spatula, about two inches broad. Then take Canton 

 matting, (or any other similar substance,) cut into pieces of from ' 

 six to twelve inches in width, according to the size of the tree, 

 and of sufficient length to encircle it; bind one of these around 



