LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 
STATE EXPERIMENT STATION, 
St. ANTHONY PARK, MINN., 
To His Excellency, A. O. Eberhart, St. Paul, Minn. 
DECEMBER 1, 1914. 
DEAR SIR:—Complying with the law, I take pleasure in sub- 
mitting herewith the Fifteenth Report of the work of the State 
Entomologist, from December 1, 1912, to December 1, 1914, cover- 
ing insect conditions in this state during that period. The financial 
statement, however, necessarily covers the fiscal years, August 1, 
1912, to August 1, 1914. 
The season of 1913 was a normal year as far as insect pests were 
concerned. There was no marked injury from grasshoppers and 
but few complaints reached us of this pest. This was probably due 
to a vigorous growth of grain and weeds as well as to favorable 
weather conditions. Given, however, a few dry seasons in succes- 
sion, and we will doubtless suffer from these insects as we did in 
1910 and 1911. In fact, this pest may have been abundant in 1913, 
but on account of vigorous crop growth and abundant weeds, their 
work was not noticed. Fortunately, this Department has found a 
practical, effective and cheap way of combating grasshoppers in 
this altitude. Conditions in 1914 were practically the same as 
those in 1913. and no outbreak of grasshoppers was reported. 
The same comments apply to the Chinch Bug, only two reports 
having reached us in 1913. As in the case of the preceding insect, 
we will at times, when conditions favor, be afflicted to a greater or 
less extent with this enemy of grain and it will doubtless continue 
to be of periodical occurrence. , 
An interesting observation was made by the Entomologist in 
June, 1914, in connection with the Chinch Bug; namely, the finding 
of these insects in a grain field in Clearwater County, far north of 
what has been regarded as their normal range in Minnesota. 
Twelve years ago we found a record in Lugger’s notes of the occur- 
