REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



To the Director of the Cornell University Agricultural Experi- 

 ment Station. 

 Sir: — 



As the carrying out of the Entomological work of the Sta- 

 tion has been performed during the past six months almost en- 

 tirely by the Assistant Entomologist, I have requested him to 

 prepare a report on it, which I hereby transmit. 



Very respectfully yours, 



John Henry Comstock, 



Entomologist. 



To the Entomologist of the Cornell University Agricultural Ex- 

 periment Station. 

 Sir : — 



During the period covered by this report (from January ist, 

 1897, to July 1st, 1897), the work of the Entomological 

 Division of the Station has been along the same lines as in pre- 

 vious years, but it has been of a somewhat diflferent nature in 

 some respects. Thus far, the year 1897 has been quite a re- 

 markable one in New York State, so far as the prevalence of in- 

 sect life is concerned. Many of our common insect pests which 

 are more or less destructive every year have been conspicuously 

 numerous and injurious, while some other insects which usually 

 harass the fruit grower every year have attracted attention to 

 themselves by their absence or non-occurrence in injurious 

 numbers. 



In the former class are to be mentioned plant-lice, which have 

 been much more numerous and destructive on many different 

 kinds of vegetation all over the State than for many years before ; 

 canker worms have again ravaged many acres of apple orchards 

 in the western part of the State ; in May and June, thousands of ap- 

 ple and wild cherry trees all over the State bore the unsightly tents 



