118 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



dark cbestuut-colored beetles, of a cylindrical form, having the front part 

 of the thorax roughened with elevated points, the male having two little 

 horns, and the tips of the wing-covers above, provided with two prickle- 

 like points curving inward. In his letter Mr. Wilson complains much 

 Fig. 8. of the iujary done by these insects in Iowa, and says that 

 ^^ seven to nine year old vines are killed from the root 



'%y' up, and that out of fourteen vines, eleven were killed. 

 •4!^-, Mr, Allen Crocker, of Burlington, Kansas, some time ago 

 '^jyi stated that in Kansas this insect did much damage by 

 boring into the twigs of the white hickory. Other corre- 

 spondents say that it also attacks apple, pear, and cherry trees 

 in a similar manner, by boring into the twigs and young branches. It 

 is in the perfect or beetle state that the insect does the injury to our 

 fruit and forest trees, boring into the twig just above the bud, working 

 downward sometimes to the depth of two or more inches through the 

 pith, thus finding in the branch both food and protection. Even in mid- 

 winter both male and female beetles may sometimes be found hiding in 

 their cylindrical burrows, and always with the head directed downward. 

 The insects are plentiful in the Western States, and, although they have 

 been taken in Maryland and Pennsylvania, we have received no accounts 

 of their ravages from eastern correspondents. The only remedy that can 

 be suggested, when the insect attacks twigs and branches, is to cut 

 them off some distance below the place injured and to burn them imme- 

 diately, with the beetles inside, as it is not likely that any preparation 

 could be applied to the trees that would prevent their attacks. 



Extensive injuries by insects were reported in August in nearly all 

 the cotton States. North Carolina, however, was thought to be nearly 

 exempt from this infliction, a single mention of "insects in cotton" com- 

 ing up from Pasquotank County. The August crops of Eichland County, 

 South Carolina, were generally swept by the cotton-caterpillar or cotton 

 army-worm, {Anomis xylbue.) In Georgia the ravages of this insect 

 were reported in Lee, Marion, Glynn, Stewart, Clay, Glascock, Calhoun, 

 Schley, and Baldwin Counties. In some places the destruction was 

 complete. In Schley County fields were entirely denuded within forty- 

 eight hours after the appearance of the enemy. In Glascock and Marion 

 the boll-worm {Reliothis arniigera) added its destructive influence. In 

 some localities the grass caterpillar or grass army-worm {Prodenia au- 

 tumnaUs) devoured the corn, grass, and pea crops. 



In Suwannee (bounty, Florida, cotton-caterpillars appeared July 15, and 

 within a month entirely swept many fields. In Leon they appeared Au- 

 gust 18, and within a week the last cotton-leaf had disappeared. The 

 same report comes from Taylor County. In Jefierson the third brood 

 was in process of incubation. Similar complaints were received from 

 Gadsden, Marion, and West Florida generally. The grass-caterpillars 

 were numerous and active in Columbia and Manatee. 



Eel urns from Alabama foreshadowed an extensive visitation of the 

 cotton-caterpillar, which, as our September reports show, was fully and 

 X)ainfully realized. In some places the boll-worm vied with the cotton- 

 worm in its destructive influence. Reports of either or both of these 

 pests come from Macon, Clarke, Pike, Marengo, Conecuh, Perry, Mont- 

 gomery, Crenshaw, Eussell, Fisk, Calhoun, Chambers, Butler, Autau- 

 ga, Dallas, Wilcox, and Tuscaloosa Counties. In Crenshaw entire fields 

 were denuded of foliage. In Calhoun the crop ])rospect was reduced 25 

 per cent, in five days. In Autauga the roads, woods, and wells were 

 full of army and boll worms. In W^ilcox the caterpillars, after stripping 



