REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 259 



there for some time. With the growth of the fruit, this point becomes the centre of one 

 of several — sometimes 3 or 4 on a single apple — conspicuous depressions, by which the 

 apples are much distorted ; the blackened skin at the botton of these depressions is also 

 frequently further discoloured by a white deposit, probably consisting of dried-up juice 

 from the apple, which has oozed from the wound. 



This is a most serious enemy of the apple grower on the Pacific coast, and it is to 

 be hoped that every effort will be made next June to discover the method of egg-laying 

 and the early habits of the young caterpillar. As the injury is done chiefly inside the 

 fruit where the insect cannot be reached, it is probable that any practical active remedy 

 will require to be applied at or soon after the time the eggs are laid. 



It is strange that this insect, wiiich injures the fruit of the apple in such a very 

 similar way to that of the Apple Maggot {Trypeta pomonelh, Walsh), should have 

 broken out in British Columbia just at the same time as the latter insect was discovered 

 in Ontario as a pest of cultivated apples. 



It is probable that both of these insects are native species which are abundant in 

 their wild food plants, the Apple Maggot in the fruit of hawthorn, and the Apple Fruit- 

 miner in the wild crab (Pirus rivularis, Dougl.), and that the habit of attacking culti- 

 vated apples is exceptional with both ; but, as Trypeta has shown that when once this 

 bad habit is acquired it is very persistent although local, no effort should be spared to 

 to find out as soon as possible with regard to this new enemy, all that can be known of 

 its life habits, so as to arrive at a remedy. 



As far as reports have been received, the injuries of this insect have not been 

 noticed in the interior of British Columbia. Mr. Thomas G. Earl, the owner of a 

 beautiful orchard at Lytton, on the Fraser River, just within the limits of the arid climate 

 which characterizes the Interior Plateau of the province, says : — " I am happy to say I 

 am not troubled with the worm you mention. I have seen it at Chilliwack and Agassiz." 



The following interesting letters will show the serious nature of this new pest, and 

 also give all that is actually known of the life history : — 



"Victoria, B.C., July 17. — I send two specimens of infested apples forwarded to me 

 from Chilliwack. Can you let me know what has caused the injury?" — R. M. Palmer. 



" Victoria, B.C., Aug. 20. — Mr. Gibson has been looking after a number of speci- 

 mens of the apple caterpillars from Chilliwack, and has succeeded in getting some cocoons. 

 I hardly think the moths will emerge till spring." — R. M. Palmee. 



"Agassiz, B.C., Aug. 12. — I send you, uxider another cover, some apples infested 

 with a worm. This appears to be very prevalent in some districts in British Columbia 

 this year. I noticed a few cases in previous years, but these were so few that I did not 

 trouble about them, but this year it is a pest." — Tnos. A. Sharpe. 



" Spence's Bridge, B.C., Sept. 15. — I collected another box of apples infested with that 

 new pest and have mailed them to you from Agassiz. I spent last Friday in Victoi'ia, 

 most of the time in the Department of Agriculture and with Mr. Anderson at his house. 

 Mr, Anderson's assistant showed me several of the cocoons of this new pest in the apple, 

 which seems to me to be much more injurious than the Codling Moth. It is a lepidop- 

 terous insect which, judging from the larva and cocoons I have seen, is about half the 

 size of the Codling Worm. The cocoons are closely spun inside, with an outer covering 

 of whitish silk of a neat and open pattern. The larva, as you will see, eats channels all 

 through the flesh of the fruit, completely spoiling the apple for use. At the Department 

 of Agriculture here the cocoons had been obtained by putting the apples uncut into a 

 large glass jar and tying it over with gauze. As the larvae matures, it finds its way out 

 and spins its cocoons at the sides of the bottom of the jar." — Dr. Wm. Saunders. 



"Agassiz, B.C. — I sprayed when the blossoms had fallen and once when the fruit 

 was as large as a small crab. I dealt effectually with the caterpillar, and if Paris green 

 were a remedy for this pest, I should have expected it to be killed at the same time, but 

 it was not, or at least there were a great many left. I gathered a number of apples 

 that I knew were infested and put them in a glass jar, covering it with thin muslin. I 

 also mounted specimens, but have found out nothing definite. Of some varieties of 

 apples, such as St. Lawrence, Wellington, American Pippin, Stark, Maiden's Blush and 

 Fall Pippin, more than half the crop was injured. Other varieties suffered less, though 

 to a considerable extent ; and some varieties, like Winter St. Lawrence, Salome, Mann, 

 8c— 17i 



