'miscellaneous papers. 80r 



commenced ten inches under ground in the largest roots. It works 

 upwards until it reaches the surface of the ground when the tree be- 

 gins to wilt, and as soon as touched by some one or a little of the 

 earth is removed it falls to the ground. The borer eats all of the wood 

 as it goes, so that the stump, in many cases, forms a shell. Only one 

 and two year-old trees have been attacked. No borers have been 

 found since the middle of August and no trace whatever can be found 

 of them. I have examined the roots and the earth very carefully in 

 search of them but to no purpose. A full grown borer is from two and 

 a half to three inches long and very thick ; its head is brown with two 

 horn-like, crooked pinchers, like horns or fangs, under which very 

 sharp teeth can be seen. The head seems to run away back into its 

 body. The body is thick next to the head but is smaller a little further 

 back; the back, or main part, is very thick ; the tail end is slightly 

 flattened but is not black ; the color of the whole borer is nearly white. 



I send sections of roots that have been infested, showing where 

 the borer had commenced its destructive work and how it worked its 

 way up. 



A strange strawberry insect, at least a strange one to me, has also 

 been closely watched. It exactly answers the description of an insect 

 described by Prof. Riley in the July number of the American Agricul- 

 turist (German edition). Its scientific name is Anthonomur musculus. 



The insect first attacks the flowers and afterwards the berries. It 

 has a very offensive smell, of which all of the fruit partakes that it 

 comes in contact with. As soon as the plants are disturbed the in- 

 sect runs off remarkbly fast. It seems to me that they first work on 

 the pollen of the flower because the pistilate varieties have not been 

 molested to any extent. 



I have not heard of any one else that has noticed the little pests 

 except Mr. Hermann Willi, of Montgomery City, who says that they 

 infested all of his plants ; however, he did not study their habits any. 



The following paper was given by delegate of Indiana State Society, 

 WALTER A. WORKMAN, OF GREEN CASTLE, IND. 



I am here to bring the cordial greetings of the Indiana State Hor- 

 ticultural Society, and to express to you our interest in your continued 

 prosperity and welfare, and as Secretary Hobbs remarked, " gather the 

 good points of your meeting and bring them back for the edification of 

 my home society." However, I will give you the result of some jot- 

 tings made at our recent meeting, held at Purdue University, our ag- 

 ricultural college, located at Lafayette. The place is most appropriate 



