61 



described by Mr. Burgess to be the normal black dimorphic female of 

 the species. 



Eeferring to the feeding of the species on the San Jose scale, he stated 

 that this record was important as showing that our native species may 

 do the work which it was desired to accomplish by the importation of 

 foreign predaceous insects. 



Mr. Cooley read the following paper : 



NOTES ON SOME MASSACHUSETTS COCCID^l. 



By R. A. Cooley, Amherst, Mass. 



The "maple leaf-louse," Pseudococcus aceris, continues to be a serious 

 enemy to street maples in this State, and a brief account of our expe- 

 rience with it may be of interest to the members of the association. 

 The worst infested locality which has come under my observation is 

 the one in Springfield, although another in Holyoke is scarcely less 

 important. The authorities of Springfield have been fi ghting this insect 

 ever since their attention was called to it a number of years ago, 

 but their efforts have been attended with only partial success. During 

 the winter of 1895-96 the trunks of the trees were scraped smooth and 

 treated with a concentrated solution of whale-oil soap, applied with 

 whitewash brushes. Visiting the locality on April 9, 1896, the writer 

 gathered specimens on pieces of bark from the trees and took them to 

 the insectary, where they were examined and all found to be dead. It 

 seemed certain then that the insect was well under control, but by fall 

 it had again multiplied to destructive numbers. The treatment was 

 repeated during the winter of 1896-97, but, if the writer is correctly 

 informed, the insects were more abundant than ever the next summer. 

 Last winter the trees were under the care of Mr. W. F. Gale, who has 

 been appointed city forester in place of Mr. Clark, who previously held 

 the position. Mr. Gale treated the trees with an insecticide prepared 

 as follows: Three pounds of whale oil soap were dissolved in 3 gallons 

 of hot water, and to this solution was added 1 gallon of kerosene. This 

 mixture was churned till an emulsion was formed, after which 2 drams 

 of crude carbolic acid were stirred in. Before applying the emulsion it 

 was diluted with an equal part of water. The writer examined the 

 trees on July 20 and again on August 6, and could find comparatively 

 few specimens of the insect and the trees appeared to be perfectly 

 healthy. 



Quite in contrast to this experience in Springfield has been that of 

 Mr. D. H. Newton, city forester of Holyoke. Mr. A. Y. Capen, Mr. 

 Newton's foreman, informed the writer that in February of 1896 the 

 infested maples in Holyoke were sprayed with whale-oil soap solution, 

 1 pound of the soap in 1 gallon of water, and that since that time tbe 

 insects had never been abundant enough to require treatment. 



