40 



he came to the conclusion that there are two species, about equally common, included 

 under the name erechtea, and that these should be called D. eerchea, Oram, and D. cras- 

 siuscula, Haworth, with ochrea and distincta as varieties of the latter. He then pro- 

 ceeded to describe the difierences between the species, and recommended the plowing of 

 the iiifested fields in order to destroy the larva? and pupte. 



A paper by Mr. T. D. A. Cockerell, of Kinij;3ton, Jamaica, on " Ortlazia insignis 

 as a garden pest," was read by the Secretary. The writer stated that the insect waa 

 first observed on a variety of exotic plants in the hot houses at Kew and elsewhere, and 

 that he now found it injurious to several garden plants in Jamaica. 



A paper by Dr. F. W. Goding on " The Food Plants of North American 

 Membracidie," was next read. This was followed by Prof. J. B. Smith's paper, " Notes 

 of the Year in New Jersey," in which he referred to the principal insect attacks that had 

 come under his notice. In the discussion that followed, remarks were made by Mr. L. 

 O. Howard, Prof. H. Osborn, Dr. Liatner and Prof F. M. Webster. 



Prof. Webster drew attention to the occurrence of Phytonovius pundatus to an in- 

 jurious extent in north eastern Ohio, and of Hylastes trifolii attacking peas in northern 

 Ohio. He stated further that Otiorhyncus ovatiis was found feeding upon the foliage of 

 musk-melons. 



A paper on " Two Serious Pear-tree Pests," was read by Mr. M. V. Slingerland, of 

 Cornell University. 



1. The Pear-tree PsyWa, [Psylla pyricola) This insect is described as one of the 

 most serious pests that pear growers have to fear. It had appeared in the valley of the 

 Hudson in enormous numbers during 1891. Orchards which had given promise of 1,200 

 barrels of fruit having perfected less than 100 birrels. The pear-tree Psylla when 

 mature is scarcely 3 mm. in length, shaped like a miniature cicada. The nymphs are 

 oval and very flat and produce a great deal of honey-dew which renders the trees un- 

 sightly. There are three and perhaps four broods in the year and it is in the perfect 

 state that the insect hibernates. As a remedy Mr. Slingerland had found that the 

 nymphs were easily destroyed by a very weak kerosene emulsion (two per cent.) Wash- 

 ing the trees in winter to destroy the adults was also recommended. 



2. The Pear-leaf Blister-mite {Phytoptus pyri) was alarmingly on the increase in the 

 United States and Canada. It is a very small mite which hibernates beneath the bud- 

 scales of the pear tree and comes out when the leaves expand in spring and forms 

 blister-like galls on the foliage. Spraying the trees during the winter with kerosene 

 emulsion had been found successful. 



Prof LiNTNER stated that P. pyri was very abundant in eastern New York. 



Prof. F. M. Webster had also found it abundant in Ohio. Spraying with Bordeaux 

 mixture had shown no effect in reducing the leaf-blisters. 



Prof. J. B. Smith had found that in orchards sprayed with the ammoaiacal solution 

 of carbonate of copper mixed with London purple, the pest was perceptibly lessened. 



Mr. SouTHWicK read a paper upon Depressaria lieradeana, the Parsnip Web-worm, 

 and gave an interesting account of the war waged upon it by the " Potter wasp " (Ewmenes 

 /raterna) and stated that he had bred from it a Hymenopterous parasite, a species of 

 lAniiieria. 



Mr. Howard read the following paper on " An Experiment Against Mosquitoes," 

 which was listened to with great interest : 



AN EXPERIMENT AGAINST MOSQUITOES. 



By L. O. Howard. 



One of the most reasonable of the recommendations which have been made from time 

 to time, and which look toward the redaction of the mosquito plague during the summer 

 months, is the application of kerosene to restricted and Ashless breeding ponds. Although 

 this remedy has often been suggested, I know of no careful records of actual experiments, 

 and consequently deem the following account of a recent experience worthy of publica- 

 tion. 



