97 



that would be made by large shot. According to their description, 

 the l^eetle or its lar\'a would start on one side and cut a hole through 

 an entire ]>undle of leather. An attempt to disinfect the leather with 

 carbolic acid had no apparent effect. 



Writing again September 28, this compan}" stated that there was little 

 dou])t that the leather became infested in a hide house in New York 

 City where it had been stored for some time, and where large quantities 

 of foreign hides are handled. Damage of the nature mentioned was 

 common in foreign dry hides, but our correspondents had never known 

 of domestic tanned leather being attacked in this manner before. 



All of the material received from the New Jersey and Mar3dand 

 correspondents from silkworm cocoons and leather, respectively, was 

 referred to Mr. E. A. Schwarz, who pronounced the species Dermestes 

 mdaverinxs Fab. This species is comparatively rare in the United 

 States, as Dr. Jayne's note on its distribution '' merely occurs in Flor- 

 ida " would indicate ; ))ut it is one of the many species which affect stored 

 material, and which are thus destined in time to become cosmopolitan. 



REMEDIES. 



The best remedy for these insects, when they occur in leather and 

 similar substances, is undoubtedly the bisulphid of carbon, and this 

 should ])e freely used where the insects are most a])undant. Where it 

 is possible to remove leather to tight rooms, it can be disinfected in the 

 usual manner; ])ut where this cannot be convenientlv done it is more 

 advisable to disinfect entire rooms in the storehouse infested. Silk and 

 cocoons can T)e even more readily reached b}' the use of l)isulphid of 

 carbon, and this applies to the fumigation of entire rooms; but the 

 h3xlrocyanic-acid gas treatment can also be employed. This latter 

 is useful where insurance companies object to the use of })isulpliid of 

 carbon on account of its inflammability. Directions for the use of bisul- 

 phid of car))on are given in Farmers' Bulletin 14:5, and for fumigation 

 with hydrocyanic-acid gas in Circular 46 (second series), l)oth of which 

 publications can be obtained by application to this office. — F. H. C. 



SOME BLISTER BEETLES IN.TURIOUS TO FRUIT TREES. 



For many years past blister beetles of three or four species have 

 been reported at intervals as doing more or less destruction to the 

 foliage of various fruit trees in different portions of our countiy. The 

 insects in question are quite different from the common species of 

 blister beetles found in potato patches and in lields and gardens gen- 

 erally. They are strictly arboreal, w^hile the latter are terrestrial. 

 Some accounts of recent injury ma}" be of interest, together with the 

 accompan^'ing illustration of one of our best-known forms. All of 

 these insects are handsome creatures of graceful fojni, and in color 

 different shades of green or olive with yellow or yellow and black legs. 

 8258— No. 3$— 02 7 



