160 ANNUAL REPORT OP THE Off. Doc. 



The iinpork'd bulbs and seeds are also inspected in regard to mak- 

 ing sure that thev are Tree iroiii injuiioiis insects and diseases, but 

 there is no insjieciion in regard lo tlie adnlteralion, we-jd seeds, or 

 i()\v \'i(alily, which is a subject not provided tor by law. 



The new Federal law in regard to ini}»orted and shii(i)ed nursery 

 stock is of great value, and will be very hel])l"ul to our citizens. 



APIARY INSPECTION (See Pig. 7) 



The Legislature during the early part of this year passed a bill, 

 which was signed by (Jovernor Tener and became a law, providing 

 for- the inspection of apiaiies in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 

 looking toward detecting and eradicating the diseases of bees, — 

 particularly the two very destructive diseases known as Ameiican 

 Foul Brood and European Foul Brood. 



This work is to be done in the Bureau of Zoology of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, and will be taken up in a manner as vigorous 

 as possible as soon as th6 funds are available for the purpose. It is 

 rather unfortunate for the bee-keepers that the bill intended to provide 

 funds for this was crowded out in the rush of legislation toward the 

 close of the session. This is a very important service, not only for 

 the bee-keepers, but also for the fruit growers, and we trust to see 

 ample provisions made for it by the next Legislature. 



7. MAKING COLLECTIONS 



The collections made by this office have been carefully preserved 

 in a room in the Capitol Building, where they are not arranged for 

 display, but are kept in a compact manner with all data concerning 

 them. Although this is a young collection, it has already become 

 famous for the number and quality of specimens which it contains, 

 and the great bulk of data so carefully preserved. Specialists in the 

 study of various groups of insects have come to Harrisburg to see 

 our collection, and have pronounced the specimens the best they 

 have observed. While our collection contains chiefly insects in the 

 various stages, showing also their characteristic work or effects, their 

 enemies, life histories, etc., we have also preserved fishes, amphibians 

 and reptiles of all kinds occurring in this State, and birds and mam- 

 mals. 



We have not made a special effort to collect birds and mammals 



for the reason that many popular museums contain these features,, 



and we do not have a taxidermist to help with their preservation. 



While our collection is not made with the intention of its being a 



popular exhibition, it certainly contains records which no scientific 



student of the subject can now afford to be without. It is the basis 



for the study and publication of the life histories of beneficial and 



injurious insects, and their friends and enemies. Special attention 



has been given to preserving duplicates of those insects that are more 



interesting and important, in order that we can build up school 



collections. 



SCHOOL COLLECTIONS 



The time is now at hand when, with but a slight amount of 

 money set aside for the purpose, we can prepare and put into at least 

 one high school in each county of the State, a representative collec- 

 tion of the beneficial and injurious insects of each respective region. 



