1909.] Notes on Insect, Fungus, and other Pests. 475 



followed wheat. The form of the disease is not unfamiliar to 

 the Board's advisers, and cases occur from time to time; but 

 no trace of any fungus disease can be found, and though in 

 both cases several specimens of Thrips, parasitised aphides, 

 and some other insects were found, nothing sufficient to 

 account for the damage could be traced. The Board would be 

 glad to hear of other cases in order that an investigation may 

 be made. 



To the cases of attack of Pear-leaf Blister-mite, recorded in 

 the Journal for June, 1909, p. 210, must be added reports from 

 Newport (Salop), Hampton-on-Thames, Devizes and Staple- 

 grove, near Taunton. 



A correspondent from Newburgh, Fife, sent some specimens 

 of leaves of apple, plum, and cherry trees, badly mined by the 

 larvae of Cemistoma or Leucoptera scitella, a small Tineid 

 moth that attacks various rosaceous trees. The pest appears 

 to have been introduced some years ago with some young- 

 apple trees. It has become worse each year until at the 

 present time the leaves all fall off, and the crop fails. Spray- 

 ing with arsenate of lead had naturally failed, but as a number 

 of cocoons were attached to the leaves sent the damage might 

 possibly be mitigated if all infested leaves were promptly 

 destroyed. 



A large number of the specimens sent to the Board during 

 the past month have related to forest trees. A correspondent 

 from Elveden, Suffolk, sent some caterpillars of the Buff Tip 

 moth (Pygczra bucephala) which were infesting the oaks in 

 that neighbourhood, and doing much harm. Some white 

 poplars, about 15 feet in height, in Canobie, were observed 

 by another correspondent to be attacked by the larvae of the 

 poplar beetle (Melosoma populi). The pest is rare in Scot- 

 land, and seems to have been introduced from the nursery 

 whence the trees were brought. The larvse feed till August, 

 when pupation takes place, the pupae hanging from the 

 leaves. Spraying with arsenate of lead is suggested as a 

 remedy in the spring, but in general the beetles can be 

 shaken or jarred off the trees and collected. From Bemerton, 

 Salisbury, specimens of willows attacked by a fly, Cecidomyia 

 rosaria, were sent. The infestation was observed to be only 

 on the north and west of the trees, but they were few in 



