Report of the State Entomologist. 189 



list one-flftb, making it to contain at present, 210 species. Doubtless a thorough examin- 

 ation of published and manuscrijit I'ecords of food-plants, and direct observations in the 

 orchard, would extend the number to nearly if not quite 300. With this as a basis, we 

 may safely conclude that the number of fruit insects iu the United States is at least 1,000. 

 And every year is adding to the number. Several new ones have come under my 

 observation the present year. 



An Unknown Currant Insect. 



To one of these new fruit pests, of more than ordinary interest to me, I will ask 

 your attention, in the hope that if its operations are widespread, the unknown insect 

 inflicting the injury may be discovered while engaged in its oviposition, by some one 

 of you, as otherwise its idontiflcation may elude us for years. 



During the latter part of May and early in June the tips of the new and more vigorous 

 shoots of both the black and the red currant were observed, in gardens at Albany and 

 vicinity, to be girdled, drop over, wither and finally to break off and fall to the ground. 

 The girdling is done by Ave or six sharp, deep and rather long incisions in the same 

 plane, nearly surrounding and severing the stalk, and seeming as if made by strong 

 mandibles. It is entirely different from the two circles of jiunctures made by the well- 

 known raspberry-cane girdler, Obei'ea bimandata Oliv., and moreover, the oviposition is 

 within the tip that falls to the ground — not in the standing cane. It would, therefore, 

 be difflcult to roar the insect from the egg, deprived, as it would be, in confinement, of 

 its natural conditions. The girdling is probably done during the night. 



How Insect Eavages are to be Met. 



And now, to proceed to the more practical part of my paper: What must the nursery- 

 man and the fruit grower do, that they may effectually meet these annually increasing 

 insect ravages. The plant diseases of rust, smut, blight, mildew, etc., to which I have 

 referred, belong to, and are left for, others to discuss. 



I need not urge upon the members of this Society the importance of their recog- 

 nition of the amount of harm to which they are exposed from insect injury. Indi- 

 vidual experience has taught the absolute necessity of such recognition. Certain it is 

 that he who will hereafter achieve the best success in the growth of fruit or fruit trees, 

 will be he who has best informed himself of insects and how to deal with them. In the 

 hands of such, the business will continue to be profitable, while the thriftless, careless, 

 and ignorant will have to seek other occupation, more congenial to his quiet tastes and 

 easy-going nature. 



While the fruit grower has not the opportunity for becoming a technical entomolo- 

 gist, he may at least acauire such a general knowledge of the elements and applica- 

 tions of economic entomology as are taught and explained in scores of publications 

 issued gratuitously during the last few years by sevei-al of the States and the General 

 Government, for the sole and only purpose of diffusing, broadcast, knowledge so import • 

 ant to individual and national prosperity. 



May I venture to offer what seems to me, from my stand-point, some reasonable 

 requisites of the successful fruit grower of the future ? 



1. He should be acquainted with all of the more common insects that occur, or are 

 liable to occur in his vicinity — their names (not necessarily their scientific ones), the 

 nature of their injuries (if injurious), their more important habits, and be able to iden- 

 tify them in their different stages. 



2. He should be so familiar with his ordinary visitants that he would detect the advent 

 of an unusual or new form, so that it could be promptly submitted for such study as it 

 might need. 



3. He should be able to distinguish between his insect friends and foes, that he might 

 not unwittingly destroy the former, or employ such remedies against the latter as to 

 involve both classes in a common destruction, accomplishing thereby more harm than 

 good. 



