April, '19] RILEY: INDIAN USE OF GALLS 217 



more than twice as much white arsenic and Paris green than they did 

 the previous year. 



The results of the grasshopper poisoning were excellent throughout 

 the state. Very few reports of poor results were received, and in prac- 

 tically every case these were due to improper methods in mixing and 

 applying. Very few cases of poultry or stock poisoning were reported, 

 and without exception all such cases were due to carelessness on the 

 part of the farmer. In every county where poisoning was done exten- 

 sively, the farmers were more than pleased with their results. Thou- 

 sands of acres of alfalfa, wheat and other crops were actually saved 

 from the ravages of the grasshoppers. 



As a result of the fall disking demonstration, seven counties organ- 

 ized to disk fence-rows, roadsides, and other hard grassy places adja- 

 cent to cultivated land. 



A USE OF GALLS BY THE CHIPPEWA INDLVNS 



By William A. Riley, University of Minnesota 



In a recent paper,' Margaret M. Fagan has presented a valuable 

 summary of an extensive study of the literature dealing with the uses 

 of insect galls. In the course of her discussion she says, "So far as 

 can be ascertained no American galls were ever used for any practical 

 purposes by the Indian (statement of Dr. Hough, United States 

 National Museum), and but few by the white man." 



In view of this statement is it worthy of record that a gall on the 

 sumach, Rhus glabra, is used medicinally by the Chippewa Indians in 

 Minnesota. 



This gall is produced by an undetermined mite, referred to in the 

 literature as a species of Eriophyes. It has been well figured by Thomp- 

 son, 1915 (pi. 19, fig. 97), as "Eriophyes, or fungus on Rhus cjpallina," 

 and by Felt, 1918 (text-fig. 164, and pi. 16, fig. 7). It occurs very 

 commonly on Rhus glabra in Minnesota, causing characteristically 

 stunted heads and curled leaves. These deformed heads are collected 

 by the medicine men in late summer, and used in the form of an 

 infusion as a remedy for diarrhoea. I am told that they are also used 

 in the preparation of a poultice for the treatment of burns, but could 

 learn no further details. 



It is well known that owing to the quantity of tannin which they 

 contain, galls are powerfully astringent. The earlier editions of the 



1 American Naturalist, 1918, LII, 155-176. 



