102 



often going around a circle. Even their strong instinct for ascend- 

 ing the nearest tree was thus overcome, and in several instances those 

 upon the base of the tree descended toward the light. Though I was 

 unable to make a trial of it, this suggested that a bright light in the 

 center of a sunken pan containing water and kerosene might make an 

 efficient trap upon badly infested lawns. 



During the season of 1901 the white-marked tussock moth and fall 

 webworm were unusually injurious and seem to be almost equally so 

 this year. The apple-tree tent caterpillar was more abundant this 

 spring than for many years. Apples have been unusually injured by 

 the plum curculio, eight or ten scars on an apple not being uncom- 

 mon. Arsenical sprays seem to have no effect whatever in preventing 

 this injuiy, apples being badly stung in an orchard which has been 

 carefully sprayed for many years. On the same place, however, the 

 fruit of an old cherry tree, which was formerly entirely destroyed by 

 the curculio, is now untouched, owing to its being sprayed with 

 arsenites and Bordeaux mixture. 



Crambus caliginosellus continues to be one of our worst pests of 

 young corn. Systena tmniata often destroys replanted corn and is 

 our worst pest of newly set tomatoes, one for which we have as yet 

 no very satisfactory remedy. 



The strawberry weevil (Anihxmorruus signatus) was excessively inju- 

 rious this year for the first time since 1898, and cut the early staminate 

 varieties about one-third, and in some instances practically ruined the 

 crop. A remedy for this pest would be of great value to berry grow- 

 ers, but it seems invulnerable to attack. 



NOTES FOR THE YEAR IN NEW YORK. 



By E. P. Felt, Albany, X. Y. 



The season has not been marked by any unusual demonstrations by 

 injurious insects, except in the case of a few species which will be 

 noticed briefly. 



The grape root- worm, Fidiaviticida Walsh, has caused a great deal 

 of injury in the Chautauqua grape belt during the last two years. It 

 was estimated last spring that fully 80 acres had been practically 

 destroyed by this insect and that at least 200 acres were more or less 

 infested. Subsequent observations have shown that, in all probability, 

 the infested area must be greatly extended. The insect has been so 

 very injurious during the spring that certain vines which developed 

 leaves in an apparently normal manner began to wilt about the middle 

 of June and by the latter part of the month had died. This was attrib- 

 uted to the grape root- worm. The depredations appear to be more 

 serious upon gravelly than upon heavy clay soil, and some recent 

 experiments would appear to indicate that a considerable number of 



