NiKTH Report of the State Bi^tomologist 367 



now little remaining fruit they say also shows signs of the disease by 

 the pinkish appearance of the flesh around the stone. The insect 

 -appears to bore into the bark at the butt of the tree, similar to the 

 borer, but above ground, showing a small amount of sawdust around 

 the hole. Would you kindl}^ give me through the columns of your 

 valuable paper your opinion ? While being perfectly willing to destroy 

 the trees if so advised, we are not quite so sure of the expeiience of 

 our inspectors to justify us in destroying our orchards. F,. F. O. 



The insect sent, taken from peach trees, the presence of which, 

 according to the statement above, fruit-tree inspectors of Ontario pro- 

 nounce to be a sure indication of " yellows," is one of the Scolytidm, or 

 bark-boring beetles, known as Phlceotrihus liniinaris (Harris). Its 

 presence in a tree by no means shows the existence of " peach yellows" 

 therein. Many years ago, Miss Morris found the beetle under the bark 

 of peach trees afl^ected with. the yellows, and hence supposed that it 

 was directly connected with that malady {Downing^s Horticulturist, 

 iv, p. 502, and Harris' Insects Injurious to Vegetation, 18G2, p. 88). 

 Dr. Harris and Dr. Fitch each found it under the bark of elms, where 

 it occurs so often that it has been written of by Saunders in his Insects 

 Injurious to I^ruits, and by other writers, as " the elm-bark beetle."* 



This beetle, like most of the other members of the Scolytidce family, 

 does not attack a peach or other tree for breeding therein (it may for 

 feeding purposes) unless it be in an unhealthy or diseased condition. 

 Injury from frost might invite its attack, or the presence of the peach- 

 tree borer, Sanni^ia exitiosa, in burrows about its base. According to 

 Professor Penhallow, the operations of this last-named insect produce 

 symptoms in the infested tree so like those of the yellows that they 

 might easil}^ be mistaken for it. The same writer, who has given 

 earnest study to peach-tree yellows, states that the Scolytidce can not 

 in any way be connected with that disease, or even be considered as a 

 predisposing cause. 



I have, at different times, received the beetle under consideration, 

 Phkejtrihus liminaris, from peach-trees in localities where the yellows 

 has not been known. Positive indications of this mysterious disease 

 (its cause as yet not ascertained) must be found in other than insect 

 presence. 



The following have been named by authorities as reliable 

 indications : 



1. The production on the main stem and along the branches, of a 

 multitudinous growth of slender, wiry, shoots, having small, narrow, 

 yellowish-colored leaves, 



* It has since been ascertained that it does not occur in the elm, but that another species, 

 Hylesin us qjjaculus, had been mist{^en for it. 



