280 



It is possible that tbe same fungus infects other plants, too, and causes 

 there small protuberances or galls on leaves and stalks, aud therefore 

 it would be desirable to state the occurrence of such small galls on 

 other i^lants in the near neighborhood of the diseased cranberries. 



EXTRACTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE. 



The Red-legged Flea-beetle injuring Peach Orchards. 



A peach enemy has sprung up among us that threatens the entire (lestructiou of 

 our orchards unless checked in some way. It is a small beetle, as per inclosed speci- 

 men. It partakes somewhat of the nature of the ilea and potato-bug. When dis- 

 turbed they jump rather than fly, and can be shaken off the trees, causing them to 

 drop through the branches like shot. We propose to spray our trees with Paris green 

 (1 pound to 100 gallons). Do you know the name of the insect we refer 1o, aud is 

 there anything better than Paris green for their destruction ? Any information you 

 may be able to give us will be thankfully received. [Stover & Stover, Edgemont, 

 Md., May 15, 1888. 



Reply. — * * * The insect which is damaging your peach trees is the Red-legged 

 Flea-beetle {HaUica ruji/pes). Your proposed application of Paris green will probably 

 be satisfactory iu destroying the beetles, but of course will not at once put a stop to 

 the damage. Would it not be simpler to shake them down upon sheets placed upon 

 the ground, first saturating the sheets with kerosene so that every beetle falling 

 upon them will be killed f We shall be glad to learn of the success of whichever 

 plan you adopt. — [May 17, 1888.] 



The Spider Bite Question again. 



I must thank you for sending me Insect Life. While entomology is out of my 

 line now, I usually see something of interest while looking over your journal. In 

 the last number the article on "Fatal Spider Bites" has especially interested me, as 

 I have had a curious experience in the same line, and it may interest you to have an 

 account of it. 



In medicine we frequently have rare cases come together. I have had six cases of 

 spider bite, or so diagnosed, where the testimony is more or less convincing as to the 

 venom of spiders 



Four of them are rather remarkable, as the history is the same in all. and the symp- 

 toms very similar. A man comes home from his work, eats his supper, and goes out 

 to the privy, sits on the hole, comes in contact with a spider's web, aud almost im- 

 mediately is bitten on the glans penis. But a few minutes pass by before there is 

 giddiness aud sharp lancinating pains running up into the back and abdomen. The 

 patient is so sick that he goes to bed at once and sends for a physician ; there is fever, 

 intense restlessness, and anxiety ; the abdominal muscles hard and coutracted: the 

 muscles of the face and throat strongly contracted, aud swallowing very difficult; 

 the patient appears to be in great agony, and calls for immediate relief; the arterial 

 pressure is high, the pulse hard and rapid. In mj' first case, a negro about forty five 

 years old, the symptoms were relieved by large doses of morphine subcutaueously, 

 and the patient was up in three or four days. He had incipient phthisis at the time, 

 and died from this disease a year later. There was no point on the glans penis to 

 indicate the bite. 



In my second case I was called out at midnight on the suburbs of the city to a 

 mulatto, a large and vigorous man, whom I found iu great agony, tossing all over 



