TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



153 



Corn-Ear Wonn {Helioiis amiger). — This pest is reported every season, 

 and yet there seems to be very little chance so far to fight it satisfac- 

 torily. It is supposed that the moth lays her eggs upon the silk of the 

 corn and from there the young worm works its way into the top of the 

 ear. Here is a good field for some investigator to undertake a thorough 

 and interesting study, and no doubt future success in combating this 

 pest will greatly depend upon such course. 



Squash or PumpJcin Bug (Anasa tristis). — This insect is a great 

 nuisance, so much so that in several districts the raising of the true 

 field squash has been abandoned. Hand-picking the insects, after the 

 young plants have several leaves, has reduced the pest, but this is only 

 practicable on small acreage. 



Thrips. — These minute insects have caused considerable trouble and 

 damage to vegetation this season. Beans and other garden crops have 

 suffered much, and citrus trees have also been attacked. 



Grasshoppers (Melanoplus devastator, et ah). — The grasshopper plague 

 has not been so bad this year as last, although several large swarms 

 were reported in Fresno, Kings, Tulare, San Diego, and Placer counties. 

 The swarms did little damage as compared with last season. 



Currant Fruit-Fly. — During the last few years this insect has been 

 recorded as doing damage to currants in the State, and again inquiry 

 regarding it came to our notice this season. In the Eastern States, this 

 pest, or its cousin, causes much damage to currants and gooseberries, 

 and it should be closely watched here and prevented from spreading. 

 It would be better to gather one crop for the furnace before the larvae 

 drop out of the berries and thus check the pest, than to continue pro- 

 ducing infested fruit every year. 



Mites and Red Spider. — Under this head we include the red spider, 

 yellow mite, orange mite, walnut mite, and pear-leaf phytoptus. All 

 these species have been rather more numerous this season and a great 

 deal of alarm has been felt. It was hoped that the cool spring months 

 would have checked these pests, as they are an ever annoying class. 

 Only persistent fighting will accomplish good results. 



SCALE INSECTS. 



By prof. a. J. COOK, of Claeemont. 



We can not know too much, or too definitely or too accurately, all 

 the details of that which most affects our business. This is my excuse 

 for bringing before you this oft discussed topic. 



The life history of all scale insects is much the same, and in brief is 

 as follows: The young are hatched from eggs beneath the mother scale 

 in oviporous species, as illustrated in the common black scale; or born 



