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Annals of Horticulture. 



great that figures hardly give an idea of the injury they 

 do, but they are known by all to be enormous. 



" As an instance, however, of what maybe done to mitigate 

 their attacks, I would merely mention those for this year, 

 which seem to have been very considerable. In the states of 

 North Dakota and Minnesota it is probable that at least 

 $400,000 have been saved on account of work done by direct 

 advice of entomologists — work they have in some instances 

 forced upon the farmers. Two hundred thousand dollars is a 

 probable estimate of the amount saved by plowing the land 

 last autumn. Another equal amount has been saved by the 

 use of ' hopperdozers. ' Professor Bruner tells me that 

 a sufficient number of grasshoppers has been actually taken 

 this year, which if left alone and allowed to lay their eggs 

 might next year have devastated the whole crops of those two 

 states and the adjoining parts of Manitoba. These success- 

 ful operations have been carried on by the state entomologist 

 of Minnesota, Professor Lugger, and by Professor Waldron 

 of North Dakota, ably aided by the advice and assistance of 

 the agent of the Department of Agriculture, Professor Bruner, 

 under Professor Riley's instructions ; and I think it is no 

 exaggeration to say that at least $400,000 have been actually 

 saved in hard cash on this year's crop, not to speak of the 

 enormous loss which would most probably have followed next 

 year had they been loft alone, and had climatic conditions 

 been favorable for their increase. 



"The amount of damage done to crops every year is so vast 

 that the figures excite incredulity from those who do not study 

 crop-statistics. The agricultural products of the United States 

 are estimated at about $3,800,000,000. Of this it is thought 

 that about one-tenth is lost by the ravages of insects. This 

 is in many cases unnecessary. In short, a sum of $380,000,000 

 is given up without a murmur and almost without a struggle 

 by the people of the United States. Crops of all kinds are 

 injured, and simple remedies are known for many of the 

 attacks and are more or less adopted. Some have already 

 come into general use. Paris green is now applied to potato- 

 fields almost as much as a matter of course, as manure is to 

 fertilize the soil. As an instance of how a saving may be 

 made even in well-established methods, I give the following : 

 Through the work of Mr. W. B. Alwood, of the Virginia ex- 



