26 



Prof. Cook and Mr. Howard reported the successful use of poisoned baits of 

 clover and similar substances in destroying cut-worms. The former had tried it in general 

 field culture in Michigan. Patches of clover were sprayed with Paris green water, then 

 the clover was cut, placed in a waggon and earried to the field where it was distributed 

 in forkfuls before the crop was planted. The eut-worms fed iipon it and were killed. 

 Prof. Smith reported that this method had also been successfully used in New Jersey. 

 Mr. Fletcher called attention to the fact that the worms are not killed immediately but 

 go beneath the soil surface about an inch where they die in the course of a day or two. 



Prof. Cook had also tried planting succulent plants in fields of grape vines and 

 apple trees to prevent the climbing cutworms from injuring the buds, with considerable 

 success. He had bred Meromyza Americana from oats very frequently. Prof. Smith had 

 often taken adult Meromyza in a sweep-net in New Jersey, but had not known it to do 

 any serious damage. He said that the Wheat Midge did some injury in New Jersey. 



Mr. Fleteher thought no remedy for the Wheat Midge had been suggested but 

 that of destroying refuse. Prof. Cook advocated pushing the crop to rapid maturity. 

 Prof. Saunders reported this pest very destructive in many parts of Canada. At Prince 

 Edward's Island farmers plant either very early or very late to avoid it. Had lately seen 

 many flies about infested heads which he supposed to be parasites. 



Prof. Cook said that one of the most serious pests in Michigan was the wire- 

 worm for which no successful remedy was known. One year's cultivation of buckwheat 

 would not destroy them. He also asked how Chrysopa larva? feed, reporting observations 

 indicating that the juice of the victim was sucked in through the long jaws. Similar 

 observations upon the mode of feeding of Syrphus larvae showed that they partially roll 

 themselves inside out, making a sort of funnel of themselves in sucking their victims. 



In speaking of injury to Larches by Nematus erichsonii, Mr. Howard reported 

 that Dr. Packard had figured in the forthcoming report of the U. S. Entomological Com- 

 mission, Larches killed by repeated attacks of this insect, and added that there were Elms 

 on the Department grounds at Washington that had been defoliated year after year by 

 another insect but yet were still vigorous. 



Mr. Saunders reported that the bean crop had been badly injured by cut- worms 

 this year. 



Mr. Howard called attention to the ease with which parasites of scale insects 

 can be carried from place to place. 



Prof. Smith made some remarks on the structural peculiarities of the genus Agrotis 

 tending to show that a loosely assembled mass of species is classed under this generic 

 name. He described the variations in the palpi, the frons, the thoracic tuftings, the 

 antennae, the legs, the wing form and the general habitus, and showed that any definition 

 of the genus based upon the existing assemblage would take in every Noctuid, with naked 

 eyes and spinose tibiie, hind wings not red or banded. He gave some of the characters 

 upon which he had divided the genus and stated that a monographic revision of the 

 species was completed in MSS. and about ready for the printer. 



Mr. Weed then read a paper on " Experiments with Remedies for the Striped 

 Cucumber Beetle." 



In the discussion which followed Mr. Howard reported that " X. 0. Dust " — a 

 patent combination of ground tobacco and some other substances — had been found a 

 specific for the flea-beetle. 



aRAiu.iMr. Smith reported that he had found the same substance an excellent remedy 

 for the Horn Fly, Asparagus beetle larvae, and many other pests. Prof. Cook reported 

 better sucoess with tobacco decoction than dust. Found the decoction the best remedy 

 for^use on domestic animals. 



I Prof. Cook read a paper giving an account of injury to furniture by a small beetle, 

 Lasioderma serricorne not hitherto reported to have such habits. 



The Club then adjourned to meet at 1.30 p.m. 



