98 



is so injui-ed that it may fall down. There is practically nothing that 

 can be done for this pest after it appears, and it is only left to ward 

 against its reappearance the next season. 



Injur}" Avas observed in a eornficdd at Taylors Island from the stalk 

 hoivr PajKiipeina nileUi. Tliis insect does its damage in a somewhat 

 similar manner to that done by Diatrcea saccJiaralis, except that after 

 boring into the stem it tunnels its way upward, eatinir out tlie center 

 of tlic plants. 



Injury by the twelve-spotted dial)r()tica {Didhrolira 12-pnnckita) to 

 young corn on the college farm was observed about tlie middle of 

 May, but it did not later become serious. 



The asparagus beetle {Crioceris asparagi) was a conspicuously 

 injurious species the present year, and it is needless to say that an 

 entirely satisfactory treatment for the pest has not yet been found. 



Tlie strawberr}" root-louse {Aphis forhesi) appears now to be gener- 

 ally distributed over the State, more so than in recent years, doing in 

 some cases considerable damage. Likewise with this pest we are 

 confronted witli the fact that there is no satisfactory treatment, except 

 rotation of crops and perhaps the burning over of the patches in early 

 spring. It is the opinion of the writer, fi-om observations up to this 

 time, that in some localities in our State the aphides pass the winter 

 on the roots of the plants, as I liave found plants infested with the 

 louse as late as December 1:2. 



The melon aphis {Aphis gossypii) was conspicuous by its absence 

 the past season, as in other yeai's it has been a source of mucli appre- 

 hension on the part of the melon growers. From two or thi-ee com- 

 plaints sent in tlie past season, one of the growers stated afterwards 

 that he controlled the pest effectively bj' fumigating with carbon 

 bisulphid. 



Many complaints of the oyster-shell bark-louse {Mytilaspis {Lepi- 

 dusaphes ulmi) poniorum) and the scurvy bark-louse {Chionaspis 

 furfariis) were received during the year, and the latter is observed 

 in nearl}'^ every orchard that is inspected. 



The cigarette beetle {Lasioderma serricorne) has given us a great 

 deal of trouble in ]Maryland. It is the opinion of the writer that there 

 are very few tobacco warehouses and factories which are free from 

 the pest. Also, that it is increasing under cover — that is to say, few 

 owners of tobacco-leaf Avarehouses liaA^e detected its presence in their 

 stock. The majority of them keep on hand a large quantity of tobacco 

 boxed up in cases, and seldom examine their tobacco to detect the 

 insect. The loss occasioned by this insect does, hoAvcA^er, not fall on 

 the tobacco-leaf merchant, but on the manufacturer avIio takes it into 

 his factory and attempts to Avork it. When this insect is once estab- 

 lished in a tobacco factory it is A^ery difficult to entirely eradicate it. 

 The Avriter knoAvs of one instance Avhere the OAvner has expended 



