Report of the State Entomologist 185 



In response to a request from the editor of the American 

 Farmer, for information for the benefit of its readers in regard 

 to the multiplication of plant-lice as reported from New York, 

 the following communication was made and published in the 

 issue of that journal for June 1, 1893 : 



"The remarkable abundance of these destructive little pests on the 

 opening buds and tender leaves of fruit trees in the State of New York 

 this spring- is exciting a great deal of interest and considerable appre- 

 hension among fruit growers. The apple tree has been particularly- 

 infested, the insect occurring on it, the Aphis malt, being one that 

 multiplies under favoring conditions in excessive numbers, entirely- 

 covering twigs and standing one on another, and sucking out all the 

 sap until the parts attacked are blighted. 



" From some portions of the State reports have reached me of the 

 opening buds of apple trees being literally covered with these plant 

 lice, or aphides as they are scientifically known. As the reports have 

 come from eastern, central, and northern counties, it would appear as if 

 the condition was general throughout the State. Whether it also 

 extends into adjoining and other States is as } et unknown to me. 



" To inquiries made of the probable eflPect of this attack on the com- 

 ing fruit crops, I have replied that it was unusually severe, and appar- 

 ently exceeded anything that we had experienced since the year 1886, 

 when the superabundance of plant lice of different speci<.^8 inflicted 

 serious losses, and the hop aphis almost destroyed the hop crop of the 

 State of New York. It was therefore desirable that fruit growers 

 should spra}^ their trees at once with kerosene emulsion, strong soap 

 suds, or tobacco water, and not wait until the aphides have greatly 

 multiplied and found shelter within the curled leaves where the insecti- 

 cide could not reach them . A long, cold rain following in a week or 

 ten days the appearance of the insect, would probably be quite as bene- 

 ficial as the spraying recoiamended, if we could judge from observations 

 in preceding years, but, of course, this providential aid could not be 

 counted upon. 



" Since then we ^ave had throughout the State heavy rains, continu- 

 ing with more or less intermission, amounting to from two to three 

 inches of fall. It was not a cold rain, however, and judging from a 

 few reports since received (1 have not been able to make personal 

 observations) it failed to prove very efficient in the desired direction, 

 for the apple aphis is said to be about as abundant as before. 



" Our hop growers also are feeling (considerable anxiety, for the 

 same conditions that favor an nnusual number of the apple aphis 



