DIVISION OF ENTOMOLOGY. 195 



N. Y. The hickories had been killed by a bark-beetle, the damage 

 having already gone beyond repair for most of the region invaded. 

 Had an earlier report of the difficulty been made to this office a prompt 

 application of known methods of control would have prevented this 

 loss. A special report of this investigation will soon be published. 

 The damage occasioned by this hickory bark-beetle seems to be quite 

 general throughout the Northern United States and will be given con- 

 siderable attention in the future, especially now that Dr. Hopkins has 

 been definitely employed by this Division as expert in forestry insects. 



WORK ON INSECTS INJURIOUS TO SHADE TREES. 



Owing to numerous complaints of insects affecting shade trees that 

 have been received in recent years, considerable study has been 

 devoted to this subject, and in particular to the species that are com- 

 paratively unknown or new to this country, including borers that 

 affect trees in public parks and in streets of large cities. A number 

 of borers of this class, among which are the imported willow curculio, 

 bronze birch borer, and European leopard moth, are rapidly spread- 

 ing as pests, and some of the introduced tree defoliators, for example, 

 the gipsy moth and brown-tail moth, are engaging the attention of 

 economic entomologists in the Eastern States. Owing to the increas- 

 ing correspondence on these insects, the preparation of a popular 

 work covering the principal shade-tree pests not treated in previous 

 publications has been begun, and will be published as soon as feasible. 



A detailed account of the leaf-mining locust beetle, one of the worst 

 insect enemies of the black locust, has been prepared, and will soon 

 be published. 



By the request of the Bureau of Forestry a popular article on the 

 principal insects which affect the willow is being i)repared, to be pub- 

 lished in a bulletin by that Bureau as a portion of a consideration of 

 the osier willow. 



INVESTIGATIONS ON INSECTS INJURIOUS TO TRUCK CROPS. 



Investigations begun in previous years on destructive insects 

 affecting vegetable and other truck crops, including small fruits, 

 was continued during the year. An extensive and valuable report on 

 the subject of the principal insects that have recently been injurious 

 to vegetable crops has been prepared by Mr. Chittenden, and issued 

 as Bulletin No. 33 (new series). Among the insects considered are 

 species which affect cabbage and other crucifers, the list including 

 besides many very destructive forms, a new cabbage looper, a new 

 root-louse affecting the same plant, and a flea- beetle not previouslj^ 

 identified with attack on cabbage. The results of observations on 

 the more injurious insects affecting late cabbage point out the value 

 of cleaner farming methods. A number of insects injurious to beans, 

 peas, and other leguminous food crops were given considerable atten- 

 tion, and the new facts discovered in the life histories of some of 

 them are of value in suggesting means of control. 



Several insects affecting sugar and table beets have recently come 

 under notice, including a destructive leaf-beetle that has hitherto not 

 been much studied. 



The potato-stalk weevil has been given considerable attention, and 

 it has very recently been ascertained that a related species injuriously 

 affects tobacco in Texas, and a third attacks and injures that crop in 

 Florida. 



