40 ASSOCIATION OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGISTS. 



limoid, and the results were decidedly adverse to the employment of 

 this material, despite its improved physical condition. The reaction 

 between the limoid and the sulphur was not nearly so vigorous, even 

 when hot water was employed. A sal-soda lime-sulphur wash was 

 the subject of further tests and gave very satisfactory results. Oily 

 preparations, known in a general way as " soluble " or miscible oils, 

 have been used to some ex-tent in the State. We have examined a 

 number of trees treated with these materials and in each instance 

 detected evidences of oil injury, though there was no doubt that, in 

 some cases at least, a considerable proportion of the scale insects 

 had been destroyed. It is impossible to say at present what would 

 be the result of successive annual applications of such materials, 

 though we would not be surprised were a considerable injury to 

 develop with the advance of time. 



The grape root-worm (Fidia viticida Walsh) continues abundant 

 in the Chautauqua region, and during the past season has been ex- 

 ceptionally numerous in certain vineyards. It is an insect very local 

 in its operations, and this fact renders it difficult to make any gen- 

 eral statements. There is no question that it is becoming more abun- 

 dant in certain vineyards here and there throughout the grape belt, 

 and its numbers have increased materially the past year or two in the 

 vineyards on the hills back from the lake. The grapevine or steely 

 flea-beetle (Haltica chalybea 111.) had an exceptional opportunity 

 to injure grape buds, owing to the continued cold weather keeping 

 the vines in check just as the foliage began to appear. The snowy 

 tree-cricket or white flower cricket ((Ecanthus niveus De G.) was so 

 abundant in certain vineyards, where there was considerable weedy 

 growth, as to injure many of the canes by depositing its eggs therein. 



The sugar-maple borer (Plagionotus sjieciosus Say) continues to 

 be a serious enemy of our sugar maples. An exceptionally interest- 

 ing observation of the work of this insect was made in connection 

 with a recent trip to Le Koy. Seven years before, namely, in Sep- 

 tember, 1899, we photographed a tree in that city which had been 

 badly injured by this borer. The tree was about 18 inches in diame- 

 ter and at the time of photographing was rather thrifty despite the 

 fact that one side was completely girdled by the operations of the 

 pest. The dead area at that time had commenced to enlarge and it 

 was therefore not surprising, on examining this tree in November 

 last, to find that the area of exposed wood had greatly increased. The 

 original gallery was approximately 4 feet from the ground. At the 

 present time the entire affected side, from the ground to 8 or 10 feet 

 above, is dead, the bark has decayed or fallen away, and a large pro- 

 portion of the magnificent limbs and branches on that side of the 

 tree have disappeared. This illustrates in a striking manner the 

 destructive nature of this insect's operations. It is very probable 



