36 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
variable in early spring, as is apt to be the case in most parts of 
New York State, there is no necessity of any preliminary boiling 
or treatment before operations begin. Taking all of these factors 
into consideration, Mr W. H. Hart of Poughkeepsie is of the 
opinion that it costs no more to spray with one of these miscible 
oils than with a lime-sulfur wash, in spite of the great disparity in 
the cost of materials. This is undoubtedly very close to the truth 
but other factors should be considered. Experience in the past 
has demonstrated that oily applications are not particularly bene- 
ficial to fruit trees, and it is yet to be ascertained what results will 
follow a series of annual applications of these proprietary mixtures. 
Furthermore, those made by different firms are not alike and it is 
unsafe to conclude that because one brand is harmless that the same 
is true of another. These materials should be used, if employed 
at all, with the greatest caution and the trees sprayed with such 
mixtures should be carefully watched for indications of oil injury. 
The results obtained with these soluble oils in 1907, so far as 
destroying scale is concerned, are practically equal with those given 
by the lime-sulfur wash. It should be remembered in this connec- 
tion that the season appears to have been an exceptionally favor- 
able one for destroying the scale, and it would not be surprising if 
the true relative value of these preparations was somewhat different 
from that indicated by the experience of the past season. 
Grape root worm (Fidia viticida Walsh). The back- 
_ ward season of 1907 had a very pronounced effect upon the devel- 
opment of the root worm as well as upon the growth of vegetation. 
Many farmers considered the season two to three weeks later than 
usual, and the same was true of the root worm. Normally this 
species transforms to the pupa from about June Ist to the 2oth, 
the full grown larvae being near the surface some days at least 
before pupation occurs. An examination of several vineyards in 
Westfield, June 4, showed that even on warm soil there was no 
evidence of transforming to the pupa. Indications at that time 
were that pupae would not begin to appear in numbers before 
June 18 and possibly not till the 25th or early in July. Subse- 
quent observations showed that even this was too early, as on July 
10 only a few full grown larvae and two recently transformed 
pupae were to be found on light soil, indicating that these changes 
had been greatly delayed by the abnormally backward season. An 
examination of various vineyards at this time indicated that larvae 
were relatively scarce, this being particularly marked in the case 
