160 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



In closing this report I wish to bespeak my thanks for all who have 

 assisted in the work of the division during the past year. 



Kespeetfully submitted, 



ANDREW J. PATTEN, 



Chemist. 

 East Lansing, June 30, 1908. 



REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



Director R. S. Shaw : 



Following is a brief report of the work of the Division of Entom- 

 ology during the year ending June 30, 1908. 



One bulletin was issued during the year, viz.: No. 251, dealing with 

 insects, either new or of special interest, which have recently appeared. 



The correspondence has grown to such a bulk as to require a very 

 considerable proportion of the time of the Avriter, especially during the 

 summer months. There is a steady stream of queries sent in by far- 

 mers, fruit men, millers, market gardeners, housewives, foresters, owners 

 or keepers of ornamental plantings and green-houses, etc., which queries 

 the writer is always glad to answer so far as his ability permits, since 

 they serve to strengthen the bond between the station and_ the people 

 of the state. 



Several pests have made their presence felt rather more than ordi- 

 narily. First, the oats thrips which took advantage of the late, cold 

 spring and subsequent dry, hot spell, to multiply in an astonishing 

 manner, to the serious detriment of the young oats. 



Rose-chafers were abundant and managed to do much injury. An 

 attempt to control by spraying with lead arsenate was made near 

 Decatur. The success of the experiment is related in bulletin 251. 



A new gooseberry pest with habits similar to those of the goose- 

 berry fruit worm has appeared and done severe injury to the goose- 

 berry crop. We managed to rear the adult and hope to get the life 

 history this year. 



Short trips have been made to various meetings of societies of a 

 scientific or applied nature, such as the Michigan Academy of Science, 

 the State Forestry Convention and County Horticultural Clubs. 



A trip was made to the region west of Saginaw to investigate bean 

 troubles and one to Big Rapids to look into cucumber diflBculties. Also 

 a short trip to Paw Paw to look into the case of a beetle (Anomala) 

 which was feeding on young apple trees. 



These trips often result in bringing to the attention of the station, 

 something foreign to the original objective but sometimes vastly more 

 important. 



The division has entered into cooperation Avith the Bureau of Entom- 

 ology of our National Department of Agriculture in an experiment 

 t*o determine practical methods of combating the tamarack saw-fly, 

 which is at present doing enormous injury in the north. In pursuance 

 of this work the writer made a two weeks' trip to the northern part 



