__. supplementary to that published in the Annual Report for 1886, 
18 | REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, f 
done by the Fall Web-worm ana other siete to the shade trees bay 
of Washington:and other Eastern cities during the last- two years. si x 
Bulletin 13 contains reports from several agents of the division,in- 
cluding a report upon, a sudden and disastrous outbreak of: native a 
locusts in Texas in1886; a report on insects injurious to forest and | penn 
shade trees, continuing observations made during the past four years 
in New: England and northern New York; a report on tests with - 
insecticides upon garden insects in Ohio, and some general reports — - 
upon the insects of the year in certain of the States. Bulletin 14. dre 
contains. a somewhat extensive report upon insects injurious to a9 
garden crops in Florida, resulting from observations and experiments 
made during the summer of 1886; a report upon the Buffalo-gnats and 
a report upon native plums and their influence upon the Cureulio. 
question. Bulletin 15 is devoted to matter concerning the Ieerya» — 
ee 
or Fluted scale, known as the Cottony Cushion-scale of California, | 
Ye 
Bulletin 16 contains a bibliography of the entomological writings of. 
Dr. A. 8. Packard, an agent of this division, and one of the most ~ A 
voluminous of living writers in entomology. are 
The increased funds at the disposal of the division have perinatbia 
the re-appointment of some of the field agents who were furloughed — 
on account of the reduction of the appropriation for the fiscal year - 
188687, and increased efficiency is the result, and the work of the — 
division has never been more satisfactory than at present. ek 
The correspondence of the division has increased even over its for- 
mer large proportions, and it has become a serious question how to do ' 
it full justice without allowing it to seriously interfere with the special 
investigations being made. Over three thousand letters have been. 
answered, and when it is remembered that each letter requires more 
or less research and consultation with the collections and with the 
literature of the subject, an idea of the time expended in this part of 
the divisional work can be gained. 
The work of the apicultural experiment station has been carried 
on in the same lines laid down in my last report. For convenience — 
in obtaining supplies, and for other reasons, the station has been re- 
moved from Aurora, [ll., to Hinsdale, I]. The work has consisted 
of the study of the various kinds of diseases to which bees are sub- 
ject, including an inquiry into the causes of disease and application - 
of suitable remedies. The work in this line of investigation has been 
singularly successful and satisfactory. Suitable fixtures have been 
devised and constructed for securing the benefits resultant from 
selective breeding by means of skillful crossing of the different races 
of bees, and persistent effort has been made to secure the control of 
the process of reproduction. This feature of the work has been only , 
partially successful, owing to the prevalence of a drought of unpre-_ 
ced->ted duration and severity, but much information of scientific 
‘ 
