271 



From my experience 1 am confident that either the kerosene emulsion 

 or the tobacco decoction will prove a certain remedy for the Black Aphis 

 of the j)each tree if thoroughly applied in the form of a strong, tine 

 spray while the insects are above the surface of the soil. 



The Kose Chafer, or Rose-bug, as it is commonly known with us, Mac- 

 rodactylus suhspinosus, is one of our most troublesome insect pests. It 

 usually makes its appearance about the 24th of May ; I captured a few 

 specimens this season on the 22d. In sections where the Stagger- 

 bush, or Kill Deer, Andromeda sp., is abundant, the Eose Chafer feeds 

 upon the fragrant blossoms of this plant as long as a flower remains in 

 preference to anything else; when these are gone, it attacks the blos- 

 som buds of the grape and in a very short time will destroy every 

 bunch of buds in a vineyard and frequently the leaves also. 



They do not stop with the grape vines, but attack and destroy the 

 fruit of the Apple, Peach, Pear, and, in the case of the Plum and Cherry, 

 both fruit and leaves. They are also very partial to the young, green 

 Walnuts upon the trees of Juglans nigra. 



My first experience with this insect was in the vineyard of Mr. E. H. 

 Brancroft near Camden, Delaware — the finest and best kept vineyard 

 that I have seen in Delaware. There were six hundred Concord grape 

 vines, planted 8 feet apart with a post about 6J feet high at each vine, 

 and with single wires at the top of the posts extending in both directions 

 and crossing each other at right angles upon which the vines were 

 trained. 



When I began work in this vineyard the beetles had just commenced 

 feeding upon the blossom buds. At first I hung small vials containing 

 bisulphide of carbon among the vines, to test the effect of the odor in 

 keeping the insects away from the vines, but soon found that it would 

 not prove effectual. 



I sprayed a portion of the vineyard with London purple at the rate 

 of 1 pound of London purple to 201) gallons of water, thoroughly 

 drenching the vines until the liquid dripped from them. A thorough 

 examination of the treated vines about 12 hours afterward fully con- 

 vinced me that the treatment was entirely useless. Xot a dead Eose- 

 bug could be found. In feeding upon the blossom buds the Rose-bugs 

 merely bite through the outer covering of the buds and then feed upon 

 the inner parts. Finally I sprayed several rows with a thin whitewash, 

 completely covering the foliage with a coating of lime. At first this 

 appeared distasteful to the insects, and I began to think that it would 

 succeed in preventing their ravages ; but after a few hours it was evi- 

 dent that they were feeding in that part of the vineyard in as great 

 numbers as upon the untreated portion. 



By this time I found that nearly every cluster of blossom buds upon 

 the vines was destroyed, and having devoted the greater part ot two 

 days to the experiment, I returned to the station almost completely 

 discouraged. 



