42 



closely to the tree with tacks. The meshes are just large enough for the larvpe to enter. 

 To make allowance for the larv?e above the average size, the tin collar at the middle is 

 perforated with holes slightly larger than the wire meshes. The moth when hatched can 

 not possilily escape, but remains to die in the trap. The trial I have seen was verj^ satis- 

 factory—all the larva^ placed on the trunk finding their way directly into the trap. " It will 

 be seen that this trap saves all the work of searching the bands, which in itself amounts 

 to a great deal. The absolute necessity of looking at the bands at shorter intervals makes 

 the system extremely annoying, as all other work of the time must be laid aside for this. 

 (3n tlie other hand, Thissell's trap is rather expensive, being from 15 to 30 cents, according 

 to the size of the tree. It has also the objection that it does not allow for the expansion 

 of the tree, a fault quite serious when young trees are to be protected. 



Pleasures aiming at destruction of the moth. 



Light to attract the moth. — This means, aiming at the destruction of the moth, has been 

 least successful of all. From the testimony of the best observers, both here and in the 

 East, we may conclude that the number of codlin moths caught and killed by light is 

 very small, as compared with the number of other night-flying insects, many of which 

 are useful. The device — a lamp above a can of .oily mixture — in my judgment has been 

 no more successful than others on the same principle. 



Cons iilled with vinegar and molasses, or other similar compounds. — This device, it seems to 

 me, has been least successful of all, attracting all sorts of insects but the ones most of aU 

 desired. It must be regarded as a failure. 



Remedies aiming at the destruction of the hibernating larvse. 



To prevent any larvse from hibernating on trees, all old loose bark should 

 be scraped off and the ground treated to a depth of six inches below the 

 surface. If the trees are covered with lichens, which is very often the case, 

 the spraying of the trees with an alkaline wash will be of excellent service, 

 killing any that might be there, and also invigorating the tree. If potash 

 is used, one seventh of a pound of concentrated lye and one quarter of a 

 pound of potash to one gallon of water is a good mixture. 



Note. — The experience of last summer has demonstrated the necessity of removing the 

 second crop on apples and pears. In many varieties of apples, as well as in pears, there 

 s a delay of eight or ten days before some of the weaker fruitspurs push. These will be 

 -cached with the second spraying. But besides this, there are on some varieties of apples, 

 or iiistance the Esopus Spitzenberg, a distinct second flowering, fully a month after the 

 rst. As this seldom develops good fruit and first invites the codlin moth, tl^e easiest 

 way to dispose of them is to clip off the whole fruitspur when in bloom. The neglect of 

 doing this has been to counteract the influence of the spraying altogether, what many per- 

 sons nave learned to their sad experience this year. 



In early fruit sections, such as the Sacramento River, the removal of the second crop 

 of Bartlett pears has, according to the experience of Sol. Runyon, Esq., one of the most 

 successful growers there, the influence of checking the codlin moth, so much so_that the 

 damage to the next year's first crop is comparatively slight. 



Parasites and Predaceous Insects. 

 In report of the Department of Agriculture, 1887, Mr. L. 0. Howard says: 



Of true hymenopterous parasites at least three species have been recorded in Europe 

 and two have been bred in this country. The European species are riiygadenon brevis, 

 Grav. ; Pachymerns vulnerator, and Campoj^lex pomorum, Ratz. ; all ichnennionids. The 

 species whicli infest it in this country are also ichneumonids, and are Pimplu annnlipcs, 

 Br., and Macrocentrus delicatus, Cress. Both of these insects were first recorded by Profes- 

 sor Riley, who reared them from the codlin moth in Missouri in 1872. The Pimpla is 

 quite a widespread species in all parts of the country, and is not by any means confined 

 to the codlin moth. Professor Riley has recorded it from the walnut case-bearer (.-Icro- 

 hasis jnglandis) and has also reared it from the cotton worm of the South {Aletin xrilina) 

 and from Grapholitha olivaceana, Riley; (Joleophora cineralla, Cham.; Orgia leurostigma, 

 Har., and an unknown loaf-roller on ash. It does not seem to spin a cocoon, but eats its 

 way out of the pupa in which it has transformed, usually coming out of the anterior part. 



fi.ecently it has been sent to us from Alameda County, California, where it was reared 

 from the codlin moth pupa by Mr. Koebele. The Macrocentrus is, so far as we know, con- 

 fined to this one host. It is apparently a more efficient destroyer of tlie pest tlian is the 

 Pimpla. We have seen large series of individuals in several collections, and it is as com- 

 mon at the East as it is in the West. It spins a tough brown cocoon within that of the 

 Carpocapsa. 



There are a great many predaceous insects which feed upon the larvte while they are 

 searching for suitable places to spin up, and upon the pup;e, which are poorly protected 



