734 



THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA. 



NEWS ITEMS FROM THE BUREAU OF INFOR- 

 MATION. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF 

 AGRICULTURE. 



TWO CATERPILLARS THAT HAVE TROU- 

 BLED FLORISTS. 



A fern-destroying caterpillar is described in a new bulletin 

 (No. 125) issued by the Government's Bureau of Entomolouy. 

 The pest comes from Florida, and has made its appearance "in 

 Korthern greenhouses, particularly in the District of Columbia, 

 Illinois and Ohio, having undoubtedly been introduced there in 

 importations from Florida. 



The caterpillar has the .same habit as cut worms, of cutting 

 or severing portions of the fern plant, apparently destroying 

 more than it needs for food. As it is always warm "in the green- 

 house where it works, the insect does damage in winter as well 

 as in summer. It attacks the tender leaves, especially the grow- 

 ing tips of young fronds, thus checking any attempt of the plant 

 to replenish its dying parts. 



The moth that lays the eggs from which this caterpillar is 

 hatched is seldom seen by day. When aroused it usually flies 

 down under the benches, ilany moths are caught in spider webs 

 in dark corners of the greenhouses. The color of the larvae varies 

 from yellow or bright green to nearly black. Its length is about 

 an inch and a half. 



The District of Columbia fern growers have experienced much 

 trouble in treating this pest. Finally, however, the insect has 

 yielded to the method of hand-picking, which, although somewhat 

 laborious, seems to be the most elBcacious way of overcoming it. 



Another caterpillar that attacks rose bushe's and young threes 

 is described in a new bulletin (No. 124) compiled by the same 

 entomologist. Hand-picking is advised to control the ravages of 

 this insect in case its work has not been too extensive, precau- 

 tion being taken to use a glove to avoid being "stung." Bushes 

 or trees may be sprayed with Paris green or arsenate of lead 

 if there is no danger of poisoning human beings thereby. 



It is only within recent years that this slug-like caterpillar has 

 been known to injure roses. It has also been remarked that the 

 larvae feed on wild cherry, oak, chestnut, hickory, paw paw, bay- 

 berry or wax myrtle, dogwood, plum, apple and pear trees. 



WHERE AGRICULTURE MAY BE STUDIED. 



In View of the Recent Increased Demand for Agricultural 



Education, Department Tells How Such Education 



May Be Obtained and Offers Free Reading 



Courses of Its Own Bulletins. 



The Department of Agriculture has prepared several reading 

 courses of its own free publications for those who might desire 

 an agricultural reading course, but who have not the time to seek 

 out their own material or might wish to avoid the expense of 

 purchasing the books. 



The lists of reading for this work have been compiled in view 

 of the great increase in demand for agricultural training in the 

 past three years. They will enable all who have the inclination 

 and any spare time to follow out a thorough course, the publica- 

 tions being supplied for nothing by the Department. If tlie free 

 publications listed in these courses should become exhausted, they 

 may generally be olitaiucd by purchase for a small sum from the 

 Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Wash- 

 ington, D. C. 



There are eight courses offered, which cover thoroughly the sub- 

 jects treated. They are as follows: 



1. Agronomy. 5. Agricultural Engineering. 



2. Animal Ifunsbandry. 6. Agricultural Technology. 



3. Horticulture. 7. Agricultural Economics. 



4. Forestry. 8. Agricultural Education. 



ANOTHER POTATO PEST MAY BE INTRO- 

 DUCED. • 



Potato growers in the United States are informed by the De- 

 partment of .Agriculture that it is hoped that a potato disease 

 prevalent in parts of Europe and in Canada may be kept out of 

 the United States by quarantine measures. This disease is known 

 as "powdery scab." 



The disease resembles the common scab, w-hich is found widely 

 distributed in this country, although the two diseases are readily 

 distinguished by several characteristics. Affected tubers first show 

 rounded, blister-like spots, a sixteenth to an eighth of an inch 

 in diameter. The skin over the postules soon breaks, revealing 



a dark-brown, powdery surface composed mostly of spore balls 

 which serve to propagate the disease. The spots later enlarge 

 and deepen, and frequently coalesce, forming large areas of dis- 

 eased tissue, which makes the tubers unsightly and greatly re- 

 duces their market value. 



