184 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [June, 



Bartlett, Lawrence and Idaho, are prime favorites, while the Keiffer seems 

 to be entirely exempt, the Leconte very nearly so, and other stocks vary- 

 ing in susceptibility. As a rule, French stocks are infested. The most 

 interesting thing noticed seems to be the absolute immunity of the Keiffer, 

 for even where a single tree planted in a trial row has its branches crossed 

 and interlocked with other varieties on each side it will be free, though 

 the neighboring trees on each side may be infested, and I have seen isolated 

 trees of other varieties standing in Keiffer orchard infested, while the 

 Keiffers themselves did not show the least trace of the scale. Yet it may 

 be premature to assert that under all circumstances the Keiffer is exempt. 

 The introduction of this scale into the east is another lesson in care, and 

 it gives another illustration of the way in which injurious insects are dis- 

 tributed. Too great care cannot be exercised in the examination of stock 

 received by nurseries from other districts, and on the other hand every 

 farmer, or every fruit grower, before he sets out a tree should examine it 

 with extreme minuteness in order to make certain that it does not intro- 

 duce some pest theretofore unknown on his land. One of the objects of 

 this note is also to attract the attention of entomologists and agriculturists 

 to the importance of seeking it in orchards throughout the east, and es- 

 pecially orchards that have been newly set within the last half a dozen 

 years. The nursery from which this insect was distributed is one having 

 a very large trade, and stock that is likely to be infested has been sent in 

 every direction throughout the east. It is known that at least one orchard 

 in Pennsylvania is infested, and probably more will be found; but it be- 

 hooves the officers of horticultural societies and agricultural bodies to 

 look into this matter now when there is yet a possibility of limiting or 

 checking the spread of the insect, whereas in a very few years it may be 

 so much beyond our control that nothing can be done. 



An Exportation of Beneficial Insects.— Heretofore the discussion has 

 been mostly of the possibility of importing insects that are, or that are 

 supposed to be, beneficial to agriculturists by breeding upon injurious 

 species. Dr. Riley has informed us that an experiment has just been 

 made by which one of our insects, Chilocorus bivulnerus, has been ex- 

 ported to the West Indies with the idea of destroying certain scales oc- 

 curring in those islands. The facts as given by Dr. Riley are, that for 

 three or four years the extensive lime plantations of the Montserrat Co., 

 Birmingham, England, located on the Island Montserrat, have been suf- 

 fering from the attacks of various scale-insects, and particularly Mytilaspis 

 citricola and Chionaspis citri. Spraying and fumigating were tried at the 

 suggestion of Dr. Riley on a limited portion of the estate; but the injury 

 continued and became so serious that finally he determined to ask leave 

 of absence from official duties and personally investigate, the Montserrat 

 Co. paying expenses. Dr. Riley was accompanied on this trip by Mr. H. 

 G. Hubbard, whose thorough work on the insects infesting oranges m 

 Florida peculiarly fitted him for this investigation. The start was made 

 February 17th, and two months were spent at Montserrat, Dominica and 



