381 



opened on the subject, and a few days iater the Syndicat du Commerce des Fins de 

 Champagne de Reims drew up an important document, in which its views as to Ameri- 

 can plants were fully stated. In the opinion of the Syndicat the introduction of these 

 plants would be infallibly followed by the phylloxera, since they are the conductors 

 and propagators par exctllence of the pest, and though they may be able to support 

 themselves against it, they rapidly spread it around them. Considering that a great 

 -danger is threatened to the vineyards, the Syndicat makes an energetic protest against 

 the employment of the American plants, and copies of the document have been sent 

 to the mayors of the seventy-nine communes of the Marne department, as well as to 

 the prefect. The views of the Syndicat on such a question as this will doubtless re- 

 ceive the weight they deserve, and then go a long way to indicate the probable result 

 of the inquiry. 



A NEW AUSTRALIAN VINE PEST. 



We bave recently received from the author, through the State De- 

 partment, advance proof of an article by Charles O. Montrose, editor 

 Victoria Farmers 1 Gazette, relating to a new vine pest which is reported 

 to be seriously ravaging the vineyards, orchards, and gardens of New 

 South Wales. 



In this article Mr. F. A. A. Skuse is recorded as stating that the in- 

 sect in question is a species of plant bug, probably undescribed, be- 

 longing to the family Capsidae, and from the description given, it must 

 be closely allied to our Tarnished Plant-bug. 



They are said to attack particularly the fruit-stems of the Grape, 

 Plum, Apple, etc., causing the fruit to dry up instead of ripening. They 

 seem to prefer Plum leaves, and are reported to leave the grape and 

 other plants untouched in the neighborhood of plum trees. They are, 

 however, practically omnivorous, causing great injury to all the common 

 fruits, cereals, and vegetables. 



Mr. Montrose has promised to forward specimens, on the receipt of 

 which we may refer to the subject again. 



TROUBLE IN CALIFORNIA. 



In a recent account of the meeting of the Los Angeles County orange- 

 growers we notice that the board of supervisors has received a petition 

 signed by sixty-seven parties asking for the removal of the board of 

 horticultural commissioners on the ground that spraying is injurious 

 to the trees, and that parasites have been discovered which are effec- 

 tively cleaning off the White, Red, Black, and San Jose scales. Tliey 

 claim that spraying kills off the parasites and leaves the scales to " pur- 

 sue their chosen avocation." 



We consider this action short-sighted and unjustified. Proper spray- 

 ing will not injure the tr.es, and no effective new parasites of the Red, 

 Black, or San Jos6 scales have been discovered. The parasite of the 

 Black scale, discovered by Professor Comstock in 1880 (Dilophogaster 

 aalifornica Howard), was at that date considered by him a very effective 

 enemy of this scale, and it is safe to say that, after ten years of unin- 

 terrupted work of the parasite, this scale insect is as abundant in Cali- 

 fornia as ever. 



25852— Nos. 11 and 12 4 



