1878.] REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 43 



Atlantic and in the terse phrase of Senator Hill, he has come to stay. 

 And now there appears in our corn-fields the Indian Cetonia {Cetonia 

 Inda) "long known as very injurious, at times to corn ; and as fre- 

 "quently extending its ravages to fruit, — particularly to pears and 

 "peaches," into wh^ch it burrows, to their effectual destruction. This 

 insect is described by Professor Lintner as "a beetle about six-tenths 

 "of an inch in length, with a hard body very obtuse behind, and a 

 " triangular thorax dark brown ; head and thorax dark brown, covered 

 " with greenish yellow hairs; wing covers light yellowish brown, v^ith 

 " changeable metallic tints, sprinkled with numerous irregular black 

 " dots ; underside black, hairy, andthe legs dull red. Whenever abun- 

 "dantin its fall brood (there is also an early spring brood), it proves an 

 " exceedingly pernicious insect, and unfortunately we know of no way 

 " of checking its ravages but by means of hand picking and destruction 

 "of the insects collected." 



Years since, when the smoke of 3'our sacrifice ascended continually, 

 and your prayer at the State House was incessant that a great plague 

 might at least be alleviated, you were told by the Com/mittee on Agri- 

 culture that all eflbrt was futile. Its Chairman assured you that he 

 and his colleagues agreed with your views, but that the General Court 

 would never accept a report in your favor. Rather would it " laugh at 

 your calamity, and mock when joux fear cometh." It is to be hoped, 

 in this present hour of trial, that ^^ Moore^s Concord''^ may be found 

 proof against the depredations of the Cetonia ; or, should that trust 

 fail, that the Turdus niigratorins may be equal to his emergency. 



But, among all the Insects injurious to man, that which is commonly 

 known as the May Beetle, or Cockchafer, (and by its scientific name, 

 as MeloJontha Vulgaris, or Lachnosterna fusca), maintains an easy 

 pre-eminence. Suffering from their ravages as we, in this country, do, 

 we but imperfectly realize what a pest they can become. In Europe, 

 when present in large numbers, they have done "almost incredible mis- 

 " chief to such Trees as the Beech, Elm, Sycamore, Willow, Oak, 

 "Cherry, Apple and Pear; as also to Nut trees and Vines. The grubs 

 " will eat the roots of nearly all trees and plants, particularly those of 

 " Cherry, Plum, Pear and Apricot trees; and Rhododendrons, Azaleas, 

 " Roses, Strawberries, Lettuce. Some who have suffered much from 

 " their Strawberry plants being killed, have found flowers of Sulphur, 

 " strewed on the ground and then dug in, a very effectual method of 

 " keeping them away. One-tenth (xs) of Gas-Liquor to nine-tenths 



