Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1889-08-02
The Agricultural Experiment Sta
ton.
HoRrIcuLruRE 40 ENroMoLoeY.

HORTICULTURE AND ENTOMOLOGY.
The Office and laboratory Of horticulture
and entomology is furnished with work
tables and other necessary furniture adapted
to the work of this division, including a
cabinet case for the preservation of insect
specimens.
The microscopic, Photographic, and other
outfits belonging to the station will be of
great assistance in the work of this division.
These, with the journals and books of refer
enee now in the library provide valuable
foundation for future work
1t is proposed to have large amount Of
horticultural work carried ON in different
counties, by farmers under the direct super
vision Of the horticulturist The soil varies
so greatly in character in different sections.
that work conducted only upon land in the
immediate vicinity of the station would be
ofverY little if of any value to the people
in the southern part of the State.
In order that the work may be planned so
as to be of the most practical value, it is
n scessary to know first, just what is most
nseded, by the farmers, and second, what
they are unable to do for themselves. All
experiments will be planned with definite
object in view, and as the work progresses,
new points Of interest will be continually
developed, giving clues which will aid in
planning future investigations. Researches
that are carried on with no well-defned aim
in view, but merely for the sake of expert
menting are o little value either to the per-
son conducting them or to the people gen.
orally.
Some practical work in the line of inves-
tigation will be undertaken for the purpose |
of arriving at the cause ofthe peach yellows,
and Of finally securing remedy for the
same. There are so many diverse opinions
concerning the cause of the disease, am ong
which are impoYerishment of the soil, meth
DDS of cultivation, work of insects, fungoid
and bacterial attacks, that the first work will
be to ascertain whether investigations should
be directed in the line of chemistry horti-
culture, entomology or microscopy. Several
experiments with this object in view are
already outlined After that has been &C.
researches may be carried on
with reasonable prospect Of success in Sc
curing remedy.
A glass structure is contemplated for ex-
perimental purposes in which various gov
erning conditions can be so controlled that
plant growth may be studied from a scienti-
&c standpoint 4
It is proposed to devote portion Of this
building to the cultivation of various plants, '
or the purpose of keeping and rearing in S
ects, in order to study their transformations !
md habits, and to accurately determine the I
ife-histories of such as have not been salts.
actorily described in all their stages.
There has been comparatively little scjen-
ifc work carried on in the line of expert.
mental entomology. Many exceedingly val
liable results have been obtained with the
rude and imperfect apparatus that has been )
n use heretofore, and the many facilities
or effective work now in use have given !.
ew impetus in this field of research.
Prof. J. II. Comstock proposes the name
IHSecfa'Y" for structure designed and !,
ranged for the study of insects upon their =
'Ou PAShts. u part OF the equipment OF y
nch building consists of breeding cages :
various forms suitable for the rearing Of =,
iseets of different kinds, and root-cages or. =
evices to facilitate the observation of the
abits OF subterranean species. These de-
ices consist Of frame holding two plates of e
lass in vertical position, and only few r
lches apart The space between the glass
filled with soil in which plants or trees are :.
rown, thus allowing the roots to be readily ',
zen through the glass sides. The light is =
Ieluded from the soil by means of sheet :.
blackened zinc placed outside ofthe glass :.
grooves so that it can be readily removed. =,
The first building specially arranged for -
ork in entomology was erected by the Cor ~
I'll University Agricultural Experiment -.
alton,
The damage caused by the ravages of in e.
cts to various crops throughout the State
so great that the necessity for work in the
lie of economic entomology is fully recog-
zed as being of the utmost importance.