The Canadian Horticulturist. 253 



PEAR LEAF GALL MITE. 



Sir, — I enclose to your address some diseased pear leaves, and a letter from Mr. 

 James Fletcher, Dominion Entomologist. The trouble on these pear trees we have noticed 

 for a number of years, and as it did not directly feed upon the fruit, we have not as yet 

 tried to eradicate it. but now it has become so general in pear orchards in this vicinity, 

 there is scarcely a pear tree whose leaves are not, more or less, seriously injured. I have 

 also received some pear leaves similarly affected from Mr. McFall, of Boulton, which shows 

 that this pest is widespread. 



J. K. Michael, Waterford. 



Mr. Fletcher's reply 



The pear leaves which you enclose have been injured by an insect which is 

 a very minute mite. The corky blotches on the leaves are the galls of mites 

 belonging to the Phytoptus. Under 

 a glass these appear as shown here, 



much enlarged. Each gall is a ~^'*°^ — ^~^'^'-^^^LU ^j I J ,) 

 swelling with a tiny hole in the top 

 through which the young mites leave 

 the gall, and attack the leaf in other ^^^- 47.-Adult Mite, much Enlarged. 

 places. These pass the winter beneath the scales of the buds. 



So far, I am sorry to say, there is no easy remedy known. Prof Comstock, 

 of Cornell University, suggests picking the first leaves which show the character- 

 istic spots in the spring, and pruning off the young wood where the mites 

 usually spend the winter. I am of the opinion that spraying the leaves in early 

 spring just before the buds open, and again just after, with kerosene emulsion, 

 would destroy many of the mites. To every ten gallons of kerosene emulsion, 

 after dilution, two ounces of flowers of sulphur might be added. 



DISEASED FUSCHIA LEAVES. 



Sir, — 1 send you some diseased leaves cut from my Storm King fuschia. Can you give 

 me the cause and remedy ? This disease does not seem to hinder the growth of the plant, 

 or blooming, but causes a very shabby appearance. 



Elizabeth Trigge, Coolcshire, Que. 



Reply by Prof. Fletcher, Entomologist, Exper. Farm, Ottawa. 



The insects affecting these leaves are a small scale-like larvae of an Aley- 

 rodes, which belongs to the Homoptera, or plant bugs, and comes between the 

 Coccidje, or Scale Insect, and Aphides, or Plant Lice. If your subscriber ex- 

 amines closely she will find also in the leaves some lovely little white lice with 

 four wings, into which the scale-like insects on the leaves soon would have 

 changed. 



If the plant is growing out of doors, I would suggest a very weak kerosene 

 emulsion ; if a pot plant indoors, I think a couple of good washings with soap 

 suds, in which a little tobacco has been steeped, would answer. 



