151 



beyond a doubt that we cannot rely upon Paris green for the ex- 

 termination of the gypsy moth, but that other measures must be 

 used in connection with it. 



The work on the card catalogue of the literature of the insects 

 of the United States has been pushed forward as rapidly as possi- 

 ble, and the final copying is about one-third done. 



The biological collection has been increased by a large number 

 of inflated caterpillars, and insectss of all orders have been collected 

 as time permitted. A similar collection has been commenced for 

 the gypsy moth committee. 



The correspondence at the insectary has grown to such propor- 

 tions as to consume a large amount of time, although we have 

 declined to answer letters on entomological matters from other 

 States. 



The Agricultural Division. 



The Japanese varieties of millets which have been alluded to in 

 previous reports have been under trial this year, both as forage 

 and seed crops. The yield of seeds has been smaller than in 

 previous years ; viz., in the case of PanicKin itallcmn, fifty-five 

 bushels ; Panicum cnis galli, sixty-nine bushels ; and Panicum 

 miliaceam., twenty-eight bushels, per acre The analysis of the 

 meal manufactured from the seed of the first shows it to resemble 

 oats very closely in composition, and an experiment in feeding it 

 to cows for milk in comparison with corn meal has shown it to be 

 slightly superior to the latter for that purpose. The yield of straw 

 is heavy, amounting to one and one-half tons per acre, and an 

 experiment in feeding it indicates that it is even superior to corn 

 stover for milk production. The food value of the product of an 

 acre in millet has often exceeded the food value of an equal area 

 of similar land in corn ; but if threshed by hand the increased 

 labor cost is out of all proportion to the excess in value. It may 

 pay to raise the seed under favorable conditions for market, when 

 it should be machine threshed ; but as a grain crop it cannot com- 

 pete with corn under the conditions existing here. 



The seed of this variety was sold to a large number of farmers 

 in this State last spring, all of them trying it as a forage crop. 

 Those sowing the seed in sufficient quantity and at the right time 

 report themselves generally well pleased with the results. 



Both of the other species have been tried here as forage crops, 

 one acre of each having been grown. The yield of the two was 

 not very different, amounting, in the case of the miliacemn, or 

 '• panicle " millet, to ten and three-fifths tons ; while the cms galli, 



