130 ANNUAL REPORT OF -^THE Off. DOc. 



Economic Features of Turtles of Peiiiisvlvania (fully illustrated); 

 for October, Insect Study; for November, the San Jose Scale again, 

 and for December, Reports of Orchard Inspectors. 



These Bulletins are sent only to persons who have requested them, 

 but the monthly issue has now reached forty-four thousand, and the 

 work of mailing these may well be considered quite a task, besides 

 the very important consideration of preparing new, fresh and 

 reliable subject matter for them each mouth. We have seriously 

 contemplated dropping the monthly publication or changing it to 

 one of less frequent appearance, but there have been such enthusi- 

 astic expressions of appreciation from the citizens of this State, 

 that it isi yet continued, with the burden of its preparation con- 

 siderably lightened by the encouragement that has come from its 

 thousands of readers. 



3. COLLECTIONS. 



The collections of insects and of the higher forms of undoraesti- 

 cated life in Pennsylvania have been continued, and without the 

 necessity of assigning any one person to the duty of making col- 

 lections, we find that our number of accessions in the Museum 

 Catalog for 1908 was 1,702. This very large number of specimens 

 received and recorded in the office was due in part to the etTorts of 

 faithful employees and orchard inspectors, but more especially to 

 voluntary contributors in various parts of the State. These con- 

 tributions have been acknowledged in our Monthly Bulletins, giving 

 the number and name of the specimen, the date received and the 

 name and address of the sender. It has required thirty-three pages 

 of fine print of the Monthly Bulletin to acknowledge the specimens 

 received from voluntary contributors, or persons sending specimens 

 with their inquiries. It is evident that no other state or no nation 

 has ever shown such an interest in practical natural history work as 

 is indicated by this fact. 



Collections are necessary for comparisons and scientific studies. 

 The life histories of our injurious insects must be known if we wish 

 to take advantage of the best possible means for their extermination. 

 Also, their enemies must be understood, in order to preserve these 

 and use natural methods of pest suppression. The key to the study 

 of any form of life is to be found in the name of the species. This 

 must be determined by a systematic study, such as is given this 

 material. All specimens collected or received have been preserved 

 permanently in such manner that they can be found upon a 

 moment's notice, and we have also a systematic record upon card 

 catalogs, giving names and classifications of the specimens, the list 

 of plants or materinls found infested, the names of persons contri- 

 buting together with their various contributions, the counties from 

 which certain specimens come, remedies that have been found 

 successful or have, on the other hand, proven inefficient, and other 

 im]>ortant information, such as is to be gained by a close study of 

 details. 



4. BREEDING CAGES. 



It is necessary to keep many kinds of insects in cages, in ordei' to 

 observe their dates of transformation, and procure specimens of 

 them in their different stages of development. These cages are 

 commonly called breeding cages. The insects are placed upon their 

 natural food and reared with great care in close confinement, and 



