468 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



more earnestly press its claims, aud a union may be joined of value 

 to each; a relation that would result in special advantage to the 

 state at large in advertising- one of the diversified products of Min 

 nesota that, having long passed the stage of uncertainty, is now 

 ready to be developed on a wide and, we believe, a most profitable 

 scale. 



REPORT ON ENTOMOLOGY, MADE DEC. 3, 1896. 



OEWAIiV COOK, WINDOM. 



BORERS. 



We found the past spring one four year old apple tree that was 

 leaningbadly. It had been set in orchard one year. Upon examination 

 it was found that a large borerhad made a spiral girdle around the 

 tree, and under the ground it had eat its way into the heart and was 

 working there. It had caused the tree to fall over. As we occasion- 

 ally find these borers in our prairie soil rods away from any trees, 

 it is probable that they do more damage to fruit trees than they 

 are charged with. 



We also find in places on heavy manured soil, large numbers of 

 smaller sized borers. As yet we have not noticed any harm done 

 by them, except that they destroyed a good many strawberry plants 

 by eating into the crowns in the early spring. Still I do not think 

 that they are what is know as the strawberry crown borer. 



We uncovered our strawberry plantation quite late last spring, aud 

 something at once began to eat the foliage. There were a m3'riad of 

 wasp-like flies about. We were of the opinion that thej'- were the 

 ones that were doing the damage, but later on we found the damage 

 was being done by a small, light green worm. I have no doubt 

 that they were what is known as the strawberry slug. They worked 

 mostly on the under side of the leaves. We killed a good many of 

 them by hand. Some of our hens assisted materially in the good 

 work by living largely on a diet of worms. 



We also found a few spots in our strawberry fields that were en- 

 tirely defoliated by what appeared to be a strawberry caterpillar, 

 which worked in colonies and on the outside of the foliage. They 

 were picked by hand, and one picking did the job. 



As our strawberry plants were never troubled by worms to any 

 extent before, I attribute their increase the past season to the early 

 mulching I gave the plants the autumn before, which protected the 

 insects as well as the plants. 



The plum gouger, or the curculio, we had the past season as 

 usual. I know of no remedy for them except to let the pigs and 

 hens have access to the plum orchard, and to grow the thick skinned 

 varieties, as they are less injured by these pests than are those of 

 the thin skin. 



