INSECTS OF 1900 TN NEW YORK STATE. 41 



llial Mil injury of this idnd could l)c liclped by bridge grafting, and 

 it is presuniablo that cxtronicly InMieficinl results would have been 

 obtained even if this means had not been enii)l()yed until two or three 

 years after the initial injury, jjrovided the bridge grafts were inserted 

 in rather vigorous tissues. 



The white-marked tussock moth {Ilemerocamfa leucostigma S. & 

 A.) has been the cause of extensive injury the past season to shade trees 

 in Buffalo, Lockport, Geneva, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, 

 Troy, and Brooklyn. They were so abundant in many of these jilaces 

 as nearly to defoliate a large number of trees. An extremely inter- 

 esting ]:)henomenon was observed in Capitol Park, Albany, July 5. 

 JMany of the trees were then badly infested by the tussock moth, some 

 being almost entirely defoliated. On that m(»rning the ground was 

 thickly strewn with leaves and leaf-bearing twigs. Most of the lat- 

 ter bore from 3 to 5 or G leaves, and the cut end had invariably been 

 completely girdled for a distance ranging from one-fourth inch to 

 nearly an inch in lengtli. This peculiar form of injury was first 

 observed by the late Doctor Lintner in 1883, he having actually seen 

 the caterpillar engaged in the girdling operations. Subsequently 

 questions arose as to whether the depredator Avas con-ectly identified. 

 It is gratifying to state that the trees in Cai)itol Park, mentioned 

 above, were infested by practically no other insect. The tussock 

 moth caterj)illars were in several instances observed upon the fallen 

 twigs, and there is, therefore, every reason to believe that this larva 

 was the author of this somewhat anomalous injury. The girdling 

 was limited, as was also observed by Doctor Lintner, to the new 

 growth, and as the past summer has been exceptionally moist it 

 is barely possible that there is some connection between a rapid, suc- 

 culent growth and this form of injury, since it is only occasionally 

 that the larva^ girdle the twigs as reported above. 



The elm leaf-beetle {Galervcella Inteola Miill.) has been abundant 

 and injurious in certain sections, such as Oyster Bay, Ossining, 

 Albany, Troy, Fort Edward, and Ithaca. 



The false maple scale {Phenacoeeus acericola King) appears to be 

 establishing its claim as one of the most serious pests of the hard 

 maple in New York State, since it has been injurious to trees in the 

 vicinity of New York City in particular during the past four or five 

 years. It was very abundant last summer at Port Chester, Middle- 

 town, and probably in other villages in the southern part of the State. 

 The elm bark-scale {Gosxyparia spuria ^lod.) continues quite de- 

 structive, displaying a marked preference for the Scotch elm. 



The violet gall midge {Co)itarhria riolicola Coq.) is a very serious 

 pest of the extensive violet-growing industry in and about Rhine- 

 beck, N. Y. The crop in infested houses, according to estimates of 

 growers, is reduced from one-third to one-half by the operations of 



