100 



ineuts were carried on with a view to fiudiiig a remedy against the in- 

 juries of this weevil. 



THE CORN BOOT-WORM, 

 (Diabrotica longicornis.) 



This insect is becoming alarmingly common in the counties of eastern 

 Nebraska and those of western Iowa; and, judging from the general 

 food habits which the imago appears to be developing, it may soon be- 

 come a much more dangerous pest than we at present imagine. During 

 the past summer and fall the beetle has been almost omnipresent, so 

 common was it in the vicinity of Lincoln. It was found upon a large 

 variety of plants belonging to different orders. It was beaten from 

 trees such as maple, box-elder, elm, ash, willow, cotton-wood, and oak. 

 I found it rather common amoug the grasses and obtained it in plenty 

 in gardeus where it was feeding upon the leaves of radishes and 

 turnips, in several instances completely riddling these latter with holes. 

 As late as September 28, the beetle was still quite active during day- 

 time, and quickly took to flight upon being disturbed. In August it 

 was observed to be nocturnal in its movements, as was to be seen by 

 the large numbers of the beetles that were attracted to and gathered 

 about the electric lights. On the morning of the 15th, 2G0 specimens 

 of the beetle were taken from the globe of a single arc light that hangs 

 in front of University Hall upon the campus of the State University. 

 These had all been attracted to and caught in the globe in a single 

 night. Whether or not these came from the farms in the surrounding 

 country I can not say. Might not the species work in the roots (for 

 the larva is a root-borer) of some other plant or plants beside corn ? 

 At any rate it is my present intention to look into the life-history of the 

 Corn Eoot-worm a little more closely during next season. It is getting 

 to be by far too common an insect in these parts for us to be running- 

 chances in dealing with it. Eotation of crops may or may not always 

 prove to be a remedy against its depredations. 



INSECTS DETRIMENTAL TO THE GROWTH OF YOUNG TREES ON " TREE 

 CLAIMS " IN NEBRASKA AND OTHER PORTIONS OF THE WEST. 



For several years now I have been interested in the study of the insect 

 pests that render the growing of young trees upon claims entered under 

 the u timber-culture act" quite a difficult and tedious matter. This 

 interest in the subject had its origin partly in personal experience and 

 partly from the numerous complaints of others who have experienced 

 great difficulty in securing a sufficient growth in their young timber 

 within the limitations for making final proof. Not infrequently has it 

 been the misfortune for those striving to gain titles to Government lands 

 under this act to have their trees completely defoliated for several 

 years in succession. Nor have these injuries been confined to any single 

 kind of tree. Since commencing the study of the subject I have either 





