INTRODUCTION. 



This Bulletin contains a report by Mr. John B. Smith of his summer's 

 observations upon insects injurious to the Cranberry in Xew J. 

 and Massachusetts and to the Hop-vine in parts of New York : some 

 notes by Mr. Lawrence Bruner of observations on the Rocky Mountain 

 Locust and other insects in the Northwest in 1883 : a preliminary report 

 by Mr. John C. Branner on the results of his journey to Brazil as an 

 agent of this Division, in connection with Mr. Albert Koebele, to study 

 insects injurious to Cotton, to the Orange, and to Sugar-cane: and a 

 report by Mr. Joseph Voyle on the effects of cold on Scale-insects. It 

 concludes with extracts from the correspondence of the Division, includ- 

 ing unpublished reports on experiments in the cultivation of Pyrethrum 

 .in different parts of the United States. 



The damage to cranberry vines by insects, always severe, has been 

 increasing of late years ; yet our knowledge of the life-habits of the 

 species concerned in the damage has been quite fragmentary. Beyond 

 a few notes by Glover and Packard, and a short article by Dr. J. H. 

 Brakeley, little has been published. I have long felt the need of more 

 accurate knowledge of the insect drawbacks to cranberry culture and 

 the best means of avoiding them, and Mr. John B. Smith, of Brooklyn. 

 N". Y., was. therefore, specially charged with investigating them the 

 past summer. His report will greatly help to a final and complete 

 knowledge of the subject. Mr. Smith was also charged with the invesn - 

 gation of the insects injurious to the I lop- vine, and his report thereon 

 is an important contribution to our knowledge of a subject that ha 

 far received but little attention. 



Mr. Bruner, with one assistant, explored, during the past summer, 

 that section of the ^Yest between Central New Mexico and Idaho, fol- 

 lowing up the Rocky and the Big Horn ranges. On account of sickness 

 he was unable to fully follow the latter part of the route mapped out 

 for him, but succeeded in examining much territory that had previously 

 not been examined. The chief object of the trip was to ascertain the 

 status of the Rocky .Mountain Locust, and. incidentally, to study the 

 insects affecting the chief crops of the plains and mountain regions. As 

 already indicated in my annual report, the results justify the conclusion 

 that there will be comparative immunity from the ravages of the Rocky 

 -Mountain Locust in the trans-Mississippi country during the pi- 

 year. L884. 



