50 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



of the nests. The latter permits many of the caterpillars to escape 

 and at the same time is likely to result in injury to the limb. Better 

 than either of the preceding is early and preferably systematic 

 spraying with a poison such as arsenate of lead, using a standard 

 preparation at the rate of 2 to 3 pounds to 50 gallons of water. 

 In the case of badly infested trees it may be advisable to make 

 this application just after the leaves appear, though as a rule the 

 one thorough spraying recommended for the codling moth and given 

 just after the blossoms drop, is ample to prevent injury by this tent 

 caterpillar as well as to take care of the apple worm. The cutting 

 out of wild cherry trees along roadsides and fences is an important 

 preventive measure, because such trees and bushes are a favorite 

 breeding place for the pest. 



Plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar Hbst. ) . 

 An interesting modification of habit was caused by a late frost last 

 spring, killing the plums locally at Nassau. As a result, the cur- 

 culios attacked and severely injured a large setting of young fruit 

 on an adjacent crab apple tree, though comparatively few of the 

 grubs developed successfully. This tree, in earlier seasons when 

 plums were available, was practically free from curculio injury. 



Pear thrips (Euthrips pyri Daniel) . This new pest, 

 noticed in detail in the preceding report,^ was abundant in the 

 vicinity of Hudson and was controlled for the most part by thor- 

 ough and timely applications of a tobacco extract. In some orchards 

 there was an unusually large drop of young pears, presumably 

 caused in part at least by the injuries inflicted by this small insect 

 when laying its eggs in the stems. The same marked restriction to 

 certain localities or portions of orchards observed in earlier years 

 was noted the past season. This pest is an extremely local one and 

 operations against it should be regulated accordingly. 



The most evident signs of the insect's presence are the sticky 

 buds, the brown, blasted appearance of the blossom buds and an 

 unusual drop of bud scales followed later by small, crinkled, spoon- 

 shaped leaves. In the earlier part of the attack a slender, dark 

 brown insect only about one-twentieth of an inch long may be seen 

 upon the opening of the fruit buds and especially in crevices be- 

 tween the stems of the partly expanded fruit clusters. 



In the case of badly infested orchards it is advisable to delay 

 the winter treatment with lime-sulphur wash for San Jose scale 

 until the buds have started and then add to this preparation a 



1913 N. Y. State Mus. Bui. 165, p. 7(^74. 



