ENTOMOLOGICAL .S00rp:TY OF ONTARIO. 75 



Mr. Howard referred to tho prrss reports of the loss by a Kentucky orchardist of a 

 thousand valuable peach trees from the application of linseed oil, with other ingredients, 

 as a jireventive to the borer. The recornmendition which led to the application was 

 charged to the Department of Agriculture, this charge proving, however, by the man's 

 own admission, to be unfounded. 



Mr. Davis remarked that a similar remedy had been recommended by the United 

 States Pomologist to the fruit growers of Michigan. 



Mr. Smith called attention to the necessity, in reporting results, of giving adequate 

 •explanations, instancing the danger of confusion in the use of the term " emulsion'' aris- 

 ing from the different kerosene emulsion formulas used as a case in point. 



Mr. ForVjush gave further results obtained by the commission in the use of lime 

 against the gypsy moth and against the tent caterpillar, all indicating the value of lime, 

 lie also described the method of clearing out underbrush as a means of starving out the 

 larva;. 



Mr. Howard said the starving-out plan was the one principally relied on in the 

 work against the nun moth in Austria. Trees of considerable size were banded with the 

 insect lime to prevent the ascent of the larv;«, and all low-growing vegetation was then 

 absolutely destroyed and the larv;i; perished for want of food. He further said that 

 there are certain species of plant lice which descend the trunks of trees in autumn and 

 ascend again in spring, against which V>ands of lime could be used to advantage. This 

 would be particularly the case with the .species common upon the tulip tree. 



Mr. Lintner, referring to the difiiculty of preparing a good emulsion, suggested the 

 advisaVjility of someone's undertaking the preparation of the emulsion as a merchantable 

 article, spreading its Vjenefits to the general public, who were not sufficiently skilled or 

 equipped to undertake its home manufacture. 



Mr. Smith said that some patented insecticides very closely imitated the kerosene 

 emulsion, but were more expensive than their cost of manufacture warranted ; but he 

 agreed with Dr. Lintner as to the df sirability of having the standard emulsion on sale. 



Mr. Howard said that where an appropriation was available the superintendents of 

 parks might make the emulsion and distribute it free of charge, as had been done in 

 New Haven. 



Mr. Southwick read a paper entitled " A Oity Entomologist and Insecticides." 



The paper was discussed briefly hj Messrs Smith and Howard. 



Mr. Smith, discussing the work of Scolytus, stated that they normally attack weak- 

 ened or unhealthy trees, and that a vigorous tree would require very -lonsideraVjle work 

 hy Scolytus to seriously injure it. 



Mr. Lintner said he understood from Mr. Davis that the trees were thus diseased 

 and unhealthy. 



Mr. Davis replied that some of the trees were thrifty and others lacked vigour. 



Mr. Rolfs referred to the great numbers of Scolytus which followed the disastrous 

 frost of last winter in Florida, causing great alarm among fruit growers. He said, how- 

 ever, that the trees attacked were such as were greatly injured by the frost and would 

 prohtably have died anyway from the effects of the latter, and that the Vjeetles were al- 

 ways present though rarely injuriously aVjundant. 



Mr. Howard said that it is well known that in the absence of sickly trees Scolytus 

 will attack healthy and vigorous trees, and that the present large numbers of Scolytus 

 are therefore a constant menace. 



Mr. Smith said he had been informed by Mr. Schwartz that the beetles will enter 

 healthy, vigorous trees, but are unable to successfully propagate in them. 



Mr. Lintner said that Professor Peck had found them attacking perfectly healthy 

 spruces. 



