71 



(looryard ivoos all ovoi- the Stale were overrun by the jjsyllas. It was 

 the most ueiieral iiil'estat ion that has occurred in New York. Except 

 ilie Sail .lose scale, this psylla is the most destructive insect pest of 

 the pear. Its ra\ajies seem to be increasing in New Voi-k, an<l it lias 

 come to be nearly as standard a pest as the codlint; moth or plum 

 curculio. Only the most thorough woi-k with an oil or s(»ai) spray 

 (whale-oil soap, 1 pound in 5 to 7 gallons water, kerosene emulsiou 

 diluted with 7 to 10 i)ai'ts water, or an oil and water s[)ray of K) to 15 

 I)er cent of oil) will control the ps^'lla. Some orchardists with veiy 

 tall standard trees ai'e now discouraged after iighting the pest nearly 

 evei-y year for ten years. I'l-ompt and thorough work early in the 

 season is necessary in ligliting the [)sylla. 



SNAILS OR "SLUGS." 



Large numbers of small shell-less snails or "slugs" ravaged young 

 corn, beans, aiul toljacco plants in central New York in .June. In one 

 case 10 acres of beans were badly injured, the "slugs" riddling the 

 leaves and eating into the stalks. Doubtless the wet season of 11102 

 was very favorable for the development of those moisture-loving ani- 

 mals. A dry spell in .Inly checked their ravages and i)revented the 

 carrying out of some experiments we luid planned. Sonu* liand-picked 

 them at niglit, and a sti-ip of salt kept outsiders from getting into a 

 > 'd of seedling tobacco. Doubtless a poison spray or dust will clieck 

 these "slugs." 



THE KOSE-tHAFEK. 



There are several very sandy spots in New York where rose-cliafers 

 breed and swarm onto near-by strawberry beds, vineyards, and cheriy 

 and a|i[)le orcluirds. The beetles ap[)ear in these limited areas every 

 year, but they were unusually numerous in V.H)'.). \Ye are convinced 

 that much can be done to check this pest by thorough and timely cnl- 

 li\ation of their bi-eeding grounds when they are in the jtupa state in 

 .May. (4rape-i'oot-worm i)Ui)a' and wireworm pui)a' are easily killed 

 ill this way, aiul why not rose-chaf<'r [)upa^ also? N\'e shall try \"ery 

 si rong doses of arsenate of lead in the menu of the beetles in i'.tiil if 

 they again ai)i)ear in destructive numiiers. 



THK AI'I'LI', lUCd'LATin.X. 



I'his little [)est has again swung into its "ui)" or dest ructive period 

 in New York, and last .season the foliage in several apiile orchards in 

 central New "N'ork were badly skeletoni/ed by the liny caterpillars. 

 .V bulletin will soon be issued from the Cornell e\[)erimenl station on 

 this insect, ^\'e have observed several new and inleresi ing phases of 

 its life, and were able t«> get a serij's of photographs of the heretofore 

 unobserved process of the making of the cocoon, 'i'lic common name 

 now in use for this insect has Ion;; been a stumbling-block to us, and 



