No. 4.] SAX JOSE SCALE. 297 



In the vicinity of Boston there is an educational institu- 

 tion where particular attention is given to the study of trees 

 and shrubs. On the grounds of this institution there is a 

 colony of the San Jos6 scale which is confined in great 

 measure to a plot of perhaps thirty Japanese, quince bushes. 

 These bushes, according to the testimony of those in charge 

 of the grounds, " have been infested for many years." 

 Careful records of all trees planted are kept by the authori- 

 ties of the institution, and in this case the records show that 

 the bushes in question were purchased from three sources : 

 the firm of James Veitch & Sons, London, England, in 1881 ; 

 Louis Spath, Rixdorf, Berlin, Germany, in 1888 ; and the 

 Parsons & Sons Company, Flushing, Long Island, in 1884. 

 The greater part of the bushes was obtained from the latter 

 source, and these are infested to the greatest extent, although 

 the scale occurs on all of them. The infestation of this nurs- 

 ery for many years past is a matter of common knowledge 

 among entomologists and nurserymen ; also the fact that 

 this nursery has paid especial attention to the importation 

 and distribution of Japanese stock. Unfortunately, all of 

 these Japanese quinces were grown for one season in a very 

 compact plot, and their infestation is so general that it is 

 impossible to decide which were the ones originally infested. 

 From an inspection of the grounds it is evident that these 

 bushes are the centre of infestation in this colony ; and, un- 

 less it is shown that the English and German nurseries are 

 infested, of which there is no evidence at present, the natu- 

 ral inference is that the Long Island nursery is the source 

 from which the infested stock was obtained, thus antedating 

 the New Jersey occurrence by about three years. Against 

 the conclusion that the Long Island stock was the source of 

 the scale at this particular locality may be placed the length 

 of time elapsing since its purchase, — some fourteen years. 

 The time required for the killing of trees by the scale is 

 placed by Messrs. Howard and Marlatt at from two to three 

 years. In the south, where the active season of the insect 

 is longer than it is here, and the warmer climate more favor- 

 able to its multiplication, undoubtedly this may be the case. 

 It is also probable that a longer time is required for the de- 

 struction of trees from this cause in this region ; for we have 



