Proceedings, 191 4. 



red spider (7'. himaculatus) passes the winter at a depth of H/4 to 2 inches in the 

 soil. In a very interesting manner he descrihes the migration of this species from 

 Ihe tree to the soil. His observations are remarkably convincing. The brown 

 mite (B. pratcnsis) is closely associated with T. Vimaculatus, but in the case of 

 the former, webs are usually absent. The injury from this mite takes place early. 

 AVeldon states that B. pratensis winters over in the egg stage, the winter eggs 

 being deposited on the trees before August 1st in Colorado. 



The problem of mite-control is a difficult one, but good work has been done by 

 many stations with satisfactory results. They can usually be controlled by the 

 summer application of flowers of sulphur alone, powdered lime and flowers of 

 sulphur, or lime-sulphur spray. Weldou found that summer spraying with lime- 

 sulphur was remarkably effective against red spider (T. hiinaeulatus), while for 

 brown mite (Bryobia pratensis), which winters over in the egg stage, a dormant 

 spra.y of lime-sulphur early in the spring gave much better results. With this 

 donnant spray he states that the mites die a short time after hatching from the eggs. 

 Observ.vtions made Last October. 



The writer last season had a great deal to do with nursery-stocU inspection in 

 different parts of the Province. In one of the nurseries curious disfigurations or 

 incrustations of the bark were observed on Northern Spies. Freehand sections 

 were made of the affected parts, and on examination a large number of mites of 

 the genus Eriophi/cs were found. The matter was referred to the Dominion 

 Entomologist for his report. He corroborated my statement that a species of 

 Kriophyes was present under the incrustations, but suggested that from the way 

 in which they were found they were probably wintering over in these rough places 

 on the bark and not causing any harm. On the bark of the same trees, egg-blisters 

 of the apple-leaf hopper (Ernpoasca mali) were also found, and it appears that 

 these disHgurations and incrustations are due to the breaking of the egg-blisters 

 when the young hoppers emerge. If mites were present on the leaves in the summer, 

 they would easily crawl to these hiding-places in the bark on the approach of cold 

 weather in the fall. The writer also took the matter up with Mr. Brittaiu, former 

 Plant Pathologist of the Province, to find out his experience, if any, with this 

 occurrence. He stated that several examinations of affected trees had been made 

 by him during the summer and no trace of mites had he found. Now, however, 

 lie had no difficulty in isolating them from the trees sent him, and expressed the 

 belief that they were of the same species as the one associated with "silver-leaf." 

 to which reference has already been made. The problem is an interesting one, for 

 if the mite in question is responsible for some of the sUver-leaf appearance in 

 nurseries and it winters over in the places referred to, the life-history will be 

 complete, and a means of control, by spraying with lime-sulphur when the leaves are 

 ajipearing, suggests itself. Observations of the summer habits of the mite on the 

 leaves have been made by Mr. Brittaiu, and a further batch of trees with bark 

 Incrustations have been sent him, so that he may study and compare the characters 

 of both more thoroughly and be able to state definitely whether or not the mite found 

 under the incrustations is the same species as that working on the leaves during the 

 sununer. It may l)e of interest to note that the disfigurations on Northern Spy. I 

 .-ini informed, are of common occurrence all over the Province. 



It is my regret that I shall not be in the Province next summer to investigate 

 this problem more thoroughly, as no doubt sonic more light on the subject is greatly 

 needed. It is to be hoped, however, that it will 1>» taken up by some student in 

 entomology. 



RESOLUTIONS. 



Moved by Mr. Taylor, Kelowna, "That this Society, owing to representation 

 having been made at their annual meeting in .Tanuary. lOH. by fruit-growers from 

 the Okanagan District, in relation to the possibility of the ' carrying-over " of fire- 

 blight {Bacillus amylovorus) by bees in their hives during winter, and thus spreading 



