338 



a sufficient width not to interfere with the development of the buds. For the 

 protection of single choice trees, however, such bags are no doubt to be recom- 

 mended. 



Should future observations corroborate the connection of the presence of the lo- 

 cust bushes on or near the orchard and the invasion of the Crepidodera, by far the 

 most rational way of prevention would be the radical destruction of the locust thick- 

 ets. This should, however, not be done as in Mr. MurrelFs case, who, as stated be- 

 fore, grubbed up the locust trees in March and at once planted the peach trees on the 

 new ground. The severity of the invasion is thereby evidently increased, for by the 

 plowing of the ground the beetles are disturbed in their winter quarters and appear 

 sooner above ground than they would under ordinary circumstances. The locust 

 trees should be uprooted some time during the summer — i. e., before the beetles have 

 retreated into their winter quarters under the old leaves at the base of the trees or 

 in the ground. The particular month when the beetles go into winter quarters has 

 not yet been ascertained, but it is safe to say that this takes place before the cool 

 season sets in, probably as soon as the month of August. 



Besides the Crepidodera, only a single other species of insect was found on the 

 newly-set trees — viz, Aiyion nigrum. I did not observe that it did any damage here, 

 probably because there was nothing left to feed upon on the trees already denuded 

 by the Crepidodera. It was more abundant on the three-year old trees, where it fed 

 upon the leaves, but the amount of damage done was very insignificant. However^ 

 the presence of this little Apion on the peach trees is of special interest, since, like 

 the Crepidodera, it belongs to the fauna of the Black Locust, the imago feeding on 

 the leaves and the larva developing probably in the seeds of that tree.* Thus the 

 assumption that there is a connection between the locust trees and the Crepidodera 

 invasion is considerably strengthened. 



On the three-year old trees a number of other insects were found, mostly Coleop- 

 tera (a few Cocciuellidse and Elateridse, Syneta ferruginea, Typophorus canellus, and 

 Pandele^ejus hilaris), a few Capsidaj, and an Aphis, none of them abundant or of any 

 special interest. But I utterly failed to find any insect that could be considered as 

 an enemy of the Crepidodera. Mr. Murrell informed me, however, that in one 

 instance he saw a brownish Hemipter spear a specimen of the Crepidodera. Being 

 an excellent observer, he was able to draw from memory a figure of this Hemipter 

 and I had no difficulty in recognizing one of our Reduviids. 



FURTHER EXPERIENCE. 



We were anxious to follow up tlie further exx)erience which Mr. Mur- 

 rell had, both with the beetle aud the experiments made to destroy it^ 

 and the following letters from him are sufficiently interesting and in- 

 structive to reproduce entire : 



LETTER OF APRIL 29. 



I was requested by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, while on his visit here, to write at a later 

 date stating effect of kerosene emulsion diluted four times as affecting peach foliage. 

 The trees so treated were about 75 in number, and were showing foliage from buds just 

 opening to leaves about one-fourth developed. Four or five days after spraying the 

 bulk of the lot were defoliated by beetles, and the few yet carrying leaves show no 

 bad eft'ect from emulsion. Six or seven hundred trees sprayed heavily, first with 2 

 ounces of London purple to 40 gallons of water and a few days later with one-half 

 pound London jjurple, 2 pounds lime to 100 gallons water, show no difference in ap- 

 pearance or cessation of attack from trees untreated. The weather following both 



* See Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, ii, No. 1, p. 76. 



