162 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



this euormous loss. Resting upon nie is the responsibility of giving 

 correct information to all persons who make inquiries of subjects 

 pertaining to my profession, and if such reports be not accurate, se- 

 vere injury or loss may ensue for the cultivator. All remedies that 

 are found to be successful for obnoxious insects in other portions of 

 the country should be tested in our own State before we can say that 

 they will be eciually successful in our climate, upon our crops and 

 with our pests. For this reason, although we may have reference 

 literature upon most of the subjects pertaining to the work of this 

 office, it becomes important for us to make practical tests and inves- 

 tigations within our own State. Also, it is very frequent, indeed 

 that methods are suggested, or even strongly advocated, which, 

 w^hen tested, are not found to be efficient. An example of this is the 

 aqueous solution of caustic soda for the San Jos^ Scale. This was 

 advocated in the report of a writer in the far west by a prominent 

 agricultural publication. Fortunately, we had the equipment, and 

 immediately tested it, with the result that we are now able to 

 say with a certainty that it will not prove satisfactory or effective 

 in our own State. Yet, to-day, there are hundreds of persons ap- 

 plying this supposed remedy and losing their fruit, crops and trees, 

 because they do not know that this is not an effective remedy. 

 Thousands of others in our Commonwealth would be doing like- 

 wise were it not for the practical test which we gave this sup- 

 posed remedy, and for our publications, warning our citizens against 

 relying upon it. We can give several such illustrations for other 

 insects. 



We find it necessary to make investigations of a different nature 

 in the biological features, habits, haunts, enemies, diseases and 

 practical measures for the various insects and higher animals 

 which live within our State. Of the thousands of species of insects 

 known to attack vegetation in Pennsylvania, there is not one of 

 which very useful knowledge could not yet be obtained by further in- 

 vestigation. Of only a comparatively few insects do wx^ know their 

 complete life history, annual cycles, enemies and simple and effec- 

 tive practical measures for either suppression or propagation, as 

 the occasion may demand. This means that we should make prac- 

 tical investigations when possible, and it is earnestly hoped that 

 another session of the Legislature will see this office equipped with 

 a field assistant for aiding in the needed experimentation, investi- 

 gation and collecting. 



We have completed a series of investigations upon the Hessian 

 Fly in Pennsylvania, which we undertook three years ago at the 

 direction of Prof. John Hamilton, then Secretary of Agriculture. 

 The results of these studies are embodied in a bulletin, which has 

 been so delaved that it has been issued onlv recently. The results 



