148 REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST OF 



• 



makes it more laborious and expensive, while I do not believe it materially 

 adds to its effectiveness. Some who have tried this are not satisfied that i-t 

 is effective. They say that they find no dead caterpillars. The poisoned 

 cut-worms are apt to bury slightly in the earth before they die. That they 

 are really killed is beyond question. The time to distribute the poisoned 

 herbage in the garden where tomatoes and cabbages are to be set is just 

 before the plants are to be transplanted. In the corn field, in case we find 

 by close examination that the newly plowed sward is full of the hungry 

 caterpillars, the poisoned grass or clover may be distributed just before or 

 soon after the corn is up. If neglected till the insects commence cutting the 

 plants it will yet pay to try this remedy, perhaps in a small way at first, and 

 then, if found, as will probably be the case, that it works well it may wisely 

 be tried more extensively. That this will surely pay in garden culture is 

 beyond question ; that it may prove valuable in general field culture I think 

 more than probable. 



THE GRAIN PLANT LOUSE. 



The most startling insect development during the year was that of the 

 grain plant louse, Aphis (Siphonophora) avgena L. This was remarkable, not 

 only in showing how an insect may develop and increase to an enormous 

 extent under favorable circumstances, but also as vividly showing how the 

 insect enemies of any insect may in a remarkably short space of time so 

 increase as to overwhelm their victims, even though the latter exist in 

 countless myriads. The leading practical facts concerning this plant louse 

 were given in Bulletins No. 50 and 51. I will add that I experimented to 

 learn if we could destroy the lice by use of artificial remedies, and if such 

 remedies would prove practicable. I tried several remedies. The kerosene and 

 soap mixture is effective if the application is thorough enough. We used a 

 hand pump, and sprayed the wheat very thoroughly, but we found that 

 owing to the protection which the insects received from the kernels many 

 were not touched and so remained uninjured. As we were much more thorough 

 than would be possible in treating a whole field, I am led to the conclusion 

 that any such remedy would never give satisfaction. We may well rejoice 

 that we have such efficient aids in our insect f-riends that we shall never 

 need to fight these grain plant lice with artificial remedies. Not only are 

 the artificial remedies impracticable, because of necessary lack of thorough- 

 ness, but they are also undesirable, because of the large damage that is done 

 to the grain in their use. We cannot drive through a grain field without 

 causing serious destruction to the crop. 



A NEW CLOTHES BEETLE. 



During the past summer I have received from (x. D. Perrigo, Portland, 

 Michigan, many specimens of a minute beetle and the grubs or larvae of the 

 same, of which I wrote the following, which was presented before the 

 American Entomological Club at the late meeting in Toronto, Canada. 



One of the most interesting studies of the scientific entomologist — more 

 interesting because of its economic importance — relates to variation in the 

 habits of insects consequent upon change in their environment. The carpet 

 beetle, Anthrenus Scrophularise Linn., feeds on flowers in its native Europe. 



