Since there is so little known, but little can be said on the subject of its treatment. Sulfur in some or any form is a recognized specific for mites. The question would seem to be "How can these pests be reached?" Prof. Waite who found the mite wintering in the buds late in the season observed trees sprayed with lime-sulphur at winter strength were nearly free from them, and advises thorough spraying of young orchard or nursery stock that may be used for getting buds, and also spraying seedlings during the growing season at intervals before budding time with a self-boiled lime-sulfur solution prepared as for a fungicide.

There may be considerable doubt as to the efficiency of the limesulfur spray or any other spray for that matter. One nursery company dipped the scions in lime-sulfur solution and the trees from these buds showed the greatest injury from the mites of those anywhere observed. This may probably be due to the fact that by dipping and then allowing to stand without ventilation the buds were liable to be injured, and after injury and washing by rain the mites would be likely to start where there is more or less dying tissue.

The habit of burying themselves in the young buds and in the tis sues of the dead tips of twigs would seem to make it almost impossible for the spray material to reach them. They are no doubt more exposed during the growing season when they are feeding and migrating to fresh buds than in the winter or dormant season, but the best recommendations that can be given for their suppression are first, to spray thoroughly during the dormant season with limesulfur solution the same as for the San José scale, and second, during the growing season of the peach trees spray with the self-boiled limesulfur solution. It must be remembered that the peach bud mite works only in the buds and we have observed it only in nursery stock, therefore, there is not much danger of introducing this pest into orchards when infested trees are used for planting and are properly cut back. The writer has recently purchased several thousand infested trees and has them healed in ready for his own planting. This is enough to show he does not consider this pest as a serious cause of injury to growing trees, nor the infested nursery trees as a serious menace to his mature orchard. The chief loss is to the nurseryman whose trees are spread or made wider by the mite and thus not be sold as tall trees under the present method of selling trees according to height. These very short, branchy, strong peach trees cannot be sold at half as good price as the taller trees, although they are much more valuable to the grower than straight trees at the same height. They are thick and stocky, but with the severe close pruning that is needed in transplanting them there is no reason why they do not make good trees in orchards.

(f). The Apple Seed Chalcis. We also made investigations of the apple seed chalcis, which is becoming a destructive pest in the northenr portion of this State, making original observations and investigations, which resulted in the following important circular issued from this office: (See Fig. 2.)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-DIVISION OF ZOOLOGY THE APPLE SEED CHALCIS

(SYNTOMASPIS DRUPARUM)

This is a small green-colored gnat-like insect, in its mature state about one-eighth of an inch in length. The eggs are deposited in the seeds of apples when the fruit is one-half inch or more in diameter. On warm sunshiny days in June the female alights upon the young apples, and drives her long ovipositor into the apple, through the flesh and into the seeds. The eggs are pure white, and hard to see in the young seeds. From the eggs hatch grub-like larvae, having brownish heads. They feed on the soft contents of the kernels until September, at which time they become full grown larvae, having devoured the entire kernel of the seeds. They pass the winter inside the seed shells in the pupae state, emerging from the apple as mature insects early in the following summer.

In

The damage done to fruits by the Chalcis consists principally in dwarfing and gnarling the apples in a characteristic manner. fested apples are not only undersized, but misshapen, and lacking in symmetry. The point at which the eggs were introduced appear as a black dot occupying a depression on the surface of the fruit. From these punctures a brownish line of hardened tissue extends to the infested seeds.

Treatment: Since the insects remain in the seeds throughout the winter, it is necessary to destroy the apples left under the tree in the fall, as well as such as remain upon the tree. The complete destruction of all such apples grown, both in the orchard and of seedlings elsewhere, will prove an effective remedy where this practice is followed generally in infested localities.

(g) Carbon Bisulfide for Round-headed and Flat-headed Apple-tree Borers. Our experiments have proven conclusively the correctness of our recommendation to use carbon bisulfide for the round-headed and flat-headed borers which infest apple, pear and quince trees. It is to be noted that this is not recommended for the borer of the peach, which is discussed above, and for which we have found an adequate preventive.

Carbon bisulfide is a clear, foul-smelling, heavy liquid which readily volatilizes and of which the fumes are offensive, poisonous and explosive. It is not quickly poisonous as hydrocyanic gas, and it is much more safe to use, but fire should be kept away from it. It is not a preventive of borers as is the lime-sulfur wash, but is used as a remedy for them after they have entered the tree.

The proper method of using it is to put the liquid in a spring bottom oil can, and insert the tip of the can into the hole of the borer, and inject a jet of the liquid and close the hole with clay, mud, putty or grafting wax. Where the hole is large and irregular a wad of cotton can be satured with the carbon bisulfide, and held in place by a handful of mud fastened over it against the tree.

A number of persons have cleaned up their orchards by this method. Among these is Mr. P. M. Amberson, of Waynesboro. It is not necessary to spend time, or to injure the trees by cutting with a knife or attempting to follow the holes of the borers with a pliable wire. This information is worth a great deal to the owners of young apple, pear and quince trees who in many cases find both the roundheaded and flat-headed borers to be among their very worst pests.

As a means of preventing the borers from entering the trunks of trees, we find that an application of the lime-sulfur solution, with the sediment present, made and applied as for the peach-tree borer, is efficient and is hereby recommended. We have further proven the value of pure white lead and linseed oil as a paint, made about as thick as house paint and applied about the middle of June. All preventive washes of this kind for borers should be applied about this date. Oil paint should not be applied to trees that are declining or feeble, but can safely be used on those that are vigorous. It is not recommended for peach and plum, and is really not needed for these, as the lime-sulfur is efficient, if frequently and properly used. Other investigations and experiments are being conducted bu have not yet reached such stage of conclusion as to justify a report upon them. It is to be hoped that we shall have funds sufficient for assistance capable of conducting some further experiments in this line during the coming year.

3. PUBLICATIONS

The publications of this office have been chiefly as follows:

(a) The regular Bulletin, which was changed from a monthly to a bi-monthly, and which has appeared regularly, and seemed to be even more successful and gratifying to the public and in the monthly form. The subjects discussed in the respective numbers of Volume I of the Bi-monthly Bulletins for the past year were as follows: January, Formulae. Pests and their treatment.

March, San José scale. Spraying Apparatus and Material.
May, Model Orchard Work in Pennsylvania.

July, Economic Entomology.

Short Articles. Part I.

September, Economic Entomology. Short Articles. Part II. November, Zoological Conservation. Business Features of Horticulture. Index to Volume I.

The last number of the Volume was fully indexed, giving the subjects and pages treated in the entire volume. Some extra copies were published for distribution to those who have not already received them.

(b) Our Annual Report. Further publications of this office consisted of the Annual Report, the Report of the Ornithologist of the State Board of Agriculture, who is also your Economic Zoologist, a number of special articles written for magazines and journals, and circulars, and the Weekly News Letter.

(c) Circulars. This office has found it very helpful to issue a series of one-page circulars, which can be inserted into envelopes and used in correspondence work to answer most of the inquiries that would come along the lines of certain topics. Those which were prepared drring the past year were as follows: