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Report  of  the  Department  of 
Entomology  of  the  New ... 


Dept  of  Entomology,  New  Jersey  Agricultural 
College  Experiment  Station 


HARVARD  UNIVERSITY 


LIBRARY 


OF  THE 


Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology 


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REPORT 


OF  THE 


ENTOMOLOGICAL  DEPAKTMENT 


OF  THE 


New  Jersey  Agricultural 
College  Experiment  Station 


New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 


BY 

THOMAS  J.  HEADLEE,  Ph.D. 


For  THE  Year  1914 


PATEBSON,    N.   J. 
The  N6W8  Printing  Co.,  SUt«  Printers. 

1915. 


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'       c-i 


REPORT 


OF  THE 


ENTOMOLOGICAL  DEPARTMENT 


OF  THE 


New  Jersey  Agricultural 
College  Experiment  Station 

New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 
BY 

THOMAS  J.  HEADLEE.  Ph.D. 
For  the  Year  1914 


PATERSON,    N.    J. 
The   News   Printing  Co..   SUte    Printers. 

1916. 


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Table  of  Contents. 


X  VI.  Report  ob'  the  Entomoixkukt 339-399 

General  Outline  of  Work 339 

Staff  Personnel  and  Acknowledgements 339 

Correspondence   339-345 

General  Statement 339 

Tabular  Statement 340-345 

Insects  of  the  Year •. . . .  345-354 

Grape  Leaf-hopper. 345-346 

Pear  PsyJla 346-347 

Plant  Lice 347 

San  Jose  Scale 347 

Oyster-shell  Scale 348 

False   Apple   Red-bug 348 

Potato  Flea-beetle 348 

Rose  Bug 348 

June  Bugs  or  May  Beetles 348 

Strawberry  Weevil 349 

White  Pine  Weevil 349 

Hickory   Bark   Beetle 349 

An  Unusual  Greenhouse  Insect 349 

Army  Worm 350-352 

Apple-tree  Tent  Caterpillars 352-353 

Florida  Fern  Caterpillars 353 

Argentine  Ant. 353 

Fleas    353 

Grape  Vine  Potato  Gall 354 

Narcissus  Fly 364 

Miscellaneous  Species 354 

Another  Method  of  Rearing  Silk  Worms 354-355 

Insect   Collections 355-356 

Increase 355 

Exhibition    355-356 

Anti-Poach-Borcr   Coatings 356 

(Combinations  of  Nicotine  with  Ordinary  Spraying  Mix- 
ture    356-35? 

Materials  Used. . . , 356-357 

Laboratory  Methods 357 

Effect   on   Spray    Mixtures 357-359 

Effect  on  Nicotine 359 

Conclusions    359 

Potato  Spraying  and  Dusting 359-381 

Potato  Spraying  and  Dusting  Experiments  for  the 

Year  1914 361-381 

Introduction   361-363 

Plan    of   Experiments   and    Arrangement   of 

Plots  363 

Methods  of  Experiments 363-365 

Discussion  of  Individual  Experiments 365-374 

At  Elmer 365-368 

At  Freehold 368-371 

At  Robbinsville 371-374 

Cost  of  Spraying  and  Dusting 374-375 

Control  of  the  Potato  Flea-beetle 375-389 

A  Parasite  of  the  Flea-beetle 381 

(iii) 


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iv  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

XVI.  Repobt  of  the  E:«itomologist — Continued.  pages 

Fly  Control 381-399 

Fly  Control  on  the  College  Farm 382-399 

Introduction  3^2 

Studies  on  the  Fly  Fauna  of  the  College  Farm  382-389 

Species  Which  Are  Attracted  to  Milk 383 

Breeding  Plaoes •. .  384 

Annotated  List  of  the  Fleas  Seen  Upon 

the  College  Farm 384-389 

Experiments  With  Baits  for  Fly  Traps 389-390 

Studies  on  Larvicides 390-394 

Laboratory  Experiments 390-391 

Outdoor  Experiments  With  Iron  Sulphate 

and  Borax 391-392 

Effect  of  Larvicidal   Doses  of  Iron  Sul- 
phate and  Bleaching    Powder   on    the 

Growth  of  Barley 392-393 

Experiments  With  Pyroligenous  Add. . . .  393 
Control  of  the  Fly   Bre^dtmg  in  Horst 

Stalls  : 394 

Flight  Experiments 394-396 

Why  Flies  Do  Not  Breed  in  Old  Compost 396-399 

Ammonia  Experiments 397 

Experiments  With  Manure  Extracts 398-399 

Practical  Methods  Used  to  Exterminate  Flies  399 


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Report  of  the  Entomologist. 


THOMAS  J.  HEADLEE,  PH.  D. 


GENERAL  OUTLINE  OF  WORK. 

The  attention  of  the  entomologist  has  been  devoted  this  year  to  fur- 
nishing information  and  other  assistance,  insofar  as  his  means  would  per- 
mit»  as  the  need  arose.  He  has  also  carried  forward  investigations  of 
anti-peach-borer  coatings,  of  the  effect  of  various  sprays  and  dusts  on 
potato  foliage  and  yield,  and  of  the  problems  of  house  fly  and  mosquito 
control. 

Staff  Personnel  and  Acknowltdomtnts. 

The  present  year  has  seen  a  considerable  amount  of  change  in  the  staif. 
Miss  Augusta  E.  Meske  has  continued  her  efficient  management  of  the 
clerical  affairs  of  the  office.  Mr.  C.  H.  Richardson,  Jr.,  took  up  and  car- 
ried on  the  work  against  the  house  fly  and  its  allies.  On  April  1st  Mr.  A. 
B.  Cameron,  who  holds  a  scholarship  of  the  Board  of  Agriculture  of  Eng- 
land, Joined  the  force  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  practical  experience  in 
field  methods  of  insect  control.  He  was  given  charge  of  the  potato 
foliage  work  and  carried  it  forward  in  an  eminently  satisfactory  manner. 
Mr.  Herman  H.  Brehme,  chief  inspector  in  mosquito  extermination  work, 
resigned  on  November  80,  1913.  Mr.  Joseph  S.  Obecny  resigned  on  March 
3lBt  to  take  up  the  management  of  his  farm  and  greenhouse  plant  on  Long 
Island.  On  June  let  Mr.  Charles  S.  Beckwith  was  appointed  as  temporary 
assistant  in  mosquito  work  and  has  been  appointed  a  member  of  the  per- 
manent force;  his  appointment  is  to  take  effect  November  1st 

CORRESPONDENCE. 
General  Statement 

The  correspondence  of  the  present  year  has  involved  the  handling  of 
approximately  6,000  regular  letters,  about  one  half  of  which  were 
written  in  this  office.  In  addition  to  this,  work  at  least  2,000  circular 
letters  have  been  sent  out.  915  letters  concerning  specific  pests  have 
been  written  for  the  purpose  of  giving  requested  information  relative  to 
habits  and  methods  of  control. 


(339) 

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340         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Tabular   Statement. 


ARACHNIDA. 

BnrobU  prateoas.  Gannan Clpver  Mite. ^eokwh. Mmt 

Enopliycii  aenigma. Mit« Keansburg Juhr 

gSSSsp^^ GaUMite S^^l^y?* "J*^ 

^^  ^ Red  ^ider. Newark July 

••  ••  .       .  Mite Quinton Oct. 

••;;;;;;.;; •• weatviue oct. 

••  ••  .     " Madison Sept. 

.Dog  Tick. Cream  Ridge June 

INSECTA. 


LOCULUTT. 

.  Englewood 


Dermacentor  amerioanut.  L. 


TfATiM  Namb.                            CoiiMON  Nams. 
Thermobia  domeitioa  Pack. SUver  Fiah. 


Thripa  tabaoi.  linden. 


Apbit  braMioe,  linn.  . 
Aphis  gompi.  Glover. 

•«        ••  •• 

Aphis  mali,  Fahr. 


Aphididae, 


Atpidiotua'h«d8ro.  Vail 
AipidiotuB  pernioiotua.  Vail. 


Aulaoanni  row, 


Bonche 


25 
15 

0 
27 
20 

1 
12 


DATS. 

.Sept.      1 

TBTSANOmBA. 

Onion  Thript E.  Moriches,  L.I.,N.Y.Aug.    13 

HOMOPTERA. 

Cabbage  Aphis Paterson Oct. 

Mekm  AphisTT Dias  Creek July 

**  **     Arlington July 

••  •*     Somerville Sept. 

Apple  ApUs. Bloomfield June 

•         ••  ^T. Deal June 

••         ••    Somerville. June 

"         "    Dias  Creek. July 

*•    Scotch  Plains. Sept. 

Plant  lice Mt.  Holly June 

"  Chatsworth Sept. 

"       "  Middletown ,May 

Root  lice MuUica  Hill June 

Plant  lice Elisabeth June 

**        *'  So.  Bound  Brook. . ..  .June 

Green  lice. Rockaway July 

Green  Root  Louse Pahnyra. July 


Plant  lice. . . 


J« 


Jersey  aty. 

....  Elisabeth.   . 

Rahway .  . . . 

.  ...Pennington. 

...  .Orange 

Somerville. . 

Trenton 

Metuchen... 

Trenton 

Trenton 

Lakewood.  . 

Oleander  Scale Montolair 

San  Jose  Scale Mason  aty,  W.  Va. 


...July 
...July 
...July 
. .  .July 
. .  .Aug. 
.  ..Aug. 
...Aug. 
...Aug. 
...Aug. 
...Sept. 
...Oct. 
...Mar. 
Jan. 


.  Watchung Mar. 

.  .Princeton May 

.  .Haddonfiekl June 

.  .Springfield June 

.  .New  York  aty June 

Haddonfield June 

^^^ .RoseScale Vineland Mar. 

/^!|!!^r^if(ChermM)abieticolens.Thos.  Spruce  Gall  Louse.  . .  .Rutherford Sept. 

^^^^^^  pinioorticis  Pitch       Pine  Bark  Aphid Salem Jan. 

•*  *•  •*       **        *•      New  Brunswick May 

East  Orange June 

LambertvUle Sept. 

.Enonymous  Scale Tenafly Mar. 

*•      Ocean  aty May 

**  *•      Moorestown July 

OkioQuma  furfurus.  Fitch §««^  S<»le. Jersey  aty.  ., June 

rdonarois  pinUoHs.  Fitch Pme  Leaf  Scale New  Brunswick May 

ColoDha  vOmiook.  Fitch Cox^Comb  QaU-Louse hooust June 

DuSSSTcarueU,  Targ Juniper  Scale ^^-  'Vi-. AF" 

uwrnv^      ,.  ..     ..  jj^^  Brunswick May 

••  •♦  **     ,*  •*    Convent June 

Eulecanium  tuUplfenu,  Cook Tulip^Soft  Scale Jenafly Feb. 


Qliionaspis  enoE^S^mi,  Comst.  . 


Eulecanium  sp. 


Soft  Scale Trenton. 


.July 


^SS^S^^^iA^/Uod:\ EbnScale. Mt.  Holly. .....  i  i !  i  ij^T. 

iMrya  purchasu.  Mask Cottony  Cushion  Scale Prmceton Feb. 


15 

8 
20 

2 

1 

4 
11 

8 
24 
30 
14 
24 
19 
25 
29 

1 

7 
15 
18 
20 
30 

7 
10 
18 
20 
31 
16 
23 
17 
26 

6 
14 

8 
19 
22 
24 
11 
26 
29 
21 

3 
11 
31 

5 
31 
22 
21 
22 
30 

6 
14 
19 
13 
30 
16 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  341 

Tabular  8tat«m«nt — Continued.  i 

HOMOPTERA— Cootmued. 

Latin  Namb.  Common  Nams.  Locautt.  Dats. 

LtpidoMpbM  olmi.  linn Oyster-Shell  Scale Pine  Brook. April  17 

•*     Whippany April  2 

*•               -        ••     Jenoydty April  27 

*•     "        "        "    WcetfieW May  16 

"    Plainfield June  2 

••    New  York  a^ June  2 

••               ••        ••     ••        **       *•    Haokenaaok June  6 

"     ••        -       •*    Springfielcl June  19 

*•     WoodcliffonHud«»..Ang.  24 

••     OoeanQrove. 8ept.2» 

Mysua  persioM.  Suls.  Qreen  Peaoh  Aphia. Hooreetown Oet.  17 

iCrsua  ribia,  Lum Currant  Aphia. Mooreatown Oct.  12 

*•    •           •*    EaatOrange. May  4 

"           "     Johnaonburg May  7 

"           "    EastOranfe May  11 

••    **           ••    Weatfieki May  18 

•*        ••        "    ••           •♦    Dunelien. May  18 

•*        ••        ••    "           ••    Rooelle. June  21 

"           ••    Haddonfield. June  24 

Neetaxophora  piri,  Kalt. Pea  Loum Budds  Lake May  11 

" "        "     Grenloch. June  17 

Neetaxophora  ioa»,  Lum Roae  Aphie. Patenon May  27 

Pemphicua  ip Poplar  Gall-Louee East  Orange. June  24 

Pbeoaeooeus  aoerieola,  Kina. Mi^  Pseudooocua. Tenafly Feb.  10 

Phylkoerm  yaatatrix,  Planeh.  . .  .Grape  Phylknura. WeatEnd. July  17 

-               "             "      ....     ^^         "        WestfieW Jubr  30 

•*     ....       "            •*        Madison Aug.  19 

Pseudoouocus  sp Mealy  Bug 8pring6eld July  8 

•^ "       "    Newton. Sept.  16 

Payila  p3rriook^  Forst. Pear  PqyUa Magnolia. , Jufir  7 

^            *•           ••                           ••       "       ln5feV»- Sept.  14 


Rhopalosiphum  solani,  Thos Tomato  Aphis Phillq>sburg Ju&  10 

^^^^^               •'        *•....       "            *•  Clifton. Ju&  18 

"     ....       "            ••  MtEphraim Ju&  16 

"     ....       "            "  Ariingtoo Ju5  20 

"        "     ....       "  "  Newark. Ju£e28 

V        "....••            "  Elmer June  29 

Saissetia  hemisphiorica,  Targ  .. .  .Hemispherical  Scale. Verona. July  4 

Saissetia  sp Soft  Scale. .Rahway June  17 

Sohisoaeura  lanigera,  Hausm. .  ..Wooley  Apple  Aphis Deal June  4 

**.... Locust. June  22 

"     ....       ••            -        "    Passaic June  1 

"...."            M        ..    Elisabeth June  22 

• New  York  aty .July  6 

••     •            «...    Swainton Oct.  13 

•• Vineland Oct.  16 

IVphlocyba  comes,  Say Grape  Leaf-hopper Hightstown. Sept.  23 

^^          -            *^ *'^       ••        ^^    Glassboro Sept  29 

" MerchantviUe. S^t.29 

l^rphlocyba  rose*  linn Rose  leaf-hopper Dover. June  12 

l^phlocyba  rosn.  Linn Rose  leaf-hopper Montolair June  17 

HEMIPTERA. 

Anaaa  tristis.  De  G Squash  Bug. W.  ColHngswood July  13 

Arilus  cristatuB,  linn Wheel  Bug Freehokl March  24 

"   "       ••  Burlington Aug.  16 

MiridflB  iCbpsidflB)   Plant  Bug. Plainfieki June  29 

Coreidae. • Bug Swedeaboro Aug.  8 

Hordaa  goniphorus.  Say Hamden July  2 

Leptobyrsa.  ezplanta  Heid Rhododendron  Lace  Bug.  . . .  Lambertville. Oct.  16 

lygua  Kalmii,  otal. Elmer June  29 

Paloik>oapaus  hneatus,  Fab Foux^lined  Leaf-bug East  Orange. Bfay  4 

*•                    ••        ••         ^^     .♦      ••            M          New  Brunswick. June  6 

Hamden July  2 

ORTHOPTRA. 


Afli!i*H^*" Grasshoppers. Medford Aug.  29 

Blatta  oiientalis  linn Oriental  Cockroach.                New  Brunswick May  21 

Blattide.    Roaches Richwood July  8 

Diapheromeca  fsmorata.  Say.  . ..  Walking  Stick. Westfield Sept.  16 

Gryl^  domestious,  Linn House  Cricket Highland  Park Aug.  24 

Loeustidv Meadow  Graashopper Medford Aug.  29 

Ificrooentrum  sp Katydid Bound  Brook MKr.  3 

Paratenodera  nnensis.  Sauss.  .  .  .Chinese  Mantis Palmyra Aug.  24 

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342  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Tabular  Statement — Continued. 

OOLEOPTERA. 

Latin  Namk.  Common  Namb.  Locautt.  Date. 

Agrilus  rufioolliB,  Fab Red-neoked  Oineborer SeweU Feb.  10 

AJJorhina  nitida,  Linn Patenon July  16 

**            "         "    Lambertviile. July  18 

Amphioerus  bioaudatus,  Say.  .  .  .Apple  twigborer Hammonton May  8 

Antaonomufl  signatua,  Say Strawberry  Weevil Medford May  17 

*•  ••              '*     Moorestown May  18 

••             •'          *• "              *•     Hammonton May  10 

*•  ....^.          ••              "     MUlviUe Majr  10 

Apion  nigrum,  Herbet Black  Loouat  Apion New  York  City June  1 

Attagenus  pioeus,  Oliv BJaok  Carpet  beetle New  Brunawiok April  22 

"             *•           *•     •*           *'          *•     Nutley Aug.  4 

Nutkiy AugT  17 

Bupreatidffi Flat-headed  borer Rutherford Aug.  6 

Oawndra  orysie,  Linn Rice  Weevil Butler April  27 

Oaloeoma  scrutator,  Fabr Firey  Searcher Wiklwood May  18 

Gbauliognatua  marginatua,  Fabr.  lAmpyrid Far  Hills June  2 

Gbrysomelidft Leaibeetle Westfield Aug.  18 

CocdneUkUe. Lady  Bird  sp Trenton Aug.  31 

Oonotraohelus  nenuphar.  Hbst.  ..Plum  curouuo Middletown May  28 

Camden June  2 

PlainfiekL June  4 

Ogdensburg. June  10 

U.  Montdau* June  15 

Glementon June  17 

Pennington June  22 

Glementon July  8 

U.  Montdair July  6 

Short  Hills. Ju&  8 

Montdair July  10 

Now  York  Cily JuJfy  20 

Franklinville Aug.  3 


Crepkiodera  nifipes.  linn. 


.South  OnuBge Sept.     0 

'^—  York  aty. 


i,r«pKiuu«t«  >uuiM>a,  *--»». ;•••.• •J?*''  York  Q^ June  1 

Crioceiis  asparagi,  Linn Asparagus  beetle Greenwich. May  18 

••             "           "    "            "      Trenton June  0 

Cydooephala  villosa.  Bums June  Bug. Paterson. May  0 

IJennsatide Carpet  Beetles Port  Norris Sept.  23 

Diabrotica  vittata,  Fab Striped  Cucumber  beetle.  .  .  .Grenloch June  4 

"     "             "            "      ....Bay  Head June  23 

*• W.  Collingswood July  13 

..New  York  aty S^  3 

Elaphidion  viUosum,  Fab Oak  twig  Pruner Red  Bank June  22 

"             ••             '* **       "          "      Convent. Aug*  17 

"      "          "      Ramsey j^  Ig 

New  York  aty July  18 

Bdleplain Sept  H 

EJaterid«,sp Wbeworma M.**J?^^- ^ug.  29 

fiUateridie  sp Wire  worms. Short  Hills. Sept.  6 

Epiuix  .ucum-U,  Hip.  . . ....  .Potato  Fk.  B^. .......  g^^J^-  •  •  ■■■■■■^  f 

•'      ". Moorestown Mur  28 

•*        **        ••     Newark. June  23 

Epitrix  parviUa.  Fab FJea  Beetle. New  Brunswick. May  20 

oSSSoffia  luteola,  MuU Elm  Lwif  Beetle. M t.  Holly. JiSe  30 

SoDodamia  convergens,  Guer.  .  .Lady  Bird Hackensack July  27 

^fodamia  gUcialS.  Fab.  .... .  Lady  Bird ?'''^u  W. S«Pt-  1« 

U^SruTnova-boracensIs,  Forst.. New  York  City May  11 

L^Sbnostema  tristis.  Fab.  . . .  .••  .May  Beetle. Pomptpn  Plains May  16 

;;;;; ••      "  puunfiew j,Se  4 

*•         **    Princeton June  12 

..    *.; ••         "    MulUcaHiU. June  19 

LADtinotarsa  lO-Hneata.  Say Colorado  Potato-beetle Haokettotown July  14 

*^*^     M            ••      ••         •• ••            "          **     Sussex. July  20 

.•            «•      ••          " "            *•          **     Swedesboro Au«.  8 

*•            "          "     Short  Hills Sept.  16 

Lyctus  striatus,  Mels. .Powder  Post  Beetle ^fnM>ny Aug.  13 

aSodactyhisiubspinoeus.Fabr.Rose  Chafer SS25„ {«««  S 

i«                   "               ••                       west  vine. June  10 

•i                   **              **       "        **     Haddon  Heighto June  10 

••                   •♦               ••       *•        •*     Vineland June  14 

..                    •• Hamilton  Square June  16 


LAchnostera  sp. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  343 

Tabular  Statement — Continued. 

OOLEOPTERA— OoDtinued. 

LATm  Nams.  Common  Namb.  Localitt.  Datb. 

Macxodaotyhiii  subapinosua,  Fabr.Roae  Chafer Bay  Head June  23 

Elmer June  29 

Lady  Bird Swedeeboro Oct.  19 

Bfitter  Beetles Roeelle  Park July  7 

Tenafly June  5 

\y Soolytid Tenafly June  5 

IS. Elaterid Olaasboro JuJty  0 

Leaf  Beetle Prinoeton June  1 

Leaf  Beetle Fair  Lawn June  29 

New  York  aty June  1 

r Peach  Bark  Beetle Farminfldale Oct.  28 

White  Pine  Weevil Bemar^ndlle July  10 

'*         "           *•     Lsmnfield,  Maae. Aug.  17 

"        ."          "      ^  "        "          "     LynnfieW.  Maae Sept.  16 

Pterooyolon  mah,  Fitoh Soolytid Tenafly June  5 

Soolytua  quadrispinomifl.  Say Hickory  Bark  Beetle. N.  ArUnirton July  22 

8ool3rtus  quadriapinosus.  Say Hickory  Bark  Beetle Convent Aug.  17 

Scobrtua  ruguloeus.  Rati Fruit  Bark  Beetle Nutley June  28 

8oo&tu8  ruffukMUs  Rats Fruit  Bark  Beetle U.  Montdair July  8 

SeolytoB  ruguk>su0.  Rats Fruit  Bark  Beetle Mahwah Sept.  15 

Soolytua  rufuk>8ua.  Rats Fruit  Bark  Beetle Farmincdale Oct.  29 

Berica  trociformis  Burm Cedar  (^eet May  11 

Tribofiuxn  femudneus,  Fab Butler April  27 

Txichiua  piger.  Fab MerohantviUe June  27 

Triehobaris  tnnotata,  Say Potato  Stalk  Borer Flemington July  11 

Trichobaiis  trinotata,  Say Potato  Stalk  Borer Maya  Landinjc, June  27 

Trocodenna  ap Dermeatid New  Brunswick. June  25 

Xytoterea  pohtua.  Say Soolytid Tenafly June  15 

LEPIDOPTERA. 

Aoronyeta  oblinita,  Sm-Abb Dagger  Moth Swedeeboro Oct.  12 

Anaowa  lineateUa,  Zell Metuchen Aug.  29 

Arehipa  roaaoeana,  Harr I                                     .Bas^nne June  1 

CaUoeamia  promethea,  Dm F                                     N^w  York  aty May  15 

Csfdia  pomoncJla,  Linn C                                     Somerville July  14 

Ceratomia  oataljpcB,  Bdv C                                       Swedeaboro Sept.  15 

Otheronia  regaUa,  Fab I                                     BerHn Sept.  8 

Coleophora  fletcherella.  Fern C                                      W.Virginia Jub^  15 

Datana  integernma(Q.  A  R E                                     er Hackettatown Aug.  23 

Deamia  fumeraHa,  Hbn G                                       New  Brunawiok May  29 

GoometridiB  .  r C Dover June  12 

H^botiiia  obaoleta,  Fab C                                      Hackenaack June  5 

*'            **           " Somers  Point June  22 

•• '*        *•      "     Great  Meadowa. July  20 

Hemeroeampa  leuooatigma,  S. A. .  White-marked  Tuaaock  Moth  Newton June  26 

Hypfaantria  eunea,  Dnr Fall  Web-worm New  York  dty Sept.  3 

Leucania  unipuncta*  Harr Army  Worm Shrewabury June  16 

"      '*          "     Ocean  Grove. July  13 

•'      "          "     Atlantic  aty July  13 

"              **      ..          «     Trenton July  15 

"      ••          "     MuUicaHiU. Jufy  16 

**            "               **      "          **     Trenton July  16 

••             ••               "      "          "     Richwood July  16 

"      ..i-...     "          "     • Blackwood July  17 

"      "         "     Hackenaack July  17 

"      "          ••     Haddonfield Jufy  17 

"             "               "      "          "     Newton July  17 

"      "          "     Philadelphia Juty  18 

••             *•               **      "          •'     Bordentown July  18 

••      ••          ••     Little  Silver Ju^  20 

••             •*               •'      **          •'     Long  Branch July  21 

"      "          "     New  York July  21 

••             ••               ••      "          '*     New  Brunswick July  21 

"      "          ••     New  York  aty July  21 

"             "               "      *'          •'     New  Brunawick July  22 

••             "               "      "          "     WeatEnd July  22 

••             "               "      '*          *'     Belmar July  23 

"             ••              •*      ••          "     Morriatown July  23 

"             *•              "      "          "     Grantwood Juty  24 

**             "              "      •*          '•     Hammontoq July  24 

"             ••              "      "          ••     New  York  aty Jqly  21 

•*              "      "          "     ...New  Brunawiok July  22 

"      "          " Weat  End July  22 


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344         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 
Tabular  Statement — Continued. 

LEPIDOPTERA— Coatinued. 

Latin  Namb.  Common  Namx.  Locautt.  Datb. 

Leucaoia  unipuocta  Harr Army  Worm Belmar July  23 

"             .              •'     "         "     Morristown July  28 

'*     ••         "     Qrantwood July  24 

'•     "         "     Hammonton July  24 

;              "     *•         "     New  York  aty Ju&  24 

;     ;*         "     Tenafly July  25 

"     "         "     Princeton July  26 

."     ••          "     Weetfield JvSr  26 

•      "         "     JerseyCity July  28 

"     "         "     New  York  aty Ju&  81 

;               "      ••         "     PlainfieW....: Au«.  28 

"     "         "     Atlantic  Hicfalanda. .  .Sept.  14 

Maoronoctua  onueta,  Grt. Nootuid Orange. June  14 

Malacoeoma  americana,  Fabr..  .  .Apple-tree  Tent-cateipillar. .. Phalanx Feb.  20 

"                  *•             ••    ...       ^       ...Allendale. May  18 

;;...       ; ...AUendale. May  22 

"...       ...New  York  aty June  2 

"    ....       "      "       "           "       ...Oxford .: July  1 

"...       "      "       "           ••   '    ...Hackettetown July  14 

"...       • "        ...Lodi Sept.  » 

Malacoeoma  duetria,  Hbn Forest  Tent  Caterpillar Newton June  6 

Meltttia  aatyTinifonnis,  Hbn Squash  Borer I^dhurat. Aug.  27 

Bfineola  vaocinii,  Riley Cranberry-fruit  Worm New  York  City Aug.  17 

"                 "     PlainfieW. ...: Aug.  18 

Nootuidae  sp Cut  Worm New  Brunswick. May  8 

•^ •*        "     East  Moriches, 

Lone  Island.  N.  Y.  Jfay  26 

•*..•. Noctuid Asbury  Park June  26 

Oxyptihis  perisoelidactyhis,Fitch.Qrape  Plume  Moth Nutl^ May  26 

Papaipema  nitela.  On DahHa  stalkborer Trenton July  14 

" "             "        Sterling. Aug.  10 

PapiUo  polyxenus,  Fab SwaUow-tail  Butterfly  Cater- 
pillar  Jamesburg. Aug.  1 

Phlegethonttus  oaioUna,  linn. .  .Tomato  Worm Qlen  Qardner Aug.  21 

"....       ••            "    Washington Aug.  28 

Rhyadonia  fhistrana,  Scudd ^ Trenton Aug.  10 

RhyaokMiia  sp Bass  Rirer. F^.  21 

Mineola  indianelU,  ZeU Rascal  Leaf-crumpler New  York  City May  11 

Pieris  rap»,  linn Imported  Cabbage  Worm. ..  .OaUfon. July  16 

PInipestris  simmermanni,  Qrt. .  .Pine  Tip  Moth New  Brunswick May  21 

PodosBsia  S3^ring»,  Harr lilac  Borer. Rirerton. June  20 

Sanninoidea  eodtosa  Sur Peach  Borer. Mendham % May  22 

"      ^*^ "        ••     New  York  aty May  26 

"  •*        ••     New  York  aiy Ju£e  1 

"  "        ••      Tltusville. June  2 

"  "        ••     CaHfon June  6 

" "        "      Morristown July  7 

•* "        "     RosellePark. Ju&  7 

" '•        "      NaughbriAt Aug.  1 

••    ••        "      Broatb^nTN.Y Aug.  31 

"    "        "      HaddonHeigfato Sept.  7 

"    "        "      Woodbridge. S^t.  21 

"    "        "      Interlaken Oct.  6 

••    ••        "      New  York  aty Oct.  12 

"    "        "      PhilUpsburg Oct.  27 

Sohisura  conohina,  S.  and  A Red-Humped  Apple-cater- 
pillar  Hackensack July  17 

Sesia  tipuUformis,  linn Imported  Currant  Borer Haddonfield June  24 

Sibine  stimulea,  Clem Saddle-back  Caterpillar Roeedale Aug.  18 

•'                  •*         Trenton Sept.  24 

Thsrxidopteryx   ephemeneformis, 

Stepb Bag  Worm ...Passaic July  18 

Thyiidopteryx  ephemeneformis, 

Steph ••        •*     PWnlleW. Aug.  10 

Thyridoptersrx  ephemeneformis,  .      .    -^  . . 

Steph..... "        -     AtlanticHighlands.  .  .Aug.  28 

Vanessa  antkypa.  linn Spiny  EUm  Caterpillar Riverton. Aug.  • 

Zeusera  psrrina.  Fab .^.  .Leopard  Moth Iiong  Branch June  16 

HYMENOPTERA. 

"          "     Atsion Mar.  11 

Apis  melUfera.  linn Honey  Bee Morgan)rille.  ..• July  IS 

CaUroa  limaoina,  Reti Pear  Slug Somerville. June  11 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  345 

Tabular  Statement — Continued. 

HYMENOPTERA— Continued. 

Latin  Nams.  Common  Namb.  Locautt.  Date. 

OunpoDotus  hflfftrolwinui  penn-. . 

qrhraiiieiis,  DtO Carpenter  Ant New  York  City 8«pt  10 

CbryadkUe  ep Cuckoo  Bee Hishlande July  16 

EiMlelomyia  »thiope.  Fab Roee  Shig Dover June  12 

Formkida  op .\ Ante. Nutley Aus.  17 

"       ^' Black  Ante WeetfieW May  9 

'*          '* Ante. MerehantviUe June  1 

Tdmeumooidv  ep lohneunon  Fly Princeton Auc.  17 

Mesarhyaw  lunator,  Fab Long-tailed  Ichneumon LambertviUe Aug.  17 

•• ^'                    ••        NewBrunwrick Aug.  21 

MoDophodnoidee  oaryie,  Nort.  .  .Hickory  Woolly  Worm Belfonl Aug.  17 

IfoiM^hadnoklee  rubi,  Harr Baapberry  Saw  Fly Hammonton May  26 

Odynerua  tigris,  Sanae. Wasp Highlands. July  26 

Bhoditee  roar,  linn.   Moev  Roee-gall little  Falls. May  4 

Tomoetethus  bardus,  Say Saw  Fly Far  Hilk. June  2 

SPHONAPTERA. 

Cteoooephalus  eanis.  Curt Cttt  and  Dog  Flea. Rahway July  31 

^             "          "    ••             *^     ••   Ridgefiekl Aug.  16 

"    "             ••      *•   ..Red  Bank- Aug.  26 


17 


DIPTERA. 

Aedes  eantator,  Coq Brown  Salt  Marsh  Mosquito.  .Pat^rson May  27 

** Brown  Salt  Marsh  Mosquito..  Elisabeth July  21 

CalHphora  erythzooephala Blow  Fhr Morristown July  20 

Taeioptera  vitis  O.  S Grape  Vine  Potato  Qall Rutherford Jui^  30 

Ceoidoinyiidae  sp West  End July  17 

^         "      Titusville Aug.  14 

•*      Mahwah Aug.  17 

"      Mahwah Aug.  24 

Cootarinia  pyrivora,  Riley Pear  Midge New  Brunswick Aug.  6 

Cules  pipiens,  linn House  Moequito Pateraon May  27 

Cafioidae  sp Moaquitoe Fon  Du  Lac.  Wis May  27 

Daflmeura  leguminicola,  lint.  .  .Cbver  Seed  Midge Bound  Brook June  12 

Lo^iia  cnaar,  linn Green  Bottle  Fly Morristown July  20 

MajretioU  deatructor,  Say Heesian  Fly Hampton May  29 

"        "   Eaat  Orange May  31 

•*  Frenchtown June  12 

"  Newark June  24 

"  Hackettatown July  14 

"   Flemington Aug.  26 

Mttsoa  domestioa,  linn Houae  Fly Leonia June  2 

Fhoibia  braaaton,  Bouche Cabbage  Maggot. Hightatown May  28 

••     ••          ^^    Medford June  9 

"     ••             "    WeetviUe June  10 

Phorbia  cepetorum,  Meig Imported  Onion  Maggot New  York  City July  9 

"    '*            "         ^      Hackettatown Oct.  16 

Phorbia  ap Onion  Maggot Grenloch May  23 

Phorbia  q> *'            *       Manahawkin June  18 

INSECTS  OF  THE  YEAR. 

Grape    Leaf-Hopper. 

iTyphlocyha  comes  Say) 

Tne  grape  leaf-hopper  has  this  year  been  unusually  abundant  and  has 
done  a  large  amo|Lnt  of  damage.  Indeed,  the  writer  is  convinced  that  not 
only  this  year  but  for  several  years  passed,  the  damage  done  by  this  in- 
sect has  been  much  larger  than  most  of  the  grape  growers  suspect 
Many  of  the  vineyards  of  south  central  New  Jersey  were  this  summer  so 
badly  infested  that  disturbing  the  vines  in  late  August  and  early  Sep- 
tember caused  the  hoppers  to  rise  in  clouds.  The  fact  that  these  creatures 
are  sucking  insects  and  do  not  cut  or  chew  the  foliage  is  probably  the 
condition  that  has  led  growers  to  disregard  them.    It  is  interesting  to  note 


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346  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

that  Hartzel*  found  the  vines  protected  from  leaf-hopper  attack  to  hare 
from  8  to  68  per  cent  more  sugar  In  the  berries  than  had  the  fruit  from 
the  unprotected  vines. 

Spraying  experiments  in  New  Yorkf  have  clearly  shown  that  "Black- 
leaf  40"  used  at  the  rate  of  1  part  to  1,600  parts  of  water  or  Bordeaux 
destroyed  the  hoppers.  To  get  best  results  this  treatment  should  be  ap- 
plied while  the  hoppers  are  Immature,  and  must  be  made  with  sufficient 
care  to  wet  all  individual  insects.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  young  hop- 
pers congregate  on  the  lower  shoots,  which  are  of  little  value  and  hard  to 
spray,  it  is  recommended  that  these  shoots  be  removed  Just  before  the 
application  is  made. 

Pear  Psylla. 

iPsylla  pyricola  Porst) 

For  several  years  past  this  insect  has  been  giving  serious  trouble  at 
various  points  in  the  state.  From  Riverton,  Vineland,  Moorestown  and 
Phalanx  formal  complaints  have  been  received  by  the  writer  and  in  many 
other  places  he  has  seen  evidence  of  its  work. 

Taking  care  not  to  injure  the  trees,  the  rough  bark  should  be  scraped 
from  the  trunks  and  larger  branches  and  all  trash  about  the  orchard 
should  be  cleaned  up  in  order  that  the  psyllas  may  have  no  good  shelter 
in  which  to  pass  the  winter.  This  scraping  may  be  done  at  any  time  when 
time  is  available.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  best  time  for  the 
operation,  from  all  standpoints,  is  the  early  fall.  At  this  time  the  living 
bark  is  hardening  and  psyllas  are  not  yet  in  hibernation.  The  studies  of 
Hodgkisst  show  that  during  warm  spells  in  November  and  December  the 
adult  psyllas  emerge  from  the  crevices  in  which  they  have  sought  shelter 
and  move  sluggishly  about  over  the  trees,  and  that  at  such  times  a  thor- 
ough treatment  with  a  mixture  composed  of  three-fourths  of  a  pint  of 
"Black-leaf  40"  to  100  gallons  of  water  with  soap  added  at  the  rate  of 
three  to  five  pounds  will  destroy  all  that  are  hit  The  delaying  of  the  dor- 
mant treatment  with  lime-sulphur  for  San  Jose  scale  until  the  buds  are 
about  ready  to  open  has  been  shown  to  destroy  such  eggs  as  have  been 
laid.  By  the  time  the  petals  have  fallen  most  of  the  eggs  have  hatched 
and  the  young  have  concentrated  about  the  bases  of  the  fruit  stems  and 
leaf  stalks.  A  thorough  treatment  at  this  time  with  a  mixture  composed 
of  three-fourth  of  a  pint  of  "Black-leaf  40"  to  100  gallons  of  water  to  which 
from  3  to  5  pounds  of  soap  have  been  added  will  destroy  all  that  are  hit 
Thorough  work  at  this  time  will  usually  destroy  nearly  all  of  the  insects. 

In  badly  infested  orchards  it  is  advisable  to  use  the  four  treatments 
mentioned — scraping,  fall  spraying,  delayed  winter  strength  lime-sulphur 
treatment  and  blossom  fall  spraying.  In  view  of  the  success  in  using  the 
"Black-leaf  40"  combined  with  Bordeaux  or  summer  strength  lime-sulphur 
against  aphis  and  red  bug  the  writer  sees  no  reason  why  the  last  of  the 


♦New  York  (Geneva)  Station  Bull.  No.  359. 

tU  C. 

tNew  York  (Geneva)  Station  Bulletin  No.  387. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  347 

four  treatments  cannot  be  combined  with  the  regular  bloeeom  ttM  spray- 
ing for  chewing  insects  and  diseases.  If  such  practice  were  adopted  the 
tobacco  probably  should  be  used  at  the  rate  of  1  part  to  600  parts  of  the 
spraying  mixture. 

Plant  Lice. 
(Aphidid€B) 

Although  not  nearly  so  abundant  as  last  year  Tarious  species  hare  done 
enough  harm  to 'attract  attention.  The  apple  plant  lice  (particularly 
AphiM  mali  DeG,)  haye  done  much  harm  to  foliage  and  fruit  Although 
reports  reeeired  and  obsenrations  made  are  rather  meagre  they  agree 
that  "BlaCk-leaf  40"  used  with  soap  and  water  or  with  the  ordinary  spray- 
ing mixtures  (Bordeaux  and  arsenate  of  lead  or  summer  lime-sulphur  and 
arsenate  of  lead)  destroys  the  lice  and  does  not  injure  the  trees. 

In  this  connection  it  should  be  said  that  Mr.  Charles  S.  Beckwith,  a 
senior  student  in  Rutgers  (Allege,  deyoted  a  large  part  of  his  thesis  time 
to  an  elementary  study  of  the  various  combinations  of  nicotine  solutions 
with  common  spraying  mixtures  for  the  purpose  of  determining  whether 
the  uniting  seriously  altered  the  physical  make  up  of  the  combination  or 
combined  the  nicotine  in  such  a  fashion  as  to  make  it  inefrective.  The 
results  he  obtained  are  set  forth  in  a  special  section  of  this  report 

Tests  of  standard  tobacco  extracts  have  gone  far  enough  and  have 
shown  such  results  that  persons  having  trouble  with  plant  lice  would  do 
well  to  consider  them  as  methods  of  controL 

The  wooly  apple  aphis  iSchizoneutu  lanigera  Hausm)  appeared  in  un- 
usual numbers  and  occasioned  much  complaint.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  this  insect  lives  both  on  the  roots  and  on  the  upper  parts  of  the 
tree,  and  that  the  elimination  of  the  above-ground  form  contributes  to  the 
control  of  the  below-ground  form.  Root  treatments  of  orchard  trees  for 
destruction  of  lice  have  40t  proven  very  successful  i^nd  it  seems  that 
elimination  of  the  above-ground  form  by  use  of  soap  or  nicotine  and  soapy 
sprays  accompanied  by  proper  pruning*  cultivation  and  fertilization,  is 
likely  to  give  best  results.  In  the  nursery  row,  however,  the  elimination 
of  the  above-ground  form  may  be  profitably  accompanied  by  a  root  treat- 
ment 6t  the  many  that  have  been  suggested  at  various  times  by  various 
persons,  it  seems  likely  that  running  a  liberal  amount  of  tobacco  dust  in 
trendies  along  the  rows,  just  over  the  roots  will  prove  most  satisfactory. 
The  tobacco  when  carried  by  water  down  to  the  roots  destroys  the  lice, 
acts  as  a  repellant  and  is  thought  to  have  a  fertilizing  effect 

San  Jooe  Scale. 
{AspidiotuM  pericious  0>mst) 
This  species  is  not  so  frequently  received  in  correspondence  as  are  many 
ot  the  older  formerly-oonsidered-less-troublesome  kinds.  It  has  been  this 
year  less  frequently-  complained  of  than  the  oyster-shell  scale.  This  is 
partly  due  to  widespread  knowledge  of  its  recognition  marks  and  methods 
of  oontroU  but  also  partly  due  to  a  great  and  widespread  reduction  in  its 
malignity.  It  is  obviously  experiencing  a  period  of  depression.  The  writer 
does  not  believe,  however,  that  spraying  for  it  can  safely  be  neglected. 


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348         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Oytter^Kell  Scale. 
{Lepidosaphes  ulmi  Linn.) 
This  Insect  seems  to  be  increasing  -In  numbers  and  in  amount  of  damage 
it  does.  This  year,  in  addition  to  the  usual  trouble  with  it  In  nurseries 
and  orchard  plantings,  it  was  found  on  birches  growing  in  the  woods  at 
Westwood,  New  Jersey,  and  it  was  exceptionally  abundant  on  poplar  and 
black  walnut  at  SomervlUe.  On  cultivated  trees  it  is  easily  controlled  by 
proper  washes.  Persons  having  trees  infested  with  this  scale  should  look 
after  them  carefully. 

False  Apple  Red-Bug. 
{Lygidea  mendax  Reut) 
This  Insect  appeared  in  considerable  numbers  In  various  orchards  about 
New  Brunswick,  but  readily  succumbed  to  treatment  outlined  In  the  1918 
report  of  the  entomologist 

Potato  Flea-Beetle. 
(Epitrix  cucumeris  Harr.) 
Without  doubt  this  Insect  has  been,  during  the  past  year*  from  the 
standpoint  of  potatp  foliage  Injury,  the  most  serious  insect  problem  of  the 
white-potato  grower.  During  the  entire  season  the  writer  did  not  see  a 
patch  free  from  injury.  In  most  places  the  beetles  were  feeding  on  plan- 
tain and  other  weeds  about  the  fields  before  the  potatoes  emerged  from  the 
soil.  Scarcely  were  they  above  the  ground  before  perforating  the  leaves 
began.  This  continued  throughout  the  season.  Between  broods  the  dam- 
age was  small.    Even  the  second  crop  suffered  much  harm  from  this  pest. 

Rose  Bug. 

i  Macrodaotylus  auhspinoaus  Fab.) 

The  damage  done  by  this  species  was  sufficient  to  occasion  complaint 

Arsenate  of  lead  and  glucose  again  proved  an  efficient  spray.    The  five 

pounds  of  lead  arsenate  in  the  usual  formula  was  in  some  cases  Increased 

to  eight 

June  Bugs  or  May  Beetles. 

While  the  history  of  these  insects  shows  instances  of  as  great  or  greater 
abundance,  the  writer  has  never  seen  May  beetles  so  numerous  as  they 
have  been  this  year.  Every  warm  quiet  night  during  the  season  of  their 
abundance  (June)  the  trees  on  the  writer's  lawn  were  each  a  roaring 
swarm.  Very  generally  over  the  state  the  tender  leaves  of  forest,  shade 
and  fruit  trees  were  eaten  off.  The  injury  occasioned  much  speculation 
as  to  the  cause,  and  some  complaint 

It  seems  likely  that  these  beetles  came  from  the  white  grubs  that  were 
so  troublesome  in  the  summer  of  1912.  That  year  it  will  be  remembered 
the  damage  was  so  great  as  to  cause  it  to  be  designated  as  the  "White 
Grub  Year." 

Whether  this  extraordinary  number  of  beetles  foreshadows  unusual 
damage  by  white  grubs  cannot  at  present  be  told.  A  careful  watch  will  be 
kept  and  warning  Issued  as  soon  as  the  danger  can  be  definitely  discerned. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  349 

strawberry  W*«vil. 
{Anthonomu$  signatus  Say.) 

This  inaeet  has  this  year  done  more  harm  than  It  usually  does,  and  none 
of  the  measures  tried  thus  far  glye  promise  of  entirely  satisfactory  re* 
suits.  The  growing  of  the  stamlnate  varieties  as  a  trap  does  not  appear 
to  have  had  serious  trial  by  our  growers.  Those  to  whom  the  writer  has 
mentioned  the  possibility  have  found  the  suggestion  totally  new,  or  have 
decided  that  the  disadvantages  of  the  pistillate  varieties  are  too  great 
Some  aver  that  the  berries  from  the  pistillate  varltles  are  not  equal  In 
flavor  to  those  grown  from  the  perfect  flower;  others  that  the  berries  do 
not  stand  shipment  as  welL 

Mr.  J.  L.  Pursuer  In  a  letter  dated  May  14th  called  attention  to  the 
work  of  this  Insect  at  Cologne.  The  Inspections  whlph  followed  on  May 
20th  showed  In  many  Instances  a  loss  of  50  per  cent  The  variety  known 
as  "Manhattan"  seemed  especially  susceptible.  The  Injury  was  marked 
at  Egg  Harbor,  Hammonton  and  MUlvllle. 

White   Pine   Weevil. 
iPiiiodes  itrobi  Peck) 

This  Insect  has  been  much  In  evidence  this  season.  Its  work  was  noted 
at  BemardsvlUe,  South  Orange,  and  Morris  Plains.  Adults  were  emerging 
on  August  7th,  when  the  detailed  examinations  were  made. 

Persons  experiencing  this  trouble  were  advised  to  keep  the  terminal 
shoots  sprayed  during  May  and  June  with  whale  oil  soap  (1  pound  to  6 
gallons  of  water)  to  which  one-half  pound  of  arsenate  of  lead  has  becfh 
added.  They  were  also  warned  to  keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  a  slight  yel- 
lowing of  the  tips  and  to  examine  promptly  for  signs  of  feeding.  If 
punctures  are  found  each  should  be  probed  with  a  soft  wire  to  kill  the 
larva.  If  the  feeding  has  gone  on  to  such  an  extent  as  to  render  recovery 
doubtful,  the  shoots  should  be  promptly  cut  out  and  burned. 

Hickory  Bark  Beetle. 

(  8colytu$  quadrispinoiUM  Say) 

This  Insect  has  been  Just  as  Injurious  this  year  as  last  and  Is  really  a 
terrible  pest  of  the  hickory  In  the  northeastern  part  of  the  state.  It  Is  a 
matter  of  great  regret  to  the  writer  that  his  funds  have  not  permitted  him 
to  take  up  the  study  of  this  species,  for  the  present  measures  of  control  are 
not  practical  under  the  local  conditions. 

Ah  Unusual  Greenhouse  Insect  ^ 

In  a  greenhouse  In  North  Jersey  a  calandrld  new  to  our  collection  was 
taken  and  sent  to  the  Bureau  of  Entomology  for  Identification.  Mr. 
Schwarz  determined  It  as  Eucactophagus  graphipterus  Champion  and 
remarked  that  It  was  a  native  of  Costa  Rica  and  the  United  States  of 
Colombia.    He  further  said  there  were  only  three  specimens  known. 


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350         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Army  Worm. 
{Leucania  unipuncta  Harv.) 

During  May  and  early  June  reports  of  tremendous  numbers  of  moths 
flying  about  the  lights  came  from  various  cities  throughout  the  state,  the 
greatest  Interest  being  manifested  by  towns  and  cities  along  the  coast 
from  Sandy  Hook  to  Atlantic  City.  The  few  specimens  which  we  had  a 
chance  to  examine  were  all  army  worm  moths. 

A  little  after  the  middle  of  June  reports  of  army  worm  damage  to 
com,  wheat  and  potatoes  came  In.  In  all  cases  the  worms  migrated  from 
adjacent  fields  of  grass.  Early  In  July  reports  of  extensive  lawn  Injury 
by  the  same  species  began  to  arrive  from  nearly  all  parts  of  South 
Jersey.  On  July  17th  the  writer  observed  the  worms  at  work  In  the  light- 
house lawn  at  Atlantic  City.  They  consumed  all  blue  and  other  tender 
grasses,  leaving  the  weeds  and  coarse  grass.  At  that  time  they  ranged 
from  one-half  an  Inch  long  to  fully  grown.  The  lawn  was  dry  and  brown, 
except  In  spots  where  coarse  grass  and  weeds  gave  It  a  green  color.  Four 
days  later  complaints  were  pouring  In  from  all  parts  of  the  state. 

As  Is  usually  the  case  the  rare  parasitism  visible  at  the  beginning  of  the 
outbreak  Increased  until  almost  all  the  worms  that  could  be  found  were 
Infested. 

Arsenate  of  lead  was  sprayed  on  Infested  grass  plots  and  killed  many 
worms,  but  proved  totally  Insufficient  to  stop  an  advancing  horde.  Poi- 
soned bran  mash  likewise  destroyed  many,  but  could  not  stop  the  armies. 
In  ditching  across  the  line  of  march  was  found  the  successful  method  of 
stopping  their  progress.  Ditches  12  to  20  Inches  deep  with  the  smooth 
perpendicular  side  toward  the  field  to  be  protected  and  furnished  with 
slx-to-elght-lnch-deep  post  holes  along  their  bottoms  at  distances  of  ten 
feet  proved  very  efficient  The  worms  fell  Into  the  ditches,  gathered  In 
the  holes,  and  were  killed  by  pouring  kerosene  upon  them  or  by  crush- 
ing them  with  a  flat-ending  staff. 

In  North  Arlington  It  was  found  that  a  hard  roadway  recently  cov- 
ered with  the  usual  coating  of  road  oil  acted  as  a  very  efficient  barrier, 
absolutely  preventing  the  worms  from  crossing.  Mr.  Miller,  flndlng  this 
to  be  true,  kept  the  road  running  between  his  place  and  the  invading 
host  covered  with  oil  and  practically  none  succeeded  In  crossing  It 

The  eggs  seem  to  have  been  laid  by  the  moths,  probably  the  members  of 
the  flights  mentioned  earlier.  In  grasslands  generally.  Including  lawns. 
The  larve  fed  upon  the  grass  until  the  supply  became  exhausted,  and  then 
started  out  In  search  of  food.  Their  night  feeding  habits  prevented  peo- 
ple from  noticing  them,  and  the  work  which  they  were  doing  was  at- 
tributed to  other  agents.  When,  however,  they  began  to  migrate  they 
were  discovered  at  once  and  calls  for  help  were  sent  In. 

Persons,  whose  lawns  and  plants  had  been  Injured,  were  advised  as 
follows:  "If  the  worms  have  already  turned  the  lawn  reddish  brown  itnd 
have  disappeared  the  Injured  grass  should  be  liberally  watered  and  fer- 
tilized In  order  that  It  may  recover  from  the  attack.    For  one  acre  of 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  351 

medium-light  to  heavy  soil  a  fertiliier*  oomposed  of  150  pounds  of  bons 
meal  and  160  pounds  of  nitrate  of  soda  should  be  satisfactory,  while  for 
the  same  sized  plot  of  very  light  soil  a  fertilizer  composed  of  100  pounds 
of  bone  meal,  150  pounds  of  nitrate  of  soda  and  50  pounds  of  muriate  of 
potash  should  be  used.  The  fertilizer  should  be  applied  jus(  before  a  good 
rain,  or  be  followed  promptly  by  copious  watering.  It  must  be  evenly  dis- 
tributed. Trees,  bushes,  and  vines  injured  by  this  insect  should  be  like- 
wise furnished  with  food  and  water  in  order  that  they  may  recover  from 
the  attack." 

In  Monmouth  County  the  Farm  Demonstrator,  Mr.  W.  B.  Duryee,  Jr., 
carried  on  a  warfare  against  this  pest  and  the  report  of  his  experience 
follows: 

"The  presence  of  army  worms  was  first  reported  to  this  oflloe  on  June 
22nd,  although  they  had  been  noticed  in  considerable  numbers  since  June 
18th.  The  area  infested  comprised  perhaps  500  acres  in  the  vicinity  of 
Bailey's  Comer,  near  Allenwood.  The  insects  first  appeared  in  the  grass 
fields  and  in  many  cases  were  not  noticed  until  the  grass  was  cut  when 
they  made  their  way  into  other  crops  in  search  of  food. 

"The  worms  were  also  reported  in  numbers  at  East  Freehold  at  about 
the  same  time  (June  28rd).  The  crops  damaged  were  grass  intended  for 
hay,  potatoes,  com  and  wheat,  the  destruction  of  the  last  three  not  being 
severe  owing  to  prompt  measures  of  prevention.  Four  or  five  fields  of 
timothy  were  rendered  practically  valueless,  only  the  bare  stalks  being 
left" 

The  ditch  method  was  adopted.  A  furrow  was  plowed  across  the  worms' 
line  of  march.  The  loose  soil  which  fell  back  into  it  after  the  plow  passed 
was  carefully  cleaned  out  and  the  side  toward  the  field  to  be  protected 
was  made  smooth  and  perpendicular.  "In  these  trenches  holes  were  dug 
with  a  spade  at  intervals  of  twenty  feet.  These  holes  were  cut  eight  or 
nine  inches  deep  and  as  wide  as  the  trench,  with  straight  sides.  The 
worms  collected  in  these  holes  rapidly  and  to  make  their  destruction  doubly 
sure  were  sprayed  with  kerosene,  which  was  very  effective.  In  some  cases  the 
soil  was  so  gravelly  that  it  was  impossible  to  make  the  side  sheer  enough 
to  keep  the  worms  from  climbing  out  In  these  cases  a  second  trench, 
like  the  first,  was  made  five  or  six  feet  in  front  of  the  first 

"It  was  found  impossible  to  control  the  worms  when  feeding  on  plants. 
Arsenate  of  lead  was  fairly  effective  although  slow  in  action;  Paris  green 
applied  heavily  enough  to  be  effective  burned  the  foliage.  Kerosene  emul- 
sion was  found  useless  at  any  dilution,  because  it  injured  foliage  of  com 
when  applied  sufilciently  concentrated  to  kill  the  worms.  The  worms  were 
present  in  decreasing  numbers  for  two  weeks  after  they  first  appeared." 
It  is  probable  that  they  were  present  for  some  time  before  the  farmers 
saw  evidence  of  their  work. 


*l'he  formula  is  one  devised  by  Dr.  Jacob  G.  Lipman,  Director  of  the 
Experiment  Stations,  at  the  request  of  the  writer. 


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352  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"The  next  serious  outbreak  was  reported  on  July  16tlu  On  inyestigation 
they  were  found  to  be  very  numerous  along  the  coast  from  Sea  Girt  to  Sea 
Bright,  the  infestation  extending  only  a  mile  or  two  west  They  were 
somewhat  abundant  at  Red  Bank  and  along  the  Rumson  Road  leading 
from  Red  Bank  to  Sea  Bright  Isolated  cases  were  reported  as  far  west 
as  Freehold.  Lawns  suffered  principally  from  this  attack,  especially 
those  that  had  been  seeded  during  the  last  year  or  two." 

Infested  lawns  were  sprinkled  or  sprayed  with  arsenate  of  lead,  poi- 
soned bran  mash  was  scattered,  and  air  slaked  lime  and  gasoline  were 
employed.  "The  first  was  not  very  effective,  seeming  to  operate  merely 
as  a  repellant  The  second  was  fairly  effective  in  some  cases,  but  not  so 
in  others  because  the  worms  refused  to  eat  the  bran  when  they  could  get 
grass.  The  third  seemed  most  successful.  Narrow  depressions  were  made 
along  the  edge  of  walks,  gardens,  and  buildings.  The  lawn  was  sprinkled 
with  lime  not  allowing  any  to  get  into  the  trenches.  The  worms  hid  in 
these  depressions  during  the  morning  to  avoid  the  lime  and  by  sprinkling 
them  with  gasoline  great  numbers  were  killed.  Gasoline  was  better  than 
kerosene  as  it  did  not  stain  the  buildings  or  pavements  and  the  odor 
disappeared.  The  worms  menaced  lawns  in  this  section  for  ten  days  after 
they  were  first  reported. 

"The  next  report  of  damage  was  at  Farmingdale  on  July  23rd.  This 
was  not  serious  and  they  soon  disappeared. 

*  '*The  number  of  parasitized  specimens  increased  from  rare  instances, 
when  the  worms  were  first  reported  to  almost  100  per  cent  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  infestation.  The  number  of  tachina  files  increased  cor- 
respondingly." 

Appie-Tree  Te«it  Caterplllart. 
{Malacosoma  americana  Fabr.) 

Late  in  April  and  early  in  May  this  species  occasioned  much  complaint 
throughout  the  northeastern  part  of  the  state.  Much  of  the  land  within 
reach  of  New  York  City  is  apparently  held  by  speculators,  and  little 
effort  is  made  by  the  owners  to  cultivate  or  even  to  preserve  its  decent  ap- 
pearance. Much  of  it  is  covered  with  scrub  growth,  including  wild  cherry 
bushes.  Apple  trees  are  found  along  fence  rows  and  in  old  neglected  or- 
chards. This  wild,  uncared-for  growth  of  cherry  and  apple  became  cov- 
ered with  webs  of  this  insect  Allendale,  Westwood,  Hillsdale,  Hillsdale 
Manor  and  Woodcliff  Lake  were  among  the  towns  worst  infested.  The 
species  was  mistaken  for  gypsy  moth  and  newspaper  reports  of  the  oc- 
currence of  this  insect  were  circulated. 

The  unusual  number  caused  the  foliage  on  these  waste  lands  to  become 
exhausted  while  yet  many  of  the  worms  were  only  partly  grown.  Con- 
sequently apple,  cherry  and  peach  were  defoliated  and  much  garden  truck 
consumed  on  places  whose  owners  had  used  all  possible  care  in  destroy- 
ing their  own  infestation. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  353 

Some  evidence  of  the  work  of  this  speoieB  was  found  In  South  Jersey 
at  Hammonton. 

In  limited  localiUes  this  Insect  is  readily  controlled  by  cutting  out  the 
offending  nests,  or  better  still  by  spraying  the  foliage  about  the  nest  thor- 
oughly with  arsenate  of  lead  (8  pounds)  and  water  (50  gallons).  When 
the  outbreak  covers  a  large  territory  and  involves  much  growth  on  wild 
lands  community  action  is  advisable.  In  all  such  cases  the  aid  of  the  en- 
tomologist should  be  sought  and  a  well-planned  campaign  against  the  in- 
sect undertaken. 

Florida  Fern  Caterpillar. 
{Eriopus  floridetiMis  Quen.) 

On  September  18th  this  insect  was  found  troublesome  on  ferns  at 
Riverton.  The  firm  on  whose  premises  the  injury  was  occurring  had  re- 
ceived some  Nephrolepis  from  Florida,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  species 
came  with  them.  They  were  feeding  on  Adiantum,  sp.,  Cyrtomium  sp., 
Blechnnm  sp.  and  Atparagus  sprengeri.    Blechnum  seemed  to  suffer  most. 

Argentine  Ant. 
ilridomyrmex  humulis  Mayr.) 

This  species  was  taken  in  the  packing  from  a  case  of  nursery  stock 
from  Germany.  Dr.  W.  M.  Wheeler,  who  kindly  'determined  the  species, 
was  at  a  loss  to  understand  its  occurrence  in  Germany,  unless  It  was  con- 
fined strictly  to  greenhouses.  This  suggested  that  perhaps  the  species  was 
a  member  of  the  greenhouse-insect  life  of  New  Jersey.  Systematic  collec- 
tions failed  to  show  It,  but  did  reveal  three  species  new  to  the  greenhouse 
fauna  of  the  state.  These  were  determined  by  Dr.  Wheeler  as  Tetra- 
morium  guineense  Fabr.,  Prenolopis  fulva  Mayr.,  and  Pheidole  anastasii 
Emery.  All  were  taken  at  Rutherford,  the  first,  April  9th,  1914,  and  the 
others  on  April  14th,  1914. 

Fleas. 
(CtenocephaluM  canis  Curt) 

The  cat  and  dog  fiea  occasioned  a  considerable  amount  of  trouble  in  the 
houses  of  the  well-to-do.  In  every  case  It  was  found  In  connection  with  pet 
cats  or  dogs.  In  some  cases  the  fieas  seemed  to  be  breeding  In  the  house 
after  the  animals  had  been  denied  access  for  a  long  time.  In  one  Instance 
the  particular  breeding  place  seemed  to  be  behind  a  loose  base-board  in  a  bed 
room.  Elimination  of  the  pets  as  fiea  carriers  by  regular  treatment  with 
soap  and  water  or  pyrethrum  followed  by  liberal  treatment  of  all  cracks 
and  crevices  in  the  infested  rooms  with  gasoline  will  eventually  relieve 
and  prevent  further  difllculty.  Proper  treatment  of  the  pets  followed  by 
thoroughly  fumigating  the  infested  rooms  with  hydrocyanic  add  gas 
should  give  immediate  and  permanent  relief. 

Some  of  the  persons  troubled  were  convinced  that  the  troublesome  fieas 
were  not  cat  and  dog  fieas  but  "sand  fieas."  Subjecting  specimens  to  a 
careful  microscopic  examination  resulted  in  every  Instance  in  showing 
them  to  be  the  cat  and  dog  fiea. 


13   AG 

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354  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Grape  Vine  PoUto-Gall. 

This  peculiar  and  interesting  malformation  was  taken  at  West  £!nd 
and  Rutherford.  The  casual  agent  is  a  small  dipterous  insect,  Lasioptera 
vitU  O.  S. 

Naroitsut  Fly. 
{Merodon  equestris  L.)* 

Daring  October,  1918,  this  species  was  found  by  Bliss  Morlod[,  of 
Orange,  working  in  the  roots  of  her  Iris.  Although  this  is  its  first  record 
in  New  Jersey  it  is  recognized  as  a  pest  in  British  Columbia  and  in  Europe. 
The  infested  plants  were  pulled  up  and  destroyed. 

Miscellaneous  Species. 

Among  the  arthropods  doing  noticeable  but  merely  local  injury  may  be 
mentioned  the  following  siiecies:  (1)  June  24th,  mlUipeds  feeding  on 
potato  plants  at  the  base  where  the  stems  were  in  contact  with  moist 
soil;  (2)  July  10th,  red  spider  injuring  phlox  at  Red  Bank;  (3)  July  13th, 
onions  about  Hightstown  slightly  injured  by  onion  thrips  {Thrips  tabaci 
Linden);  (4)  July  6th,  mealy  bugs  (probably  Paeudococcus  trifolii 
Forbes)  attacking  the  base  of  Weigelia  in  F.  &  F.  Nurseries  at  Springfield; 
(5)  July  15th,  currants  on  College  Farm,  New  Brunswick,  Injured  by  the 
four-lined  leaf-bug  {Pdcilocapsus  lineatus  Fabr.);  (6)  July  7th,  ''Black 
Diamond"  blackberries  at  Cologne  injured  by  the  bramble  fiea  louse 
{Trioza  tripunctata  Fitch);  (7)  July  17th,  elm  trees  in  SomerviUe  consid- 
erably Injured  by  plant  lice  (probably  OalHpteruM  ulmifoUi  Monell);  (8) 
June  15th,  potatoes  at  Mullica  Hill  attacked  by  plant  lice;  (9)  July 
17th,  euonymus  at  SomerviUe  injured  by  the  euonymus  scale  iChionoM- 
pU  euonymi  Comst);  (10)  July  6th,  July  17th,  catalpa  at  Hammonton 
and  other  South  Jersey  towns  and  at  Somerville  attacked  by  the  catalpa 
sphinx  caterpillar  (Ceratomia  catalpos  Bdv.);  (11)  July  17th,  elm  in  Som- 
eryllle  injured  by  wood  leopard  moth  (Zeuzera  pyrina  Fab.);  (12)  June 
26th,  iris  at  Orange  Injured  by  Macronoctua  onu$ta  Grt;  (13)  July  6th, 
scrub  oak  (Quercus  pumila)  in  North  and  South  Jersey  woods  injured  by 
the  common  oak  caterpillar  {Aniaota  senatoria  Abb  ft  Sm.) ;  (14)  July  7th, 
the  blackberry  plants  at  Cologne  injured  by  the  blackberry  crown  borer 
{Bemhecia  marginata  Harr.);  (15)  July  8th,  pussy  willow  in  Hammonton 
injured  by  the  poplar  borer  (Saperda  calcarata  Say);  (16)  June  24th, 
cucumbers  and  melons  in  Monmouth  County  injured  by  the  striped  cucum- 
ber beetle  {Diabrotica  vittata  Fab.);  May  18th,  asparagus  at  Green widi 
injured  by  asparagus  beetle  (Crioceris  asparaffi  Linn.);  (18)  July  30th, 
tomatoes  at  Centre  Square  attacked  by  Colorado  potato  beetles  {Leptino- 
tarsa  decemlineata  Say);  (19)  June  8th,  maple  at  Passaic  injured  by 
petiole  miner,  a  saw  fiy  (Priophorus  acericauUs  McG.). 

Another  Method  of  Rearing  Silk  Worms. 

Mr.  Elias  Mead  of  Passaic,  N.  J.,  approached  the  entomologist  with 
a  plan  for  testing  a  better  method  of  rearing  silk  worms.     Mr.  Mead 
>»  Determined  by  Nathan  Banks  through  kindness  of  Dr.  L.  O.  Howard. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  355 

would  like  to  have  selected  some  mulberry  trees  at  New  Brunswick 
and  carried  on  the  test  close  to  the  entomologist's  office.  The  lack 
of  mulberry  trees  prevented  this,  however,  and  Mr.  Mead  then  made 
the  test  in  his  own  yard  at  Passaic,  the  entomologist  or  his  representa- 
tive visiting  the  scene  of  operations  at  intervals.  Mr.  Mead  explained 
that  the  method  had  been  devised  by  his  son,  Mr.  M.  H.  Mead,*  and 
that  its  particular  merit  lay  in  the  high  percentage  that  came  to  ma- 
turity and  the  unusually  low  labor  cost  involved  in  caring  for  them. 

Accordingly  on  June  iith,  Mr.  H.  B.  Weiss  visited  Mr.  Mead's 
home  and  witnessed  the  placing  of  two  colonies  of  caterpillars  on  a 
small  mulberry  tree.  The  method  involved  the  following  operations: 
(i)  slipping  an  elongated,  double-walled  and  blind-ending  cloth  sack 
over  several  leafy  branches;  (2)  introducing  the  caterpillars  at  open 
end;  (3)  replacing  the  cage  and  contents  on  fresh  food  if  the  amount 
of  foliage  enclosed  proved  too  small;  (4)  removal  of  the  cage  after 
pupation  and  harvesting  of  the  cocoons. 

In  the  cages  under  observation,  the  food  was  sufficient  and  no 
change  was  made  during  the  course  of  the  experiment.  On  July  loth, 
Mr.  Weiss  examined  the  two  cages  and  found  the  caterpillars  practi- 
cally full  grown  and  the  foliage  almost  consumed.  On  July  i8th, 
Mr.  Weiss  again  saw  the  cages  and  found  that  all  caterpillars  had 
pupated.  On  July  21st,  the  entomologist  examined  and  removed 
the  cages  with  the  following  results.  The  first  cage  started  with  65 
caterpillars  and  produced  57  good  cocoons.  The  second  cage  started 
with.  55  caterpillars  and  produced  47  cocoons. 

At  Mr.  Mead's  request  the  writer  removed  two  other  cages,  neither 
of  which  we  had  had  under  observation.  In  one  according  to  Mr. 
M.  H.  Mead,  56  caterpillars  had  been  placed.  In  the  other  55  had 
been  placed.  In  the  first  55  cocoons  were  found,  one  of  which  was 
weak.     In  the  second  50  cocoons  were  found. 

INSECT  COLLECTIONS. 
Increase. 

The  insect  collection  has  been  increased  by  the  addition  of  some 
Coleoptera  from  Mr.  C.  A.  Frost  and  by  the  addition  of  a  collection 
of  California  Coccida, 

Exhibition. 

An  exhibition  collection  of  injurious  insect  species  has  been  started. 
The  specimens  are  placed  in  Riker  mounts,  because  of  the  ease  and 
safety  with  which  this  form  of  collection  can  be  transported.  The 
following  mounts  have  been  prepared:  2  cases  of  California  scales, 
3  cases  showing  different  types  of  insect  injury  to  leaves,  2  cases  of 
New  Jersey  scales,  2  cases  showing  insect  injury  to  stored  products, 
3  cases  showing  some  of  the  galls  of  New  Jersey,  i  case  of  Cicadidse, 
I  case  of  pear  psylla,  i  case  of  pear  leaf  blister  mite,  i  case  of  potato 


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356         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

stalk  borer,  i  case  of  elm  leaf-beetle,  i  case  of  rose  chafer,  2  cases  of 
insect  work  in  bark  layers. 

Anti'Pftftch-Borer  Coatings. 

The  work  this  year  has  been  devoted'  to  a  general  test  of  hard 
asphaltum,  soft  asphaltum,  air  slaked  lime,  "government  whitewash," 
"Boro-wax,"  sulfocide,  etc.,  as  outlined  in  last  year's  report.  All 
substances  failed  to  obtain  complete  control.  The  soft  asphaltum  gave 
the  most  encouraging  results,  because  it  withstood  the  weather  for 
a  full  season  and  allowed  borers  to  penetrate  only  below  its  lower 
edge.  All  other  coatings  showed  borers  just  above  or  were  penetrated 
by  them.  One  full  year  of  trial  has  shown  no  asphaltum  injury 
to  any  age  of  trees.  Further  experiments  looking  toward  the  effecting 
of  a  sufficiently  complete  coating  with  this  and  other  similar  substances 
will  be  made. 

COMBINATIONS  OF  NICOTINE  WITH  ORDINARY  SPRAYING 

MIXTURE 

At  various  times  in  the  past  several  years  the  combination  of  nico- 
tine  preparations  with  summer  strengths  lime-sulphur  and  arsenate 
of  lead  or  with  bordeaux  and  arsenate  of  lead  has  been  recommend- 
ed. In  no  case,  however,  docs  the  recommendation  seemed  to  have 
been  based  on  extensive  studies.  Among  New  Jersey  fruit  growers,  a 
few  have  used  "Black-leaf  40"  combined  with  Pyrox,  but  the  state  of 
nund  is  apparently  one  of  indecision. 

Complaints  from  more  or  less  reputable  sources  have  indicated 
that  the  combination  may  result  in  forming  a  mass  of  troublesome 
precipitate.  It  was  decided  therefore  in  connection  with  a  study  of 
the  false  apple  red  bug  and  its  control  to  determine  in  a  laboratory 
way  whether  a  combination  of  nicotine  solution  with  the  ordinary 
spraying  mixtures  produced  any  undesirable  change  which  could  be 
readily  detected.  Mr.  Charles  S.  Beckwith,  a  senior  student,  who 
had  chosen  as  his  thesis  the  study  of  the  false  apple  red  bug  and 
its  control  undertook  this  investigation  and  his  statement  of  procedure 
and  results  follows  herewith. 

"An  inyestigatlon  into  tbe  effect  of  combining  nicotine  with  the  common 
spraying  mixtures  for  our  purpose  seemed  naturally  to  divide  itself  into 
two  phases — effect  on  the  spray  mixture  and  effect  on  the  nicotine.  By 
force  of  circumstances  investigation  of  the  first  phase  was  limited  to  the 
amount  of  precipitate  that  is  formed,  while  the  second  dealt  with  the 
ability  of  the  nicotine  to  stay  in  solution  and  therefore  to  retain  its  effect- 
iveness. 

Material  Used. 

"'Black-leaf  40'  is  perhaps  the  most  widely  tested  of  the  standard 
strength  nicotine  preparations  and  'Nikotiana'  is  a  new  product  made  at 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  357 

Madison,  New  Jersey,  by  the  Aphine  Manufacturing  Ck>mpan7.  Both  of 
these  were  used  In  the  experiments,  the  former  being  diluted  one  part 
to  600  parts  water  and  the  latter  at  the  rate  of  one  part  to  180  parts  water. 
'The  action  of  nicotine  was  tested  with  the  following  mixtures:  Lead 
arsenate;  zinc  arsenlte;  Bordeaux  mixture;  lime  sulphur;  Bordeaux  mix- 
ture and  lead  arsenate;  Bordeaux  mixture  and  sine  arsenlte;  lime  sulphur 
and  lead  arsenate;  lime  sulphur  and  xlnc  arsenlte;  'Pryox';  'Electro 
Bordo-lead.' 

Laboratory  Methods. 

"All  mixtures  were  made  up  in  the  same  proportions  as  In  common 
orchard  practice,  using  distilled  water.  The  nicotine  was  added  to  the 
solution  In  the  proportion  given  above.  All  liquid  measurements  of  60  cc. 
or  less  were  made  with  a  pipette.  The  solution  was  carefully  mixed  and 
100  cubic  centimeters  were  passed  through  a  Gooch  filter.  The  precipi- 
tate was  washed  once  with  cold  water  and  then  dried  at  the  temperature  of 
100  *"  c  for  four  hours.    It  was  then  cooled  and  weighed. 

"The  filtrate  was  tested  for  nicotine  by  adding  a  solution  of  Iodine  and 
potassium  Iodide,  which  gives  a  red  precipitate  In  the  presence  of  nico- 
tine. When  there  was  lime  sulphur  in  the  mixture  the  nicotine  was  dis- 
tilled by  a  steam  distillation  process  and  the  distillate  tested  for  nicotine. 

EfTect  on  Spray  Mixtures. 

"The  effect  of  the  nicotine  preparations  upon  the  other  Ingredients  In 
the  mixture  was  studied  and  the  precipitate  from  100  cubic  centimeters  of 
mixture  was' weighed. 


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358  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  3S9 

"in  no  case  does  the  nicotine  make  any  marked  change  in  the  amount 
of  precipitate.  The  small  variations  may  be  due  to  a  number  of  causes 
but  they  are  not  large  enough  in  any  case  to  affect  the  usefulness  of  the 
mixture. 

Effect  on  Nicotine. 

"The  filtrate  from  all  the  nicotine  spray  mixtures  gave  a  red  precipitate 
when  a  mixture  of  iodine  and  potassium  iodide  was  added.  This  proves 
that  the  nicotine  remained  in  solution  as  nicotine  or  nicotine  sulphate.  It 
is  effective  in  either  case.  Even  the  very  strong  lime  sulphur  solutions 
failed  to  break  up  the  nicotine  or  combine  with  It  in  an  unsatisfactory 
way. 

"In  order  to  determine  the  effectiveness  of  the  nicotine  when  combined 
with  other  substances,  observations  were  taken  in  two  orchards  infested 
with  the  false  apple  red  bug.  One  was  on  the  College  Farm  in  New 
Brunswick,  the  other  was  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  J.  A.  Cortelyou  at  Princeton. 
On  the  former,,  a  mixture  of  lime  sulphur,  lead  arsenate  and  'Black-leaf 
40'  was  used  and  on  the  latter,  lead  arsenate  and  'Black-leaf  40.'  No  more 
care  than  usual  was  taken  in  the  sprayng  of  the  trees,  the  only  difference 
being  in  the  addition  of  the  nicotine.  In  both  cases,  the  infestation  was  wiped 
out  so  that  a  half  hour  search  failed  to  reveal  a  single  nymph  whereas, 
before  the  spraying,  nymphs  in  the  first  and  second  stages  were  numerous.. 
A  second  search  a  week  later  failed  to  reveal  any  nymphs  or  any  of  their 
characteristic  work. 

Conclusion. 

"It  is  evident  that  the  two  nicotine  preparations,  'Black-leaf  40'  and 
'Nikotiana,'  can  be  mixed  with  the  common  spray  mixtures  without  a 
serious  precipitate  forming  and  without  any  apparent  detriment  to  the 
nicotine." 

Potato   Spraying  and   Dusting. 

This  second  year  of  potato  spraying  and  dusting  has  seen  the  scope 
of  the  work  greatly  increased.  Instead  of  one  field,  three,  each  locat- 
ed in  a  typical  potato  growing  section  of  the  State  have  been  used. 
Instead  of  eleven  acres  sixty  acres  have  been  involved.  Instead  of 
one  variety,  three  have  been  tested.  As  stated  in  our  previous  report 
the  purpose  of  this  work  is:  (i)  to  determine  in  a  -large  practical 
way  the  relative  value  of  spraying  and  dusting  mixtures  in  getting 
a  maximum  yield  of  tubers  through  control  of  injurious  insects  and 
plant  diseases  and  through  growth  stimulus  imparted  to  vines;  (2)  to 
devise  a  satisfactory  method  of  controlling  the  potato  flea  beetle 
(Epitrix  cucumeris  Harr). 

This  work  was  carried  forward  as  a  co-operation  between  the 
Experiment  Station  and  the  potato  growers  concerned  on  the  one 
hand  and  the  Experiment  Station  and  certain  commercial  concerns  on 
the  other.     The  Experiment  Station  directed  and  assisted   in  making 


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36o         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

the  'applications  and  made  the  necessary  observations  on  the  results. 
The  potato  growers,  Mr.  J.  Harry  Kandle,  of  Elmer,  Mr.  Frank  P. 
Jones,  of  Freehold^  and  Mr.  Robert  M.  Dilatush,  of  Robbinsville, 
made  the  applications  and  in  some  cases  helped  in  taking  the  data  on 
yields. 

The  principal  group  of  commercial  concerns  co-operating  were 
headed  by  Mr.  F.  H.  Pough,  of  the  Union  Sulphur  Company.  With 
Mr.  Pough,  were  associated  representatives  of  the  Corona  Chemical 
Company  and  the  Dust  Sprayer  Manufacturing  Company.  Mr. 
Charles  Carpender,  of  the  Vreeland  Chemical  Company,  associated 
with  representatives  of  the  Bateman  Manufacturing  Company,  co- 
operated with  the  Station  in  its  work  in  Robbinsville.  The  Thomsen 
Chemical  Company  co-operated  with  the  Station  in  its  Robbinsville 
work,  the  Ansbacher  Insecticide  Company  in  its  work  at  Freehold 
and  the  Kil-tone  Company  in  its  work  at  Elmer. 

The  Union  Sulphur  Company  furnished  the  sulphur  and  made  up 
all  the  dust  mixtures;  the  Corona  Chemical  Company  furnished  the 
arsenate  of  lead;  the  Dust  Sprayer  Manufacturing  Company,  the 
dusting  machines;  the  Vreeland  Chemical  Company,  the  Bordo-lead; 
the  Bateman  Manufacturing  Company  a  potato  sprayer  for  work  at 
Robbinsville;  the  Thomsen  Chemical  Company  the  arsenite  of  zinc; 
the  Ansbacher  Insecticide  Company  the  Bordeaux-lead,  used  at  Free- 
hold ;  the  Kil-tone  Company  the  Kil-tone,  used  at  Elmer. 

In  return  for  this  aid  from  commercial  concerns,  the  Station 
obligated  itself  to  arrange  for  and  carry  out  the  test,  and  to  furnish 
a  statement  of  results.  It  was  further,  distinctly  understood  that, 
while  any  of  the  co-operating  concerns  might  use  the  facts  discovered 
for  planning  future  work,  no  use  was  to  be  made  of  it  for  publicity 
purposes  until  the  results  had  been  printed  by  the  Experiment  Station. 

In  this  co-operation  the  Experiment  Station  was  represented  by  its 
departments  of  Plant  Pathology  and  Entomology.  Owing  to  the  fact 
that  the  problems  of  protecting  potato  foliage  from  parasitic  injury 
seemed  to  be  mainly  entomological,  the  Department  of  Entomology 
assumed  complete  charge  of  carrying  out  the  plans  that  were  made  in 
conference.  Mr.  Alfred  E.  Cameron,  a  scholar  of  the  Board  of 
Agriculture  of  England,  who  at  the  time  when  this  work  began  was 
studying  with  the  entomologist,  was  given  charge  of  it,  and  his  report 
of  the  investigation  follows  herewith. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  361 

"Potato  Spraying  and  Dusting  Experiments 
for  the  Year  1914. 

BY 
ALFRED  E.  CAMERON,  M.  A.,  M.  Sc. 
Board  of  Agriculture  Scholar,  England. 


Introductiorv. 


"I  hare  had  the  pleasure  of  deriylng  from  many  farmers,  well  versed  In 
the  most  up-to-date  methods  of  agriculture,  their  personal  experiences  in 
the  matter  of  spraying.  Although  in  a  few  cases  there  was  a  certain 
chariness  in  expressing  an  opinion,  the  general  trend  of  their  ideas  has 
been  hitherto  essentially  antagonistic  to  the  adoption  of  spraying  with 
Bordeaux,  in  the  first  place  as  entailing  more  trouble  than  it  was  thought 
to  be  worth  and  in  the  second  place  as  failing  to  prove  of  any  advantage 
when  the  final  profits  came  to  be  reckoned  up.  This  seemed  more  than 
interesting  to  me  in  view  of  what  was  the  experience  of  others,  both  in 
other  states  of  this  country  and  in  other  countries  of  the  world,  and  I 
finally  concluded  that  either  some  climatic  or  soil  factor  or  perhaps  some 
ifiethod  of  agriculture  counteracted  or  obscured  the  otherwise  admittedly 
beneficial  effect  of  the  application,  or  that  there  was  a  slipshodness  or 
carelessness  in  the  manner  of  its  preparation  and  treatment 

"Three  places  were  secured  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  work,  namely, 
at  Freehold,  Robbinsville  and  Elmer,  in  the  counties  of  Monmouth,  Mer- 
cer and  Salem,  respectively,  districts  which  may  be  considered  fairly  repre- 
sentative of  the  potato  growing  sections  of  ^e  State,  and  at  all  three 
places  satisfactory  returns  showed  the  benefits  to  be  obtained  from  the 
employment  of  Bordeaux.  At  Freehold,  however,  the  increase  in  yield 
as  compared  with  the  other  treatments,  hereafter  discussed,  was  not 
marked.  Indeed,  so  little  was  the  difference  in  any  of  the  treatments  and 
so  uniform  the  yield  that  I  am  inclined  to  look  for  the  reason  of  apparent 
failure  here  in  the  fact  that  peculiar  methods  of  culture  may  infiuence  the 
final  result  Here  the  surface  soil  is  a  sandy  loam— CoUington  sandy  loam 
containing  a  large  amount  of  potash  (2.5  per  cent) — underlaid  by  a  green- 
ish-yellow, sticky  marl,  and  on  this  particular  farm  a  system  of  deep- 
plous^ing  enriching  the  top  soil  has  been  adopted  with  the  most  satis- 
factory results.  Added  to  this  we  have  to  meet  the  fact  that  our  co- 
operator  is  in  the  habit  of  feeding  his  soil  with  abundant  supplies  of  barn- 
yard manure  as  well  as  commercial  fertilizer,  which  may  secure  such 
strong  and  vigorous  plants  that  the  Bordeaux-effect  is  entirely  lost  In 
other  words,  what  I  would  tentatively  suggest  in  view  of  the  evidence 
obtained  is  that  under  certain  conditions,  with  which  we  are  as  yet  not  en- 
tirely familiar,  the  potato  vines  may  arrive  at  an  optimum  of  vigor  beyond 
which  they  may  fail  to  be  stimulated,  a  critcal  point  in  fact    At  Freehold 


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362  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

then  the  slightly  Increased  yields  on  the  Bordeaux  as  compared  with  those 
obtained  on  the  sulphur  and  proprietary  Bordeaux  plots  may  be  Justly 
ascribed  to  its  more  efficient  control  of  the  flea  beetle  {Epitrix  cucumeris 
Uarr.)  which  in  dry  seasons  like  that  Just  past  levies  in  New  Jersey  at 
least  a  higher  tax  on  the  crop  than  any  of  its  vegetable  parasites.  In- 
deed here  we  have  a  reason  for  the  comparatively  poor  showing  of  Bor- 
deaux in  New  Jersey.  One  dry  season  follows  another  with  such  regu- 
larity that  the  early  {Macroaporium  Solani  E.  ft  M.)  and  Late  Blights 
iPhytophthora  infestans  De  Bary),  exacting  such  a  toll  in  the  more  north- 
em  states,  here  in  only  odd  humid  seasons  favorable  to  the  germination 
of  the  spores  of  the  latter,  get  the  opportunity  to  exert  their  ruinous  in- 
fluence. Therefore  it  is  only  natural  to  assume  that  Bordeaux,  which  is 
specific  against  these  potato  blights,  will  be  more  likely  to  demonstrate 
its  capabilities  in  seasons  favorable,  to  the  generation  of  blights,  and  this 
indeed  has  been  the  experience  of  several  New  Jersey  farmers. 

"The  use  of  sulphur  in  these  experiments  marks  an  innovation  in  the 
application  of  this  material  as  a  fungicide  of  potato  leaf  diseases  in  this 
state  at  least.  In  Europe,  especially  Southern  France,  and  in  Northern 
Africa,  in  Algeria,  sulphur  has  been  extensively  used  in  combatting  the 
odium  and  other  fungous  diseases  of  the  grape  vine  with  most  encourag;- 
ing  results.  According  to  Bourcart*,  sulphur  has  also  a  direct  action  on 
the  grape  vine  which  it  renders  more  vigorous.  That  this  is  probably 
true  also  of  the  potato  vine  under  certain  circumstances  is  shown  by  the 
results  obtained  at  Elmer  on  blocks  dusted  with  a  mixture  of  sulphur  and 
lead  arsenate.  These  yielded  21  bushels  per  acre  more  potatoes  than  those 
treated  with  arsenate  of  lead  alone.  This  was,  however,  but  a  third  of  the 
increase  derived  from  the  use  of  Bordeaux  lead  arsenate  mixture. 

''A  series  of  experiments  carried  out  by  Bourcartt  showed  that  sulphur 
virtue  of  the  supposed  generation  of  the  sulphur  dioxide  or  sulphuretted 
hydrogen,  but  by  reason  of  Its  own  vapours. 

"The  comparative  aspect  which  this  year's  experiments  are  intended  to 
bear  out  must  not  be  lost  sight  of  and  the  differences  in  yields  obtained 
on  the  differently  treated  plots  are  worthy  of  strict  attention.  Besides 
the  fact  that  the  home-made  Bordeaux  mixure  gave  the  best  return  as 
regards  yields  in  all  three  experiments,  it  also  proved  to  be  the  most 
economical  in  application,  excepting,  of  course,  the  lead  arsenate  used  on 
the  check  plots  at  Freehold  and  Elmer  and  Intended  only  to  check  the  rav- 
ages  of  the  Colorado  potato  and  flea  beetles. 

"The  experiments  at  Geneva  have  also  come  to  the  conclusion  that  there 
are  several  factors  which  might  have  an  Important  Influence  on  the  results, 
amongst  which  are  mentioned  differences  of  locality  and  soils. t  The  aver- 
ages for  the  ten-year  experiments  at  Geneva  and  Riverhead  reveal  the  fact 
that  the  average  increase  for  sprayed  potatoes  per  acre  at  the  former  is 


♦Insecticides,  Fungicides  and  Weed  Killers— E.  Bourcart,  London,  1913, 
p.  46. 

tLoc.  Cit.  p.  46. 

tBull.  290,  N.  Y.  Agri.  Exper.  Sta.,  F.  C.  Stewart,  1907. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  363 

more  tiiaii  douUe  the  increaae  for  the  Utter.  At  (Geneva  the  soil  is  rather 
a  heavy  clay  loam,  at  Rirerhead  a  sandy  loam,  interesting;  in  yiew  of  what 
has  been  said  about  the  experiments  at  Freehold,  New  Jersey.  Sheltered 
rather  than  exposed  conditions  give  better  results  and  in  the  final  reckon- 
hig  op  the  fertility  of  the  land  and  the  variety  of  the  potato  are  factors 
of  no  mean  importance.  But,  probably  as  the  author  remarks,  most  atten- 
tion must  be  paid  to  thoroughness  in  spraying. 

Plan  of  the  Experiments  and  Arrangements  of  Plots. 

"The  idea  was  to  carry  out  the  experiments  on  as  large  a  scale  as  pos- 
sible so  that  the  objection  which  is  often  advanced,  of  the  futility  of  form- 
ing correct  conclusions  from  the  yields  of  rows  treated  singly  would  not 
hold  good.  Therefore  at  Robbinsville  and  Elmer  the  fields  were  divided 
up  into  plots  of  20  rows  and  six  of  these  plots  formed  a  series.  Within  ttie 
series  each  alternate  plot  was  a  check  treated  at  Robbinsville  with  a  mix- 
ture of  zinc  arsenite  and  gypsum  calculated  to  repress  the  activities  of  the 
flea  beetle  and  Colorado  beetle,  and  at  Elmer  to  this  same  end,  arsenate 
of  lead  was  employed.  The  other  treatments  in  the  block  or  series  varied: 
at  Elmer,  Bordeaux  Mixture  combined  with  arsenate  of  lead,  Kiltone,  and 
a  mixture  of  sulphur  and  lead  arsenate;  at  Robbinsville,  Bordeaux  com- 
bined with  lead  arsenate,  Vreeland's  "Electro"  Bordo-Lead,  and  a  mixture 
of  sulphur  and  zinc  arsenite.  At  Robbinsville  where  the  field  contained 
slii^tly  more  than  twenty-four  acres  this  series  of  plots  was  repeated 
four  times,  so  that  any  inconsistancies,  due  to  the  nature  of  the  soil,  might 
be  eliminated  as  far  as  possible.  At  Elmer  where  there  was  approximately 
ten  acres,  there  was  only  space  for  a  single  repeat 

"The  arrangement  at  Freehold  was  slightly  different,  the  field  of  about 
twenty-four  acres  being  divided  up  into  blocks  of  but  eight  rows  so  that 
many  more  che^  plots  could  be  inserted.  Then  again  every  alternate 
plot  was  a  check,  the  other  plots  in  the  series  of  six  being  treated  with 
Bordeaux  mixture  and  lead  arsenate,  a  mixture  of  sulphur,  lead  arsenate 
uxd  gypsum,  and  Ansbacher's  Bordeaux.  It  will  be  noted  that  at  each 
plaoQ  a  different  proprietary  spraying  mixture  was  used. 

Methods  of  Experiments. 
"In  applying  the  wet  preparations,  two  types  of  spraying  machines  were 
employed.  At  Elmer,  the  Watson  Sprayer,  made  by  the  Field  Force  Pump 
Company  of  Elmira,  N.  T.,  gave  eminently  satisfactory  results.  The  only 
objection  that  could  be  made  was  the  fluctuation  in  the  maintenance  of 
the  pressure  from  sixty  to  eighty  pounds.  It  is  desirable  to  aim  at  get- 
ting a  higher  pressure  than  this  so  that  the  spray-liquid  may  be  deliv- 
ered as  a  fine  mist  on  the  leaves.  At  Freehold  and  Robbinsville  the  power 
spraying  machine  made  by  the  Bateman  Manufacturing  Ck>mpany,  of 
Grenloch,  N.  J.,  gave  the  requisite  pressure  of  100  pounds,  ensuring  a  uni- 
form application  of  the  fluid.  In  all  eases  the  nozzles  were  adjusted  so 
that  four  rows  could  be  covered  at  one  time,  and  these  machines  all  gave 
the  Miamond'  effect  in  their  delivery  of  the  spray,  a  fact  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance, seeing  that  it  is  necessary  to  cover  the  under  as  well  as  the 
n^er  surfaces  of  the  leaves  with  the  mixture. 


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364         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"In  applying  the  dust  mixtures  of  sulphur  combined  with  gypsum,  ar- 
senite  of  zinc  and  arsenate  of  lead,  the  Potato  Duster  made  by  the  Dost 
Sprayer  Manufacturing  Ck>mpany,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.»  was  used.  Here 
it  is  necessary  to  state  that  the  original  plan  was  not  carried  out  in 
its  entirety  and  whereas  it  was  intended  to  apply  the  lead  arsenate  to  the 
checks  as  a  dry  powder,  so  much  difficulty  was  experienced  that  event- 
ually it  was  decided  at  Elmer  and  Freehold  to  apply  it  wet  at  the  rate  of 
six  pounds  per  100  gallons. 

"In  all  cases  the  application  of  the  sulphur  mixtures  was  successfully 
undertaken,  except  at*Freehold,  where  no  treatment  was  made  for  the  first 
spraying,  and  for  the  second  a  mixture  of  hydrated  lime  and  lead  arsenate 
was  used  in  dry  form  in  the  proportion  of  sixty-nine  pounds  of  the  former 
to  thirty-one  pounds  of  the  latter. 

."Comment  must  be  made  on  the  fact  that  the  potato  dusting  machine 
did  not  give  complete  satisfaction,  but  a  certain  amount  of  blame  must 
also  be  addicted  to  the  materials  which  frequently  cohered  to  such  an 
extent  within  the  delivery  pipes  that  mechanical  blocking  ensued.  It  was 
on  account  of  this  reason  mainly  that  the  lead  arsenate  was  applied  wet* 
otherwise  a  great  deal  of  valuable  time  would  have  been  wasted. 

"Bven  as  it  was  a  lot  of  trouble  was  experienced  in  regulating  the 
quantity  of  dust  that  was  being  applied,  but  finally,  after  making  some 
adjustments,  we  were  enabled  to  feed  out  the  sulphur-gypsum-lead-arae- 
nate,  the  sulphur-zinc-arsenite  and  the  sulphur-lead-arsenate  mixtures  In 
the  required  amounts  of  about  30-36  pounds  per  acre. 

"Most  up-to-date  farmers  who  find  it  necessary  to  use  Bordeaux  mixture 
are  acquainted  with  its  method  of  preparation,  so  that  it  seems  superfluous 
to  repeat  what  is  a  very  old  story  here.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  formula 
of  the  mixture  employed  in  our  experiments  was  the  same  in  all  three, 
namely,  6-5-50,  and  to  every  100  gallons  of  the  mixture  six  pounds  of  ar- 
senate of  lead  were  added  as  a  poison  for  the  Colorado  potato-beetle 
(Leptinotarsa  decemlineata  Say)  and  the  flea  beetle  iEpitrix  CucumerU 
Harr.).  This  same  poison  served  to  control  the  ravages  of  these  pests  at 
Elmer  and  Freehold,  but  at  Robbinsville  zinc  arsenite  was  tried,  with  what 
results  win  be  hereafter  set  forth  in  the  section  of  flea  beetle  control 

"In  the  case  of  the  proprietary  Bordeaux  preparations,  Ansbacher's  was 
applied  at  the  rate  of  20  pounds  per  100  gallons,  which  sufficed  to  cover 
Just  about  two  acres.  Vreeland's  Electro  Bordo-Lead  was  applied  at  the 
rate  of  about  18  pounds  per  acre  suspended  in  100  gallons,  an  intention- 
ally rather  heavy  application,  while  13  pounds  of  Kil-Tone,  of  which  18 
pounds  were  suspended  in  100  gallons,  served  to  treat  one  acre  at  Elmer. 

"It  was  so  arranged  that  an  interval  of  8  to  12  days  should  elapse  be- 
tween each  treatment,  this  being  considered  the  outside  limit  for  safety, 
since  the  new  shoots  which  are  springing  up  ran  serious  risk  of  damage 
both  from  insect  destroyers  and  fungous  parasites  if  a  longer  period  was 
allowed  to  intervene  between  the  applications.  Assiduous  attention  to 
spraying  and  thoroughness  of  application  are  important  factors  for  good 
results,  and  it  has  been  shown  by  the  experiments  of  the  New  York  Agrl- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  365 

cultural  Experiment  Station*  that  the  more  aprayings  one  makes  the 
greater  are  likely  to  be  the  yields,  and  therefore  the  profits.  In  New 
Jersey,  the  Tines  begin  to  oyerlap  in  the  rows  about  the  end  of  June,  mak- 
ing it  difficult  for  the  operator  to  drive  a  team  into  the  field  without  in- 
flicting mechanical  injury  to  the  vines.  It  is  quite  posMble  to  have  made 
four  applications  previous  to  this,  but  the  vines  continue  to  grow  on  for 
a  month  later.  In  cases  where  cireumstances  are  fttvorable  to  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  late  blight,  it  would  be  absolutely  essential  to  make  at 
least  two  further  treatments  before  the  vines  die. 

"The  scheme  of  the  treatments  was  as  follows,  the  locality  appearing 
first,  then  the  dates  of  the  four  applications,  then  the  four  treatments: 

"Blmer,  May  21-22,  June  1-2,  June  10-11,  June  24-25;  Bordeauz-Lead- 
Arsenate,  Kil-Tone,  Sulphur-Lead-Arsenate  5-.5,  Lead  Arsenate. 

"Freehold.  May  21-22,  June  5-6.  June  16-17,  June  27-28:  Bordeaux-Lead- 
Arsenate,  Ansbacber's-Bordeaux-Lead,  Sulphur-Oypsum-Lead-Arsenate  (2- 
3-1),  Lead  Arsenate. 

"Robbinsville,  Blay  27-28,  June  10-11,  June  28-25,  June  30 1,  July  1;  Bor- 
deaux-Lead-Arsenate,  Vreeland's  "BHectro"  Bordo-Lead,  Sulphur-Zino-Ar- 
senite  (5-1),  Gypsum-Zinc-Arsenite  (5-1). 

DI8CU88I0N   OF  THE   INDIVIDUAL  EXPERIMENTS. 
AT   ELMER. 

"From  the  middle  of  May  until  the  middle  of  August  there  were  eleven 
inches  of  rainfall  with  periods  of  prolonged  drought  during  which  there 
was  quite  a  lot  of  tip-bum,  a  physiological  condition  of  the  leaves  for 
which  no  proper  reason  can  be  assigned.  Probably  it  is  a  case  of  the 
plant  suffering  from  mal-nutrition  activated  by  some  climatic  or  atmos- 
pheric condition.  We  cannot  say  that  drought  is  the  only  cause  because 
it  has  been  observed  to  be  prevalent  during  wet  spells.  On  that  date, 
May  27,  when  the  first  treatment  was  made,  the  fiea-beetle  had  already 
been  at  work  for  several  days,  although  the  vines  were  not  more  than 
six  inches  high.  The  damage  being  done  was  considerable,  and  added  to 
this  there  were  large  numbers  of  eggs  of  the  Colorado  beetle,  some  of 
which  had  already  hatched,  betokening  injury  to  come. 


*Bull.  823  N.  T.  Agri.  Exper.  Sta.,  Geneva,  p.  323.  1910. 

tOn  this  date  an  application  of  Sulphur-Zinc-Arsenite  was  made  on  the 
sulphur  plots  of  the  first  and  second  series — there  being  four  series  in  all 
at  Robbinsville — and  on  sixteen  rows  of  the  third  series  when  an  accident 
rendered  the  machine  useless  and  so  no  further  spraying  was  done.  At 
Robbinsville,  therefore,  with  the  exception  of  these  plots  mentioned,  only 
three  applications  of  the  various  treatments  were  made. 


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366  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  plan  of  the  field  was  as  follows: 

Plan  1.~The   Experiment  at  Elmer. 


r 


Bbribs  I. 


Bordeaux  Mixture  and  Arsenate  of  Lead. 


Arsenate  of  Lead. 


Kil-Tone. 


Arsenate  of  Lead. 


Sulphur  and  Lead  Arsenate  Mixture. 


Arsenate  of  Lead. 


8BRIE8  IL. 


Kil-Tone. 


Arsenate  of  Lead. 


Bordeaux  Mixture  with  Arsenate  of  Lead. 


Arsenate  of  Lead. 


Sulphur  and  Lead  Arsenate  Mixture. 


"The  field  was  divided  into  two  blocks  in  one  of  which  there  were  six 
plots  of  twenty  rows  each,  in  the  other  five,  each  plot  measuring  0.89 
acre  except  the  last  Arsenate  of  Lead  plot,  which  had  only  fifteen  rows 
and  measured  0.68  acre. 

"On  June  2nd,  the  field  was  examined  for  flea-beetle.  The  numbers  had 
been  greatly  reduced,  and,  curious  to  relate,  an  adjacent  field  of  potatoes 
which  had  not  been  treated,  was  badly  infested  with  this  small  pest  It 
would  appear  that  it  had  been  repelled  to  this  neighboring  field.  On  some 
of  the  Tines  a  few  aphides  Rhopaloaiphum  aolani  Thos.,  were  observed  at 
work,  but  not  in  sufficiently  great  numbers  to  cause  uneasiness  or  to  make 
it  worth  while  to  go  to  the  expense  and  trouble  of  a  special  treatment. 
At  this  stage  the  Kil-Tone  plots  compared  favorably  with  the  others  aa 
regards  insect  control  and  indeed,  so  far  as  observations  could  be  trusted, 
this  proprietary  preparation  seemed  to  give  quite  satisfactory  results. 

"On  June  24th  a  rather  curious  phenomenon  was  observed.  The  potato 
plants  were  now  in  blossom,  but  the  flowers  had  died  off  quickly  on  all 
the  plots  except  on  the  checks  sprayed  with  Arsenate  of  Lead.  What  was 
the  exact  significance  of  this  cannot  be  stated,  but  that  there  was  no  ulti- 
mate detrimental  effect  is  shown  by  the  yields,  which  were  greater  on  the 
plots  than  on  the  controls.  On  this  date,  too,  there  was  a  slightly  trace- 
able recrudescence  of  the  fiea-beetle,  especially  noticeable  on  the  sulphur 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  367 

plots,  but  after  the  treatmnt  had  been  made  they  were  effeetlrely  repelled. 
Perhaps  the  reason  for  their  greater  number  on  these  plots  was  the  fact 
that  the  dust  does  not  adhere  to  the  vines  for  such  a  long  time  as  the  wet 
sprays,  and  therefore  more  frequent  applications  would  haye  to  be  made 
to  maintain  its  efficiency. 

"On  July  7th,  in  addition  to  Epitrix  cucumeris  Harr.  there  was  present 
in  appreciable  numbers  another  species  of  the  flea-beetle,  Epitrix  fmcula 
Cr.,  which,  according  to  the  late  Dr.  Smith,  is  supposed  to  be  rarely  found 
in  New  Jersey.  The  recurrence  of  the  flea-beetle  at  this  period  led  me  to 
the  belief  that  there  is  a  second  brood,  if  not  a  third,  in  this  State,  for 
after  a  decided  diminution  a  second  time  there  was  an  increase  on  Aug- 
ust 26th  on  the  late  crops  in  the  southern  regions.  These  periods  of 
great  infestation  alternated  with  periods  of  absence  of  attack  are  gteerally 
characteristic  of  multi-brooded  species. 

"As  regards  fungous  diseases,  cases  of  early  blight  were  very  rare  on  the 
first  crop,  and  late  blight  was  not  observed,  but  on  the  second  crop  in 
August,  early  blight  seemed  to  be  rather  general,  appearing  first  when  the 
plants  were  yet  small. 

"During  the  early  days  of  August  the  old-fashioned  potato  beetle,  Epi- 
cttuta  vittata  Fab.  appeared  suddenly  in  the  fields  of  South  Jersey,  strip- 
ping the  vines  of  all  leaves  that  were  yet  green.  This  was  considered 
.peculiar  in  view  of  the  fact  that  not  a*  single  specimen  was  met  with  in  the 
northern  parts  of  the  State.  Its  occurence  in  the  south  can  be  associated 
with  the  greater  prevalence  of  grasshoppers,  on  the  eggs  of  which  the 
meloid  beetle  thrives  in  its  larval  stages.  It  is  a  commonly  cited  example 
of  an  insect  which  undergoes  a  hypermetamorphosis  from  an  incipient 
active  predaceous  larva  hunting  for  its  fodd  voraciously,  to  a  sluggish 
grub  stage.  This  marked  change  in  habit  is  Induced  by  its  latterly  finding 
ample  provender  in  the  grasshopper  burrow  dug  for  the  reception  of  the 
eggs,  without  having  to  be  energetic  in  satisfying  its  appetite. 

"Throughout  the  season  the  plots  sprayed  with  Bordeaux  mixture  gave 
every  promise  of  large  yields,  as  the 'vines  had  a  healthy  deep  green  color 
while  they  retained  their  vigor  at  the  end  of  the  season  for  almost  ten 
days  longer  than  those  in  the  other  plots.  From  an  examination  made 
July  24th,  the  order  of  value  of  the  various  treatments  was  as  follows: 
(1)  Bordeaux  Mixture  and  Arsenate  of  Lead;  (2)  Sulphur  and  Lead 
Arsenate  Mixture;   (3)  Kil-Tone;   (4)  Lead  Arsenate. 

"That  this  order  as  Judged  from  the  vines  had  some  significance  can  be 
Judged  from  the  yields  as  obtained  when  the  potatoes  were  dug  on  Au- 
gust 10th. 


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368  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Yield  From   Plot*  Sprayed   Experimentally. 
Table   I. — Elmer.  Var.  Cobbler. 


Nature  of  Applioatioa. 


Bordeaux-Lead-AneQaie  . 
Lead  Anenate-Cheok.  . . . 


Sulphur^Lead-AnMiate  (lh.5). 
Kil-Tone 


Yields  in  Im.  per  acre. 


Seriee  I. 
252.85 
133.25 
222.7 
189.4 
222.1 
200.2 


_SerieB  II. 
298.35 ~ 
239.1 
235.25 
256.65 
245.0 
228.8 


Average  of  the 
twoplotB. 

275.6^ 

212.725 

233.5 
214.5 


Average  gain  in  bu.  per  aere  of  Bordeaux  over  oheek  plots 

Average  gain  in  bu.  per  acre  of  Bordeaux  over  Sulphur  plots 

Average  gain  in  bu.  per  acre  of  Bordeaux  over  Kil-Tone  lAoia 

Gain  in  bushels  per  acre  of  Sulphur- Lead-Arsenate  plots  over  check  plots. 
Gain  in  bushels  per  acre  of  Sulphur- Lead- Arsenate  plots  over  Kil-Tone 


62.875 

42.1 

61.1 

20.776 

19.00 


'Two  years  preylously  the  same  field  had  been  planted  in  potatoes. 
Then  followed  a  rotation  of  grass,  cloyer  and  timothy,  which  was  mowed 
in  the  summer  following  for  hay.  Late  in  the  fall  it  underwent  ploughing,  the 
soil  being  turned  up  to  a  depth  of  eight  inches,  and  then  in  the  spring 
worked  with  a  Clark  cut-away  harrow.  Fertilizer  of  the  formula  4^10 
was  administered  at  the  time  of  seed-planting  at  the  rate  of  about  a  ton 
and  a  quarter  to  the  acre. 

AT  FREEHOLD. 

"From  June  21st  until  the  end  of  July,  representing  the  most  important 
period  of  growth  of  the  yines,  there  was  only  4.8  inches  of  rain,  and  al- 
though the  weather  was  excessively  dry  and  warm  at  times  the  planta 
made  such  headway  that  the  profuse  vines  of  the  Giant  variety  were 
meeting  in  rows  almost  at  the  time  of  the  fourth  treatment  on  June  16th. 
Here  there  was  a  fair  amount  of  tip-bum,  and  also  some  Fuaarium  o«y#- 
porunif  the  fungus  of  dry  rot  There  was  no  late  blight  and  only  an  in- 
finitesimal amount  of  early  blight,  which  appeared  first  late  in  the  season* 
about  July  20th.  Practically  none  was  to  be  found  on  the  plots  sprayed 
with  Bordeaux  mixture  or  with  the  Ansbacher  preparation,  but  the  Lead 
Arsenate  and  Sulphur  dust  plots  had  quite  a  little.  However,  not  a  great 
deal  of  damage  was  committed  as  the  vines  were  already  dying. 

''As  has  already  been  said,  there  were  eight  series  of  six  plots  at  Free- 
hold, with  a  snudler  series,  IX,  of  but  two  plots.  The  area  of  the  field 
was  24.57  acres  and  each  plot  had  but  eight  rows.  At  no  time  throughout 
the  season  could  the  eye  observe  any  dilference  in  the  vines  of  the  various 
plots  that  could  be  supposed  to  be  due  to  difference  of  treatment,  and  as 
the  probable  reasons  for  this  remarkable  fact  have  already  been  detailed 
it  will  not  be  necessary  to  take  up  the  discussion  again  at  this  point 

"The  same  phenomenal  fiuctuation  in  the  presence  of  the  fiea-beetle 
was  likewise  observed  here  as  at  Elmer  and  also  at  Robbinsville  lending 
further  support  to  my  belief  of  there  being  three  broods  of  this  pest  in 
New  Jersey.    Johannsen*  is  quite  emphatic  in  his  assertion  that  there  is 


•Bun.  211,  Maine  Agr.  Exper.  Sta.  Potato  Flea-Beetle,  1913,  pp.  39-40. 
O.  A.  Johannsen. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  369 

but  a  single  brood  in  Maine,  or  at  least  a  partial  second,  and  quotee  8ir- 
rine'8  experience  in  New  York  aa  supporting  his  statement  This,  how- 
ever, does  not  argue  that  single-broodedness  is  an  inseparable  and  uni- 
versal characteristic  of  the  species. 

"The  yields  as  obtained  at  Freehold  are  set  forth  in  the  table,  and  a 
glance  at  the  last  column  will  readily  show  how  little  .advantage  there  was 
in  spraying  or  dusting.  Still  something  was  achieved  in  that  the  home- 
made Bordeaux  mixture  vindicated  itself,  if  ever  so  little,  here  as  at  El- 
mer, but  on  this  occasion  the  Lead  Arsenate  check  plots  came  out  some- 
what ahead  of  the  proprietary  Ansbacher  Preparation.  Perhaps  the  re- 
sults would  have  worked  out  somewhat  differently  had  it  been  possible  to 
apply  the  Sulphur-Gypsum-Lead-Arsenate  in  a  more  satisfactory  fashion 
for  the  non-application  of  this  material  during  the  first  and  second  treat- 
ments also  militated  against  a  true  comparison  of  the  results. 

"At  Freehold  the  variety  most  grown  is  the  "Giant"  and  the  tubers 
are  sold  mixed,  there  being  no  separation  into  firsts  and  seconds,  or  mar- 
ketable and  culls. 


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370         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  371 

"It  is  of  interest  to  note  the  general  uniformity  of  the  figures,  there  be- 
ing v^ry  little  variation  in  yield  in  the  plots  of  each  individual  series, 
except  perhaps  in  series  I,  where  the  Bordeaux  plot  out-yielded  the  average 
of  the  check  plots  by  18  bushels  per  acre.  In  this  series,  too,  the  Sulphur- 
Oypsum- Lead- Arsenate  plot  also  gave  an  increase  of  twelve  bushels  per  acre 
over  the  check  plots,  while  the  plot  sprayed  with  Ansbacher's  Bordeaux- 
Lead  lagged  behind  the  check  plots  to  the  extent  of  4.5  bushels.  But 
this  only  serves  to  show  how  little  confidence  can  be  placed  in  the  results 
when  the  figures  of  only  a  single  series  are  considered.  The  truth  can  only 
be  ascertained  by  averaging  up  two  or  more  series,  indeed,  the  greater 
number  of  series  the  more  certainly  can  we  arrive  at  a  general  conclusion. 

"The  field  at  Freehold,  as  regards  previous  cultivation,  presented  three 
distinct  sections.  Six  acres  had  been  planted  in  potatoes  for  four  years, 
and  each  year  wheat  and  crimson  clover  had  been  ploughed  under  as 
a  green  manure.  Nine  acres  had  been  planted  with  com  during  the  two 
previous  years  and  cow-peas  sown  out  amongst  the  com.  Here  there  had 
been  a  rotation  of  wheat,  clover  and  timothy,  and  com.  The  remaining 
nine  acres  had  borne  a  potato  crop  continuously  for  six  or  seven  years, 
and  on  this  particular  section  a  system  of  deep  ploughing  had  been  prac- 
ticed. It  has  already  been  mentioned  how  radical  cultivation  of  this  type 
might  obscure  the  effects  of  spraying. 

AT   R0BBIN8VILLE. 

"On  the  whole  the  weather  was  very  dry  in  this  district  of  the  State 
during  the  summer,  but  frequent  showers  helped  to  bring  the  rainfall  up 
to  about  ten  inches,  extending  over  a  period  of  about  three  months  from 
May  27th,  when  spraying  started,  until  the  potatoes  were  dug.  Shortly 
after  the  first  treatment  was  made  there  were  neither  many  flea-beetles 
nor  Colorado  beetles  to  be  seen,  although  in  all  conscience  the  infestation 
was  quite  severe  on  other  fields  planted  with  early  Cobbler  seed.  The 
variety  here  treated  was  the  "Green  Mountain." 

"The  plan  of  the  plots  on  the  field  of  24.57  acres  is  outlined  in  the  fol- 
lowing scheme: 


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372 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 
Plan   III— The   ExpeHment  at  Robbintville.^' 

Bordeaux  Mixture  and  Lead  Araenato. 

Zino-Araenite-Gypsum. 

Sulphu>Zino-AiBenite. 


Srribs  I. 


^o>Arseaite-Qyp0Um. 


Electro  Uordo-Lead. 


Zioc-Araenite-Gypsum. 


SBRnu  II. 


SulphiusZino-Anenite. 


Zinc-Araenite-Gsrpsum. 


Electro  Bordo-Lead. 


Zinc-Arsenite-Gypsum. 


Bordeaux  Mixture  and  Lead  Axsenat«. 


Zino-Arsenite-Gypaum. 


SCRIRB  III. 


Srrim  IV.. 


Sulphur-Zino-Arsenite. 


Zinc-Arsenite-Gypeum. 


Electro  Bordo-Lead. 


Zinc- Arsenite-Gypsum . 


Bordeaux  Mixture  and  Lead  Arsenate. 


Zino>AraeniteXiyp8um. 


Electro-Bordo-Lead. 


Zinc- Araenite-Gypsum . 


Bordeaux  Mixture  and  Lead  Arsenate. 


Zinc-Arsenit«-G3rp8um. 


Sulphur-Zinc- Araenit«. 


Zinc-Arsenite-Gypeum . 


*Plan  II.  has  been  omitted. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


373 


'There  were  four  series  of  plots  all  approximately  of  the  same  size  ex- 
cept those  of  series  IV,  which  were  less  than  half  the  area  of  the  others. 
The  general  contour  of  the  field  was  rather  irregular,  but  this  did  not 
affect  the  results  at  alL  Throughout  the  growing  period,  the  vines  on  the 
Bordeaux  plots  were  easily  superior  to  the  vines  on  the  other  plots  with 
the  exception  of  that  in  the  first  series  where,  for  some  inexplicable  reason, 
there  was  quite  a  lot  of  tip-bum,  especially  evident  about  June  80th. 
Early  and  late  blights  were  conspicuous  by  their  absence,  while  only  a  few 
hills  were  affected  bjr  Dry  Rot  (Fu$arium  oxyiporumj.  Bxamination 
of  the  field  on  August  l€th  revealed  the  plants  on  the  Bordeaux  plots  still 
green  and  quite  vigorous,  while  on  the  other  plots  they  were  quite  dead. 
The  potatoes  were  dug  on  September  1st,  and  the  following  days,  and  an 
observer  casting  his  eye  over  the  field  could  with  a  little  discrimination, 
pick  out  the  plots  treated  with  Bordeaux  mixture  by  reason  of  their  being 
less  over-grown  with  weeds.  This  in  itself  would  point  to  the  invigorating 
eCTeet  of  the  mixture.  The  potato  vines  become  so  sturdy  by  reason  of 
ItB  application  that  they  suffer  less  from  competition  with  inimical  weeds, 
especially  crab-grass. 

Yield  DeUlled  According  to  Series. 
Table   IV— Robblnsvllle. 


Nature  of  the  AppUcation. 

Avg.  of  the 

Series  I. 

SerieBlI. 

Series  III. 

Series  IV. 

four  series. 

Bordeaux  Mixture  and  Lead  Arsenate. 
Gyp«um-Zlne-Ar8enite 

233.88 
249.52 
231.74 
273.13 
273.60 
266.93 

310.75 
225.24 
259.49 
249.99 
266.19 
241.59 

328.31 
258.71 
245.19 
314.34 
260.16 
312.30 

290.62 
228.10 
223.94 
228.44 
160.38 
253.12 

290.89 
248! 98 

Sulphur-Zinc-ArMnite 

246!68 

Electro  Bordo-Lead 

265.98 

Average  gain  in  bushels  per  acre  of  Bordeaux  plots  over  check  plots 41 .41 

Average  gain  in  bushels  per  acre  of  Bordeaux  plots  over  Sulphur  plots 50.31 

Average  gain  in  bushels  per  acre  of  Bordeaux  plots  over  Electro  Bordo  Lead 24. 41 

Average  gain  in  bushels  per  acre  of  Bordeaux  plots  over  ail  others 38 .  71 

Yields  Oetalled  Aocordlng  to   Firsts  and  Seconds. 
Table  V— Robblnsvllle. 


YIBLO  IN  BUSHCUS  PBS  ACRE. 

Aver,  of  the 

Nature  of  Application. 

Series'!.      |     Series  IL    |     Series  IIL 

Series  IV. 

four  series. 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

4 

Bordeaux-Mix  ture- 
Lead-Araenate  .... 

223.06 
241.66 
222.02 
259.25 
263.88 
247.68 

8.86 
7.86 
9.72 
13.88 
9.72 
9.25 

297.85 
217.58 
252.85 
240.62 
256.94 
234.79 

12.90 
7.66 
6.61 
9.37 
9.25 
6.80 

317.99 
248.23 
240.04 
296.20 
245.71 
297.34 

10.32 
10.48 
5.15 
18.14 
14.45 
14.96 

265.62 
202.07 
202.07 
217.11 
142.69 
228.12 

25.00 
26.03 
21.87 
11.33 
17.69 
25.00 

276.13 

14.27 

236.64 

12.34 

Sulphur-Zino-Arsenite 
Electro-Bordo-Lead. . . 

224.31 
251.98 

12.77 
14.00 

"It  will  be  observed  by  a  glance  at  tbe  last  column  that  there  is  very 
little  difference  in  the  average  number  of  bushels  per  acre  of  seconds, 
the  divergence  in  yields  being  practically  confined  to  the  first 


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374  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"An  examination  of  the  yield  on  the  Bordeaux  plot  of  the  first  series 
causes  surprise  by  its  very  low  figure,  indeed  no  other  plot  in  this  block 
did  so  poorly  except  one  of  the  check  plots  where  the  yield  was  practically 
the  same.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  adverse  conditions  obtaining  on  this 
plot  the  average  yield  in  the  Bordeaux  plots  as  a  whole  would  have  been 
at  least  20  bushels  per  acre  more.  Similarly  the  adverse  conditions  whidi 
prevailed  on  the  Sulphur  plot  of  series  IV  helped  to  reduce  the  average 
yield  of  tubers  per  acre  on  all  the  Sulphur  plots  very  materially.  On  the 
whole,  however,  experiments  carried  out  on  a  largb  field  such  as  this  are 
of  more  practical  value  tan  if  only  a  few  rows  were  treated.  The  varia- 
tions in  yield  due  to  varying  conditions  of  soil  and  fertility  would  some- 
times seem  to  confute  all  accepted  theories.  But  in  order  to  demonstrate 
fully  the  capabilities  of  any  spraying  material  as  well  as  those  of  the  field 
on  which  the  treated  crop  is  grown,  one  must  be  fully  acquainted  with  the 
several  conditions  which  might  influence  the  results  either  beneficially  or 
adversely. 

"As  regards  previous  cultivation,  the  field  at  Robbinsville  had  borne  a 
potato  crop  for  three  years  (1912-13-14).  In  the  fall  of  1912  it  had  been 
sown  in  rye,  which  was  ploughed  in  the  following  spring.  After  the  potato 
crop  had  been  dug  this  same  operation  was  repeated  in  the  fall  of  1913 
and  the  spring  of  1914.  Fertilizer  of  the  formula  4-8-10  was  applied  with 
the  seed  at  the  rate  of  1,500  pounds  per  acre. 

Cost  of  Spraying  and  Dusting. 

"The  expense  attached  to  the  operation  of  applying  insecticides  varies 
with  the  kind  of  material  and  the  type  of  machine  employed  in  spraying 
or  dusting  as  the  case  may  be.  Even  if  we  consider  Bordeaux  mixture 
alone  it  would  not  be  possible  to  state  a  cost  which  would  hold  good  for 
all  localities  and  for  the  various  stages  in  the  growth  of  the  same  crop 
within  the  same  locality,  because  the  luxuriance  of  the  vines  must  be 
taken  into  account  with  regard  to  the  amount  of  material  necessary  to 
cover  them  satisfactorily.  Jones*,  formerly  of  Vermont,  states  the  average 
cost  of  sprajrlng  one  acre  of  potatoes  three  times  using  200-500  gallons  at 
one  cent  per  gallon  as  |7.00. 

"The  following  table  will  give  one  an  idea  of  this  year's  expenses  at 
Freehold,  Robbinsville  and  Elmer: 


♦L.  R.  Jones,  Sixth  Annual  Rept.  Vermont  Agr.  Exper.  Sta.,  1892. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  375 

Table  of  Comparative  Coats  of  Materials. 
Table  VI. 


1.  At  Robbinsville  onlv  three  applicatione  were  made  except  on  the  Sulphui^Zino-Ar- 
eenite  plots  where  those  of  Series  I  and  II  received  four  treatments,  as  also  16  rows  of  the  oor- 
respondiDjE  plot  in  Series  III. 

The  figures  in  the  last  column  speak  for  themselves  and  at  once  show  one  how  the  cost  of 
similar  treatments  may  vary  in  different  places  in  the  same  State. 

Control  of  the  Potato  Flea-Beetle, 

"In  New  Jersey  as  well  as  most  of  the  potato  growing  states,  this 
diminutive  pest  has  long  been  recognized  as  a  serious  pest,  detrimental 
not  only  because  of  the  damage  committed  directly  by  its  fenestrating  the 
leaves,  but  also  indirectly  in  that  the  tiny  injuries  serve  as  a  means  of  in- 
cursion for  early  blight  When  one  considers  that  in  cases  of  severe 
attack  anything  from  10  per  cent,  to  20  per  cent,  of  the  leaf  surface  on  a 
single  hill  might  be  destroyed  one  can  form  a  somewhat  rough  idea  of  the 
adverse  effect  on  the  yield  which  this  reduction  in  the  assimilating  power 
of  the  leaves  causes. 

"Probably  on  account  of  its  insignificant  size,  very  little  attention  has 
been  paid  to  the  life-history  or  means  of  control  of  the  flea-beetle,  and 
one  author  seems  to  accept  without  test  what  another  has  experienced. 
Indeed  it  is  only  quite  recently  that  the  true  facts  of  its  larval  behavior 
have  been  diagnosed  and  whereas  it  was  generally  accepted  by  Harris,* 
Riley  t  and  Packard  t  that  the  larva  was  a  leaf  miner  like  others  of  its 


♦Harris,  T.  W.,  Insects  Injurious  to  Vegetation,  p.  127,  1862. 
tRiley,  C.  V.,  Missouri  Kept.  State  Ent  I,  p.  101,  1869. 
tPackard,  A.  S.,  N.  S.  Geol.  and  Geog.  Survey  of  Colorado  and  Adjacent 
Territory,  1875,  p.  732. 


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376  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

congeners,  such  as  Haltica  nemorum,  the  flea-beeUe  of  turnips  and  other 
CrucifersB  in  England,  It  has  been  only  within  recent  years  that  it  has  been 
found  to  feed  on  the  subterranean  tubers  and  roots  of  the  potatoes  as  well 
as  the  roots  of  the  tomato*  and  allied  solanaceous  plants.  The  attack  on 
the  tuber  gives  rise  to  a  condition  known  as'  "pimply/'  formerly  assigned 
to  the  activities  of  the  scab  organism,  the  real  cause  being  discovered  by 
Stewart  t  The  same  author  (loc  cit.)  says  that  in  1895  in  Long  Island 
the  damage  was  so  noticeable  that  potatoes  suffered  a  reduction  in  price 
of  five  cents. 

"The  omniverous  habit  of  the  adult  is  well  known  and  although  the 
species  has  a  dietetic  preference  for  the  SolanacecB,  yet  it  can  satisfy  its 
appetite  on  almost  any  of  the  commoner  weeds  found  near  the  margins 
of  potato  fields.  The  following  are  some  of  the  food  plants  cited  by  various 
authors,  the  list  being  by  no  means  exhaustive:  potato,  tomato,  eggplant 
and  pepper  (0.  Luggert)*  Jamestown  weed,  nightshade  (F.  H.  Chitten- 
den§),  radish,  turnip,  cabbage,  raspberry,  sunflower  and  various  members 
of  the  squash  family  (C.  M.  Weedll).  beets  (A.  S.  Packardf ). 

"An  attempt  was  made  during  the  season  to  arrive  at  some  idea  of  the 
comparative  intensity  of  the  flea-beetle  injury  by  making  counts  of  the 
fenestrations  on  the  leaves  of  individual  shoots.  Although  a  short  table 
has  been  prepared  showing  the  averages  of  these  results,  it  is  very  doubt- 
ful if  this  method  of  measuring  the  degree  of  infestation  is  very  success- 
ful unless  one  can  make  daily  records.  This  was  impossible  because 
the  spraying  and  dusting  of  the  potatoes  allowed  only  a  short  stay  at  a 
time  at  each  place.  However,  the  results,  such  as  they  are,  have  been 
tabulated  in  the  hope  that  they  might  be  of  some  use  in  stimulating  others 
who  have  opportunity  to  attack  the  matter  along  this  line. 


♦Chittenden.  P.  H.,  Bull.  No.  19,  N.  S..  U.  S.  Dept.  Agr.,  1899,  p.  89. 
tStewart.  P.  C,  Bull.  113.  N.  S.,  N.  Y.  Agri.  Exper.  Sta.,  Geneva,  1896, 
p.  311. 

tLugger,  O.,  Bull.  66,  Minn.  Agr.  Exper.  Sta.,  1890,  p.  247. 
fChittenden,  F.  H.,  Loc  cit,  p.  90. 

IWeed,  C.  M..  Bull.  29,  N.  H.  Coll.  Agr.  Exper.  Sta.,  p.  3, 1893. 
fPackard,  A.  S.,  Loc  cit,  p.  732. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 
Table  VII. 


377 


Nature  of  Application. 


Date. 


Untreated 

Bordeauz-Lead-Arsenate 

Kil-Tone 

Lead  Aneaate 

Sulphur-Lead-Areeoate 

Bordeauz-Lead-Araenate 

Vreeland's  Electro  Bprdo-Lead  . 

Uypeum-Zinc-Arseoite 

Suiphur-Zinc-Arsenite 

Untreated 

Untreated 

Bordeaux-Lead-Areeoate 

Ansbaoher's  Bordeaux  Lead 

Lead  Araeoate. 

Sulphui^-Qypeum  Lead-Arsenate 

Bordeaux-Lead-Areenate 

Vreeland's  Electro  Bordo-Lead  . 

Qypeum-Zino-ArBenjte 

Su4>hur-Zinc-'Ar8enite 

Bordeaux-Lead-ArBeoate 

Kil-Tone 

Lead  Anenate 

Sulphui^Lead-Axaenate 

Untreated  (Late  crop) 


Locality. 


No.  oi 
shoote. 


Aver.  No. 
ol  leavea 
per  shoot. 


June  10 

.4 

.. 

*' 

'• 

June  29 

«, 

** 

July 

1 
9 

.. 

July 
•• 

10 

July 
•• 

13 

Jujly 

16 

Aug. 

22 

Elmer 

20 

15 

20 

15 

•* 

20 

15 

•• 

20 

15 

" 

20 

15 

Robbinaville 

20 

14 

20 

15 

Robb|naville 

23 

14 

Robblnsville 

1« 

13 

Freehold 

23 

13 

•♦ 

24 

13 

•• 

26 

8 

•• 

29 

9 

•• 

29 

9 

23 

23 

9 

Robblnsville 

33 
30 
22 

11 
3 

8 

•* 

21 

9 

Elmer 

27 

13 

•• 

28 

14 

•• 

25 

15 

•• 

29 

14 

" 

23 

9 

Aver.  No.  of 

leneetratious 

per  leal. 


154.5 
92. 
142. 
138.6 
208.4 
9.3 
9.7 
8.3 
11. 
7.7 
9. 
4.9 
7.15 
6.3 
7.7 
8.9 
.   21.5 
13.54 
13. 
15. 
28. 
21. 
28. 
32. 


"Ab  has  been  said  before  a  great  deal  of  confldence  cannot  be  placed  on 
these  figures  as  it  is  almost  impossible  to  Judge  the  gross  intensity  of  the 
seasonal  attack  of  the  flea-beetle,  because  the  numbers  which  are  present 
in  some  definite  locality  at  any  given  time,  are  determined  by  several  con- 
ditions amongst  which  the  most  important  are  temperature  and  humidity. 
It  will  thus  be  readily  understood  why  it  is  important  to  make  continuous 
daily  counts.  If  these  extend  only  over  a  short  period,  the  figures  only 
hold  good  for  that  one  period  and  cannot  be  expected  to  indicate  the  in- 
tensity except  for  the  time  stated. 

"In  one  case,  at  Robbinsville,  the  Bordeaux  Mixture  seemed  to  be  less 
eflident  than  the  Gypsum-Zinc-Arsenite  in  warding  off  the  flea-beetle  and 
it  almost  appears  as  if  dry  poisons  for  the  time  they  remain  on  the  leaves 
are  more  effective  in  their  repelling  function  than  wet  poisons.  In  the 
long  run,  however,  by  reason  of  their  greater  powers  of  adherence,  the 
latter  give  the  best  results,  which  accounts  for  the  better  showing  of  the 
Bordeaux  Mixture  and  the  Liead  Arsenate.  At  Freehold,  July  9th,  the  Bor- 
deaux plots  had  the  least  injury  and  similarly  again  at  RobbinsviUe  on 
July  13th  and  Elmer  July  16th.  Unsprayed  vines,  as  is  to  be  expected,  are 
more  liable  to  flea-beetle  injury,  and  at  Elmer  August  22nd,  on  the  late 
crop  the  average  number  of  holes  per  leaf  was  during  the  second  worst 
attack  of  the  season.  The  intensity  of  the  infestation  at  Elmer  when  the 
plants  were  yet  young  can  be  judged  by  results  obtained  on  June  10th 
at  the  same  place.  Here  the  Bordeaux-Lead-Arsenate  combination  proved 
its  qualities  in  keeping  the  pest  at  bay. 

"The  fact  that  the  average  number  of  injuries,  as  judged  from  the  table, 
were  much  greater  at  Elmer  on  June  10th  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  counts 


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378         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

were  made  on  the  large  radical  leaves  of  the  ylnes,  which,  on  account  of 
their  having  appeared  first,  suffer  greater  cumulative  damage  than  the 
younger  leaves  on  the  top  shoots,  which  alone  were  considered  in  the 
later  reckonings. 

"The  control  of  any  insect  pest  by  such  measures  as  time  and  experience 
have  so  far  taught  must  be  reduced,  for  practical  purposes,  to  a  basis  of 
dollars  and  cents.  The  total  destruction  of  the  flea-beetle,  like  that  of  any 
other  insect  pest,  would  mean  unlimited  expenditure  and  is  practically 
impossible.  As  an  insect  indigenous  to  the  United  States,  this  pest  will 
for  ever,  as  long  as  potatoes  are  grown,  levy  a  tax  upon  the  farmer  so  that 
the  question  resolves  itself  into  one  of  reducing  the  tax  to  a  minimum 
by  some  measure  of  control.  Three  principal  methods  of  attack  have 
been  employed  in  abating  injurious  insect  pests,  classified  as  follows:  (1) 
Treatments  which  kill  the  insects;  (2)  measures  that  will  restrict  their 
abundance  and  act  temporarily  as  repellants;  (3)  natural  checks,  such 
as  insect  or  fungus  parasites. 

"Hitherto  it  has  been  the  general  plan  to  tackle  the  problem  of  fiea- 
beetle  control  by  means  of  repellants,  and  although  Arsenate  of  Lead  and 
Bordeaux  Mixture  have  on  many  occasions  proved  efllcient,  many  of  the 
inert  powders  and  dusts  recommended  are  practically  of  little  benefit. 
Because  of  its  activities  and  peculiar  habits,  the  problem  of  killing  the 
Insect  outright  presents  many  difficulties,  for  it  is  essential  that,  for 
the  rapid  administration  of  a  lethal  dose,  the  material  employed  must 
actually  hit  the  insect  and  be  retained  there  until  the  animal  is  paralyzed 
beyond  recovery.  What  I  have  in  mind  is  pyrethrum  mixed  with  an  ad- 
hering agent  such  as  gelatin,  glue,  or  soap.  After  some  experiments  had 
been  carried  out  in  the  laboratory  with  several  different  substances  here- 
after tabulated,  it  was  decided  to  try  several  of  these  on  some  early  and 
late  potatoes  with  a  view  to  discovering  an  agent  capable  of  killing  the 
beetles  quickly.  After  several  failures  an  infusion  of  pyrethrum  mixed 
with  Lead  Arsenate  in  which  gelatin  is  incorporated  gave  most  satis- 
factory results  and  seemed  to  fulfill  one's  best  expectations.  This  com- 
bination of  insecticides  is  made  up  in  the  proportion  of  6  pounds  of 
pyrethrum  to  60  gallons  of  water  to  which  sufficient  gelatin  or  soap  is 
added  to  ensure  that  a  film  of  the  liquid  when  grayed  on  the  leaves  will 
adhere  readily.  In  preparation,  the  pyrethrum  is  first  made  into  a  paste 
by  the  addition  of  hot  boiling  water,  then  diluted  with  hot  water  and 
cooled,  and  then  further  diluted  to  the  required  strength  with  cold  water, 
the  gelatin  solution  being  previously  stirred  in.  To  get  the  best  results 
this  insecticide  should  be  applied  at  100  pounds  pressure  so  that  it  hits 
the  vines  as  a  fine  mist 

"The  laboratory  experiments  were  carried  through  in  lamp-globes  cov- 
ered with  muslin.  Inside  the  globes  a  small  vessel  for  holding  water  was 
placed  into  which  slips  cut  from  the  vines  and  treated  with  the  various 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  379 

preparations  tabulated,  were  cut  Flea-beetles  in  varying  numbers  which 
were  always  previously  counted  were  introduced  and  the  effects  noted 
after  a  period  of  hours  or  days  as  the  case  might  be.  The  penultimate 
oolmnn  of  the  table,  which  follows,  records  the  percentage  mortality,  but 
this  is  only  of  interest  in  so  far  as  it  gives  one  an  indication  merely  of 
the  value  of  the  insecticides.  The  conditions  were  too  unnatural  to  allow 
of  the  experiments  being  a  real  test 


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38o         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  381 

A   Parasite  of  the    Flea^Beetle. 

"Throughout  the  summer  from  the  middle  of  July  until  the  beginning 
of  September  when  a  period  of  rather  low  temperature  was  experienced, 
sending  the  flea-beetle  into  hibernating  quarters,  a  small  species  of  brac- 
onld  iPerilitus  epitricis  Viereck)*  was  often  observed  in  close  associa- 
tion with  it  on  the  potato  vines.  The  following  observations  were  made 
on  July  80th.  As  the  flea-beetle  moved  over  the  leaf  surface  the  hymen- 
opteron  follows  closely  in  the  rear  with  its  two  antenna  outstretched,  one 
on  each  side  of  the  beetle.  Whenever  the  latter  stops,  the  braoonid  fol- 
lows suit  and  remains  often  quite  motionless.  Sometimes,  however,  it  be- 
comes quite  excited  and  rapidly  encircles  its  host  When  about  to  at- 
tack the  hymenopteron  orients  itself  either  anteriorly  or  posteriorly  in  a 
direct  line  with  the  flea-beetle  and  artfully  recurving  its  abdomen  down- 
wards and  forwards,  strikes  it  in  the  weak  part  of  its  armour,  the  inter- 
segmental portion  of  the  abdomen.  Thus  the  act  of  oviposition  is  com- 
pleted and  in  many  cases  it  was  repeated  three  or  four  times  in  the  same 
host  by  the  same  parasite.  From  several  specimens  of  flea-beetles  cai>tured 
daring  the  summer  the  same  insect  was  reared,  thus  verifying  my  field  ob- 
servations. The  point  of  emergence  usually  is  a  hole  found  at  the  pos- 
terior end  of  the  parasitized  beetle  in  the  anal  region  in  the  shape  of  a 
tiny  aperture. 

"In  Bulletin  19,  N.  8.,  Chittendent  dealing  with  the  flea-beetle,  attack- 
ing solanaceous  plants,  says  that  adult  beetles  (E.  cucumeris)  collected 
near  Washington  were  parasitized  evidently  by  the  same  species  which  is 
mentioned,  (loc  cit  p.  85)  as  preying  upon  E,  parvula,  the  tobacco  flea- 
beetle." 

Fly  Control. 

This  work  is  a  continuation  of  that  undertaken  last  year.  At  the 
end  of  the  season  of  1913  the  writer  felt,  that  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
after  all  known  breeding  places  had  been  eliminated  in  so  far  as  was 
practicable  on  the  college  general  and  dairy  farms  a  considerable  number 
of  flics  were  still  present  in  the  pig  house,  horse  barn  and  cow  barn, 
investigations  of  a  more  fundamental  type  were  needed.  Accordingly, 
attention  was  turned  sharply  to  the  species  concerned  and  to  their 
breeding  and  other  habits.  Further  studies  were  made  of  baits,  manure 
disposal,  and  prevention  of  breeding  in  stalls. 

It  was  not  financially  practicable  for  the  New  Brunswick  Board 
of  Health  to  carry  on  a  fly  campaign  and  attention  was  concentrated  on 
the  college  general  and  dairy  farms. 


*This  was  identified  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Crawford,  of  the  Bureau  of  Entomology, 
U.  S.  Dept  of  Agric,  and  is  a  new  record  for  New  Jersy. 

tChittenden,  P.  H..  Bull.  19,  N.  S..  U.  S.  Dept.  Agrtc.,  1899,  p.  89. 


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382  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Fly  Control  on  the  College  Farm. 

BY 
C.  H.  RICHARDSON,  Assistant  Entomologist 


Introduction. 


"The  Board  of  Health  of  the  City  of  New  Brunswick  being  unable  finan- 
cially to  undertake  a  fly  campaign  it  was  thought  best  to  concentrate  the 
work  in  some  rather  isolated  locality  where  fly  breeding  could  be  prac- 
tically eliminated.  The  College  Farm,  where  a  part  of  the  work  of  last 
year  was  conducted,  was  again  chosen  as  the  best  available  place  for  these 
inyestigations.  The  work  was  started  on  April  24th  and  terminated  about 
November  Ist 

"These  studies  were  made  under  the  supervision  of  Dr.  T.  J.  Headlee, 
to  whom  the  writer  wishes  to  express  his  appreciation  for  many  helpful 
suggestions.  He  is  also  indebted  to  Mr.  J.  V.  Bissett,  formerly  Assistant 
in  Chemistry,  Rutgers  College,  for  aid  during  July  and  August,  to  Dr. 
C.  H.  T.  Townsend  and  Dr.  Frederick  Knab,  of  the  Bureau  of  Entomology, 
and  to  Mr.  R.  R.  Parker  and  Mr.  C.  W.  Johnson  for  the  identification  of 
specimens.  •       I    ! 

"The  investigations  of  the  Department  of  Entomology  of  this  station 
during  the  summer  of  1913  showed  that  complete  fly  control  could  not  be 
effected  by  the  use  of  fiy  traps  as  ordinarily  constructed,  that  at  most  they 
could  be  only  an  adjunct  The  elimination  of  breeding  places  was  held 
to  be  highly  important  and  it  was  found  that  iron  sulphate  and  carbon 
bisulphide  were  useful  larvicides  and  that  sulphur  was  an  effective  fumi- 
gant  of  adult  files.  The  great  importance  of  co-operation  in  anti-fiy  work 
was  brought  out  as  well  as  the  effectiveness  of  partially  complete  fly- 
breeding  controL 

"The  work  undertaken  this  year  was  largely  a  continuation  of  last 
year's  investigations,  but  more  emphasis  was  given  to  the  study  of  the  fly 
fauna  of  the  farm,  especially  to  those  species  which  frequent  milk,  and 
thus  are  possible  carriers  of  infectious  human  diseases.  A  careful  survey 
of  the  entire  farm  was  made  and  all  breeding  places  were  regularly 
cleaned  and  inspected.  The  work  on  larvicides  was  directed  rather  to  dis- 
cover new  materials  and  to  formulate  new  methods  than  to  test  the  older 
ones.  Minor  studies  were  made  on  fly-trap  baits,  on  the  distance  flies  can 
travel,  and  on  compost 

Studies  on  the  Fly  Fauna  of  the  College  Farm. 

"This  work  was  undertaken  to  furnish  data  on  the  number  of  species 
of  flies  which  inhabit  a  typical  New  Jersey  farm,  especially  those  species 
which,  because  of  their  omnivorous  feeding  habits  or  their  blood-sucking 
propensities  are  a  source  of  danger  or  annoyance  to  the  farmer  and  his 
live  stock.  Particular  attention  was  given  to  the  flies  which  were  cap> 
tured  regularly  in  milk-baited  traps,  and  because  of  their  dung  fiecdlng 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  383 

habits,  might,  through  the  medium  of  milk,  convey  germs  of  yarioua 
diseases  to  man.    Flies  were  also  hred  from  the  various  manures  on  the 

'*™-  Species  Which  Arc  Attracted  to  Milk. 

"Fly  traps  12  inches  in  diameter  and  30  inches  high  were  employed  in 
this  work.  They  were  placed  in  the  following  locations:  in  the  pig  bam 
above  the  feed  troughs;  at  the  poultry  plant  brooder  house  near  an  open 
window  and  in  the  feed  house;  at  the  compost  heap  near  the  greenhouses; 
la  the  horse  bam  and  at  the  horse  bam  manure  pit;  in  the  cow  bam,  the 
calf  bam  and  at  the  cow  bam  manure  pit  The  pig  bam,  the  houses  of  the 
poultry  plant,  the  greenhouses  and  the  horse  bam  form  a  group  of  build- 
ings which  lie  close  to  the  residential  section  of  the  City  of  New  Bruns- 
wick. The  cow  bam  and  calf  bam  form  another  group  given  up  entirely 
to  dairying  about  one  mile  distant  from  the  horse  bam. 

"About  fourteen  traps  were  maintained  from  May  6th  until  October  5th, 
after  which  the  number  of  flies  was  so  reduced  that  the  trapping  was  not 
profitable.  The  traps  at  the  feed  house,  compost  heap,  horse  bam  and  cow 
bam  manure  pit  were  removed  at  various  times  because  of  the  small 
size  of  the  catch,  and  were  taken  to  the  other  places  to  increase  the 
number  of  traps  there. 

"Fresh  milk  and  bread  or  bran  were  used  for  bait,  which  was  usually 
renewed  every  other  day,  although  this  program  was  not  always  strictly 
adhered  to.  The  traps  were  emptied  once  a  week  and  estimates  were 
taken  of  the  different  species  caught.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  flies 
which  were  caught  often  enough  to  indicate  that  their  capture  was  not 
accidental: 

Abundant  species:  Calliphora  erythrocephala  Meig.,  Lucilia  sericata 
Meig.,  Phormia  regina  Meig.,  Musca  dome$tica  L.,  Muscina  stabulans  Fall., 
Fannia  canicularii  L. 

Species  less  abundant:  Ravinia  communis  Parker,  Ravinia  latUetosa 
Parker,  Sarcophaga  lyullata  Mans.,  Sarcophaga  hoBmorroidaliSt  Meig.,  8ar- 
cophaga  helicii  Town.,  Pollenia  rudis,  Fab.,  Cynomyia  cadaverina  Desv., 
Lucilia  ccB^ar  L.,  Morellia  micans  Macq.,  Oraphomyia  americana  R.  D., 
Muscina  assimilis  Fall.,  Ophyra  leucostoma  Wied.,  Fannia  scalaris  Fab., 
Scatophaga  stercoraria  L. 

"The  first  list  includes  species  which  were  captured  regularly  and  in 
abundance  throughout  the  season,  the  second  list,  species  of  which  less 
than  fifty  were  captured  during  the  season.  Several  species  of  anthomyids 
cannot  now  be  included,  because  of  a  question  as  to  their  identity. 

"Four  species  in  the  list  of  those  designated  as  abundant,  namely, 
CaiUpTiora  erythrocephala  Meig.,  Musca  domestica  L..  Muscina  stahulans 
Fall,  and  Fannia  canicularis  L.,  have  been  bred  from  or  found  upon 
human  excreta  by  Howard*  and  the  same  author  has  likewise  incriminated 
Cynoymia  cadaverina  Desv.,  Lucilia  ccesar  L.,  Morellia  micans  Macq., 
Ophyra  leucostoma  Wied.,  and  Scatophaga  stercoraria  L.  Thus  nearly  one- 
half  of  the  flies  which  visited  milk  on  the  College  Farm  are  known  to 
visit  human  excrement. 


*A  contribution  to  the  study  of  the  insect  fauna  of  human  excrement 
Proc.  Wash.  Acad.  Sci.  1900.  Vol.  2,  pp.  541-604. 


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384  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Breeding  Places. 

"An  effort  was  made  to  locate  the  breeding  places  of  the  different 
species  of  flies  found  on  the  farm.  Horse  manure,  cleanings  from  beneath 
horse  staUs,  cow  manure,  pig  manure,  chicken  manure,  compost  and  rot- 
ting ensilage  were  examined  for  fly  larvs  and  pups  from  time  to  time. 
When  evidences  of  breeding  were  found,  samples  of  the  manure  or  com- 
post were  placed  in  breeding  cages  and  the  adult  flies  were  reared.  A 
number  of  flies  remain  unidentified  and  are  omitted  from  the  following 
listo: 

•  Horse  manure:  From  manure  pit — Musca  domeitica  L.,  8tomoxy$  cdl* 
citrana  L.,  Fannia  canicularia  L.;  cleanings  from  underneath  stall  boards 
— Musca  domeatica  L.,  Muscina  stabulans  Fall.,  Fannia  canicularis  L., 
Fannia  scalaria  Fab. 

Cow  manure.  Eristalis  tenax  L.,  Ravinia  communis  Parker,  Ravinia 
latisetosa  Parker,  Pseudopyrellia  comicina  Fab.,  Morellia  micans  Macq., 
Musca  domestica  L.,  Lyperosia  (Hasm^atohia)  irritans  L.,  Muscina  stabu- 
lans Fall.,  Myospila  meditabunda  Fab.,  Scatophaga  stercoraria  L.,  Lon- 
chcBa  dcutschi  Zett.,  Sepsis  sp. 

Pig  manure:  Oulicoides  specularis  Coq.,  Ravinia  communis  Parker, 
Ravinia  latisetosa  Parker,  Musca  domestica  L.,  Myospila  meditabunda 
Fab.,  Scatopha^a  stercoraria  L.,  Borborus  sp.,  Bepsis  sp. 

Chicken  manure:    Musca  domestica  L. 

"From  the  standpoint  of  the  number  of  species  bred,  cow  manure  was 
the  most  important  producer  of  flies,  chicken  manure  the  least  But  under 
ordinary  conditions,  horse  manure  breeds  the  largest  Urumber  of  house 
flies  (Musca  domestica  L.),  which  exceed  all  others  in  abundance  and, 
therefore,  it  must  be  considered  the  substance  most  desirable  for  elimina- 
tion. House  flies  were  bred  not  only  from  horse  manure,  but  from  oow 
manure,  pig  manure  and  chicken  manure.  They  did  not  in  any  instance 
issue  from  cow  droppings  in  the  pasture  and  only  bred  in  this 
substance  when  it  was  mixed  with  straw.  All  the  other  species  reared 
from  cow  manure  came  from  droppings  gathered  from  the  cow  pasture. 
Chicken  manure  offered  a  breeding  place  for  house  flies  only  when  moist 
It  is,  however,  a  substance  which  must  be  considered  in  any  sanitary 
operations. 

"About  one-half  of  the  species  which  were  regularly  attracted  to  milk 
were  bred  from  various  kinds  of  animal  manure  on  the  College  Farm  and 
are  therefore  liable  to  be  a  source  of  contamination  for  any  milk  improp- 
erly protected. 

ANNOTATED   LIST   OF  THE    FLIES    SEEN    UPON   THE   COLLEGE 

FARM. 

"This  list  makes  no  claim  to  completeness  since  it  contains  largely  those 
species  which  frequented  the  dwellings  or  bred  in  the  various  manures 
of  farm  animals.  A  number  of  tabanids  were  observed  at  the  oow  bams 
during  mid-summer  but  they  are  not  included  here.  A  few  species,  chiefly 
anthomylds.  are  still  unidentified  and  are  not  mentioned  in  this  4tBt 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  385 

4.  Chirondmidw, 

CuliooideB  tpeoula^it,  Cpq. 

Two  specimens  of  this  minute  mosquito-liJce  gnmt  emerged  July  11th  from  a  pic  dune 
which  was  placed  in  a  breeding  cage  June  3wh, 
CuHooides  variipennis,  Coq. 

This  biting  gnat  was  abundant  on  the  windows  at  the  oow  bam,  May   10th.    Many  fe- 
males were  gorged  with  blood  which  they  had  taken  from  the  cows. 

Bihionidw. 

Scatopee,  sp. 

An  unidentified  representative  of  this  genus  was  captured  in  a  net  on  May  lOtb. 

aimulidw. 

Simulium  hirtipes,  Fries. 

This  "black  fly"  was  captured  on  the  farm.  May  10th.  but  not  seen  later. 


Stratiomyidw, 
milk-baited  tn 

Syrphidw, 


Ptectious  trivitatus.  Say.  .     ^  .   • 

A  single  specimen  was  captured  in  a  milk-baited  trap  at  the  oow  bam  manure  pit.  July  lOth. 


Eristalis  tenax,  L. 

This  drone  fly  bred  in  the  oow  bam  manure  pit  during  May  and  June.     It  was  nersr 
taken  in  the  traps. 

Sarcophagidce. 

Bottcheria  latistema,  Parker  (1) 

A  singJe  specimen  resembling  this  ^>ecies  was  captured  at  the  horte  bam  manure  pit 
September  28th. 
Ravinia  communis,  Parker. 

Thirteen  individuals  were  captured  at  the  big  bam  and  the  horse  and  cow  bam  manure 
pits  from  May  l^th  till  etoptember  28th.    Also  reared  from  oow  dung  isolated  June  5th,  during 
July  and  on  August  27th,  and  from  pig  dung  isolated  August  26th. 
Kavinla  hitisetOBa.  Parker. 

Four  specimens  wore  captured  on  the  farm  gnd  at  ^e  horse  bam  and  cow  bam  manure 
pits  from  May  19th  till  August  7th.    The  species  was  bred  from  cow  and  pig  dung  isolated  in 
cages  on  August  2dth  and  27th,  respectively. 
Saroophaga  assidua.  Walk. 

One  specimen  from  a  trap  in  the  horse  bom  July  10th. 
Saroophaga  buUata,  Mans. 

Three  specimens  from  the  farm  dated  May  19tb.    One  taken  from  a  trap  at  the  cow 
bam  manure  pit,  July  ISth. 
Saroophaga  falculata.  Pand. 

One  specimen  from  a  trap  in  the  brooder  house,  July  27th. 
Saroophaga  dalmatina,  Schiner. 

One  specimen  from  the  brooder  house,  August  21st. 
Saroophaga  h»morrhoidalis,  Meig. 

Four  specimens  from  the  horse  bam  manure  pit,  August  Ist,  7th,  2l8t,  and  September 
2Sth,  and  one  from  the  brooder  house,  August  7th. 
Sarcophaga  helicis.  Towns. 

First  captured  on  the  farm  on  May  10th,  and  subsequently  during  July  and  August  at 
the  horse  bam  manure  pit  and  the  eow  bam.    Seven  specimens  obtained. 
Saroophaga  sooparia,  Pand. 

One  specimen,  cow  bam  manure  pit,  July  18th. 
Saroophaga  sarraoenic.  lliley. 

Taken  once  at  the  cow  bam  manure  pit,  .August  Ist,  imd  once  at  the  pig  bam,  August  21st. 
Sarcophaga  utilis,  Aldrich. 

One  specimen  from  the  farm  May  25th,  and  another  from  the  horse  bam  manure  pit, 
October  5th. 

MUMCidCB. 

PoUenia  rudis,  Fab. 

The  cluster  fly  was  caught  in  milk-baited  traps  at  two  places:  the  hotM  bam  manoie  pit 
and  the  oow  bam  manure  pit.    The  first  individual  was  taken  June  3rd,  the  last,  August  vth. 
Ten  specimens  were  captured  in  all;  the  largest  number  taken  from  a  single  trap  was  five. 
Cynomsria  cadaverina,  Desv. 

This  blow-fly-Iike  species  was  not  detected  at  the  College  Farm  till  May  13th,  although 
specimens  were  collected  in  New  Brunswick  on  April  24th,  26th,  29th  and  May  Ist  and  12th. 
It  seemed  to  reach  its  maximum  abundance  late  m  May.     Eleven  specimens  were  taken  from 


14  Ad 

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386  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

tnepB  on  May  10th  and  25th.    One  was  taken  on  June  3rd  and  the  spedeB  was  not  seen  acarn 
tiuSeptember  28th  when  two  specimens  were  captured  in  a  trap  at  the  horse  bam  manure  pit. 

The  records  from  the  CoUcm  Farm  agree  in  genecal  with  Ihose  from  the  entire  Stated 
which  show  that  Cynomyia  cadaverina  is  present  during  May,  and  again  during  September 
and  October.     What  becomes  of  this  species  during  July  and  AugustV 
'  Calli^ora  erythrocephala,  Meig. 

This  common  blow-4y  was  cwturea  in  the  milk4>aited  tr^>s  throui^out  the  p|eriod  cov- 
ered by  these  investigations.  Seldom  more  than  four  or  five  were  taken  from  a  single  trap. 
The  first  individuals  were  captured  on  April  24th,  the  last  seen  on  October  20th.  Althou^ 
never  present  in  large  numbers  in  a  single  catch,  it  is,  on  account  of  its  dung  feeding  habits 
and  its  continual  presence  throughout  the  season,  a  species  to  be  feared. 
Calliphora  vomitoria,  L. 

This  bbw-fly  was  captured  but  twice,  on  May  19th  and  26th.  although  it  was  expected 
to  be  abundant.     It  is  said  to  occur  everywhere  in  New  Jeney  at  all  aeasonsf  but  was  far  sur- 
passed in  numbers  on  the  College  Farm  by  Calliphora  erythrocephala,  Meig. 
I^dlia  cesar,  L. 

lliis  green  bottle  fly  is  closely  allied  to  the  next  species,  and  is  supposed  to  be  more  abund- 
ant in  New  Jersey.     Only  seven  out  of  about  fifty  specimens  of  Ludlia  which  were  saved, 
showed  distinctly  the  character  of  Lucilia  cae«ar,  L.      They  were  collected  from  traps  during 
July  and  August. 
Lucilia  sericata,  Meig. 

This  fly  was  obwrved  on  the  farm  in  considerable  abundance  from  May  19th  till  October 
5th.  During  June  about  200  q>ecimens  were  taken  from  one  trap  at  the  cow  bam  manure 
pit.  After  that  time  it  was  not  so  plentiful  and  a  trap  seldom  contained  more  than  fifteen  or 
twenty.  This  is  an  important  species  early  in  the  summer  before  house  flies  are  present  in 
large  numbers. 
Phormia  regina.  Meig. 

During  June  this  species  appeared  in  considerable  numbers.  About  250  were  removed 
from  a  trap  at  the  cow  bam  on  June  3rd  and  on  June  30th  in  a  single  trap  at  the  cow  bani 
manure  pit,  which  had  not  been  emptied  since  June  3rd,  contained  approximately  200  of  these 
flies.  After  that  time  a  single  trap  seldom  contained  more  than  four  or  five.  It  was  first 
captured  on  May  25th,  and  was  present  at  least  till  September  5th.  The  records  indicate 
that  this  is  an  important  species  early  in  the  summer  and  that  it  is  present  till  well  into  the 
faU. 
Pseudopyrellia  oomidna.  Fab. 

Bred  from  cow  dung  isolated  in  breeding  ca^  August  5th  and  27th:  about  twelve  indi- 
viduals issued.     It  was  not  captured  in  milk-baited  traps. 
MorelUa  micans,  Macq. 

First  captured  on  June  3rd  in  a  trap  at  the  cow  bam  manure  pit  from  which  four  speci- 
mens were  taken.     Another  was  captured  at  the  horse  bam  manure  pit  on  September  28th. 

EUeven  specimens  were  reared  from  cow  manure  taken  from  the  cow  pasture  on  the  fol- 
lowing dates:  July  22nd:  Augiist  25th;  August  27th.      Many  larvie  were  found  in  cow  manure 
in  the  pasture  on  August  5th. 
Musca  domestica.  Ij. 

The  house  fly  or  typhoid  fly  wa^  by  far  the  most  abundant  species  on  the  tarm.  The  fol- 
lowing table  was  compiled  frcMn  Uapj>ed  ^ledmens  and  from  observations  made  at  inter- 
vals throughout  the  season.  While  making  no  claims  to  absolute  accuracy,  it  is  believed,  the 
table  gives,  in  a  general  way,  a  true  picture  of  the  relative  abundance  of  house  flies  and  other 
flies  on  the  College  Farm  in  1014. 


•Smith  "Injects  of  New  Jersey' ,  Ann.  Kept.  N.  J.  State  Mus.  1909.  p.  786. 
fSmith.  k>c.  cit.,  p.  786. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


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388         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"  Home  fliM  were  neaa  at  the  oow  bam  on  Uuy  13th  and  by  May  19Ui  they  had  appeared 
in  small  numbers  at  the  pig  bam.  Th«y  graduaJly  increased  during  May  and  June,  and  by 
Juiy  Ist  were  more  abundant  than  any  other  spedes.  By  the  middle  of  September  th^  had 
begun  to  decrease  perceptibly.  On  October  5th,  six  traps  stationed  at  thej>ig  bam,  brooder 
house  and  horse  bam  manure  pit  caught  only  210  flies,  and  on  October  20th,  the  reduction 
was  still  greater. 

"The  pigbam  and  calf  bam  sustained  the  highest  percentage  of  house  flies  thoughout 
the  season.  This  was  due  to  a  large  and  constant  supply  of  food  in  the  form  of  milk,  oraa, 
tankage  and  other  materials  which  remained  in  the  troughs  and  pails  after  the  animam  were 
fed  or  was  spilled  on  the  floor.  The  cow  bam  also  attracted  a  large  number  of  house  flies, 
but  late  in  July,  Stomoxvs  calcitrans,  L.,  appeared  in  force  and  tne  relative  percentage  of 
house  flies  dropped  considerably.  The  horse  bam  and  cow  bam  manure  pits  did  not  prove 
as  attractire,  since  the  manure  was  regularly  removed  from  them,  and  consequently  fewer 
house  flies  were  captured  there.  This  was  also  tme  to  a  lesser  extent  of  the  brooder  house 
and  horse  bam.  It  thus  appears  that  wherever  house  flies  found  an  abundance  of  food,  they 
were  present  almost  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  species,  but  where  their  food  was  present  in 
small  quantity,  they  were  largely  displaced  by  oUier  species.  Whether  this  repkeliant  effect 
was  due  to  their  numerical  preponderance  or  to  their  pugnacity  was  not  determined.  How- 
ever, house  flies  were  obeerved  in  pursuit  of  little  house  flies  (Fannia  canicularis,  L.)  about 
traps  on  several  occasions. 

"Breeding  was  first  discovered  in  horse  manure  at  a  small  stable  near  the  cow  bam  on 
June  2nd.  On  June  2.5th,  a  few  larvm  were  found  beneath  the  stall  boards  in  the  horse  bam. 
Breeding  was  detected  in  moist  chicken  dung  at  the  poultry  plant  on  July  3rd,  and  on  July 
7th  myriads  of  lar\fe  infested  the  cleanings  from  brooder  pens  (a  mixture  of  chicken  dung 
and  sand)  which  had  been  used  to  fill  depressions  in  a  road  and  which  a  rain  had  dampened. 
A  few  house  flies  were  bred  from  pig  manure  taken  from  the  pig  yards  on  August  2dth,  and 
in  large  numbers  from  the  same  material  gathered  September  23ni.  Larv»  and  pupe  were 
reported  October  15th  in  a  mixture  of  cow  manure  and  straw  beneath  a  crate  from  which 
calves  were  fed.  Larv»  could  nearly  always  be  found  in  the  horse  ham  manure  pit,  but  ex- 
cept in  a  very  few  instances,  the  manure  was  removed  before  they  had  reached  large  sise. 
Graphomyia  amerieana,  R.  D.  ^maculata,  Scopoli). 

Six  specimens  of  this  strikingly-marked  fly  were  captured  in  traps  at  the  cow  bam  ma- 
nure pit  from  June  3rd  till  July  18th. 
•'^tnmoxys  calcitrans,  L. 

The  stable  fly  was  not  seen  till  May  0th  wh(»n  five  or  six  were  fmind  on  cows  and  one  on 
a  hog.  It  did  not  appear  in  large  numbers  till  about  the  middle  of  July,  and  from  that  time 
it  increased  so  that  by  July  27th  it  was  as  abundant  at  the  cow  bam  ns  the  house  fly.  On 
August  10th  three  counts  were  made  in  the  cow  bam  and  97%  of  the  flies  present  were  sta- 
ble flies.  By  September  28th,  however,  this  percentage  had  dropped  to  about  75,  and  on 
October  20th,  when  the  last  observation  was  made  the  numbers  were  very  greatly  reduced. 

A  few  stable  flies  were  bred  from  horse  manure  from  the  horse  bam  manure  pit  on  Sep- 
tember 14th.     Breeding  pUces  could  not  be  found  near  the  oow  bam,  but.  as  they  may  breed 
in  accumulations  of  straw  and  grass,  it  would  have  been  easy  to  overlook  them. 
Lyperosia  (Hsmatobia)  irritans,  Linn. 

The  hom  fly  was  first  seen  on  cows  at  the  cow  bam  on  May  10th.  On  Msy  10th,  it  was 
estimated  that  150  hom  files  were  present  on  forty  cows,  but  they  were  not  evenly  distributed, 
some  cows  having  ten  or  twelve  on  their  shoulders,  others  two  or  three  and  still  others  none 
at  all.  Only  two  of  the  twenty  cows  on  the  eut  side  of  the  bam  were  fly  infested  at  4:00  p. 
m.,  the  hom  flies  preferring  the  cows  in  the  strongest  light.  Bv  June  6th  there  had  been  a 
jpreat  increase  in  the  number  of  hom  flies  and  ih^  irregular  distribution  was  not  so  apparent. 
This  increase  continued  until  the  middle  of  July  when  the  maximum  was  reached.  A  marked 
decrease  was  observed  on  September  Idth  and  again  on  Seotember  28th  when  many  of  the 
cows  were  entirely  free  from  flies.     A  few  hom  flies  were  still  present  on  October  20th. 

Hom  files  were  bred  from  oow  dung  which  came  from  the  cow  pasture  on  June  30th.  but 
I  am  confident  they  were  breeding  before  this  date.      They  were  reared  again  from  oow  dung 
isolated  in  breeding  csgee  on  August  27th.    Pupfe  were  collected  in  considerable  numbers  on 
several  other  occasions  during  August. 
Muscina  stabulans.  Fall. 

The  trap  records  showed  that  this  species  reached  iif*  height  of  abundance  during  June- 
On  June  2nd,  fifty  specimens  were  taken  from  a  trap  in  the  brooder  house;  on  June  3rd,  350 
were  captured  in  traps  in  tJie  cow  bam  and  at  the  manure  pit  nearby:  235  were  taken  from 
ihe  same  traps  on  June  .30th.  Muscina  stabulans.  Fall,  wa^  also  a  common  species  through- 
out July  and  August,  but  diminished  in  numbers  during  September.  Three  snecimens  were 
taken  on  October  5th  in  the  brooder  house  and  at  the  horse  bam  manure  pit,  the  latest  date 
they  were  captured. 

Muscina  stabulans  wa^  only  bred  twice  during  th^  season.     A  single  fly  emerged  from 
manure  which  had  been  taken  from  undemeath  a  horse  stall  on  July  15th.  and  two  speci- 
mens issued  from  cow  dung  isolated  in  breeding  jars  on  June  5th. 
Muscina  assimilis.  Fall. 

Apparently  occuring  throughout  the  summer,  but  not  abundant.    Seven  specimens  wer* 
trapped  on  the  following  dates:   June  3rd,  .July  10th  and  September  28th.     Five  of  these  wer* 
captured  on  September  28th. 
Myospila  meditabunda.  Fab. 

A  single  specimen  issued  from  cow  dung  which  was  placed  in  a  breeding  cage  on  August 
27th;  another  was  bred  from  pig  dung  isolated  in  breeding  cages  September  23rd. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  389 

Anthompida. 

Ophyn  leuoostoma,  Wiad. 

Thw  little  metalUo  black  fly  was  obeerved  and  trapped  on  the  Collefce  Farm  from  June 
3rd  "Titil  September  28th.  Nearly  one-half  of  the  trapped  specimens  were  captured  in  the 
brooder  houso,  and  the  fact  that  individuals  were  observed  about  chicken  dung  on  two  occa- 
sions, sugcests  that  th^  might  breed  in  this  substance.  Examinations*  howevert  failed  to 
produce  any  Oi^iyra  larv». 

Tea  is  the  largest  number  of  specimens  of  this  species  caught  in  a  single  day. 
Fumia  canicubuis,  L. 

From  May  6th  till  the  middle  of  June,  the  little  house  flv  was  one  of  the  most  abundant 
species  on  the  farm.  The  traps  contained  71%  of  flies  of  this  species  on  May  19th.  By  June 
^id,  about  50%  of  the  flies  at  the  pig  bam  and  brooder  house  were  of  this  species  and  the 
next  day  about  40%  of  those  counted  at  the  cow  bam  were  little  house  flies.  It  rapidly  de- 
creased after  this  date,  espedallv  in  the  pig  barn  and  cow  bam,  but  it  was  observed  and 
trapped  there  throughout  July.  August  and  September  in  small  numbers.  In  the  horM  bam . 
it  was  still  preeent  in  considerable  numbera  on  October  5th,  and  on  October  20th  was  the  most 
abundant  fly  in  the  horse  bam.  but  still  outnumbered  bv  the  house  fly  at  the  pig  bam. 

A  number  of  larva>,  some  of  which  undoubtedly  belonged  to  this  species,  were  found 
beneath  the  stall  boards  in  the  horse  bam  on  June  25th.     It  was  bred  from  horse  manure 
taken  from  beneath  the  horse  stalls  on  July  15th,  and  from  horse  dung  taken*  from  the  horse 
bam  manure  pit  September  9th. 
Fannia  scalaris  Fab. 

This  species,  closely  allied  to  the  little  house  fly,  was  not  as  abundant  as  the  preceding' . 
It  was  seen  from  May  6th  till  August  7th  and  reached  its  greatest  abundance  on  Juno  25tn 
at  the  horse  bam.     Twenty-six  specimens  were  caught  in  traps  or  by  means  of  nets. 

A  single  adult  of  this  form  was  reared  from  deamngs  gathered  from  beneath  a  horse  stall 
on  July  15th.     It  emerged  on  July  Slst. 

Scatophagidcd. 

Scatophaga  sterooraria,  L. 

During  t^e  first  two  weeks  in  May  this  yellow  dung  fly  laid  its  eggs  in  cow  and  pig  dung 
in  the  pastures  and  in  compost  near  the  greenhouses.  It  was  exceeding  abundant  at  this 
time.  Three  specimens  were  taken  in  trape  during  Juhr,  and  four  dunng  the  early  part  of 
August.    The  spedes  was  last  seen  in  the  cow  pasture  August  25th. 

Borboridis,  * 

Borborus  sp. 

Two  distinct  species  are  included  under  this  head — one  captured  on  the  farm  on  April 
24th  and  another  reared  from  pig  dung  isolated  June  30th. 
Spherocera  subsultans.  Fab. 

There  was  one  specimen  taken  at  the  horse  bam  manure  pit.  April  23rd,  but  this  species 
or  one  nearly  like  it  was  seen  at  the  above  locality  throughout  the  summer.  It  was  found 
within  manure  heaps. 

SapromyzidCB. 

Lonehea  deutschi,  Zett. 

This  snmll  black  fly  was  bred  from  cow  dung  taken  from  the  cow  pasture  on  July  22nd 
and  August  25th.    It  was  never  caught  in  traps. 

OrtadidcB, 

Tetanops  Iiiridipennis,  Lw. 

A  single  specimen  was  taken  from  a  trap  at  the  horse  bam  manure  pit  on  July  10th. 

SepsidcB. 

Tbls  small  By  was  bred  from  cow  dung  taken  from  the  cow  pasture  on  July  5th,  July  22nd 
August  5th  and  September  24th,  and  from  pig  dung  from  the  pig  yards  on  June  30th,  July 
3rd  and  September  23rd.  It  was  captured  in  the  poultry  plant  dung  house  and  at  the  win- 
dows in  the  cow  bam,  but  never  in  the  traps.  Neither  have  I  ever  seen  it  about  traps,  al- 
though it  may  have  entered  them  at  times  and  escaped  again  through  the  meshes  of  the  wire. 

Experiments  With  Baits  for  Fly  Trape. 

'Idilk  and  bran  or  milk  and  bread  were  used  as  baits  for  tbe  fly  traps 
throughout  the  summer.  Sweet  milk  was  used  wheneyer  obtainable.  Ex- 
perimental work  done  by  Morril*  showed  that  fresh  beer  was  a  better 
liquid  than  milk  for  fly  bait.    Three  experiments  were  conducted,  each  for 


•Joum.  Econ.  But,  Vol.  6,  No.  3, 1914,  pp.  268-273. 


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390  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

a  number  of  days,  to  prove  whlcn  was  the  better  of  these  two  substance& 
Two  traps  (12x30  inches),  one  baited  with  milk  and  bread,  the  other 
with  beer  and  bread  were  placed  about  ten  feet  apart  in  the  pig  bam. 
The  baits  were  placed  in  tin  pie  plates  and  were  renewed  every  other  day. 
Results  were  taken  by  comparing  the  number  of  dead  flies  in  the  bottom 
of  each  trap  at  the  end  of  the  time,  as  follows:  (1)  July  6-8<  beer  two 
times  as  many  flies  as  milk;  (2)  July  10-15,  milk  two  times  as  many  flies 
as  beer;  (3)  July  13-15,  milk  two  times  as  many  flies  as  beer. 

In  experiment  2  the  two  traps  were  almost  even  on  July  14,  but  by  the 
next  day  the  milk  baited  trap  had  again  taken  the  lead.  Beer  is  unques- 
tionably attractive  to  flies,  but  these  experiments  indicate  that  milk  is 
even  a  better  bait 

Studies  on   Larvicldes. 

.  "The  work  on  larvicldes  consisted  largely  in  an  attempt  to  flnd  new 
chemicals  suitable  to  control  house  fly  larvs  in  manure.  Iron  sulphate, 
borax  and  pyroligneous  acid,  which  have  recently  been  investigated  by 
Cook,  Hutchinson  and  Scales*  were  also  given  some  attention. 

LABORATORY  EXPERIMENTS. 

"Seven  new  compounds  besides  iron  sulphate  and  borax  which  haTe 
been  previously  investigated  were  used  in  the  laboratory  tests,  the  results 
of  which  are  given  in  the  table  below.  The  larvae  were  placed  in  60  mm. 
glass  dishes  with  one  ounce  of  fresh  horse  manure.  The  tops  were  eoT- 
ered  with  pieces  of  cotton  doth  held  by  means  of  rubber  bands.  Unless 
otherwise  stated,  5cc  of  each  larvicide  solution  was  applied  to  each  ounce 
of  manure,  an  amount  which  gave  it  a  thorough  wetting.  The  dilutions 
were  generally  such  as  would  be  near  a  practical  one  flnancially  should 
they  show  larvicide  properties;  An  attempt  was  made  to  place  ten  larvaB 
in  each  dish,  but  was  not  successful  because  of  the  number  of  eggs  and 
minute  larvoe  scattered  throughout  the  manure.  This  will  account  for 
the  difTerences  in  the  number  of  adults  which  emerged  in  the  experiments. 

"None  of  these  compounds  except  borax,  iron  sulphate  and  mercuric 
chloride  was  effective  at  the  strengths  tested.  Mercuric  chloride  used 
at  the  dilution  of  one  part  to  flfty  parts  of  water  is  a  violent  poison  and 
its  cost  would  render  the  applications  too  expensive.  None  of  the  three 
successful  compounds  was  of  sufilcient  strength  to*  kill  all  of  the  larve 
and  some  always  reached  the  pupal  stage.  It  is  also  signiflcant  that  one 
seemingly  perfect  adult  fly  emerged  from  a  borax  and  iron  sulphate  dish. 
Even  under  experimental  conditions  the  control  with  these  lanriddes  is 
not  perfect 


*Experiments  in  the  destruction  of  fly  larvae  in  horse  manure — U.  S. 
Dept.  Agr.,  Bui.  118,  26  pp.,  1914. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  391 

Experimwit  I— 8«t  8/24— Examined  9/11,  1914. 


«> 

'$ 

1 

3 
1 

1 

1 

1 

CHEMICAL. 

5^ 

h 

11 

Cootrol  water 

6cc. 

loi. 

None. 

None. 

17 
23 

••          »* 

I 

I 

•• 

I 

11 
27 

Sodium  suli^io-carbonate 

1:200 
1:200 

20 
24 

Mercuric  Chkmde 

l:lfiOO 

•* 

** 

*• 

'* 

24 

•t             •• 

l:lfiOO 

•* 

** 

*' 

8 

«•              •* 

1:6000 
1:6000 
1:200 

•; 

•; 

ti 

., 

♦15 

••             «« 

14 

Oxalic  Acid 

16 

1:200 

** 

•* 

13 

0.46  grm: 

Borax 

6cc.  H2  0 

«• 

13 

8 

1 
0 

Iron  Sulphate 

2  lbs.:  1  gal 
^1:200 

5  cc. 

•; 

8 
6 

1 

3 

6 

None. 

0 

1 

Lead  Acetate 

9 

^1:200 

** 

*' 

None. 

" 

13 

Alum 

1:100 

*• 

** 

** 

17 

1:100 

*• 

** 

*• 

^\ 

•• 

1:200 

** 

*' 

*' 

11 

" 

1:200 

*• 

'* 

** 

** 

10 

Ferric  Chloride 

1:200 
1:200. 
1:100 
1:100 
1:200 
1:200 

<• 

4    •• 

1 
•  None. 

16 

11 

Potasiium  Carbonate 

9 

17 

M                                        •« 

10 

"                                         ••               

17 

Experiment  II— Set  9/23— Examined  10/2$,   19 

14. 

Contiol  water 

5  cc. 

1  OS. 

•• 

None. 
4 

None. 

9 
4 

8 

10 

Mercurie  Chloride 

1:50 
1:50 

0     ,' 

•»             •« 

'   0 

*  (2  live  pupffi) .  I  (Stomoxys  calcitrans) . 

"While  these  experiments  did  not  furnish  a  new  larvlcide,  they  gave 
valuable  data  on  the  resistance  of  house  fly  larvs  to  a  number  of  com- 
pounds which  will  be  useful  In  future  work.* 

OUTDOOR  EXPERIMENTS  WITH  IRON   SULPHATE  AND   BORAX. 

"On  August  3rd,  three  piles  of  horse  manure  containing  200  pounds  each 
(about  four  bushels)  were  placed  In  a  row  ten  feet  apart  near  the  horse 
bam  manure  pit  One  pile  received  the  Iron  sulphate  treatment  used  suc- 
cessfully on  cow  manure  last  year^  I.e.,  1  gallon  of  the  stock  solution  to  30 
pounds  of  manure  or  6  2/3  gallons  for  the  200  pounds.  The  stock  solution 
was  made  up  at  the  rate  of  2  pounds  of  iron  sulphate  to  1  gallon  of  water. 
The  applications  were  made  with  a  sprinkling  can  to  the  surface  of  the 
pile.  Another  pile  received  0.31  pounds  (amount  recommended  by  Cook, 
Hutchinson  and  Scales,  loc.  clt  p.  24)  of  commercial  borax  which  was 
crinkled  over  the  pile  and  washed  In  with  6  2/3  gallons  of  water.  The 
third  pile  was  used  as  a  control.  On  August  7th  a  count  was  made  of  a 
half-bushel  sample  from  each  pile  with  the  following  results:     Iron  sul- 


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392  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


pliate  plle»  400  live  larvaB;  borax  pile,  252  live  larvaB;  control  pile,  215 
live  larvsB.  No  water  was  applied  to  the  check  and  It  had  dried  out  con- 
siderably. 

''The  piles  were  treated  again  on  August  7th,  the  amount  of  larvldde 
being  doubled  In  each  case  so  that  the  Iron-sulphate  pile  received  18  VZ 
gallons  of' the  stock  solution,  the  borax  pile  0.62  pounds  washed  In  with 
13  gallons  of  water,  and  the  control  13  gallons  of  water.  An  examination 
was  made  again  on  August  12th  with  the  following  results:  Iron-sulphate 
pile,  a  few  pups  and  quite  a  few  young  flies;  control  pile,  a  few  larve, 
pup8B  and  young  flies;  borax  pile,  quite  a  number  of  pups  black^ied, 
elongated  and  apparently  dead  and  a  few  young  flies.  The  number  of 
larvee,  pupee  and  young  flies  found  was  so  small  that  it  did  not  seem  worth 
while  to  make  exact  counts.  Although  the  borax  pile  showed  fewer  live 
flies  a^d  more  dead  pupee  than  the  others,  it  cannot  be  said  that  the  num- 
ber of  larvee  and  pupse  killed  was  entirely  satisfactory. 

"Two  other  experiments  conducted  in  boxes  with  open  tops  covered  by 
wire  screen  were  negatived  by  what  was  apparently  a  bacterial  disease 
and  the  activities  of  a  hymenopterous  parasite,  Spalangia  muscidarum 
Richardson,  which  attacked  the  larve  or  pupse  In  the  iron-sulphate  and 
borax  treated  manure  as  well  as  In  the  controls  so  that  very  few  of  the 
larvsB  or  pupse  matured. 

"Results  obtained  from  experiments  last  year  show  that  house  fly  larve 
can  be  killed  if  the  iron-sulphate  is  carefully  mixed  with  the  manure. 
The  work  of  the  past  summer,  while  not  conclusive,  indicates  that  surface 
treatment  of  manure  piles  with  iron-sulphate  will  not  result  in  the  total 
elimination  of  the  larvse  therein  contali\ed. 

THE    EFFECT   OF   LARVICIDAL   DOSESXpF    IRON    SULPHATE    AND 
BLEACHING    POWDER    (CaOCIa)  ON  ThV  GROWTH   OF   BARLEY. 

"An  experiment  was  undertaken  last  year  by  5?r.  Headlee  to  determine 
the  effect  of  manure  treated  with  larvlcidal  dot^s  of  iron-sulphate  and 
bleaching  powder  upon  the  growth  of  barley.  Ten  ^arge  pots  were  filled 
with  various  mixtures  of  eartl|,  manure  and  the  larvicides  and  were  sown 
to  barley.  The  crop  was  gathered  when  matured  and  through  the  kind- 
ness of  Prof.  A.  W.  Blair,  Associate  Soil  Chemist,  dry  Vweights  of  the 
plants  were  determined.  \ 


S 

Pot  Number. 

Fertilizer. 

Larvidde. 

Diy\ Weight  of 
Planiti  ui  grama. 

Indiv.  \        Aver. 

1 

No  manure 

No  manure 

♦Manure. 

No  treatment 

7.6 
10.6 
11.0 

9.6 

8.0 
11.6 
13.0 

8.6 

1.8 
0.4 

i 

i. ..,:..::.:. . 

No  treatment. 

\       9.0 

3 

Fe  S04— 2  lbs.  to  30  Iba.  manure. 
Fe  804— 2  lbs.  to  30  Iba.  manure. 
Fe  S04— 2  Ibfl.  to  16  Ibe.  manure. 
Fe  804 — 2  Ibe.  to  16  lbs.  manure. 
No  treatment.  . . 

4 

\    10.2 

5 

«t      

. 

6 

t<      

\    ^-7 

7 

«• 

8 

•« 

No  treatment. 

10.7 

9 

«• 

1  lb.  bleaching  powder  to  8  qta. 
»«anure- 

„ 

10 

1  lb.  bleaching  powder  to  8  qta. 
manure. 

Ml 

♦Manure  waa  alwa3ra  uaed  at  the  rate  of  H  lb.  to  18  Iba.  of  aoil. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  393 

Iron  sulphate  eyen  when  used  at  the  rate  of  2  pounds  to  15  pounds  of 
manure  gaye  better  results  than  when  neither  manure  nor  iron  sulphate 
were  applied.  The  pots  containing  manure  alone  gaye  slightly  better  re- 
sults than  those  to  which  iron  sulphate  was  applied.  Bleaching  powder 
had  a  yery  disastrous  effect  on  the  growth  of  barley. 

Cook,  Hutchinson  and  Scales*  found  that  iron  sulphate  greatly  reduced 
the  bacterial  count  in  manure.  The  results  of  the  present  experiment  do 
not  indicate  that  the  fertilizer  yalue  of  the  manure  is  greatly  harmed. 

EXPERIMENTS    WITH    PYR0LIQNE0U8  ACID. 

"Pyroligneous  acid  has  recently  receiyed  praise  as  a  fly  destroyer  from 
a  number  of  sources.  Its  champions  claimed  that  it  would  not  only  destroy 
the  eggs  and  the  laryse,  but  that  its  fumes  would  eyen  kill  the  adults.  To 
ascertain  the  truth  of  tt^se  assertions  a  number  of  experiments  were  un- 
dertaken.  A  barrel  of  crude  pyroligneous  add  was  kindly  furnished 
throui^  the  Yreeland  Chemical  Company  for  this  purpose.  The  following 
test  was  made  June  18th:  A  quart  of  undiluted  pyroligneous  add  was 
applied  to  a  quantity  of  manure  in  a  horse  stall  about  which  many  flies 
were  hoyering.  In  one-half  hour  practically  as  many  flies  were  crawling 
oyer  the  manure  as  before  the  treatment.  The  odor  of  the  add  was  yery 
strong.  It  was  apparent  that  pyroligneous  add  did  not  possess  any  unu- 
sual repellant  qualities. 

^As  a  -further  test,  flye  adult  flies  were  captured  and  placed  in  a  large 
stoppered  bottle  into  which  a  rag  saturated  with  undiluted  pyroligneous 
add  had  been  inserted.  A  Mason  jar  containing  a  water«oaked  rag  and 
flye  flies  was  used  as  a  check.  After  45  minutes  exposure,  three  flies 
were  able  to  leaye  the  bottle  containing  pyroligneous  acid  and  two  others 
although  wetted  by  flying  against  the  saturated  rag,  ultimately  flew  ofL 
The  flies  seemed  to  be  slightly  inactiyated  by  the  fumes,  but  they  recoy- 
ered  when  exposed  to  the  air.  The  flies  in  the  check  behayed  normally 
and  flew  away  when  the  cover  was  removed  from  the  Jar. 

"In  order  to  prove  whether  pyroligneous  add  would  destroy  eggs  and 
larvs  another  experiment  was  made.  Two  boxes  of  approximately  equal 
size  were  fllled  with  1,700  cubic  inches  of  horse  manure  one  day  old.  An 
examination  was  made  to  see  that  no  large  larvae  were  present 

''The  boxes  were  placed  several  feet  apart  in  an  exposed  position  on 
July  9th.  One  box  was  treated  with  one  pint  of  undiluted  pyroligneous 
add,  applied  with  a  sprinkling  can;  the  other  served  as  a  dieck.  Three 
additional  pints  of  add  were  applied  on  July  11th,  18th  and  15th,  re- 
spectivdy.  Examination  was  made  on  July  18th  with  these  results: 
Chedc  box — 28  larvs  and  2  pup»  found  in  the  upper  two  inches  of  the 
manure.  Treated  box— 90  pupce  counted  in  the  upper  two  inches  of  the 
manure.  Fbur  or  flve  times  as  many  were  found  but  not  counted.  They 
appeared  to  be  normal  in  every  way. 

''Since  pyroligneous  acid  failed  to  repel  the  adult  house  fly,  or  to  pre- 
Tent  it  from  breeding  in  manure,  further  experiments  were  not  conddered. 
Recently  Cook,  Hutchinson  and  Scales  t  arrived  at  similar  conclusions. 


•Loc  dt,  p.  11. 
tLoc  dt,  p.  9. 


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394  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


CONTROL  OF  THE  FLY  BREEDING  IN    HORSE   STALLS. 

"The  stalls  at  the  horse  barn  are  floored  with  12-inch  planks  laid  on  a 
foundation  of  smooth  cement  Under  these  planks,  house  flies-bred  in 
abundance  last  year,  and  to  prevent  a  recurrence  of  this,  experiments 
were  conducted  with  a  number  of  compounds.  Nine  stalls  were  chosen 
for  this  purpose  and  the  applications  were  made  by  removing  the  stall 
boards  and  spreading  the  lanricides  evenly  over  the  cement  floor. 

"On  June  18th,  stall  1  received  two  sixteen-qu^  pails  of  dry  iron  sul- 
phate and  stall  2  one-half  pail  of  the  same.  On  June  22nd  stall  5  was  given 
two  pails  of  acid  phosphate  and  on  June  24th  and  25th,  stalls  3,  4,  6  and 
7  received  two  pails  of  acid  phosphate  ^ach  and  stalls  8  and  9,  two  pails 
each  of  air-slaked  lime.  Many  Fannia  larvee  and  a  few  house  fly  larvae 
were  found  on  these  days. 

"Examination  of  stalls  1  and  2  was  made  on  June  2nd  and  they  were 
found  to  be  free  from  larvae.  July  2nd,  stall  1  (iron  sulphate)  showed 
no  larvse,  stall  2  (iron  sulphate)  showed  a  few  Fannia  and  one  house 
fly  larvse.  In  this  stall  the  iron  sulphate  had  largely  disappeared.  The 
other  stalls  were  free  of  larvs.  July  9th,  stalls  1,  3,  4,  5,  7  and  9  contained 
no  larvse.  July  15th,  stalls  1,  3,  4,  5,  8  and  9  were  carefully  searched  and 
Fannia  larvse  were  found  in  stall  5  (acid  phosphate)  house  fly  larvse 
in  stall  8  (air-slaked  lime)  and  Fannia  and  house  fly  larvse  in  stall 
9  (air-slaked  lime). 

"Up  to  this  time  only  a  few  larvse  were  found  in  one  iron  sulphate 
treated  stall  which  had  received  but  one-half  pail  of  larvicide.  Each  stall 
received  a  pail  and  a  half  of  iron  sulphate  on  July  16th.  TEis  was  applied 
by  lifting  up  the  stall  boards  and  throwing  the  iron  sulphate  under  the 
ends  where  it  was  thought  it  would  pass  into  solution  and  disseminate 
over  the  cement  floor.  On  July  27th,  however,  house  fly  larvse  were  found 
in  stall  8  above  the  point  where  the  iron  sulphate  had  penetrated.  On 
July  30th  all  the  stalls  except  numbers  1  and  2  received  one  pail  of  iron 
sulphate  or  about  50  pounds  each.  Stalls  2,  Z,  6  and  9  were  examined  on 
August  25th,  when  house  flies  were  still  abundant  and  only  two  Fannia 
larvse  were  found  in  stall  2.  Fly  breeding  had  been  practically  eliminated 
by  the  use  of  iron  sulphate. 

"One  hundred  pounds  or  less  of  iron  sulphate  properly  applied  would 
undoubtedly  keep  a  stall  cleared  of  larvse  through  the  fly  season.  The 
cost  would  be  less  than  one  dollar  per  stall. 

Flight    Experiments. 

"The  number  of  flies  at  the  pig  bam  remained  fairly  constant  during 
the  greater  part  of  July  and  August  As  it  was  certain  that  all  places 
on  the  farm  where  flies  could  breed  in  large  numbers  were  practically 
under  perfect  control,  it  was  surmised  that  many  must  come  from  outside 
sources.  A  number  of  experiments  were  made  to  ascertain  how  many 
flies  would  return  to  the  pig  bam  when  released  at  points  known  distances 
from  it.    Flies  were  captured  in  traps  at  the  pig  batn  and  the  number 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  395 

ccmtained  in  eadi  was  roughly  estimated  in  the  followlzig  way:  A  twenty- 
squu^inch  piece  of  wire  screen  was  carefully  placed  against  the  trap 
screen  in  five  or  six  different  places  and  an  average  of  the  number  of 
flies  covered  by  it  was  taken.  With  this  average  and  the  total  area  of  the 
traps,  the  total  number  of  flies  could  be  approximately  estimated. 

"A  trap  containing  about  3,000  flies  was  taken  to  a  point  1,715  feet  (not 
quite  a  third  of  a  mile)  southwest  of  the  pig  bam  on  July  22nd.  A  small 
quantity  of  rouge  (ferric  oxide)  was  placed  on  the  lid  of  the  trap  as  it 
stood  upside  down.  The  trap  was  shaken  up  and  down  and  with  a  rotary 
motion  so  that  the  flies  were  well  dusted  with  the  powder.  They  were 
liberated  at  9:45  A.  M.    The  following  results  were  obtained: 

July  24 —  1  marked  fly  in  trap  at  pig  bam. 

"      »'  —  1        "         "   reported  by  workman  at  brooder  house. 

"     27—11        "        flies  in  traps  at  pig  bam. 

"  —  1        "        fly  in  traps  at  horse  bam  manure  pit 
Aug.   1 —  1        "         "    "     "       "      "        "  "        " 

Total        15 

"Fifteen  flies  were  accounted  for  out  of  the  entire  lot  of  about  3,000. 
Of  course,  it  is  possible  many  more  returned  to  the  farm  and  were  not 
seen  or  caught.  The  rouge  wears  oft  in  time  so  that  only  a  trace  persists 
on  the  dorsum,  or  it  may  disappear  from  that  region  entirely,  but  it  always 
stains  the  alulse  permanently  a  pale  red  color. 

"About  11,600  flies  were  marked  and  liberated  on  August  4th.  Four 
thousand  of  these  were  marked  with  rouge  and  liberated  at  11  A.  M.  from 
the  southwest  station  (1,715  feet)  used  for  the  experiment  of  July  22nd. 
Three  t&ousand  flies  were  marked  with  pulverized  chalk  and  released 
at  9:50  A.  M.  from  a  point  1,715  feet  northeast  of  the  pig  bam.  One 
thousand  six  hundred  flies  marked  with  a  powder  composed  of  carmine 
and  chalk  (30  grains  of  carmine  to  1  ounce  of  chalk)  were  freed  at  11:45 
A.  M.  from  a  point  1,715  feet  northwest  of  the  pig  bam.  Three  thousand 
flies  colored  with  yellow  aniline  dye  and  chalk  (120  grains  of  dye  to  1 
ounce  of  chalk)  were  liberated  at  11  A.  M.  at  a  distance  of  1,715  feet  south- 
east of  the  pig  bam. 

"The  following  flies  marked  with  rouge  were  accounted  for: 

August  7th — 4  marked  flies  from  traps  at  pig  bam. 

"  —1        "       fly       "         "      "  horse  bam  manure  pit 
"      9th — 2        "       flies     "        "      "      "        "  "  " 

Total  7 

"Several  flies  marked  with  powdered  chalk  were  seen  in  the  trap  at  the 
horse  bam  manure  pit  on  the  afternoon  of  August  4th,  but  it  is  not  certain 
wliether  they  were  from  the  northeast  or  southeast  stations.  The  yellow 
aniline  dye-chalk  preparation  gave  a  poor  color  which  rubbed  ofT  easily 
and  when  pale  could  hardly  be  distinguished  from  the  chalk.  When  this 
trap  was  examined  several  days  afterward  none  of  the  flies  marked  with 
<^halk  or  aniline  dye-chalk  could  be  found  and  no  other  flies  so  marked 
were  ever  observed. 


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396         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"The  carmlhe-chalk  mixture  gave  a  good  color  though  not  as  vlyid  as  tt^e 
rouge  preparation.  The  flies  colored  by  it,  however,  were  never  again 
seen.  This  same  result  came  from  a  preliminary  experiment  undertaken 
on  July  2nd  when  about  3,000  flies  were  marked  with  carmine-chalk  and 
liberated  at  the  horse  bam  manure  pit  None  were  recovered.  It  seems 
probable  that  either  the  carmine  or  the  chalk  or  both  caused  the  death 
of  these  flies  or  that  the  color  vanished  rapidly. 

"The  last  flight  experiment  was  made  on  August  26th  at  8  P.  M.  with 
4,000  rouge-marked  flies.  They  were  liberated  at  the  northwest  station, 
1,715  feet  from  the  pig  bam.  The  following  were  captured  in  the  traps 
or  seen  on  the  tarm: 

August  26th — 9  marked  flies  in  traps  at  pig  bam. 
»•         »'  — 8        "         "    seen         "    "      " 
28th— 2        "  "    in  traps  "    "      " 

31st— 2        "  "     "      "      "    "      " 

Total  16 

"A  comparison  of  the  longevity  of  flies  marked  with  rouge  in  traps 
with  those  unmarked  showed  in  the  one  experiment  that  the  unmarked 
flies  lived  one  day  longer  than  the  marked  flies.  All  but  about  fortj 
marked  flies  were  dead  out  of  over  1,000  after  two  days  confinement, 
while  a  few  of  the  unmarked  flies  were  alive  at  the  end  of  three 
days  in  a  trap  containing  about  1,000.  Both  lots  were  fed  with  moist 
bread.  The  flight  experiments  showed  that  marked  flies  may  live  con- 
siderably longer  when  at  liberty.  Still,  as  the  above  experiment  indicated, 
they  probably  do  not  live  as  long  even  under  natural  conditions  as  the 
unmarked  flies. 

"While  a  very  small  portion  of  the  marked  flies  found  their  way  into 
the  traps  again,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  pig  bam  lay  in  only  on« 
of  the  many  directions  which  marked  flies  were  free  to  take.  This  and  the 
fact  that  many  were  probably  injured  by  the  process  of  marking  will 
account  for  the  small  number  that  returned. 

"The  experiments  show  that  flies  came  from  a  considerable  distance  to 
the  pig  bam,  horse  bam  and  brooder  plant.  Since  the  poultry  plaAt 
borders  on  the  edge  of  a  rather  thickly  populated  area  and  the  pig  bam 
and  horse  bam  are  not  fair  distant,  it  is  certain  that  many  flies  came  from 
this  neighboring  territory  throughout  the  season.  Although  the  cow  bam 
is  more  isolated,  undoubtedly  many  of  its  flies  came  from  outside  sources 
also. 

Why  Flies  Do   Not  Breed  in  Old  Ccmpost 

• 
"A  close  watch  was  kept  for  house  fly  breeding  in  compost  heaps 
throughout  the  summer.  Those  at  the  greenhouses  and  one  near  the  pear 
orchard  were  under  continual  surveillance  and  the  benches  in  the  green- 
houses were  examined  from  time  to  time.  All  of  this  compost,  a  mixture 
of  horse  manure  and  straw  or  cow  manure,  ensilage  and  other  debris,  was 
left  out  of  doors  over  winter.    No  house  fly  breeding  was  found  in  it  at 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  397 

any  time.  Considerable  numbers  of  house  fly  larv»  were  reported  in  com- 
post and  bench  soil  last  year*  but  it  developed  that  this  compost  was  made 
up  with  fresh  manure  which;  in  the  warm  atmosphere  of  the  greenhouses, 
offered  an  excellent  breeding  place. 

"Two  striking  differences  were  observable  between  the  old  compost  and 
fresh  manure  heaps.  First,  compost  gave  oft  no  perceptible  amount  of 
ammonia  gas  while  fresh  manure  piles  gave  it  ofT  in  quantities  easily 
detected;  second,  compost  lacked  the  characteristic  fecal  odor  of  fresh 
manure.  These  observations  suggested  that  the  pregnant  female  house 
fly  might  be  attracted  to  fresh  numure  either  by  the  odor  of  ammonia  or 
by  the  fecal  odor  and  that  the  compost  was  not  frequented  because  of 
the  lack  of  one  or  both  of  these  odors. 

AMMONIA    EXPERIMENTS. 

"The  attractiveness  of  ammonia  to  house  flies  was  tested  in  the  follow- 
ing manner:  Two  small  Hodge  fly  traps  of  dke  type  adapted  to  garbage 
cans  were  selected  for  this  experiment  The  pans  of  both  were  fllled  level 
with  the  top  with  coarse  saw  dust,  which,  it  was  thought,  would  simulate 
horse  manure.  In  one  trap,  the  check;  the  saw  dust  was  dampened  with 
water  while  the  other  received  twenty-flve  drops  of  concentrated  ammo- 
nium hydroxide;  The  traps  were  placed  fifteen  feet  apart  in  the  pig  bam 
at  5  P.  M.,  August  5th.  Flies  were  abundant  at  the  time.  At  10  A.  M.  the 
following  day,  the  odor  of  ammonia  could  not  be  detected  in  the  experi- 
mental trap,  which,  however,  held  three  flies.  No  flies  had  entered  the 
chedk  trap. 

''Another  experiment  was  made  with  a  single  small  Hodge  trap  in  the 
pan  of  which  a  large  piece  of  ammonium  carbonate  was  placed.  The 
following  morning  three  flies  were  found  in  this  trap. 

"The  third  experiment  was  an  attempt  to  Induce  house  flies  to  oviposit 
in  saw  dust  from  which  ammonia  was  arising.  Eight  tin  pie  plates  were 
placed  in  a  row  near  the  horse  bam  manure  pit  where  house  flids'  eggs 
and  larva  could  be  found  at  the  time  (August  6th  about  8  P.  M.).  One 
hundred  and  thirty-six  grams  of  coarse  saw  dust  were  placed  in  each.  8ix 
IMUis  received  1,  2,  8,  4,  6,  and  10  per  cent  by  weight  of  ammonium  car- 
bonate and  enoui^  water  to  moisten  the  mixture.  Two  pans  were  used  as 
controls  and  the  saw  dust  was  moistened  only.  The  next  day  at  8:80  A.  M., 
the  odor  of  ammonia  had  disappeared.  There  was  no  evidence  that  flies 
bad  oviposited.  The  saw  dust  was  moistened  daily  and  on  August  10th 
another  examination  was  made  for  eggs  or  small  larve,  but  none  was 
found.   Flies  were  not  seen  on  or  near  the  pans  at  any  time. 

"If  ammonia  had  been  volatilized  throughout  a  longer  period  in  these 
experiments,  the  results  might  have  been  difTerent  But  I  believe  the 
attractiveness  of  ammonia  must  be  feeble,  because  the  experiments  were 
conducted  at  a  time  when  flies  were  abundant  and  in  places  where  they 
were  always  present 


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398 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


EXPERIMENTS    WITH    MANURE    EXTRACTS. 

"Human  feces  derive  their  fecal  odor  from  two  bacterial  decompoBition 
products,  skatol  and  lndol*»  largei)r  the  former*  but  I  am  not  aware  that 
these  compounds  have  been  isolated  from  horse  or  cow  numure.  That 
they  exist  in  horse  and  cow  manure  appears  certain,  howeyer,  from  the 
presence  of  colon  bacilli,  the  indol  and  skatol  forming  bacteria,  in  the 
alimentary  tract  of  the  horse  and  cow. 

"It  was  desired  to  see  what  effect  known  solyents  of  skatol  and  indol 
*would  have  upon  fresh  samples  of  horse  ma9ure  and  to  test  the  reactions 
of  flies  to  the  extracts  and  residues.  Skatol  is  slightly  soluble  in  water 
and  soluble  in  alcohol;  indol  is  moderately  soluble  in  hot  water  and  very 
soluble  in  ether  and  alcohol. 

"Four  two  hundred  gram  lots  of  fresh  horse  manure  were  placed  in 
covered  Jars.  The  first  lot  was  macerated  in  750  cc  of  cold  water  for 
thirty  hours,  then  filtered  by  suction  and  washed  with  two  liters  of  water. 
The  second  lot  received  760  cc  of  hot  water,  was  placed  on  a  water  bath 
for  thirty  hours,  then  removed,  filtered  and  washed  like  the  first  lot 
The  third  lot  was  given  750  cc  of  alcohol  for  thirty  hours,  then  filtered 
by  suction  and  washed  with  two  liters  of  alcohol.  The  fourth  lot  received 
500  cc  of  ether  for  thirty  hours,  then  was  filtered  and  washed  with  500 
cc.  of  ether.  The  washings  from  each  lot  were  thrown  away.  The  ex- 
tracts and  residues  were  kept  in  covered  receptacles  until  used  in  the 
experiments. 

"All  the  extracts  possessed  a  marked  fecal  odor  except  the  ether  extract, 
which  had  a  very  feeble  odor,  but  the  alcohol  extract  was  mu<di  more 
odoriferous  than  the  others.  The  residues  all  possessed  a  fecal  odor 
except  the  alcohol  residue,  which  was  practically  odorless. 

''Bqual  amounts  of  the  extracts  and  residues  were  placed  in  small  Hodge 
traps  and  exposed  on  the  south  window  sills  of  the  laboratory  at  New 
Brunswick,  July  24th.    The  results  obtained  July  27th  are  here  tabulated: 


Manure  Extracts. 


Extnot. 

Amount 
in  traps. 

Number  of  Flies  Caught. 

Remarks. 

Cold  water 

30  oc. 

None.  . 

Not  all  evaporated. 

Hot  water. 

1  MuBcina  etabulana  Fall 

2  Muaona  stabulanB  FalL 

Akohol  • 

1  Poilenia  rudis  Fab 

•»      <•            *t 

Ether 

1  Saroophaga  utilb  Aldrich 

None 

Evaporated. 

•This  was  slightly  more  oonoantrated  than  the  others. 
Manure  Residues. 


Extmeted  With: 

Cold  water 

Hot  water 

Aioohol 

Ether. 


Amount  in  Traps. 


.Pto  filled None. 

.Pan  filled None. 

.Pan  filled None. 

Pan  filled : . . .  .None. 


Number  of  Flies  Caught. 


•Howell— Text  Book  of  Physiology,  Philadelphia,  1909.  p.  781. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  399 

"The  aleohol  extract  was  attractive  to  a  larger  number  of  flies  than  the 
others  because  it  contained  the  largest  quantity  of  the  compounds  which 
produced  the  fecal  odor.  This  fecal  odor  is  probably  due  to  two  com* 
pounds,  skatol  and  indol,  known  to  result  from  the  activities  of  various 
colon  bacilli,  which  flourish  in  the  intestinal  tract  of  the  horse.  Alcohol 
is  a  solvent  of  both  of  these  compounds. 

"The  manure  residues  were  apparently  not  present  in  sufficient  quanti- 
ties to  attract  flies.  Larger  amounts  would  probably  show  difTerent  re- 
salts.  I  believe,  however,  that  the  alcohol  and  water  residues  would  be 
less  inviting  than  the  ether  residues  as  the  ether  appears  to  remove  less 
of  the  odor  producing  compounds. 

"It  is  not  clear  why  house  flies  did  not  visit  the  alcohol  extract  Pos- 
sibly they  are  not  as  keen  of  scent  as  the  species  caught  They  were 
never  very  abundant  about  the  laboratory. 

"Skatol  and  indol  deserve  a. trial  as  baits  for  fly  traps,  although  their 
present  cost  would  probably  limit  their  use  to  rather  weak  solutions. 

Practical   Methods   Used  io  Exterminate  Fliea. 

"All  manure  from  the  horse  and  cow  bams  was  consigned  to  cement  pits 
every  day.  These  pits  were  emptied  with  a  few  exceptions  at  least  once  a  week 
and  usually  twice  or  even  three  times  in  the  case  of  the  cow  bam  pit  The 
stalls  in  the  horse  bam  were  treated  with  iron  sulphate  as  described  above. 
Three  horse  stalls  in  a  stable  near  the  cow  bam  were  cleaned  with  some  reg- 
ularity, but  undoubtedly  bred  flies  early  in  the  season.  They  were  so  con- 
structed that  iron  sulphate  could  not  be  used  to  advantage  under  them 
and  larvse  matured  in  the  spaces  between  the  boards  until  they  were 
cleaned  regularly  twice  a  week.  The  voidings  in  the  pig  yards  were  spread 
with  a  rake  so  that  they  would  dry,  a  method  which  gave  good  results  in 
dry  weather  but  which  would  not  absolutely  prevent  breeding.  Chicken 
manure,  in  the  one  instance  in  which  it  was  infested  by  larvs,  was  treated 
with  unslaked  lime  and  water  which*  raised  the  temperature  of  the  mass 
to  140''  F.,  killing  all  the  larvae.  Whether  this  destraction  was  due  to 
the  direct  action  of  the  lime  or  to  the  heat  there  was  no  way  of  deter- 
mining. This  procedure  cannot  be  recommended,  aci  it  undoubtedly  drives 
off  most  of  the  ammonia  from  the  manure.  Sulphur  was  used  for  fumigat- 
ing adult  flies  in  the  cow  bam  and  calf  bam  on  a  number  of  occasions. 
One  pound  of  sulphur  to  1,000  cubic  feet  of  space,  the  formula  used  last 
year,  Vas  effective  in  the  cow  bam,  but  more  was  required  for  the  calf 
bam,  which  was  not  nearly  so  tight 

"The  writer  feels  confldent  that  the  control  measures  greatly  reduced 
the  number  of  flies.  Comparatively  few  could  be  found  at  the  horse  bam 
i^  poultry  plant  even  in  mid-summer  and  although  the  pig  bam  and  cow 
and  calf  bams  always  harbored  more  than  were  desired,  the  trap  catches 
could  never  be  measured  by  the  quarts  as  they  were  last  year.  Just  how 
much  this  reduction  was  due  to  the  season  or  to  a  difTerence  in  the  number 
of  parasites,  it  is,  of  course,  impossible  to  say." 


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Report  on  the  Mosquito  Work 
for  1914. 

(BY  THOMAS  J.  HEADLEB.  PH.  D.) 


General  Outline. 

The  attention  of  the  Entomologist  has  been  devoted  to  the  study 
and  the  prosecution  of  salt  marsh  mosquito  control,  to  aiding  boards 
of  health  as  requested  to  do  so,  and  to  general  oversight  and  supple- 
menting the  work  of  the  county  mosquito  extermination  commissions. 

It  must  be  said  at  the  outset  that  this  record  is  only  approximately 
complete  for,  while  the  writer  has  a  rather  complete  knowledge  of  the 
different  broods  in  that  part  of  the  State  north  of  Sandy  Hook,  his 
knowledge  of  the  succession  to  the  south  is  only  partial.  Still  by 
means  of  personal  inspection  trips  and  by  utilizing  the  records  of  other 
observers,  a  picture  of  the  general  conditions  in  that  section  of  the 
State  can  be  drawn. 

The  mosquito  breeding  season  of  191 4  has  given  the  drainage  systems 
established  on  the  salt  marshes,  a  very  severe  test — the  most  severe  for 
many  years. 

Early    Important    Brood. 

At  the  outset  the  season  of  1914  was  quite  normal,  but  the  unusu- 
ally long-continued  low  temperature  delayed  the  development  of  the 
early  spring  brood,  which  the  flooded  condition  of  the  salt  marsh  in 
early  spring  usually  produces,  until  it  emerged  after  warm  weather 
set  in  instead  of  getting  out  while  the  temperature  was  low  enough  to 
prevent  biting  and  quickly  to  destroy  it.  As  a  result  of  this  delay 
people  were  annoyed  by  this  brood  to  some  extent. 

The  species  composing  this  brood  were  mostly  Aedes  cantator  Coq. 
even  as  far  south  as  Cape  May  County.  Aedes  cantator  Coq.  was 
practically  alone  along  the  coast  as  far  south  as  Bay  Head.  South 
of  this  point  it  was  associated  with  Aedes  sollicitans  Wlk. 

The  early  brood  came  this  year  from  the  meadows  of  Newark 
Bay  and  the  Hackensack  in  early  May  and  spread  to  the  north  and 
northwest  over  the  upland  to  the  mountains  northwest  of  Paterson 
and  southwest  along  their  ridges  to  Summit.  In  the  south,  this  brood 
winged  its  way  from  the  marshes  far  out  into  the  pines.  On  May 
22nd  the  writer  met  members  of  it  in  the  pines  twenty-five  miles  back 
from  the  coast. 

As  is  usually  the  case,  the  shut-in  meadows  in  North  Jersey  were 
the  prolific  breeders  of  this  brood.    The  rains  and  high  tides  left  such 

(401) 


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402    ^      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

a  quantity  of  water  on  them  that  the  outlets  were  totally  inadequate 
for  its  discharge.  Also,  as  is  usually  the  case,  in  early  spring  the 
water  in  these  shut-in  marshes  was  almost  or  quite  destitute  of  fish, 
which  in  the  more  open  marshes  played  so  large  a  part  in  eliminat- 
ing this  brood.  From  Barnegat  Bay  head  north  to  Newark  Bay  the 
numbers  of  mosquitoes  escaping,  owing  to  the  open  character  of  the 
marshes  and  the  consequent  more  rapid  drainage  and  more  complete 
penetration  by  killifish,  was  negligible;  while  from  the  shut-in  marshes 
of  Newark  Bay  and  the  Hackensack  River  the  number  produced  was 
sufficient  to  cause  some  annoyance. 

The  troublesome  part  of  this  infestation  appeared  in  northwestern 
Hudson,  southern  and  southwestern  Bergen,  easitern  ami  northern 
Essex  and  southern  Passaic  Counties.  Following  the  mosquitoes  along 
their  line  of  migration  to  places  where  they  were  bred  showed  rather 
conclusively  that  the  bulk  of  the  eariy  spring  brood,  which  proved 
troublesome  in  the  territory  above  specified,  came  from  the  shut-in 
marshes  of  the  northern  part  of  Newark  Bay  and  of  the  Hacken- 
sack River.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  line  of  migration  was, 
as  it  is  usually  the  case,  westward  and  northwestward  and  that  that 
portion  of  Hudson  County  lying  to  the  east  of  the  Hackensack  marshes 
had  scarcely  a  single  mosquito  until  the  middle  of  July. 

In  wooded  sections  this  brood  remained  in  evidence  for  about  eight 
weeks,  growing  constantly  less  and  less  noticeable  until  at  the  end  of 
this  period  specimens  were  difficult  to  obtain. 

Second  Important  Brood. 

From  the  issue  of  the  early  brood  until  the  15th  of  July  the  num- 
ber of  mosquitoes  emerging  from  the  drained  salt  marsh  was  negligible 
and  the  number  coming  from  the  undrained  marshes  was  no  greater 
than  normal  at  that  period  of  the  year. 

About  June  26th  the  tides  began  to  run  high,  reached  their  max- 
imum about  July  9th  and  did  not  return  to  low  until  about  July  25th. 
During  much  of  this  time  the  weather  was  cloudy  and  rainy.  At 
first,  the  large  amount  of  water  on  the  marshes  by  reason  of  its  low 
temperature  prevented  immediate  hatching  and  rendered  the  growth 
of  the  wrigglers  very  slow.  In  spite,  however,  of  the  low  tempera- 
ture, from  one  end  of  the  salt  marsh  to  the  other,  a  tremendous 
brood  of  wrigglers  hatched  and  started  to  grow  to  maturity. 

For  purposes  of  considering  the  development  of  this  enormous  brood 
the  marshes  may  be  divided  into  drained  and  undrained  and  each  of 
these  classes  into  the  shut-in  and  open  types.  On  the  undrained 
marsh  vast  stretches  are  separated  from  easy  drainage  by  the  slight- 
ly higher  ground  which  lies  along  the  banks  of  the  natural  creeks  and 
streamlets.  These  areas,  which  lie  on  what  would  be  considered  in 
a  drained  marsh  as  open  meadow,  together  with  a  few  more  inacces- 
sible places,  constitute  the  shut-in  portions  of  the  undrained  marsh  and 
forms  the  vast  breeding  grounds  characteristic  of  such  marshes.     The 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  403 

really  open  meadow  on  the  undrained  marsh  is  that  portion  which  is 
covered  by  every  tide  that  is  a  little  higher  than  the  normal.  These 
shut-in  sections  of  the  undrained  marsh  were  full  of  wrigglers,  which 
were  not  confined  to  salt  holes  but  occurred  everywhere  among  the 
stems  of  the  partly  submerged  grasses.  The  kiUifish  were  abundant 
in  the  creeks  and  streams  of  the  undrained  marshes  and  were  usually 
plentiful  in  the  salt  holes,  but  proved  unable  to  penetrate  the  grassy 
breeding  grounds  or  more  inaccessible  breeding  areas  in  sufficient  num- 
bers to  eliminate  the  developing  pest. 

On  the  drained  meadow  the  only  shut-in  portions  are  those  from 
which  some  artificial  (roadways,  railroads,  or  fills)  or  natural  (shitt- 
ing sand  beach)  barrier  prevents  the  escape  of  the  water.  The  open 
meadow  is  all  that  portion  of  the  salt  marsh  where  by  means  of  ditch- 
ing the  water  normally  penetrates  at  every  high  tide  and  escapes  at 
every  low  water.  In  contrast  with  the  salt  marsh  condition  of  nearly 
all  South  Jersey,  in  Atlantic  0)unty  from  Somers  Point  to  Absecon, 
in  parts  of  the  Barnegat  Bay  marsh  where  the  drainage  system  were 
operating,  and  from  Bay  Head  to  the  Arthur  Kill  the  breeding  was 
almost  completely  eliminated  by  the  killifish  which  the  drainage  sys- 
tems enabled  to  penetrate  the  marsh.  To  some  extent,  the  rapid  es- 
cape of  the  water,  which  the  drainage  systems  of  these  open  meadows 
permitted,  aided  in  the  destruction  of  this  brood.  Certain  shut-m 
areas  in  that  portion  of  the  marshes  just  described  which  lie  in  Ocean 
and  Monmouth  Counties  the  killifish  failed  to  penetrate  and  the  mos- 
quito emerged.  In  similar  areas  in  Middlesex  County  the  County 
Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  destroyed  the  breeding  at  small 
cost  by  use  of  oil. 

The  drained  meadows  along  the  Arthur  Kill  to  the  Rahway  River 
arc  with  the  exception  of  those  at  Woodbridge  and  Sewaren  of  the 
open  type  and  the  breeding  was  almost  completely  eliminated.  At 
Sewaren  and  Woodbridge,  however,  the  breeding  was  too  extensive  to 
succumb  to  oil  and  a  stfiall  brood  escaped. 

From  the  Rahway  River  north  to  the  Peddie  Street  sewer,  the  mea- 
dows are  more  shut-in,  the  railroads  being  mainly  responsible.  These 
conditions  rendered  the  control  of  breeding  more  difficult  and  a  good 
sized  brood  escaped  in  spite  of  all  efiForts  to  the  contrary. 

From  Peddie  Street  sewer  north  along  Newark  Bay  to  the  Hacken- 
sack  and  Passaic  Rivers  and  up  the  Hackensack  Valley  the  shut-in 
character  of  the  marsh  becomes  very  marked.  Railroads,  roadways, 
and  fills  cut  it  up  into  basins,  the  drainage  of  which  is  exceedingly 
difficult.  To  make  matters  worse,  sewage  is  poured  into  several  of 
these  basins.  The  drainage  systems,  which  w^ould  ser^e  to  remove 
the  water  under  normal  conditions  of  tide  and  weather  proved  wholly 
inadequate.  The  use  of  oil  proved  impracticable  not  only  because  of 
the  enormous  area  to  be  covered  but  because  the  men  in  some  areas 
sunk  to  the  hip  at  every  step.  From  these  shut-in  marshes  and  from 
other  undrained  or  incompletely  drained  portions  of  the  Hackensack  a 
large  brood  escaped. 
\ 


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404         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  wrigglers  began  to  produce  mosquitoes  from  about  the  middle 
of  July.  Since  a  mosquito  collecting  trip,  made  from  the  15th  to  the 
1 8th  of  July  covering  the  whole  coast  from  Jersey  City  to  Port  Norris, 
well  indicates  the  relative  abundance  of  mosquitoes  at  different  points 
along  the  coast  and  brings  out  rather  clearly  the  efiFect  of  the  drainage 
on  tKe  number  produced,  an  account  of  the  trip  and  its  findings  will 
be  introduced. 

The  inspection  trip  began  on  July  15.  Stops  of  ten  minutes  were 
made  at  regular  intervals  throughout  the  trip.  The  collecting  period 
from  West  Creek  on  was  much  shortened  for,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  stations  in  Atlantic  county  and  one  in  Cape  May,  the  pest  was 
so  numerous  and  blood-thirsty  as  to  render  long  stops  unbearable. 
Practically  all  mosquitoes  taken  from  the  point  of  starting  to  station 
No.  12,  in  Newark  were  Aedes  cantator  Coq.,  while  all  taken  after 
that  were  Aedes  sollicitans  Wlk.  At  station  No.  10,  both  specimens 
belonged  to  the  latter  species.  Inasmuch  as  it  was  necessary  to  drive  to 
Jersey  City  to  make  the  start,  it  seemed  best  to  examine  mosquito  con- 
ditions in  the  back  parts  of  Union  and  Essex  Counties,  in  the  lower 
part  of  Bergen,  and  in  the  eastern  part  of  Hudson. 

The  stations  and  number  of  salt  marsh  mosquitoes  caught  at  each 
are  set  forth  in  the  following  statement: 

(1)  .5  of  a  mile  northeast  of  Newmarket  on  Vail  Avenue,  no  mosaui- 
toes;  (2)  1  mile  northeast  of  Plainfield  on  J.  R.  Van  Ness  property,  no 
mosquitoes;  (3)  South  Mountain  Reservation,  three  mosquitoes;  (4) 
Rutherford,  no  mosquitoes;  (5)  Paterson  Plank  Road  about  half  way  from 
western  high  ground  to  Secaucus,  four  mosquitoes;  (6)  Leonard  Gordon 
Park  in  Jersey  City,  no  mosquitoes;  (7)  Park  at  east  end  of  Jersey  City 
Plank  Road,  seven  mosquitoes;  (8)  Swift  Packing  Plant  Just  east  of  Har- 
rison, fifteen  mpsquitoes;  (9)  Davis  Memorial  Church  in  Harrison,  seven 
mosquitoes;  (10)  Frelinghuysen  Avenue  at  Prest-o-lite  Works,  two  mos- 
quitoes; (11)  on  paved  road  between  Elizabeth  and  Rahway,  no  mos- 
quitoes; (12)  shore  highway  Just  out  of  Rahway  and  south  of  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad,  one  mosquito;  (13)  shore  highway  Just  west  of  Sewaren, 
four  mosquitoes;  (14)  edge  of  marsh  at  south  end  of  Perth  Amboy,  South 
Amboy  highway  bridge,  no  mosquitoes;  (15)  Shore  Road  Just  below 
Laurence  Harbor,  no  mosquitoes;  (16)  Keyport,  marsh  edge  at  Shore 
Road,  no  mosquitoes;  (17)  near  Keansburg,  no  mosquitoes;  (18)  marsh 
edge  of  south  side  of  north  branch  of  Shrewsbury  River,  no  mosquitoes; 
(19)  Bay  Head,  four  mosquitoes;  (20)  White's  bog  near  Browns-Milla- 
in-the-Pines,  thirteen  mosquitoes;  (21)  on  high  road  from  Lakehurst  to 
Toms  River,  a  little  southeast  of  the  former,  three  mosquitoes;  (22)  on 
Shore  Road,  one  and  one-half  miles  south  of  Toms  River,  seven  mosqui- 
toes; (23)  Shore  Road  Just  south  of  Forked  River,  fifteen  mosquitoes; 
(24)  Meadow  Road  Just  east  of  Bamegat,  fifteen  mosquitoes;  (25)  Shore 
Road  at  West  Creek,  fifty-four  mosquitoes  (almost  eat  you  alive);  (26) 
on  Shore  Road,  north  side  of  Mullica  River,  fifty  mosquitoes;  (27)  on  Shore 
Road  in  woodland  south  of  Mullica  River,  thirty-two  mosquitoes,   (28) 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  405 

on  Shore  Road  near  dab  house  Just  north  of  Absecon,  fifteen  mosquitoes; 
(29)  Light  house- lawn  in  Atlantic  City,  one  mosquito;  (30)  Somen  Point, 
ten  mosquitoes;  (31)  on  Shore  Road  at  Marmora,  fifty-nine  mosquitoes; 
(32)  Shore  Road  at  Avalon  Road,  fifty  mosquitoes;  (33)  Shor^  Road  at 
Ck)ld  Spring  Church,  south  of  C^pe  May  Court  House,  one  mosquito;  (34) 
Green  Creek  on  Delaware  Bay  shore,  thirty  mosquitoes;  (85)  Just  east 
of  Croshen  at  edge  of  the  marsh,  forty-five  mosquitoes;  (36)  three-fourths 
of  a  mile  west  of  Dennisville,  near  edge  of  marsh,  forty-five  mosquitoes; 
(37)  Just  west  of  Leesburg,  forty-seven  mosquitoes;  (38)  Just  west  of 
Port  Norris,  forty-six  mosquitoes;  (39)  high  road  between  Newport  and 
Bridgeton,  ten  mosquitoes;  (40)  in  Bridgeton,  two  mosquitoes;  (41)  in 
Elmer,  no  mosquitoes. 

1.  Mosquitoes  found  at  points  between  New  Brunswick  and  the  park  at 
the  Jersey  City  end  of  the  Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank  Road,  with  the 
exception  of  the  few  taken  along  the  Paterson  Plank  Road,  were  much 
worn  and  were  members  of  the  early  May  brood. 

2.  The  mosquitoes  found  in  the  above  park,  at  Swift's  plant  and  at  Har- 
rison were  perfectly  fresh  and,  therefore,  must  have  come  directly  from 
the  adjacent  shut-in  and  imperfectly  drained  marshes. 

8.  The  mosquitoes  found  in  Newark,  Elizabeth,  Rahway  and  Sewaren 
were  of  different  species  but  were  also  fresh  and  must,  therefore,  have 
come  from  adjacent  shut-in  and  imperfectly  drained  marshes. 

4.  The  almost  total  absence  of  salt  marsh  mosquitoes  from  Perth  Amboy 
to  Bay  Head  can  be  ascribed  to  nothing  other  than  to  fairly  satisfactory 
drainage  systems  established  in  the  marshes  of  that  territory. 

6.  The  greater  number  of  mosquitoes  found  near  Browns  Mills  must  be 
attributed  to  migrations  from  the  MuUica  River  marshes. 

6.  The  moderate  increase  in  mosquitoes  from  Lakehurst  south  to  Bame- 
gat  must  be  attributed  to  less  satisfactory  drainage  of  the  marshes  along 
the  Bay  and  to  its  proximity  to  the  undrained  marshes  below  Manahawkin. 

7.  The  comparatively  small  number  of  mosquitoes  taken  between  Jersey 
City  and  West  Creek  must  be  attributed  to  the  more  or  less  perfect  marsh 
drainage  that  has  been  established,  for  no  sooner  did  we  pass  from  terri- 
tory adjacent  to  the  drained  marsh  into  territory  adjacent  to  the  un- 
drained marsh  (which  we  did  between  Bamegat  and  West  Creek)  than 
the  mosquitoes  collected  increased  many  times  in  number.  Nor  does  the 
number  collected  tell  the  full  truth,  for  the  mosquitoes  were  so  thick  that 
less  than  five  minutes  were  spent  in  collecting.  Their  bloodthirstiness 
was  too  great  to  be  borne. 

8.  The  thinning  out  in  the  number  collected  in  Atlantic  County  occurred 
in  territory  adjacent  to  drained  marshes. 

The  members  of  this  brood  which  emerged  from  the  undrained  and 
incompletely  drained  marshes  spread  themselves  through  the  pines  and 
the  farming  lands  for  many  miles  (thirty  or  more)  back  from  the 
coast.  The  mosquitoes  escaping  from  the  drained  marshes  of  Manas- 
quayi  north  to  Laurence  Harbor  were  not  abundant  and  gave  very 
slight  trouble  indeed.     Those  that  escaped  from  Laurence  Harbor  to 


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4o6         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Sewaren  were  negligible.  Those  that  came  out  from  Scwarcn  to 
Rahway  River  were  few  in  number  and  gave  little  trouble.  Those 
that  came  out  from  Rahway  River  to  Peddie  Street  sewer  were  con- 
siderable in  number,  but  lasted  only  a  short  time.  Those  that  came 
from  Peddie  Street  sewer  northward  were  large  in  number  and  gave 
much  annoyance.  Especially  was  this  true  of  the  Aedes  cantator  Coq., 
that  escaped  from  the  Hackensack. 

The  brood  which  came  from  the  marshes  bieginning  at  the  Rahway 
River  and  extending  up  Newark  Bay  and  the  Hackensack  River  was 
sufficiently  large  to  sweep  over  adjacent  upland  to  the  mountains. 
That  portion  of  it  from  the  Rahway  River  to  Peddie  Street  sewer  did 
not  last  long  or  excite  much  complaint,  while  that  from  the  shut-in 
marshes  north  of  Peddie  Street  sewer  and  along  the  Hackensack  River 
especially  the  latter,  lasted  a  long  time  and  gave  great  trouble.  The 
issue  from  the  Newark  Bay  section  appeared  to  trouble  Irvington  and 
South  Orange  particularly,  while  that  from  the  Hackensack  infested 
western  Hudson,  southern  and  southwestern  Bergen,  eastern  and 
northern  Essex  and  southern  Passaic  Counties.  To  a  less  extent  it  ap- 
peared in  eastern  Hudson  and  eastern  Bergen. 

Later  Broods. 

The  brood,  which  issued  during  the  latter  half  of  July  from  the  un- 
drained  marshes  of  South  Jersey,  augmented  and  replaced  by  later  is- 
sues continued  extremely  troublesome  throughout  August  and  Septem- 
ber.    Even  as  far  north  as  Bay  Head  the  pest  was  bad. 

The  brood,  which  issued  from  the  Hackensack  Valley  marshes  and 
spread  over  western  Hudson,  southern  and  southwestern  Bergen, 
southern  Passaic,  and  eastern  and  northern  Essex  remained  trouble- 
some throughout  August.  The  supply  in  this  region  was  replenished 
by  later  issues.  The  writer  personally  observed  the  emergence  of 
Aedes  cantator  Coq.,  in  large  numbers  on  two  different  later  occasions, 
from  the  Frank  Creek  Section  of  the  Kearny  marsh. 

The  brood  which  issued  from  the  shut-in  marshes  just  north  of  the 
Peddie  Street  sewer  was  replaced  at  different  times  from  apparently 
the  same  source  in  such  a  fashion  as  to  keep  Irvington  and  South 
Orange  supplied  throughout  most  of  August. 

BROODS   OF   C.    PIPIEN8   LINN    AND    C.    SALINARIU8    COQ.    FROM 

SALT  MARSHES 

From  the  polluted  marshes  of  northwestern  Newark  Bay,  particu- 
larly that  portion  lying  north  of  Peddie  Street,  sewer  and  west  of  the 
Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  which  is  known  as  the  "Ebling  Sec- 
tion" large  numbers  of  Culex  pipiens  Linn.,  and  Culex  salinartus  Coq., 
escaped,  infesting  South  Newark,  including  the  Weequahic  Park  sec- 
tion, and  a  part  of  North  Elizabeth.  This  infestation  was  first  noted 
on  July  1 6th. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  407 

From  the  northwestern  section  of  the  Frank  Creek,  part  of  the 
Kearny  marsh  and  from  the  territory  lying  just  north  of  the  Green- 
wood Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  Culex  pipiens  Linn.,  and 
probably  also  Culex  salinarius  Coq.,  escaped  early  in  July  in  sufficient 
numbers  to  establish  a  zone  of  infestation  extending  from  the  marsh 
edge  westward  across  northwestern  Hudson  and  southwestern  Bergen 
into  Essex  County  to  approximately  a  north  and  south  line  running 
along  the  western  border  of  Branch  Brook  Park.  The  southern 
border  of  this  infestation  appeared  to  be  a  line  running  westward 
through  north  Kearny  and  Riverside  to  Branch  Brook  Park.  The 
infestation  extended  far  enough  north  to  trouble  Nutley  to  some  extent. 

A  number  of  sewers  from  the  cities  on  the  highland  to  the  east- 
ward empty  into  that  section  of  the  Hackensack  marsh  which  lies 
along  Pen  Horn  Creek  from  the  County  Road  to  the  Paterson 
Plank  Road,  converting  it  into  a  sewage-polluted  marsh.  From  vari- 
ous parts  of  this  marsh  Culex  pipiens  Linn.,  emerged  and  made  its 
way  into  the  adjacent  cities.  No  data  on  the  first  appearance  of  C. 
pipiens  from  this  source  are  available,  but  the  beginning  was  proba- 
bly about  the  middle  of  July. 

These  flights  of  C  pipiens  from  its  sewage-soaked  salt-marsh  breeding 
places  ceased  only  after  they  were  dried  up  by  weather  and  additional 
drainage.    \ 

Work  Previous  to  1914. 

Any  full  discussion  of  this  subject  must  include  a  review  of  the 
splendid  study  of  the  mosquitoes  and  their  habits  which  preceded  the 
actual  work  of  extermination.  Indeed,  such  a  discussion  could  not 
fail  to  include  the  thorough  and  fundamental  study  of  methods  of 
control  on  which  the  later  practical  work  has  been  based.  But,  in 
view  of  the  fact  that  this  phase  of  the  subject  has  been  rather  adequately 
treated  in  past  reports,  it  appears  desirable  merely  to  recount  those 
facts  upon  which  recent  work  has  thrown  new  light.  These  facts  all 
pertain  to  the  practical  work  of  cutting  ditches  and  the  treatment  of 
this  subject  will  therefore  be  limited  to  that  phase. 

The  number  of  feet  of  ditching  reported  for  each  of  the  years  to 
191 3  is  only  approximate  and  the  actual  amount  cut  is  probably  less 
than  that  listed.  The  work  was  largely  done  under  a  form  of  con- 
tract (see  annual  report  for  1907)  in  which  the  contractor  under- 
took for  a  lump  sum  to  drain  a  stated  area  of  marsh,  provided  he  was 
not  required  to  cut  more  than  a  stated  maximum  number  of  feet. 
Under  this  form  of  contract  the  contractor  knew  the  maximum  work 
that  could  be  required  to  him  and  probably  habitually  figured  on  the 
maximum  number  of  feet  at  about  so  much  per  foot.  The  contractor 
also  knew  that  if  he  could  drain  the  given  area  of  marsh  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  inspector  in  charge  with  a  less  number  of  feet  than  the 
maximum  his  profits  would  be  larger. 

As  a  natural  and  normal  result  of  this  form  of  contract,  the  num- 
ber of  feet  cut  on  some  marshes  has  been  less  than  the  specified  maximum. 


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4o8         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

During  the  summer  of  191 3  the  attention  of  the  Entomologist  was 
drawn  by  Mr.  C.  H.  Cranmer  and  Mr.  Theo.  A.  Corliss,  of  Mana- 
hawkin,  to  the  fact  that  the  ditching  was  not  being  cut  in  that  part 
of  the  marsh  represented  by  the  maps  referred  to  in  the  contracts. 
*  *  *  Later  in  the  season  the  Entomologist  stopped  at  Manahawkin 
and  saw  Mr.  Cranmer,  He  soon  became  thoroughly  convinced  that 
these  gentlemen  were  right  in  a  part  at  least  of  their  contention.  A 
thorough  personal  investigation  was  then  set  on  foot  and  the  territory 
covered  by  Stafford  Township  Map  No.  i,  which  was  supposed  to 
have  been  ditched  and  had  been  paid  for,  was  found  to  be  practically 
undrained  and  not  a  foot  of  ditching  could  be  discovered  in  Marsh 
Elder  Island. 

When  the  chief  inspector,  Mr.  Herman  H.  Brehme's  attention  was 
called  to  the  matter,  he  at  first  asserted  that  the  maps  were  incorrect, 
and  after  becoming  convinced  that  the  maps  were  substantially  right, 
said  that  a  mistake  had  been  made  and  the  ditching  put  in  other  terri- 
tory. The  contractor,  when  his  attention  was  drawn  to  the  matter, 
followed  a  similar  course  of  explanation. 

Examination  of  the  territory  having  shown  that  the  marsh  in  dis- 
pute was  a  part  of  a  large  natural  division  with  its  northward  be- 
ginning in  Union  Township,  the  Entomologist  decided  tp  have  the 
entire  area  examined — all  the  ditching  measured  and  mapped — for 
the  purpose  of  seeing  wherein  the  mistake  had  been  made.  ♦  •  • 
Accordingly  all  ditching  in  Union  Township  was  measured  and  mapped, 
amounting  to  384,169  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches  or  their 
equivalent.  The  salt  marsh  in  Union  Township  was  covered  by  three 
maps.  All  the  salt  marsh  covered  by  these  maps  with  the  exception 
of  Marsh  Elder  Island  was  satisfactorily  ditched.  On  the  territory 
covered  by  Map  No.  i,  186,840  linear  feet  10x30  inch  ditching  was 
cut;  on  territory  covered  by  Map  No.  2,  110,024  feet;  on  territory 
covered  by  Map  No.  3,  87,30s  feet.  The  ditching  actually  cut  in  the 
territory  covered  by  Stafford  Township  Map  No.  i  was  found  to  be 
15,105  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches  or  their  equivalent. 

Investigation  of  the  records  showed  that  the  dftching  work  in  Union 
Township  and  in  Map  No.  i,  of  Stafford  Township  had  been  done 
under  the  following  contracts : 

1.  Contract  for  ditching  marshes  of  Union  Township,  Ocean  County,  dated  July 

26,  1912 $2,900.00 

2.  Agreement  to  drain  salt  marsh  area  IjnnK  between  Gunning  River  and  south- 

em  branch  of  Gunning  River,  Ocean  County,  dated  September  16,  1912. .  700.00 

3.  Agreement  to  drain  salt  marsh  area  lying  between  Gunning  River  and  northern 

branch  of  Gunning  River.  Ocean  County,  dated  September  16,  1912 500.00 

4.  Agreement  to  drain  Marsh  Elder  Island.  November  1.  1912 900.00 

5.  Contract  for  ditching  salt  marshes  comprehended  in  Stafford  Township  Map 

No.  1,  dated  December  16,  1912 6.800.00 

Total $11 .300.00 

A  careful  scrutinizing  of  the  papers  connected  with  this  ditching 
revealed  the  fact  that  the  contract  for  ditching  the  salt    marshes    of 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  409 

Union  Township  carried  a  maximum  of  166,000  linear  feet  of  10x30 
inch  ditches  or  their  equivalent  and  referred  to  Maps  i  and  2  only. 
Our  measurements  show  296,864  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches  or 
their  equivalent  in  the  marsh  covered  by  these  two  maps.  It  has  seemed 
impossible  for  the  Entomologist  to  locate  with  certainty  the  territory 
comprehended  in  agreements  2  and  3  of  the  preceding  list.  It  is,  how- 
ever, easy  to  locate  the  territory  referred  to  as  "Marsh  Elder  Island" 
and  comprehended  in  Item  No.  4,  of  the  preceding  list.  It  is  also  easy 
to  locate  the  territory  comprehended  by  Map  No.  i,  of  Stafford  Town- 
ship. 

The  facts  then  are  these — the  contractor  undertook  to  drain  the 
territory  comprehended  in  Union  Township  Maps  Nos.  i  and  2, 
providing  he  was  not  required  to  cut  more  than  162,000  linear  feet 
of  10x30  inch  ditches  or  their  equivalent.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the 
measurements  show  that  he  cut  296,864  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch 
ditches  or  their  equivalent  in  this  territory.  The  contractor  further 
undertook  to  drain  two  additional  pieces  of  illy  defined  territory,  bor- 
dering in  one  instance  the  north  side  of  Gunning  River  and  in  the 
other  instance  the  south  side  of  Gunning  River.  Whether  this  territory 
lies  wholly  in  Union  Township  Map  No.  3,  or  in  Maps  2  and  3,  the 
Entomologist  is  unable  to  determine.  At  any  rate  the  drainage  of  the 
territory  comprehended  in  Map  No.  3,  was  completed,  involving  the 
cutting  of  87,305  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches  or  their  equivalent. 

When  we  take  the  fact  that  the  contractor  cut  about  384,169  linear 
feet  of  10x30  inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  in  the  marshes  of  Union 
Township,  as  laid  down  on  the  maps  used,  excluding  Marsh  Elder 
Island  for  which  he  was  supposed  to  receive  only  $4,100.00  it  is  clear 
that  something  is  wrong.  It  is  clear  that  something  is  wrong  because 
this  means  a  cost  of  1.06  cents  a  foot  as  compared  with  a  normal  price 
of  about  2.5  cents  a  foot. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the  contractor  received  $7,200.00 
additional  for  doing  this  work  and  I5)I05  linear  feet,  making  the  sum 
of  $11,300.00  for  cutting  399,274  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches 
or  their  equivalent.  This  means  a  cost  of  2.8  cents  per  foot  instead  of 
ix>6  cents.  The  contractor  appears  to  have  realized  the  additional 
sum  of  $7,200.00  for  this  work  by  getting  his  money  ($900)  for  the 
Marsh  Elder  Island  job,  without  doing  any  work  and  his  money  for 
the  Stafford  Township  Map  No.  i  job,  by  cutting  only  15,105  linear 
feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches  or  their  equivalent. 

It  may  be  that  the  real  cause  for  the  mistake  of  the  inspector  and 
the  contractor  lay  in  the  fact  that  a  few  years  back  the  marsh  section 
of  the  division  line  between  Union  Township  and  Stafford  Town- 
ship was  changed  and  made  to  meander  along  Fresh  Creek  into  the 
Gunning  river  and  to  follow  the  Gunning  river  to  Barnegat  bay, 
while  the  maps  followed  the  earlier  survey  and  took  no  account  of  the 
change.  Even  this  seems  hardly  sufficient  to  explain  the  failure  to 
ditch  Marsh  Elder  Island,  which  is  plainly  marked  and  named  on  all 


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410         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

the  larger  survey  maps  as  well  as  on  the  Map  No.  3  of  the  Union 
Township  series.  The  15,105  feet  in  territory  covered  by  Stafford 
Township,  Map  No.  i  appear  to  have  been  cut  by  the  contractor  on 
the  following  job  while  he  and  the  inspector  were  endeavoring  to  locate 
themselves. 

This  mistake  resulting  in  a  failure  to  drain  Marsh  Elder  Inland  and 
the  salt  marsh  covered  by  Stafford  Township  Map  No.  i  was  called 
sharply  to  the  attention  of  the  inspector  in  charge  and  the  contractor. 
The.  latter  was  requested  to  drain  Marsh  Elder  Island  and  to  complete 
the  drainage  of  the  territory  covered  by  StaflFord  Township  Map  No.  i. 
At  still  a  later  date,  January  12th,  19 14  the  contractor's  attention  was 
called  to  the  matter  and  he  was  requested  to  do  the  work.  He  simply 
did  nothing  and  in  fact  paid  no  attention  to  the  last  communication. 

In  late  January  or  early  February  of  191 4  the  whole  matter  was 
laid  before  the  Attorney  General  and  action  requested.  While  the 
Attorney  General  had  the  matter  under  consideration  the  contractor 
suddenly  and  without  notifying  this  office  began,  about  June  4th,  191 4, 
the  work  of  cutting  additional  ditching  on  the  territory  covered  by 
Stafford  Township  Map  No.  i.  He  continued  this  work  without  ask- 
ing or  permitting  any  direction  from  this  office  until  June  23,  191 4, 
when  he  ceased  and  removed  his  gangs.  In  this  period  he  cut  75,273 
linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches  or  their  equivalent,  giving  the  area  a 
little  better  than  one-half  the  drainage  it  needed. 

This  additional  work  when  taken  with  that  already  recounted  in  Union 
Township  and  that  already  on  marsh  covered  by  StaflFord  Township 
Map  No.  I  shows  that  the  contractor  cut  474,547  linear  feet  of  10x30 
inch  ditches  or  their  equivalent,  for  which  he  received  the  total  sum  of 
$11,300.00  or  2.38  cents  linear  feet. 

On  July  1 6th,  19 14,  the  Attorney  General  issued  an  order  to  con- 
tractor to  complete  the  drainage  of  the  area  covered  by  StaflFord  Town- 
ship Map  No.  I.  On  July  28th  information  was  received  from  the 
Attorney  General's  office  to  the  eflFect  that  the  contractor  requested  a 
conference.  The  conference  was  granted  and  the  contractor  main- 
tained that  he  was  not  to  blame  for  the  mistake,  for  he  put  the  ditches 
where  the  inspector  instructed  him  to,  that  much  ditching  had  been 
placed  under  the  inspector's  orders  in  territory  not  under  any  contract 
but  in  territory  which  would  later  have  had  to  be  ditched,  and  that  the 
total  ditching  cut  was  an  amount  equal  to  what  could  be  obtained  for 
the  money  he  had  received.  The  truth  of  the  first  contention  was 
borne  out  by  the  inspector's  written  testimony  and  the  correctness  of  the 
second  and  thTrd  contentions  was  proven  by  the  Entomologist's  own 
investigations. 

With  all  these  facts  in  hand  the  Attorney  General  ruled  on  the  case 
as  -follows : 

"On  December  16,  1912,  Jene  P.  Bianahan  entered  into  a  contract  for  ditching  salt 
marshes  coinprehended  in  Stafford  Township,  Ocean  County,  on  Map  No.  1,  for  the  sum  of 
$6,300.00.     The  contract  provided  that  he  should  drain  the  territory  shown  on  the  map,  but 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  4«  i 

ahould  not  be  required  to  out  more  than  253,000  feet  of  ditch  30  inches  in  depth.  During 
the  Spring  or  Summer  of  1913,  Mr.  Manahan  actually  drained  a  small  part  of  the  area  shown 
on  Map  No.  1.  and  out  15,106  feet  of  ditching.  He  was  paid  the  whole  contract  price, 
$6,300.00,  by  virtue  of  four  separate  certificates  of  the  Inspector  in  charge  of  the  work,  Her- 
man H.  Brehme.  each  for  SI, 575.00.  In  the  Summer  of  1014,  between  June  4th  and  23rd, 
after  your  attentidli  had  been  called  to  the  matter,  and  while  the  matter  was  under  investi- 

Stion,  Mr.  Manahan,  without  being  required,  did  further  ditching  within  the  area  shown  on 
&p  No.  1,  and  has  now  drained  a  considerable  part  of  the  area,  and  cut,  altogether,  about 
90,378  lineal  feet  of  ditch,  30  inches  deep.  It  further  appears  that  Mr.  Manahan  has  done  a 
large  amount  of  draining  and  ditching  outside  of,  but  adjoining  the  area  covered  by  Map  No. 
1,  amounting,  altogether,  with  the  00,378  feet  cut  within  tiie  area,  to  fully  the  253.000  feet 
called  for- by  the  contract.  It  further  appefirs  that  this  adjoining  area  was  mosquit'O  breed- 
ing swamp  needing  draining,  and  that  the  work  on  this  adjoining  area  has  been  for  the  benefit 
of  the  State,  and  wouki  have  been  done  and  paid  for  had  Mr.  Manahan  not  done  it.  Mr.  Man- 
ahan states  that  he  supposed  that  he  was  doing  this  ^ork  within  the  area  shown  on  Map  No. 
1.  and  that  the  mistake  arose  from  misapprehension  of  the  township  line,  and  the  diflSculty 
pf  locating  the  boundaries  of  the  map  actually  on  the  ground.  He  also  states  that  the  ditch- 
ing was  done  under  the  direction  of  the  Inspector  in  charge  of  the  work,  Herman  H.  Brehme. 
and  where  directed  by  him.  The  letter  of  Mr.  Brehme,  enclosed  in  your  letter  of  the  15th, 
states  that  Mr.  Manahan  put  in  the  ditches  as  directed  by  him,  and  that  he  personally  ex- 
amined the  ditching  before  certifying  that  the  work  contemplated  undm*  the  contract  was 
completed  in  accordance  therewith.  He  further  says  that  there  was  a  general  mix-up  with 
the  township  line  and  lay  of  the  land,  and,  to  make  the  best  of  it,  under  the  circumstances, 
he  kejit  on  and  cleaned  up  the  moret  phu;es  for  mosquito  breeding,  as  far  as  the  feetage  would 
aUow  in  the  contract,  and  that  they  were  still  working  in  Union  Township,  when  thcry  thought 
they  were  doing  work  in  Stafford  Township. 

"  Under  these  circumstances  and  facts.  I  beg  to  say  that,  in  my  judgment,  the  State  has 
no  remedy  against  Mr.  Manahan,  or  his  bondsmen.  Mr.  Manahan  appears  to  have  acted  in 
good  faith,  and  under  the  direction  of  the  Inspector  in  charge  of  the  worx,  and,  while  the  work 
was  not  done  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  contract,  yet  the  work  was  done  where  both  he 
and  the  Inspector,  acting  for  the  State,  supposed  the  contract  called  for  it.  The  State  received 
the  whole  benefit  of  the  work,  and.  I  think,  would  be  bound  by  the  direction  and  action  of 
the  Inspector.  It  would  certainly  seem  to  be  impossible,  even  if  legal,  to  require  Mr.  Mana- 
han to  do  additional  work,  under  the  contract,  and  to  take  advantage  of  his  mistake  and  not 
pay  him  for  that  work.'* 

This  apparently  docs  not  dispose  of  the  failure  to  ditch  Marsh  Elder 
Island  and  that  case  is  still  in  the  hands  of  the  Attorney  General. 

The  experience  of  the  past  two  years  has  clearly  demonstrated  that 
the  form  of  contract  under  which  the  contractor  undertook  for  a  lump 
sum  to  drain  a  specified  ar^a,  providing  he  cannot  be  called  upon  to  cut 
more  than  a  certain  specified  number  of  feet,  is  one  for  the  proper  and 
adequate  carrying  out  much  expensive  survey  work  must  be  undertaken, 
for  if  the  number  of  feet  necessary  is  overestimated  the  State  loses  money 
and  if  underestimated  the  area  fails  of  complete  drainage.  It  is  surely 
much  Wtter  simply  to  ask  the  contractor  to  cut  a  specified  number  of 
feet  in  a  given  area  and  to  pay  him  for  the  actual  number  of  feet  cut, 
neither  more  nor  less.  The  Entomologist  by  and  with  the  consent  of 
die  Director  of  the  Station  has  changed  the  form  of  contract  in  such  a 
fashion  that  the  contractor  is  paid  for  the  number  of  feet  cut, — no  more 
or  less. 

Summary  Work  Previous  to  1914. 

The  fundamental  investigations  of  habits  and  life  history  and  of 
general  methods  of  control  have  been  completed.  The  attitude  of  the 
public  mind  has  been  changed  from  one  of  ridicule  to  one  of  serious 
consideration — indeed  to  one  of  strong  belief  in  many  quarters.  A 
workable  law  under  which  the  State  could  proceed  with  the  drainage  of 
the  salt  marsh  had  been  passed.    Care  and  upkeep  of  the  ditching  systems^ 


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412  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

established  on  the  Hudson,  Essex,  Union  and  Middlesex  County 
marshes  had  been  turned  over  to  the  mosquito  extermination  commis- 
sions of  those  counties.  In  co-operation  with  the  mosquito  commission 
of  Atlantic  about  eight  miles  of  the  costal  marshes  in  that  county  have 
been  freed  from  mosquito  breeding. 

WORK   OF   1914. 

Tabular    Statement    of    the    SaSt-Marth  Ditching  Work   From 
the   Beginning  to  and    Including  the  Year  1914. 


Supervision. 

Part  salary  and  expenseB  of  Executive  Officer SI  ,200.00 

Salary  and  expenses  of  inspectors  (Herman  H.  Brehme,  J.  S.  Obecny.  Henry  H. 

Brehme  and  C.  S.  Beckwith) 3.360.51 

Advertisng,  material,  equipment  and  labor 656 .  14 

•5.213. 65 

Tabular  Statement  of  1914  Salt  iVIarsh  Ditching  Work. 


MEADOW. 

No.  of 
acres. 

No.  of  feet  of 

10x30 

ditches  or 

their  equivalent. 

Ditching.      Cleaning. 

Kearnv  (Frank  Creek  Section) 

$1.182.00 

North  Elisabeth 

60.000 
136.500 

135.101 

475.00! 

Patconff  Creek . .              

1.600 
2.400 

3.000.00 

Patcong  Creek  and  Great  Egg  Harbor 
River    

2.876.86' 

4.000 

321.601 

S7.533.86 

In  addition  to  work  outlined  in  the  preceding  table,  Atlantic  County 
has  cut  828,367  feet  and  the  Property  Owners'  Association  of  Rumson  and 
surrounding  places  245.872  feet.  A  considerable  amount  of  ditching  was 
cut  in  Hudson  County,  but  the  report  of  it  is  not  at  hand. 

Frank  Creek. 

Frank  Creek  is  a  small  stream  extending  northward  from  the 
Passaic  River  for  a  little  less  than  one  and  one-half  miles  at  a 
distance  of  about  one-half  mile  east  of  the  highland  on  which  Har- 
rison and  Kearny  are  built.  At  one  time  it  must  have  been  a  strong 
tidal  creek,  thoroughly  draining  its  section  of  the  meadow.  Since  that 
time,  however,  its  channel  has  been  crossed  near  the  mouth  by  a  great 
railway  grade,  bearing  the  four  regular  tracks  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rall- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  413 

road,  the  two  regular  tracks  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Rail- 
road and  a  number  of  siding  tracks.  The  creek  penetrates  this  grade 
through  a  concrete  culvert  which  has  an  upstream  opening  twelre  feet 
wide  and  six  feet  high.  In  this  opening  ar^  fitted  two  large  tide  gates, 
by  means  of  which  the  water  passes  out  at  low  tide. 

As  one  proceeds  upstream,  one  finds  its  (^annel  crossed  Just  south  of 
the  Swift  Packing  Plant  by  two  railway  sidings.  The  crossing  is  effected 
in  these  instances  on  wooden  culrerts  that  do  not  appear  to  impede  the 
flow  of  water.  Just  north  of  the  Swift  plant  it  is  crossed  by  the  Hanrison 
Turnpike  and  another  railway  Biding.  The  Harrison  Turnpike  crosses  it 
on  a  concrete  culvert  which  is  so  narrow  as  greatly  to  impede  the  progress 
of  the  water.  The  railway  siding  crosses  on  a  wooden  culvert  and  does 
not  materially  interfere  with  the  fiow.  North  of  this  point  three  railway 
grades  cross  its  channel,  each  on  a  concrete  culvert  of  capacity  sufficient 
to  permit  rather  free  flow  of  the  water. 

In  addition  to  the  interference  which  the  various  grades  crossing  it  set 
up,  by  the  converging  of  the  various  railway  grades  and  roadways  the 
creek  is  called  upon  to  drain  a  very  much  larger  area  than  formerly,  and 
to  make  matters  still  worse  it  is  expected  to  carry  the  raw  sewage  of 
Kearny  from  that  town  to  the  Passaic  River. 

The  natural  and  normal  result  followed — the  channel  of  Frank  Creek 
became  filled  with  sediment  and  the  sewage  spread  over  sections  of  the 
marsh  along  the  banks.  This  filled-up  condition  of  the  creek  not  only 
caused  the  several  hundred  of  acres  of  salt  marsh  depending  upon  Frank 
Creek  for  outlet  to  hold  water  long  enough  to  turn  out  far  more  than  its 
share  of  the  early  spring  brood  of  salt  marsh  mosquitoes,  but  caused  those 
parts  lying  adjacent  to  the  banks  (involving  perhaps  fifty  acres)  to  re- 
main wet  throughout  the  breeding  season  and  constantly  to  throw  off 
Aedes  cantator  Coq.  and  Culex  pipiens  Linn. 

This  very  serious  condition  led  the  station  to  Join  with  the  Common 
Council  of  Kearny  and  the  Hudson  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Com- 
mission in  an  effort  to  remedy  the  trouble.  After  consultation  with  the 
town  engineer  of  Kearny,  Mr.  H.  P.  Kriener,  and  the  chief  inspector  of 
the  Hudson  Commission,  Mr.  William  Delaney,  the  Entomologist  drew  up 
a  plan  for  the  improvement  This  plan  included  the  cleaning  of  Frank 
Creek  from  the  point  Just  south  of  the  Swift  Packing  Plant,  where  the 
sidings  crossed  it,  to  a  point  twenty-five  feet  north  of  the  last  railroad 
culvert  From  a  point  twenty-five  feet  north  of  the  last  culvert  the  creek 
was  to  be  cleaned  to  thirty-six  inches  below  the  level  of  the  upper  edge  of 
the  opening  in  the  north  end  of  the  culvert  From  this  point  south  the 
bottom  of  the  finished  creek  was  to  exhibit  an  even  and  regular  fall. 
From  the  point  of  beginning  to  the  Harrison  Turnpike  the  bottom  of  the 
creek  was  to  be  five  feet  wide  and  from  that  point  to  the  southern  end 
of  the  improvement  eight  feet  wide. 

Knowing  that  the  solid  sewage  had  filled  the  creek  channel  it  was  de- 
cided to  try  to  settle  the  sewage  before  delivering  the  water  to  the  cleaned 
out  creek).    Two  ditches  each  thirty  inches  wide  and  thirty  inches  deep 


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414  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

were  to  be  cut — one  along  each  side  of  the  creek  from  the  north  point  of 
cleaning  northward  to  or  almost  to  the  highland.  Each  ditch  was  to  ran 
along  the  creek  from  fifty  to.  one  hundred  feet  from  its  bank.  A  dam 
was  to  be  placed  across  the  creek  at  a  point  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
north  of  the  last  culvert  over  the  creek  channel,  and  the  sewage-charged 
water  thereby  to  be  compelled  to  flow  over  certain  spillways  across  the 
settling  basin  into  the  ditches. 

All  this  matter  was  embodied  in  formal  specifications,  and  proposals 
advertised  for,  the  understanding  being  that  the  work  was  to  be  done 
under  the  direction  of  the  Common  Council  of  Kearny  and  the  cost  to  be 
borne  equally  by  Kearny,  the  Hudson  County  Mosquito  Extermination 
Commission,  and  the  Experiment  Station.  The  contract  was  awarded  to 
Mr.  Jesse  P.  Manahan,  of  Red  Bank,  and  the  work  was  completed  in  a  sat- 
isfactory manner  by  April  6th,  1914.  ^ 

The  past  summer  has  shown  that  the  settling  basin  has  been  only  partly 
successful,  much  sewage  floating  across  it  into  the  ditches  and  that  the 
cleaned  ditches'  could  not  take  care  of  all  the  water  on  the  several  hundred 
of  acres. 

It  has,  however,  dried  up  the  sewage  soaked  areas  and  prevented  the 
fifty  acres  before  mentioned  from  continually  breeding  as  was  formerly  the 
case.  The  area  which  depends  upon  it  as  an  outlet  is  entirely  too  large  to 
be  drained  into  it  by  gravity.  Other  outlets  must  be  provided  or  the  water 
in  the  distant  part  of  the  marshes  raised  by  means  of  a  pump. 

Little  Silver  Work. 

The  occasional  appearance  of  salt  marsh  mosquitoes  in  that  beautiful 
summer-home  section  along  the  Navesink  and  Shrewsbury  rivers  led  the 
property  owners  of  the  Rumson  Road  district  to  start  a  movement  looking 
toward  the  elimination  of  the  last  breeding  places  from  which  the  pest 
could  come. 

It  was  decided  that  if  all  breeding  places  for  salt  marsh  mosquitoes 
within  a  radius  of  four  miles  from  Little  Silver  railway  station  were 
eliminated,  the  secton  already  mentoned  would  be  free  from  further  trouble. 

The  contract  for  doing  this  work  was  awarded  to  the  United  States 
Drainage  and  Irrigation  Company  of  New  York  City  for  the  sum  of  $8,000. 
The  contract  provided  for  a  yearly  maintenance — the  first  year  to  cost 
1700  and  each  year  thereafter  the  sum  of  $1,000  for  a  period  of  nine  years. 
The  contract  provided  that  any  year  the  Property  Owners'  Association 
could  void  the  maintenance  clauses. 

The  Entomologist's  attention  was  called  to  the  matter  by  Mr.  Ira  Bar- 
rows acting  for  the  association  concerned.  On  June  20th,  1914,  Mr.  Bar- 
rows and  Mr.  Adams  formally  requested  the  Entomologist  to  examine  the 
ditching  and  to  report  on  its  efilciency,  holding  that  the  State  could  afford 
to  furnish  advice  when  private  money  was  being  expended  for  doing  part 
of  the  work  to  which  it  stood  committed.  The  Entomologist  assured  Bir. 
Barrows  and  Mr.  Adams  that  as  soon  as  the  opportunity  offered  he  would 
cause  a  careful  survey  of  the  territory  to  be  made.    Accordingly  on  Sep> 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  415 

tember  2l8t  Mr.  Charles  S.  Beckwith  began  a  detailed  examination  of  the 
territory  covered  by  this  contract  and  on  October  22nd  completed  it 

In  general  Mr.  Beckwith's  study  showed  that  the  work  had  been  well 
done.  The  contractor  on  being  informed  in  the  nature  of  certain  serious 
faults  undertook  to  remedy  them  and  is  at  this  writing  engaged  in  their 
correction.  All  ditches  were  measured,  tested  for  width  and  depth,  and 
examined  for  workmanship.  They  were  plotted  on  careful  maps  of  the 
entire  district    Mr.  Beckwith's  report  follows: 

Report  of  the  Salt  Marth  Work  Done  Under  the  Little  Silver  Contract. 

Mr.  Charles  S.  BECKwrrH,  B.  Sc, 

Assistant  to  the  Entomologist  in  Mosquito  Extermination. 

"The  territory  covered  by  the  Little  Silver  contract  includes  all  the 
marsh  lying  along  the  Navesink  with  its  branches  and  the  Shrewsbury 
with  its  branches  as  far  north  as  the  Navesink  Highlands.  Part  of  these 
marshes  had  already  been  ditched  but  the  trenches  were  so  badly  filled  up 
that  cleaning  them  required  as  much  or  more  labor  as  did  new  work. 

"The  inspection  started  on  September  21st  and  continued  until  October 
22nd.  The  width  and  depth  of  all  ditches  as  well  as  the  plan  and  method 
of  ditching  was  studied  with  an  object  of  determining  their  efficiency.  In 
some  cases  where  there  was  a  large  number  of  short  spurs,  they  were  not 
mapped  but  their  length  was  added  in  to  make  the  total  number  of  feet. 
The  gaieral  condition  of  the  territory  was  looked  into  and  all  breeding 
places  or  likely  breeding  places  were  noted. 

"After  having  carefully  inspected  and  mapped  the  territory,  I  should 
say  that  the  drainage  work  was  well  done  and  the  mosquito  places  nearly 
eliminated.  The  contractor  showed  great  skill  in  surveying  the  ground 
and  finding  breeding  marsh  so  that  little  ditching  was  wasted,  but  all 
dangerous  places  were  drained.  I  have  divided  the  territory  into  sections 
80  that  it  can  be  described  more  clearly  and  fully. 

"Section  one  consists  of  all  the  marsh  land  lying  on  the  banks  of  Swim- 
ming River  between  the  upper  bridge  at  Red  Bank  and  the  bridg:e  crossing 
near  the  pumping  station.  This  covers  about  a  mile  and  a  half  of  terri- 
tory in  which  there  are  52,394  feet  of  ditching.  The  marsh  on  the  north 
side  is  covered  chiefly  with  salt  grass  and  is  drained  by  a  system  of 
parallel  ditches,  in  no  case  more  than  150  feet  apart  Around  the  edge 
of  the  marsh  is  an  extra  ditch  called  an  upland  ditch.  The  purpose  of 
this  is  to  cut  off  the  numerous  small  fresh  water  streams  which  would 
normally  run  out  on  the  marsh  and  make  large  pools  close  to  the  upland. 
There  is  no  standing  water  on  this  section  now,  except  at  the  extreme 
western  end  where  cows  are  pastured.  Here  there  is  water  in  the  hoof 
prints  and  mosquito  larvae  were  found  developing  in  it  To  improve  the 
drainage  in  this  field  is  a  difficult  matter,  because  of  the  impervious  texture 
of  the  soil.  The  ditches  are  already  as  close  as  fifty  feet  and  the  only  thing 
to  do  seems  to  be  to  deepen  the  present  ditches.  Even  then  this  place  should 
be  carefully  watched.  The  marsh  lying  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  is  a 
cat-tail  area  and  would- not  usually  be  considered  a  breeding  place,  but, 


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.  because  of  the  water  standing  on  the  upland  edge,  tbfi  whole  place  was 
drained. 

"Section  two  consists  of  that  marsh  lying  on  Swimming  River  above  the 
bridge  at  the  pumping  stfition.  The  river  in  this  section  contains  less  salt 
and  the  marsh  begins  to  assume  a  fresh  water  character.  The  first  half 
mile  of  marsh  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  is  brackish  enough  to  breed 
the  salt  marsh  varieties  and  it  has  been  ditched  in  the  same  fashion  as 
section  one.  Seven  thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty-seven  feet  of  ditch- 
ing were  needed  to  drain  this  area.  The  contractor  has  had  the  same  dllD- 
culties  to  meet  here  as  he  did  on  the  east  side  of  the  bridge — a  cow  pas- 
ture in  a  field  where  there  is  little  or  no  seepage.  •  Deepening  the  present 
ditches  is  apparently  the  best  method  of  improving  it,  but  if  more  outlets 
are  needed,  underdrainage  should  be  resorted  to.  Above  this  field,  the 
vegetation  indicates  a  fresh  water  swamp  and  It  is  not  likely  to  breed  the 
salt  marsh  mosquitoes.    No  ditching  has  been  cut  in  It 

"Section  three  consists  of  the  marsh  land  lying  along  the  creeks  run- 
ning into  the  north  side  of  the  Navesink  between  the  upper  bridge  at  Red 
Bank  and  the  Navesink  Highlands.  The  first  is  Nut  Swamp  Brook,  which 
Is  a  small  creek  having  the  same  problem  as  Swimming  River  on  a  small 
scale.  It  was  met  in  a  Uke  manner,  ditches  being  dug  as  far  up  as  the 
salt  marsh  extended,  while  the  remaining  swamp  is  undrained.  The  second 
creek  is  Porln  Brook.  This  goes  under  the  railroad  about  200  feet  from 
its  mouth  and  although  the  first  200  feet  is  carefully  drained,  that  above 
the  railroad  is  untouched.  No  breeding  was  found  there  on  the  day  it  was 
inspected,  but  it  has  the  characteristics  of  a  breeding  place,  so  I  place  it 
as  dangerous.  Ten  thousand  forty-six  feet  of  ditching  were  used  along 
these  two  creeks,  but  there  are  three  other  creeks  in  this  section,  none  of 
which  are  drained.  Any  of  them  under  unfavorable  weather  conditions 
might  become  breeding  places.  They  are  small,  however,  and  can  be 
easily  watched. 

"Section  four  consists  of  the  south  bank  of  the  Navesink  from  Red  Bank 
to  the  Shrewsbury  River  and  from  there  to  the  Sea  Bright  bridge.  There 
are  few  low  spots  on  the  south  side  of  the  Navesink  between  Red  Bank 
and  Oceanic  One  at  Fair  Haven  was  of  sufficient  importance  to  be 
ditdhed.  Just  below  Oceanic,  however,  is  a  large  island  known  as  Black 
Point  Sedge.  This  and  the  mainland '  immediately  adjacent  comprise  a 
large  marsh  which  is  partly  drained,  but  which  beciuse  of  interference  of 
owners  it  was  impossible  to  ditch  completely.  It  is  one  of  the  dangerous 
spots  of  the  territory,  especially  on  the  mainland  but,  as  is  the  case  often, 
it  must  be  watched  to  find  actual  breeding.  At  the  Junction  of  the  Shrews- 
bury and  the  Navesink  rivers  is  a  marsh  -located  on  Mr.  Remain's  pn^ 
erty.  It  has  been  drained  and  the  ditches  were  in  first  class  condition 
when  inspected.  Taking  in  the  two  places  there  are  8,811  feet  of  ditching 
in  this  section. 

"Section  five  consists  of  all  the  marsh  on  the  north  side  of  the  Shrews- 
bury between  the  Sea  Bright  bridge  and  Oceanport  This  includes  many 
small  bits  of  marsh  which  were  drained  before,  but  the  ditches  were  in 
bad  condition.    The  object  of  the  contractor  in  this  place  seemed  to  be  to 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  417 

follow  these  old  ditches,  no  difference  how  crooked  they  were  and  to  effect 
a  drainage  through  the  old  openings.  New  ditches  were  put  in  whereyer 
necessary,  making  a  total  of  36,004  feet  for  this  section.  Many  of  the 
cleaned  ditches  are  shallow  and  the  bottoms  uneven.  The  openings  of  the 
ditches  just  north  of  the  club  house  are  all  choked  up  with  sea  weed, 
which  is  washed  in  heavily  at  this  point,  making  the  cost  of  maintenance 
much  higher  than  it  normally  would  be.  The  contractor  deserves  great 
credit  for  cleaning  out  aU  the  creeks  and  old  ditches  extending  far  back 
on  the  upland.  This  work  was  not  called  for  in  the  contract,  but  it  helped 
control  many  fresh  water  kinds  of  mosaaitoes,  especially  of  the  malarial 
sort.  One  small  place  that  was  missed  is  at  the  head  of  Parker  Creek, 
opposite  the  residence  of  Bir.  Bell.  It  is  a  small  piece  of  salt  grass  marsh 
and  three  or  four  parallel  ditches  would  put  ft  out  of  harm's  way.  The 
large  cat-tail  area  at  the  head  of  this  creek  is  not  likely  to  send  out  any 
salt  marsh  mosquitoes. 

"Section  six  includes  that  marsh  on  the  south  side  of  the  Shrewsbury 
and  its  south  branches  between  Oceanic  and  Low  Moor.  This  again  is  a 
combination  of  old  and  new  ditches  and,  while  the  new  ones  are  care- 
fully placed,  the  old  ones  seem  to  be  dug  in  a  hit  or  miss  style,  making  a 
poor  looking  result  The  ditches  that  open  directly  into  the. river  between 
Blackberry  Creek  and  Pleasure  Bay  are  subject  to  a  wave  action  which 
fills  the  openings  with  sand.  The  upkeep  here  is  rather  more  than  is  jus- 
tified for  a  permanent  piece  of  work,  and  the  contractor  should  correct 
the  fault.  There  is  a  very  small  piece  of  marsh  Just  north  of  Mr.  Beck's 
property  at  Low  Moor  which  has  not  been  drained,  thereby  causing  con- 
siderable criticism.  One  ditch  would  drain  the  entire  place  and  stop  all 
danger  of  breeding.  This  section  is  by  far  the  largest  and  124,613  feet 
of  ditching  were  used  in  its  drainage. 

"Section  seven  takes  in  the  islands  in  the  Shrewsbury.  They  are  low 
and  need  only  ditches  to  the  holes  where  breeding  is  common  in  summer. 
Six  thousand  four  hundred  and  twenty-seven  feet  were  sufficient  to  do 
this  thoroughly. 

"I  have  mentioned  that  several  doubtful  places  should  be  carefully 
watched,  but  this  applies  in  a  sens^  to  every  section  of  the  marsh.  It  is 
impossible  to  say  definitely  whether  mosquitoes  will  or  will  not  breed  in 
a  certain  area.  The  State  and  the  counties  engaged  in  such  work  have 
found  that  the  only  way  to  be  sure  a  salt  marsh  is  not  breeding  is  to 
have  an  inspector  on  it  all  the  time.  This  man  must  be  one  who  under- 
stands mosquito  work  and  must  be  able  to  get  over  all  the  territory  within 
a  week  after  high  tides.  Of  course  the  contractor  will  maintain  an  in- 
spection, but  if  the  association  is  to  get  the  benefit  of  its  expenditure,  it 
lUiould  have  a  representative  who  will  see  that  there  is  no  breeding  of  mos- 
quitoes within  the  drained  area. 

"This  inspection  work  should  be  carried  on  between  March  1st  and 
October  1st,  including  the  entire  breeding  season. 

"The  total  number  of  feet  of  ditching  in  the  territory  amounts  to 
246,822,  which,  at  |8,000,  makes  the  price  per  foot  about  3.2  cents.    The 


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4i8         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

average  price  is  about  2^  per  foot,  but  the  scattered  character  of  this 
marsh  must  have  made  Its  ditching  more  expensive. 

"The  marsh  is  now  free  from  breeding  pools  and  all  ordinary  breeding 
in  the  grass  except  as  mentioned  on  Swimming  River.  There  is  no  reason 
why  the  territory  along  the  Navesink  and  Shrewsbury  rivers  should  not 
be  entirely  free  from  salt  marsh  mosquitoes." 

North  EliubMh  Meadow  Work. 

For  two  breeding  seasons  the  Entomologist  has  observed  that  a  very  con- 
siderable amount  of  breeding  occurs  on  that  part  of  the  Union  County 
meadow  which  lies  east  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  and  south 
of  Bound  Creek.  This  breeding  occurred  between  the  ditches  already  con- 
structed in  water  which  lay  on  the  surface  long  enough  to  produce  the 
adult  mosquitoes. 

The  present  ditches  are  not  only  very  far  apart  (500  feet)  but  so  long 
that  the  water  in  them  has  little  movement  at  any  time.  The  meadow  is 
an  open  one  and  but  for  these  conditions  should  be  as  free  from  breed- 
ing as  any  well  trenched  meadow. 

Believing  that  the  practical  solution  of  the  problem  lay  in  more  ditches 
and  in  better  outlets  the  Experiment  Station  offered  to  pay  ore-half  the 
cost  of  improving  the  northwest  comer  of  this  section.  The  Union  County 
Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  accepted  the  offer  and  undertook 
the  work.  The  plan  was  to  cut  two  wide  ditches  paralleling  tbe  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  each  forty  inches  wide,  running  from  Bound 
Creek  southward  to  the  oyster  road  ditch  in  one  instance  and  into  oyster 
creek  in  the  other.  The  rest  of  the  ditching  wa  sto  be  cut  as  10x30  inch 
ditching  between  the  old  ditches  and  to  drain  into  the  new  wide  north 
and  south  channels. 

The  total  ditching  amounted  to  50,000  linear  feet  of  lOxSO  inch  ditches 
or  their  equivalent 

The  contract  was  awarded  to  Mr.  Jesse  P.  Manahan  of  Red  Bank  for  the 
sum  of  1950,  and  was  completed  in  a  satisfactory  manner.  The  bid  of  1.9 
I  cents  per  foot  was  notable  as  being  the  lowest  received  for  this  work  for 
several  years. 

Patcong  Creek  Work. 

The  work  of  the  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  of  Atlantic  County 
and  the  Experiment  Station  had,  before  the  station  was  ready  to  cut  any 
ditching  this  season,  eliminated  the  breeding  places  from  Absecon  to 
Somers  Point — a  distance  of  almost  eight  miles.  This  fact  taken  with  the 
additional  fact  that  salt  marsh  mosquitoes  bred  any  considerable  distance 
north  of  a  given  point  rarely  infest  that  point,  led  the  chief  inspector  of 
that  commission  to  request  that  further  ditching  placed  in  Atlantic  County 
by  the  station  be  cut  in  marshes  westward  of  Somers  Point.  As  this 
seemed  the  best  way  to  obtain  the  maximum  protection  for  the  money  ex- 
pended, the  station  decided  to  place  its  ditching  on  Patcong  Creek  and 
Great  Egg  Harbor  River. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  419 

Aeoordingly  on  July  21ai,  1914,  a  ocmtraot  tor  eotting  120,000  linear  feet 
of  lOzSO  inch  ditches  or  their  equiralent  on  the  meadows  of  Patoong 
Cre^  was  awarded  to  the  United  States  Drainage  and  Irrigation  Company. 

The  salt  marsh  from  Somers  Point  to  the  new  roadway  across  Patcong 
Creek  is  ao  frequently  swept  by  the  tide  that  breeding  apparently  does  not 
bccnr.  Along  both  sides  of  Patcong  Creek  from  the  new  road  almost  to 
Ste^mansTille  bridge  the  breeding  was  found  to  be  Tory  prolific.  The 
Patoong  Creek  marsh  had  been  under  obsenration  for  some  time  before 
the  ditching  began  and  by  the  time  the  gangs  were  on  the  ground  the 
breeding  spots  had  nearly  all  been  indicated  by  white  stakes. 

The  Patcong  Creek  section  extends  about  three  miles  upstream  &x>m 
Great  En  Harbor  River,  the  marsh  ayeraging  from  800  to  1,000  feet  wide 
on  each  side  of  the  creek.  There  are  a  few  small  creeks  and  very  few  of 
the  "farmers'  ditches."  A  border  of  high  ground  about  seventy-five  feet 
wide  runs  along  the  banks  of  the  creeks  and  ditches,  behind  which  the 
marlBh  is  from  six  to  twelve  inches  lower.  The  poor  drainage  of  the  lower 
portions  of  the  marsh  permitted  only  the  growth  of  coarse  sedge  grasses 
while  the  higher  parts  supported  a  good  crop  of  salt  hay.  Breeding  pools 
are  few  4n  number  and  the  breeding  observed  took  place  in  the  water  sur- 
rounding the  partially  submerged  sedge.  High  tides  sweep  over  the 
meadow,  and  after  all  had  run  off  that  would  readily  do  so,  two  or  three 
inches  would  remain  among  the  sedge  until  it  had  time  to  escape  by 
seepage  or  evaporation.  Tides,  which  under  ordinary  meadow  conditions 
would  destroy  the  developing  brood  by  current  and  killiflsh,  here  failed 
to  do  their  work,  because  the  sedge  stems  protected  the  wrigglers  from 
the  current  and  screened  them  from  the  fish.  Even  when  the  water  was 
drained  away  the  wrigglers  lived  as  long  as  the  soil  protected  from  the 
sun  by  the  grass  remained  damp.  For  periods  of  forty-eight  hours  the 
wrigglers  have  been  observed  to. persist  in  the  moist  mud  needing  during 
this  time  only  the  return  of  the  water  to  continue  life  and  development 

Owing  to  these  rather  unusual  conditions  it  was  necessary  to  drain  the 
Patcong  Creek  marsh  in  such  a  fashion  as  to  remove  all  water  from  the 
surf^tce.  At  first  an  effort  was  made  to  drain  by  running  ditches  through 
the  low  spots  but  it  quickly  appeared  that  regardless  of  care  in  placing 
ditches  there  was  always  some  spot  more  than  100  feet  away  in  which  the 
water  stood  for  days.  Parallel  ditching  was  resorted  to  to  overcome  this 
difliculty  and  proved  very  satisfactory. 

Mr.  Charles  S.  Beckwith  was  appointed  inspector  in  charge  and  carried 
the  work  thtough  in  a  very  satisfactory  manner.  Ditching  began  on  the 
east  side  of  the  creek.  Just  above  the  new  road  and  continued  up  stream 
almost  to  Steelmansville  Bridge.  Eighty-one  thousand  two  hundred  and 
sixty-eight  linear  feet  or  their  equivalent  were  cut  in  this  side  of  the 
creek.  The  gangs  were  then  transferred  to  the  west  side  and  beginning 
on  the  first  breeding  mar^h  worked  down  stream  until  the  120,000  feet 
ran  out. 

Just  before  the  work  contemplated  in  this  Job  was  completed  it  was  de- 
cided to  complete  the  expenditure  of  $3,000  in  Atlantic  County  during  the 
fiscal  year  and  the  contracting  company  was  asked  whether  it  would  cut 


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42b         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

a.n  additional  16,500  linear  feet  of  10x80  inch  ditchee  or  their  equivalent 
in  Patcong  Greek  marshes  at  the  same  rate  per  foot  and  according  to  same 
specifications.  Being  promptly  assured  of  the  contractor's  wilUngnees  the 
job  was  awarded. 

Within  the  time  limited  the  contractor  finished  the  worlL  comprehended 
in  the  regular  contract  in  a  highly  satisfactory  manner.  At  the  end  of 
this  job  the  additional  ditching  was  cut  Although  warned  against  doing 
so,  the  contractor  cut  1,270  feet  more  thietn  the  total.  Including  these 
extra  feet,  56,502  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditching  or  Its  equivalent  was 
cut  in  the  marshes  along  the  west  side  of  Patcong  Creek. 

It  should  be  said  in  passing  that  at  the  request  of  the  chief  inspector 
of  the  Atlantic  County  Commission  a  certain  amount  of  very  short  spur- 
ring was  left  for  his  men  to  do  when  they  went  on  the  area  for  the  pur- 
pose of  filling  all  holes  with  sods. 

All  told,  137,770  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches  have  been  cut  in  the 
salt  marshes  of  Patcong  Creek  at  a  cost  of  |3,000,  relieving  1,600  acres 
from  mosquito  breeding. 

Patcong  Cre^k  and  Great  Egg  Harbor  River  Work. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  necessary  steps  preliminary  to  advertising 
and  awarding  of  contract  for  drainage  in  the  salt  marses  of  Bergen 
County  could  not  be  completed  before  the  dose  of  the  present  fiscal  year 
the  sum  of  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seventy-six  dollars  and 
eighty-six  cents  ($2,876.86)  became  available  for  further  ditching  on  these 
areas  in  Atlantic  County. 

On  October  20th,  1914,  a  contract  for  cutting  135,701  linear  feet  of  10x30 
inch  ditches,  or  their  equivalent,  in  the  salt  marshes  of  Patcong  Creek 
and  Great  Egg  Harbor  River  was  awarded  to  the  United  States  Drainage 
and  Irrigation  Company.  The  work  began  on  the  west  side  of  Patcong 
Creek  where  the  previous  job  had  left  off  and  continued  along  its  border 
until  all  the  marsh  on  the  west  side  of  the  creek  and  north  of  the  new 
road  was  drained.  From  Patcong  Creek  the  gangs  began  the  drainage 
along  the  east  side  of  Great  Egg  Harbor  River  proceeding  upstream.  All 
told,  more  than  134,431  linear  feet  of  10x30  inch  ditches,  or  their  equiva- 
lent, were  cut  in  this  location.  The  work  relieved  2,400  acres  from  mos- 
quito breeding. 

It  should  be  said  at  this  point  that  the  contractor  asked  to  have  the  extra 
1,270  feet  inadvertently  cut  during  the  former  job  accepted  ^is  a  part  of 
this  contract,  and  that  the  request,  appearing  to  be  a  reasonable  one,  was 
granted. 

Hackensack   Valley    Inspection    Work. 

The  conviction  that  the  Hackensack  Valley  threw  off  several  trouble- 
some broods  of  mosquitoes  in  the  breeding  season  of  1913  induced  the 
Entomologist  to  make  plans  for  watching  it  during  the  season  of  1914. 
Mr.  Henry  H.  Brehme  was  sent  over  the  entire  marsh  area  in  the  fall  of 
1913  and  his  findings  indicated  that  while  not  the  entire  marsh  surface 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  421 

was  likely  to  breed,  there  were  places  located  in  all  sections  which  would 
be  likely  to  produce  mosquitoes.  For  the  reason  that  the  funds  of  the 
Experiment  Station  were  inadequate  to  meet  the  calls  made  upon  it  and 
that  the  territories  of  Hudson,  Essex,  and  Union  Counties  were  invaded 
by  these  swarms,  the  aid  of  these  counties  was  sought  and  obtained. 

It  was  agreed  that  Essex  County  should  contribute  the  serrices  of  Mr. 
Wilbur  Walden,  one  of  its  deputy  chief  inspectors  and  an  engineer  by 
training,  and  one  regular  inspector,  that  Hudson  County  should  contribute 
two  inspectors  and  Union  one,  and  that  the  Experiment  Station  should 
devote  the  time  of  its  regular  inspector,  Mr.  Henry  H.  Brehme.  It  was 
understood  that  Mr.  Walden  should  be  in  charge  of  the  work,  and  that  he 
should  be  assisted  by  Mr.  Brehme.  It  was  also  understood  that  a  report 
of  progress  made  in  each  week  of  work  should  be  submitted  to  the  chief 
inspectors  of  the  counties  concerned  and  to  the  Entomologist 

The  inspection  began  on  April  13th  and  continued  for  one  month.  In 
this  time,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  section  of  marsh  in  Harrison 
lyii^g  between  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the  Passaic  River,  the 
entire  Hackensack  Valley  salt  marsh  was  examined. 

Nearly  all  the  breeding  found  by  Mr.  Walden  was  that  of  Aedes  cantator 
Coq.,  but  a  few  samples  of  A.  sylvestris  were  taken.  Breeding  was  found 
in  the  3rd,  4th,  8th,  9th,  10th,  11th,  12th,  13th,  14th.  15th,  16th,  17th,  18th, 
19th,  21st,  22nd,  and  23rd  districts*  out  of  a  total  of  27.  In  some  cases  the 
breeding  covered  the  whole  area  of  certain  sections  in  a  given  district 
but  usually  it  was  confined  to  limited  portions  of  the  different  sections. 

Mr.  Walden's  reports  having  demonstrated  that  the  Hackensack  Valley 
salt  marsh  was  likely  to  prove  a  very  prolific  source  of  mosquitoes,  it 
seemed  only  wise  to  keep  it  under  observation  throughout  the  breeding 
season.  In  this  way  it  was  hoped  much  of  the  breeding  might  be  elimi- 
nated with  oil  and  the  facts  necessary  to  proper  drainage  accumulated. 
Accordingly,  a  force  composed  of  inspectors  from  Essex  and  Union  Coun- 
ties headed  by  Mr.  Henry  H.  Brehme  covered  the  entire  valley  every  ten 
days  or  two  weeks.    The  following  cases  of  breeding  were  discovered. 

District  No.  1. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the  Passaic 
River  extending  from  the  Newark  Bay  northward  to  the  Newark  and 
Jersey  City  Plank  Road. 

May  12 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  15  small  holes  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Newark  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Central  Railroad 
of  New  Jersey. 

May  20 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  5  holes  south  of 
Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey. 

June  2 — Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvae  found  in  2  old  cans  near 
the  Chemical  Company  plant  south  of  the  Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank 
Road. 


*The  districts  referred  to  are  described  on  succeeding  pa^es, 

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422  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

June  10 — Light  breeding  of  A.  soUicitans  larvae  found  in  a  number  of 
pools  north  of  the  Newark  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Central  Railroad 
of  New  Jersey. 

July  6 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  overgrown  ditch 
north  of  the  Newark  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New 
Jersey. 

July  29 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  five  small 
holes  on  the  south  side  of  the  Newark  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Cen- 
tral Railroad  of  New  Jersey.  Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvie  found 
in  a  overgrown  ditch  on  the  north  side  of  the  Newark  and  New  York 
branch  of  th^  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey. 

August  22 — Light  breeding  of  A.  sollicitans  larvae  found  in  an  overgrown 
ditch  on  the  north  side  of  the  Newark  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Cen- 
tral Railroad  of  New  Jersey. 

District  No.  2. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the  Passaic 
River  extending  from  he  Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank  Road  northward 
to  the  Jersey  City  branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

May  12 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  found  in  ten  holes  along  Arling- 
ton Water  Company's  pipe  line  and  in  holes  along  telegraph  poles  south  of 
Jersey  City  branch  of  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

May  20 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  five  small 
holes  east  of  Passaic  Avenue  and  three  pools  about  300  feet  west  of  the 
Hal^kensack  River  south  of  the  Jersey  City  branch  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad. 

June  10 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  three  holes 
along  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line  and  in  six  holes  along  the 
telegraph  poles  soiith  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  east  of  Psussaic  Avenue. 
Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvae  was  found  in  one  barrel  along  edge 
of  dumping  ground. 

June  24 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  was  found  in  holes 
along  old  railroad  ties  and  double  row  of  telegraph  poles  south  of  Jersey 
City  branch  of  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  scattered  breeding  of  A.  canta- 
tor larvae  found  in  two  holes  along  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe 
line. 

July  6 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  cattails  on  the  west 
side  of  Passaic  Avenue.  Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sollicitans 
larvae  found  in  hole^  ditches  and  foot  prints  south  of  the  Jersey  City 
branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae 
found  in  seventeen  holes  along  the  Arlington  Watef  pipe  line.  Scattered 
breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  along  the  edge  of  the  dumping  ground. 

July  17 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  and  pupae  found  in  the  cat- 
tails along  the  south  side  of  the  Jersey  City  branch  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  east  of  Passaic  Avenue.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larv« 
found  along  the  edge  of  garbage  dump  north  and  south  of  the  Arlington 
Water  Company's  pipe  line  for  about  250  feet.  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipieni 
and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  found  in  eight  pools  on  the  garbage  dump  just 
north  of  the  Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank  Road. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  423 

July  29 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  lanre  found  in  six  sign  post 
boles  south  of  the  Jersey  City  branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  east 
of  Passaic  Avenue.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipien$  and  C.  saliiMrius 
larvse  found  in  four  holes  along  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe. 
Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  C.  ptptent  larvs  and  pups  fdund  along 
edge  of  garbage  fill  at  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line. 

August  11 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larve  found  in  six  sign 
post  holes  south  of  the  Jersey  City  branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
east  of  Passaic  Avenue.  Light  and  heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipie$^s  larviB 
and  pupflB  found  in  two  holes  and  at  the  dumping  ground  along  the  Ar- 
lington Water  Company's  pipe  line.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs 
found  along  the  edge  of  the  dumping  ground  and  in  four  pools  just  north 
of  the  Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank  Road« 

August  22 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipienM  found  in  one  pool  about  400 
feet  north  of  the  Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank  Road.  Light  and  heavy 
breeding  of  O.  pipiens  larvtt  and  pupe  found  in  six  holes  and  for  200  feet 
west  of  the  garbage  fill  along  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line. 

September  5 — Light  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larve  found  along  the  edge 
of  the  garbage  fill  at  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line.  Scattered 
breeding  of  O.  pipiens  larvse  found  along  the  garbage  fill  just  north  of  the 
rendering  plant 

September  16 — Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larve  found  in  one  hole 
and  aloBg  garbage  fill  at  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line. 

October  9 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  al<mg  the  edge 
of  the  garbage  fill  at  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line. 

District  No.  3,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Jersey  City  branch  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad, 
extending  from  the  Hackensack  River  westward  to  the  junction  of  the 
grades  of  these  lines. 

May  12 — ^Very  little  breeding;  only  about  a  dozen  A,  cantator  larvse  found. 

May  20 — One  acre,  light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  and  10  per 
cent  pupse  found  at  the  Dloxygen  sign  board. 

July  6 — Heavy  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A,  sollicitans  larvse  found  in 
blind  ditches  and  at  nine  sign  boards. 

July  17 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  and  pupse  found  in  post 
holes  at  ten  sign  boards. 

July  29 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  at  11  sign  post 
holes.  Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  (7.  pipiens  larve  found  along  the 
old  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line  west  of  the  Hackensack  River. 

August  11 — Light  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  found  along  the  old  Jersey  City 
water  pipe  line  west  of  the  Hackensaick  River. 

August  21 — ^Light  breeding  of  C.  salinarius  larvse  found  in  a  ditch  at 
the  Remington  sign  board  and  in  depressions  at  the  Remington  sign 
board.  Light  breeding  of  0.  pipiens  larvse  found  in  seven  holes  along  the 
old  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line  west  of  the  Hackensack  River. 

September  7 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  along  the  old 
Jersey  City  water  pipe  line. 


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424  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

DisTBiCT  No.  3,  Section  B. — ^Area  between  old  branch  of  Erie  Railroad, 
Hackensack  River,  and  the  Thirty-Second  Street  line  of  the  Pennsylyanla 
Railroad. 

May  12 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  in  all  stages  in  almost 
every  pool  and  hole  west  of  the  Hackensack  River  to  the  railroad  spar. 

June  10 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cfintator  larvs  found  in  scattered  tree 
stump  holes. 

July  6 — Heavy  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A,  solUcitans  larve  found  in 
every  overgrown  ditch  and  tree  stump  hole. 

July  29 — Scattered  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  a  few  tree  stump  holes. 

District  No.  3,  Section  C. — ^Area  between  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and 
Western  Railroad  and  the  old  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  extending  from 
the  Hackensack  River  westward  to  the  Belleville  Turnpike. 

May  20 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  and  80  per  cent  pupe  in 
ditch  1,500  feet  long  and  10  feet  wide  about  1,200  feet  west  of  Hackensack 
River  and  light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  and  15  per  cent  pupe  in' 
four  pools  and  a  blind  ditch  20  feet  long  at  the  Coward  Shoe  sign. 

June  10 — Light  brewing  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  at  the  Vulvullx  and 
Kabo  sign  boards  east  of  the  junction  of  the  Harrison  Turnpike  and  the 
Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad. 

June  24 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  In  three  sign  post 
holes  and  a  ditch  at  the  Gray  and  Henry  sign  and  one  pool  at  the  Mos- 
quito Tavern. 

July  6 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sollicitans  larvae  found  in 
every  ditch  and  sign  post  hole  on  this  section. 

July  17 — ^Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvae  and  pupae  found  at  the 
Kabo  sign  and  in  100  feet  of  ditch  at  the  Kelley  Loan  Company  sign. 

July  29 — Light  breeding  of  C  pipiens  and  O.  salinarius  larvae  found  in  a 
wide  ditch  on  the  west  side  of  the  levee  along  the  Hackensack  River. 
Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  iarvie  found  in  a  blind  ditch  at  the  second 
signal  tower  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  and  at  the 
Haig  ft  Haig  sign  board. 

August  12 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  along  the  north 
side  of  Belleville  Turnpike  in  pools  west  of  the  Mosquito  Tavern. 

August  24 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  in  three  holes 
along  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  700  feet  east  of  the 
Harrison  Turnpike. 

District  No.  3,  Section  D. — Area  between  the  Harrison  Turnpike  and  the 
Belleville  Turnpike,  extending  from  the  Junction  of  the  Harrison  and 
Belleville  Turnpike  westward  to  the  Thirty-Second  Street  line  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad. 

July  7 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvae  found  just  east  of 
Thirty-Second  Street  line  of  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

July  18 — Heavy  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvae  and  pupae  found  in  si^n 
post  holes. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  425 

District  No.  3,  Section  E. — Area  between  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft 
Western  Railroad,  the  Thirty-Second  Street  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road, and  the  Harrison  Turnpike. 

June  11 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  lanrn  found  In  a  ditch  at  Roe 
and  Conoyer  sign  board  east  of  Kearny  Junction. 

June  24 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  lanrsB  found  in  seven  holes  at 
the  sign  boards  and  (7.  pipiens  larv»  in  two  holes  at  the  Jap-a-lae  sign 
board. 

July  30 — Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvsB  and  puimb  found  over 
about  one  and  one-half  acres  just  east  of  where  the  Thirty-Second  Street 
line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  runs  over  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna 
ft  Western  Railroad. 

August  12 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  (7.  pipien$  larve  and 
pups  found.    One  acre  at  the  Chambers  sign  board. 

August  24 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  at  the  sign  board 
east  of  where  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  runs  over  the  Delaware,  Lacka- 
wanna ft  Westerly  Railroad. 

District  No.  4,  Section  A — Area  between  the  Belleville  Turnpike  and  the 
Arlington  Water  Ck>inpany's  pipe  line  extending  northward  from  the  old 
Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  to  the  present  Newark 
and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

May  12 — ^Very  little  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larv©  found. 

July  7 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvs  found  over  this  whole  area, 

August  12 — Light  breeding  of  C  pipiens  and  (7.  salinarius  larvae  found 
hi  the  cattails  east  of  the  third  culvert 

District  No.  4,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft 
Western  Railroad,  the  Thirty-Second  Street  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road and  Harrison  Turnpike,  extending  from  the  junction  of  the  Thirty- 
Second  Street  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  Harrison  Turnpike 
westward  to  the  upland. 

May  12 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  and  pupae  and  many 
adults  on  the  wing  west  of  the  Old  Fish  Road. 

May  23 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  and  about  76  per  cent 
pupae  were  found  between  Swift's  Railroad  spur  and  Frank  Greek  south 
of  the  Swift  Plant,  which  covered  about  two  acres. 

June  11 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  ten-inch 
ditch  at  the  Clysmic  sign  board  and  one  hole  north  of  the  Remington 
Typewriter  sign  board. 

July  7 — ^Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  0.  sollincitans  larvae  in  every 
hole  and  depression  west  of  the  Old  Fish  Road. 

.  July  30 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  six  holes  west 
side  of  the  Old  Fish  Road. 

District  No.  4,  Section  C. — Area  between  Harrison  Turnpike  and  old 
Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  extending  from  the 
Thirty-Second  Street  branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  westward  to 
Frank  Creek. 


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426  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

May  12 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvR  found  east  of  Frank 
Creek. 

July  7 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvs  found  over  this  whole  area. 

July  18 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvs  and  pups  found  over  this 
whole  section. 

July  30 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  in  cattails  east- 
ward from  the  first  culvert  east  of  Frank  Creek  and  in  a  pool  Just  west 
of  the  Thirty-Second  Street  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

August  12 — Light  breeding  of  C  pipiens  and  O.  salinarius  larvse  found 
in  the  cattails  for  2,000  feet  along  the  old  Newark  and  Paterson  branob 
of  the  Brie  Railroad.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larv«  found  In 
pools  along  the  Harrison  Turnpike. 

August  24 — Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  found  in  the  cattails 
for  150  feet  just  west  of  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line. 

District  No.  4,  Sectiow  D. — Area  between  Harrison  Turnpike  and  the  old 
Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  extending  from  Frank 
Creek  westward  to  the  upland. 

May  12 — Only  an  occasional  A.  cantator  larvse  found. 

May  26 — Only  seven  A.  cantator  larvse  found  at  Wobum  Degreaalns 
Company's  plant 

June  11 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  in  a  pool  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Wobum  Degreasing  Company's  plant. 

June  24 — Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  found  in  a  ditch  on  the 
west  side  of  the  Wobum  Degreasing  Company's  plant 

July  7 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  in  a  ditch  and  In 
the  cattails  west  of  the  Wobum  Degreasing  Company's  plant 

July  18 — Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  throughout 

July  30 — ^Light  suid  heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  and  pupse  found 
in  the  cattails  west  of  the  Wobum  Degreasing  Company's  plant  to  the 
dumping  ground  at  the  upland. 

District  No.  4.  Section  E. — Area  between  the  old  Newark  and  Paterson 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  present  Newark  and  Paterson  branch 
pf  the  Erie  Railroad  extending  from  Frsuik  Creek  westward  to  the  upland. 

May  12 — Only  an  occassional  A.  cantator  larva  found. 

Distbict  No.  4,  Section  G. — Area  between  the  old  Newark  and  Pater- 
son branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch 
of  the  Erie  Railroad  extending  from  the  Arlington  Water  Company's 
pipe  line  westwsird  to  Frank  Creek. 

May  12 — Scattered  to  heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  and  SO  per 
cent  pupse  found  from  Frank  Creek  eastward  for  about  1,000  feet. 

July  7 — ^Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  O.  pipiens  larvse  found  OTer 
this  whole  section. 

July  18— Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  and  pnine 
found  over  this  whole  section. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  4^7 

DisTBiCT  No.  5,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Newark  and  Paterson 
branch  o(  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  Duke  Street  sewer  extending  from 
Frank  Greek  westward  to  the  upland. 

July  7 — ^Ldght  breeding  of  A.  cantator  laryn  found  in  the  cattails  and 
scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipietu  larvae  found  in  cattails  along  the  north 
side  of  the  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

July  80 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  found  in  the  cattails  north  of 
the  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

August  12 — Light  breeding  of  C  pipiens  lanre  found  in  cattails  76  feet 
north  of  the  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  ftailroad. 

DiSTsiOT  No.  6,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Duke  Street  sewer  and  the 
Bergen  Ayenue  sewer  extending  from  the  Junction  of  the  Duke  Street 
and  Bei:gen  Avenue  sewers  westward  to  the  upland. 

July  7 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  Mylvestris  larvs  found  along  the  upland 
north  of  Tappan  Street  in  cattails. 

July  30 — Light  breeding  of  C  pipiehM  larvae  found  in  the  Bergen  Avenue 
sewer. 

District  No.  5,  Section  C. — Area  between  the  Bergen  Avenue  sewer  and 
Frank  Creek»  extending  from  the  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie 
Railroad  westward  to  the  upland. 

June  24 — ^Twelve  C.  pipiens  egg  boats  found  in  a  ditch  south  of  Kearny 
Gun  Club  house. 

July  7 — Light  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  and  scattered  breeding  of  A,  «y^ 
ve$trU  larvae  found  in  a  ditch  at  woodland  north  of  the  Kearny  Gun  Club 
house. 

July  20 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  in  a  ditch  at  the  wood- 
land north  of  the  Kearny  Qun  Club  house. 

DiSTBiCT  No.  5,  Section  D. — Area  between  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  extending  from  the  Belleville  Turnpike  west- 
ward to  Frank  Creek  and  the  upland. 

May  13 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvae  and  pupse  found  between 
Frank  Creek  and  the  second  culvert  east  of  Frank  Creek,  north  of  the 
Erie  Railroad  and  scattered  A.  cantator  larvse  were  found  about  800  feet 
west  of  the  Belleville  Turnpike  south  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood 
Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

May  25 — Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  along  the  edge  of  the 
dumping  ground  south  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of 
the  Erie  Railroad. 

June  12 — Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  found  along  the  edge 
of  the  dumping  ground  south  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

June  24 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  at  the  edge  of  the 
dumping  ground  south  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of 
the  Erie  Railroad. 


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428         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

July  7 — ^Ldght  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larve  found  at  the  edge  of  the 
dumping  ground  south  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of 
the  Erie  Railroad.  Scattered  breeding  of  A.  gylvestrU  larre  found  In 
hoof  prints  and  holes  south  of  the  Oakwood  Avenue  dumping  ground. 

July  20 — Light  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larve  found  along  the  edge  of  the 
dumping  ground  south  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of 
the  Erie  Railroad.  Light  breeding  of  A,  slyvestrit  lanrsB  and  pups  in 
holes  south  of  the  Oakwood  Avenue  dumping  ground. 

July  80 — ^Slight  breeding  of  A,  sylvestris  larre  found  In  pools  and  cattle 
hoof  prints  south  of  the  Oakwood  Avenue  dumping  ground  along  the  up- 
land. 

August  4 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  C.  pipiens  larvsB  and  pupe 
found  over  three-fourths  of  the  section. 

August  12 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  found  along  the  edge  of  the 
dumping  ground  south  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of 
the  Erie  Railroad. 

September  8 — Light  breeding  of  0,  pipiens  found  along  the  edge  of  the 
dumping  ground  south  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the 
Erie  Railroad. 

DiSTUCT  No.  6,  Section  A. — ^Area  between  the  Belleville  Turnpike  and  the 
New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  extending 
from  the  Junction  of  the  Newark  and  Paterson  and  the  New  York  and 
Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  westward  to  the  Belleville 
Turnpike. 

July  8 — Scattered  to  light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  aylvestris  lar- 
v»  found  along  the  south  side  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

July  20 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvs  found  which  covers 
about  five  acres. 

District  No.  6,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Belleville  Turnpike.  Thirty- 
Second  Street  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the  New  York  and 
Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  extending  from  the  old 
railroad  spur  westward  to  the  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Brie 
Railroad. 

July  6 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  in  very  many  old 
tree  stump  holes. 

District  No.  6,  Section  C. — ^Area  between  the  Thirty-Second  Street  line 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  extending  from  the  Hackensack  River  west- 
ward to  the  old  railroad  spur. 

July  6 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sollicitans  larvae  found  in 
old  tree  stump  holes. 

July  20 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  which  covers  about 
one-half  an  acre. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  429 

D18TBICT  No.  7,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  New  York  and  Greenwood 
Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  Belleyille  Turnpike,  extending 
from  the  Junction  of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the 
Erie  and  the  Belleville  Turnpike  westward  to  the  upland. 

May  14 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sylvestrit  lanre  found  along  upland 
north  of  the  Arlington  Company's  plant 

June  12 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiena  larvae  and  pup»  found  along  the 
Arlington  Company's  fill.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipieiu  and  Anopheles 
larve  found  in  two  pools  7x26  and  6x30  feet  east  of  the  Arlington  cemetery. 

June  25 — Heavy  breeding  of  C,  pipien$  larvs  and  pups  found  along  the 
Arlington  Company's  fill. 

July  8 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larve  found  in  a  ditch  and  along 
the  Arlington  Company's  fill.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipient  larvs  found 
in  the  two  pools  east  of  the  Arlington  cemetery.     . 

July  20 — Light  breeding  of  O.  pipien$  larvse  found  along  the  edge  of 
Arlington  Company's  fllL  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larve  found  in  a 
ditch  100  feet  long  south  of  the  Arlington  Cemetery. 

July  31 — Scattered  breeding  of  0.  pipiens  and  O.  salinarius  larve  found 
along  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line  300  feet  east  of  Saw  Mill 
Creek.  Heavy  breeding  of  0,  pipiens  larvs  and  pups  found  in  the  cat- 
tails east  of  the  Arlington  Company's  ash-flll  for  500  feet  Scattered  breed- 
ing of  C  pipiens  larvse  found  along  the  edge  of  the  Arlington  Company's 
ash-flU.  Light  breeding  of  C  pipiens,  C,  salinarius  and  A.  sylvestris  larvse 
found  in  a  ditch  75  feet  long  south  of  the  Arlington  cemetery.  Scattered 
Anopheles  larvse  found  in  one  pool  on  the  east  side  of  the  Arlington  ceme- 
tery. 

August  18 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  and  pupse  found  wher- 
ever water  was  found.  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  and  pupse  found 
at  telegraph  pole  No.  96  east  of  Saw  Mill  Creek  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Belleville  Turnpike. 

August  25 — Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  found 
along  the  edge  of  the  Arlington  Company  fill.  Scattered  breeding  of  (7. 
pipiens  larvse  found  in  the  lily  pond  on  the  east  side  of  the  Arlington 
cemetery. 

September  8 — Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  found  in  the  cattails 
and  along  the  Arlington  Company's  All.  Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipiens 
larvse  found  in  the  lily  pond  on  the  east  side  of  the  Arlington  cemetery. 

September  19 — Scattered  breeding  of  0.  pipiens  larvse  found  along  the 
edge  of  Arlington  Company's  ash-fllL 

DiSTBiOT  No.  7,  "Section  B. — Area  between  the  New  York  and  Greenwood 
Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  Saw  Mill  Creek»  extending  from  the 
Hackensack  River  westwsird  to  the  Belleville  Turnpike. 

May  13 — Scattered  A.  cantator  larvse  breeding  Just  west  of  the  Hacken- 
sack River. 

June  12 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvse  found  in  two  ditches 
and  at  the  Major  Cement  Company's  sign  west  of  the  Hackensack  River. 


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430         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

June  26 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  lanre  found  in  the  ten-inch 
ditches  Just  west  of  the  Haokensaek  Riyer. 

July  8 — Scattering  and  heavy  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  solHdtant 
larvn  found  over  an  area  of  about  30  acres  west  of  the  HaclLensack  River. 

August  13 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvae  found  in  a  diteh  at 
switch  No.  20  and  in  a  pool  at  signal  tower  No.  42. 

District  No.  8,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Belleville  Turnpike  and 
Meadow  Road  east  of  Astor  Avenue,  extending  from  Saw  Mill  Creek  west- 
ward to  the  upland  in  Arlington. 

June  13 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  fnpiens  and  Anopheles  larvse  found  in 
four  pools  along  the  Arlington  Water  Company's  pipe  line  north  of  the 
Belleville  Turnpike. 

June  25 — ^Scattered  \breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  found  in  three  small 
pools  along  the  old  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line  west  of  Saw  Mill  Creek. 

July  9 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  sylvestris  larvie  found  south  of  Meadow 
Road  east  of  Astor  Avenue,  which  covers  about  two  acres. 

July  20 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  aylvestris  larvse  and 
pupee  found  south  of  Meadow  Road  which  covers  about  ten  acres.  Heavy 
breeding  of  C.  sylvestris  larvae  and  pupee  found  in  pool  on  north  side  of 
Belleville  Turnpike  west  of  Saw  Mill  Creek. 

July  31 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  and  A,  sylvestris  larvs  found 
along  the  edge  of  the  upland  south  of  the  Meadow  Road  east  of  Astor 
Avenue. 

August  13 — Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvsB  found  in  depressions 
south  of  the  Meadow  Road  east  of  Astor  Avenue  along  the  upland. 

August  25 — Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvae  found  in  the  large 
pool  on  the  north  side  of  the  Belleville  Turnpike  opposite  the  Arlington 
Cemetery  gate. 

District  No.  8,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Meadow  Road  east  of  Astor 
Avenue  and  the  Boonton  branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  k  Weetem 
Railroad,  extending  from  the  southern  branch  of  Kingsland  Creek  west- 
ward to  the  upland  in  Kingsland. 

July  8 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  sylvestris  ktrve  and  pupae  found  abomt 
800  feet  north  of  Meadow  Road  east  of  Astor  Avenue  along  the  upland. 
Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  fdund  in  cattails  oast 
of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad  shops. 

July  21 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  found  in 
the  cattails  east  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  shops. 

July  31 — Soattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  in  one  pool  about 
800  feet  north  of  the  Meadow  Road  east  of  Astor  Avmue  along  the  upland. 

August  13 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  and  pupae  found  in  the 
cattails  at  the  foot  of  Gast  Avenue. 

August  26 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  in  a  pool  east 
of  the  foot  of  Oast  Avenue. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  431 

D18TBICT  No.  8,  Sscmox  C. — Area  between  Saw  Mill  Creek  and  Kingsland 
Creek,  extending  from  the  Haokenaaek  RiTer  weatward  to  the  MeaAow 
Road  aaat  of  Astor  Ayenue. 

District  No.  8,  Section  D. — Area  between  Kingsland  Creek  and  the  Boon- 
ton  branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad,  extending 
from  the  contact  of  the  two  westward  to  the  northern  branch  of  Kingsland 
Creek. 

May  22 — Six  small  holes  had  breeding  of  about  one-half  a  dozen  A.  can- 
Uiar  larv»  and  pupe  going  on  in  them. 

July  9 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  9plve9tria  larv»  fMuid  Just 
south  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad  embankment. 

July  21 — Light  breedfaig  of  A,  cantator  larvs  found  for  about  700  feet 
east  of  the  northern  branch  of  Kingsland  Creek. 

District  No.  8,  Section  E. — Area  between  Kingsland  Creek  and  the  Boon- 
ton  branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  Company, 
extending  westward  from  the  Hackensack  Rirer  to  the  contact  of  the  two. 

District  No.  9,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Boonton  branch  of  the  Dela- 
ware, Lackawanna  k  Western  Railroad  and  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line, 
extending  &x>m  the  Hackensack  River  westward  to  the  upland  in  Kings- 
land. 

May  14 — ^About  one  dozen  small  A.  cantator  larv»  f6und  breeding  akmg 
the  water  pipe  line. 

May  22 — ^About  ane-lialf  dosen  A,  cantator  larrsft  found  along  the  Dela- 
ware, Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad  embankment 

July  9 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  sylvestria  lanr«  found 
along  the  north  side  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad 
enfcankment  and  the  south  side  of  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line  about 
1,800  fibet  wast  of  the  Hackensack  Rirer. 

August  26 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  tplvestris  found  in 
cattails  along  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line  for  a  distance  of  1,000  feet. 

District  No.  9,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  lin** 
and  the  embankment  area,  extending  from  the  Hackensack  River  and 
Berry's  Creek  westward  to  the  upland  in  Kingsland  and  Lyndhurst. 

May  14 — ^About  one  dozen  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylveatrig  larva  found  in 
cattails  along  the  upland. 

May  22 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  9ylve9tri8  in  cattails  along 
the  upland. 

June  8 — Scattered  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvse  and  pupte  found 
in  two  small  holes  along  the  upland. 

June  15 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylveatria  larvsB  found 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line  at  the  small  wood- 
land west  of  the  Hackensack  River.  There  was  light  breeding  of  A.  can- 
tator and  A.  tylveatm  larv»  found  going  on  on  the  south  side  of  the  water 
pipe  line. 


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432  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

June  26 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larre  found  along  the  north 
side  of  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line  for  a  distance  of  800  feet. 

August  1 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larre  found  In  cattails  along 
the  upland.  it 

August  26 — Heavy  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  sylveatria  larvae  found 
in  cattails  along  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line  for  a  distance  of  1,000 
feet 

District  No.  9,  Section  C. — Area  between  the  dike  at  Lyndhurst  and  the 
dike  at  Rutherford,  extending  from  Berrys  Creek  westward  to  the  upland 
at  Lyndhurst  and  Rutherford. 

May  22 — ^Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  9ylve$tri9  larvss  In  two 
pools  and  a  ditch  a  foot  wide  about  800  feet  north  of  the  Klngsland  Brick 
Plant 

July  9 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A,  sylvestria  larve  found  In 
overgrown  ditch  about  400  feet  north  of  the  Klngsland  Brick  Works. 

August  26 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  $ylv€8tri$  lanm  found 
in  the  cattails  and  overgrown  ditch  about  800  feet  north  of  the  Klngsland 
Brick  Works.  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  along  the  edge  of 
garbage  fill  south  of  the  main  line  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

District  No.  9,  Section  D. — Area  between  the  diked  area  and  the  main 
line  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railroad,  extending  from 
Berry's  Creek  westward  to  the  upland  in  Rutherford. 

June  3 — One  C.  pipiens  egg  boat  found  In  an  old  dstem  Just  south  of 
the  Columbia  Button  Works  east  of  Meadow  Road. 

District  No.  10,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  New  Jersey  and  New  York 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  upland  In  East  Rutherford,  extending 
from  the  main  line  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie  ft  Western  Railroad  north- 
ward to  the  Paterson  Plank  Road. 

June  26 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipien$  larve  found  at  dumping 
ground  south  of  Clser's  Ice  house. 

June  27 — ^Llght  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvn  and  pups  found  along  the 
north  and  south  sides  of  Stanley  Street  in  the  cattails.  Scattered  breeding 
of  C.  pipiens  larvn  found  in  a  ditch  on  the  east  side  of  the  Hackensack 
car  bam. 

July  9 — ^Llght  breeding  of  C.  pipien$  larvs  found  along  the  edge  of 
dumping  ground  south  of  CIser's  Ice  house. 

July  22 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  and  pupe  found  alons 
the  edge  of  the  dumping  ground  south  of  CIser's  Ice  house. 

August  S — ^Llght  breeding  of  O.  pipiens  larvse  found  In  one  pool  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Hackensack  trolley  car  bam.  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens 
larve  found  in  cattails  at  the  dumping  ground  south  of  CIser's  Ice  houne. 

August  14 — Scattered  breeding  of  O.  pipiens  larvs  found  In  m  sewer 
ditch  east  of  the  dumping  ground  south  of  CIser's  Ice  house. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  433 

District  No.  10,  Section  B. — Area  between  Berry's  Creek  and  the  New 
York  and  New  Jersey  branch  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Brie  ft  Western 
Railroad,  extending  from  the  main  line  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie  ft 
Western  Railroad  northward  to  the  Paterson  Plank  Road. 

May  19 — Scattered  breeding  of*  A,  9ylve$tri$  lanm  found  Just  east  of  the 
New  Jersey  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

June  16 — ^Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  25  sign  post 
holes  north  of  the  Junction  of  the  main  line  and  the  New  Jersey  and  New 
York  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

July  9 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  sylvestrig  larvs  found 
going  on  in  96  sign  post  holes  and  in  two  small  depressions. 

July  10 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  MylveatrU  larvn  and 
pupee  found  in  a  ditch  south  of  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  500  feet  east  of 
the  New  ^rsey  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

August  3 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  at  the  sign 
boards  north  of  the  Junction  of  the  New  Jersey  and  New  York  branch  of 
the  main  line  of  the  Erie  Railroad.  Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and 
A,  9ylv€8tri8  found  in  an  overgrown  ditch  east  of  the  Hasselhunes  coal 
pockets. 

Distbict  No.  10,  Section  C. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and 
Berry's  Creek,  extending  from  the  new  canal  northward  to  the  Paterson 
Flank  Road. 

June  17— Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvn  found  in  ditch  about  8  by 
300  feet  along  the  Paterson  Plank  Road,  500  feet  west  of  the  Hackensack 
River. 

July  10 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larve  found  over  about  ten 
acres  of  meadow.  Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  in  a  ditch 
about  400  feet  long,  600  feet  west  of  the  Hackensack  River.  Light  and 
ueavy  breeding  of  A.  sylvestrU  larve  in  every  pool  found  in  the  woodland. 

August  5 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  and  C.  aalinariua  larvn  found 
in  a  ditch  along  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  500  feet  west  of  the  Hackensack 
River. 

Distmct  No.  10,  Section  D. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and 
Berry's  Creek,  extending  from  the  main  line  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie 
ft  Western  Railroad  northward  to  the  new  canal. 

June  16 — ^Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  in  42  sign  post 
holes  west  of  the  Hackensack  River  and  north  of  the  main  line  of  the 
Erie  Railroad. 

June  26 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larve  and  pupse  found  in  13 
sign  post  holes  west  of  the  Hackensack  River  north  of  the  main  line  of  the 
Erie  Railroad. 

July  9 — Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvs  found  in  227 
sign  post  holes  and  in  depressions  which  cover  about  one  and  one-half 
acres. 

Distbict  No.  10,  Section  E. — ^Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and 
Berry's  Creek  south  of  the  main  line  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie  ft  West- 
em  Railroad.  ' 


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434  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

June  16 — Light  breeding  of  A,  oantator  larv»  and  pup»  found  which 
ooyers  an  area  of  about  two  acres  jnst  east  of  the  place  where  the  main 
line  of  the  Erie  Railroad  crosses  Berry's  Creek;  and  scattered  breeding  of 
A.  cantator  larvte  were  found  in  10  sign  post  holes  west  of  the  Haekensack 
River. 

July  9 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  lanrse  found  going  on  in  ISO  sign 
post  holes  west  of  the  Haekensack  River  and  light  breeding  of  A.  otmtmtor 
lanrse  found  Just  east  of  where  Berry's  Creek  flows  under  the  main  line  of 
the  Brie  Railroad  which  covers  about  two  and  one-half  acres. 

August  3 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larve  found  in  an  |Over- 
grown  ditch  at  telephone  poles  Nob.  107  and  108. 

District  No.  11,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Haekensack  River  and  the 
upland  in  Secausus,  extending  from  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  ^uthward 
to  the  main  line  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Brie  ft  Western  Railroad. 

District  No.  11,  Section  B — ^Area  between  the  old  iron  works  road  and  the 
county  road,  extending  from  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  southward  to  the 
New  York,  Lake  Erie  ft  Western  Railroad. 

July  15 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  C  BOlHcitans  larv»  and 
pup»  found  in  holes  and  depressions  about  400  feet  north  of  where  the 
New  York,  Lake  Erie  ft  Western  Railroad  crosses  County  Avenue. 

July  27 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  in  holes  and 
depressions  400  feet  north  of  where  the  New  York,  Lake  Brie  ft  Western 
Railroad  crosses  County  Avenue. 

District  No.  12,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  County  Road  and  the 
Erie  and  Susquehanna  Railroads,  extending  from  the  Paterson  Plank 
Road  southward  to  the  Secaucus  Road. 

May  18 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvs  found  which  covens  an 
area  of  about  three-fourths  of  an  acre  east  of  the  schoolhouse  along  the 
County  Road. 

Blay  27 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipien$  larv»  found  in  a  ditdi  about 
300  feet  long,  about  700  feet  north  of  the  Secaucus  Road  east  of  the  New 
York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad. 

June  6 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  found  in  a  pool  about  400  feet 
north  of  the  Secaucus  Road  west  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western 
Railroad,  and  heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  in  barrel  at  171 
Tounele  Avenue. 

June  19 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiena  larv»  found  in  two  pools  north 
of  the  Secaucus  Road,  west  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western 
Railroad  and  scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  Just  south  of 
the  Homestead  Station,  east  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  &  Western 
Railroad. 

July  1 — ^Light  breeding  of  O,  pipient  larvn  found  in  small  pools  700  f^t 
north  of  the  Secaucus  Road  along  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western 
Railroad.  Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvK  found  at  the  sign 
boards  north  of  the  Secaucus  Road,  east  of  Pen  Horn  Creek.  Light  breed- 
ing of  A.  cantator  found  along  the  south  side  of  the  Paterson  Plank  Road 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  435 

for  «00  feet  in  a  diteh  which  was  cut  from  Koch's' Hotel  to  Pen  Horn 
Creek.  Light  breeding  of  A.  9ylve§trU  and  C  pipieuM  lanm  found  in  cat- 
tails about  500  feet  north  of  the  Secaucus  Road  east  of  the  New  York,  Sus- 
quehanna ft  Western  Railroad. 

July  14 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larve  and  pups  found  along  the 
west  side  of  the  New  York,  Susque^nna  ft  Western  Railroad  in  the  cat- 
tails south  of  the  Jagee  ft  Beldls  coal  pockets.  Light  breeding  of  C. 
pipietiM  and  A,  sylveatria  lanrie  found  in  the  cattails  about  1,200  feet  north 
of  the  Secaucus  Road  east  and  west  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft 
Western  Railroad.  Light  breeding  of  O.  pipieng  larvse  were  found  in  the 
cattails  and  an  open  ditch  Just  east  of  Koch's  Hotel  on  the  south  side  of 
the  Paterson  Plank  Road. 

July  25 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipieng  larvse  found  in  the  cattails  for 
500  feet  south  of  the  Thirty-Second  Street  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road west  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad.  Scattered 
breeding  of  C.  pipient  larvse  found  along  the  edge  of  the  garbage  pile  oa 
the  north  side  of  the  Secaupus  Road  Just  east  of  the  Pen  Horn  Creek. 
lAf^t  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larve  found  in  the  cattails  along  the  south 
side  of  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  east  of  Koch's  Hotel.  Scattered  breeding 
of  A,  cantator  larv»  found  in  the  ditch  Just  west  of  Koch's  HoteL 

August  7 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipient  larvse  and  pupe  found  west  of 
the  day  pits  ai^d  in  the  cattails  surrounding  the  old  dumping  ground 
south  of  the  Jagee  ft  Bellis'  coal  pockets.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens 
larvae  found  in  cattails  for  300  feet  south  of  the  Thirty-Second  Street  Line 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  west  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft 
Western  Railroad.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  in  the  cat- 
tails south  of  Koch's  Hotel,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Paterson  Plank  Road. 
Light  breeding  of  C  pipiens  eggboats  and  larvse  found  in  a  ditch  and  cat- 
tails between  Homestead  and  Tyler  Park  east  of  the  New  York,  Susque- 
hanna ft  Western  Railroad. 

August  19 — Light  breeding  of  C,  pipieng  larvse  found  in  a  ditch  beween 
eastern  and  western  tracks  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western 
Railroad  south  of  the  Homestead  Station.  Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens 
larvse  found  in  two  pools  400  feet  west  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft 
Western  Railroad  north  of  Secaucus  Road.  Scattered  breeding  of  C. 
pipiens  larvse  found  in  small  pools  about  600  feet  south  of  the  Homestead 
Station  east  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad.  Heavy 
breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvse  and  pupse  found  in  the  Pen  Horn  Creek  at  the 
Thirty-Second  Street  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

September  4 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvae  found  in  the  cat- 
tails on  the  south  side  of  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  for  100  feet  east  of 
Koch's  HoteL  Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  found  in  three  pools  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Secaucus  Road.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse 
found  between  the  eastern  and  western  tracks  of  the  New  York,  Susque- 
hanna ft  Western  Railroad,  south  of  the  Homestead  Station. 

September  25 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  In  Pen  Horn 
Creek  on  the  north  side  of  the  Secaucus  Road  at  the  Thirty-Second  Street 
Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 


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436         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

October  12 — Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvse  found  in  four  pools 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Secaucus  Road. 

DiSTKiCT  No.  12,  Sectio:?  B. — Area  between  the  County  Road  and  the 
Erie  and  Susquehanna  Railroads  extending  from  the  Secaucus  Road  south- 
ward to  County  Line. 

May  18 — Scattered  A,  cantator  larvse  breeding  north  of  buildings  at 
Lundy's  Lane. 

May  27 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  sylve$tri8  larvse  and  pupie  in  a  ditch 
about  25  feet  north  of  Lundy's  Lane  east  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna 
&  Western  Railroad. 

June  19 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiena  larv«  found  in  two  ditches 
south  of  the  Secaucus  Road  and  light  .breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvae  In  a 
ditch  along  the  north  side  of  the  County  Line  west  of  the  New  York.  Sus- 
quehanna ft  Western  Railroad. 

July  1 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  C,  pipien$  larvs  found  along 
Secaucus  Road  from  dumping  ground  westward  to  Pen  Horn  Creek.  Scat- 
tered breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  in  two  pools  at  Weigan*s  Lane, 
one  pool  at  Lundy's  Lane  and  one  culvert  under  the  New  York,  SusQue- 
.hanna  &  Western  Railroad. 

July  14 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipieng  larv»  found  along  Weigan's  Lane 
in  two  pools.  Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  found  in  cesspool  overflow  at 
Weigan's  Lane.  Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipiena  larvae  found  in  a  pool  3x30 
feet  on  the  east  side  of  the  New  York,  Susuehanna  ft  Western  Railroad, 
200  feet  south  of  the  Secaucus  Road.  Heavy  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvae 
found  in  the  cattails  between  Lundy's  Lane  and  County  Line,  for  800  to 
1,000  feet  Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  C.  pipiens  found  in  the 
scattered  cattails  on  the  north  side  of  the  County  Line. 

July  26 — Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvae  and  pupe  found  in  pool  at 
Weigan's  Lane  and  Secaucus  Road.  Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipieni  larvae 
found  at  edge  of  garbage  fill  on  the  south  side  of  Weigan's  Lane.  Heavy 
breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  and  pupae  found  in  a  pool  on  the  north  side 
of  the  garbage  fill  at  the  Secaucus  Road  and  the  New  York,  Susquehanna 
ft  Western  Railroad.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  in  two 
pools  200  feet  north  of  Lundy's  Lane.  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae 
found  in  cattails  south  of  Lundy's  Lane  and  along  the  County  Line  west 
of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad. 

August  7 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipieng  larvae  found  in  three  pools  at 
Weigan's  Lane.  Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvae  found  under  four 
culverts  along  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad  from 
Secaucus  Road  to  Lundy's  Lane.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae 
found  in  two  pools  on  the  north  side  of  Lundy's  Lane.  Scattered  breeding 
of.  C  pipienM  larvae  found  in  the  cattails  on  the  west  side  of  the  New 
York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad  and  the  north  side  of  County 
'  Line  south  of  Lundy's  Lane. 

August  19 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  and  pupae  found  in  a 
ditch  and  a  pool  at  the  edge  of  the  dumping  ground  along  Weigan's  Lane. 
Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  under  the  second  railroad  culvert 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  437 

north  of  Lundy's  Lane.  Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipienM  lanm  found  in 
a  pool  ISO  feet  south  of  Lundy's  Lane  west  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna 
k  Western  Railroad. 

September  4 — Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  lanr»  and 
pup«e  In  three  pools  and  one  gutter  along  Weigan's  Lane.  Heavy  breed- 
ing of  C.  pipiens  larv»  and  pupe  found  In  the  cattails  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Secaucus  Road  east  of  the  Pen  Horn  Creek.  Heavy  breeding  of 
C.  pipient  larve  and  pupe  found  at  the  old  dumping  ground  on  the  south 
of  the  Secaucus  Road  east  of  Pen  Horn  Creek.  Heavy  breeding  of 
found  In  a  pool  and  ditch  at  the  garbage  dump  just  south  of  the  Paterson 
Line  sewer.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larve  found  under  two  cul- 
verts of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad,  two  pools  just 
south  of  Lundy's  Lane  and  in  the  gutter  along  the  north  side  of  the  County 
Une. 

September  21 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larv»  found  In  three 

pools  along  the  edge  of  the  old  dumping  ground  on  the  south  side  of  the 

Secaucus  Road. 

i 

DiSTSioT  No. '13,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Public  Service  Power 
Plant  and  Pen  Horn  Creek,  extending  from  the  Hackensack  River  east- 
ward to  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

Hay  16 — ^About  one  dozen  A,  cantator  larve  found  in  a  few  holes. 

June  16 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvse  found  just  north  of  the 
Public  Service  Power  Plant  in  two  holes. 

July  2 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  soUicitans  larvae  found 
in  three  pools  Just  north  of  the  Public  Service  Power  Plant 

July  16 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sollidtans  larve  found  in 
lix  pools  along  the  row  of  telegraph  poles  on  this  section. 

July  27 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sollidtans  larve  found  in  six  holes 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Public  Service  ash-fllL 

August  20 — Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvie  and  pup»  found  in  a 
ditch  on  the  Public  Service  property. 

DiSTBiGT  No.  13,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  New  York  and  Greenwood 
Lake  branch  of  the  Brie  Railroad  and  the  Boonton  branch  of  the  Dela- 
ware, Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad,  extending  from  the  junction  oT 
the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the 
Boonton  branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad  north- 
ward to  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

June  8 — flight  breeding  of  A.  sollidtans  larv»  found  In  a  pool  just  north 
of  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  in 
a  blind  ditch  about  ten  feet  long  about  100  feet  south  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

July  2 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sollidtans  larvse  found 
in  an  overgrown  ditch  100  feet  south  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

July  15 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sollidtans  larvse  found 
in  33  pools  and  in  an  overgrown  ditch  about  100  feet  south  of  Pen  Horn 
Creek. 


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438         NtW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

July  27 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  BolHcitans  larvse  found  in  eight  l^oles 
and  an  overgrown  ditch  100  feet  south  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

August  8 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sollicitans  larvse  found  in  one  pool 
and  an  overgrown  ditch  about  100  feet  south  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

District  No.  13,  Section  C. — ^Area  between  Pen  Horn  Creek  and  the 
Thirty-Second  Street  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  extending  north- 
ward from  the  Hackensack  River  to  the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

July  2 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A,  $olHcitans  larv»  In 
overgrown  ditch  600  feet  east  of  Thirty-Second  Street  Line  of  Pennsylvania 
Railroad.  Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  aollicitariM  larv»  found 
in  sign  post  holes  200  feet  east  of  Thirty-Second  Street  Line  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Railroad. 

July  15 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  aollicitans  larvse  found  In 
post  holes  and  in  overgrown  ditch  600  feet  east  of  the  Thirty-Second 
Street  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

District  No.  13,  Section  D. — Area  between  Pen  Horn  Creek  and  the 
Thirty-Second  Street  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  extending  from 
the  New  York  and  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  to  the 
Boonton  branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad. 

May  15 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larv»  in  holes  along  telegraph 
poles  west  of  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad. 

July  2 — L'ight  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  $ollicitan$  larvae  found  in 
12  sign  post  holes  at  the  Alabastine  and  Monticello  signs. 

July  15 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  8ollicitan$  larve  found 
in  sign  post  holes  and  in  the  cattails  south  of  the  Alabastine  and  Monti- 
cello  sign  boards. 

July  27 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  8oUicitan$  larv»  found 
in  sign  post  holes  and  in  the  cattails  south  of  the  Monticello  sign  board. 

August  8 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  8ollicitan8  larv»  found  in  cattails 
and  sign  post  holes  at  the  Monticello  sign  board. 

August  20 — Scattered  C.  salinarius  eggboats  in  a  pool  near  Little  Snake 
Hill. 

Distbict  No.  13,  Section  E. — Area  between  the  Boonton  branch  of  the 
Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western  Railroad  and  the  main  line  of  the  New 
York,  Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railroad,  extending  from  the  New  York  ft 
Greenwood  Lake  Railroad  freight  spur  northward  to  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

June  8 — Scattered  A.  sollicitans  found  along  railroad  spur  south  of 
Pen  Horn  Creek. 

June  20 — Light  breeding  of  A.  8oUicitan8  larvse  found  along  railroad 
spur  south  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

July  2 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  8olUcitan8  larvse  fbund 
on  west  side  of  Erie  Railroad  spur  south  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

July  15 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  8oUicitan8  larvae  and 
pupse  found  along  the  old  Erie  Railroad  spur.  Heavy  breeding  of  A. 
cantator  and  A.  sollicitans  larvsB  and  pups  found  in  pools  along  the  east 
side  of  the  Boonton  branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  &  Western 
Railroad. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  439 

AugiiBt  8 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiena  larvs  and  pupe  found  in  pools 
on  the  west  side  of  the  old  Erie  Railroad  spur  south  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

District  No.  13,  Section  F. — Area  between  main  line  of  the  New  York. 
Lake  Erie  &  Western  Railroad  and  County  Road  extending  from  the  New 
York  ft  Greenwood  Lake  Railroad  freight  spur  northward  to  Pen  Horn 
Creek. 

June  8 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  in  sewage  overflow 
north  of  the  New  York  &  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad 
spur. 

June  20 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  in  sewage  over- 
flow north  of  the  New  York  &  Greenwood  Lake  Railroad  spur. 

July  2 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  in  sewage  overflow 
north  of  the  New  York  &  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad 
freight  spur. 

July  14 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  found  in  cattails  along  the  north 
side  of  County  Road  600  feet  east  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

July  15 — Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  found  in  sewage  over- 
flow north  of  the  New  York  &  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Rail- 
road flight  spur. 

July  25 — Scattered  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  found  in  a  pool  600  feet 
east  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

July  27 — Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  and  pupse  found  in  sew- 
age north  of  the  New  York  ft  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad 
freight  spur. 

August  8 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larve  found  in  the  sewage 
north  of  the  New  York  ft  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad 
spur. 

August  20— Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvn  and  pupee  found  in  the 
Mwage  north  of  the  New  York  ft  Greenkood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Rail- 
road freight  spur. 

September  16 — ^Light  breeding  of  O.  pipiens  larvs  found  in  the  sewage 
north  of  the  New  York  ft  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad 
freight  spur. 

October  10 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvm  and  pups  found  in  the 
sewage  north  of  the  New  York  ft  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Rail- 
road spur. 

DiSTMCT  No.  13,  Sbction  G.— Area  between  the  Boonton  branch  of  the 
Delaware  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  and  the  main  line  of  the  New 
York.  Lake  Erie  ft  Western  Railroad,  extending  from  the  Thirty-Second 
Street  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  northward  to  County  Road. 

Distbict  No.  13,  Section  H. — Area  between  the  Thirty-second  Street  Line 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  Snake  Hill,  southward  from  the  Boon- 
ton  branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  Station. 

Jtly  15 — ^Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A,  solUcitans  larv»  found  in 
blind  ditches. 


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440  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

District  No.  13,  Section  I. — Area  between  the  Thirty-second  Street  Line 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the  Hackensack  River  extending  south- 
ward from  the  New  York  &  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

May  15 — Heavy  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A,  BollidtariM  lanm  in  about 
100  holes. 

July  2 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A,  Bollidtan*  larve  found 
In  a  dozen  holes. 

Distbict  No.  13,  Section  J. — Area  between  the  Thirty-second  Street  Line 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  Snake  Hill,  extending  northward  from 
the  New  York  &  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

May  29 — Light  to  heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  and  pups  found  in 
two  ditches  Just  north  of  the  New  York  ft  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the 
Erie  Railroad. 

July  2 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvse  found  in  a  pool  75  feet 
north  of  the  New  York  &  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

July  15 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  in  a  blind  ditch. 

July  27 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  C.  pipient  larvs  found  In 
two  blind  ditches. 

August  20 — ^Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  in  a  pool  and  one 
blind  ditch. 

District  No.  13,  Section  K. — Area  between  the  Boonton  branch  of  the 
Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  and  the  main  line  of  the  New 
York,  Lake  Erie  ft  Western  Railroad,  extending  from  Pen  Horn  Creek 
northward  to  the  Thirty-second  Street  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

June  8 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  sollidtans  larvae  found  in  six  holeB  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Thirty-Second  Street  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road. 

August  8 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  sollidtans  larvae  found  in  one  pool 
on  the  west  side  of  the  old  Erie  Railroad  spur  north  of  Pen  Horn  Creek. 

August  20 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sollidtans  larvae  found  in  poolff 
at  the  foot  of  the  Thirty-Second  Street  Line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
embankment  Light  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvae  found  in  pools  at  the 
amchor  post  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad. 

District  No.  14,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Boonton  branch  of  the 
Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  and  the  Jersey  City  Water 
pipe  line  extending  from  the  County  Road  northward  to  the  Hackensack 
River. 

Distbict  No.  14,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and 
the  Boonton  branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad 
extending  from  the  County  Road  northward  to  the  Boonton  branch  of 
the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  ft  Western  Railroad  bridge  over  the  Hacken- 
sack River. 

District  No.  14,  Section  C— Area  between  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe 
line  and  the  main  line  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie  ft  Western  Railroad 
extending  from  the  old  Iron  Works  Railroad  spur  northward  to  the  ^aek- 
ensaek  River. 

May  15 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  which  covered  about 
ten  acres. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  441 

D18TBICT  No.  14,  SEonoN  D. — Area  between  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line 
and  the  main  line  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie  ft  Western  Railroad,  extend- 
ing from  the  County  Road  northward  to  the  old  Iron  Works  Railroad  spur. 

May  29 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  lanr»  and  pupe  found  for  a  dis- 
tance of  about  300  leet  between  Anderson's  and  Cssar's  Creek. 

July  2 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larrse  found  in  pools  and  an 
overgrown  ditch  just  east  of  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line. 

July  15 — Heavy  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  $oUicitanM  larvae  and 
pups  found  over  the  whole  meadow  between  Anderson's  and  Cesar's 
Creek  and  County  Road. 

July  27 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  lanm  found  in  depressions 
between  Anderson's  and  Cesar's  Creeks. 

District  No.  16,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the 
upland  in  Jersey  City,  extending  from  Newark  Avenue  southward  to  the 
Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank  Road. 

May  26 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  along  the  edge  of  the 
Logan  Avenue  dumping  ground. 

June  9 — Light  breeding  of  A.  aollicitana  larvce  found  on  all  parts  of  the 
meadow. 

June  22 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larve  found  at  Logan  Avenue 
dumping  ground  and  along  the  west  side  of  the  Cemetery  Just  south  of  the 
Sip  Avenue  sewer. 

July  3 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sollicitans  larvie  over  the 
whole  area. 

July  16 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  solUcitana  larvs  found 
in  six  sign  post  holes  east  of  Mengle's  box  plant,  ten  small  pools  300  feet 
south  of  the  old  shooting  range,  and  two  ditches  between  the  Sip  Avenue 
sewer  and  the  race  track.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found 
along  the  edge  of  the  Logan  Avenue  dumping  ground. 

July  28 — Light  and  heavy  breeding  of  A.  $ollicitan$  larvs  found  In  very 
many  pools  over  the  whole  section.  Heavy  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvie 
and  pupe  found  along  the  edge  of  Logan  Avenue  dumping  ground. 

August  10 — ^Light  breeding  of  A,' sollicitans  larvs  found  in  three  sign 
post  holes  east  of  Mengel's  box  plant.  Light  and  heavy  breeding  of  C, 
pipiens  larvs  and  pups  found  at  Logan  Avenue  dumping  ground.  Light 
breeding  of  A.  eantator  larvie  found  in  two  pools  south  of  the  race  track. 

August  21 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  in  six  pools  at 
the  Mengel's  box  plant  Scattered  A.  sollicitans  larve  found  at  the  sign 
boards  east  of  Mengel's  box  plant  Light  and  heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens 
larvie  and  pupe  found  in  the  cattails  and  at  the  edge  of  the  Logan  Avenue 
dumping  ground.  Scattered  breeding  of  C,  salinarius  larvie  found  in  six 
pools  at  Dallis  Avenue  south  of  the  Jersey  City  branch  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad. 

September  3 — Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larv»  found  along  the 
edge  of  the  Logan  Avenue  dumping  ground. 

September  22~>Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sollicitans  larva  found  in  about 
50  per  cent  of  the  pools  along  the  Hackensack  River. 


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442         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

District  No.  15.  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and 
the  Morris  Canal,  extending  from  the  Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank  Road 
southward  to  Danforth  Avenue. 

May  26 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvse  and  pups  and  C.  pipienM 
larvee  was  found  in  a  good  many  holes  along  the  Arlington  Water  Company 
pipe  line  west  of  the  Morris  Canal. 

June  9 — Light  breeding  of  A.  BMidtana  larvie  found  in  two  pools  sottth 
of  the  Newark  and  Jersey  City  Plank  Road,  in  a  good  many  pools  south 
of  the  Newark  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jer- 
sey in  three  pools  south  of  the  Mutual  Chemical  Company  plant 

June  22 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  C  pipiena  and  C.  «altj»- 
arius  larvs  was  found  in  six  holes  along  the  Arlington  Water  Company 
pipe  line. 

July  3 — Scattered  and  light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  aoUicitans 
larvse  in  very  many  pools  over  this  area.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipient 
eggboats  and  larvae  found  in  three  holes  along  the  Arlington  Water  Com- 
pany pipe  line. 

July  16 — Light  breeding  of  A,  cantator  and  A.  soUidtans  larvae  found  in 
a  few  holes  and  pools  south  of  the  Newark  and  New  York  branch  of  the 
Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey.  Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  A.  can- 
tator and  C.  pipiens  larvae  and  pupae  found  in  75  per  cent  of  the  holes 
along  the  Arlington  Water  Company  pipe  line. 

July  28 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sollicitans  larvae  found  in  a  few  holes. 

August  10 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipicna  larvae  found  in  six  holes 
along  the  Arlington  Water  Company  pipe  line. 

August  21 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sollicitans  larvae  found  in  three 
pools  along  the  Arlington  Water  Company  pipe  line,  at  the  Hackensack 
River. 

September  22 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  aoUicitans  larvae  found  in  12 
pools,  south  of  the  Newark  and  New  York  branch  of  the  Central  Railroad 
of  New  Jersey. 

District  No.  16. — Area  between  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  and  Moonachie 
Creek,  extending  from  the  Hackensack  River  westward  to  the  Moonadile 
and  Little  Ferry  Road. 

May  19 — Scattered  A.  cantator  larvae  found  over  about  one-half  an  acre, 
and  in  overgrown  ditch  about  1,000  feet  west  of  the  Haekensack  Rtrer 
north  side  of  Paterson  Plank  Road. 

June  17 — ^Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  was  found  covering  about 
two  acres  and  also  in  a  ditch  which  runs  along  the  north  side  of  t^e 
Paterson  Plank  Road  for  a  distance  of  about  1,200  feet.  Scattered  breed- 
ing of  A.  cantator  larvae  was  also  found. 

July  10 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  found  la 
an  overgrown  ditch  along  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  for  about  1,200  feet. 
Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  found  about  900  feet 
west  of  the  Hackensack  River  which  covered  about  one  and  one-half  acres. 

July  23 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  one  pool  along 
the  north  side  of  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  900  feet  west  of  the  Hackensack 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  443 

River.  Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipien$  larvae  found  in  manure  pool  10  and 
12  feet  on  the  east  side  of  the  Little  Ferry  Road,  one-fourth  mile  north 
of  the  Faterson  Plank  Road. 

August  ^ — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  9ylV€StrU  larve 
found  in  depressions  and  overgrown  ditch  900  feet  west  of  the  Hacken- 
sack  River. 

District  No.  17.  Sectton  A. — Area  of  upland  along  Wood  ridge  Road  and 
Moonachie  and  Little  Ferry  Road,  extending  from  the  Paterson  Plank 
Road  north  and  westward  to  Berry's  Creek. 

August  17 — Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvae  and  pupie  found  in  the 
gutter  on  the  west  side  of  the  Moonachie  and  Little  Ferry  Road,  about  one- 
fourth  mile  north  of  the  Patorson  Plank  Road. 

DisTBiCT  No.  17,  Section  B. — Area  of  woodland  located  between  Berry's 
Creek  and  the  upland  east  of  Berry's  Creek,  south  of  Woodridge  Road. 

District  No.  17,  Section  C. — Area  between  Berry's  Creek,  the  woodland 
and  the  upland  west  of  the  Moonachie  and  Little  Ferry  Ro^d,  extending 
from  the  Paterson  Road  northward  to  Woodridge  Road. 

May  19 — Scattered  A,  cantator  and  A.  sylve$tris  larvae  found  1,200  feet 
west  of  Little  Ferry  Road. 

June  27 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  found 
over  an  area  of  about  one  and  one-half  acres.  Scattered  breeding  of  A. 
sylvestris  larvae  found  In  gutter  between  retaining  wall  and  Grand  Street. 
Heavy  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  in  gutter  on  east  side  of  Grand 
Street. 

July  11 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  found 
in  depressions  along  the  Paterson  Plank  Road. 

District  No.  18. — Area  between  Berry's  Creek  and  the  New  Jersey  and 
New  York  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  extending  from  the  Paterson  Plank 
Road  northward  to  Woodridge  Road. 

May  19 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  and  pupae 
was  found  in  cattails  north  of  Broad  Street,  Carlstadt.;  also  light  breeding 
of  A.  sylvestris  Just  east  of  brick  works;  also  11  acres  of  light  breeding  of 
A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  about  500  feet  east  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

May  28 — Heavy  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvae  was  found  in  two  wells  at 
the  retaining  wall  south  of  Woodridge  Road;  also  in  two  large  lot  pools 
south  of  Woodridge  Road  and  east  of  the  New  Jersey  and  New  York 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

June  16 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  found 
north  of  Broad  Street  in  Carlstadt;  covered  about  one  acre. 

June  27 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  eggboats  and  larvae  found  in 
pool  10x75  feet  on  the  southwest  comer  of  Bergen  Street  and  Woodridge 
Road. 

June  29 — Scattered  breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvae  found  in  a  ditch  about 
200  feet  east  of  the  Carlstadt  Station,  north  side  of  Paterson  Plank  Road. 

July  11— Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A,  sylvestris  larvae  found 
south  of  the  old  brick  plant  in  depressions. 


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444  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

District  No.  19,  Section  A. — ^Area  between  Merhoff  Road  and  the  Little 
Feny  Road,  extending  from  the  Hackensack  River  westward  to  Merhoff 
Road. 

DiSTBicT  No.  19,  Section  B. — Area  between  Merhoff  Road  and  Eckel's 
Creek,  extending  from  the  Hackensack  River  westward  to  the  Little  Ferrj 
Road. 

June  17 — Heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestrig  lanm  and 
pups  found  which  covered  an  area  of  about  two  and  one-half  acres. 

June  20 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  sylvestris  larvse  and  pups 
found. 

July  10 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  nylvestris  larvie  and 
I'up83  found  over  an  area  of  five  acres. 

August  5 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvs  found  In  a  few  depres- 
sions. 

District  No.  19.  Section  C. — Area  between  Moonachie  Creek  and  Eckel's 
Creek,  extending  from  the  Hackensack  River  westward  to  the  upland  east 
of  the  Moonachie  and  Little  Ferry  Road. 

July  10 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  south  of  Eckel's 
Creek  In  small  depressions. 

District  No.  20. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the  Bergen 
Pike,  extending  from  Lodl  Road  In  Little  Ferry  northward  to  New  York, 
Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad,  In  Hackensack. 

District  No.  21,  Section  A.— Area  between  CromakiU  Creek  and  Mill 
Creek,  extending  from  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  northward  to  the  Hacken- 
sack River. 

June  30 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvce  found  In  two  pools  2x3 
feet  In  diameter  about  800  feet  north  of  the  Paterson  Plank  Road. 

July  13 — Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvse  found  in  sewage  ditch 
on  the  east  side  of  Mill  Creek.  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvie  and 
pupse  found  over  about  one-fourth  acre  opposite  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Secaucus.  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  found  In  a  ditch  opposite 
Gardner's  blacksmith  shop. 

July  24 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvs  found  in  a  ditch  50  feet  long 
on  the  east  side  of  Mill  Creek. 

August  18 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  and  pupae  found  in  a 
sewer  ditch  east  of  the  Kiesewether  building  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Paterson  Plank  Road. 

District  No.  21,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and 
Mill  Creek,  extending  from  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  northward  t<A  the 
moiflh  of  Mill  Creek. 

June  5 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  pupae  found  In  farmers'  ditch 
near  where  Mill  Creek  empties  Into  the  Hackensack  River. 

July  13 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  found  In  the  farmers'  ditches 
near  the  mouth  of  Mill  Creek. 

July  24 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  found  in  a  farmer's 
ditch  near  the  mouth  of  Mill  Creek. 

August  6 — Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  and  A.  sylvestris  larvae  found 
In  two  ditches  along  the  Hackensack  River  north  side  of  the  Paterson 
Plank  Road. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  445 

August  18 — Ldght  breeding  of  C,  pipieuM  larvn  found  in  four  fanners' 
ditehes  near  the  mouth  of  Mill  Creek. 

District  No.  22. — Area  between  CromakiU  Creek»  Hackensack  River,  and 
the  Erie  Railroad  and  New  York,  Susuehanna  ft  Western  Railroad,  extend- 
ing from  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  northward  to  Bellman's  Creek* 

Ma^  21 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  lanm  found  north  of  Bab- 
bitt plant  and  scattered  breeding  of  A,  cantator  larvje  and  pupse  was 
found  south  of  the  Edgewater  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

June  5 — Heavy  breeding  of  C  pipiens  larvse  and  pups  found  in  the  ditch 
north  of  New  Durham  Station  and  14  barrels  with  heavy  C.  pipiens  breed- 
ing of  larvs  and  pup®. 

June  18 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sylvestri$  larve  found  in  a  pool  300 
feet  north  of  the  New  Durham  Station  east  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna 
k  Western  Railroad. 

June  30 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  lanm  found  in  six  sign  post 
holes  south  of  the  Babbitt  soap  plant.  Scattered  breeding  of  A.  sylvestris 
and  C  pipien$  lanm  in  a  pool  300  feet  north  of  the  New  Durham  Station 
east  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad. 

July  13— Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A.  $ylve$tri9 
larvae  found  in  holes  and  depressions  on  the  north  side  of  the  New  York, 
Ontario  ft  Western  Railroad.  Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse 
found  in  depressions  Just  north  of  the  Babbitt  Soap  Company's  office.  Scat- 
tered and  light  breeding  of  C,  pipien$  and  A.  sylvestri$  larve  found  in  the 
pools  and  cattails  on  the  east  side  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  West- 
em  Railroad  between  New  Durham  and  Homestead. 

July  24 — Ldght  breeding  of  0,  pipiens  larvse  found  in  swamp  just  north 
of  the  Babbitt  Station  on  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad. 
Light  breeding  of  C.  pipieng  larvn  found  in  cattails  south  of  the  Oranton 
Quarries  east  of  the  New  York,  Ontario  ft  Western  Railroad.  Scattered 
breeding  of  C,  pipiens  larvse  found  in  cattails  just  south  of  New  Durham 
Station  east  of  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad. 

August  6 — Scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvse  found  in  five  sign 
post  holes  south  of  the  Babbitt  soap  plant.  Scattered  breeding  of  C.  pipiens 
larvae  found  in  the  cattails  south  of  the  Granton  Quarries  east  of  the  New 
York,  Ontario  ft  Western  Railroad.  Light  breeding  of  C.  pipiens  larvae 
found  in  two  pools  300  feet  north  of  the*  New  Durham  Station  east  of  the 
New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad. 

District  No.  23,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the 
New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad,  extending  from  Bellman's 
Creek  northward  to  the  first  natural  creek. 

May  21 — ^Light  to  heavy  breeding  of  A.  cantator  larvae  and  about  80  per 
cent,  pupae  found  over  an  area  of  about  one  and  one-half  acres  about  1,600 
feet  east  of  Hackensack  River;  also  scattered  breeding  of  A.  cantator  lar- 
v»  which  covers  about  two  acres  about  500  feet  south  of  New  York,  Sus- 
quehanna ft  Western  Railroad  and  Edgewater  freight  line  crossing. 


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446  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

July  13 — Scattered  and  heavy  breeding  of  A,  ecmiator  and  A.  sylvestrU 
larvse  found  in  holes  and  depressions  over  about  one  acre  about  700  feet 
south  of  where  the  Edgewater  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  runs  over  the 
New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad. 

August  6 — Scattered  breeding  of  A,  ca^tator  larrm  found  in  amall 
depressions  which  cover  about  two  acres. 

District  No.  23,  Section  B. — ^Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and 
the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad,  extending  from  the  first 
natural  creek  to  the  third  natural  creek  north  of  Bellman's  Creek. 

June  30 — Scattered  and  light  breeding  A.  cantator  and  A,  sylvestrU 
larvse  found  for  a  distance  of  about  1,000  feet  Just  west  of  the  Edgewater 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

District  No.  23,  Section  C. — Area  between  the  New  York,  Ontario  ft 
Western  Railroad  and  the  north  branch  of  Bellman's  Creek,  nortbward 
from  the  Edgewater  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

May  21 — Light  breeding  of  A.  cantator  and  A,  sylvestrig  larve  and  pupe 
found  in  about  100  small  holes  just  north  of  the  Edgewater  brandi  of  the 
Erie  Railroad. 

District  No.  23,  Section  D. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the 
New  York  Susquehanna  &  Western  Railroad,  extending  from  the  third 
natural  creek  north  of  Bellman's  Creek  to  the  north  branch  of  Bellman's 

Creek. 

• 

District  No.  23,  Section  E. — Area  between  the  north  branch  of  Bellman's 
Creek  and  the  Northern  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  extending  from  BeUman's 
Creek  northward  to  Overpeck  Creek. 

District  No.  23,  Section  F. — Area  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the 
New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad,  extending  from  the  north 
branch  of  Bellman's  Creek  northward  to  Overpeck  Creek. 

District  No.  24,  Section  A. — Area  between  the  Overpeck  Creek  and  the 
upland  in  Ridgefield  Park  and  Teaneck,  extending  from  the  Bergen  Pike 
northward  to  the  Hudson  River  Trolley  Road. 

District  No.  24,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  Overpeck  Creek  and  the 
Northern  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  extending  from  the  Bergen  Pike  in 
Ridgefield  northward  to  Nordhoff. 

District  No.  25. — ^Area  along  both  sides  of  the  Hackensack  River,  extend- 
ing from  the  New  York,  Susquehanna  ft  Western  Railroad  northward  to 
Chorry  HiU. 

District  No.  26,  Section  A. — Area  between  Berry's  Creek  and  the  Little 
Ferry  Road,  extending  from  Woodridge  Road  northward  to  the  Lodi  Road. 

District  No.  26,  Section  B. — Area  between  the  New  Jersey  and  New  York 
branch  of  the  Erie  llailroad  and  Berry's  Creek,  extending  from  Woodridge 
Road  northward. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  447 

DisrmiCT  No.  2€,  Section  C. — ^Area  between  the  New  Jersey  and  New  York 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  upland  to  the  west,  extending  north- 
ward. 

District  No.  26,  Section  D. — Area  between  the  New  Jersey  and  New  York 
branch  of  the  £Me  Railroad  and  the  upland  to  the  east,  extending  from  the 
Lodl  Road  northward  to  Hackensack. 

District  No.  26.  Section  E. — Area  between  the  marsh  and  Bergen  Pike 
from  the  Lodl  Road  to  Hackensack. 

District  No.  27. — Area  lying  between  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the 
Passaic  River. 

The  extreme  northern  end  of  this  salt  marsh  did  not  receive  the  same 
careful  Inspection  as  that  which  lay  south  of  the  Paterson  Plank  Road,  and 
the  total  absence  of  breeding  records  should  not  be  taken  to  mean  that  no 
mosquitoes  bred  there  during  the  past  summer. 

AID  EXTENDED  TO  BOARDS  OF  HEALTH. 
Allendale. 

On  June  10th,  1914,  at  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Health  of  Allendale 
the  Entomologist  examined  the  mosquito  breeding  places  in  and  about  Al- 
lendale.   The  following  report  was  prepared  and  submitted. 

"In  accordance  with  our  understanding  I  examined  on  June  10th  the 
mosquito  breeding  territory  in  and  about  the  town  of  Allendale.  Most  of 
the  mosquitoes  troubling  Allendale  in  all  probability  come  from  two  gen- 
eral sources — the  breeding  places  In  back  yards  and  on  city  lots,  and  the 
swampy  areas  located  about  town. 

"There  are  many  cess-pools,  open  privies,  cisterns,  lot  pools,  open  sewer 
drains,  rain  barrels,  old  tin  cans  and  other  receptacles  In  and  about  the 
Tarious  properties  composing  the  town.  In  these  places  the  house  mos- 
quito, and  to  some  extent  .the  malarial  mosquito,  will  breed  prolifically. 

"In  the  swamps,  five  of  which  I  examined  yesterday,  and  the  various 
ditches  and  brooks  more  or  less  breeding  of  the  house  mosquito,  the  ma- 
larial mosquito  and  swamp  mosquito  will  probably  occur. 

"The  breeding  places  located  in  the  already  built  up  lots  can  be  at- 
tended to  only  by  a  house-to-house  Inspection  and  treatment  Every  prop- 
erty in  the  town  would  have  to  be  examined  at  least  once  ln>  ten  days  and 
aU  breeding  places  treated  by  draining,  filling,  burying,  cleaning,  stock- 
ing with  fish,  screening,  or  regularly  covering  every  ten  days  with  a  film 
of  oU. 

"The  marsh  breeding  places,  for  the  most  part,  would  be  exceedingly 
dlAcult  to  treat  with  oil  and  can  best  be  eliminated  by  drainage.  The 
present  drainage  system  is  obviously  Inadequate  to  carry  the  water  away, 
and  I  wouM  suggest  that  before  any  considerable  sum  of  money  is  ex- 
pended on  the  old  drains  a  surveyor  should  be  employed  and  directed  to 
prepare  «  statement  of  the  methods  and  the  cost  of  adequate  drainage, 
and  that  the  authorities  in  the  Borough  adopt  a  definite  drainage  scheme 


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448         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

toward  the  accomplishment  of  which  all  efforts  should  be  directed.  Breed- 
ing in  the  brooks  and  ditches  can  be  prevented  by  cleaning  them  in  such  a 
fashion  that  the  side  walls  shall  be  free  from  grass  and  the  bottom  shall 
have  an  uninterrupted  flow  of  water. 

"I  am  inclosing  a  copy  of  Circular  No.  13  on  the  house  mosquito,  a  copy 
of  the  law  under  which  your  body  would  operate  against  these  mosquito 
breeding  places  and  a  copy  of  an  outline  for  an  anti-mosquito  campaign.** 

Dover. 

On  June  17,  1914,  in  response  to  a  request  from  the  Board  of  Health 
of  Dover,  the  writer  examined  the  "Mansion  House"  in  that  place  for  the 
source  of  a  swarm  of  €.  pipiena  that  had  been  infesting  the  hotel  for  some 
time.  It  was  soon  discovered  that  this  was  the  only  house  in  Dover 
seriously  troubled.  A  careful  examination  revealed  a  large  pool  of  water 
under  the  freight  elevator  and  a  great  overflow  cess-pool  in  the  cellar. 
No  breeding  was  found  in  the  elevator  pool,  for  a  heavy  coating  of  oil 
had  been  administered  some  time  before.  The  breeding  conditions  in  the 
cess-pool  could  not  be  examined,  for  it  was  covered  with  heavy  cement. 
The  concentration  of  mosquitoes  in  these  parts  of  the  basement  clearly 
indicated  these  places  as  the  source.  That  this  overflow  pool  had  much 
water  in  it  and  that  the  breeding  was  heavy  was  indicated  by  Mr.  Horgan's 
(the  proprietor)  statement  that  a  short  time  previously  it  had  been  over- 
flowing and  that  a  mass  of  black  wrigglers  came  out  through  one  of  the 
cracks. 

Mr.  Horgan  was  advised  to  fumigate  his  rooms  with  "culicide"  or  with 
hydrocyanic  acid  gas  and  to  keep  the  elevator  pool,  the  cess-pool  in  the 
cellar  and  all  surrounding  cess-pools  and  privies  oiled.  He  was  further 
advised  that  Mr.  John  G.  Taylor,  the  local  health  officer,  was  the  man  to 
take  charge  of  the  operation  for  him. 

In  course  of  these  examinations  an  accident  happened  which  threw  light 
on  the  danger  of  using  matches  to  make  examinations  of  oil-treated  recep- 
tacles. Mr.  Horgan,  desiring  to  show  the  writer  a  cess-pool  outside  the 
building,  pulled  away  the  stone  cover  and  started  to  insert  a  lighted 
match.  Instantly  an  explosion  occurred  and  a  flash  of  flame  came  from 
the  vent,  enveloping  Mr.  Horgan's  head  and  badly  singeing  hair  and  skin. 

Fair  Haven. 

The  beginning  of  this  work  lies  in  the  year  1913.  On  request  of  the 
Board  of  Health  of  Fair  Haven  an  investigation  of  certain  ponds  and 
brooks  in  the  borough  was  undertaken.  The  inspection  began  on  Septem- 
ber 18th,  1913,  and  ended  on  the  19th.  Mr.  Henry  H.  Brehme,  who  made 
the  examination  submitted  the  following  report. 

"There  was  an  investigation  made  of  the  various  ponds  and  brooks  in 
Borough  of  Pair  Haven,  with  the  assistance  of  Dr.  G.  V.  V.  Warner  to 
determine  what  species  of  mosquitoes  were  breeding  in  theih,  and  the 
result  of  the  investigation  was  that  Anopheles  larvse  or  the  malarial 
carrying  species  were  either  found  actually  breeding  or  were  lik^y  to  be 
found  doing  so  in  the  following  places: 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  449 

"Section  No.  1  is  a  pond  which  is  located  on  the  south  side  of  Fair  Haven 
Road  east  of  LAke  Avenue.  This  place  is  nothing  more  than  a  dirty  hole, 
and  Anopheles  larve  were  found  breeding  along  the  edges  of  this  pond. 
The  beet  remedy  here  Will  be  to  connect  the  small  spring-like  stream 
which  comes  from  the  southwestern  section  of  this  pond,  with  a  tile  pipe 
and  run  the  pipe  to  the  northeastern  end  of  the  pond  to  drain  it  Then 
the  place  should  be  filled,  otherwise  oiling  will  have  to  be  done. 

"Section  No.  2  is  a  pond  which  is  located  between  the  Fair  Haven  Road 
and  the  Navesink  River  on  the  Hess  property.  This  pond,  which  is  used 
for  cutting  ice  only,  has  very  dirty  edges,  there  being  long  grass  and  lilies 
growing  along  the  edges,  which  make  it  an  ideal  Anopheles  breeding  place. 
Anopheles  larvw  were  found  along  the  edges  of  this  pond  in  fair  numbers. 
The  best  remedy  will  be  to  keep  the  edges  free  of  grass,  so  it  will  be  pos- 
sible for  the  fish  to  get  into  all  parts  of  the  pond  and  keep  the  edges  free 
of  breeding.  If  this  pond  has  no  fish  in  it  at  the  present  time,  it  should  be 
stocked  with  sunflsh  or  goldfish  to  make  it  safe  after  the  edges  are  cleaned. 

"Section  No.  3  is  a  small  race-way  which  is  located  on  the  east  side  of 
Section  No.  2  north  of  the  ice  house.  There  was  a  scattering  breeding  of 
Anopheles  larvae  found  going  on  along  the  grassy  edges  of  this  race-way, 
and  the  best  remedy  will  be  to  fill  this  place. 

"Section  No.  4  is  a  pond  which  is  located  on  the  south  lide  of  Fair 
Haven  Road  opposite  the  ice  pond.  There  was  scattering  breeding  of 
Anopheles  found  going  on  along  the  grassy  edge  of  this  pond,  and  the  best 
remedy  here  will  be  to  keep  the  edges  free  of  grass.  If  this  pond  is  not 
stodLed  with  fish,  it  should  be  stocked  with  sunflsh  or  goldflsh  to  make  it 
safe. 

"Section  No.  5  is  a  brook  which  comes  from  south  of  Section  No.  4, 
and  which  feeds  the  pond  known  as  Section  No.  4.  There  was  scattered 
breeding  of  Anopheles  larvie  found  .going  on  along  the  edges  of  this  brook, 
which  are  not  very  clean.  The  best  remedy  here  will  be  to  give  this 
brook  a  thorough  cleaning  and  keep  the  edges^ree  of  grass.  If  any  pools 
are  found  to  exist  in  a  dry  season  andbreeding  is  found  going  on  in  them, 
oiling  will  have  to  be  done. 

"Section  No.  6  is  a  brook  which  comes  from  the  north  side  of  Ridge 
Road  between  Leonard  Avenue  and  Harrison  Avenue  in  the  Borough  of 
Fair  Haven,  and  flows  south  across  Ridge  Road  into  Shrewsbury  Town- 
ship. This  is  a  dirty  brook,  being  overgrown  with  grass  and  brush  and  a 
good  many  pools  form  here.  There  was  breeding  of  Anopheles  larv» 
found  going  on  along  the  edges  of  this  brook  in  the  Fair  Haven  and  also 
in  the  Shrewsbury  Township  territories.  The  best  remedy  here  will  be  to 
give  this  brook, a  thorough  cleaning,  and  if  there  are  any  pools  existing 
during  a  dry  season  and  breeding  is  found  going  on  in  them,  oiling  will 
have  to  be  done. 

"Section  No.  7  is  a  brook  which  comes  from  the  Thomas  N.  McCarter 
estate  and  flows  west  across  Pearl  Street,  then  north  across  Fair  Haven 
Road  and  empties  into  the  Navesink  River.  There  were  scattered  Ano- 
pheles larvs  found  breeding  along  the  edges  of  this  brook,  and  the  best 
remedy  will  be  to  give  this  brook  a  good  cleaning  and  keep  the  edges 


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450         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

free  of  grass.  If  any  pools  exist  in  a  dry  season  and  any  breeding  is  found 
going  on  in  them,  oiling  will  have  to  be  done. 

"Section  No.  8  is  a  swamp  which  is  located  along  Section  No.  7,  between 
the  Fair  Haven  Road  and  the  Naveslnk  River.  This  section,  which  also 
has  cattails  growing  in  it  is  undoubtedly  wet  a  good  part  of  the  season. 
Found  egg  boats  and  larvse  of  C.  pipiens,  A.  sylveatrig  larvce,  Anopheles 
larvffi  and  one  Anophelea  pupa.  The  best  remedy  here  will  be  to  cut 
lateral  ditches  from  this  swamp  into  Section  Na  7  and  drain  it  Other- 
wise oiling  will  have  to  be  done. 

"Section  No.  9  is  a  swampy  place  lying  along  Section  No.  7  on  the  south 
side  of  Fair  Haven  Road.  Although  there  was  no  breeding  found  going 
on  here  at  the  present  time,  it  will  undoubtedly  breed  C.  pipiens  and  Ano- 
pheles in  a  wet  season.  The  best  remedy  will  be  to  cut  lateral  ditches 
about  every  100  feet  apart  into  Section  No.  7  and  drain  it,  otherwise  ol^ 
ing  will  have  to  be  done  If  any  breeding  is  found  going  <m. 

"Section  No.  10  is  a  brook  which  comes  from  the  Hagan  estate  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Rumaon  Improvement  Company's  property  near  the  Water 
Works  and  flows  northwest  and  north  across  Fair  Haven  Road  and  empties 
into  the  Naveslnk  River.  This  brook  will  undoubtedly  breed  (7.  pipiens 
and  Anopheles,  No  breeding  was  found  going  on  here  at  the  present  time, 
which  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  heavy  rainfall  of  the  last  two  days  washed 
out  the  brook.  The  best  remedy  will  be  to  give  this  brook  a  good  deanlBg 
and  keep  the  edges  free  from  grass.  If  any  pools  exist  In  a  dry  season 
in  which  breeding  Is  found,  oiling  will  have  to  be  done. 

Section  No.  11  Is  a  swampy  place  lying  along  the  east  side  of  Section 
No.  10,  on  the  south  side  of  Fair  Haven  Road.  €.  pipiens  larvs  and  scat- 
tering Anopheles  larvse  were  found  breeding  here.  The  best  remedy  will 
be  to  cut  lateral  ditches  about  100  feet  apart  into  Section  No.  10  and  drain 
this  section.    Otherwise  oiling  will  have  to  be  done. 

"Section  No.  12  is  a  pond  which  Is  located  on  the  Thomas  N.  McCarter 
estate  on  the  east  side  of  Ptarl  Street  This  pond  is  safe  and  has  clean 
edges  with  the  exception  of  a  small  shallow  section  lying  along  the  eastern 
shore,  where  there  is  grass  growing  along  its  edges.  There  were  a  few 
scattered  Anopheles  larvs  found  breeding  here.  The  best  remedy  will  be 
to  clean  the  eastern  end  of  this  pond  of  the  grass,  so  the  fish  with  whldi 
It  is  stocked  can  keep  the  edges  free  of  breeding. 

"Section  No.  13  is  a  brook  which  comes  from  Section  No.  12  on  the  Mc- 
Carter estate  and  feeds  the  brook  In  Section  No.  7.  This  brook  Is  alnuMit 
completely  overgrown  with  grass.  There  were  scattering  Anopheles  larvse 
found  breeding  here,  and  the  best  remedy  will  be  to  give  this  brook  a 
thorough  cleaning.  If  any  pools  exist  during  a  dry  season  in  which 
breeding  Is  found  going  on,  oiling  will  have  to  be  done. 

"There  are  catch  basins  on  the  McCarter  estate  which  will  undoubtedly 
breed  a  good  many  C.  pipiens  or  house  mosquitoes.  As  1  am  not  pre- 
pared to  say  at  this  time  whether  these  catch  basins  are  oiled  during  the 
mosquito  breealng  season,  I  would  like  to  recommend  that  they  be  oiled 
about  every  ten  days  during  June,  July  and  August  and  every  fifteen  days 
from  the  15th  of  May,  and'  during  the  month  of  September. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  451 

"As  Fair  Haven  has  no  sewer  system,  and  undoubtedly  has  a  great  many 
cess-pools,  which  will  breed  a  gq^d  many  €,  ptfpietM  or  house  mosquitoes, 
I  would  like  to  reoommoid  that  all  oess-pools  be  sealed  with  cement 
around  the  edges,  and  that  if  there  be  any  vent  or  hole  on  the  surface 
or  stime  cover,  it  shall  be  screened  with  Ane  mesh  wire  ^u*  sealed  with 
c^nent  Otherwise  oiling  will  have  to  be  done  every  ten  days  during 
June,  July  and  August 

"From  the  investigation  made  of  the  various  breeding  places  in  the 
Borough  of  Fair  Haven,  Monmouth  County,  it  will  be  seoi  that  the  prob- 
lem is  a  local  <me,  and  <me  over  which  the  Board  of  Health  of  Fair  Haven 
has  iuriadiction.  This  board  has  power  to  compel  property  owners  under 
the  'Dufileld  Amendm^it'  to  abate  the  nuisance  found  existing  on  their 
propMty." 

On  July  27th,  1914,  In  response  to  a  further  request  Mr.  Charles  8. 
Beckwith  was  sent  to  examine  the  Loew  and  Ingraham  ponds  (Sections 
1  and  4  of  preceding  report)  for  mosquito  breeding.  Later  the  Entomolo- 
gist himself  examined  the  ponds  and  personally  presented  to  the  board 
a  report  of  the  findings.  The  following  letter,  closing  the  incident  came 
to  hand  about  the  niiddle  of  September: 

"Deab  Sib: — 

"With  reference  to  the  Loew  and  Ingraham  Ponds  which  were  inspected 

by  you  on  August  12th,  the  Board  is  pleased  to  advise  that  it  has  had  a 

meeting  with  the  owner  and  it  now  appears  that  we  are  in  a  fair  way  to 

have  the  entire  section  improved  in  accordance  with  our  recommendations. 

"Your  hearty  cooperation  in  the  matter  is  appreciated. 

Yours  very  truly, 

(Signed)  D.  O.  Wolcott, 
Secretary." 

Franklin  Furnace. 

On  June  26th,  1914,  in  response  to  a  request  from  the  Boa^  of  Health 
of  Franklin  Furnace,  the  writer  delivered  an  Illustrated  lecture  on  mos- 
quitoes and  their  control.  The  meeting  was  held  by  the  local  board  and 
Dr.  E.  A.  Ayres  imd  Mr.  David  C.  Bowen,  of  the  State  Board  of  Health, 
were  the  other  speakers  present  The  principal  subject  of  Interest  was 
the  malarial  mosquito  (Anopheles  quadrimaculatus  Say),  for  the  valley 
in  which  this  village  is  located  is  the  scene  of  the  worst  malarial  fever 
outbreaks  in  the  State.  At  the  time  the  writer  was  there,  the  malarial 
species  was  breeding  abundantly.  The  State  and  local  boards  of  health 
undertook  some  practical  work  in  controlling  these  species  as  a  means 
of  reducing  the  prevalent  malaria. 

Haworth. 

On  May  3rd,  in  response  to  a  request  from  the  Board  of  Health  trans- 
mitted by  Mr.  H.  B.  Vannote,  President  of  the  Bergen  County  Mosquito 
Extermination  Commission,  the  ESntoqiologist  met  the  members  of  this 
board  and  examined  the  territory  in  and  about  Haworth  for  mosquito 
breeding.    The  following  report  of  hi^  findings  was  submitted; 


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452         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"The  first  problem  that  oonfronts  the  people  of  Haworth  is  the  destine^ 
tlon  of  a  rather  large  brood  of  woodlimd  mosquitoes  now  present  in  the 
wriggler  form  in  the  woodland  pools  throughout  the  Borough.  These 
species  do  not  fly  far,  and  it  is  accordingly  to  be  expected  that  those  houses 
situated  in  the  woodlands  nearest  the  breeding  places  will  be  the  most 
frequently  visited.  In  every  piece  of  woodland  that  I  examined,  including 
that  which  lies  northwest  of  the  Country  Club,  that  which  extends  almost 
continuously  eastward  to  and  across  the  railway,  that  which  is  found  along 
the  eastern  border  of  the  Borough  and  that  along  the  southern  border, 
pools  of  water  containing  mosquito  wrigglers  were  found.  These  wrig- 
glers range  from  one-half  to  full  grown.  Providing  the  pools  do  not  dry 
up  before  the  transformations  can  take  place  imd  providing  the  weather 
stays  warm,  a  brood  of  mosquitoes  will  be  on  the  wing  in  ten  days  or  less. 
If  the  weather  at  that  time  should  be  cold  they  will  give  little  or  no 
trouble.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  weather  be  warm  and  people  occupy 
their  porches,  considerable  complaint  may  arise. 

"The  next  mosquito  problem  will  be  the  control  of  the  swamp  species. 
I  found  only  a  few  wrigglers  of  this  species  dur^g  the  examinations. 
Later  in  the  season,  however,  it  may  be  expected  to  breed  in  the  more  open 
woodland  pools  and  in  the  open  swampy  areas.  The  control  of  this  species 
is  largely  a  matter  of  drainage  supplemented  by  the  Judicious  use  of  oil 
as  the  occasion  demands. 

"The  next  mosquito  problem  will  be  the  control  of  the  house  species. 
Without  doubt  this  is  the  most  serious  and  diflicult  phase  of  the  mosquito 
problem  in  Haworth.  Beginning  late  in  May  this  species,  which  is  now 
hibernating  in  cellars  and  other  protected  places,  will  emerge  and  begin 
breeding.  From  the  time  it  gets  a  good  start  it  will,  in  any  water  it  can 
find,  produce  a  brood  every  ten  to  fifteen  days  throughout  the  season.  It 
will  penetrate  the  sleeping  rooms  by  working  through  the  screens.  This 
species  can  be  controlled  only  by  keeping  everlastingly  at  it  Beginning 
June  1st  a  mian  experienced  in  such  matters  should  be  employed  to  ex- 
amine all  possible  mosquito  places  in  the  Borough  and  to  treat,  or  cause 
them  to  be  treated,  in  such  a  way  as  to  destroy  the  breeding  every  ten 
to  twelve  days  throughout  the  season  to  the  latter  part  of  September. 

"Beginning  in  July  the  malarial  species  will  be  found  breeding  in  grassy 
streams  and  pools.  The  drainage  which  is  necessary  to  get  rid  of  the 
swamp  mosquitoes,  and  the  careful  examination  and  treatment  which 
is  recommended  for  the  house  mosquito  will  take  care  of  this  species 
incidentally. 

"The  mosquito  problem  at  Haworth  could  be  met  by  the  following  openu 
tions:  (1)  oiling  the  pools  which  will  shortly  give  up  a  brood  of  wood- 
land mosquitoes;  (2)  instituting  a  comprehensive  system  of  economical 
and  efficient  drainage  of  pools  and  swampy  places;  (3)  employing  an  in- 
spector who  understands  such  work  to  examine  and  treat,  or  cause  to  be 
treated,  the  mosquito  breeding  places  within  the  limits  of  the  borou^ 
ouce  each  ten  or  twelve  days. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  453 

"To  do  this  It  will  be  necessanr  for  the  borough  Itself  either  through  Its 
gOTeming  body,  or  through  a  private  organisation  to  raise  funds,  and  I 
would  suggest  that  In  this  matter  the  borough  request  the  oo-operatlon 
of  the  Bergen  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Conunlsslon. 

"I  am  unable  to  give  you  exact  figures  on  the  cost  of  such  a  oamiMilgn 
until  I  have  had  a  chance  to  determine  fairly  accurately  the  drainage 
which  will  be  necessary." 

Long  Branch. 

At  the  request  of  the  Long  Branch  Board  of  Health,  on  May  6th,  1914, 
the  Entomologist  examined  the  mosquito  breeding  conditions  in  and  adja- 
cent to  that  city.  Some  bad  spots  for  (7.  pipient  were  discovered,  besides 
the  usual  city  and  town  places  that  breed  this  species.  The  Board  of 
Health  was  Informed  that  the  problem  of  controlling  the  local  breeding 
species  was  not  difficult,  but  that  the  good  work  on  that  phase  of  the  prob- 
lem might  largely  be  annulled  by  flights  from  adjacent  salt  marshes.  At 
the  same  time,  however,  the  point  was  made  that  the  worst  breeders  of 
the  adjacent  marshes  were  drained  and  that  unless  unusually  favorable 
mosquito  breeding  conditions  should  prevail,  there  would  be  no  eftectlve 
flights  from  the  salt  marshes.  On  May  12th,  1914,  at  the  request  of  the 
Board  of  Health,  the  Entomologist  gave  an  illustrated  lecture  to  the  high 
school  on  mosquitoes  and  methods  used  in  their  controL 

Trenton. 

On  request  the  writer  made  a  trip  to  Trenton  for  the  purpose  of  exam- 
ining some  mosquito  breeding  territory  in  that  city.  Dr.  A.  S.  Fell  met 
the  Entomologist  and  pointed  out  the  suspected  spots.  The  indicated  places 
were  carefully  examined  and  the  following  report  submitted: 

"On  Saturday,  April  18th,  1914,  I  made  an  investigation  of  low  terri- 
tory which  extends  between  the  Belvldere  Division  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  and  West  State  Street  from  Parkllne  Avenue  to  the  asylum 
bridge.  That  portion  between  Westfield  Avenue  and  the  asylum  bridge  Is 
penetrated  with  a  meandering  stream.  The  banks  of  this  stream  are 
greatly  overgrown,  and  the  malarial  mosquito.  Anopheles  quadrimaculatus 
Say,  will  probably  breed  along  the  edges.  That  portion  of  the  territory 
between  Parkllne  Avenue  and  Westfield  Avenue  is  not,  at  the  present 
time,  draining  satisfactorily  into  anything  and  a  considerable  amount  of 
stagnant  water  was  found  on  it  I  have  no  doubt  that  this  stagnant  water 
will  breed  the  house  mosquito,  Culex  pipiens  Linn.,  and  in  all  probability 
the  malarial  mosquito  as  well.  The  east  end  of  this  area  seems  much 
better  drained  than  the  west  end,  and  I  am  Informed  that  some  time  ago 
an  effort  was  made  to  drain  it 

"Under  the  'Duffield  Amendment'  to  the  general  health  laws,  approved 
Bfarch  28th,  1904,  it  becomes  the  duty  of  the  Board  of  Health  to  cause 
the  abatement  of  all  water  in  which  mosquito  larvae  breed.  While  I  have 
not  actually  seen  breeding  In  this  water,  I  have  no  doubt  that  at  the 
proper  season  it  will  be  found.  The  nuisance  from  the  mosquito  stand- 
PQlnt  Qould  easily  be  abated  by  the  cutting  of  drainage  ditches  in  such  a 


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454  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

fashion  as  to  connect  this  stagnant  water  with  the  meandering  creek  be- 
fore mentioned,  or  with  storm  sewers  should  any  be  in  the  neighborhood 
and  lie  low  enough  to  render  such  an  operation  practicable.  Permanent 
abatement  can  be  secured,  of  course,  through  filling  and  I  would  suggest 
that  if  practicable  the  city's  ash  garbage  be  diverted  to  this  point  and  the 
low  ground  filled.  Doubtless  some  arrangement  with  the  owner  of  the  land 
could  be  affected  whereby  he  would  pay  the  additional  expense  ineident 
to  carting  the  garbage  that  distance." 

COUNTY  MOSQUITO  EXTERMINATION   WORK. 

The  county  mosquito  extermination  commission  has  been  lortg  enough 
at  work  to  accomplish  results  of  a  character  that  merit  careful  consider- 
ation and  study.  In  Essex  County  this  organization  has  been  organ- 
ized and  working  three  years  spending  $35,317.23,  $65,313.99  and 
$62,997.75  the  first,  second  and  third  years  respectively.  In  Union 
County  this  organization  has  been  at  work  three  seasons,  using  $15,- 
792.54,  $31,107.05  and  $23,746.35.  In  Hudson  County  two  seasons 
of  work  have  been  completed,  using  $25,917.06  in  1913,  $31,063.36  in 
1914.  In  Atlantic  County  two  seasons  of  work  have  been  completed 
involving  the  expenditure  of  $16,666.75  in  1913  and  $24,702.01  in 
1914.  In  Passaic  County  there  have  been  two  years  of  demonstration 
and  educational  work,  costing  $3,061.60  in  1913  and  $9,427.78  in  1914- 
In  Camden  County  there  has  been  one  year  (1913)  of  very  limited 
educational  work,  costing  $500.Q0  and  one  year  (1914)  of  demonstra- 
tional  and  educational  work,  costing  $2,929.44.  In  Cape  May  County 
there  was  one  year  (191 3)  of  educational  and  survey  work  costing 
$500.00.  In  Bergen  County  there  has  been  one  year  (191 4)  of  edu- 
cational and  demonstration^  work,  costing  $800.00.  Middlesex  County 
has  just  completed  its  first  season  of  demonstrational  and  educational 
work  at  a  cost  of  $5,427.46. 

What  has  been  done  with  this  large  amount  of  money*  and  the  results 
that  have  been  accomplished  are  set  forth  in  the  annual  report  of  these 
counties  which  either  have  already  been,  or  soon  will  be,  published  and 
may  be  obtained  by  any  one  interested. 

The  Entomologist  believes  that  the  time  has  arrived  when  the  first 
comprehensive  analysis  of  the  work  of  the  county  mosquito  extermination 
commission  can  be  made,  but  finds  that  the  data  in  his  possession  are  not 
sufficient  to  permit  satisfactory  work  of  this  sort.  Such  consideration 
of  county  mosquito  extermination  work  will  have  to  await  the  securing 
of  the  necessary  detailed  data.  A  movement  looking  toward  the  collec- 
tion of  this  necessary  body  of  facts  has  already  been  set  on  foot. 

Enough  data  are,  however,  already  in  the  writer's  files  to  show  that 
the  cost  of  mosquito  extermination  depends  upon  the  density  of  the 
population,  the  extent  and  character  of  the  territory  to  be  protected,  and 
relation  which  this  territory  bears  to  other  breeding  territory.  ^ 

Other  things  being  equal  as  the  density  of  the  population  increases 
the  per  capita  cost  of  mosquito  extermination  decreases.     Just  what  the 

*  These  flgrures  represent  the  latest  revision  and  are  as  accurate  as  the 
writer  has  been  able  to  obtain. 


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Experiment  station  report.  455 

limits  of  this  principle  are,  data  are  not  at  hand  to  show,  but  it  can  be 
said  that  it  seems  to  apply  to  all  the  practical  work  of  mosquito  control 
now  going  on  in  the  State.  The  operation  of  this  factor  is  pretty  well 
shown  by  comparing  the  cost  of  mosquito  extermination  in  Essex  and 
Union  Counties.  Essex  County  has  a  population  of  4356  per  square 
mile  and  Union  1455.  Essex  expended  per  capita  in  the  partial  year 
of  1912,  6.4  cents,  in  the  full  years  of  1913  and  1914,  11.8  cents  and 
1 1.4  cents  respectively  as  compared  with  10.6  cents,  20.8  cents  and  15.9 
cents  per  individual  in  Union  in  191 2,  191 3  and  1914  respectively. 

That  increase  in  area  of  territory  under  protection  when  other  facton 
remain  unchanged  means  increase  in  cost  of  protection  needs  no  proof. 
It  is  self-evident.  Protection  of  a  territory  is  more  or  less  expensive  as 
the  prolific  breeding;  area  in  it  is  large  or  small.  A  light  sandy  soil  is 
conducive  to  low  cost  of  protection  for  such  soil  does  not  retain  pools  of 
water  on  its  surface  long  enough  to  breed  mosquitoes.  On  the  other 
hand,  impervious  clay  soil  usuaOy  means  high  cost  of  protection  for  the 
reason  that  pools  of  water  are  readily  retained  long  enough  to  breed 
mosquitoes.  The  presence  or  absence  of  large,  breeding,  fresh  or 
brackish  water  swamps  means  increased  or  decreased  expenditure. 

Whether  the  territory,  which  it  is  proposed  to  protect  from  mosqui- 
toes, is  within  the  flight  of  mosquitoes  breeding  in  incalcuable  numbers 
on  a  salt  marsh  or  a  large  favorable  fresh  water  swamp  determines 
whether  real  protection  is  possible  or  not.  The  best  eflPorts,  which  may 
control  in  a  highly  satisfactory  manner  all  mosquitoes  breeding  within 
the  territory  to  be  protected,  will  count  as  nothing  if  swarms  of  the  pest 
come  in  from  points  outside  the  area. 

THE   MOSQUITO   PROBLEM  IN   ESSEX  COUNTY. 

The  physical  surface  of  Essex  County  begins  at  sea  level  as  a  4,000-acre 
salt  marsh  and  rises  to  the  height  of  600  or  more  feet  Until  the  north- 
eastward ranging  hills  are  reached  the  height  of  land  rarely  exceeds  200 
feet  All  this  lower  level  of  land  is  cut  by  meandering  streams  which 
afford  the  somewhat  heavy  soil  pretty  fair  drainage. 

The  hilly  sections  are  well  forested  and  have  many  pools  in  which  the 
woodland  species  of  mosquitoes  breed,  giving  to  this  county  an  important 
woodland-pool-mosquito  problem.  The  streams  that  meander  through  both 
the  hilly  and  the  lowland  sections  of  the  county  in  some  cases  do  not 
completely  drain  all  parts  of  their  valleys,  thereby  creating  a  considerable 
number  of  swamps  from  which  the  swamp  species  issue  in  sufficient  num- 
bers to  constitute  a  problem. 

The  streams  and  ponds  of  this  county  exhibit  a  heavy  growth  of  grass 
along  their  edges,  and  some  of  the  latter  when  the  dry  season  has  lowered 
the  level  are  sufficiently  shallow  to  show  a  growth  of  coarse  grass  over 
much  of  their  bottoms.  In  the  water  behind  the  screen  of  t^e  grass  the 
malarial  mosquitoes  breed  and  issue  in  sufficient  numbers  to  demand 
attention. 

The  great  bulk  of  the  half  million  persons  living  within  the  limits  of  tha 
county  is  gathered  on  the  lowland  in  and  adjacent  to  the  city  of  Newark. 


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456         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  changes  Incident  to  the  transformation  of  country  into  city  hare 
dammed  many  of  these  meandering  streams  transforming  them  into  vim- 
lent  breeding  places  for  the  house  mosquito.  These  changes  have  polluted 
a  large  part  of  the  streams,  ponds  and  pools  and  rendered  them  bad  breed- 
ers for  the  same  species.  The  presence  of  so  many  people  has  meant 
necessarily  the  multiplication  of  the  ordinary  house  and  yard  breeding 
places.  All  of  these  factors  have  contributed  to  the  breeding  throughout 
the  season  of  vast  numbers  of  house  mosquitoes,  the  suppression  of  which 
is  a  very  large  work. 

The  4,000-acre  salt  marsh  has  been  crossed  and  criss-crossed  by  railways 
and  roadways,  and  all  drains  except  the  great  creeks,  utterly  destroyed. 
The  marsh  has  thus  been  broken  up  into  parts  of  various  sizes,  all  fur- 
nished with  insufficient  outlets.  To  make  a  bad  matter  worse  the  city  of 
Newark  dumps  in  one  way  or  another  much  of  its  raw  sewage  in  various 
ones  of  these  divisions.  ,The  blocking  up  of  the  drainage  insured  the 
abundant  breeding  of  the  salt  marsh  mosquitoes,  and  polluting  the  water 
with  sewage  made  certain  the  breeding  of  enormous  numbers  of  house 
mosquitoes.  It  is  from  these  separate  portions  of  the  original  salt  marsh 
that  most  of  Essex's  intraterritorial  mosquitoes  come.  From  it  in  spite  of 
drainage  and  the  free  use  of  oil  came  A.  cantator  to  form  a  part  of  the  early 
May  brood.  From  it  came  the  A.  cantator  that  formed  a  part  of  the  mid- 
July  issue.  From  the  sewage  charged  parts  came  the  A.  cantator  infesta- 
tion of  South  Newark,  Irvington,  and  Union  Township  of  Union  County. 
From  the  same  cource  came  the  house  mosquito  troubles  in  South  Newark 
and  a  part  of  North  Elizabeth. 

Unfortunately  Essex  County  is  located  within  the  reach  of  the  marshes 
of  the  Hackensack  Valley  and  from  that  source  It  received  that  portion  of 
the  early  May  brood  found  in  eastern  and  northeastern  portions  of  its  . 
territory.  From  the  same  source  came  the  mid-July  infestation  of  these 
parts  and  from  it  the  supply  was  kept  up  until  the  dry  weather  of  late 
summer. 

Unfortunately  Essex's  northern  border  is  close  enough  to  the  swampy 
places  on  the  Great  Piece  Meadows  to  be  visited  on  occasion  by  species 
bred  there.  Generally  speaking,  however,  the  trouble  from  this  soprce 
is  very  limited. 

The  present  methods  of  mosquito  control  worked  with  a  little  more  care 
will  render  the  woodland,  swamp,  malarial  and  house  species  negligible  fac- 
tors in  human  comfort.  But  the  methods  of  controlling  breeding  on  the 
salt  marsh  are  insufficient 

The  insufficiency  of  the  present  salt  marsh  drainage  was  absolutely 
demonstrated  during  July  when  despite  utmost  efforts  (cleaning  ditches, 
cutting  new  ones  and  oiling)  a  large  brood  of  mosquitoes  escaped.  At 
this  time  wherever  water  stood  mosquitoes  bred. 

Shortly  after  the  issue  of  the  mid- July  brood  the  Entomologist  published 
the  following  article  in  response  to  a  request  for  information: 

"I  have  been  requested  to  state  the  source  of  the  salt  marsh  mosauitofs 
now  infesting  Glen  Ridge  in  Essex  County.  They,  in  common  with  the 
salt  marsh  mosquitoes  now  infesting  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  parts  of 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  457 

Hadson,  Bergen,  Passaic,  Essex  and  Union  Counties,  escaped  from  the  salt 
marshes  of  the  Hackensack  Valley  and  Newark  Bay  between  the  10th  and 
20th  of  this  month.  It  should  be  understood  that  these  dates  are  approxi- 
mate, some  emerging  before  the  10th  and  some  after  the  20th. 

"About  June  2l8t  the  tides  began  to  run  high  and  continued  to  do  so 
for  almost  twenty  days,  lacking  very  little  of  reaching  the  level  of  the 
spring  tides.  During  this  period  the  weather  was  cloudy  and  considerable 
rain  fell,  preventing  rapid  evaporation  and  increasing  the  volume  of  water. 
The  ditching  systems  could  not  carry  oft  the  water  fast  enough,  and  the 
depressions  between  the  ditches  which  would,  under  normal  conditions, 
have  dried  out  promptly,  remained  filled  with  water  and  breeding.  On 
many  of  the  meadows  continuous  sheets  of  water,  in  some  cases  many 
acres  in  extent,  were  breeding. 

"The  mosquito  commissions  were  fully  aware  of  this  condition,  but 
were  practically  helpless.  They  did  the  only  thing  which  under  the  cir- 
cumstances could  be  done— placed  oil  on  the  meadows  to  be  used  as  soon 
as  the  water  fell  sufficiently  to  render  spreading  of  it  practicable. 

"On  the  more  open  meadows  of  southern  Union  and  of  Middlesex  Coun- 
ties killifish  consumed  most  of  the  wrigglers,  and  the  oil  spreading  left 
comparatively  few  to  emerge;  but  on  the  low  lying,  shut-in  meadows  of 
northern  Union,  Essex,  Hudson,  Bergen,  especially  of  the  last  three  coun- 
ties, the  utmost  oiling  proved  insufficient 

"The  woodland  pool,  swaimp,  house  and  malarial  mosquito  breeding  on 
the  upland  is  now  under  pretty  good  control  and  would,  but  for  certain 
sewage-charged  salt  marshes,  be  so  satisfactory  that  these  species  would 
be  eliminated  as  a  factor  in  human  comfort  and  health. 

"The  phase  of  mosquito  breeding  which  the  mosquito  commissions  have 
be^  under  extreme  conditions  of  weather  and  tide  able  only  partially 
to  control,  and  which  is  responsible  for  the  present  outbreak,  is  on  the 
salt  marsh,  particularly  on  the  shut-in  and  low-lying  parts  of  it  Shut-in 
marshes  have  been  created  almost  entirely  by  man's  activity.  The  mak- 
ing of  streets,  roadways,  railroad  grades,  garbage  fills,  mud  and  sand  fills 
and  dykes  is  responsible.  The  shut-in  meadow  shrinks  and  becomes  low- 
lying.  To  make  matters  worse  raw  sewage  is  poured  into  many  of  these 
marshes  and  so  sweetens  the  brackish  water  that  the  house  mosquito 
breeds  in  it  in  enormous  numbers  and  migrates  over  the  adjacent  upland, 
in  some  cases  to  points  distant  two  and  one-half  miles. 

''The  normal  open  high-lying  meadows  will  be  rendered  free  from  that 
.mosquito  breeding  which  now  occurs  under  extreme  conditions  by  addi- 
tional ditching  and  by  enlarging  the  outlets.  The  shutrin  and  low-lying 
marshes  are  being  fitted  with  sluice'  gates,  by  means  of  which  the  water 
passes  out  at  low  tide  and  is  prevented  from  entering  at  high  tide.  In 
times  of  heavy  rainfall  and  high  tides  during  the  breeding  season  power 
pumps  will  have  to  be  used  to  aid  the  sluices.  In  this  way  all  of  these 
marshes  that  are  not  filled  can  and  eventually  will  be  rendered  entirely 
free  from  mosquito  production. 

"When  we  remember  that  in  round  numbers  Union  County  has  4,000, 
Essex  County  4,000,  Hudson  County  10,000,  and  Bergen  County  9,000  acres 
of  salt  marsh,  it  is  easy  to  understand  that  the  prevention  of  absolutely 
all  breeding  is  a  very  large  and  difficult  problem.  Much  has  already  been 
done.  The  drainage  systems  on  all  these  marshes,  except  those  of  Bergen 
County  (a  few  limited  areas  excepted),  are  such  that  under  ordinary  con- 
ditions of  weather  and  tide  few  mosquitoes  can  get  off.  Work  is  constantly 
going  on  to  render  these  meadows  mosquito-proof,  even  .under  the  most 
extreme  conditions  of  weather  and  tide,  but  much  yet  remains  to  be  done. 

"Breeding  places  for  mosquitoes  are  now  far  less  in  number  than  ever 
before  in  Union,  Essex  and  Hudson  Counties,  and  the  time  is  not  far  di8< 
tant  when  these  salt  marsh  broods  will  come  no  more." 


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458  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  mosquito  commlsBion  became  convinced  that  some  more  effeetlTe 
method  of  handling  these  marshes  must  be  found.  At  the  suggestion  of 
the  writer  the  president  of  the  commission,  Dr.  Ralph  H.  Hunt,  and  the 
c^ief  inspector,  Mr.  John  W.  Dobbins,  examined  an  area  in  the  Hacken- 
sack  Valley  under  dike  and  sluice  gate  and  found  the  surface  in  spite  of 
the  rainfall  and  cloudy  weather  (which  had  proven  so  disastrous  on  the 
Essex  meadows)  dry  and  free  from  breeding.  This  seemed  to  ofter  a  solu- 
tion for  the  problem.  After  having  the  diking  and  sluice-gating  elsewheie 
in  the  State  carefully  studied  by  the  consulting  engineer,  Mr.  James 
Brooks  of  Glenn  Ridge,  the  commission  empowered  the  engineer  to  pro- 
ceed with  plans  for  diking  and  sluice-gating  the  worst  sections  of  the 
Essex  salt  marshes. 

There  was,  of  course,  no  way  in  which  Essex  could  by  work  within  its 
own  limits  prevent  salt  marsh  mosquitoes  bred  on  the  Hackensack  from 
entering  its  territory.  The  commission  did,  however,  furnish  inspectors 
to  cooperate  with  the  writer  for  the  purpose  of  determining  where  the 
breeding  occurred  and  caused  the  concentrated  breeding  located  by  this 
inspection  in  the  Bergen  County  section  of  the  Hackensack  marsh  to  be 
oiled  in  the  hope  of  reducing  the  mosquitoes  coming  into  Essex  from  that 
source. 

THE  MOSQUITO  PROBLEM  OF  UNION  COUNTY. 

The  physical  surface  of  Union  County  begins,  like  that  of  Essex,  at  sea 
level  with  a  salt  marsh  of  about  4,000  acres  (which,  however,  is  divided 
into  three  distinct  parts)  and  rises  gently  to  the  northwest  to  a  height 
of  about  600  feet.  From  the  marsh  to  the  northeastward  running  range 
of  hills  (the  same  range  as  that  found  in  Essex)  the  height  does  not  for 
the  most  part  exceed  200  feet 

Streams  meander  through  this  area  but  do  not  drain  it  so  efflcienly  as 
Essex.    Swamps  are  larger  in  size  and  greater  in  number. 

The  swamp  mosquito  problem  is  correspondingly  more  difficult  than  in 
Essex. 

The  hilly  portions  of  Union  CJounty  are  pretty  well  wooded  and  a  consid- 
erable number  of  woodland  pools  are  present  While  the  number  of  wood- 
land pool  mosquitoes  Issuing  from  them  must  be  reckoned  with,  the  prob- 
lem is  not  so  important  as  in  Essex. 

The  grassy  banks  of  streams  and  ponds  afford  breeding  places  for  a  con- 
siderable number  of  the  malarial  mosquitoes  rendering  them  a  factor  to 
be  reck<med  with. 

The  4,000-acre  salt  marsh  is  fortunately  far  less  cut  up  than  that  of 
Essex  and  has  very  little  sewage  contamination.  The  problem  of  control 
is,  therefore,  much  less  difficult  The  crossing  of  the  marshes  by  the 
Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  and  by  spur  imd  sidings  thereof  has,  how- 
ever, materially  interfered  with  the  original  drainage.    Small  creeps  have 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  45<J 

been  filled  and  the  areas  they  originally  drained  left  without  outlets. 
Drainage  systems  have  been  established  in  all  the  marshes.  These  with 
proper  supplementing  by  additional  ditching  and  killiflsh  will  probably 
be  found  ample  to  prevent  the  issuance  of  large  numbers  of  mosquitoes 
even  under  such  extreme  conditions  of  tide  and  weather  as  obtained  In 
June  and  July  of  this  year. 

In  expressing  this  opinion  the  writer  realizes'  that  he  is  running  counter 
to  opinions  of  others  who  are  as  well  informed  as  he.  He  holds  this  view 
because  more  open  and  better  drained  marshes  under  just  as  severe  test 
have  turned  out  a  negligible  number  of  mosquitoes  because  the  killiflsh, 
which  failed  to  penetrate  these  meadows  in  large  numbers,  were  present 
everywhere  and  consumed  the  mosquito  wrigglers. 

At  the  same  time  the  cost  of  diking  and  sluice-gating  certain  of  the 
most  difficult  parts  of  these  meadows  is  very  small  and  the  chance  for 
keeping  the  water  down  excellent  In  such  instances  the  cost  of  thus  pro- 
tecting the  meadow  is  probably  less,  or  at  any  rate  no  greater  than  that 
involved  in  cutting  the  necessary  additional  ditches. 

The  experience  of  the  present  yeari  has  bem  sufficient  ta  demonstrate 
that  additional  ditching  is  needed  on  the  Union  County  mii^  marshes  for 
under  the  extreme  test  of  June  and  July  many  mosquitoes  escaped. 

To  a  certain  minor  extent  Union  County  lies  within  reach  of  salt  marsh 
mosquito  flights  from  the  Hackensack  Valley  and  the  Essex  portion  of  the 
Newark  Bay  marsh.  From  the  latter,  its  northeastern  bwder  was  infested 
in  mid-July  by  A.  cantator  and  later  by  that  species  and  O.  pipiena, 

THE  MOSQUITO  PROBLEM  IN  HUDSON  COUNTY. 

Hudson  County  covers  only  forty-three  square  miles,*  much  less  than  half 
the  space  covered  by  Essex  and  but  little  mofe  than  one-third  the  space 
covered  by  Union.  It  consists  of  two  rather  broad  ridges  extending  from 
southwest  to  northeast  with  the  broad  salt  marsh  of  the  Hackensack 
River  lying  between  them.  The  eastern  ridge  extends  from  the  Kill  Van 
Kull  northeastward  along  New  York  Bay  and  the  Hudson  River  to  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  county.  The  western  ridge  extends  from  the 
Passaic  River  northeastward  along  its  eastern  bank  to  the  northern  boun- 
dary of  the  county.  On  the  eastern  ridge  lie  the  towns  of  Bergen  Point, 
Centerville,  Bayonne,  Saltersville,  Greenville,  etc,  Jersey  City,  Hoboken, 
West  Hoboken,  Weehawken,  etc.  This  ridge  from  the  southwestern  end 
to  New  Durham  is  almost  solidly  built  up.  Beginning  at  the  southern 
end  of  the  western  ridge  the  towns  of  Harrison,  Kearny  and  Arlington 
form  a  continuous  city  to  the  northern  limit  of  the  county. 

On  these  two  ridges  are  concentrated  a  half  million  of  people. 

Hudson  County  has  no  woodlands  of  any  considerable  size  and  conse- 
quently practically  no  woodland  pool  mosquito  problem. 


•  Land    surface. 


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46o         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Hudson  County's  upland  consists  of  ridges  that  because  of  tlieir  strong 
slopes  are  so  well  drained  that  It  has  practically  no  fresh  water  swamps. 
The  swamp  mosquito  problem  in  this  county  is  small;  some  few  A.  selves- 
tri8  and  €,  perturhans  breed  in  parts  of  the  Hackensack  Valley  marsh. 

The  concentration  of  its  population  on  these  two  well-drained  ridges 
produces  the  smallest  number  of  breeding  places  for  the  house  mosquito 
possible  with  such  a  large' population.  If  the  only  mosquitoes  Hudson 
County  has  to  fight  were  those  bred  on  the  ridges,  mosquito  control  would 
be  very  inexpensive. 

Unfortunately,  the  advantage  which  Hudson  County  gains  by  the  concen- 
tration of  her  people  on  exceedingly  well-drained  land,  is  largely  lost 
through  this  land  lying  adjacent  to  an  enormous  salt  marsh.  Approxi- 
mately 10,000  acres  of  salt  marsh  lie  within  the  Hackensack  Valley  and  a 
smfUl  amount  is  found  near  Constable's  Point 

This  enormous  marsh  is  only  partly  drained.  Its  original  drainage  has 
been  almost  completely  ruined  by  railway  and  roadway  grades  and  large 
fills.  Wherever  mosquito  breeding  has  been  found  and  the  nature  of  the 
marsh  rendered  the  cutting  of  10x30  inch  ditching  likely  to  prove  effective 
ditches  have  been  put  in  with  Judgment  and  are  giving  excellent  servloe. 
There  are,  however,  many  places  where  through  railway  grades  and  road- 
ways or  great  sand  and  garbage  fills  the  success  of  ditching  demands  the 
cutting  of  large  outlets,  or  the  installation  of  pumping  plants,  and  in  such 
places  little  effective  drainage  has  been  done.  To  make  a  bad  matter 
worse,  in  this  county  as  in  Essex,  certain  of  these  shuMn  marshes  are 
made  dumping  grounds  for  raw  sewage.  In  some  instances  the  sewers 
empty  right  into  the  open  marsh,  while  in  others  they  drain  into  creeks 
that  have  become  clogged  and  spill  over  the  banks  into  the  meadows. 
There  yet  remains  much  work  to  be  done  before  this  area  can  be  free  from 
mosquito  breeding. 

To  a  certain  minor  extent  Hudson  County  is  infested  by  mosquitoes 
that  breed  outside  its  confines.  For  instance,  the  writer  has  considerable 
reason  to  think  that  the  southwestern  end  of  the  eastern  ridge  was  dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  the  summer  this  year  infested  by  A.  aollicitans  bred 
on  the  marshes  of  Union  County  just  across  Newark  Bay. 

Hudson  County's  great  and  practically  only  problems  in  mosquito  con- 
trol are  the  salt  marsh  forms  bred  within  its  limits  and  the  house  mos- 
quitoes bred  both  on  its  uplands  and  its  sewage-charged  marshes.  The 
control  of  the  house  mosquito  bred  on  the  upland  is  simple,,  but  the  control 
of  A.  cantator  and  C.  pipiens  breeding  on  the.  marshes  is  very  difficult 
indeed. 

THE  MOSQUITO  PROBLEM  IN  ATLANTIC  COUNTY. 

Physically,  Atlantic  County  begins  at  sea  level  as  a  low  strip  of  sand 
rising  from  the  ocean.    Behind  this  narrow  strip  lies  a  salt  marsh  which 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  461 

stands  but  slightly  above  mean  high  tide.  Back  of  this  stretch  gently  ris- 
ing to  a  height  of  a  little  more  than  100  feet  and  nowhere  really  hilly  the 
county  stretches  northwestward  to  its  limits.  Except  where  it  has  been 
cleared  for  agrieoltural  or  urban  purposes  the  whole  face  of  the  county  is 
coyered  with  scrubby  oak  and  pine. 

Except  in  cedar  swamps  and  occasional  holes  the  water  does  not  lie  on 
the  sandy  and  gravelly  surface  long  enough  for  mosquitoes  to  breed.  The 
woodland  pool  mosquito  problem  does  not  apparently  exist 

The  great  cedar  swamps  for  some  reason,  possibly  low  temperature  or 
lack  of  food  for  the  wrigglers,  do  not  breed  an  appreciable  number  of  mos- 
quitoes. The  swamp  mosquito  problem  seems  to  be  limited  to  a  few  (7. 
pertur1>an9  and  an  occasional  A,  sylvestris. 

Where  the  population  is  sufficiently  concentrated  as  is  the  case  in  the 
cities  and  towns  the  improper  disposal  of  human  waste  and  other  opera- 
tions incidental  to  transforming  country  into  urban  property,  create 
breeding  places  for  the  house  mosquitoes.  Excavations  under  houses,  cis- 
terns, eees-pools,  open  privies,  garbage  dumps,  barrels,  tubs,  buckets  and 
pools  serve  this  purpose.  The  problem  of  controlling  the  house  mosquito 
is,  however,  not  difficult  and  has  been  very  satisfactorily  handled  in  the 
past  two  seasons. 

It  is,  however,  in  the  salt  marsh  and  the  control  of  the  species  it  breeds 
that  Atlantic  County  has  its  great  problem.  Of  the  569  square  miles  ap- 
proximately seventy-eight  are  salt  marsh.  These  seventy-eight  square 
miles  divide  the  costal  strip  from  the  main  land  by  a  belt  of  marsh  and 
water,  ranging  from  two  and  one-half  miles  at  the  southern  end  to  six  at 
the  northern  end.  This  salt  marsh  extends  along  the  northeastern  border 
of  the  county  for  twelve  or  more  miles  and  for  a  somewhat  greater  dis- 
tance along  the  southeastern  boundary.  Although  mosquitoes  breed  over 
a  small  proportion  of  this  total  area  the  breeding  spots  are  scattered 
throughout  and  the  problem  of  eliminating  them  is  a  large  one.  Already 
the  breeding  places  on  the  costal  marsh  from  Absecon  to  Somers  Point 
have  been  eliminated,  and  recently  those  on  Patcong  Creek  and  the  lower 
section  of  the  Great  Egg  Harbor  River  have  been  destroyed. 

Careful  observations  of  the  past  two  seasons  made  by  Mr.  Eaton  and  his 
inspectors  have  shown  that  the  mosquitoes  bred  to  the  northward  of  a 
given  point  rarely  visit  that  point  Acting  on  this  information  the  north- 
em  end  of  the  salt  marsh  adjacent  to  which  few  persons  live  has  not  been 
touched  and  the  whole  eftort  has  been  directed  to  draining  the  territory 
lying  to  the  south  and  west  of  the  principal  centers  of  population — ^to 
eliminating  the  breeding  places  from  which  the  mosquitoes  that  reach 
these  centers  come. 

Unfortunately,  the  salt  marshes  of  northeastern  Cape  May  County  are 
close  enough  to  the  main  centers  of  population  in  Atlantic  County  to 
furnish  a  pest  of  mosquitoes  under  extreme  breeding  conditions  such  as 
obtained  in  June  and  July  of  this  year.    It  is  not  therefore,  to  be  expected 


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462  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

that  the  result  of  the  ezcellenf  drainage  work  done  in  Atlantic  County 
will  under  extraordinarily  favorable  breeding  conditions  be  as  satisf^ustory 
as  it  should  until  the  salt  marshes  of  northeastern  Cape  May  County  are 
adequately  drained  and  looked  after. 

THE   MOSQUITO  PROBLEM   IN   PASSAIC   COUNTY. 

Passaic  County  on  the  map  has  roughly  the  shape  of  an  hour  glass  with ' 
the  small  end  to  the  southeast.    All  south  of  Pompton  Lakes  forms  the 
southern  division  and  all  north  the  northern  portion.    Considerably  more 
than  one-half  the  area  lies  in  the  northern  section  but  appro ximatidy 
200,000  out  of  the  215,902  inhabitants  live  in  the  southern  part 

The  surface  from  Paterson  south  while  rolling  is  not  rugged,  but  from 
Paterson  north  It  assumes  a  rather  rugged  character. 

The  hilly  portions  are  well  wooded  and  have  many  pools.  The  woodland 
pool  mosquitoes  must  form  a  serious  problem  in  the  rougher  parts  of 
the  county.    No  thorough  investigations  of  this  point  have  been  made. 

Although  a  very  considerable  number  of  small  swamps  exist  in  the 
southern  part  of  this  territory  and  although  the  Great  Piece  Meadows  are 
only  a  few  miles  away  the  mosquitoes  taken  during  the  summer  in  the 
City  of  Passaic  and  elsewhere  in  the  county  showed  few  specimens  of  the 
swamp  species.  It  does  not  look  as  if  the  swamp  mosquito  problem  can  be 
a  very  important  one.  At  the  same  time  the  writer  feels  that  a  different 
type  of  season  might  give  a  dilTerent  result 

The  population  in  the  southern  end  of  the  county  is  rather  concentrated 
and  the  usual  breeding  places  for  the  house  mosquito  are  abundant  In 
addition  to  this  the  cities  of  Paterson  and  Passaic  have  a  very  large  niun- 
ber  of  factories  in  which  numerous  water  holding  receptacles  are  kept. 
The  soil  is  by  nature  fairly  well  drained,  but  is  sufficiently  tight  to  hold 
water  in  depressions  long  enough  for  mosquitoes  to  breed. 

The  rather  careful  tests  of  the  past  season  in  the  City  of  Passaic  have 
shown  that  the  house  mosquito  and  all  the  other  local  breeding  species 
can  be  satisfactorily  controlled. 

In  view  of  this  fact  it  is  especiallly  to  be  regretted  that  the  past  season's 
studies  have  shown  with  equal  clearness  that  salt  man^  mosquitoes  (A, 
eantatar)  were  present  in  the  City  of  Passaic  from  late  July  to  late  Ans- 
ust  in  sufficient  numbers  to  render  the  occupation  of  unscreened  porches 
in  shrubbery-filled  yards  very  uncomfortable.  These  salt  marsh  mosqui- 
toes csme  from  the  Hackensack  Valley.  That  Passaic  County  would  tn 
ordinary  seasons  be  free  from  salt  marsh  mosquitoes  with  the  exception 
of  an  early  spring  non-troublesome  brood  is  hardly  to  be  doubted.  Nevei^ 
theless,  the  fact  remains  that  the  good  results  of  the  most  successful  con- 
trol of  the  local  species  are  under  unusually  favorable  breeding  condi- 
tions on  the  Hackensack  salt  marshes  likely  to  be  overwhelmed  by  broods 
of  salt  marsh  migrants  from  that  source  until  that  marsh  is  drained  and 
rendered  tree  from  mosquito  breeding. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  463 

THE  MOSQUITO  PROBLEM  OF  CAMDEN  COUNTY. 

Physically  Camden  County  begins  at  the  Delaware  Rirer  only  a  few  feet 
above  the  sea  and  rises  g^itly  to  the  southeast,  reaching  in  some  places 
about  200  feet  The  soil  is  light,  beginning  at  the  river  as  a  loam  and 
Elding  to  the  southeast  in  the  sand  typical  of  South  Central  Jersey.  Many 
streams,  some  of  which  lead  to  the  Delaware  and  others  to  the  Atlantic 
Ocean,  meander  through  this  slightly  rolling  country.  At  various  points 
before  nearing  their  outlets  some  of  these  streams  fall  to  drain  their  val^ 
leys  BnA  swamps  of  considerable  size  are  formed,  llie  principal  streams 
that  empty  into  the  Delaware  are  drowned  at  their  mouths  and  have 
more  or  less  extensive  tidal  marshes  along  their  courses  and  about  their 
openings.  The  country  is  sparsely  wooded  until  the  typical  sand  is 
reached  where  the  scrub  pine  and  oak  appear. 

Woodland  pools,  owing  to  limited  amount  of  woodland  and  the  pervious 
soil  are  not  abundant  enough  to  breed  a  pest  of  woodland  mosquitoes. 

Swamps,  on  the  other  hand,  are  sufficiently  numerous  to  produce  a  pest 
of  swamp  mosquitoes,  if  they  should  become  active  breeders. 

The  tidal  marshes  of  the  various  creeks  emptying  into  the  Delaware 
might  prove  bad  breeders  of  the  house  mosquito  and  perhaps  of  salt  marsh 
mosqultoee,  principally  AedeM  sollicitans  Wlk.  The  sewage-charged  ones 
are  the  most  dangerous. 

The  usual  breeding  places  of  the  house  mosquito  are  present  in  perhaps 
smaller  numbers  than  in  places  where  the  soil  is  less  pervious.  However, 
lot  pools,  roadside  pools,  stopped-up  ditches,  holes  in  the  paved  streets, 
water-containing  privy  vaults,  cess-pools,  sewer  catch-basins,  overgrown 
brooks,  ponds,  swamps  and  lakes,  unused  receptacles,  garbage-dump  pools, 
and  sewage  polluted  streams  are  sufficient  in  number  to  produce  an  un- 
bearable pest  at  certain  points  in  the  county. 

Across  the  Delaware  River  from  Camden  County  lies  a  considerable 
amount  of  low  marsh  land  on  which  the  white-banded  salt  marsh  mosquito 
(A.  BolUcitans)  has  been  found  breeding  during  the  past  season,  and  It 
seems  reasonable  that  at  times  the  best  sort  of  mosquito  control  on  the 
Jersey  side  will  be  interfered  with  by  migrants  from  this  source  unless 
the  Pennsylvania  authorities  destroy  these  breeding  places.  Judging 
from  the  extent  of  the  area,  however,  it  does  not  seem  likely  that  the  in- 
terference can  be  of  a  very  serious  nature. 

Migrations  of  the  white-banded  salt  marsh  mosquito  from  the  breeding 
brackish  marshes  of  the  coast  to  the  east  and  its  rivers,  reach  the  south- 
eastern section  of  the  county  in  numbers  sufficiently  large  almost  to  annul 
tbe  effect  of  local  work. 


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464         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

THE  MOSQUITO   PROBLEM  OF  MIDDLESEX  COUNTY. 

Middlesex  County  begins  at  sea  level  and  stretches  westward  to  its 
boundary  lines.  Tbe  elevation  above  tbe  sea  is  for  the  most  part  only  100 
feet  or  less,  although  in  some  cases  a  height  of  more  than  double  that  is 
reached.  The  surface  of  the  land  is  rolling  rather  than  level.  The  north- 
.  em  part  of  the  county  lies  on  the  red  shale  and  to  the  souhwestward  it 
passes  over  into  a  gravelly  loam.  A  part  south  of  the  Raritan  River  below 
New  Brunswick  is  made  up  of  typical  South  Central  Jersey  sand. 

Generally  speaking,  the  woodlands  are  not  very  extensive,  except  in  the 
sand  barren  region.  Woodland  pools  are  not  sufficiently  numerous  to 
produce  a  serious  pest  of  woodland  {K>o1  mosquitoes. 

The  streams  which  meander  through  this  territory  in  many  cases  do  not 
drain  all  parts  of  their  valleys  and  a  considerable  number  of  swamps  are 
produced.  There  is  reason  to  anticipate  that  the  control  of  the  swamp 
species  will  prove  a  considerable  problem. 

In  much  of  this  territory,  especially  in  the  red  shale,  the  soil  is  suffi- 
ciently impervious  to  hold  water  long  enough  for  mosquitoes  to  breed. 
The  population  of  Middlesex  County  is  not  greatly  concentrated  but  enough 
water  pollution  exists  when  taken  wih  the  ordinary  urban  breeding  places 
of  the  house  mosquito  to  produce  a  pest  of  this  species  in  every  town  of 
considerable  size. 

Evidence  has  been  accumulated  to  show  that  a  considerable  pest  of  ma- 
larial mosquitoes  is  bred  along  the  grassy  banks  of  brooks,  swamps,  ponds 
and  pools. 

It  is,  however,  in  the.  8,000  acres  of  salt  marsh  that  Middlesex  County 
has  is  great  mosquito  problem.  The  marsh  is  divided  in  many  parts  and 
scattered  in  smaller  or  larger  areas  along  the  coast  and  tributary  streams 
from  the  south  end  to  the  north  end.  In  the  spring  the  brown  salt 
marsh  mosquito  (A,  cantator)  and  during  the  summer  the  white-banded 
salt  marsh  mosquito  (A,  soUidtana)  breeds  on  it. 

A  fairly  complete  system  of  drainage  has  been  established  in  all  parts 
of  it  and  the  numbers  that  now  emerge  are  comparatively  small.  Under 
extreme  conditions,  however,  it  is  conceivable  that  enoui^  might  get  out 
to  cause  trouble.  To  get  the  best  results  more  drains  should  be  cut  and 
the  drainage  systems  patrolled  throughout  the  season. 

THE  MOSQUITO  PROBLEM  OF  BERGEN  COUNTY. 

The  eastern  and  western  ridges  of  highland  with  the  Hackensack  Val- 
ley between,  so  characteristic  of  Hudson,  continue  northeastward  into 
Bergen  County.  The  eastern  ridge  nms,  maintaining  its  relationship  to 
the  Hudson  River,  to  the  northeastern  border.  The  western  ridge  con- 
tinues almost  to  Cherry  Hill  where  it  bends  to  the  northward  and  con- 
tinues in  that  direction  until  it  finally  reaches  and  joins  the  broad  high- 
lands that  extend  to  the  State  line.  The  Hackensack  Valley  continuee 
northeastward  to  the  State  line,  forming  some  swampy  lands  in  the  north- 
em  part    To  the  northwestward  of  this  ridge  and  northeast,  east  and 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  465 

sontheast  of  Pateraon  is  an  area  of  comparatively  low  elevation.  T6  the 
northwest  the  county  becomes  ragged. 

There  is  mnch  wooded  territory  and  many  woodland  pools — a  condition 
which  gives  to  Bergen  County  a  serious  woodland  pool  mosquito  problem. 

Many  swamps  of  greater  or  less  size  exist,  some  of  which  undoubtedly 
breed  the  swamp  species  of  mosquitoes  proliflcally.  Bergen  County  has  a 
swamp  mosquito  problem  of  some  size.  The  bulk  of  the  population  is  lo- 
cated in  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  but  is  not  greatly  concentrated. 
The  water  pollution  is,  however,  sufficient  when  taken  with  the  usual 
breeding  places  of  the  house  mosquito  to  furnish  every  town  of  consider- 
able size  with  a  pest  of  that  species. 

Although  our  investigations  have  ncft  yet  shown  it,  there  is  no  reason 
why  places  should  not  occur  in  this  county  where  the  malarial  mosquitoes 
breed  as  abundantly  or  more  so  than  any  other  kind,  just  as  an  instance 
of  this  sort  is  known  to  exist  in  Sussex  County. 

In  addition  to  this  long  roll  of  fresh  water  breeding  species,  Bergen 
County  has  in  the  Hackensack  Valley  about  9,000  acres  of  brackish  marsh, 
over  which,  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  much  breeding  of  the  brown 
salt  marsh  mosquito  occurs.  Practically  no  drainage  has  been  established 
in  this  area.  All  drains  have  been  cut  by  nature  or  by  the  land  owners. 
In  fact,  this  area  with  a  few  minor  exceptions  was  not  recognized  as  a 
breeder  of  salt  marsh  mosquitoes  until  the  present  season,  when  a  careful 
season-through  series  of  inspections  proved  it  to  be  so. 

As  is  usually  the  case,  where  undrained  or  partly  drained  salt  marsh 
exists,  the  control  of  the  breeding  on  this  area  of  marsh  forms  the  largest 
problem  with  which  the  county  commission  will  have  to  deal  and  one 
which  if  not  solved  will  largely  annul  the  effect  of  upland  work. 

In  the  year  1913  the  Bergen  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission 
was  granted  by  the  Board  of  Chosen  Freeholders  of  that  county  the  sum  of 
1500  for  an  educational  campaign  against  mosquitoes.  The  starting  of  this 
work  was  delayed  until  the  money  reverted  into  the  treasury  and  the 
board  refused  to  reappropriate  it  for  that  year. 

In  the  year  1914  this  commission  was  granted  the  sum  of  |800  for  edu- 
cational and  survey  work. 

This  commission,  consisting  of  the  president,  Mr.  H.  B.  Vannote,  of 
Hasbrouck  Heights;  the  treasurer,  Mr.  T.  M.  Brewster,  of  Ridgefleld  Park, 
and  of  members  Mr.  Robert  Ballagh  and  Mr.  E.  B.  Walden,  of  Hackensack, 
Mr.  H.  H.  Goodwin,  of  Westwood,  and  Mr.  Wm.  D.  Tyndall,  of  Waldick, 
secured  an  office  in  the  Court  House  at  Hackensack  and  employed  Mr. 
Robert  8/  Cleaver,  of  Hackensack,  as  chief  inspector. 

M08QUIT0E8  OF  THE  YEAR. 

The  occurrence  and  distribution  of  the  principal  species  of  salt  marsh 
mosquitoes  are  discussed  on  pages  401-407  of  this  report  and  it  >vill  not 
be  necessary  to  include  them  in  this  section.  Of  the  less  important,  Aedes 
ifgniorhynchus  Wied.,  nothing  has  been  said.  This  species  has,  however, 
appeared  in  small  numbers  coincidently  with  Aedea  aolHcitans  Wlk. 


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466  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  season  started  off  with  a  small  issue  of  Aedes  canade»sis  Theob., 
accompanied  by  Aedea  auhcantans  Felt,  in  large  numbers.  Specimens  of 
both  species  were  commonly  taken  in  May,  but  ten  A.  auhcantans  were 
captured  to  one  A.  canadensis.  Aedes  sylvestris  Theob.  began  to  appear 
in  late  May,  and  Coquillettidia  perturhans  Wlk.  in  late  June. 

Aedes  canadensis  Wlk.  played  a  very  unimportant  part  In  ihe  mosquito 
fauna  of  1914  in  the  wooded  districts  of  North  Jersey  south  of  the  moun- 
tains. Aedes  suhcantans  Felt,  on  the  other  hand,  proved  unusually 
troublesome  and  important,  being  found  from  May  to  the  middle  of  July. 
Abundant  at  the  beginning  of  the  season,  it  thinned  out  until  none  oonld 
be  found. 

CoquiUettidia  perturhans  Wlk.  has  this  year  an  unusual  record.  Ap- 
pearing in  the  latter  part  of  June  it  was  present  in  our  collections  to  the 
latter  part  of  August.  In  some  localities  during  this  period  it  was  always 
taken  and  in  some  of  these  places  it  was  at  times  the  dominant  and  almost 
the  only  form.  Its  occurrence  in  small  numbers  was  general.  There  were 
at  least  two  places  where  it  covered  a  large  territory  and  was  present  in 
very  considerable  numbers.  One  covered  the  region  of  Weequahic  Park, 
and  the  other  the  region  including  and  lying  east  of  Branch  Brook  Park  to 
the  Hackensack  River  Valley. 

Aedes  sylvestris  Theob.  was  troublesome  throughout  the  past  summer. 
It  appeared  it.  May  coincidently  with  the  woodland  species  and  remained 
throughout  the  season.  From  the  end  of  June  it  was  the  most  abundant 
of  the  fresh  water  species  with  the  exception  of  the  house  mosquito. 

Culex  pipiens  Linn.,  appeared  in  the  collections  in  June  and  continued 
to  increase  as  the  season  became  older  until  the  dry  weather  of  late  sum- 
mer when  its  numbers  fell  off.  Culex  salinarius  Goq.  seems  to  have  been 
associated  with  the  house  mosquito  in  troubling  residences  situated  near 
the  sewage-charged  salt  marsh. 

Anopheles  crucians  Wied.  maintained  its  usual  standing  in  Cape  May 
County.  Anopheles  punctipennis  Say  has  been  very  generally  present  but 
always  in  small  numbers.  Anopheles  quadrimaculatus  Say  has  been  rather 
rarely  taken  in  North  Jersey  south  of  the  mountains.  At  certain  points, 
however,  it  appeared  in  large  numbers.  At  New  Brunswick  in  late 
summer  many  were  taken.  At  Fair  Haven  there  was  much  com- 
plaint In  Sussex  County  in  the  valley  in  which  Franklin  Furnace  and 
Hamburg  are  located  this  species  was  rampant.  This  valley  is  in  New 
Jersey's  most  malarious  district. 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT  OF  MOSQUITO  WORK. 

Total  appropriation $15,000.00 

Salt  marsh  ditching S7 .533.86 

Salary  and  ejcpenses  of  Executive  Officer 2 .063.04 

Inspectors  (Herman  H.  Brehme  for  1 H  months,  Henry  H. 
Brehme  for  12  J^  monUis,  Joseph  A.  Obecny  for  5  H  months. 
Chas.  H.  Richardson  for  6  inonths  and  Chas.  S.  Beckwith 

for  5  months) 4.068.41 

aterial,  equipment  and  labor 1  »806.29 

Reverting  to  treasury  from  October  expense  requisitions 28.40    — — 

$15t000.<M 


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REPORT  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT 
OF  ENTOMOLOGY 


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Department  of  Entomology 


•  Thomas  J.  Headlee,  Ph.D.,  Entomologist. 

Charles  H.  Richabdson,  Jr.,  M.Sc,  Assistant  Entomologist 
♦Henry  H.  Brehme,  Field  Assistant  in  Entomology. 
♦Charles  S.  Beckwith,  B.Sc,  Field  Assistant  in  Entomology. 

Augusta  E.  Meske,  Stenographer  and  Clerk. 


*On  state  Station. 


CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

I  Introductory        297 

II  Insects  and  Other  Animals  About  Which  Our  Correspondents 

Have  Written       299 

III  Insects  of  the  Year 306 

IV  Investigations          316 

Report  on  Mosquito  Work  for  1915 339 


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MAY    1     1917 


Report  of  the 
Department  of  Entomology 


Thomas  J.  Headlee. 


I. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

The  personnel  of  the  staff  has  remained  unchanged  and  continuity 
of  the  work  has  been  thereby  greatly  promoted.  Miss  Augusta  E. 
Meske  has  continued  her  satisfactory  service  as  stenographer  and  clerL 
Mr.  Charles  H.  Richardson  has  continued  his  studies  of  the  typhoid 
fly  and  its  associates.  The  results  obtained  will  appear  at  a  later  date 
in  a  bulletin  of  the  Experiment  Station.  He  has  rendered  very  satis 
factory  service  in  the  identification  of  insects,  accession  collection,  and 
correspondence.  Until  recently  all  his  time  ha;s  been  devoted  to  Experi- 
ment Station  work.  With  the  beginning  of  the  present  college  ycai 
he  entered  upon  his  duties  as  Instructor  in  Entomology  and  will  devote 
approximately  eig^t  hours  a  week  to  that  work.  Mr.  Charles  S. 
Beckwith  has  continued  his  work  of  mosquito  control  planning  the 
cutting  of  715,000  feet  of  10  by  30  inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  on  the 
marshes  of  Bergen,  Cape  M^  and  Ocean  Counties.  In  addition  to 
this  he  took  charge  of  the  salt  marsh  ditch  cleaning  and  extending,  and 
of  the  salt  marsh  patrol  for  the  Ocean  County  Mosquito  Extermination 
Commission,  affording  that  section  of  the  county  from  Toms  River 
north  B^  degree  of  protection  which  it  has  not  hitherto  known.  All  these 
duties  he  performed  in  a  highly  creditable  manner.  Mr.  Henry  H. 
Brehme  has  continued  his  work  as  a  mosquito  inspector  spending  most 
of  his  time  along  the  shore  of  Rarita/i  Bay,  Newark  Bay  and  the  Hack- 
ensack  River.  A  certain  amount  of  temporary  assistance,  particularly 
in  mosquito  work,  has  been  'rendered  by  vanous  persons,  the  chief  of 
whom  is  Dr.  Floyd  E.  Chidester,  Associa,te  Professor  of  Zoology  in 
Rutgers  College.  Dr.  Chidester*s  time  was  devoted  to  that  phase  of  salt 
marsh  work  concerned  with  the  natural  enemies  of  mosquito  larvae  and 
with  the  effect  of  varying  salinities  on  mosquito  development.  The 
results  of  his  investigations  will  be  published  as  technical  bulletins  of 
the  Experiment  Station. 

The  time  of  the  Entomologist  and  his  assistants  has  been  devoted  to 
attending  to  correspondence,  to  investigating  certain  phases  of  the  effect 
of  climatic  fa/ctors  on  insect  economy,  certain  phases  of  nicotine  as  an 

(297) 


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298         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

insecticide,  anti-peach  borer  coatings,  potato  flea  beetle  control,  potato 
spraying  and  dusting,  strawberry  weevil  control,  typhoid  fly,  white 
grubs,  and  miscellaneous  species,  and  to  the  work  of  mosquito  control. 

Ck>rreq[Knid€iioe. 

During  the  past  season  not  far  from  an  average  of  30  letters  each 
working  day  have  been  handled,  involving  a  correspondence  of  9000 
letters  a  year.  Not  more  than  ten  of  these  letters  pertained  to  work  of 
the  State  Board  of  Agriculture  and  its  seems  fair  to  say  that  this  depart- 
ment has  handled  an  Experiment  Station  correspondence  of  6000  letters. 
Requests  for  information  on  180  species  of  insects  and  their  near  rela- 
tives of  which  17  were  mosquitoes,  have  been  attended  to.  In  addition 
about  1000  drcular  letters  have  been  mailed. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 
IL 

INSECTS  AND  OTHER  ANnfAl4S  ABOUT  WHICH  OUR 
CORRESPONDENTS  HAVE  WRITTEN. 


299 


ARACHNIDA 

Latin  Namx. 

Bryobia  pratensia  Qarmao. 

Enophyea  quadripes  Shimer 

CoiocoN  Same.          \ 

Clover  Mite 

Maiptle  pouch  gall  mite 

Red  Spider 

IX)CAUTT. 

Plainfleld 

Middletown 

Datb. 
April  29. 
June  3. 

June  16. 

Tatraoyehua  r> 

Rahway 

Haddonfl  Id 

March  5. 

••  .               A 

June  14. 

«•                   «« 

«•               4< 

Red  Bank. 

June  21. 

«•                   •« 

;;   ;;    ::/:::::::::: 

Rutherford 

June  23. 

•  «                   •• 

Mendham 

June2S. 

»•                   «< 

New  Brunswick 

Petersburg 

July  9. 

•  •                   <• 

«    It 

July  10. 

<«                  «« 

<4                <t 

Newark 

South  Orange 

Egg  Harbor 

July  31. 

Termea  flavipea  KoU 

INSECTA. 
Iboptera. 
White  Ant 

April  27. 
May  18. 

Odonata  sp, ( 

*«            «•       «• 

Odonata. 
Dragon  flies 

Thtsanoptera. 
Onion  Thrips. 

•«          •• 

.1          ••       

Thripe. 

HOMOPTBRA. 

Strawberry  Root  Louse.  .  . 

Melon  Aphis. 

Corn  Root  Aphis.  

Green  Apjple  Aphis. 

Rosy  Apple  Aphis.  ..!!!!! 

Plant  Lice. 

Green  Plant  Oice. 

Plant  Lice 

Pototo  Plant  Lice 

Plant  Lice. 

Morristown 

Bridgeton 

Philadelphia,  Pa 

CedarvUle. 

Newport. 

E.  Moriches,  L.  I 

Great  Meadows 

lOot.  21. 

May  17, 
May  21. 
May  2L 

•«            •<       «« 

••            ••       •« 

May  31. 
Juhr  16. 

•«            •«       <« 

Thyaaooptera      

March  5 

Moorestown 

Cologne. 

Berlin. 

Sept.  20. 

Aphia  forbeai  Weed 

"  SSSadici^o^i)^  ". : : : : 

"      mail  Fabr 

Cape  May  Court  House. . 

Atlantic  Hig  lands 

Bordentown 

Watchung 

Summit 

Little  Falls 

••        •« 

"      aorbi  Kalt. 

AphidiHffs 

4. 

Washington 

Montclair 

Clifton. 

Shenandoah,  la. 

BerUn. 

Paterson 

Cape  May  Court  House. . 

Summit 

Oxford 

Passaic 

Montclair 

Haddon  Heights 

Jersey  City 

•• 

•« 

•• 

•* 

•• 

ti        «< 

•• 

•«        <• 

••         

t«        ti 

•• 

„        „      

•• 

•* 

Aphid  Galls 

<• 

Plant  Lice 

•• 

•• 

Black  Plant  Lice 

Madison 

Pitman 

Somerville. 

Wayne 

Rutherford 

Mount  Holly 

«t 

Plant  Lice 

•• 

•• 

•• 

•t        « 

•« 

Root  Louse 

•• 

En^ewood 

Irvmgton. 

South  Orange 

•• 

Green  Plant  Lice. 

Plant  Lice. 

««     i 

•• 

Idlewood 

RiegelsviUe   

Pattenburg. 

