1890.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 345 



orchard pests in the early summer. The Hessian fly did 

 his usual damage to the wheat crop, and the barley crop 

 was injured by a disease known as gout. No special insect 

 injury occurred to root and corn crops. But, to counter- 

 balance this, some new pests were observed, among which 

 the most important insect is probably the Xijlehorus disjicir, 

 a small beetle, which has the instinct of tunneling into 

 stems of young plum trees. These tunnels have one 

 horizontal and several vertical galleries, and are so made 

 that they kill the tree completely, and with extraordinary 

 rapidity. The chief attack of the year was on orchard 

 crops, the winter moth and its allies having been very 

 destructive. But steady advance has been made in knowl- 

 edge of measures which are practically available for field 

 use in some of the worst insect attacks. Instruction in 

 agricultural entomology is gaining ground in England, as 

 well as in America ; and the English farmer is ready to 

 acknowledge, when the produce of acres of different coun- 

 tries is so quickly conveyed (as well as the insect pests it 

 contains) to all parts of the world, that great benefit must 

 result from the establishment of the "Association of Official 

 Entomologists," recently started in the United States. And 

 it is the opinion, among scientific agriculturists in England, 

 that this will enable those who are the centres of information 

 in their own countries to both receive and give the best 

 knowledge on the subject ; and also that we are gradually 

 altering the state of the geographical distribution of injurious 

 insects is certain ; and, as new pests are observed in any 

 country, it will be a great power for the prevention of 

 damage to have unity of action among entomologists of 

 different countries. 



Long-continued and constant warfare on the deliberate 

 adulteration of seeds has resulted in England in the practical 

 abandonment of that pernicious fraud ; and the controversy 

 with ri gard to the value of rye grass as a valuable addition 

 to hay fields and pastures has resulted strongly in its favor. 



The sketch I have given of the agricultural efforts of Eng- 

 land during one year gives an idea of the care and method 

 observed in the pursuit of this industry, and the important 

 position it holds in State and society. The interests of the 



