84 [Assembly , 



"Black and white aphides " on plum and cherry trees were very 

 destructive in western New York. The new shoots were attacked 

 by myriads, distorting and destroying the foliage and the fruit. 

 Scarcely a tree in the vicinity of Rochester had escaped injury. 

 {Country Gentleman for July 8, 1886, page 525.) 



In the month of July, a far more serious aphis attack than that 

 upon apple trees was made by the hop aphis, Phorodon humtdi. 

 Hops throughout the State suddenly became infested by the aphis 

 to an extent far exceeding any demonstration of the kind for many 

 years. The leaves and buds dried and fell off ; the vines assumed 

 a woody appearance and their roots upon examination showed a 

 pulpy condition. Entire yards were destroyed. Others hardly 

 paid for the gathering, As a result, the hop crop throughout the 

 State of New York the present year has proved ahnost an entire 

 failure. It is estimated that only about eight per cent of an average 

 crop has been secured — 12,000 bales in lieu of 150,000. 



During the same month, a severe attack of an aphis upon potato 

 plants was reported to me from localities in Pennsylvania and 

 Massachusetts. The examples received were in too poor condition 

 to admit of comparison with our known species, and it therefore 

 remains at the present unidentified. 



' Plant-lice were also reported as injuring carrots and parsnips in 

 Massachusetts — in some instances completely destroying entire 

 beds and fields. No injury to these crops by aphides had been 

 recorded in the United States, and it will be of interest to determ- 

 ine the species now for the first time infesting them. 



During the autumn the grain aphis, Siphonoplwra avenm, made 

 its appearance under circumstances that gave ground for the fear 

 that its ravages upon some of our grain crops experienced in 

 former years would be repeated the coming year. 



Large numbers of the spring canker-worm, Anisopteryx vernata^ 

 appeared in several localities in New \'ork, inflicting considerable 

 injury, and indicating a steady increase of the pest among us. 

 Mr. 0. M. Hooker reports it as steadily gaining ground in Monroe 

 county, and very destructive last year, but that Paris green and 

 water would free an orchard from it very cheaply and easily. 

 Mr. E. C. Pierson reports that it had occurred in many orchards in 

 the northern part of Seneca county, but a timely and liberal spray- 



