REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTS. 4o 



The pupa averages l(j mm in length, is rather stout for a Pyralid, of a 

 shining red-brown color, sometimes tinged with olive. Pupae were first 

 observed on July 9, and the moths began to emerge on the 25th of the 

 same month and continued coming out in the rearing cage until the 

 10th of August. 



This species is one of the largest and handsomest in the group, hav- 

 ing a wing expanse of from 1 to 1§ inches (25 to 35 n,rn ), and being more 

 lustrous and variegated in coloring than is usual among its leaf-feeding 

 allies. 



The second (or it may have been the third) brood of the larvae 

 appeared on the trees about the middle of September, and singularly 

 enough from one to three of them, still very small, were often found in 

 the large cones deserted by the preceding brood. In the rearing cages 

 they developed very irregularly, one or two moths appearing early in 

 November, while others that were, perhaps, somewhat underfed are 

 still reposing in their cases unchanged. 



No parasites were bred except a Tachinid of the genus Parexorista, 



Spraying was not resorted to this year, but will be practiced should 

 the insect again appear in injurious numbers, as it is evident from 

 tests on a small scale that a very small proportion of Paris green in 

 water is quickly fatal to it. 



Insecticides. — In the Missouri botanical garden, when necessary fco 

 spray fruit or other trees, the arsenites were this year in many cases 

 combined with the most approved fungicides, and I was assured that 

 the latter were quite as effectual against vegetable parasites when 

 thus associated, while the lime and copper compounds seem to prevent 

 that scorching of the foliage which frequently attends the application 

 of the simple arsenites and water. A number of nurserymen and 

 orchardists of my acquaintance have used the same combination when 

 spraying, and claim great success in it. 



A preparation known as Cannon's fruit protector was tested against 

 certain insects, especially Coccidae, with good success. In cdor and con- 

 sistency, as well as in its effects, it differs but slightly from thymo-cresol, 

 on which I have previously reported, and 1 do not think that it is in 

 any way superior to the latter. It is in the form of a molasses-like 

 fluid of which one part to eighty or one hundred parts of water are 

 used, to be applied as a spray or drench, as a combined insecticide and 

 fungicide. Delicate foliage was in some eases injured by it. appearing 

 •as though greased, and alter a lew days shriveled and dropped, and I 

 would not recommend its use against caterpillars or Aphidids, but think 

 it would prove a good repellant on the trunks of trees against borers, 

 and might be advantageously applied to trees affected with bark-lice. 



