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of growers had a considerable supplj- of caps or covers for fumigat- 

 ing their vines. A close lookout is kept for the insect early in the 

 season, and they endeavor to destroy the first infestation. Covers to 

 the number of 10, 20, or even 50 were kept going for two or three 

 days, and in this way all early infestation was destroyed. 



Mr. Marlatt, referring to the reports on the periodical cicada, 

 stated that the cicada turrets were very rare in Washington this year, 

 and had only been found in a single instance. In this case they 

 occurred in the woodshed of a gentleman living on Washington 

 Heights, on the outskirts of the city. This woodshed had an earthen 

 floor which was slightly moist, but not more so than the ground out- 

 side. The cicadas had come up in this shed in great numbers, and in 

 every instance had built a turret varying in height from 1 to 6 inches. 

 Without the shed the cicadas had come up in equal numbers, but 

 through simple holes in the ground, without anj- sign of a turret. 

 The explanation of the presence of the cicada turrets within this shed 

 would be somewhat difficult. He had suggested that perhaps it was 

 due to the darkness in the shed which led the cicadas to build their 

 galleries above the surface of the soil in the effort to reach broad 

 daylight. 



Referring to the elm-leaf beetle, he said that Doctor Howard had 

 already called attention to its practically complete absence in the elm 

 grove on the grounds of the Department of Agriculture this year. 

 This elm grove, he said, had been filled with beetles every year since 

 he had been connected with the Department, and before it became the 

 habit to have it properly sprayed the trees had been regularly defoli- 

 ated. The complete absence of the insects this year was, therefore, 

 rather remarkable. They were also very rare throughout the city, 

 not doing more than one-tenth the damage of other years. 



Mr. Hopkins stated that Doctor Felt's paper on pine insects had 

 interested him, and it was his opinion that the collected beetles had not 

 been the cause of the eradication of the insect the following year. 

 This species is attacked by a parasite, Bracon sti'obi, which reduces it, 

 and he thought probably this should be considered an important factor 

 in their scarcity the following year. In regard to the pine Tomicus, 

 Mr. Hopkins stated as a rule it would not attack perfectly healthy 

 trees. In Germany there were two or three species regarded as 

 injurious to pine forests. They prefer to attack injured trees, espe- 

 cially felled ones. He spoke of the new field of investigation to which 

 he had been assigned with the Department of Agriculture— namely, 

 the study of forest insects— and solicited the cooperation of entomolo- 

 gists of the different States and expressed his own desire to cooperate 

 with the entomologists whenever possible. He considered that there 

 was much room for original observation and thought much good would 

 likely result from cooperative work. 



Mr. Webster observed that the use of the term "States" he con- 



