36 
Mees ae : 
Mr. Fletcher thought that the chief difficulty with regard to these fungus 
diseases was their cultivation so that they might be available at the time when 
needed. One trouble with him had been carrying them over the winter. 
Prof. Hargitt spoke of a fungus disease which had attacked the canker 
worm. 
Prof. Coek thought the greatest difficulty in aking use of contagious 
diseases for the destruction of insects was the fact that the insects which it was 
desired to treat were not always in a susceptible condition. 
Prof. Garman thought that although fungus diseases were difficult to 
introduce, bacterial diseases would probably be more controllable. 
The meeting adjourned till 5 o’clock. 
VARIOUS INSECTS. 
Prof. Atkinson spoke on the “Injurious Insects of Alabama.” A bud worm 
had been extremely injurious to young corn, piercing the central shoot and 
destroying its growth. Diabrotica 12-pwnctata had also been injurious in the 
same manner; and, if there were not sufficient food in the stem, the larve 
descended to the roots and tunnelled out irregular channels on the surface. They 
pupated in the ground. A new attack had been observed on the “ Irish potato,” 
viz., by the Cabbage Plusia, which had attacked the leaves. The same insect had 
been very injurious to cabbages. In the southern part of the State more had 
been done by the Plusia than by the cabbage worm. At Mobile farmers had 
complained that 50 per cent. of their melons had been injured by a worm. 
Seolytus rugulosus had been very abundant at Auburn in the spring, attacking 
trunks which appeared to be perfectly sound. Onions had been badly injured 
by a species of Thrips. Another species had also been injurious to cotton plants. 
Prof. Cook stated that he had also seen a Thrips injuring onions in Michigan. 
Prof. Webster stated that he had studied Scolytus rugulosus and had found 
that it invariably attacked trees which were injured. In a single instance, where 
the beetles had commenced operations on a sound tree, he found that they 
afterwards left it. 
Prof. Cook made some remarks upon the effect of mild winters upon insect 
presence. He had found cut-worms and saw-flies very abundant in Michigan 
during the present season. He had also bred a new borer from the black currant, 
i.e., the small longicorn beetle Hyperplatys maculatus. He had also found that 
the larvee of Aegeria typuliformis had been largely destroyed by a fungus 
crowth like that of the white grub. The leaves of cherry, pear and quince had 
been badly attacked by the larvze of saw-flies, but they had been easily kept in 
check by applications of road dust. 
Dr. C. M. Weed presented a paper upon the “ Oviposition of Dectes sprmosus 
upon Ambrosia trifida.” He also gave some account of the insect, in all its 
stages, from specimens which he had bred. 
During the meeting a most interesting set of photographs was exhibited by 
Prof, Webster, showing a likeness of Thomas Say, his birthplace, the house where 
he lived during the greater part of the time he was writing his works, his tomb 
and an autograph. Prof. Webster had a few sets of the photographs struck off | 
when his own were printed and is willing to let entomologists have them at the 
actual cost of production. 