Powdery scab is introduced into uninfected areas through the 

 use of infected seed potatoes. Although practically unknown in 

 the United States, traces of it have been found in one or two 

 instances, and it is important to maintain a close watch to see 

 that it does not become established and further distributed. 



This disease is reported to be widely prevalent in Ireland and 

 vScotland, where there is this j-ear a large crop of potatoes, which 

 the growers would like to export to this country if they w'ould 

 be admitted. 



A large mass meeting was recently held in Belfast, Ireland, to 

 protest against the maintenance of the potato quarantine by the 

 American Government, and resolutions were passed testifying to 

 the freedom of the Irish crop from potato wart and suggesting 

 that a representative of the Irish Department of Agriculture pro- 

 ceed to America to confer with Secretary Houston. They were, 

 however, apparently under the impression that the quarantine 

 was based entirely upon the wart disease, whereas the Federal 

 Horticultural Board has also taken the occurrence of powdery 

 scab into consideration. 



GOOD QUALITIES OF THE CROW. 



Tile case of the crow, condemned as a destructive bird in agri- 

 cultural fields, has been reopened by the Department of Agricul- 

 ture, and the investigation made by the Biological Survey of the 

 Department shows the cro«' to be of great value to farmers. 



After a careful study of the habits and the examination of a 

 large number of stomachs, the conclusion was reached that the 

 crow consumes enough gi'asshoppers, cut worms, white grubs and 

 other injurious insects to make him highly valuable to farmers. 

 There is, however, one bad habit which the crow has, and that 

 is the destruction of young birds and bird eggs, but this trait 

 is outweighed by the good the bird is doing for the farmer in the 

 destruction of worms and insects. 



The one danger from the crow lies in large numbers. If the 

 number can be kept down so that its normal food is sufficient, 

 there is every reason why farmers should encourage the bird to 

 remain about their farms. Not long ago an agent of the Depart- 

 ment was watching a crow feeding in a corn field. It seemed 

 that the bird was pulling up young corn and carrying it to a 

 nearby nest to feed its young. After the crow had left the nest 

 the agent climbed the tree and secured the young birds. An 

 examination showed that instead of young corn or the kernel of 

 the corn, the older bird had been feeding the young ones with 

 cut worms gathered from around the corn plants. 



TREES AND TREE SEEDS FROM EUROPE. 



The U. S. Department of Agriculture states that dur- 

 ing the past fiscal year 3,779,041 growing trees and 

 15,040 pounds of tree seeds were imported into the 

 United States. The trees include valuable species that 

 do not grow in the United States, and stock which can 

 at present be bought more cheaply abroad. The tree 

 seeds imported are largely for the purpose of reforest- 

 ing land, though in a number of cases they are used in 

 ornamental planting on individual estates, 



France leads in the number of growing trees sent 

 here, with a total of 1,782,255. Germanv is second, 

 with 849,245, and Holland third, with 690.632, Imports 

 are made from 13 other countries, including India. 

 Japan, and Australia, The trees and shrubs imported 

 are chiefly evergreens, such as pines, spruces, and firs, 

 and broad-leaf plants — oaks, maples, etc. 



NEW MEMBERS OF THE N, A, G, 



The following new members have been added to our roll: H, 

 B, Dorner, Urbana, 111,: Samuel Redstone. New York. N. Y.; 

 Leverett L. Dinkeer, Brookside, N. J.; Albert S. Baldwin, Madison, 

 N. J.; Edward Frenzel. Stamford, Conn.; William Boss. Garrison, 

 N. Y.: Robert McLelland, Washington. D. C; Maurice Collins, 

 Oyster Bay, N. Y,; John Morrison, New Y'ork, N, Y. ; William 

 Tait, Barrytown, N, Y,: R, Pierson, Tarrytown, N, Y, ; Percy E, 

 Hicks, Oceanic, N, ,T. : .Tames Clarke. .Ardsley, X. Y. ; .lohn Feather- 

 stone, Tarrytown, N. Y.: Ameder Hans, Locust Valley. N, Y,; F, 

 F, Sealev, New York, N, Y. : George Norris. Riverdalo-on-lludsou, 

 N, Y, 



