75 
A conference to discuss the control of the hickory bark-borer 
was called by the Commissioner of Agriculture at Albany on 
ebruary 24. This conference was attended by the principal 
entomologists and mycologists in the state, and the following 
resolutions, prepared by Messrs. Merkel, Levison, Deming, Felt, 
Herrick, Parrott and Murrill, were unanimously adopted: 
WHEREAS, The hickory bark-borer is at present eaegeas 
injurious and destructive to hickory trees in and around New 
York City, and has already destroyed and is eee the 
destruction of thousands of valuable trees; an 
WHEREAS, It has been demonstrated in several instances on 
a large scale that the maa bark-borer can be practically 
cna therefore, 
Resolved, That w c erey pecans sess the Commis- 
sioner ei poe to t uch s as y be necessary 
bring about the ae of foie eae of the agri- 
cultural law relative to insect pests and diseases, with particular 
reference to control of the hickory bark-borer; and be it further 
Resolved, That the thanks of the conference are hereby tendered 
to Commissioner of nel Huson for his courtesies and 
for the calling of this conferenc 
The New York Botanical aa was represented at this 
conference by Dr. Murrill, who reported the loss of several 
hundred fine hickory trees. It is probable that a concerted 
movement will be made at once to prevent the further ravages 
of this insect in the vicinity of New York City by cutting out 
all hickory trees now infected. The beetle is native and wid 
spread, but it does not exist in any other section, so far as we 
know, in such numbers as to cause an epidemic. Nut growers 
have become aroused in this matter because, the chestnut tree 
having been destroyed, many of them had begun to turn their 
attention to the growing of the hickory, and efforts have been 
made to introduce hardy varieties of the pecan. The value of 
the annual importation of the nuts in the United States approxi- 
mates $15,000,000, and it is believed that much of this money 
may be kept within the country if the proper means are taken 
to develop our own native species of nut-bearing trees. 
