I. The Oak Scale at Geneva, N. Y. 



This insect has been very abundant on oak trees at Geneva dur- 

 ing the past season. The writer's attention was first called to it by 

 Mr. C. K. Scoon who had observed the scales in great numbers on a 

 row of white oak trees on one of the streets of the village. The trees 

 were examined May 28. The first two trees on the north end of 

 the row were nearly leafless and apparently dying. They were 

 badly infested with the scale from the highest branches to near the 

 base of the trunks. The next two trees were apparently succumbing 

 to the scale. Most of the lower limbs had not produced leaves and 

 some of the smaller branches were dead. All of the remaining trees 

 in the row, three or four in number, were infested with the scale but 

 to a less extent, the last one the least of all. The lower limbs in 

 each case gave evidence of having been infested first. The young 

 scales were not observed moving about at this time. 



The accompanying illustration, Fig. 1, which shows the scales 

 natural size, is from a photograph of twigs taken July 3 from an 

 oak tree at Geneva, which was infested on nearly all the branches 

 and part of the trunk as badly as the twigs in the illustration. The 

 tree was destitute of leaves. 



A few infested twigs were sent to Mr. L. O. Howard, Entomolo- 

 gist of the United States Department of Agriculture, who replied 

 that the scale is a common European species, Asterodiaspis 

 quercicola. In the same letter Mr. Howard says : " This insect is 

 now to be found in a number of localities in the Eastern States, 

 and when it occurs abundantly' on the trees is a serious enemy.'' 



When requested at another time for a remedy for this insect, Mr. 

 Marlatt, First Assistant Entomologist, replied in Mr. Howard's 

 absence that the scale may be reached by spraying the trees with 

 kerosene emulsion at the ordinary summer strength, one part of 

 the emulsion to 7 to 9 parts of water, if applied in the spring or 



