REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



INTRODUCTIOK 



Sm : I liavo tlie honor to present lierewith my annual report lor tlio 

 year 1885, and take the liberty in doing so, not only to call attention to 

 some of the subjects of which it treats, but also to brielly review the 

 work of the Division during tlie year, with a view of pointing out 

 wherein it may in the future be facilitated and improved. 



In the report of work in silk culture Avill be found some statements as 

 to the distribution of mulberry trees and the distribution of eggs. I 

 have also discussed the question of home-raised rs. imported eggs. Up 

 to the present year the Department has been in the habit of purchas- 

 ing for distribution eggs from abroad which could be guaranteed as 

 sound, for the simple reason that there were no persons engaged in 

 raising eggs in this country who were competent to apply the Pasteur 

 methods so as to guarantee their freedom from pebriiic. A great many 

 complaints, however, were made against this course, and it was charac- 

 terized as unpatriotic. Hence the present year we have obtained all the 

 eggs needed for distribution next year from home raisers. The ex- 

 amination of these eggs has entailed a vast amount of additional labor, 

 much of it of a minute microscopic character requiring great care, so that 

 the eggs have really cost us a great deal more than they would have 

 cost if purchased from abroad. More dissatisfaction has resulted from 

 this attempt to secure eggs from our own raisers than from the other 

 custom, for a number of parties who have sent on eggs, expecting to be 

 paid for them, have had them returned because they M'ere found to be 

 l)6brinous, and in all such instances the ])arties have suffered keen dis- 

 appointment : hence I seriously doubt whether it is best to pursue this 

 course in the future. 



In view of the great precaution necessary in di.sseminating sound 

 eggs, I have deemed it desirable to devote some space, not only to the 

 elucidation of this matter, but to the proper means of wintering the 

 eggs, as a great many of our correspondents who have received eggs 

 have really lost them from i)remature hatching or other causes. In 

 view of the importance of the subject I have also devoted some space 

 to the two chief diseases that affect silk-worms, viz. pobrine and Jlach- 

 erie, explaining the symptoms and nature of, as well as the treatment ior, 

 each. Full knowledge and experience on these jioiuts are very essen- 

 tial to successful silk-raising, and I find that the want of information 

 upon the subject is very general. 



But, after all, the chief question that will be asked and is being asked 

 ill reference to silk culture is, " Can it be made profitable, and to what 

 extent are the efforts now being made by the Department likely to es- 

 tablish the industry on a firm basis V It is not necessary that I should 



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