196 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



conservation may properly be applied to protection from loss — 

 by the elements, decay — by fungous diseases, injury — by insect 

 pests. 



Owing to the general trend of public opinion along the above 

 named lines there has been a growing demand for lectures per- 

 taining to forestry, plant diseases and insect pests. There are 

 hopeful signs for the future success of agriculture. But agri- 

 culture will never reach its highest attainment until the most 

 modern methods of handling our insect enemies are universally 

 adopted. It has been said that tons of literature pertaining to 

 our more common insect pests have been published each year 

 and sent broadcast over the country, from every experiment 

 station and agricultural department in the land, but of what 

 use is this unless the knowledge thus gained is put into practice. 

 A new era of agricultural conservation is dawning and great 

 achievements are soon to be realized. 



INSECTS FOR 1908. 



More insects than usual have been sent in for identification 

 during the season. 



Several interesting communications were received, from 

 which we quote a few : 



Mr. H. W. Jewell, Farmington, reported the following: 

 "Very few cecropias have appeared here this year. I collected 

 1 10 cocoons, 86 of which had a hole punctured in one side and 

 contents eaten. Of the 24 remaining I got six moths, two of 

 which were perfect. Out of 27 cocoons found in one lot, none 

 were good. These were on low scrub trees about five feet in 

 height growing in a pasture. On one tree eight cocoons were 

 taken, none were good." 



On October 13 one of the scouts found a Gipsy tgg cluster 

 under the bark of an oak tree in the woodland in the town of 

 York. The eggs had hatched and the young caterpillars were 

 crawling around. This is a very unusual occurrence as the 

 eggs do not usually hatch until about the middle of May. Such 

 caterpillars could not possibly survive the winter. 



A number of apples were sent with the Brown-tail nests 

 attached. The illustration shows two apples united with a large 



