ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 85 



There is no indication of the presence of either egg parasites or fungous disease, and as 

 the trees throughout this district bear enormous numbers of the egg clusters, the outlook 

 is ominous ; special effort must be put forth by fruit growers and gardeners during the pre- 

 sent winter and next spring, or there will certainly be serious loss next season. The rem- 

 edies which give the best results against these insects are (i.) the collection and burning 

 of the egg cluster during the winter, (11 ) the cutting off and burning of the 

 nests of young caterpillars early in spring, when they may be easily detected by 

 the conspicuous white tents which they spin in the crotches of branches, and 

 (in.) the spraying with Paris green of ah trees liable to be invaded in an infested district. 

 The sooner the application is made the more effective it will be, for many insects which 

 can be controlled while young are much more difficult to poison after they have reached 

 a certain size. 



The Apple Aphis (Aphis malt, Fab.) appeared in large numbers early in springs 

 and many enquiries were received about it from the western part of the Province. Little 

 harm, however, was done either in the spring or late in the autumn, when most of the 

 damage due to this insect generally occurs. 



The Plum Aphis (Aphis pruni/olii, Fitch) was less abundant by far than last year, 

 although reported from a few places. Specimens of another plum aphis, (Hyalopterus 

 pruni, Fab.,) were received from one or two Ontario localities. 



The Black Cherry tree Aphis (Myzus cerasi, Fab.) was certainly less wide- spread 

 in the Niagara district last season than in 1897, and reports concerning it were very 

 contradictory ; nevertheless considerable damage was done, particularly in orchards of 

 sweet cherries. It has been noticed that the dark coloured plant-lice are more difficult to 

 kill than the green ones. Of several remedies which have been tried, the one which has 

 given the best results is whale-oil soap solution, one pound of Good's Caustic Potash Soap 

 No. 3 in six gallons of water, applied warm as a spray. Kerosene emulsion, also an 

 excellent remedy, must be used as strong as one part to six of water for these plant-lice. 

 The eggs of the Black Cherry-tree Aphis are laid upon the twigs, particularly on the fruit 

 spurs, by the last autumn brood. There is no doubt, therefore, that good work could be 

 done by spraying the trees during the winter, or better still, early in spring before the 

 buds burst. 



Another enemy of the cherry, as well as of the plum and pear, which when neglected 

 did much harm was The Cherry and Pear Slug (Eriocampa cerasi, Peck). The 

 remedy which gives the surest relief is the prompt spraying of the trees with Paris green, 

 one pound in 200 gallons of water, adding in all cases an equal amount of fresh lime with 

 the arsenical poison, Paris green, to counteract its caustic effects on the foliage. 



The Green Fruit-worms. — The caterpillars of three very similar moths belonging 

 to the family Xylina did much injury to apples and pears, attacking specially the young 

 fruit. These caterpillars are not regular pests of the orchard, but appear in numbers at 

 long intervals ; but, as they have a special taste for the green fruit, attacking it in pre- 

 ference to the foliage on fruit trees, the damage they do is much more important 

 than that done by many other injurious insects. In addition to fruit trees they attack 

 maple trees. At Niagara and at Aylmer, Que, near Ottawa, shade and forest trees, 

 particularly the Silver Maple Acer dasycarpum, Ehrh), were terribly disfigured and 

 almost defoliated by these caterpillars over large areas. It was pleasing to see at 

 the end of June thai thousands of them were being destroyed by various insect-eating 

 birds, chiefly warblers, but especially by the English Sparrow. In the streets of 

 Niagara they were so vigorously assailed by the sparrows in the branches, and by 

 chickens which waited for them below, that few could have escaped to complete their 

 changes. Mr. Orr writes of the occurrence of this pest in the Niagara peninsula : — 

 " The Green Fruit worm, a comparatively new comer, and but little known here, is 

 likely to become a serious pest : some growers reporting from 20 to 30 per cent, of 

 their apples and pears ruined by it. By the middle of June it had destroyed much 

 fruit." 



