THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



their new vineyards on phylloxera-proof 

 stock, will test the resistance of the wild 

 vine before investing too heavily in the im- 

 portation of "Taylor." It would be very 

 handy to be able to get their cuttings on 

 the nearest creek bank ; and from specific 

 peculiarities of the wild vine, I have very 

 little doubt that it is really proof against 

 the pest. — E. W. Hilgard, University of 

 California, Nov. 25th. 



LARGBIWHITE SCALE 0N_ ACACIAS, Etc. 



The large white scale insect which was 

 first announced from San Rafael as de- 

 stroying the acacia trees and then spread- 

 ing to other trees and plants, has been 

 determined by Prof. C. V. Riley to be 

 a species of Dorthesia, an abnormal bark- 

 louse of the family Coccidce. Prof. Riley 

 determined it from specimens sent him by 

 Dr. Saxe of Santa Clara, where it has also 

 done much damage. Prof. Riley says : 

 " It is an Australian insect (apparently 

 Dorthesia characias Westw.), and has of 

 late been introduced to Australian plants 

 into South Africa, where it has multiplied 

 at a terrible rate, and become such a 

 scourge as to attract the attention of the gov- 

 ernment." He anticipates much trouble 

 from it also in this State, because it is free 

 here from the natural enemies which keep 

 it in check in its own country. Those who 

 are not familiar with this scale insect may 

 recognize it from its snowy white color, 

 and its growing nearly as large as a coffee 

 berry. The upper surface of the scale is 

 beautifully ribbed. 



The German Society of Railway Com- 

 panies has lately been discussing the best 

 method of preventing the ravages of moths 

 in the cushions of railway carriages, and 

 has invited responses to a circular asking 

 for information as to successful treatment 

 on the part of its directors. Collating the 

 replies, it is found that the best methods 

 are constant cleaning, airing, and beating 

 (especially in the critical period toward the 

 end of May), the avoidance of any fold in 

 the cloth used, Persian insect powder, 

 beating of the cushions in dry air, use of 



plush instead of woolen cloth, avoidance 

 of sheep's wool, and the introduction of 

 sea-weed for stuffing instead of horse-hair. 

 The most important of all, however, is the 

 frequent beating and exposing to fresh air. 



— « — -^ 



Dragon-flies and Telegraph Wires. 

 — Small Libellutse hold a daily parade up- 

 on the telegraph wire. I noticed them 

 upon my way from Geneva ; and since then 

 a Frenchman (ignorant of entomology) was 

 so struck by their singular appearance that 

 he called my attention to them. When 

 one chances to catch a fly it returns to the 

 wire to eat it (the fly, not the wire). — A. E. 

 Eaton, in Entomologists Monthly Mag., 

 (London), Sept. 1879. 



The Grape Phylloxera is reported in a 

 recent number of Nature as occurring in 

 the district of Geelong, Victoria. 



IMPORTANCE OF ENTOMOLOGY TO THE FRUIT- 

 GROWER. 



That veteran pomologist, Marshall P. 

 Wilder, thus discourses in one of the many 

 admirable addresses which he has delivered 

 as President of the American Pomological 

 Society : 



The subject of insects^ and diseases is 

 daily attracting more attention, for their 

 depredations are daily becoming a greater 

 evil, and the importance of entomological 

 investigation is every day more plainly 

 seen. It is less than fifty years since Dr. 

 Harris first published his work on " Insects 

 injurious to vegetation," and great is the 

 debt of "gratitude which we owe to him and 

 the succeeding investigators who have 

 given their lives to studying the habits of 

 these little " creeping things which be upon 

 the earth," that they may teach us how to 

 destroy those which prey upon our trees, 

 and so distinguish our friends from our 

 foes. Every plant imported from abroad 

 brings with it a new insect or disease, and 

 the dissemination of new plants and vari- 

 eties without which there can be no pro- 

 gress in horticulture, inevitably dissemi- 

 nates their insect enemies. On this sub- 

 ject the words of Edmund Burke are ap- 

 propriate : " The most vigilant superin- 

 tendence, the most prompt activity which 

 has no such day as to-morrow in its cal- 

 endar, are necessary to the farmer," and we 



