TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL, MEETING. 49 



assumption of that work to a great extent by the experiment stations of 

 the different states. The distribution of seeds, though often the subject 

 of merited criticism, has resulted in general good. The best results 

 achieved in this line have been for the grain-grower rather than for the 

 horticulturist, apparently because the subject of grains has been more 

 carefully investigated and more systematically studied. With adequate 

 appropriations and the application of scientific methods by trained workers 

 now available, there seems to be no good reason why as much should not 

 be accomplished in this line for the horticulturist as for the general 

 farmer. 



DIVISION OF THE WOEK. 



As now organized, most of the work that is of particular interest to gar- 

 deners and fruitgrowers is done by four of the sixteen divisions, which, 

 with the bureaus of animal industry and the weather make up the working 

 force of the department. These are the divisions of entomology, vege- 

 table pathology, pomology, and gardens and grounds. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 



The scientific work of the division of pomology is devoted, first, to 

 study and classification of insects, whether injurious or not. A change of 

 habit often develops a dangerous insect pest from a species previously 

 harmless. It is thus found necessary to study and record life histories of 

 insects not now injurious, in order to be able to more quickly discover the 

 weak point for attacking, should the species become troublesome. Foreign 

 as well as native species are thus studied and particularly those 

 already troiiblesome in other countries and likely to be imported unawares. 



As an instance of the care exercised in this regard, there may be cited 

 the case of an insect enemy of the peach now found in the Bermuda 

 islands and thought to have been brought there from the Mediterranean, 

 where it has long been known as an enemy to the orange and some other 

 fruits. As it is figured and described in the department report for 1890, it 

 can hardly reach the coast of Florida before being recognized and reported. 



To provide for better facilities for this study of life histories, a building 

 has just been erected where temperature and other conditions can be con- 

 trolled and the work done more accurately. 



Experimental work with insecticides and apparatus for applying them 

 is carried on by special agents of the division in different parts of the 

 country, and the search for parasitic foes of injurious insects is kept up 

 both at home and abroad. The successful combatting of the cottony 

 cushion scale, in the orange groves of California, by means of vedalia 

 cardinalis, introduced from Australia, has stimulated effort in this direc- 

 tion, and several importations of parasitic insects have been made. One 

 of special interest to horticulturists is a re-importation of a European 

 parasite of the cabbage worm, which has been successfully placed at Ames, 

 Iowa, and is reported to have become very abundant and to have greatly 

 reduced the number of cabbage worms. An agent has also been sent to 

 Australia to investigate and, if thought advisable, to import certain 

 beneficial insects likely to be valuable in California. 

 7 



