125 



Clirysantliemums, Mimuluses, Ciuerarias, and Fuchsias. The attacked 

 leaves turn Avhite and become distorted. Kerosene emulsion very much 

 diluted has proved etfective in destroying- them. 



The larvi^ of Hadena devmUdrlv were abundant at the roots of 

 grasses and did considerable harm. Several larvne of Gortyna cata- 

 pliracta were found attacking the young shoots of some of the large- 

 stemmed grasses, as PhaJarls arundinacea and Elymus canadensis, a 

 curious and unusual attack by the same insect was upon the fruit of 

 the Gooseberry. It is a regular pest every year in the stems of toma- 

 toes, iiotatoes, and other succulent plants, particularly lilies. Gortyna 

 nifela I have not so far found in the Ottawa district. Another species 

 of the same genus, Gortyna immanis, lias developed into a serious pest 

 in the hop-growing districts of Ontario, and has been studied during 

 the past summer. The egg is laid on the young shoots when about a 

 foot above the ground, and for a short time the young larva bores in the 

 center of the leading shoot and causes the distortion known as " bull- 

 heads." After this it drops to the ground and attacks the plant at the 

 collar just beneath the surface of the ground, and is then the "collar- 

 worm " of hop-growers. The perfect insect, a large, handsome moth, 

 of a rich, warm brown, shaded with darker lines, and a rosy tinge, ap- 

 pears during August and September, and hibernates in the perfect 

 state. Ichneumon subdolus has been bred from the pupa*. 



Canker-worms have been abundant in the Ottawa district on ashes 

 and basswoods, but not on ai)ple trees. These same caterpillars {A. 

 pometaria) have again this year been injuriously abundant in Winnipeg 

 upon the ash-leaved maples used as shade trees. 



A serious attack ui)on grass lands, by an insect which has never be- 

 fore, in my experience, been noticeably injurious, was that of Ctenucha 

 virginica, which was reported from Nova Scotia. The larvsB are inter- 

 esting from their very different coloration during the last moult, Avhen 

 they are yellowish white, and the preceding ones, when they are black 

 and white, with yeHow ornamentations. Phyto^jtus 2)yri, the FesiT-leai 

 Blister Mite, has been frequently complained of, and I fear is spreading 

 in Canada. 



The Zebra Caterpillar of Mamestra picta has been unusually abun- 

 dant, and is, I believe, literally omnivorous, almost every plant being- 

 eaten by it. It has proved injuriously abundant upon cabbages, aspar- 

 agus, peas and sweet peas, clover, and several trees in the Botanical 

 Garden, as Menzies and Douglas Spruces, Willows, etc. 



Another pest which has been remarkably abundant this year, is the 

 Fall Web- worm, Hypliantria cunea. 



Hicmatohia serrata, the Horn Fly, has at last made its appearance in 

 Canada. First reported at Oshawa, Ontario, it has now api^eared from 

 the extreme west of the Province of Ontario down to Boucherville, some 

 miles east of Montreal. The same exaggerated statements as to injuries 

 caused by it have, of course, accompanied its appearance as in the 

 United States. 



