DEPARTMENT OF INSECTS, 115 



Sbafeldt, from Fort Wingate, N. Mex. As it was his desire to bare 

 this material determined as far as possible, I have taken pains to sepa- 

 rate and mount it carefully, and have kept it intact for him and sent on 

 a full list of the determinations. 



The most valuable addition, from a classilicatory standpoint, to the 

 collection during that period, however, is the Dipterological collection 

 of Mr. Edward Burgess, treasurer of the Boston Society of Natural 

 History, which was obtained by purchase ; while the most valuable 

 from a popular and economic view is the exhibit collection prepared for 

 the ISTew Orleans Exhibition. This has been returned with little injury, 

 and is only awaiting space for permanent placing in the Museum. It 

 is made up of the following material, arranged in cases made on the 

 same unit plan as those of the Museum: 



(1) Insects injurious to agriculture. — Arranged according to the par- 

 ticular plant and the particular part of the plant atfected, and contain- 

 iug, as far as possible, the different states of growth of the insect, its 

 enemies and parasites, a statement of the remedies or preventatives 

 available, and a reference to the chief articles where full information 

 can be found upon it. These references are principally to Government 

 and State reports, to which the farmer will most likely have access. 



(2) Insecticide substances. — In the catalogue of this collection the aim 

 has been to add, as briefly as possible, a statement of the method of 

 using such substances, so that whenever in the first section a particular 

 substance is recommended for a particular insect the reader can turn 

 to this second section for further details. 



(3) Insecticide machinery arid contrivances for destroying insects. — In 

 the catalogue of this section there is also added such information as 

 will add to the instructive value of the exhibit, and a large proportion 

 of the more useful contrivances are such as have been designed and 

 perfected in the work of the Entomological Division of the Department 

 of Agriculture or of the U. S. Entomological Commission during the 

 past four years. 



(4) Bee culture. — This collection is designed to show all the more val- 

 uable methods and contrivances now in use among the advanced apia- 

 rians. 



(5) Silk culture. — In this collection the aim has been to make the ex- 

 hibit instructive rather than full in detail. 



The collection includes, in addition to the foregoing, a number of 

 framed plates, both colored and plain, that have been prepared in the 

 work of the division ; and a number of Dr. Eiley's enlarged colored dia- 

 grams of some of the more important injurious insects were also used. 



A catalogue of this exhibit has been i^ublished under the direction of 

 the Department of Agriculture, giving a full and detailed statement of 

 its contents. 



The routine work of the department has consisted in answering let- 

 ters and in acknowledging and determining accessions. A good" deal of 



