INTRODUCTION. 



While some of the more common insect pests recur from year to 

 year with the recurring seasons, apparently but little affected by 

 climatic conditions, there are others whose development is greatly 

 checked or promoted by unusual droughts or excess of moisture and 

 by extremes of heat and cold. The character of the season, then, is 

 always a more or less important factor in the entomological record of 

 the year. 



The season of 1895 was peculiar throughout Missouri and in many 

 of the contiguous states for the unusual dryness of the winter and 

 spring. This was compensated in some degree by frequent and re- 

 freshing showers during the summer months, succeeded by the usual 

 autumn drought and accompanied by early frosts and generally low 

 temperature in October and November, following excessive heat in 

 September. 



The lack of winter floods and the dryness of the spring favored 

 the hibernation and development of all insects that pass the winter 

 upon or beneath the surface of the ground. Among these insects are 

 cut- worms, root-feeding aphids and many injurious species of true 

 bugs. Consequently there was, later in the season, more than usual 

 injury inflicted by pests of these species in fields and vegetable gar- 

 dens, as well as in the orchard and nursery. 



Another factor which will entail much labor during the season of 

 1896, in the destruction of insects, was the abundant fruit crop of '95 

 and its somewhat inferior quality. This caused much of it to be suf- 

 fered to waste, and the insects which it fostered were aflForded ample 

 opportunity for development and increase. Careful attention to the 

 clearing up and burning of rubbiffh and fall and winter cultivation of 

 the ground, are excellent preventive measures against many species 

 of garden and orchard pests, but will not affect to any great extent the 

 plum curculio or the codling moth from which, in Missouri, fruit suffers 

 more than from all other insect enemies combined. For the codling 

 moth, we have a fairly reliable remedy in the Paris green or London 

 purple spray, which, if used reasonably, and especially when combined 

 with some fungicide, insure the health and vigor of the trees, and in 



