BOARD OF HORIGULTURB, MONTANA. 25 



es, it is very injurious to the foliage of stone fruits as well as to apple and 

 pear. It also attacks shade trees. 



THE NATIVE CURRANT SAW FLY—During the sumaner of 1900 this 

 Insect became very abundant and destructive in this state, particularly m 

 Flathead county. Wherever the insect appeared it destroyed almost the 

 entire foliage of the bushes. It is a vepy important insect, and if left to 

 work on the bushes unmolested will ruin them. It is probably quite gener- 

 ally distributeji in the state. 



THE CURRANT FLY — The currant fly is very abundant and destructive 

 in various parts of the state, particularly in the Gallatin valley. In this 

 valley it is not uncommon to have the entire crop of fruit destroyed by the 

 maggots of the fly. Some growers have dug up their bushes and abandoned 

 growing currants on account of these insects. 



THE FLATHEADED APPLE-TREE BORER— This insect has been re- 

 ported from various points on the west side of the range. No serious out- 

 break, however, has been brought to our notice. 



TENT CATERPILLAR — There is probably at least one species of tent 

 caterpillar feeding on fruit trees in the Bitter Root valley, but since we have 

 received no specimens we cannot name the species. 



Several reports of insects boring in strawberry plants in the vicinity 

 of Missoula have reached the office of the entomologist, but no specimens 

 have ever been sent to me, and I am unable to give the name of the insect 

 causing the damage. There may be more than one insect working in this 

 way in strawberries. 



It is a significant fact that of the twenty-one injurious fruit insects above 

 recorded in Montana, only a very small proportion are native to the state, 

 by far the majority having been introduced from other localities incidental to 

 commercial practices. Montana's experience in this respect is similar to that 

 of other states in the early history of their fruit culture. During the first 

 few years of fruit growing in a new locality little trouble is experienced 

 from insect pests, but as a result of the continual inflow of nursery stock 

 for the young orchards, and fruit to supply the public until the district can 

 grow its own, insects, which occur on the trees or fruit or are liable to get 

 in the material used for packing, have been transferred to the new locality. 

 Montana has already suffered to the extent above shown, but the number of 

 species introduced into our orchards is small compared to the number which 

 is still liable to be brought in. Many of these insects, like the codling 

 moth, although present in the state, occur in only one or a very few localities, 

 and are liable to be brought into the state and deposited time after time 

 until every apple growing section in Montana is infested. 



Comparatively speaking, the orchards of Montana are not in a serious 

 condition, but remarkably free from insect pests of a dangerous nature. 

 Many of the worst enemies to fruit culture, such as the San Jose scale, plum 

 curculio and peach borer, which are all well known on account of the damage 



