324 FoRTT-sixTH Report on the State Museum 



Early in June, in a visit made to the orchards of Mr. Cole, at Cats- 

 kill, Greene Co., N. Y., to observe the attack of the pear midge, which 

 had just been brought to notice {see Eighth Rejyort Insects of New 

 York), it was learned that the pear Psylla had been extremely abun- 

 dant with him for the preceding four years, and had seriously affected 

 the bearing of his trees. That they had lieen very numerous was evi- 

 dent from the appearance of some of the larger trees, the terminal 

 branches of which looked as if they had been coated with a black 

 paint. A few of the insects were observed at this time on the wing, 

 but, later in the year, according to Mr. Cole, clouds of them would 

 rise up in the air if a limb was shaken. The branches would be so 

 covered with honey-dew as to smear the hands and sleeves of the men 

 gathering the fruit. 



About the middle of June the insect was seen prosecuting its 

 destructive work at Ghent, Columbia county, N. Y. : in the extensive 

 orchards of Mr. G. T. Powell, larva% ptipif, honey-dew, and the winged 

 insects abounded. Of" the latter a dozen or more could be seen at one 

 time feeding from the foot-stalks of a leaf or young pear, extracting 

 its sap, and, of course, producing blight. If a small tree was shaken, 

 thousands would take wing, circle about the branches for a short time, 

 and then agxin settle upon the leaves. A correspondent of the Rural 

 KexD Yorker, who visited the orchards of Mr. Powell in August, has 

 given the following sad account of their appearance : 



From the beautiful apple orchards we strolled to the pear orchards, 

 and here was a sight to make one crj. He has about three thousand 

 pear trees, half of them in full bearing, but a pest has struck them this 

 season, which has made the oi'chards a picture of desolation. Last 

 year the pear.-tree Psylla appeared, but were not numtrous enough to 

 do any appreciable damage. This season they reappeared in force, and 

 have converted his beautiful orchards into a most distressing scene. 

 Mr. Powell's most vigorous efforts, seconded by the wisdom of the 

 State Entomologist, were powerless to check the ravages of this pest, 

 though they hope another season to be more successful. Possibly the 

 pests may not reapi)ear another season, as they come and go mysteri- 

 ously. But they have done their work most effectually this season, and 

 instead of tAvelve hundred barrels of fine pears which he had counted 

 on, he will barely have one hundred. {Rural JVeio Yorker, August 29th, 

 1891, page 624.) 



Similar conditions presumably prevailed in a large number, if not in 

 most, of the pear orchards of Greene and Columbia counties, judging 

 from other reports that came to me. 



A severe attack was also reported, in June, by Professor C. H. Peck, 

 on some young pear trees in his garden, at Menands, in Albany county. 

 It continued through the summer into the autumn, causing consider- 

 able damage to the foliage of the infested trees. 



