22 SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



may permeate the soil, and with its poisonous vapor kill the Aphis (see 

 ist Report Insects of New York, page 47). The "nether-inserter " of 

 Dr. Barnard, noticed in a following page, could advantageously be used 

 for the conveyance of this powerful insecticide into the ground. 



As superior to the above, recommendation has been made by M. Du- 

 mas, Permanent Secretary of the Academy of Science of France, for the 

 arrest of the grape Phylloxera, of the sulpho-carbonates of potassium 

 and sodium, and of barium. They would be equally serviceable against 

 all root-inhabiting aphides. 



The sulpho-carbonate of barium decomposes under the influence of 

 carbonic acid, and evolves sulphuretted hydrogen and bisulphide of car- 

 bon. Placed in the ground, by its slow decomposition, it should prove 

 a powerful insecticide. 



Sulpho-carbonate of potassium, in addition to its toxic effect, has also 

 a direct invigorating influence upon the plant. 



The use of these sulpho-carbonates was suggested by the need of 

 some substance that would evaporate less quickly than the bisulphide of 

 carbon, and thereby infect with its vapors all the surrounding soil. 

 They should be reduced to fine powders and spread over the surface of 

 the ground before the heavy autumnal rains. 



PULVINARIA INNUMERABILIS UPON GRAPEVINES. 



N. C. Scudder, M. D., of Rome, N. Y., in sending examples of Pul- 

 vinaria innumerabilis Rathvon, under date of July 20, 1884, writes: " I 

 send specimens that I took from a grapevine in my garden. The vine 

 was very thrifty and had an abundance of small clusters of grapes. In 

 the latter part of June I noticed that the grapes began to wither and 

 dry up. On searching for the cause, I found these specimens fastened 

 to the vine, from the surface of the soil upward for about three feet, the 

 greatest number being gathered about the enlargements, or where the 

 vine divides into smaller branches. I searched diligently among upper 

 branches, but found none. In all cases I found them attached under the 

 loose bark. What I took to be the eggs, I found to be all alive, 

 and when I emptied the contents of the shell into my hand they began to 

 crawl. * * * * Since I began destroying these insects, what few 

 grapes were left' have grown and shown no signs of destruction as yet." 



In acknowledging the above, in addition to the removal of the scales, 

 recommendation was made of application at the time of the hatching 

 and distribution of the young lice, of kerosene oil emulsified with either 

 milk or soap, and properly diluted according to the directions given in 

 the reports of the Entomological Division of the Department of Agri- 

 culture at Washington, and in various other entomological publications. 



