142 
£ 
ORCHARD 
GARDE N 
July, 1889. 
Conducted by F. H. Hillmax, 
Michigan Agricultural College, Lansing, Mich. 
Tlie Farmer Ilia Own Entomologist, 
Every farmer and gardener knows that 
among the insects he has many enemies, 
perhaps he is not so well aware that he has 
among them many friends. One who gives 
his attention to farming or horticultural 
pursuits has not the time or opportunity to 
become a systematic entomologist, yet it 
may safely be said that none should be 
more interested in economic entomology in 
a practical way. than he who makes either 
of these callings his business. How then 
is the farmer to learn to recognize" liis’in- 
sect friends and foes, to know how to pro- 
tect the one and destroy the other ? He 
may do this by himself and nowhere better 
than among his plants. 
The exercise of one’s powers of observa- 
tion aided by a reasonable amount of com- 
mon sense will do wonders and may be re- 
lied upon in combating the many insect en- 
emies from whose ravages the horticultur- 
ist often has to suffer greatly. 
It should be the aim of our horticultural 
papers to have an entomological depart- 
ment where the life history, habits, and 
descriptions of injurious and beneficial in- 
sects, together witn remedies for the for- 
mer. shall be given. The matter of such a 
department should be timely: and, so far as 
possible, upon topics of current interest. 
Then the farmer, horticulturist, or garden- 
er may pursue his observations with refer- 
ence to those of others; and. combining his 
experience with theirs, he may in the end 
find himself materially the gainer for so 
doing. 
Let all those interested in the diffusion of 
knowledge on questions relating to eco-* 
nomic entomology, co-operate in the work 
by sending specimens and descriptions of 
injuries done, to the head of the entomolog- 
ical department of our paper. Such com- 
munications answered through the paper 
will provide a means of information that 
may prove of great benefit to many and 
cannot be too highly recommended. 
The Snowy Tree Cricket.* 
(CEcantliux ni veils, Harris.) 
Mr. A. S. Kitteredge of Hamilton. Indi- 
ana, sends several twigs taken from his 
young plum trees which contain, as he 
says, “grubs.” He finds them in the small- 
er twigs of his apple trees also, and desires 
to know their name and to what extent his 
trees may be damaged. 
What Mr. K. has mistaken for grubs are 
the eggs of a greenish white cricket. These 
are laid in autumn. The female cricket is 
provided with a tubular ovipositor at the 
extremity of the abdomen. With this she 
bores a hole in the twig extending it 
through the pith. This hasabout the diam- 
eter of a common pin and is from one eighth 
to three sixteenths of an inch in depth. At 
the bottom of this puncture she places a 
single egg, represented by c. A second 
hole is made at a distance from the first 
equal to its diameter. Here another egg is 
placed. This process is continued until a 
row of holes extends 
along the twig the dis- 
tance of an inch, 
sometimes three or 
four inches, shown at 
a. Each cavity forms 
a slight curve and all 
slant downward cr to- 
wards the stem of the 
tree, as represented 
by b. 
The eggs placed in 
the bottom of the cav- 
ities in autumn be- 
come elongated in 
early spring until they 
completely fill their 
woody cells and some- 
times protrude from 
them. 
The openings to the 
punctures are easily 
seen on the bark 
where they form an 
uneven chain of spots. Sometimes the bark 
splits and a new growth taking place the 
edges unite, completely covering the holes 
left in the hard wood and pith. More usu- 
ally, however, the twig either dies or is so 
weakened that it is broken by the wind or 
weight of its fruit. 
I find here the limbs of the plum, peach, 
cherry, and the stalk of the raspberry af- 
fected. The twigs of the currant, apple, 
willow, and in fact those of almost any soft 
wood having a suitable pith, and not too 
large, are liable to be affected 
by this insect. Mr. Saunders 
states that this is the most 
troublesome of all the insects 
affecting the raspberry. j- 
affected branches in autumn or early spring. 
It has been advised to shake the fruit trees 
in autumn and destroy the mature insects 
thus brought to the 
ground. Also placing on 
boards on the tree-trunks 
some sweetened material 
as molasses and vinegar, 
w hich is knowm to attract 
these insects, thus per- 
mitting them to be de- 
stroyed, is thought will 
aid in their extermina- 
tion. The last two suggestions cannot, how- 
ever, be depended upon as can the first; 
for, with a few' exceptions, injurious in- 
sects will not be combated by the most of 
people unless their visible depredations de- 
mand immediate attention. 
The Carpet Beetle. 
< Anthranus scrnphulariee, Linn.) 
One of the most troublesome of house- 
hold pests is the carpet beetle, sometimes 
improperly called “carpet moth” and “car- 
pet bug.” This insect belongs to the family 
Derrnestidie which contains many other in- 
sects noted for their injurious proclivities. 
Among these are the Dermestes lardarius, 
and Anthronus varius well known to the 
naturalist, as their favorite occupation is 
eating the internal portion of dried speci- 
mens, leaving but a thin shell to fall to 
pieces on the first disturbance. 
The carpet beetle was introduced to this 
country in 1874. making its first appearance 
in the eastern cities. It is supposed to have 
been imported from Europe in carpets from 
Brussels. With others of its near relatives 
its work in Europe has been mainly upon 
flowers, but a new climate gave it a new 
appetite, and as a destroyer of carpets and 
other goods, it is rapidly spreading through- 
out the United States. 
On first hatching, the young' 
insects are almost wdiolly 
carnivorous, preying upon 
plant lice, other minute ani- 
mal forms, and insect eggs. 
At this period they undoubt- 
edly do much good. Later they live upon 
succulent plants and ripened fruits. 
The mature insects, Fig. 1 representing 
male and Fig. 2 female, are very common 
during the latter part of summer and au- 
tumn. The male produces a shrill sound 
which is characteristic of the crickets, by 
rubbing together its anterior w r ings. 
It is not probable that these insects w T ill 
ever be numerous enough to destroy trees, 
yet they should 
be checked as 
far as possible. 
FlG - a - The best reme- 
dy known as yet is to cut off and burn the 
The cuts used In this and the article on the Carpet 
Beetle were kindly loaned me by Prof. Cook. 
From the nature of its depredations and 
the peculiarities of its life and habits, its 
character cannot too well be laid before the 
public, and that too as a forerunner of a 
rapidly increasing evil. 
The larval form is that in which we are 
most interested, for then it does its greatest 
damage. To find these pests where they 
have gained a foothold, one has simply to 
raise up the edge of the carpet and he will 
see the little brown, hairy larvae making 
the best use of their time in getting to some 
protecting crevice. As they are not very 
slow, one must make his observations hur- 
riedly in order to see them. One cannot 
fail to recognize this larva, represented in 
the figure by a, after once noting its pecu- 
