220 MAIxNTE AGRICULTURAL, EXPERIMENT STATION. I905. 



considerable injury to opening leaf and flower buds by punctur- 

 ing the buds, which resulted in deformed growth. 



Plant lice. Serious injuries were caused by plant lice in 

 different parts of the State. Perhaps the most important of 

 these this season were injuries to cucumber vines, several beds 

 being entirely ruined. Where the plants were small enough, 

 however, to cover, bisulphide of carbon was recommended and 

 this treatment met with entire success. It is not a difficult 

 remedy to apply and the gardeners who used it v/ere pleased with 

 the results. 



For the past two seasons enormous numbers of plant lice have 

 appeared upon the potato vines near Houlton, working both on 

 the stalks and on the under side of the flower leaves. 



As usual where plant lice are numerous, complaints against 

 ants and lady beetles are frequent. "Ants have attacked our wood- 

 bine and caused the leaves to wilt," and specimens of lady beetles 

 sent in with the report " these are completely devastating cucum- 

 ber patches," or " ruining a small ash tree," are examples of 

 this all too common mistake. When ants are seen running over 

 plants it is usually for the purpose of sipping a sweet fluid 

 exuded by the plant lice and not to injure the plant. It is 

 especially unfortunate that larval lady beetles are not more 

 generally recognized, because they are among the most active 

 of the natural checks upon plant lice, devouring great numbers 

 of them. 



Nearly 80 collections of plant lice were made during the 

 summer, most of them near Orono. It was interesting to notice 

 that though this family of insects was everywhere abundant the 

 past two seasons the species most common in 1904 were not so 

 much in evidence in 1905 as different species. A fuller and 

 more definite record of this material is reserved for future 

 discussion. 



The natural checks which seemed to be most effective in con- 

 nection with the observed species of plant lice, were Syrphus 

 flies, lady beetles, predaceous Capsidse, and parasites of the 

 genus Aphidius. 



Garden ilea. At the time garden plants were just starting, 

 about the first of June, garden fleas, Smynthurus albaniacidata 

 Harvey, were to all appearances guilty of real havoc in Orono 

 gardens. Myriads of the tiny creatures occurred on the tender 



