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"REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. my 17 
Bpsan's in the field at several times in the course of the season super in- 
tending these observations, and the results of the inyestigation are 
-.more satisfactory even than I had hoped. There is now no reason 
_ why this pest, which last year damaged the crop to the extent of 
~ hundreds of thousands of dollars, should be longer feared by aor, 
Ss growers. | 
ae - In consequence of i impair ed health brought on by long overwork, 
a “the Entomologist was given four months’ leave of Sheds without 
ei; “pay during the latesummerand fall. In thistime he visited Europe, 
and in England read papers before the Manchester meeting of the 
- British Association, and carried on a series of observations upon the 
Hop-louse in that country, confirming observations made upon the 
same insect in this country, and announcing new and important 
facts in its ife history to the English hop-growers. Healso devoted 
- some attention to the Hessian-fly question, which is at present pro- 
_ foundly agitating the agriculturists of Great Britain. 
-. The Entomologist also visited the Continent and investigated the . 
. latest European insecticide machinery, a large mass of which he 
. found to be simply reproductions or modifications of devices in- 
_ yented in the course of the investigations of his own division. The 
report of the international congress at Florence, mentioned in my 
last report, and which has just been published, indicates this fact 
very plainly, and it can but be a source of gratification in this 
— country. 
The investigation upon the Southern Buffalo-gnat eee been con- 
tinued during the present year. An agent has been stationed for 
the greater part of the season in Arkansas and Mississippi, and the 
results obtained have been of considerable practical value, although 
_ there are still several obscure points in the life history of the insect 
which, although they have so far baffled the skill of the observers 
_of the division, will doubtless be cleared up another season, and may 
suggest a practical and easy means of fighting this great pest. 
Considerable time has been devoted during the year to the collec- 
tion of data concerning the Chinch-bug, which has been extremely 
_ injurious in several of the States, and also concerning the Plum Cur- 
culio and the Codling Moth. All of these are well-known insects and 
~ much has been written concerning them. There are, however, no 
_ standard articles which are readily available, and the Entomologist 
will include comprehensive accounts of each of these three insects 
in his annual report. 
_ The publications of the division have been, in addition to the an- 
~ nual report of the Entomologist, Bulletins Nos. 10,13, 14, 15, and 16. 
Bulletin 10 comprises an account of the most injurious insect 
defoliators of our shade trees. It is illustrated with numerous 
text figures and by a plate, and was called forth by the damage 
AG 87-——2 
