29 



Early in January we were able to send M. liondot a few live cocoons 

 of the Cecropia, and in transmitting- them gave the following reply to 

 his questions : 



The species whicli is tlio most coiunioii in the United Stiitos is the Atlaeits cecropia 

 of Liune. There are two species in this country very closely allied to it aud by some 

 held to be simple varieties of the Cecropia; they are the Columbia and tha (ihvcri. 

 It is possible that it is to one or both of these that you refer as beiuy mentioned in 

 your notes. 



It is hoped, from the live specimens sent M. Rondot, aud a similar 

 quantity sent to M. Quajat, at Padua, that these scientists naay raise a 

 sufficient crop of Cecropia cocoons to satisfy themselves of their value 

 for the production of schappe. lu this connection it may be added that 

 Mr. L. G. Wilson, of Parsons, Dak. (statistical correspondent of the De- 

 l)artment), informs us, under date of December 18, that wild cocoons are 

 found in large (quantities in his neighborhood, and that he wishes to 

 send si)ecimens of them to the Paris Exhibition. He has been requested 

 to forward specimens to this Department. — [Pliilip Walker.] 



SPRAYING FOR THE ELM LEAF-BEETLE. 



Prof. John B. Smith, in Garden and Forest for June 19, gives an ac- 

 count of his experiments in spraying large elm trees on the llutgers 

 College campus. Hi^ used a Seneca Falls force-pump, mounted on a 

 tank holding 40 gallons and provided with a 50-foot hose. The end of 

 the hose is attached to a 10-foot pole, and by means of a light ladder 

 20 feet in length the foliage of the largest trees, somcj of which are over 

 50 feet in height, can be reached. Professor Smith finds that the ad- 

 dition of a small quantity of kerosene emulsion to the mixture of Lon- 

 don pur[)le and water is of use in enabliug the spray to penetrate the 

 pubescence on the under side of the leaves and to spread wherever it 

 touches instead of collecting in drops and falling. He recommends the 

 addition of a pint of kerosene emulsion to 20 gallons water containing 

 one-lifth of a pound of London [)uri)le, and states that this amount of 

 the mixture is sufficient for one of the largest trees. 



THE DINGY CUT-^VORM (AGROTIS SUBGOTUIOA Haw.). 



Late in May, 188G, Mr. Henry Nobes, a fruit-grower in the vicinity 

 of La Fayette, Ind., called our attention to the fact that some insect, 

 unknown to him, was destroying the ripening fruit in his strawberry 

 field, large berries being wholly or for the most part devoured. A visit 

 to the field soon revealed the depredator to be this cut- worm, which 

 occurred in great numbers under the straw mulch. Worms were not 

 only caught in the act of eating the berries, but many were found gorged 

 with the fruit, the red color distinctly showing through the skin of the 

 culprits. Li places where the mulch had been removed they did not 

 appear to trouble the fruit, except to a very limited extent. — F. M. 

 Wehster. 



