58 



etc., which, to any one familiar with the great number of insects now 

 infesting grass laud in this region, tell a certain story as to at least one 

 of the great sources of loss. 



Frequent mention is made of the Cutworms, G-rubworins, Wire- 

 worms, etc., and it is evident that a very great variety of species are 

 included in this list; but while I am certain that many species of Cut- 

 worms belonging to the common species of Xoctuidse are included in 

 this list, I believe that much of this injury is due to the species of 

 Crambus treated in detail in my report for 1887, the Dried Crambus 

 (Crambus exsiccatus), or as called in the larval stage, the Sodworm or 

 Turf Webworm. This has been very plentiful here in the adult form 

 the present season, though by no means so abundant as in 1887, and I 

 have no doubt that it has been as abundant in other parts of the State. 

 The work of this species in meadows, however, would not be readily 

 distinguished from that of Cutworms by those unfamiliar with the 

 habits of insects, and even in corn the effect on the plants is not easily 

 to be distinguished from the effects of Cutworms, Wireworms, or other 

 forms of insects attacking the stalks at or near the surface of the 

 ground. 



LEAF HOPPERS EN GRASS. 



In my report of last season I mentioned a number of species of leaf 

 hoppers (Jassidce) that are destructive in grass land. Further observa- 

 tion and collection in this same line has served to strengthen my opin- 

 ion as to the great amount of injury to be attributed to these minute 

 insects. A number of species particularly of the genus Deltocephalm 

 occur in immense numbers in grass land, and among the most common 

 of those observed here are the Deltoceplialus (Jassus) inimicus Say, 

 treated of in last year's report, but associated with these are D. debilis 

 Uhler., D. Sayi Fitch, B. Melsheimeri Fitch, and a number of species 

 apparently as yet undescribed. A fuller report upon these I hope to 

 make a little later when material on hand can be more fully examined 

 and a more complete statement of results given, but it may be in place 

 to mention as one of the results of this study that I have been con- 

 vinced that these insects are a very important factor in the production 

 of " silver-top ;? in grass, this being one of the effects produced by their 

 suction of the juices of the plant and resulting when they penetrate the 

 succulent portion of the stem at the base of the terminal node. That 

 other insects may and do cause this same form of withering and injury 

 to grass I do not deny, but in a great number of examinations of injured 

 stems I have in the great majority of cases found no insect within the 

 sheath of the injured part, and feel positive that for these the injury 

 could not have been produced by Thrips or Meromyza or any insect 

 working within the stem while the presence of immense numbers of the 

 leaf hopper on the affected plants and the presence of punctures show 

 clearly the possibility of the injury being due to them. 



