62 . ANNUAL Reporr! > 59° % 
berry season they suddenly disappeared from the fruit and vocilaie pl 
commenced marching in herds through some of the wheat fields, swee) 
thing before them. The full grown insect is about one-twelfth of an inch 
length, and of a black color with white wings. When crushed they emit a very 
unpleasant odor. It is said that multitudes of them hve through the winter con- 
cealed under chips, stones and various kinds of rubbish; and that the females 
deposit their eggs in the ground in the month of June to the number of 300, and 
that the first brood of young mature from first of July to middle of August, and 
that dry seasons are much the most favorable for them. I discovered the first 
about the 20th of April, (about a pint or more) under a board that had lain 
through the winter by the side of my raspberry bed. 
Remedy.—Farmers sometimes save their crops by plowing a deep furrow 
along the side of their fields, which the insects are entering, and then hitching a 
horse to a log and drawing it back and forth in the furrow, which crushes them 
as they fall into it, and are unable to crawl out over the loose dirt of the via, 
Salt is said to be‘a remedy. Few if any birds prey upon them. 
May Beetle. 
In the month of June the May Beetle (Phyllophaga Quercina, Harris) came 
out of the earth in great numbers and devastated the foliage of the fruit and 
forest trees to a considerable extent. At night they swarmed in such numbers 
as to present the sound of bees swarming. Their larva, the large white grub, is 
very destructive to flower and garden plants, also to strawberry plants and young ~ 
trees. As they work entirely under ground, they are not discovered until the 
mischief is done. I have found as many as eight under a single hill of straw- 
berries, and lost three-fourths of the crop of cabbage on a half acre. They con- 
tinue to work on through the entire summer. Whenever a plant is discovered 
wilting it should be immediately dug out and the grubs destroyed, or they will 
move on to the next plant. Ducks and other poultry are useful in destroying the 
beetle. The Butcher bird has a particular appetite for the grubs, and will 
destroy great numbers of them when turned to the surface in plowing. I think 
that multitudes of the beetle might be trapped at night in kettles or tubs of 
water with lighted lanterns suspended over them. 
Cut Worms, 
Cut worms (for description of them I refer you to an essay by Mr. Mendenhall, 
read at Market Hall, Minneapolis, Dec. 22, 1877) werenumerous and very destrue- 
tive to cabbage and tomato plants, young Lima beans, cucumbers, melons, &c. One 
good preventative against them is to keep the ground clear of weeds. The moth, 
or perfect msect, is led by instinct to seek out the foulest or weediest places to 
deposit her eggs, to be sure of provender for her progeny; hence the slovenly 
gardener suffers the most from their ravages. 
Grape Bud Borer. 
The steel blue grape bud borer is a short beetle about one-tenth of an inch 
long. They made their appearaece about the time the buds commenced swell- 
ing, and the damage they dois by boring into the heart of the bud, thus destroy- 
ing its vitality. I did not make their acquaintance until they had about finished 
