BEPOET OF THE 8TATE ENTOMOLOGI8T 



459 



stirred into one gallon of water. The Bordeaux mixture and other 

 similar prepaiations which are now being extensively employed for 

 fungoid diseases should be efficient in killing various species of mites. 



But as the Phytoptidce are usually concealed within their galls, they 

 are but slightly amenable to sulphur or other insecticides. Their 

 attacks are ordinarily, for a considerable time at least, quite local, 

 being confined to a single tree, or even to a limb. 



If taken at the very commencement of the attack no better remedy 

 can be found than to pick off all of the infested leaves, or remove the 

 infested branches, from time to time, whenever the presence of the 

 blister galls is noticed, and burn them. When there are no conveni- 

 ences for spraying, trees more generally affected should be heavily 

 pruned in spring or winter for burning. 



The best method, however, where proper spraying can be done, for 

 arresting an established attack of this most troublesome pest, has 

 recently been published by Mr. M. V. Slingerland of Cornell Univer- 

 sity, in an excellent paper on the u Pear-Leaf Blister," contained in- 

 Bulletin 61 of the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station, December, 

 1893. Careful experiments carried over two seasons have shown 

 Mr. Slingerland that the insect " can be nearly exterminated in a badly 

 infested orchard by a single thorough spraying of the trees in winter 

 with kerosene emulsion diluted with from five to seven parts of 

 water." 



This is a valuable discovery, for there need not, hereafter, be any 

 difficulty in arresting attacks which, hitherto, we have been entirely 

 unable to control. 



A Peach-Tree Phytoptus — P. Ppersicae. 

 Dr. Thomas Taylor, of Washington, has given me verbally, the 

 following information: In the year 1872, soon after he had discovered 

 the pear-leaf blister-mite, now known as Phytoptus pyri, in association 

 with its galls, and had called Mr. Glover's attention to it (see page 455 

 of this report), he observed, also, immense numbers of a similar mite, 

 but of only one-half the size, whitening the leaves of a peach-tree, in 

 Washington, and running rapidly over the surface of the leaves. It 

 had but four legs, and in all other particulars gave evidence of being a 

 Phytoptus. 



Dr. Taylor has not seen the mite from that time to the present. No 

 published record of its observation was made by him or by Mr. Glover 

 to whom it was shown, nor does it appear to have been noticed by any 

 one else in this country. 



