OF WASHINGTON. 123 



being dug out and destroyed on account of the injuries of these 

 insects, and of the orchard in which the tests of washes were 

 being made. 



In the discussion which followed, Doctor Hopkins stated 

 that it was remarkable that the attack of Scolytus rugulosus 

 on healthy trees should be so extensive, since the normal habit 

 of this barkbeetle is to infest trees weakened or dying from 

 some other cause. Its abundance indicates that some favorable 

 conditions for its abnormal increase have prevailed and that its 

 destructive attack on the living trees is due to this fact. The 

 continuation of the destructive attack depends on the continua- 

 tion of the insect in excessive abundance, otherwise it could 

 not overcome the resistance of the healthy tree. Therefore any 

 thing that will reduce its numbers to a point where it can not 

 kill the trees will bring it under control. 



Professor Webster said that many of the orchards in north- 

 ern Ohio have been in a weakened condition for about eight 

 years, due to bad treatment and neglect. 



Mr. Marlatt talked on " Irish Notes and Insects," and gave 

 an interesting account of his vacation trip and travels in Ireland 

 the past summer. He made special mention of the number of 

 peat bogs, and described their appearance and method of 

 formation. He also gave an account of the meeting of the 

 British Association for the Advancement of Science, which 

 he attended while in Dublin. 



Mr. Schwarz said that the fauna of the peat bogs is quite 

 peculiar, and named a number of European Coleoptera found 

 exclusively in or around peat bogs. He said that very little 

 had been done on the fauna of the peat bogs of America, and 

 that this would be an excellent subject for study by some young 

 entomologist. 



Mr. Banks stated that many mites are peculiar to peat bogs. 

 Prof. Halbert has described a considerable number of Hy- 

 drachnidae from Ireland, and states that the water-mite fauna 

 of the peat bogs is very large. 



An interesting account of a beetle which destroys stored 

 plants of the " guayule " rubber (Parthcninin arcjcntatnin ) was 

 given by Dr. Francis E. Lloyd. He said that when the plant 



