xsTV-n"-/ PREFACE. 



To the Members of the Missouri State Board of Agriculture : 



Gentlemen: — I herewith submit, for ijublication, my Fourth Annual 

 Report on the Noxious, Beneficial and other Insects of the State of 

 Mieeouri. 



The year just closing has been remarkable for the high mean temperature 

 of it8 spring and summer, and the unprecedented small amount of rain-fall. 

 Yet mother Earth has yielded abundantly of all kinds of Agricultural pro- 

 ducts, and our fruit crop has generally been unusually fine. The injuries of 

 the notorious Plum Curculio were, comparatively, so insignificant that plums 

 and even apricots ripened where they had failed for many previous years ; 

 and though this result may in great part be attributed to the partial failure 

 of such fruit and the consequent scarcity of the " little Turk " in 1870, I 

 think the Sigalphus parasite described last year must receive some share 

 of the credit. But it is unnecessary to anticipate in an}^ manner the burden 

 of the following pages. 



During the extreme, heat of the season I made a hasty trip to Europe, 

 for the improvement of health and for scientific purposes. During two 

 months' stay there, I was able to gather some facts of importance without 

 which I could not have laid before you the articles on " Grape Disease," 

 and "Silkworms" to which I call your especial attention, and which, I 

 trust, contain some important truths of vast moment to the State. 



I have devoted considerable time to lecturing the past year; and hope 

 to be able to fill still more engagements during the year to come. 



E^specting the printing of this Report it is necessary to state that I did 

 everything in \nj power last winter to have the printing and press-work of 

 the third volume done creditably and in a manner which would do justice 

 to the engravings. Mr. Wilcox was obliging, and did all that could, per- 

 haps, be exi)ected of him; but in truth it is utterly impossible for any one 

 to turn out a creditable ])iece of work from the old rickety presses at the 

 capital; and, with the three years' unsatisfactory experience of the past, I 

 shall strive to get the publishing of this fourth Report done in St. Louis. 

 To enable me to do so, I hope to get your aid and encouragement. 



The same rules, in jjrinting, that have been adopted in the other Reports, 

 are followed in this ; and the reader will bear in mind that, unless otherwise 

 stated, the latitude of St. Louis is always intended when speaking of the 



