NOTES FOR THE YEAR 



The following are brief accounts of some of the more injurious 

 or interesting species which have been brought to our attention 

 during the past year. 



The false cottony maple scale (Phenacoccus acericola 

 King) and the cottony maple scale (Pulvinaria vitis 

 Linn.) have occasioned numerous inquiries, especially in the 

 southern portion of the State. Both of these species have been 

 repeatedly noticed in the publications of this office, and in this 

 connection we would call attention to the report appearing on 

 another page, upon conditions obtaining in Mount Vernon last 

 summer, and emphasize the desirability of employing the safer 

 whale oil soap solution in efforts to control these pests. Canker 

 worm injury continues in southeastern Westchester county, as 

 reported by Henry Bird and several other correspondents. This 

 species is easily controlled and serious effects resulting from its 

 activities must be charged to either indifference or ignorance. 



The European Phytonomus meles Gyll., kindly deter- 

 mined by Prof. E. G. Titus, was reared June 21, 1908 from clover 

 heads collected in the vicinity of Albany. The! record shows the 

 establishment in the State of an European species closely related 

 to the introduced and very destructive alfalfa weevil, Phyton- 

 omus posticus Gyll., and is therefore of more than usual 

 interest. Trichius affinis Gory was reared from decaying 

 black cherry. ' 



FRUIT TREE INSECTS 



Hoplia trifasciata Say. Mr Roy C. Draper states, under date 

 of May 14, 191 1, that this beetle was abundant on the blossoms 

 of a small pear orchard in Greece, He adds that the trees were 

 covered with the insects which were gnawing out the sides of 

 the fruit buds. He estimated that at least one-third of the 

 buds were thus affected. Similar injury has been recorded by 

 Messrs Webster and Mally in Bulletin 17, n.s.. United States 

 Department of Agriculture, Division of Entomology, page 98. 

 Such depredations are unusual and generally limited in extent. 

 Prompt spraying with arsenate of lead, using six to ten pounds to 

 fifty gallons of water, would probably be the most practical 

 method of checking this insect. Eland picking, in the case of 

 small or low trees, might be equally or even more effective. 



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