97 



that would be made by larg-e shot. According- to their description, 

 the beetle or its larva would start on one side and cut a hole through 

 an entire bundle of leather. An attempt to disinfect the leather with 

 carbolic acid had no apparent effect. 



Writing again September 28, this conipau}^ stated that there was little 

 doubt 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 Maryland 

 correspondents from silkworm cocoons and leather, respectively, was 

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

 cadaverhius 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; but it is one of the man}' 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 be freely used where the insects are most abundant. Where it 

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

 usual manner; but where this cannot be conveniently done it is more 

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

 cocoons can be even more readily reached by the use of bisulphid of 

 carbon, and this applies to Jbhe fumig-ation of entire rooms; but the 

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

 is useful where insurance companies object to the use of bisulphid of 

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

 phid of carbon are given in Farmers' Bulletin 145, and for fumigation 

 with hydrocA^anic-acid gas in Circular 46 (second series), both of which 

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



SOME BLISTER BEETLES INJURIOUS 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 country. The 

 insects in question are quite different from the common species of 

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

 erally. They are strictly arboreal, while the latter are terrestrial. 

 Some accounts of recent injuiy may be of interest, together with the 

 accompanying illustration of one of our best-known forms. All of 

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

 different shades of green or olive with yellow or 3'ellow and black legs. 

 3622— No. 38—04 7 



