4 
season is in the least favorable to them, that they will be more numer¬ 
ous next season (1878), and probably do considerable injury to wheat- 
in the sections where they are most abundant. 
Some of the farmers delayed sowing until late, in order to allow the 
flies of the summer brood to perish before the wheat should be up. 
As the latter part of autumn and the winter, so far, have been quite 
mild, in fact unusually so, it is not certain that this precaution will 
prove as beneficial as usual. It has been suggested by some of the 
farmers who have been watching them that many of the pupae (the 
flax-seed state) have transformed to the perfect insects which have 
been killed, hence the warm winter has been unfavorable to them. 
There is something very reasonable in this suggestion, which I hope 
to investigate. 
The Corn-Worm, or larva of Heliothis armigera, appeared in South¬ 
ern Illinois in limited numbers last summer, but so far as I can learn 
did no very serious injury. The chrysalids appear to be quite numer¬ 
ous in the fields, and unless destroyed by excessive cold or by wet 
weather will probably do more injury in 1878 than in the past year. 
The Stalk-Borer {Gortyna nitela) has been more than usually injuri¬ 
ous in a few localities; and, as it is one of those species which work 
silently and out of view, it may have done more damage than it has 
received credit for. 
The Oak Tortrix (Argyrolepia quercifolias ), a small caterpillar which 
rolls up and injures the leaves of oak trees, has been quite abundant 
the past season, doing great damage to the oak forests in the northern 
and northwestern parts of the State. 
So far as I have been able to ascertain, the canker worm has been 
less abundant the past season than for some years previous thereto. 
I am informed that in'some large orchards, where quite numerous in 
1875-6, it appeared in greatly diminished numbers in 1877. So far as 
this very injurious species is concerned, economic entomology has per¬ 
formed its mission, having furnished a thorough remedy, and there is 
no reason why orchards should longer be troubled by it, except the 
neglect of orchardists to apply the remedy, I wish I could say the 
same thing in reference to several other species which have so long 
baffled all attempts of science and ingenuity to find a specific against 
their attacks; such, for example, as the “Little Turk” or Plum Curcu- 
lio, which still remains master of the situation, although every part 
of its history, from the egg to the perfect or imago state, has been 
carefully studied, and horticulturists have tried every mode of defense 
and attack which ingenuity has so far been able to devise. Still we 
do not give up the hope of finding some means of counteracting it and 
protecting that most excellent fruit—the Plum. 
The general impression appears to be that the Oyster-shell Bark- 
louse, which has so long infested the apple trees in various parts of 
the State, is at last on the decrease. If this be true—and it is cer¬ 
tainly so in some sections—it is probably owing chiefly to two causes: 
the improved culture in the nursery and orchard, not only as to care 
and cultivation, but also in selecting the hardier varieties, which are 
best adapted to the climate, and, secondly, to the increase of the insect 
parasites which prey upon the species. I might also add the fact 
that our horticulturists are devoting much more time to the study of 
their insect enemies and insect friends than ever before, and the 
