. BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 525 



carried on in a high temperature similar to that of Smyrna in order 

 to determine if the fig moth can be destroyed with a short exposure. 

 The results of the experimental work seem to be that in the tempera- 

 ture which is apt to be encountered in a building especially con- 

 structed for fumigation 2 pounds of bisidphid of carbon should be 

 able to penetrate in 24 hours all of the infested figs, provided they 

 are not too closely packed, and kill all or practically all of the con- 

 tained larvfe. Approximately air-tight fumigators are a practical 

 necessity for the success of any form of gassing or fumigating. 



During the year evidence has been obtained of the establishment 

 of a new and dangerous insect pest in California, the broad bean or 

 horse bean weevil, and there is danger of its introduction into other 

 parts of the United States, since it is able to subsist on peas and other 

 leguminous seeds. The same insect has been brought to New York 

 City and other eastern ports and the seed condemned and destroyed. 

 If vigorous measures are not employed to prevent its introduction 

 from California eastward, it may lead to very serious injury to broad 

 beans. The points of infestation in California are limited, and the 

 pest could be stamped out. 



The subject of insect damage to peanuts has been taken up during 

 the year, and it has been ascertained that there is a loss from insects 

 to this crop of surely more than a million dollars a year. This inves- 

 tigation is now under way and a preliminary circular covering the 

 subject has been published. 



INSPECTION WORK. 



The current inspection work of the bureau relates to fruit, seeds, 

 and plants imported by the Department of Agriculture and com- 

 mercial importations consigned to Washington, either direct or in 

 bond. 



Customs advices relating to 63 commercial importations have been 

 received this year, and, so far as possible, these plants have been in- 

 spected. There is no law which authorizes such inspection for the 

 District of Columbia, and inspection can only be carried out by the 

 courtesy of the importers. This has sometimes been refused or is 

 often grudgingly given, and at best is without any effort to facilitate 

 or make possible thorough examination. The worst feature of such 

 imported stock is the masses of cheap ornamentals which are brought 

 in and sold by department stores or sold under the hammer by auc- 

 tioneers. This condition applies to other large cities as well as Wash- 

 ington. During the past year importations of this kind were made by 

 two local department stores and one auction firm. The auction firm in 

 question was courteous enough to allow the department to destroy a 

 lot of young spruce trees imported from Holland, which were badly 

 infested with a European spruce insect, Lachnus juniperi Fab., which 

 is not known to occur in the United States. 



In the case of the importations of new stock, plants, or seeds by the 

 Department of Agriculture all such material coming to Washington 

 is thoroughly inspected by officers of this bureau, and if need be, is 

 disinfected or destroyed. Furthermore, all the lots of material which 

 the department prepares for distribution are again inspected, and, if 

 necessary, fumigated, before being sent out. In this way 750 differ- 



