ENTOMOLOGICAL NOTES FOR THE SEASON OF 1890. 
By Mary E. Murtrecpr. 
LETTER OF SUBMITTAL, 
Kirk woop, St. Louts County, Mo., 
- October 31, 1890. 
Sir: Inelosed please find summary of my notes on injurious insects for the present 
year, as observed throughout the season in St. Louis County, and as compiled from cor- 
respondence with and occasional visits to other sections of the State. As in preced- 
ing years, many thanks are due you fur yarious determinations and helpful sugges- 
tious, 
Respectfully, yours, 
Mary E. Mvunrrevpr. 
Prot Cr Vin KILEY, 
U. S. Entomologist. 
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 
The season of 1890 throughout the Mississippi Valley has been in 
many respects unusual. The winter months were characterized by a 
temperature much above the normal, by occasional very heavy rains, 
and, after the middle of January, by a prevalence of clouds and exces- 
sive moisture. Many shrubs, for example Forsythia, Cydonia, and 
Lilac bloomed in the open air about the holidays, while the buds of all 
fruit trees were much swollen, and peaches and apricots opened their 
blossoms in sheltered situations in February. During early March the 
mercury for the first time in the year dropped to the neighborhood of 
zero, and on the last day of the month occurred a phenomenal fail of 
snow. April also was cold and damp, and similar weather prevailed 
until the middle of May, the soil, except where drainage was excep- 
tionally good, being in poor condition for planting. With the first of 
June excessive heat set in, and for seven consecutive weeks the mercury 
was seldom below 90° I’. at midday, and usually approached or ex- 
ceeded 100°. This extreme heat was accompanied by an equally severe 
drought for the same length of time, scarcely mitigated by two or three 
very slight and very local showers. 
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