374 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
‘“‘cawps” just put a little of the rotten wood into his mouth, and 
that will kill him.” Now perhaps Dr. Frisselle might try that 
plan with his caterpillars. (Laughter and applause. ) 
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON ENTOMOLOGY. 
BY J. S. HARRIS. 
Mr. President and Members of Minnesota State Horticultural Society: 
With the balance of the committee on Entomology composed of such 
men as Prof. Otto Lugger and R. J. Mendenhall, who have made the 
study and investigation of insects almost a life work, I feel much like a 
trespasser in forbidden fields when attempting to mention the subject of 
entomology. In southeastern Minnesota the year 1891 has shown a 
marked difference from a few of the immediately preceding years by the 
almost entire freedom from the presence and ravages of some of the in- 
sects most injurious to the horticulturist. The fact is, that with a few 
exceptions, the insect crop of 1891 was very nearly a general failure. The 
tent-caterpiller, which a few years since bade fair to ruin our forests and 
orchards, seems to have folded his tent and departed for greener fields 
and fresher pastures. The codling-moth did not put in its usual amount ~ 
of work, and,as a consequence, the quantity of wormy apples was very 
much less than common. Theapplegougerand plum curculio were pretty 
bad in some sections, but not so numerous but that we were able to find 
enough perfect apples and unstung plums to perfect a pretty fair crop of 
fruit. 
There was no perceptible diminution of the first crop of currant worms; 
they cleaned up the farmers’ bushes as usual. The red cap raspberry 
suffered quite severely from having the leaves eaten full of holes quite 
early in the season. The season was noted for the almost total absence 
of the May beetle, the larva of which is the white grub so destructive to 
the strawberry plant, and we may reasonably hope that we may have a 
season or two of partial exemption from their ravages. 
The Colorado potatoe beetle has not been so scarce since the year it put 
in its first appearance, and there is a considerable stock of paris green 
and london purple left over unused. On,my own place I saw but one 
perfect beetle, and scarcely any of the larve. The festive mosquito and 
the common house fly were late in putting in their appearance, and did 
not seem to multiply as rapidly as usual. But the brown aphis on our 
plum trees was a terror, so numerous were they that on many trees 
they did not suffer the leaves to unfold. Much of the fruit was ruined, 
nearly all of it was injured, and hundreds of the trees made no growth. 
The man who will give us a simple remedy for this pest will be hailed as 
a public benefactor. Will he please step forward and be introduced 
to this audience? The question is open for discussion. 
“rake: 
