18 FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF 



redness in an iron pot and (lien dissolving it in the water. Mr. E. G. 

 Mygatt, of Richmond, McHenry county, Illinois, has experimented 

 with this insect for over 20 years with the following result : Brine (2 

 quarts salt to 8 of water) kills the lice, but also the foliage and fruit. 

 Tobacco water (strong decoction) neither injures the foliage nor af- 

 fects the lice. A solution of cobalt kills the lice, but takes the fo- 

 liage also. Weak lye kills the lice, but also somewhat affects the 

 leaves. Lime water kills about half the lice, and affects the leaves a 

 little. Finally, quassia, boiled in proportion of 1 pound to 3 gallons 

 of water, though well known to be effectual for the common plant- 

 lice, has no effect on these coccids. In short, we have abundant proof 

 that neither tobacco-water nor strong alkaline washes have any effect 

 on these young lice, though a strong solution of soap will kill them, 

 and my experience the past season, with cresylic acid soap in other 

 directions, leads me to strongly recommend it tor this purpose. It 

 will sometimes be necessary to repeat the wash, as the lice do not all 

 hatch out the same day, though the period of hatching seldom extends 

 over three days. 



From the foregoing it is obvious that bark-lice can only be suc- 

 cessfully fought during three or four days of the year : how absurd 

 and ridiculous then, are all the patent nostrums and compounds which 

 are continuously offered to the public as" perfect "bark-lice extin- 

 guishers," and which never mention this most important fact. May 

 this insight into the history of the Apple tree Bark lice, prevent 

 many a man from being swindled out of his time and money by these 

 impostors ! 



THE PERIODICAL CICADA. 



(Homojitera Cicadidse.) 

 SEVENTEEN AND THIRTEEN YEAR BROODS. 



The year 1S6S will long be remembered in the annals of insect 

 life, as one of peculiar interest, from the fact that this singular Cicada 

 ( Cicada septemdecim, Linn.) popularly known as the " 17-year locust," 

 made its appearance very generally over the United States. 



The metamorphoses of insects, their instructive industry, their 

 quarrels and their instincts, afford abundant food for our love of the 

 marvelous; but few of them can claim such a singular history as can 

 our Periodical Cicada. We are moved to admiration in contemplat- 

 ing the fact that an insect, after living for IT long years in the bowels 

 of the earth, should at last change its sluggish, creeping and worm- 

 like form, and, endowed with the power of flight, ascend from its 

 earthy retreat to become a denizen of the air and to enjoy the full 

 glory of the Sun. But our wonder increases when we reflect that this 



