222 



givL' aud I will be very glad to receive any iiitbniiatiou as to what treatuieut you will 

 recommend to prevent any further formation on the tree; aud if the tree can be 

 brought to bearing fruit again I shall be delighted. * * * — [Mary E. Winston, 

 Stanton, Miss., December 27, 1886. 



Reply. — * * * These galls interest us very much indeed. They are made by 

 a plant-louse of the genus Phylloxera, but they are not absolutely identical with any 

 which we have heretofore seen. They come nearest to a species of hickory plant-louse 

 which occurs in New York State, and which was named by Dr. Fitch Phylloxira 

 canjivcaidis. I would urge you to send us specimens of these galls in the spring and 

 summer. You will find it a difficult pest to get rid of. The only sure method will bo 

 to destroy the galls in the early summer, aud of course this will be difficult to do; 

 but if you can maimge to reach the highest points on the tree by ladders and cut the 

 galls off with a pruning pole, you will liud that very few will return nest season. You 

 will doubtless recognize the generic uame of this insect as being that of the cele- 

 brated grape-root pest, but of course your insect is entirely distinct from those on 

 grape. * * *.— [January 4, 1887.] 



Anthrenus destroying Whalebone. 



Inclosed insects and piece of whalebone, eaten by them, are from Mr. Merrlam's 

 establishment. Please examine and give me your report in coarse of time — address 

 Alfred T. Brown, Rising Sun, Ind. This insect is not very numerous as yet, but as I 

 discovered it here I made inquiry as to particulars, etc. The parties have not con- 

 sidered it as of any importance, but I tell them it may be iu time if not investigated 

 and checked. — [John P. Brown, 24 Lincoln Street, Boston, Mass. 



Reply. * * » The insect is one of the common museum pests and is closely al- 

 lied to the Buffalo Carpet-beetle, and is called Anthrenus varius. This insect is a 

 very general feeder, preferring animal substances, and its occurrence upon whale- 

 bone, although hithefto not recorded so far is I know, is not at all surprising. 

 Without knowing how the whalebone is stored aud without experimenting upon 

 the etfect which various insecticide substances would have upon the whalebone, it 

 would be difficult for me to suggest a remed}'. If the circumstances are such that 

 the vapor of bi-sulphide of carbon can be used it will undoubtedly kill the beetle in 

 all stages. — [October 15, 1886, to Mr. Alfred T. Brown, Risiug Sun, Ind.] 



GENERAL NOTES. 



RESULTS OF PROFESSOR FORBES'S INVESTIGATIONS ON THE RELATION 

 OF WHEAT CULTURE TO THE CHINCH BUG. 



[Abstract from paxier ruail before the ninth meeting of the Society for the Prouiutiou of Agiicullural 



Science at Cleveland iu 1888, | 



Southern Illinois. — Reports from 193 townships for 1887 show injury to 

 corn, uoiie iu 4 (average wheat area iu 188G = 2,100 acres per towuship) ; 

 slight iu 3 (2,440 acres); cousiderable iu 7 (2,530 acres); great iu 30 

 (2,900 acres) ; very great iu 37 (about 2,100 acres) ; ueaiiy coiuplete iu 

 89 (2,700 acres) ; complete iu 23 (4,400 acres). Wheat area iu 1887 

 diflfered from 1886 only'iu a souiewhat lower average ; for 1888, from 

 1,500 acres (Chiuch Bug injury to coru none) to nearly 4,100 acres (com ■ 

 plete) per towuship. Coru area for 1887 was 1,800 acres (none) to 3,000 



