170 ANNUAL EEPOKT 



The remedy is quite simple, because we understand the whole 

 life history of this insect. The infested canes must be cut and 

 burned before the beetles hatch. They must not be simply cut and 

 left upon the ground, as is too often the case, because in doing so 

 we protect the insect against the inclemencies of the winter, or 

 otherwise assist it. The canes must be burned to make sure of the 

 death of the enclosed larvae. It is also quite important to treat 

 all wild plants of such berries growing in the neighborhood, in 

 the same way, as otherwise new supplies of beetles will constantly 

 reach the cultivated plants. The beetles like to bask upon the leaves 

 in the hottest sun of noon. By holding an inverted umbrella 

 under the plant, and by striking the plant a sharp blow with a stick, 

 large numbers can be collected and killed, as the insects drop 

 upon the slightest provocation. By using an old umbrella the 

 operation can be greatly simplified if it is kept soaking wet with 

 kerosene oil, which, owing to its very penetrating qualities, kills all 

 insects coming in contact with it. 



This is a new remedy, never published before, but a very good 

 one, as I found by many trials during the last two seasons. Not 

 alone for this insect but for many others equally injurious to these 

 and other plants. By having the inside of the umbrella lined with 

 some porous material, which will retain the oil, it is greatly im- 

 proved. 



The eggs of another insect were also frequently found in canes 

 received and observed in the fields. The life history of this insect, 

 the Snowy Tree-cricket (CEcanthus niveus,) is illustrated upon the 

 canvass before you. As the illustration (Fig. 3) shows, it is not the 



insect itself that is injurious 

 by eating the plants, or parts 

 of them, but the habit of the 

 female in using the canes 

 for oviposition causes the 

 damage, which is frequently 

 very severe. The cane con- 

 (FiG 3.) taining eggs is more or less 



disfigured by a series of irregular and closely set punctures. If we 

 open such "a cane we find in the pith a large number of eggs. 

 Each egg, pale yellowish in color, is a little curved affair, pointed 

 at the lower, and capped at the upper end with regular granula- 

 tions, only visible with the aid of a magnifying lens. Of course 

 the presence of such eggs, crowded together as they are, causes the 

 cane to die above the injured part. These eggs are laid late in the 

 autumn, and cannot be discovered very readily at that time. But 

 as the young crickets hatch rather late during the following spring, 

 the place of oviposition is readily discovered by the diseased looks 

 of the cane, and a pruning knife will soon remedy the evil. But 

 the canes must be burned to prevent the hatching of the young 

 insects. Although these latter themselves are rather beneficial, 

 by feeding on leaf-lice, we must not allow them to increase, as 

 other canes, for instance those of the grape-vine, and even tender 

 twigs of fruit trees, are also seriously injured by them. 



