290 ANJSUAL KEPOET 



great advantage. I discovered two or three j^ears ago, when our apple 

 trees were infested with aphis, that the lady bugs destroyed them and 

 protected the trees. There is nothing more interesting to children 

 than "bugology " when they once get started in it, and I hope the ris- 

 ing generation will be taught in the science. 



Mr. Wilcox. I would like to inquire if the curculio ever prevails on 

 wild plums? 



Mr. Harris. I have seen them, but if the plums are thrifty the sap 

 seems to drown a large portion of them and the plum comes to matu- 

 rity. 



Mr. Wilcox. I notice a good deal of apprehension exists among 

 farmers with regard to chintz bugs. I do not apprehend much injury 

 will result from their ravages another season. They are not apt to de* 

 velop except in dry seasons, and it- is stated that three dry seasons in 

 succession is very rare. 



Mr. Harris. Chintz bugs are found in large numbers where rub- 

 bish is allowed to accumulate; they deposit their eggs, and if the sea- 

 son is dry they are ready to continue their work. If our birds were 

 spared, we would not have so much loss from insects. 



Mr. Gibbs. 1 referred a while ago to the necessity of forestry. I 

 do not think there is an instance known where grasshoppers have 

 crossed over any large body of timber in their migrations. If the gov- 

 ernment had retained these lands in their own hands till they were re- 

 forested, that work could have been accomplished at less expense than 

 the amount of damage done by grasshoppers in their invasions. 



President Elliot. I think you are in error in that. We had large 

 quantities of them that came over the timber; they were here but two 

 or three times, but the air was full of them. 



Mr. Gibbs. They did not get farirom the timber, did they? 



President Elliot, They extended over a good deal of territory. 



Mr. Gibbs. Prof. Riley in his investigations arrived at the con- 

 clusion that grasshoppers were limited in their travels east by the con- 

 dition of the air. He indicated boundaries beyond which they would 

 not be likely to pass, and the grasshoppers disappeared substantially 

 on the line that he indicated. It may be stated that a large body of 

 timber so affects the moisture of the air that it appears to be quite an 

 effectual barrier to their extension. 



Mr. Gould thought timber had a marked effect in preventing raids 

 of grasshoppers. They did very little damage, except in few instances, 

 this side of the timber known as the Big Woods. He was here at the 

 time of their visitation in 1857; they came in August of that year, de- 



