43 
trustworthy, so far as I know. The observers are getting hold of the 
idea much better than early in the season, and some of those who 
hardly knew what to report at the beginning of the season are now 
doing good work. It is yet early to state much as to the value of the 
reports in settling questions regarding the influences affecting insects; 
that can be determined only by observations extending over a series 
of years. But from what I have at hand it seems very probable that 
our expectations will not be disappointed in this respect. Taking 
everything into consideration, I feel that the establishment of a volun- 
tary entomologic service in New York State has been a benefit to the 
science, and that it has already accomplished a good work and gives 
promise of a bright future. 
Mr. Webster stated that in Ohio he had adopted the plan of encour- 
aging intelligent observers to correspond with the experiment station, 
and had succeeded in most cases in retaining their assistance by send- 
ing them duplicates of bulletins, reports, etc. In this way a set of 
valuable local information bureaus had been established. 
Mr. Johnson had found a similar system productive of good results 
in Maryland, attention being paid more especially to officers of horti- 
cultural societies. 
Mr. Johnson then presented the following: 
THE EMORY FUMIGATOR:.A NEW METHOD FOR HANDLING 
HYDROCYANIC-ACID GAS IN ORCHARDS. 
By W. G. JOHNSON, College Park, Md. 
After my experience with the canvas tents in handling hydrocyanic- 
acid gas, in 1897 and 1898, while I was confident it could be used to 
good advantage in bearing orchards, I was satisfied the method would 
have to be simplified before it could be used by the average orchardist. 
The main difficulty was in the calculation of. the cubic contents of a 
tented tree and the measurement of the chemicals afterwards. The 
folds in a tent over a tree are so-extremely variable, it is almost impos- 
sible to calculate the cubic contents even approximately. As the suc- 
cess attained by this method depends entirely upon the exactness with 
which the operation is performed, it was therefore necessary to find 
a system less variable. 
First of all, we wanted a method by which we could keep the cubic 
contents nearly constant; second, one that could be applied without 
the constant wear and tear upon the tree by the tent, resulting in the 
destruction of so many fruit and leaf buds. After much thought and 
consideration we decided that both objections to the old tent system 
could be overcome by the construction of a box with a square base, 
varying in height to suit conditions, and having a canvas hood. We 
also had another object in view, and that was the cheapening of the 
