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in the manner substantiallly as set forth herein, consisting of ginger and 
salt in the proportions specified. 
Witnesses: OLAVUS C. LANGSETH. 
ews. ye, 
Wm. Ackerman. 
The composition patented is simply an ‘‘Insecticide” com- 
posed of equal parts of ground ginger and common salt!! Noth- 
ing is said about the ‘‘American Soil Renewer,” which title is 
based upon the addition of asmall amount of Land Plaster. 
Nor does this combined soil renewer and insecticide as sold 
contain ginger, but simply traces of a little white hellebore, the 
only material that can be considered as at all useful against 
certain insects. 
A quotation from a letter received from the Chief Entomolo- 
gistof the U. S. Dep’t. of Agriculture will show in what esteem 
this and other patented insecticides are held in that depart- 
ment: 
Thank you for the specifications of the patent remedy. I do not know 
what we are to do about these things. On Several occasions we have 
entered formal official protests at the Patent Office but they have appa- 
rently received no consideration. The immortal words of Walsh, written 
in 1867, are as applicable to-day as then: ‘‘Long live King Humbug! He 
Still feeds fools on flapdoodle !” 
Yours sincerely, 
(Signed.) L. O. HOWARD, 
Washington, D. C., May 10th, 1895. Entomologist. 
Mr. Langseth very feelingly remarks in his letter to the 
Governor that the newspapers charge him 25 cents a line to 
advertise the true merits of his ‘‘Insectieide.” But as he claims 
to have sold 3000 lbs. of it in Lake City alone he should be able 
to pay a little for advertisements, as he had a clear profit of at 
least $600 in that transaction alone. I hope Mr. Langseth 
will be satisfied with the above advertisement, which will not 
cost him a cent. 
BARK BEETLE DISEASE. 
(Isaria tomicii sp. nov. ) 
On June 19, the writer found three small beetles belonging 
to the genus Tomicus, lying close together in their burrow in a 
pine tree. They had been attacked and killed by a fungus- 
