EIGHTH ANNUAL MEETING 77 



sene ; nearly all the branches were killed back about half- 

 way to the trunk, 



"Uninfested trees of apple,, pear, peach, plum, cherry 

 and quince were sprayed with kerosene February 28. For 

 several weeks no injury was apparent. Later, it was 

 observed that some of the fruit buds and small twigs had 

 been killed. 



"Spraying with clear kerosene is hardly a safe treat- 

 ment for the average grower to employ. If his trees are 

 infested, he had better apply kerosene and water, which 

 will do less injury and will kill the scale. At the Cornell 

 station, excellent results were obtained by using a mixture 

 containing 20 per cent of kerosene. For this work a 

 special pump is necessary," 



Pumps for applying kerosene and water are manufac- 

 tured by the Deming Company, of Salem, Ohio, and by the 

 Goulds Manufacturing Company, of Seneca Falls, N. Y. 



A Borer in Plum Trees 



In June, a section of the trunk of a Japan plum tree 

 was received from M. N. Wooding, of Hamden. The piece 

 of wood contained numerous tunnels or galleries, the open- 

 ings of which appeared as circular holes through the bark. 

 The borers made no effort to emerge from their galleries, 

 but continued to excavate and enlarge them. Upon split- 

 ting open the tree-trunk, numerous small dark-colored 

 beetles were found in the burrows. The larvae and pupas 

 were also present. Specimens were sent to the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, at Washington, where the species was 

 identified as Xyleborus pyri, Peck. It is now considered 

 identical with the European species, X. dispar, Fabr. The 

 beetle is closely allied to, though distinct from, the *' fruit 

 bark beetle," now so frequent in Connecticut orchards. 

 The two can readily be distinguished, because the "fruit 

 bark beetle " burrows between the wood and the bark, 

 while X. dispar makes tunnels wholly inside the wood. 



Both sexes were found in the burrows. The female is 

 about one-eighth of an inch in length and one-sixteenth in 

 breadth. The male is somewhat smaller, being three 



