534 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
been very destructive, specially in the latter place. A striking instance 
of the influence of the press was seen in the great interest manifested last 
summer in the so-called kissing bug, Opsicoetus personatus 
Linn. a species which had hitherto attracted very little attention. 
Elm leaf beetle. The serious injuries inflicted the last few years by 
this imported insect, Galerucella luteola Miill. indicated the de- 
sirability of educating the public more fully concerning the pest. A lec- 
ture, describing local conditions and giving the methods of fighting shade 
tree pests, with special reference to this insect, was delivered before the 
Troy scientific association March 6. Substantially the same matter was 
presented before the Albany institute April 4. In addition, a number of 
short articles giving timely notice of methods of procedure against shade 
tree pests were published in local papers. Though the city authori- 
ties of Troy made no provision for the general spraying of trees along 
the streets and in the parks, much was accomplished at private expense. 
W. H. Gordinier, who the preceding season had operated a power spray- 
ing outfit, prepared a second and found more calls for his services than he 
could meet. Wherever spraying was timely and thorough, most excel- 
lent results were obtained. It will be found that in infested localities 
where no provision has been made for general spraying along the streets 
and in parks, many valuable trees will be sacrificed. In all work against 
the elm leaf beetle, it has been found necessary to emphasize again and 
again the supreme importance of timely and thorough work. This is 
specially true since the public frequently judges of the value of spraying 
from that which was done by careless or ignorant persons. 
Office work. The routine office work has been much heavier than 
last year. An unusually large number of insects have been received 
with requests for information concerning them. ‘The inspection of nurs- 
eries conducted under the supervision of the commissioner of agriculture 
has led to frequent calls on this office for the identification of scale and 
other insects. ‘The entomologist has also been requested to cooperate 
with that department in some experimental work and has been called on 
to give advice and to revise a folder giving the formulas for insecticides. 
The demand for popular information through the agricultural press has 
been very gratifying and indicates a hearty appreciation of this work 
among farmers. ‘The number of letters and postal cards written has 
been greater than in any previous year and amounts to 1559. 
The prosecution of certain lines of field work and investigation has 
been seriously curtailed by the large amount of proof reading incident to 
carrying through the press in the summer a large general index of 200 
