192 Forty-first Ueport on the State Museum. 



The four Reports of the United States Entomological Commission, containing, in the 

 aggregate, over 3,000 octavo pages and 150 plates and numerous figures, are mainly- 

 devoted to consideration of the Rocky Mountain locust and the Cotton-worm, while space 

 is given (in vol. 3) to the Canker-worm — a notorious apple tree pest in some localities. 

 In the fourth Report of the Commission, published by the Department of Agriculture 

 (volumes 1 and 2 are from the Department of the Interior), no less than sixty-four pages 

 are devoted to the interesting subject of insecticides, and 132 pages to machines and 

 devices for their application to various crops under different conditions. 



Of the Bulletins that have been issued by the Entomological Commission, No. 7, entitled 

 Insects Injurious to Forest and S hade Trees (published by the Department of the Interior, in 

 275 pages), contains descriptions and figures of quite a number of pests which also extend 

 their ravages to fruit trees, and would therefore be of value to the fruit grower. An 

 enlarged and revised edition of this valuable volume is being prepared, and may be 

 expected to appear during the coming year. As indicating the advance made in this 

 promised revision, and also, in our general knowledge of insects, since the issue of the 

 first edition in 1881, 1 will state, that while in that edition, 211 oak insects are enumerated, 

 its author. Dr. Packard, informed me some months ago, that his manuscript then con- 

 tained 425 determined species living on oak, and about 100 undetermined. 



Of the valuable series of Reports of Dr. Asa Fitch, on the Noxious and Other Insects of 

 the State of New York, published in the Transactions of the New York State Agricultu- 

 ral Society for the years I85i-1870, the first three are mainly devoted to fruit insects. 

 Reports one and two, forming a bound volume, may be procured of the secretary of the 

 State Agricultural Society, at Albany; report three is out of print. For information 

 relating to the other eleven, my first report on the Injurious and Other Insects of the 

 State of New York, pp. 294-296, may be consulted. 



The nine Reports on the Insects of Missouri, by Prof. C. V. Riley, i-eplete as they are with 

 admirable life-histories and illustrations of notable excellence, are desirable to all who 

 have occasion to study insect lives and insect habits ; as are also the fourteen Reports on 

 the Insects of Illinois, by the State Entomologists, Walsh, Le Baron, Thomas, and Forbes. 

 It is hiirdly possible to obtain full series of these, but inquiries in relation to them may 

 be addressed to Prof. Riley, at Washington, and to Prof. S. A. Forbes, State Entomolo- 

 gist of Illinois, at Champaign, 111. 



The American Entomologist — thvQeyoXumes, of from 250 to 350 pages each, contains 

 much material of pomological importance. The first volume is difficult to obtain, and 

 consequently commands a high price (seven dollars) when offered for sale. Inciuiries 

 for these may be made of Prof. Riley. 



A Monthly Bulletin, under the name of the Practical Entomologist, forming two vol- 

 umes—pages 128 and 122 — was published in 18G5-1867 by the American Entomological 

 Society "for the dissemination of valuable knowledge among agriculturists and horti- 

 culturists." Possibly a few copies are still procurable of the secretary of the society, 

 Mr. E. T. Cresson, P. 0. box 1,577, Philadelphia, Pa. 



To a number of other publications I would be glad to invite your attention, but it 

 would too greatly extend my paper. 



Conclusion. 



I have attempted to show how the pomologist can hope to attain success in the insect 

 warfare in which he must engage, and the panoply in which he should be clothed for the 

 fight. The requirements that I have made are not very exacting, or are they difficult to 

 meet. Compliance with them will not only yield a pecuniary reward, but at the same 

 time add to mental wealth, enlarging and enriching the mind, by opening up to it 

 sources of jjleasure and continually increasing interest, as one is led from the simple 

 contemplation of these curious, beautiful, and wonderful forms, to the remarkable 

 transformations that they undergo, the vai-ious habits that characterize them, and the 

 surprising instincts or the shadowing of reasoning powers that they not unfrequently 

 display. 



The study of the myriad insect world, even apart from its utility, can not fail of being 

 a fascinating adjunct to the pleasurable pursuit of fruit growing. As such, I commend 

 it to each member of the American Pomological Society. 



