354 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



on economic entomology, during the past 30 years. It was first brought 

 to their notice in 1831, by Say, who believing it to be an undescribed 

 species, characterized it and gave it the name of Capsus obHiicatus, 

 stating that it was a very common insect. Later it was found that it had 

 been previously described by Beauvois as Coreiis lineafis, and finally it 

 was ascertained that it was originally described by Linnaeus, over 100 

 years ago, as Ci/iiex pratensis. 



Economic aspect. This insect has long been known as occurring 

 on, and often quite injurious to a large number of both cultivated and 

 native plants. Its earliest notice as of economic importance is by Harris, 

 who represents it as a very general feeder. Another early account is 

 that by Prof. Riley in his second report (see citation), where he ascribes to 

 it an extended range of food plants, and mentions it as often exceedingly 

 destructive to young pear trees. He cites the case of Mr E. J. A\res 

 of Villa Ridge, who, in his eftorts to grow young pear trees, was quite 

 discouraged by the insidious work of this insect. Prof. Riley also gives 

 an instance, coming under his personal observation, of potato fields with 

 almost every stalk blighted and black from the work of this pest. It 

 has proved itself a destructive enemy of the strawberry, sucking the 

 green berries and causing them to ' button ' (Forbes, see citation). It 

 has been recorded by a number of writers as very injurious to several 

 flowers, and has recently been found injuring celery to such an extent as 

 to materially reduce its market value. It is known to attack sucli a large 

 number of plants that a list of them would be of little value, including 

 as it would, most of the crops grown on a farm and in the garden 

 besides many native wild plants. 



Injuries in peach nurseries. In a number of nurseries in the 

 western part of this state, many peach-trees showed, in the early autumn 

 of the present year, a peculiar short bushy growth, which was evidently 

 caused by a blighting or stunting of the growing tips earlier in the year. 

 In some localities, a large proportion, perhaps one half, of the young trees 

 were so seriously affected as to greatly reduce their value, as they were no 

 longer first-class stock. The damage to one block of trees, not many 

 miles from Rochester, from this cause, was estimated by its owner at 

 $1,000. The total loss for the year to the nurserymen growing peach- 

 trees in that portion of the state, must have amounted to a number of 

 thousands of dollars. 



The nurserymen informed me that the trouble was due to an insect 

 ' stinging' the young shoots from the bud as they appeared. The injury 



