450 rOKTY-EIGHTH REPOKT ON THE STATE MUSEtM 



associated with, a moist black rot, which in less than forty-eight hours 

 reduces the mushrooms to a state of black and deliquescent putrescence. 



Probably Bryobia pratensis. 

 It is not improbable that the mites of the Newburg cellar may be 

 the £r^obia prateri sis, known sometimes as "the clover-mite" from 

 its being often found upon that plant, although frequently met with on 

 other vegetation. It is a common species in the State of New York 

 and many of the other States, and reports are received, from time to 

 time, of its occurrence in dwelling-houses, in conservatories, in road- 

 ways and elsewhere. (See account and illustration in the sixth and 

 seventh reports of this series.) 



Remedies for Mites, 

 The best remedy that we have for mites is sulphur. An application, 

 by means of a powder bellows, of the flour of sulphur over the mush- 

 room bed when the "pin-heads" make their appearance, oaght not to 

 interfere with their edibility. The experiment might also be made of 

 sublimating sulphur by placing it on the steam pipes, or by burning 

 brimstone. The last-named method has been made very convenient 

 for use under almost any conditions, in the sulphur candles of about a 

 pound weight each, which have lately been put in market for disinfect- 

 ant purposes, and may be purchased in most drug stores. It is pos- 

 sible, too, that the vapor of bisulphide of carbon might be employed 

 for killing the mites. A small quantity — an ounce or two of the 

 liquid — may be placed in an open vessel near the ceiling so that the vapor 

 in descending might diffuse itself over the ground area. The cellar 

 should be closed, and no lamp or light or fire of any kind brought in 

 which might ignite the inflammable vapor. 



Caution in Use of Insecticides. 

 It would be well, before using either the sulphur or the bisulphide of 

 carbon as above suggested, to consult Mr. William Falconer, of Glen 

 Cove, L. I., who is intimately acquainted with mushroom culture in all 

 its phases and an authority on the subject, and his opinion asked as to 

 the possibility of injury to the mushrooms, either in their development 

 or for the table, from the use of the substances named. If it shall be 

 found that they may safely be used, we will have in them convenient 

 and effective methods of ridding mushroom beds not only of mites, but 

 of the larvfe o ' a small fly and other insect forms that are frequently 

 so detrimental to mushroom culture as to arrest it completely at cer- 

 tain seasons. 



