150 FORTT-FIFTR REPORT ON TEE StATE MuSEUM. 



In a visit made to the pear-orchards of Mr. George T. Powell at 

 Ghent, N. Y., on June 8th, the work of the midge was seen, although 

 less severe than at Catskill, but occurring in a larger number of 

 varieties of the fruit. 



At this date, all the fruit attacked had passed its knobby, swollen, gall- 

 like stage, and had become shriveled and black and more or less 

 cracked or broken about the base, while still fast on the trees. Upon 

 cutting them open the irregular cavity within showed the work of 

 the larvffi. In a few instances some of the larvae still remained within 

 the fruit. 



Ghent is fifteen miles in direct line from Catskill, and each locality 

 is about ninety miles from Meriden. It is probable that the attack has 

 been gradually extending westerly (presumably in other directions 

 also) until it has reached the fruit region of the Hudson river valley, 

 where, unless efficient means can be found for its control, it will continue 

 to extend its range. It is reported as quite bad at Athens, six miles 

 to the north of Catskill. It has not yet reached as far north as Albany, 

 in force, although it is actually j^resent in this locality, for examination 

 of pear trees in gardens in the city, gave me a siiigle pear hanging on 

 a tree, June 6th, which had unmistakably harbored and given out the 

 midge larvae. 



Remedies. 



P'rom the peculiar concealment of this insect within the fruit during 

 its Qgg and larval growth to maturity, where it is effectually beyond 

 the reach of the sprayed insecticides, the question of how it can be 

 reached and destroyed, finds no ready answer. At first sight, it would 

 seem, that since every infested pear can be readily and unerringly 

 recognized, the method adopted at Meriden of picking and burning 

 the infested frui while containing the larvae, would be all that could 

 be desired. This would not be a difficult task in a young orchard, but 

 when trees have attained the size of the Lawrences growing in the 

 orchard of Mr. Cole at Catskill, viz., twenty-five feet in height with a 

 spread of about twenty feet, it is virtually impracticable. 



Mr. Cole at first tliought of meeting the difficulty by cutting down 

 and burning in the following month of May, after the oviposition of 

 the midge, all of the old and large Lawrence trees which were yielding 

 him f;carcely any fruit. On reflection, he concluded that they might 

 serve a more valuable jair] ose by allowing them to stand as lures for 

 the reception of much the larger proporticn of the eggs that would be 

 deposited by the midges in an orchard of different varieties. As soon 



