320 Forty-second Report on the State Museum. [178] 



is one of the white grubs, and is quite injurious to the roots of grass ; 

 its abundance in Washington ; the beetle is a pollen feeder and some- 

 times occurs in great numbers, as in an instance cited. The " trim 

 flower-chafer " might be a better common name for it. 



The Roundheaded Apple-tree Borer — Saperda Candida Fabr, 

 (Country Gentleman, for July 16, 1885, 1, pp. 590-1, c. 4, 1 — 

 33 cm.) 



Borers in hawthorn [in Westchester Co., N. Y.], are probably the 

 Saperda Candida; its burrows and method of destroying the grubs 

 with a strip of flexible steel ; recommendation by Dr. Fitch of cutting 

 out the grub ; discovering the location and crushing the egg ; killing 

 the eggs by application of lye ; benefit of mounding about the tree ; 

 washing with soap, and soap placed in the forks of the trees for pre- 

 ventives ; principal publications upon the insect. 



Entomological. [Answers to inquiries.] (Country Gentleman, for 

 July 16, 1885, 1, p. 592, c. 2-3 — 20 cm.) 



Paris green recommended for killing the potato-beetle infesting egg- 

 plants; road-dust may prevent their attack. For the injuries of the 

 rose-bug, at Waddington, N. Y., to apples and cherries, beating them 

 from the trees recommended ; to the former, Paris green might be 

 applied. The abundance of this insect upon fruit trees at times, cited. 



The Cause of Black-Knot. (Country Gentleman, for July 23, 1885, 1, 

 p. 607 c. 1-2 —26 cm.) 



It is not, as is popularly believed, of insect origin, but is produced by 

 a fungus originally named Sphceria morbosa, but recently transferred to 

 the genus Plowrightia. There are not "three distinct species," but the 

 same one attacks Primus domeatica, P. Americana, P. cerasiis, P. Vir- 

 giniana, P. Pennsijlvanica and P. serotina — two plum trees and four 

 cherry trees. Six species of insects have been bred from the black-knot. 

 The remedy is to cut off and destroy attacked twigs and branches early 

 in July. 



[Revised, and printed in this Report, see pp. 280,281.] 



The Cucumber Moth. (Country Gentleman, for July 23, 1885, 1, p. 

 607, c. 2, 3 — 28 cm.) 



The borer attacking a melon patch in Carp, Tenn., is, from the 

 description sent, probably the larva of PhaJcellura nitidalis (Cramer), 

 popularly known as the " pickle-worm." In New York and the Eastern 

 States the squash-vine borer Melittia cucurhitce takes its place. The 

 appearance and the habits of the pickle-worm are described. The moth 

 is also described. For remedies, destroy the bored melons, sprinkle 

 with London purple or Paris green water while the moth is ovipositing. 

 Figures of the insects are referred to. The borer may possibly be 

 P, hyalinatalis, of which the habits are different. 



