168 



In June of 1891 specimens were received at the Department from Dr. 

 Oeorge Dimmock of Canobie Lake, X. H., with the statement that they 

 were proving quite destructive to the buds of blackberries, especially 

 the Wachusett variety. (Insect Life, vol. iv. p. 76.) 



THIS year's investigations. 



DuriDg the past season the Division was notified that this insect 

 was making its appearance in numbers in several locahties about Wash- 

 ington, notably in Anne Arundel, Caroline, Baltimore, and Prince 

 George's counties in Maryland, and in Fairfax and Alexandria coun- 

 ties, Virginia, and several large strawberry-growers were reported as 

 suffering severe loss. 



Mr. H. E. Van Deman, Chief of the Division of Pomology, made ex- 

 tensive trips early in the season through the fruit-growing regions of 

 Maryland and Virginia, and reported that the strawberry crop in the 

 districts \isited was about two-thirds short. This shortage, though 

 attributed to hail, of which there were two or three severe storms during 

 the month of May, was probably due largely to the Strawberry Weevil. 

 One such case of reported damage by hail actually proved on investi- 

 gation to be due to the ravages of this species. 



On account of the small size of the insect and its peculiar manner 

 of working it often escapes notice and the fruit-grower, unless fore- 

 warned^ seldom discovers his loss until berry-picking time approaches, 

 and even then the author of the mischief is not suspected ; hail, frost, 

 and anything but the true reason being ascribed as cause for the crop's 

 failure. 



Injury to ^'Sharpless'" and other fall-flowered varieties has been very 

 general in this region, probably over a much wider area both this year 

 and in past seasons than will ever be known. 



Several trips were made to infested localities in the immediate neigh- 

 borhood, and although work was begun too late in the season for the 

 investigation of certain points in the life-history of the insect that it is 

 desirable to know, a number of new facts of interest were ascertained 

 which will aid materially in our efforts to obtain a remedy or preventive 

 against future attacks. 



Injuries were not reported until considerable damage had been done 

 and I was not able to begin investigations until May 17, when in com- 

 pany with Mr. A. B. Cordley, of this Division, I visited the farms of 

 Messrs. Sprankle and Phillips, at PaUs Church, Va. 



The insects had not been discovered on Mr. Sprankle's place until the 

 1st of May and at the time of our first visit were rapidly disappearing. 

 The work of this insect had been noticed the preceding year, 1891, but no 

 perceptible damage h ad been don e. Mr. Sprankle's field is about four acres 

 in extent and composed of staminate berries, principally of the '' Sharj)- 

 less" and ^' Kentucky" varieties. It was estimated that at least 75 per 

 cent of this crop was lost this year. These were all first season vines. 



