80 DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 



Since the beginniug of tlie spring term Mr. C. P. Gillett of the class of 1884 

 has been taking post graduate study, looking toward a master's degree. Mr. 

 Gillett has studied very thoroughly and described with illustrations several in- 

 sects that were discovered to be enemies to various garden and field products. 



Mr. Hodges, of the same class with Mr. Gillett, spent some time in the labor- 

 atory engaged in histological work. One of the Seniors, Mr. Woodmansee, did 

 much laboratory work dissecting insects. 



SUGGESTIONS. 



I wish to renew my urgent request that the apiary be made complete and put 

 in charge of some competent assistant. It would be self-sustaining, and at the 

 same time illustrate more fully the science and art of apiculture, would give 

 me needed relief, and would surely add to the number of our students. 



I also wish to urge that our manual labor operations be so modified as to 

 make it possible for me to liave for each pupil at least two hours each week 

 laboratory w'ork in both entomology and zoology. This is granted in all kin- 

 dred institutions so far as I know, and would add very greatly to the value of 

 these studies. 



COLLEGE WORK OTHER THAN INSTRUCTION. 



I have lectured once before the whole body of students by special request, and 

 have prepared two of the series of bulletins sent out by the college. One on a 

 new wheat enemy, Isosoma nigrum, and one on the winter management of bees. 

 I prepared two papers for the institutes, which were presented at Plymouth and 

 Manchester. In one of these lectures I treated of the physiological effects of 

 alcoholic drink, in the other of noxious insects. 



During the entire year I have taught a large and interesting class in the col- 

 lege Sabbath School. Our study has been given to the life of Paul and to the 

 life of Christ. 



EXPERIMENTS. 



During the year I have had fully the usual number of inquiries regarding in- 

 sects. All subjects have been promptly investigated and the desired information 

 given as soon as possible. In many of these investigations I have profited by 

 the aid of Mr. Gillett. Several new insects have been described and illustrated, 

 and such of these reports as have not been published in the last report of the 

 State Board will appear in the next report. 



In the spring, I received a large number of bees dead of diarrhoea, that I 

 might make a careful microscopic examination of the excreta, with a view to 

 determining the precise cause of the winter malady. The results were published 

 in all the bee journals. 



We have tried many experiments with insecticides, the results of which will 

 appear in institute lectures. 



THE APIARY. 



Notwithstanding the general and widespread mortality among bees the past 

 winter, our bees wintered very well indeed. 



It would seem that our unvarying success almost demonstrated that cellar 

 wintering, in a proper cellar and with proper care, is a certain success. Owing 

 to an accident, mice got mto some of our hives, and in two cases utterly 

 destroyed the bees. 



