62 STATE BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



CHARACTER OF THE SEASON. 



Owing to the frequent spring rains, the yield from the fruit blossom-;, white 

 clover, and basswood was very light. So far tlie yield from fall iiowers is good, 

 and the promise from this source is encouraging. 



ENTOMOLOGICAL EXPERIMENTS. 



During the season I have experimented, so far as my already crowded time 

 Avould ])ermit, that I might learn new and improved methods to destroy some 

 of our worst injurious insects. I have carefully observed the Hessian fly, have 

 studied its structure, habits, and transformations, and have embodied the 

 results in a paper to be found in the lieport of the State Board of Agriculture 

 for 1877. I have this insect still under consideration. 



In April and May I cut each day a square of wheat one rod eacli way. All 

 of that cut after the wheat had jointed was entireh' ruined. Nor was any of it 

 preserved from attack by this cutting. This season the second brood of mag- 

 gots worked just at the ground, and could not be much disturbed either by 

 feeding or cutting. Usually these maggots work more at the second and third 

 joints, in which case cutting or feeding would do good service. I think the fre- 

 quent and copious rains which occurred last spring, all during the time when 

 the Hy was depositing eggs, was the cause of this change of habits. 



THE CODLING MOTH. 



I have in my orchard two trees of the Siberian era!) apple, whicli are less 

 than two rods apart. One of these I sprinkled once each week, from jMay 20th 

 to June 20th, with a strong solution of common soft soap. I say common, it 

 was hardly common ; it smelt so that we could not keep it in the cellar. As a 

 result of this, — I can see no other reason, — there is not a wormy apple on the 

 tree, while the other tree has very many that are wormy. The tree that I 

 treated has on it much the most fruit. I found in spruikling this tree, and 

 others under experiment, that we had a very valuable auxiliary in Whitman's 

 fountain pump, manufactured by J. A. "Whitman, Providence, il. I., and sold 

 for §7.50. 



CABBAGE BUTTERFLY. 



I have found that a strong solution of whale oil soap, one-eight of a jiound to 

 each gallon of water, will aid in keeping the cabbages free of the cabbage worm. 

 A weak solution of carbolic acid will have the same effect, but is objectionable, 

 as the odor on the cabbage prevents easy sale. This solution should be applied 

 early in the spring, — as soon as the cabbages are set out, again in July, and also 

 early in September. For ap])lying a liquid to such ])lunts as cabbages and 

 potatoes, Lewis' syringe is admirable. The fountain pumj) will not work if 

 pointed much below a horizontal direction. The cabbage butterfly is much 

 less abundant this year than last in many parts of the State. This may be 

 owing in i)art to the fact of the warm spring, which ])rought the insects before 

 their food was in readiness, and so caused many to perish. Mr. II. Hampton, 

 one of our graduates, writes me that he has discovered several parasites at work 

 on the larva? and chrysalids. These ever vigilant friends may solve this diffi- 

 culty for us in a very acceptable manner. 



