206 THE GRAPE CULTURIST. 



honey cells sealed with dry, hard wax, is scarcely tena- 

 ble ; and even if their mandibles were not strong enough 

 to puncture a thin-skinned grape, their front feet, or 

 tarsi are, and these insects are certainly wise enough to 

 use the implements with which nature has provided 

 them for securing food. The truth of the matter, it 

 seems to me, is that the domesticated honey bee is an 

 insect of peculiar moods and tastes, and while we may 

 not be able to account for certain erratic and seemingly 

 inconsistent acts, still it is well known that they will 

 attack fruits with an almost insatiable voracity, and per- 

 haps the very next season could not be induced to touch 

 it. Having been a beekeeper for a number of years, 

 with neighbors who keep a large number of hives, I have 

 not been without abundant opportunities for observing 

 the habits of these valuable and, in the main, very useful 

 insects, but there is no denying the fact that they will 

 sometimes get into moods which are far from being 

 agreeable or harmless to their owners and others. 



In the following list of noxious insects infesting 

 vineyards I shall only attempt to name a few of the most 

 common and best known. But every vineyardist should 

 make himself acquainted with the various insects infest- 

 ing the vine, and thereby be enabled to more successfully 

 check their ravages. 



There are now many excellent works published on 

 economic entomology, and all within the reach of those 

 who may desire information on this subject. In addi- 

 tion to, at least, a half dozen standard practical works 

 on entomology which have been published within the 

 past few years, there are several excellent periodicals 

 devoted to the same, besides the annual reports of a 

 number of State Entomologists, and those of the Divis- 

 ion of Entomology of the U. S Department of Agricul- 

 ture. There have also been published and distributed 

 many special entomological bulletins and monographs, 



