114 



AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



These were carefully examined, and no eggs or insects could bo discov- 

 ered in the twigs. Mr. Day was advised, however, to put a number of 

 injured specimens in a glass jar, and watch them carefully to see if any 

 insects came out of them. This he did, but placed some twigs with 

 young- fruit on them. After watching them for a number of weeks he 

 paid no further attention to them, supposing the insects had all escaped 

 before he placed the branches in the jar ; but later in the season, having 

 occasion to use the jar, he found a number of small beetles, and discov- 

 ered to his surprise that the leaves and fruit were nearly eaten up. 

 One of these, the others escaping, ho sent to the Department for iden- 

 tification. 



On the 29th of August he Avrote again to the Department, stating 

 that he placed four specimens of diseased peaches in an empty qui- 

 nine-bottle, with a view of determining whether his opinion was cor- 

 rect " in ascribing this general and wide-spread disease of peaches to 

 the depredation of insects, and also whether this insect is the same as 

 the one that commits its ravages upon the tender branches of the trees 

 in the spring." 



On the 27th of the month the first beetle appeared from this lot of 

 specimens, and he subsequently sent the bottle, with peaches and insects 

 Fig. 3. inclosed, to the Department for examination by the 

 entomologist. On examination, these beetles were de- 

 cided to be Arceocerus (Sch.) coffece of Fab., and the 

 shriveled peaches sent were literally riddled by their 

 larva), a specimen of which was sent in June, and is 

 figured, (Fig. 3.) Six perfect beetles made their appear- 

 ance from the three specimens of the dried fruit last 

 forwarded ; but the insect first mentioned as attacking 

 the twigs in spring is most probably another insect, and 

 may prove to be the Anarsia pruinella, of Clemens, men- 

 tioned (with figures) on page 305 of the monthly report 

 for July, as having injured i>each-twigs in Maryland. 



Another season, however, will decide the question, if 

 Mr. Day, or any of our correspondents in Louisiana, or 

 elsewhere, will send specimens of the twigs, as soon as injured in the 

 spring, when one may be able to detect the insect. It appears to us 

 that the Arceocerus coffece would not be likely, in the larvae state, to 

 injure living healhty twigs in the manner described. The insect, how- 

 ever, may probably be found under the bark of diseased trees, and 

 there is no doubt whatever that, in the larvae state, it attacks partially 

 rotten and shriveled fruit, as proved by the worm-eaten appearance of 

 the specimens sent. 



A correspondent of the Department, when examining his peach-trees 

 for the peach-tree borer, discovered a great quantity of small whitish 

 worms, about the 0.40 of an inch in length, and of a very slender form, 

 swarming in the exuded gum, saw-dust, and feces with which the mouths 



of burrows made by the 

 peach-borer ^gcria exitiosa 

 were filled. These small 

 worms he considered the 

 young larvse of the borer, 

 and sent them to the De- 

 partment for examination; 

 they were carefully placed 

 in a bottle and fed until 

 they changed into naked 

 pupos on the surface of the earth, or a little below it; and in about eight 



Fig. 4. 



