30 



CATERPILLARS STOPPING TRAINS— A NEWSPAPER EXAGGERATION. 



The following correspondence will explain itself: 



[C. V. Riley to A. P. Batler, Com. Agr., S. C, May 16, 1887.] 



I inclose a clipping from thib morning's Post. Can you tell me anything aboat the 

 correctness of the statement ? 



[Clipping from Washington Post, May 15, 1887.] 



Columbia, S. C, May 15. 

 There are such myriads of cotton caterpillars in the Feedee Swamp, this State, that 

 a mail train passing over the Feedee River trestle was brought to a standstill re- 

 cently by thousands of these worms being on the rails and causing the wheels to 

 slip. 



[Col. A. P. Butler to Capt. C. M. Smith, agent C. C. and A. R. E., May 18, 1887.] 



Flease find inclosed herewith a clipping sent to this Department from Washington, 

 D. C, from Prof. C. V. Riley, Entomologist of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture. Is there any truth in the matter, and are the caterpillars as numerous 

 as stated ? 



[Indorsements. ] 



Referred to J. R. Kenley, superintendent trains. — C. M. Smith. 

 Referred to J. F. Dunn, G. S.— J. R. Kenley. 



I have had no report of a train being stopped by caterpillars. — J. R. Kenley, saper- 

 intendent trains. 



[John F. Dunn, general superintendent, to A. P. Butler, May 20.] 



There are a great many caterpillars on the Feedee trestle, where the trains stop or- 

 dinarily on the track, and they make the track slippery, and engineers find some lit- 

 tle difficulty in getting away, but nothing to stop the train. 



INJURY BY THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN LOCUST. 



Caloptenus spretus has appeared in large numbers in Otter Tail 

 County, Minn., this year. Mr. Otto Lugger, who resigned bis posi- 

 tion as an assistant in this Division last May to accept the position 

 of entomologist of the Minnesota State Agricultural Experiment Sta- 

 tion, is busily engaged in superintending the work of destroying them, 

 and will soon publish a report on this interesting outbreak. In a re- 

 cent letter he informs us that the locusts are now (July 5) being killed 

 and gathered at the rate of 500 bushels per day, persons employed for 

 the purpose receiving the remuneration of $1 per bushel for their 

 services. Mr. Lugger was connected with us several jears in Missouri, 

 and has for the past three years been one of our most satisfactory ofiBce 

 assistants. He is thoroughly familiar with our methods of work, and 

 exceedingly well posted on the habits of insects, especially those injuri- 

 ous to agriculture. He is, therefore, thoroughly equipped for his new 

 post, and we congratulate Minnesota on having secured his services, 

 which we shall miss in the work of the Division. 



Early in the season we were led to hope for immunity from the Rocky 

 Mountain Locust, as when the young first began to appear in Minue- 



