CONTROL OF Two ELM-TREE PESTS 503 



of lead used contained about 15 per cent arsenic oxid. When powdered 

 arsenate of lead was used, the proportion was ij pound to 50 gallons 

 of water. 



Other experimenters recommend the use of 4 pounds of paste arsenate 

 of lead to 50 gallons of water. A. F. Burgess, who has had much experi- 

 ence in combating the gipsy moth and the elm leaf -beetle, says that 

 " the cheapest and most satisfactory remedy for the gipsy moth and the 

 elm leaf-beetle consists in thoroughly spraying the trees with arsenate 

 of lead, using 10 pounds to 100 gallons of water, as early in the spring 

 as there is sufficient foliage to hold the poison." Mr. Burgess's aim is 

 to use a large amount of arsenate of lead and to spray but once. The 

 writer thinks this is a good practice to follow after one year of thorough 

 work. If the elms in a town or city have been neglected and allowed 

 to suffer for several seasons from the ravages of the beetle, the writer 

 thinks it would be desirable to give two sprayings the first season of 

 treatment, using in each application 3 to 3 J pounds of poison to 50 gallons 

 of water. Thereafter, probably one thorough spraying after the leaves 

 are fairly well out, using 4 to 5 pounds of arsenate of lead to 50 gal- 

 lons of water, would suffice. That practice has been followed and has 

 satisfactorily controlled the beetle. 



To summarize, it would seem that 3 to 5 pounds of arsenate of lead to 

 50 gallons of water, with two applications the first year of the fight and 

 one thereafter, are sufficient. 



LIFE HISTORY AND HABITS OF THE ELM LEAF-BEETLE 



Appearance and work of the beetle 



The insect is about one fourth of an inch long. In general it is yellow- 

 ish or brownish yellow in color, with a dark line along each side of its 

 back. Its color varies somewhat, and the over-wintering beetles are often 

 so dark-colored that the brownish yellow almost disappears and the dark 

 lines are hardly noticeable. In its normal coloring it is quite likely to 

 be confused with the common striped cucumber beetle, although it is 

 considerably larger. 



When the beetle first awakens in the spring from its long winter sleep 

 it flies to the elm trees just bursting into leaf and takes its first meal by 

 eating small, irregular holes through the young, tender leaves (Fig. 172). 



Story of its life 



In the fall of the year many of the full-grown beetles, when searching 

 for snug crannies in which to pass the winter, find their way into dwelling- 

 houses, congregating especially in attics where they are often found by 



