68 
The Ash Borer (Trochilium fraxini Lugger) is still increasing rapidly, 
and will probably destroy most of the ash trees in the neighborhood 
of the station in two or three seasons more. The Ash Sawfly and the 
Sphinxes (Ceratomias) are assisting toa noticeable extent. The ash is 
a bad. investment in our locality. 
In May the station procured five colonies of bees, aiming merely to see 
what they would do, with ordinary care, in a region devoid of natural 
timber with its accompanying honey plants (the nearest is’ five miles 
away). We have now increased to ten strong colonies. I have taken 
off 35 pounds of fine honey, and shall probably get 100 pounds or so of 
fall honey. Considering that the original swarms were weak, I think 
the record good so far. Of course the winter will try them. 
A building 16 by 32 was erected this year for our department. It 
has a wing 12 feet square for bees. In the main part we have an office 
and a small breeding room. We moved into the new quarters July 1. 
Mr. Alwood read the following paper by title: 
A NOTE ON REMEDIES FOR THE HORN FLY. 
By Wo. B. ALwoop, Blacksburgh, Va. 
This plague to cattle, which has now become so common throughout 
several of the Atlantic coast States, demands attention from workers in 
economic entomology. Doubtless some very good recommendations have 
been made by Dr. Riley, Professor Smith, and others, but as condi- 
tions vary we are bound to treat such questions from the standpoint of 
local practicability. The recommendation to lime the droppings when 
practical may prove avery good way of dealing with this pest, but 
with me it is quite impractical from the fact that lime is neither cheap 
nor easy to procure, and this is the case in many parts of Virginia. 
Some two years since, from a suggestion of mine in alecture at Char- 
lottesville, Va., the late Henry M. Magruder began the use of kerosene 
emulsion on his dairy cattle. The application was made with a Japy 
knapsack pump, and though it had to be repeated with frequency, 
proved a considerable success. During the year 1890 I frequently reec- 
ommended this remedy, stating that the standard emulsion (Hubbard 
formula) should be diluted ten to fifteen times. 
The Horn Fly did not become troublesome at our place, which is in the 
upper mountains of southwest portion of the State, until late in 1890, 
and I did not, as a consequence, have opportunity to treat this insect 
myself. However, the present year they showed themselves in abun- 
dance in July, and I concluded to try my own recommendations. 
The experiments were made upon ten dairy cows, beginning with plain 
emulsion diluted ten times. I found that this killed a majority of the 
flies actually wetted with it, and produced considerable immunity from 
attack for the space of one to twodays. Desiring to make the treatment 
