416 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



conspicuous among the destroyers of the caterpillars and other insects. 

 "This past summer, after the 15th of June, being very dry, Aletias have 

 been very scarce throughout our portion of the State." 



Mr. Kent adopted the following plan as the best remedy to check the 

 increase of Heliothis in the cotton-fields : 



I commence planting about the 10th of April and chop the same to a staud by the 

 first week in May, daring which working I have early corn planted about five yards 

 apart, three and four grains in a hill, which will be in roasting cars about the latter part 

 of June. As soon as the ears were in that state I collected them and found from one to 

 five worms, of different ages, on every ear. I gave the worms to my poultry and fed 

 the corn to my stock. I planted a second time corn, as soon as the hoes went over 

 the cotton again, and observed very little damaged corn amongst it. 



Amongst other insects injurious to vegetation, Mr. Kent captured a 

 very fine specimen of mole-cricket (Gryllotalpa). "These are very 

 scarce in our part of the State, and are generally found in damp places, 

 destroying potatoes and peanuts." 



Pyrethrum.— On June 8, 1884, Dr. F. H. Sims, of Thompson Cross 

 Roads, Louisa County, Virginia, reported success in his efforts to obtain 

 pyrethrum flowers from seed sent to him by this Department in May, 

 1883. About forty plants were obtained from the seed. These stood 

 well the severe winter of 1883-'84, and came out in the spring green and 

 vigorous. 



On June 12, 1884, Mr. W. Allan, of McDonough P. O., Baltimore 

 County, Maryland, reported success in the raising of pyrethrum from 

 seed obtained two years since from this Department. At the same time 

 he sent specimens of Macrodactylus sitbspinosus and Chauliognathiis 

 marginatus, the former of which was found on these plants in large num- 

 bers, and was apparently eating both leaves and flowers ; the latter 

 was not so numerous, and seemed to be more attracted by the flowers. 

 A number of insects are known to feed on pyrethruin while it is grow- 

 ing. 



NOTES FROM MISSOURI. 



Miss Mary E. Murtfeldt, of Kirkwood, Mo., sends the following sea- 

 sonal notes: 



Taking one locality with another the Mississippi Valley suffered but 

 little this year from the attacks of injurious insects. The familiar farm 

 and garden pests made their appearance as usual, but seldom in such 

 numbers as to excite apprehension. A few of the insects that were 

 very destructive last year, such as the Striped Flea-beetle, did scarcely 

 any damage here this season. On the other hand, several destructive 

 species not heretofore observed in this locality occurred in considerable 

 numbers. 



The Colorado Potato-beetle (Doryphora 10-lineata Say), appeared in 

 greater numbers than it has done since 1881, attacking the " Peach- 

 blows" chiefly. The second brood of larvae was much less than the 

 first, however, owing to the attacks of natural enemies, and the potato 

 crop was not perceptibly diminished. 



The Striped Flea-beetle (Haltica striolata), which has been for several 

 years excessively numerous and destructive to cruciferous vegetation, 

 was seldom observed in the spring and did no appreciable injury. 

 Cauliflower and early cabbage were consequently more abundant in our 

 markets and of better quality than for some years. 



The European Cabbage Butterfly (Pieris raped Koch) did not make its 

 appearance early in the season, but destroyed a large proportion of the 

 late varieties, both of cabbage and cauliflower. It was also ruinous to 



