222 



give and I will be very glad to receive auy iuforinatiou as to what treatment you will 

 recommend to prevent any further formation on the tree ; and if the tree can be 

 brought to bearing fruit again I shall be delighted. * * * — [Mary E. Winston, 

 Stanton, Miss., December 27, 1886. 



Reply. — * * * These galls interest us very much indeed. They are made by 

 a plant-louse of the genus Phylloxera, but they are not absolutely identical with auy 

 which we have heretofore seen. They come nearest to a species of hickory plant-louse 

 which occurs in New York State, and which was named by Dr. Fitch Phylloxera 

 carycecaulis. I would urge you to send us specimens of these galls in the spring and 

 summer. You will find it a difficult pest to get rid of. The only sure method will be 

 to destroy the galls in the early summer, and of course this will be difficult to do; 

 but if you can manage to reach the highest points on the tree by ladders and cut the 

 galls olf with a pruning pole, you will find that very few will return next season. You 

 will doubtless recognize the generic name of this insect as being that of the cele- 

 brated grape-root pest, but of course your insect is entirely distinct from those on 

 grape. * ^ *. — [January 4, 1887.] 



Anthrenus destroying Whalebone. 



Inclosed insects and piece of whalebone, eaten by them, are from Mr. Merriam's 

 establishment. Please examine and give me your report in course of time — address 

 Alfred T. Brown, Rising Sun, Ind. This insect is not very numerous as yet, but as I 

 discovered it here I made inquiry as to particulars, etc. The parties have not con- 

 sidered it as of any importance, but I tell them it may be in time if not investigated 

 and checked. — [John P. Brown, 24 Lincoln Street, Boston, Mass. 



Reply. * ^ -^ The insect is one of the common museum pests and is closely al- 

 lied to the Buffalo Carpet- beetle, and is called Anthrenus varius. This insect is a 

 very general feeder, preferring animal substances, and its occurrence upon whale- 

 bone, although hitherto not recorded so far is I know, is not at all surprising. 

 AVithout knowing how the whalebone is stored and without experimenting upon 

 the effect which various insecticide substances would have upon the whalebone, it 

 would be difficult for me to suggest a remed3\ If the circumstances are such that 

 the vapor of bi-sulphide of carbon can "be used it will undoubtedly kill the beetle in 

 all stages. — [October 15, 1886, to Mr. Alfred T. Brown, Rising Sun, Ind.] 



GENERAL NOTES. 



RESULTS OF PROFESSOR FORBES'S INVESTIGATIONS ON THE RELATION 

 OF WHEAT CULTURE TO THE CHINCH BUG. 



[Abstract from paper road before the uiuth meeting of the Society for the Promotiou of AgricuUural 



Science at Cleveland in 1888. J 



Southern Illinois. — Reports from 193 townships for 18S7 show iojiiry to 

 corn, none in 4 (average wheat area in 188G = 2,100 acres per township) : 

 slight in 3 (2,440 acres); cousiderable in 7 (2,530 acres); great iu 30 

 (2,900 acres) ; very great ia 37 (abont 2,100 acres) ; nearly complete in 

 89 (2,700 acres) ; complete in 23 (4,400 acres). Wheat area in 1887 

 differed from 1886 only in a somewhat lower average ; for 188S, from 

 1,500 acres (Chinch Bug injury to corn none) to nearly 4,100 acres (com- 

 plete) per township. Corn area for 1887 was 1,800 acres (none) to 3,000 



