57 



Mr. Kiley said that an important new recommendation in the matter 

 of treatment was contained in the j)aper by Mr. Marlatt, referring to 

 spraying for tbe beetles beginning, if necessary, at tlie moment the 

 leaves begin to expand. The method he had always recommended 

 and followed was to posti)one treatment untd the young larva? were 

 beginning to hatch. He thought the beetles did not injure the trees 

 materially, and that the application of arsenic to tender foliage was 

 inadvisable. He queried, therefore, whether we are justified by the 

 facts in earlj- spraying for the beetles, stating that he had protected 

 the Department trees on one or two occasions by gi^ing treatment 

 after the larv;e had appeared. He had not, however, been responsible 

 for the elms on the Department grounds, which were under the control 

 of the superintendent of gardens and grounds. The present year was 

 undoubtedly an exceptional one both in the leafing of the trees and the 

 appearance of the beetles. He agreed with Messrs. Southwick and 

 Smith as to the inadvisability of setting out European elms. 



In regard to the distribution of the elm leaf-beetle, he was inclined 

 to believe that the explanation of its being now brought into i)romiuence 

 in various Xew England towns where it had not before been observed 

 was not an instance of sudden introduction, but rather that it had 

 been i^resent and unobserved for years before, and the present year 

 being an unusually favorable one for the beetle its work was rendered 

 noticeable. The elm leaf beetle is distinctively a city insect, being 

 rarely injurious outside of cities and parks. He had frequently found 

 different trees of the same species of elm affected in a very different 

 degree and attributed this to variations in elms within the species, 

 pointing out in this connection the differences observable in time of 

 leafing and mode of growth of Ulmiis amerkana. He was inclined to 

 believe that the second brood in Albany would prove to be a small one 

 and insignificant in its effects, the occurrence of a second brood largely 

 dei^ending on conditions of foliage. If the beetles of the first brood find 

 comparatively fresh foliage, or new foliage following the loss of the first 

 foliage, by reason of the attacks of the first brood, a second brood would 

 be very apt to be developed. The larvie, he said, are unable to subsist 

 on old dried foliage. He believed nuich good could be done by coopera- 

 tion, and particularly if civic pride, as in Xew Haven, could be aroused. 

 He pointed out the difference necessary in the treatment of larva^ (after 

 they had left the trees for inipation) between trees growing along 

 streets and trees in ])arks, referring to Professor Lintner's remarks on 

 the treatment of larva^ about street trees. 



Mr. Howard said, in reference to the advisability of early spraying 

 for the beetles, that the Division of Entomology was not only expected 

 to effectually exterminate the insect, but also to preserve the appear- 

 ance of the trees and foliage as nearly intact as possible, thus necessi- 

 tating si)raying to prevent the considerable riddling of the leaves 

 which resulted from the feeding of the beetles before and during 

 oviposition. 



