EXPERIMENTS WITH INSECTICIDES. 3 



growers of these counties is being- compiled, and already most of the 

 Worcester, Warwick and Hereford agriculturists are entered, and a 

 large proportion from the remaining counties. 



Application should be made by letter in the first instance, stating 

 the particular crops or branch of agriculture the applicant is interested 

 in. Such names will be placed upon the Department's Register to 

 receive, free of charge, copies of all future Reports, Circulars, etc. 



Investigations. 



During the past session the experiments upon the Black Currant 

 Gall-Mite have been continued, particulars of which will be found 

 on p. 9. 



For some years past material has been collected with the idea of 

 a more careful and systematic study being made of the Gall-Midges 

 (Cecidomyidae), a family of minute flies of great economic import- 

 ance. It is only necessary to instance the Hessian Fly, Pear Midge, 

 Pea Midge, and Wheat Midge in confirmation of this statement. 

 Already the life-histories of two or three species have been carefully 

 worked through, and much valuable information obtained. 



Much attention has been given to the subject of Insect Parasites 

 of Insects, some of the species obtained are probably new, but time 

 has not permitted of their yet being investigated. 



The experiments mentioned in my last Report upon Insecticides 

 have been continued, and very valuable results have been obtained. 



The question of some better winter sprayfluid for fruit trees has 

 occupied much attention. It was too early to state the results in my last 

 Annual Report, but during the year 1,000 circulars have been issued 

 to fruit-growers detailing these, and the matter has now been actively 

 taken up by fruit-growers, particularly those in Warwickshire, Wor- 

 cestershire, and Herefordshire. 