Hackettstown   

Brookdale. 

Rutherford. 

SeweU 

Lewiston 

•• 

It         II 

•• 

Green  Plant  Lice. 

Plant  Lice 

•« 

«* 

•• 

14                   II 

•» 

•1         II 

i« 

14                   14 

Red  Plant'Lice! .'.'.'.'.'.".'.'. 
Plant  Lice 

It 

Cross  Keys 

«« 

Irvington 

Cream  Ridge 

•  • 

•• 

Green  Plant  Uoe. 

Plant  Lice. 

Kesrport.  .7 

FrankUn  Park. 

•  • 

"            

Montolab 

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300         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


HOMOPTBRA— Continued 


Latin  Namb. 


Aph'didsB. 


Aspipioiua  forbesi  Johna  .... 
perniciosus  Comity 


Common  Namb. 
Plant  Lice 

BUok  Plant  Lice!  '.*.'.' 

Plant  Lioe 

Cherry  Scale 

San  Joae  Scale. 


Asteroleoanium  quercioola  Bou^e 
Aulaoamjisroen  Bouphe. 

Cereaa  bulbalus  Fabr 

Chermee  sp.    

Chermee  abietis  L 

ChionaopiB  euonymi  ComBt.  .  . . 

Chionaapia  furfunis  Fitch  .... 


pInfo'Jft  Ftch. 


ChrysomphaluB  aonidum  L 

Coccide 

Colopha  uUmicola  Fitch 

Eulecanium  niirofaeciatum  Perg. 
'*  tuupifere  Cook.  .  . . 

Goe^yparia  q;>una  Mod 

Lachnua  queroifoliffi  Fitch 

Lepidoeapnes  ulmi  Lu. 


Lysidea  mendax  Reut. 
Mysua  oeraai  Fabr. ... 


Golden  Oak  Scale. .    . 
Roae  Scale. ,. 

Buffalo  Tree  Hopper. 

Spruce  Gall  Louae.  . . 
EuoDj/mua  Scale 

Scurfy  Scale. 


P  n)  leaf  Scaie. 


Circular  Scale 

Soft  Scale. 

Coxcomb  Gall  Louae. 

Tem^iin  Scale 

Tulip  Soft  Scale 

Elm  Scale 

Oyater  '^eli  Scale.' '. '. 


Myxuaribia  L. 

NectaropluHa  f>ia'  Kalt 

Nectarophora  roaee  L 

Pemphigua  ap 

Phenacoccua  acericola  King.  . 

Phylloxera  vaatatrix  Planch . 

Paeudococcua  ap. 

Peylla  pyrioolaForat 


Saiaaetia  hemiaphsBrica  Targ. 
Schiaonoura  ap 


Fa^  Ai^ple  Red  Bug. 
Cherry  Plant  Louae. . . 

Currant  Plant  Louae 

Pea  Louae 

it         •• 

Roae  Louae 

Ma^le  Paeudococcua. . 

Grape  Phylloxera. 

Mealy  Bug 

PearPayUa 


lemiaphf 
>lant  Lot 


Plant  Louae. 


LoGAUTT.  Datb. 

Downer July     21. 

Audubon Jui^     23. 

Bronx  Park Aug.       9. 

Eatontown Aug.     15. 

Somerville Sept.    20. 

Union  Hill fcepU    20. 

Chatham. Jan.     25. 

Paulaboro Jan.     29L 

Tituaville Feb.       «. 

Chatham. Feb.     IL 

Trenton Mweh  26. 

Ridgewood June    28. 

Elisabeth Sept.    13. 

Rutherford Aug.     12. 

Lakewood Feb.     24. 

Maya  Tianding. March  10. 

Hopewell Jan.     27. 

Metuchen 'Aug.     13. 

Newfoundland May     19. 

Haddonfield April    24. 

Cape  May  Court  Houae.  .'July     31. 

Oiatham Jan.     25. 

Tituaville Feb.       6. 

Trenton Feb.     24. 

Cape  May  Court  Houae. .  May     26. 

isumm  I Nov.    9,  '14, 

New  York  City Dec.    3, '14. 

Coa  Cob,  Conn. Jan.   28. 

Summit May   10. 

Summit ^fept.  20. 

Englewood April  10. 

Princeton Dec  7,  •14. 

Woodbine. June  17. 

Camden May  28. 

Montclair June  21. 

Bloomfield May  13. 

Majra  Landing Sept.  22. 

Mt.  HoUy April   5. 

New  York  City. Sept.  22. 

Weatmont Nov.  15,  *14. 

Mooreatown Feb.     2. 

Tituaville Feb.     6. 

New  York  City Feb.  11. 

OradeU Mar.     8. 

Trenton Mar.  28t 

Muldca  HilL Mar.  80. 

HiUadale. April    1. 

Waahington April   5. 

New  York  aty April  12. 

Englewood.  . July    3. 

Englewood July     7. 

Newark Aug.  12. 

Eatontown Aug.  15. 

Summit May  M. 

Dunellen June  12. 

Waahington April   5. 

Cream  Ridge June  16. 

Plainfield June  19. 

Montclair. June    9. 

Suaaex. July  13. 

Williamatown April  30. 

Weatwood June  10. 

New  Egypt June  20. 

LawrenoeviUe June    & 

New.  Brunawick July     9. 

Ridgewood '  JuQr  31. 

Hawthorne 'J&n.    14. 

Hoboken. 'July  12. 

RoaeUe  Park July  21. 

Glen  Ridge. Sept.  27. 

Phalanx March  3. 

Riverton June  28. 

Vineland. June  28. 

Riverton July     2. 

Eaat  Orange Sept.  28. 

Hoboken July  12. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


301 


HOMOPTERA— Continued 


Latin  Namb. 
Sduxoneura  lani^rara  Housm.  . 

Ttbicem  septendecim  L. 

IVphlocyba  rosa  L. 


Common  Namk.  Locautt. 
Wooly  Apple  Louae I  Elisabeth 

*•  **      iPattenburg 

Periodical  Cicada Dover 

"  **       Princeton 

Roee  Leaf  Hopper ISussex. 


HEMIPTERA. 


Anasa  trts'js  De  G jSquaah  Bug. 


Cicada  axyi  Groasb, 
(Smez  lectulariua  L. 


Leptobyrsa  explaoata  Held. 


Cicada. 
Bed  Bug. 


Pentatomids  1^  . 
Phymata 


Rhododendron  Lace  Bug. 
Stink  Bug 


^ Ambuah  Bug  , 

ReduviidsD  op '  Aasaasin  Bug. . 


Dover 

Freehold 

Engliahtown.  . . . 

Marlboro 

Somerville 

Morristovm.     . . . 

Hackenaaok 

New  York  City. . 

Croaswicks 

'New  Monmouth. 


Aeridide  ap 

Blattide  n> Cockroach 

t*  ft  ■        •« 


ORTHOPTERA 
Grasahoppers. 


Periplan&ta  americana  L.. 
Mjcroeentnim  so. . 


iSeweO 

iNewark. 

'Newark 

IPreehold, 

Paratenodera  sinensis  Sauss Chinese  Mantis 'Moorestown 

American  Cockroach jPhillipsburg.  .  . 

lElisabeth. .     .. 

Katydid iNew  York  City. 

'^  "Hopewell..  .... 

j  Vineland 

Garwood 

ITitusville 

ITitusville 

iThree  Bridges.  . 


Antibonomos  aignatus  Say. 


AnthrMius  scrophularis  L. 
Attasenus  pioeus  OHv.  .  . . 

Bruimus  pi8<»iim  L 

Br  chids  sp 

Carabids 

CluyaomeUdn 

Coecinellids 


Conotrachelos  nenuphar  Hbst. . 


Crioceris  asparagi  L.. 


CyDene  robinis  Forst 

Dermeates  lardarius  L 

Diabrotica  12-punctata  Oliv. 
vittato  Fab 


Drasterius  elegans  F&br. , 
Elatoidffi  n> 


Epitrix  oucumeris  Harris. 


Galarucella  luteola  MuU. 


COLEOPTERA. 
Strawberry  Weevil 


Buffalo  Beetle 

Black  Carpet  Beetle. 

Pea  Weevil 

Weevil 

Ground  Beetle 

Leaf  Beetle 

Lady  Bug 


Plum  CurcuHo. 


Asparagus  Beetle. 


Locust  Borer 

Larder  Beetle 

12-8pot'd  Cucumber  Beetle 
Striped  Cucumber  Beetle.  . 


Wire  Worm. 
Wire  Worm. 


PoUto  Flea  Beetle. . 

Flea  Beetle 

Elm  Leaf  Beetle 


Date. 
March  6. 
July  8. 
June  5. 
June  26. 
June    5. 


Mar.  26. 
Aug.  2. 
A^  21 
Aug.  14. 
A^l.24. 
Aug.  28. 
April  23. 
Sept  2. 
Oct.  20. 
Aug.  19. 


May 

July 

July 

July 

Oct. 

Mar. 

April 

Nov. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

April 

Oct 


Port  Norria Mar. 

Moorestown April 

Clifton May 

New  Brunswick May 

Federalsburg,  Md. May 

Moorestown June 

Louisville,  Ky June 

Gordon  Head,  Brit.  Col.    Oct. 

Collingswood July 

Bloomfield May 

New  Brunswick Jime 

Fanwood Dec. 

Plainfield July 

Moorestown April 

Moorestown April 

Summit May 

Glasaboro Mar. 

Berlin Mar. 

Somerville June 

Dunellen June 

Maplewood June 

Somerville July 

Bridgeport April 

TituaviUe June 

Summit May 

Millington May 

Berlin Mar. 

Marlton j  June 

Asbury  Park Aug. 

Paulsboro j^ept. 

Newton June 

Elmer 'Jan. 

Trenton May. 

■     ~  • "       ■  Oct. 

July 
Mar. 
Feb. 
May 
May 
Aug. 


No.  Caldwell. 
Montclair.  ... 

Berlin 

Toms  Rivo".  ., 
Bridgeton.  .  . 

Elizabeth 

New  Egypt . . 


5. 
24. 
10. 
23. 
25. 
25. 
15. 

28,  '14 
27. 

3. 
18. 

6. 
14. 
20. 


19. 
29. 

5. 
10. 
15. 
10. 
16. 
28. 

5. 

6. 
11. 

8,  *14. 
30. 
29. 
29. 
24. 

2 

6. 
10. 
12. 
18. 

3. 
28. 

9. 
24. 

7. 

6. 

3. 

6. 

2. 
25. 
26. 

8. 

5. 
20. 

3. 
22. 
14. 
15. 
31. 


ri 


Digiti 


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302  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


CJOLEOP I E  RA— Con  Liuued 


Latin  Namb. 

Ithyoerus  novaboraoeasis  Forst. 
Leptinotaraa  10-lineata  Say.  . . . 


Maerodactylua  subspinosus  Fabr . 


NodoDota  puacticollis  Say. . . . 

Odontata  nornii  Sm 

FliytoDomuB  punotatus  Fabr.  . 

PiModas  strobi  Peck 

Prionus  laticollis  Dm 

8M>6rda  oandida  Fab. 


Searabnids  sp.  (mostly  Lachnos. 
tema  fusca 
Froehl.  andL . 
arcuta    Sm.) 


Cyolooephala  immaoulata  Oliv. 
SoarabdBids  s^ 


Sool^us  rugulosua  Rata 

**        quadrispinoaus  Say. 


SoolsrtidflB  sp. 

Silvanufl  surinamensia  L. . . 


Tenebrioidea  mauretanica  L. . 
Xyleborua  aaxeseni. 


Common  Name. 
Colorado  Potato  Beetle.  . . 


Rose  Chafer. 


Clover  Leaf  Weevil 

White  Pine  Weevil 

Giant  Root  Borer 

Round  Headed  Apple  Tree 
Borer 


White  Gruba. 


Fruit  Bark  Beetle.  .  . . 
Hickory  Bark  Beetle.  , 


Bark  Beetlea 

Saw-toothed  Grain  Beetle. 

CadeUe 


Arohipa  arcyroapila  Wlk.  . 
"        "^ 


ArotiidflB  ap. 

Autographa  braaaicffi  Riley. 
Carpocarpaa  pomonella  L.. . 


Citheronia  regalia  Fabr 

Crambua  caliginoaellua  Clem . 

Datana  integerrima  G.  &  R.  . 
«•  •#  ti 

Deamia  f  uneralia  Hubner.  . . . . 
Eulia  pinatubana  Kearf 

*•  (4  «• 

Haliaidota  oarya  Harria.  . .    . . 


LEPIDOPTERA. 

Fruit  Tree  Leaf  Roller. .  . . 
Leaf  Roller 


LOCAUTT. 

Newfield 

Bridgeport 

EngUahtown 

Boonton 

Bridgeport 

Mt.  Holly 

Silverton 

Cape  May  Court  Houae. 

Lakewood 

Sicklerville 

Englewood 

Ridgewood 

Deal 

Upper  Montclair 

Mmington 

Bernardaville 

Lakehurat 

Oakhurat. 

Spott«wood 


Bedford. 


Vincentown 

Marlton 

New  York  aty 

Cape  May  Court  House. 

Tenafly. 

Englewood 

Eliaabeth 

Hackettatown. 

Scotch  Plaina. 

Eaat  Orange 

Stockton 

Rutherford. 

Merchantville. 

Trenton 

Rahway. 

Newton 

Rahway. 

Deal 

Paasaio. 

Pateraon 

Norma 

New  Brunawick 

Glen  Rock. 

Roeelle. 

Potteraville 

Oakhurat 

Englewood . . 

Freehold 

Red  Bank. 

Trenton 

Camden. 

Tuckahoe 


Flandera. .  . . 

Oakland 

Summit 

Lambe  tville. 
Millburn. . 


Cabbage  Looper.  ....    

Coddling  Moth. IPlainfield. 

*•  "    Merchantville.  . . 

"  "    iDelawanna.  .  . . . 

Elizabeth 

Trenton 

Newton 

Port  Monmouth. 

Tenafly. 

Grape  Leaf  Folder IPlainfield 

Pine-tube  Builder Bernardaville. .  . 

••       ••  ••       FarHilla 

Hickory  Tuaaock  Moth I  Bernardaville.  .  . 


Hickory  Horned  Devil.  .  . 
Corn-root  Web-worm.  .  . . 
Black  Walnut  Caterpillar. 


Date. 
May  27. 
May  13. 
June  16. 
June  24. 
May  3. 
May  4. 
May  10. 
May  26. 
June  8. 
June  14. 
June  16. 
June  16. 
June  18. 
June  30. 
June  16. 
Sept.  8. 
April  30. 
July  28. 
Dec.  16,  '14. 

Oct.   12. 


.  Feb. 

,  Mar. 

.  April 

.  April 

May 

May 

July 

July 

July 

July 

Aug. 

.  Aug. 

Sept. 

Sept. 

Sept 

Sept 

Sept. 

.  Oct 

.  Oct. 

.  Oct 

.  Oct. 

.  Oct. 

.  Jan. 

.  Aug. 

.  July 

.  Aug. 

.  Sept 

.July 

•  Aug. 

.  Oct 

.  Oct 

.  Oct 


15. 
20. 
26. 
29. 

12. 


27. 
27. 
28 
2L 
30. 
7. 
16. 

la 

21. 

2& 
6. 
7. 

10. 

18. 

21. 

11. 

14. 

16. 

13. 

36. 

21. 

11. 

13. 


.  Mar.  17. 
.May  18. 

.  May  24. 
.May  18. 
.  Nov.    8,  •14. 
.  April  10. 
.  April  22. 

Sept.  10. 
.  Oct.  18. 
.  Aug.  16. 
.  June  25. 

May  6. 
.  S^t.  16. 

May  25. 

July  la 

Oct    18. 

July  12. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


303 


LEPIDOPTERA— Continued. 


Latin  Namb. 
HeUothis  obaoletA  Fab.. 


Hemerocampa  leuoostigma  S.  &  A 


Hyphantria  eiinea  Dm 

Lapliy^ina  f ruj^iperda  8.  &  A . 

Leaeama  albilinea  Hbn. 

Loxofltege  similalis  Gn. 


Common  Namb. 


Corn  Ear  Worm. . 


Maeronoctua  onusta  Grote. Iris  Borer. . 


White-marked  Tussock 
Moth. 

White-marked  Tussock 
Moth 

White-marked  Tussock 
Moth 

White-marked  Tussock 

Fall  Web  Worm. 

Fall  Army  Worm 

Wheat-head  Army  Worm. 

Garden  Web  Worm 


Melalopha  indusa  Hbn 1 

Mehttia  satsrriniformis  Hbn.  . 


Neptieular  pomivorella  Pack. . 
Nootuidse  Bjf> 


Oxyptilus  periseelidaetylus  Fitch 

Paleaorita  Temata  Peck 

Papaipema  nitella  Gn. 


Phlegethontius  celeus  Hbn. 
PUyotsenia  rubisalis  Guen. . 

Sainia  oecropia  U 

Sanninoidea  exitiosa  Say.  . . 


Poplar  Tent  Maker. 
Squash-vine  Borer.  . 


Serpentine  Leaf  Minw. 
Cut  Worms  


Dorchester,  Mass 

Shelton,  Conn. 

Pemberton. 

Cape  May  Court  Housa  . 

Fauton 

Boston,  Mass. 


Malaoosontka  americana  Fab Apple-tree  Tent^CatorpiUar 


LOCAUTT. 


Grape  Plume  Moth. 


SpringCanker  Worm. 
Stalk  Borer 


PoUto  Hawk  Moth 

Greenhouse  I^eaf  Tyer. 

Cecropia  Moth 

Peach  Borer 


Mendham 

Woodcliff-on-Hudson . 

Trenton 

Freehold 

Jersey  City. 

Asburv  Park.  ....... 

New  Brunswick 

New  Brunswick 

Passaic 

Plainfield. 

Hackensack 

Hackettstown. 

Allendale 

Peapack. 

Pemberton 

Trenton 

ParkRidse 

WoodcliffLake 

MiUviUe 

Whippany. 

Philadelphia,  Pa 

Cookstown 

Summit. 

Passaic 

New  York  City 

Morristown 

Rivolon . 

Elisabeth 

Mil  ington 

New  York  City 

East  Orange 

BrooklynTN.  Y 

New  York  aty 

Basking  Ridge 

Peapack 

Allendale ... 

Cranbury 

Andover 

Rutherford 

Hackensack 

Springfield 

Berlin 

Woodbury 

Freehold 

Mickleton 

Oceanic 

Pemberton. 

Newark 

Ringoes 

Klberon 

Ancora. 

Westfield 

Madison 

Newton 

,Mt.  Holly. 

'  Rahway 

New  York  City 

Maywood 

I  Rutherford 

'Hoboken 

iLovettsville,  Va 

Bloomfield 

Paulsboro 

Ashland 

I  Burlington. 

iPaterson 


•14. 


•14. 


14. 


•14. 


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304         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


H  YMENOPTER  A— Conti  nued. 


Latin  Naioi. 
Sanninoldea  exitioaa  Say . 


j           CoiniON  Namb. 
, Peach  Borer 


Sibine  stimulea  Clem.  .  . 
Sitotroga  oerealella  OUv. 


SpKifigidf*  sp 

T^yiidopteiyx  ephemeneformis 

Steph. 


Tiaoheria  malifoliella  Clem. . 
Zeusera  pyrina  L 


Apis  mellif  era  L. . 


Callirhytis  orerator  O.  S. 

Dolerus  coUaris  Say 

FormioidoB  sp 


Lophyrus  leoonti  Fitch. . . . 
Magarhyssa  atrata  Fab.  .  . 
"  lunator  Fab.  . 

Neurotenis  batatus  Fitch. 
Priophonis  acericaulis 

MaoGillivray 

Priophorus  acericaulis 

MacGillivray 

TenthridinidsQ  sp 


Vespa  crabro  L. 


II         •• 


Saddle^back  Caterpillar. . 

<i  44  *  " 

Angumois  Grain  Moth. . . 


Sphinx  Moth.  . 
Bag  Worm.  . 


Trumpet  Leaf  Miner. 
Wood  Leo|>ard  Moth. 


HYMENOPTERA. 
Honey  Bee 


Wheat  Saw  Fly. 
Ants. 


I^  Conte's  Saw  Fly, 


Long-tailed  Ichneumon. . 


Maple  Petiole  Borer. . 

Saw  Fly '[ 

European  Hornet.  . . 


LOCAUTT. 

BerHn 

Ridgewood 

Taylorsville.  Pa.  . 

Haddonfield 

Irvington 

Sew^ 

Kingston 

Newark 

Sicklervilla  .  . . 

Newark 

Annandale 

Riegelsville. 

Orange. 

Hanovor 

Freehold 

Riverton. 

Rivoion 

Swedesboro. 

Camden 

Freehold 


Datb. 
Mar.  6. 
Mar.  28. 
April  16. 
AprU29. 
May  18. 
June  10. 
July  9. 
Sept.  7. 
Sept  18. 
Oct.  6. 
Oct.  18. 
Oct.  27, 
Aug.  9. 
Sept  18. 
Oct.  14. 
Sept  IL 
Sept  13. 
Sept  21. 
Oct  2& 
Oct    14. 


Toms  River 

Cranbury 

Elizabeth 

Elisabeth 

Westwood 

Newark. 

Pennington 

Oceanic. 

Jamaica  Plains,  Mass. . 

Cambridge,  Mass 

Hackensask 


Whippany. 
'^    dge 


Bridgeport 

Washington 

Clinton. 

Bloomsbury.  .  . . 

Montclair 

Hackensack. ... 

Berlin 

Bogota. 

Plwnfield 

Bordentown.  .  . 

Roselle 

Bloomfield 

Merchantville    . 

Plainfield 

Tuckahoe. . 
New  York  City. 
Ocean  Grove. 


Mar. 

June 
July 
July 
July 
Aug. 
Oct 
Nov. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
Aug. 

Nov. 

May 

June 

Aug. 

Sept 

April 

AMil 

Mar. 

April 

April 

April 

May 

May 

May 

June 

June 

June 

June 


8. 
15. 
10. 
19. 
23. 
12. 
12. 

4,  • 
17. 
23. 
11. 

4,  • 
13. 
2& 

7. 

6. 
21. 
28. 

6. 
17. 
20. 
29. 

8. 
26. 
21. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

8. 


.Westfield. 'June  : 

IJune  29 
July  10. 
July  28. 
Aug.  2. 
Aug.  4. 
Oct  12. 
Aug  3. 
July  10. 
July  24. 
June  16. 
July   12. 


Newark. 

Rutherford 

New  York  City 

Cranford 

Paterson 

New  Rochelle 

Chatham. 

Bornardsville. 

Hasbrouck  Heights. 

Salem 

Hoboken 


Tenafly. 


New  York  City. . 
Ridgewood.  .  . . . 
New  Brunswick. 

Petersburg 

Montclair 


June     1. 

June  8. 
May  29. 
July  9. 
July  10. 
Sept  26. 


SIPHONOPTERA. 


Ctenocephalus  canis  Curt Cat  and  Dog  Flea IChatham iJuly  27. 

" IPlainfield iJuly  29. 

•*        "     " iFreehold Oct.     7. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


305 


DIPTERA 


Latin  Namk. 
Addia  sua  vis  Loew  (7).  . 


Cecidomyia  carym,  O.  S 

"  carysecola  O.S 

"  pilulae  Walsh. 

tubicola  O.  S 

**  oxycoccana  Johns.  . 

viticola  O.  S 

Cecidomyia  sp 

CulicidsD  sp 


Common  Nam*. 


Cranberry  Tip  Worm. 


Mosc^ui 


LOCAUTT. 


EH  talis  tenax  L 

Homalomyia  sp.  .... 
Lasioptera  vitis  O.  S.. 


Lyperosia  irritans  L.  .••••■• 
Monarthropalpus  buxi  I^b. 
Musca  domeatica  L 


Horn  Fly 

Box  I^af  Miner. 
House  Fly 


Phorbia  brassicse  Bouche. 


Cabbage  MagRot. 


Phorbia  sp 

PoUenia  rudls  Fab. 


14. 


14. 


•14. 
•14. 
•14. 
•14. 
•14. 


Tabanus  sp. 


DeKalb, 

Cleveland,  O. 

Blackshear 

New  York  City 

Prout's  Neck,  Me 

Oranse 

Elizabeth 

Rutherford 

•Newark 

Raleigh.  N.  C 

Vineland 

New  York  City 

Drone  Fly Bordentown 

South  Orange 

Potato  Gall  on  Grape \V  oodbine 

•^  RosellePark 

Lakewood 

Newton    

Far  Hills 

Bayonne 

liayonne 

liayonne 

Detroit.  Mich 

Passaic 

Maitinsville 

Fianklin 

Rutherford 

New  York  aty 

Franklinville 

Middle  Village,  N.  Y.  .. 

Matawan     

Hahway 

Weston 

Cape  May  Court  House. 

Woodbine 

Paterson 

Riverton 

Elizabeth 

Boonton 

Tienton 

Hackettstown 

Onion  Maggot 'Leesburg 

'Newark 

Cluster  Fly j  Lebanon ... 

.  Horse  Fly. 


Haddonfield Oct.    6. ' 

V  ineland Mar.     1. 

Metuchen Aug.  13. 

Bernardsville June    2- 

Oceanic    Nov.    4, 

Metuchen Aug.  13. 

Hammonton June  13. 

Bridgeton July     6. 

Newton June    8. 

Bayonne Nov.  10, 

Bayonne Nov.  10, 

Bayonne Nov.  10, 

Erie Nov.  1 1, 

Bayonne Nov.  12, 

Boston,  Mass Feb.  27. 

Burlington April  16. 

Burlington June    2. 

Hinsdale,  111 June  26. 

Manchester,  Mass June  29. 

Ne^  Egypt July     1. 

",fu July     9. 

■    ~  July  10. 

July   15. 

July  22. 

Aug.    6. 

Aug.  13. 

Aug.  14. 

Aug.  16. 

Sept.    4. 

Sept.    9. 

Sept.  14. 

Sept.  17. 

JuV   14. 

Mar.     9. 

May  31. 

July  21. 

July  22. 

Sept.    7. 

Oct.    18. 

Nov.  10,  •U. 

Nov.  10,  '14. 

Nov.   10,  •14. 

May     6. 

June  18. 

June  23. 

Aug.     5. 

Aug.  13. 

Sept.  21. 

Oct.    11. 

Dec.     2.  •14. 

May   16. 

May  25. 

May  25. 

May  26. 

May  26. 

May  27. 

May  28. 

June    4. 

June    5. 

June    6. 

June    8. 

Feb.   12. 

July   18. 

iNov.  29,  ^14. 

Chester Sept.  12. 

F.lmer     IJune  28. 


Datb. 


Digiti 


ized  by  Google 


3o6  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

IIL 
INSECTS  OF  THE  TEAB. 

This  record  includes  all  species  except  mosquitoes  (they  are  treated 
in  a  special  section  of  this  report)  that  have  appeared  in  sufficient  num- 
bers to  excite  serious  attention. 

American  Tent  Caterpillar. 

{Malacosoma  americana  Harr.) 

Dark  broton  egg  mass  about  3/4  of  an  inch  long  surrounding  a  small 
ttoig  of  apple,  wild  cherry  and  other  trees  during  the  dormant  season  or 
a  white  web  of  varying  size  built  in  a  crotch  and  sheltering  brown  hairy 
caterpillars  in  the  spring  and  early  summer. 

The  season  of  1915  started  off  with  a  tremendous  outbreak  of  this 
species.  Centering  in  northeast  New  Jersey  the  outbreak  included  all 
the  northern  half  of  the  State  and  the  species  appeared  in  small  numbers 
throughout  the  southern  half.  The  danger  of  outbreak  was  forecasted 
by  scouting  the  State  for  egg  masses  and  testing  their  health  in  tne 
insectary.  Warnings  were  issued  and  citizens  given  opportunity  to  avail 
themselves  of  the  State's  anti-insect  laws. 

The  warnings  were  heeded  to  the  extent  that  many  persons  cleaned  up 
their  own  properties. 

In  Bergen  County  where  much  of  the  land  has  been  given  over  to 
urban  development  large  acreages  grown  up  to  wild  cherry  are  inter- 
spersed with  or  lie  adjacent  to  built-up  sections.  On  this  wild  cherry  a 
tremendous  brood  of  caterpillars  developed  and  after  consuming  the 
available  foliage  migrated  into  the  built-up  sections  consuming  the  foliage 
of  apple,  peach  and  garden  truck.  Under  such  conditions  as  these  the 
efforts  of  the  small  individual  land  holder  to  protect  his  property 
adequately  were  set  at  naught.  Fortunately,  such  conditions  did  not 
obtain  in  a  large  number  of  cases. 

The  outbreaks  of  1914  and  1915  have  shown  that  under  conditions 
where  food  is  exhausted  before  maturity  has  been  reached  the  caterpillars 
will  migrate  considerable  distances  in  search  of  food  and  that  at  such 
periods  they  will  consimie  foliage  which  at  other  times  they  would  refuse. 
The  general  life  history  and  habits  of  the  species  are  so  well  understood 
that  they  will  be  omitted  from  this  report. 

An  enormous  number  of  egg  masses  have  been  deposited  and  unless 
natural  enemies  or  weather  intervenes  an  outbreak  may  be  expected 
next  season. 

Waging  a  successful  fight  against  this  insect  involves  education  and 
organization;  education  of  the  people  in  the  infested  territory  in  the 
methods  which  tbe  individual  can  use  to  protect  his  plantings,  organiza- 
tion of  people  in  the  infested  territory  in  such  a  fashion  that  the  enforce- 
ment of  law  against  the  careless  and  recalcitrant  can  be  carried  out. 

Where  such  action  is  practicable,  children's  organization,  such  as  the 
boy  scouts,  should  be  utilized  to  remove  the  egg  masses  before  the  next 
growing  season  opens.  If,  however,  the  prevention  of  an  outbreak  is 
to  be  the  work  of  paid  mature  labor  the  hatching  of  the  caterpillars 
should  be  awaited  for  there  are  many  chances  that  the  eggs  or  cate^ 
pillars  which  hatch  from  them  may  be  destroyed  by  natural  forces  before 
the  webs  reach  the  size  of  a  man's  hand. 

Depending  upon  which  is  the  more  practicable  under  local  conditions 
the  webs  with  their  caterpillar  contents  should  be  cut  out  and  burned  up 
or  simply  crushed  where  they  hang  or  the  foliage  round  about  them 
sprayed  with  arsenate  of  lead  or  dusted  with  powdered  arsenate  of  lead 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  30^ 

in  such  a  fashion  that  the  leaves  will  be  covered  with  small  closely  set 
spots  of  the  poison.  The  best  results  are  likely  to  follow  the  application 
of  the  measuresr  of  control  throughout  a  continuous  area,  permitting  no 
nests  to  remain  within  its  limits.  Organized  community  action  is  the 
only  type  of  action  certain  to  bring  about  these  results. 

Apple  Plant  Lice. 

Small  dark-green  to  light  and  rosy  colored  lice  covering  the  opening 
buds  and  flower  stems  and  later  found  on  the  undersides  of  the  leaves  and 
upon  the  apples  causing  the  foliage  to  curl  and  the  apples  to  gww 
knotted  and  gnarled. 

The  American  tent  caterpillar  had  barely  made  a  good  start  when 
various  species  of  plant  lice  nad  begun  to  work.  Tne  season  was  coid 
and  the  lice  throve  while  their  principal  parasitic  enemies  did  not 
Soon  the  apple  foliage  began  to  curl  and  later  the  young  apples  to  shriveL 
and  grow  knotted  and  gnarled. 

Contrary  to  previous  experience  the  principal  species  was  the  rosy 
apple  louse  {Aphis  sorbi  Kaltenbach)  and  again  contrary  to  previous 
experience  with  apple  lice  they  proved  very  dlflacult  to  kill. 

The  life  history  of  the  rosy  apple  louse  is  much  like  that  of  the  green 
species  except  that  instead  of  staying  on  the  apple  tree  the  year  round  it 
migrates  probably  to  certain  species  of  plantains  and  returns  to  the 
apple  in  the  fall.  All  species  of  apple  plant  lice  (except  the  wooly)  pass 
the  winter  in  the  egg  state  on  the  smaller  branches  and  twigs  of  the  trees 
and  hatch  about  the  time  the  buds  open.  Until  recently  it  was  held  that 
the  best  time  to  destroy  the  young  lice  lay  between  the  opening  of  the 
buds  and  the  opening  of  the  blossoms. 

As  the  result  of  careful  and  rather  conclusive  studies  Parrott  and 
Hodgkiss  of  the  experiment  station  at  Geneva,  New  York,  reached  the 
conclusion  that  best  resiilts  follow  the  treatment  which  is  applied  just  as 
the  buds  are  beginning  to  show  green.  These  workers  hold  that  nicotine 
solutions,  oil  emiilsions,  and  soap  preparations  are  the  most  effective 
sprays.  They  advise  a  combination  of  winter  strength  lime  sulphur  and 
40  per  cent  nicotine  at  the  rate  of  3/4  of  a  pint  of  nicotine  to  100  gallons 
of  the  lime  sulphur.  By  this  combination  both  the  scale  and  the  plant 
lice  are  hit. 

In  the  1913  report  of  the  Entomologist  the  writer  called  attention  to 
the  fact  that  winter-strength  lime^sulphur  treatment  for  San  Jose  scale 
when  delayed  until  the  buds  were  swelling  would  destroy  the  green  apple 
aphis  {Aphis  mali  Fabr.)  provided  the  lice  had  hatched  and  the  buds 
had  not  yet  opened  sufficiently  for  them  to  find  shelter  under  the  scales. 

It  wo\ild  seem  that  this  stage  is  the  most  auspicious  for  apple  lice 
control  because  of  their  tender  condition,  providing  all  the  lice  are 
hatched  before  the  buds  open  sufficiently  for  them  to  crawl  under  the 
scales.  The  complete  success  of  the  method  hinges  directly  upon  this 
phase  of  their  life  history. 

Assuming  that  not  all  the  lice  do  hatch  before  the  buds  open  sufficiently 
to  allow  them  to  seek  shelter  the  following  facts  remain:  (1)  some  and 
perhaps  the  large  majority  do  hatch  before  shelter  can  be  had;  (2)  from 
95  to  98  per  cent  of  those  which  do  hatch  may  be  destroyed  by  the  com- 
bined winter-strength  lime-sulphur  and  40  per  cent  nicotine  combination, 
which  treatment  also  controls  the  San  Jose  scale;  (3)  such  lice  as  are 
left  may  be  hit  by  later  sprays  with  just  as  good  chances  of  success  as  if 
no  treatment  whatever  had  been  given  when  buds  began  to  show  green. 

If  the  grower  desires  to  take  every  possible  precaution  to  destroy  the 
lice  he  should  treat  the  trees  when  they  are  beginning  to  show  a  little 
green  with  winter-strength  lime-sulphur  to  which  40  per  cent  nicotine 
has  been  added  at  the  rate  of  1  part  of  the  nicotine  to  1000  parts  of  the 


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3o8  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

lime-sulphur.  The  mbcture  should  be  applied  with  sufDcient  care  to  coTer 
all  parts  of  the  tree,  particularly  the  twigs  and  smaller  branches.  Of 
course  this  treatment  will  serve  for  the  scale  as  well  as  the  lice.  Then 
he  should  keep  a  sharp  lookout  for  the  presence  of  lice  by  examining 
many  specimens  of  opening  buds  from  difiTerent  parts  of  the  orchard. 
If  the  lice  appear  between  the  opening  of  the  buds  and  opening  of  the 
blossoms  the  orchard  should  be  promptly  treated  with  a  mixture  com- 
posed of  40  per  cent  nicotine,  water  and  soap.  Contrary  to  the  recom- 
mendation emanating  from  other  sources  the  writer  believes  that  the 
nicotind  should  be  used  at  the  rate  of  1  part  to  500  parts  of  water  and 
should  have  soap  added  at  the  rate  of  2  pounds  to  fifty  g&llons.  It  is 
likely  that  the  40  per  cent  nicotine  added  to  the  scab  spray  at  this  time 
would  give  satisfactory  results.  The  most  complete  success  will  follow 
only  that  type  of  treatment  which  thoroughly  wets  all  the  lice. 

From  certain  work  done  several  years  ago  against  the  melon  louse 
{Aphis  gossypii  Glover)  the  writer  has  felt  that  best  results  in  spraying 
lice,  which  are  somewhat  protected  by  foliage,  follow  the  use  of  stronger 
nicotine  mixtures  than  those  which  are  usually  recommended.  His  belief 
that  stronger  mixtures  are  better  has  been  strengthened  by  the  present 
season's  experience. 

OUier  Plant  lice. 

The  cherry  louse  {Myzus  cerasi  Fabr.)  occurred  practically  everywhere 
the  domestic  cherry  was  grown  and  curled  the  leaves  badly.  There 
were  very  few  instances  in  which  the  pest  was  combatted  at  all.  This 
inactivity  was  probably  due  to  the  slight  importance  of  the  cherry  crop. 

Both  shade  and  forest  tree  lice  were  far  from  being  as  abundant  this 
year  as  last.  The  same  reduction  was  seen  in  the  species  infesting  bush 
fruits,  but  the  lice  on  truck  crops  were  much  worse  than  usual. 

Potato  lice  were  very  abundant  but  did  little  damage.  Tomatoes  were 
tremendously  infested  with  Aphis  rumicis  Linn.,  and  were  probably 
weakened  in  such  a  fashion  as  to  render  them  susceptible  to  the  mosaic 
disease  which  followed. 

Practically  no  spraying  for  control  of  the  potato  lice  was  undertaken 
but  some  successful  work  with  40  per  cent  nicotine,  water  and  soap  was 
carried  out  against  the  aphis  on  tomatoes.  The  most  practical  machine 
used  has  been  the  field  potato  sprayer.  Thorough  treatment  with  a  mix- 
ture composed  of  40  per  cent  nicotine  (1  part),  water  (500  parts)  and  soap 
at  the  rate  of  2  pounds  to  50  gallons  has  seemed  satisfactory. 

The  gooseberries  at  Mr.  Edward  Mechling's  place  near  Moorestown 
have  exhibited  both  this  season  and  last  a  most  remarkable  malforma- 
tion, which  is  apparently  due  to  the  work  of  plant  lice  of  the  species 
Aphis  houghtonensis  Troops.  This  species'  of  aphis  was  brought  to  atten- 
tion by  Mr.  James  Troop  who  found  it  in  the  summer  of  1904  on 
Houghton  gooseberries  near  the  city  of  Indianapolis,  Indiana.  Mr.  Troop 
does  not  attempt  to  describe  its  life  history  but  states  that  it  does  not 
colonize  on  other  varieties  of  gooseberry. 

Observations  made  by  the  writer  have  served  to  confirm  the  pest's 
reported  fondness  for  the  Houghton.  Thus  far  the  life  history  has  proved 
a  puzzle. 


^The  writer's  Uuinks  are  due  to  Mr.  John  J.  DatIs  for  identiilcaUoii  of  specimens. 
'Entomological  News,  Feb.  1906,  pp.  59-60. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  309 

Pear  Psylla. 

{Psylla  pyricola  Forst) 

Small  (1/10  of  an  in,  long)  reddish  hrown  fly-like  creatures  found  on 
the  trunks  and  branches  during  vxirm  days  in  late  fall  and  early  spring; 
small  (1/80  of  an  inch-\-)  yellow  nymphs  congregating  in  axils  of  leaf 
and  fruit  stalks,  and  later  spreading  over  the  undersides  of  the  leaves 
causing  the  tree  to  drip  honey-dew  and  later  to  take  on  a  dark  sooty  color. 

The  pear  psylla  has  recently  thrust  Itself  into  notice  by  troubling  In  a 
very  serious  manner  several  pear  growers  and  by  refusing  to  succumb 
to  the  usual  treatments.  Briefly  stated,  the  pear  psylla  winters  as  an 
adult  in  the  cracks  and  crevices  of  the  bark,  moves  about  more  or  less 
during  the  warm  spells  of  the  dormant  season,  lays  its  eggs  Just  before 
the  blossoms  open,  feeds  first  as  a  nymph  in  the  axils  of  the  leaf  and 
fruit  stalks,  then  spreads  over  the  under-sides  of  the  leaves,  and  reaches 
maturity.    It  is  thought  there  are  at  least  four  broods  a  season. 

The  damage  is  done  by  the  insect  robbing  the  tree  of  sap  and  food 
and  by  the  growing  of  a  black  mould  which  lives  upon  the  honey-dew 
produced  by  the  psylla. 

Successful  control  seems  to  involve  the  following  operations: 

1.  The  rough  bark  should  be  scraped  off  during  the  fall  and  winter, 
taking  care  not  to  injure  the  live  tissue.  The  scrapings  should  be 
gathered  and  burned,  in  order  that  all  hibernating  psylla  sheltering  in  it 
may  be  destroyed. 

2.  During  warm  days  in  late  fall  and  early  winter  or  late  winter  and 
early  spring  many  of  the  adult  psylla  are  crawling  about  over  the  bark« 
Thoroughly  spraying  the  whole  tree  before  leaving  it  for  another  at  this 
time  with  winter-strength  soluble  oil  or  with  40  per  cent  nicotine,  soap 
and  water  (1  pint  nicotine  to  SOO  parts  of  water  with  soap  at  the  rate  or 
1  ounce  to  the  gallon)  will  destroy  many.  The  liquid  must  not  freeze 
on  the  trees. 

3.  Thoroughly  spraying  with  winter-strength  lime-sulphur  Just  before 
the  blossom  buds  open  will  destroy  many,  perhaps  most  of  the  eggs. 

4.  Thoroughly  spraying  with  40  per  cent  nicotine,  soap  and  water 
win  destroy  all  the  n3rmphs  that  are  well  wetted.  Use  here  1  part  of 
nicotine  to  1000  parts  of  water  and  add  soap  at  the  rate  of  1  ounce  to  the 
gallon. 

During  the  last  two  years  in  the  experience  of  the  writer  no  one  of  the 
methods  has  by  itself  been  successful.  A  combination  of  the  first  three 
has  been  eminently  so. 

White  Grabs. 

Large  fleshy  white  grubs  tvith  dark-broum  heads,  brown  sprawlly  legs, 
enlarged  abdomen  and  bodies  that  curl  into  a  semi-circle;  found  in  the 
soil  about  the  roots  of  plants. 

Three  or  more  species  of  white  grubs  have  been  concerned  in  the  injury 
which  has  taken  place.  Collections  from  north  and  central  New  Jersey 
show  Lachnostema  fusca  Froehl  and  possibly  L.  arcuata  Smith  while 
those  from  the  southern  portlton  show  Cyclocephala  immaculata  Oliv. 
and  Polyphylla  varilosa  Hentz^.  Doubtless  the  first  species  is  the  one 
which  has  wrought  most  of  the  hann. 

Injury  by  white  grubs,  the  young  of  the  June  bug  and  to  some  extent 
of  the  rose  bug  has  been  very  noticeable  in  lawns,  golf  courses,  and 
strawberry  fields.  In  some  instances  the  sod  has  been  entirely  cut  loose 
from  the  soil  beneath.  In  most  cases  the  injury  has  appeared  in  spots 
only.  Strawberry  patches  in  many  instances  have  lost  more  than  60  per 
cent  of  their  plants. 

>The  species  were  determined  by  Mr.  John  J.  Davis. 


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3IO         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Brown  patches  in  lawna  and  golf  courses  during  the  past  season  have 
been  excellent  signs  of  grub  trouble.  Reddening  and  browning  of  straw- 
berry foliage  have  been  indication  of  the  work  of  white  grubs.  If  the 
spots  and  plants  thus  showing  injury  are  dug  up  and  carefully  examined, 
the  root  system  will  be  seen  to  be  partly  or  wholly  destroyed  and  white 
grubs  will  usually  be  found  in  the  soil. 

In  some  places  in  the  red  shale  soil  where  the  land  has  been  in  grass 
and  weeds  for  several  years  the  grubs  average  one  for  each  two  square 
foot  of  surface. 

The  infestation  by  white  grubs  is  sruch,  especially  in  view  of  their 
large  size,  as  is  not  likely  to  give  serious  trouble  next  season,  for  these 
almost  mature  grubs  will  do  only  a  little  feeding  next  summer  and  then 
pupate.  In  the  summer  of  1917  there  ought  to  be  a  large  emergence  of 
adults  and  in  1918  grub  injury  should  again  be  troublesome.  Natural 
enemies  or  unfavorable  weather  may,  of  course,  prevent  the  beetles  from 
appearing  in  large  numbers  or  may  destroy  their  progeny. 

While  methods  of  controlling  white  grubs  under  field  cropping  conditions 
have  been  fairly  well  worked  out,  practically  nothing  has  been  discovered 
to  prevent  their  work  on  lawns  and  golf  courses.  With  a  view  of  sup- 
plying this  lack  of  information  studies  of  control  measures  adapted  to 
th^se  conditions  have  been  undertaken.  An  account  of  the  study  and  its 
result  is  given  under  the  head  of  "White  Grub  Remedies." 

Rosebug. 

(Marcodactylus  suhspinosus  Fabr.) 

Light'hrotpn  beetles  (1/2  in.  in  length)  with  long  spint/  sprawly  legs 
appearing  in  early  summer  and  feeding  vora^ously  upon  roses,  sassafroM, 
apple,  and  many  other  trees  and  shruts. 

While  the  young  of  this  insect,  which  resembles  a  white  grub,  has  done 
a  considerable  amount  of  harm  to  lawns  in  South  Jersey,  the  adults 
seemed  to  have  done  still  more  harm.  At  times  during  the  rose  bug 
season  the  beetles  fairly  filled  the  air.  Rose  bushes,  sassafras,  apple 
trees,  grape  vines  and  berry  bushes  have  suffered  most  of  the  damage  but 
com  in  some  cases  has  been  partly  destroyed. 

The  southern  part  of  the  State  suffered  most  but  the  bugs  were  pres- 
ent in  sufficient  numbers  to  occasion  complaint  throughout  the  central 
portion.  Practically  no  reports  were  received  from  the  northern  part  of 
the  State. 

On  the  farm  of  Mr.  John  H.  Barclay  near  Cranbury  the  pest  assumed 
serious  proportions  on  a  variety  of  apple  known  as  Duchess.  Curiously 
enough  none  of  the  other  varieties,  which  were  Mcintosh  Red,  Twenty 
Ounce  Pippin,  Stayman  Winesap,  Rome  Beauty,  Greening,  and  Fall  Pip- 
pin, were  touched.  There  were  three  rows  of  Duchess — ^two  on  one  side 
of  the  orchard  and  one  on  the  other.  There  were  scattering  trees  of  this 
variety  mixed  through  rows  of  other  varieties.  In  every  instance  the 
beetles  picked  out  the  Duchess.  Some. studies  of  control  measures  were 
made  in  the  course  of  which  the  carbolic  acid-whale  oil  soap  mixture, 
powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulphur,  and  self-boiled  lime-sulphur  were 
tried.  An  account  of  the  results  is  given  under  the  head  of  "Rosebug 
Remedies." 

Flee  Beetles.  F""* — •  =»^  ^"^ —  i 

(Epitrix  sp.) 
Bmall  (size  of  a  pin  head)  black  beetles  found  on  potatoes,  tomatoes 
and  various  solanaceae;  they  jump  like  fleas  and  fill  the  leaves  uHth  small 
irregular  holes. 

Never  in  the  writer's  experience  have  the  flea  beetles  (Epitrix  cucum- 
eH9  Harr.)  been  go  abundant.    The  potato  foliage  was  filled  with  holee 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  311 

before  the  planta  were  six  inches  high  and  on  at  least  two  other  periods 
tlie  amount  of  fenestration  was  large.    Tomato  foliage  suffered  severely. 

Treatments  of  various  sorts  as  will  be  set  forth  in  the  section  devoted 
to  the  investigation  of  this  insect  showed  that  home-made  Bordeaux  mix- 
ture eliminated  about  50  per  cent  of  the  injury. 

Anny  Wonn. 

(Leucania  unipuncta  Harv.) 

Dark-gray  to  dingy-black  plump  caterpillars  with  three  narrow  yellouHah 
Mtripes  above  and  a  slightly  broader  and  darker  one  at  each  side;  usually 
occurring  in  large  numbers  in  grass  lands,  cultivated  fields  and  lawns; 
feeds  almost  entirely  at  night  except  when  food  becomes  exhausted  then 
migrates  in  armies  and  feeds  in  broad  day  destroying  grass  and  similar 
vegetation  as  it  goes. 

The  army  worm  has  this  year  been  practically  absent  Absolutely  no 
complaints  of  serious  injury  were  received  and  no  cases  were  observed. 
Both  the  moths  and  the  larvs  were  occasionally  found.  This  is  quite 
in  accord  with  the  common  experience  with  this  insect — a  year  of  great 
abundance  is  usually  followed  by  a  year  of  scarcity. 

Angoumols  Grain  Moth. 

{Sitotroga  cerealella  Oliv.) 
Small  (1/4  in,  long)  clap  colored  moths  almost  totally  unthout  color 
markings^  found  flying  about  or  resting  on  the  walls  and  grain  of  bins 
and  granaries  or  small  (1/5  in.  or  less)  white  larvce  enclosed  in  com  or 
wheat  grains. 

For  the  first  time  in  several  years  the  angoumois  grain  moth,  locally 
known  as  the  "fiy  weevil/'  appeared  in  sufficient  numbers  to  occasion 
complaint  The  damage  seems  to  have  occurred  mostly  along  the  Dela- 
ware River  from  Trenton  south  and  the  principal  crop  suffering  harm  has 
been  com,  although  some  damage  to  wheat  has  been  reported.  Doubtless 
the  limiting  of  injury  mainly  to  com  is  connected  with  the  fact  that 
comparatively  very  little  wheat  is  grown  in  that  section. 

As  might  be  expected  from  a  knowledge  of  the  angoumois  grain  moth's 
habits  the  seed  com  stored  in  warm  places  and  that  part  of  the  1914 
crop  held  over  during  the  summer  of  1915  have  been  the  grain  damaged. 
The  fact,  which  by  the  way,  is  borne  out  by  this  year's  experience,  that 
com  is  not  seriously  attacked  until  the  summer  following  the  one  in 
which  it  is  grown,  except  when  stored  in  heated  buildings,  narrows  the 
problem  of  protection  in  a  highly  satisfactory  fashion. 

To  prevent  injury  to  hold-over  com  it  is' necessary  to  store  the  new 
crop  in  an  uninfested  place  considerably  removed  from  possible  sources 
of  infestation  or  to  provide  means  of  regular  fumigation.  To  prevent 
Injury  to  com  stored  in  heated  buildings  adequate  provision  for  fumiga- 
tion must  be  made. 

To  carry  out  the  first  method  it  is  necessary  to  prepare  a  new  crib  or 
to  clean  out  the  old  one  together  with  the  surrounding  sources  of  infesta^ 
tion.  Cleaning  out  the  old  crib  is  a  matter  of  removing  all  grain  and 
thoroughly  freeing  all  cracks  and  crevices  from  grain  accumulations  and 
dusts  about  30  days  before  the  new  crop  is  to  be  stored.  Cleaning  out 
other  sources  of  infestation  refers  to  other  grain  accumulations  in  the 
same  building  or  other  near-by  structures  in  the  same  manner  as  that 
prescribed  for  the  crib  itself.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  is  likely  under 
ordinary  farm  conditions  to  prove  difficult  if  not  impracticable  to  clear 
tip  the  crib  and  other  sources  of  infestation. 


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312  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

To  carry  out  the  fumigation  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  the  crib 
sufficiently  separate  from  other  buildings  to  permit  its  complete  enclosure 
by  a  tarpanlin.  With  this  sort  of  arrangement  the  farmer  has  meieiy  to 
cover  hia  crib  and  fumigate  whenever  the  weevils  appear  in  sufficiently 
numbers  to  render  the  treatment  necessary.  Com  stored  In  heated 
buildings  is  usrually  small  in  quantity  and  can  therefore  be  easily  enclosed 
in  a  tight  box  and  fumigated  whenever  infestation  appears. 

The  best  fumlgant  is  carbon  bisulphide.  Details  concerning  its  use  are 
published  in  the  Station  circulars  and  may  be  obtained  on  request. 

Bnropean  Pine-^oot  Moth. 

{Evetria  huoliana  Schiff.) 

Dark  hroum  larvw  with  deep  hlack  head  and  thoracic  shield  found 
inside  dead  and  dying  terminal  shoots  of  pine;  presence  indicated  by 
sickly  look  of  shoot  and  mass  of  gum. 

This  insect  which  was  first  observed  by  the  writer  in  the  early  summer 
of  1913  on  pine  shoots  sent  in  from  Long  Island,  has  appeared  in  large 
numbers  on  Imported  nursery  stock.  In  the  course  of  his  duties  tiie 
assistant  to  the  State  Entomologist,  Mr.  Harry  B.  Weiss,  found  a  sur- 
prising infestation  on  seven  shipments  from  Holland.  As  many  as  ten 
Infested  buds  were  found  on  a  single  small  plant.  Unfortunately,  the 
species  seems  to  have  been  established  in  the  State  for  several  years. 

The  pine-shoot  moth  is  a  well  known  pest  of  the  pine  in  Europe  and 
annually  causes  serious  damage  by  eating  out  and  destroying  the  terminal 
buds.  This  results  in  a  distortion  of  the  tree's  growth,  preventing  the 
formation  of  good  straight  trunks.  The  insect  confines  its  attention  to 
conifers  and  the  problem  of  its  control  in  North  Jersey  is  therefore  com- 
paratively simple,  being  merely  a  question  of  protecting  pines  growing 
.  under  cultivation.  In  South  Jersey,  however,  the  question  of  control 
may  prove  to  be  very  difiTerent  While  the  conmion  species  of  pine  in 
South  Jersey  are  not  listed  among  its  food  plants,  no  one  can  say 
whether  it  will  under  our  conditions  attack  them  successfully. 

Pruning  ofT  the  infested  buds  in  the  spring  when  they  are  easily  seen 
and  still  contain  the  larvae,  and  destroying  them  with  fire  is  the  best 
method  of  control  thus  far  discovered.  Cutting  in  the  fall  is  effective  but 
is  attended  with  more  difficulty  for  the  infested  buds  are  harder  to  detect 
at  that  season  than  they  are  in  the  spring. 

The  European  Mole  Cricket. 

{Qryllotalpa  gryllotalpa  Linn.) 

Large  (2  in,  in  length)  cricket-like  creatures  found  in  the  soil  and  tun- 
nelling hither  and  thither  cutting  off  the  sterna  and  roots  of  plants. 

For  several  years  at  Rutherford  tunnelling  by  some  creature  other 
than  moles  and  mice  has  been  noted.  The  tunnels  range  from  1/4  to  1  inch 
in  diameter  and  perforate  the  soil  in  every  direction.  This  season  the 
agent  was  discovered  by  Mr.  Weiss  to  be  a  large  mole  cricket,  which  was 
later  determined  by  Mr.  J.  A.  G.  Rehn  as  the  European  mole  cricket. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  species  is  regarded  by  Curtis  and 
others  as  a  serious  pest  in  many  parts  of  Europe  where  it  appears  in 
early  summer  "in  myriads"  and  "nothing  in  the  herbaceous  way  is  proof 
against  Its  ravages." 

The  life  history  of  this  mole  cricket  has  been  well  known  for  many 
years.  At  the  beginning  of  summer  the  female  constructs  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  her  burrows  a  nest  about  6  inches  below  the  surface.  It  is  shaped 
like  a  bottle  with  a  curved  neck,  2  inches  long  and  1  inch  wide.  The 
neck  of  the  bottle  communicates  with  the  surface,  300  to  400  eggs  are  laid 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  313 

in  it  and  the  entrance  closed.  The  oval  brownish-yellow  eggs  hatch  in 
July  and  August,  about  one  month  after  they  are  laid,  and  the  young 
mole  crickets  begin  to  feed  on  the  tender  roots  of  plants  whether  grass 
or  vegetables.  At  thd  end  of  about  one  month  after  hatching  the  group 
disperses. 

Maturity  is  reached  the  following  spring  after  which  they  pair  and  lay 
eggs.    Winter  is  passed  in  the  soil. 

Many  measures  of  control  have  been  suggested  by  various  European 
students,  among  which  may  be  mentioned  that  of  digging  in  September 
three  or  four  pits  per  500  to  600  square  yards,  each  two  or  three  feet 
deep  and  a  foot  wide,  filling  them  with  horse  dung  and  covering  them 
with  soil.  The  mole  crickets  apparently  attracted  by  the  warmth  con- 
gregate in  thes-e  pits  on  the  first  frost  and  may  be  easily  destroyed. 

Whether  the  life  history  or  measures  of  control  will  be  the  same  in 
this  country  as  in  Europe  is  a  question  which  only  time  and  investigation 
can  ansrwer. 

Lawn  Ants. 

Ants  that  infest  lawns  and  golf  courses  have  been  unusually  trouoiesome 
this  season.  Many  cases  in  which  the  grass  has  been  destroyed  have 
come  to  our  notice.  The  species  principally  concerned  is  a  small  reddish 
brown  ant  iTetramorium  cespitum  Linn.)  which  constructs  small  hills 
ranging  from  1  to  2  inches  at  their  bases,  each  of  which  centers  at  a 
burrow  about  1/4  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  In  some  cases  6  to  10  of  these 
ant  hills  could  be  counted  on  a  square  foot  The  damage  did  not  stop 
with  the  destruction  of  the  grass,  but  the  species  made  its  way  into 
houses  and  infested  such  sweet  materials  as  it  could  find.  The  sugar 
syrup  and  tartar  emetic  described  in  the  last  edition  of  Bulletin  No.  203 
proved  very  successful  in  repelling  house  invasions. 

Onion  Thrips. 

(Thrips  tabaci  Linden.) 
Very  small  (1/25  in,  long)  slender,  dark-colored,  slowly-moving  crea- 
tures that  appear  when  the  onion  leaves  are  pulled  away  frovi  the  stem; 
usually  quite  distinct  against  the  white  hack  ground  of  the  separated 
stem  or  leaf;  presence  indicated  hy  small  whitening  spots  in  the  leaves. 

This  insect  is  playing  a  large  part  in  onion  culture.  It  was  stated  to 
the  writer  by  Mr.  Frank  H.  Hall  of  the  Campbell  Soup  Co.,  that  the 
growing  of  onions  from  seed  had  been  practically  eliminated  by  the 
thrips.  Everywhere  throughout  the  southwestern  part  of  the  State  evi- 
dence of  its  work  on  onions  grown  from  sets  could  be  detected.  It  seems 
obvious  that  either  the  measures  of  control  worked  out  for  this  insect  are 
inadequate  or  that  the  grower's  utilization  of  them  is  very  unsatisfactory. 

From  the  writer's  observation  he  is  inclined  to  believe  that  the  trouble 
lies  primarily  in  the  use  of  measures  of  control  in  the  proper  fashion. 

Cabbage  Maggot. 

iPhorhia  hrassicw  Bouche.) 
Smxtll  (S/16  in.  long)  white  maggots  either  tunnelling  in  the  roots  of 
cabhage  or  engaged  in  skinning  them;  indication  of  presence  is  lack  of 
growth f  wilting  and  death;  best  test  for  presence  is  careful  examination 
of  the  roots  of  the  injured  plant. 

This  year  the  cabbage  maggot  appeared  in  exceptionally  large  numbers 
and  did  much  harm.  It  seemed  as  if  the  growers  have  had  so  little 
difficulty  In  recent  years  that  they  have  ceased  to  trouble  themselves 
about  measures  of  control.    As  a  consequence  the  first  Intimation  of 


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314         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE  I 

trouble  came  after  the  plants  were  well  along  and  the  maggots  buried 
in  the  roots.  Unfortunately  all  studies  of  the  subject  have  shown  that 
remedies  at  this  stage  are  practically  useless. 

Carbon  bisulphide  fumigation  of  the  soil  about  the  roots  followed  by 
the  use  of  quick  acting  fertilizer  was  tried  but  with  slight  success.  The 
carbolic  acid  emulsion  was  also  tried  but  without  encouragement 

It  should  be  remembered  by  cabbage  and  cauliflower  growers  that  suo^ 
cessful  treatments  begin  shortly  after  the  plant  is  set  out 

Garden  Webworm. 

{Loxostege  similalis  Gn.) 

Black-dotted,  slightly-hairy  caterpillars  varying  in  color  from  pale 
through  greenish  yellow  to  dark-yellow^  feeding  upon  pigweed  (Amaran- 
thus  Bpp.Jy  alfalfa  and  various  kinds  of  garden  truck. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  season  this  insect  appeared  in  the  guise  of 
an  alfalfa  pest  In  most  instances  it  was  present  in  ever  widening 
patches  scattered  oyer  the  field.  The  plants  were  defoliated  and  threat* 
ened  with  destruction.  The  extent  of  territory  covered  was  such  as  to 
forbid  local  work.  Accordingly,  the  infested  fields  were  sprayed  with 
potato  sprayers,  using  3  pounds  of  lead  arsenate  of  50  gallons  of  water 
and  using  about  100  gallons  to  the  acre.  The  worms  were  promptly 
destroyed  by  this  treatment 

Maple  Leaf  Stem  Miner. 

{Priophorus  acericaulis  MacGillivray.) 

Small  white  larva  found  mining  out  the  petiole  of  maple  and  causing 
the  leaf  vnth  the  infested  petiole  to  fall  from  the  tree. 

This  injurious  saw  fiy  appears  to  be  on  the  increase,  two  new  localitiea 
being  found.  It  has  now  been  taken  at  Hackensack,  Bloomfield*  Mont- 
dair,  and  Englewood.  Kerosene  emulsion  was  applied  to  the  soil  as  the 
larvae  were  entering  it  in  1914  and  the  past  summer  has  shown  no 
appreciable  effect 

Wheat-Head  Army-Worm. 

(Leucania  albilinea  Hbn.) 

Smooth  greenish  or  hrovmish  striped  caterpillar,  an  inch  or  more  in 
length,  feeding  upon  the  heads  of  wheat  and  timothy. 

This  species  was  reported  from  two  localities — Newton  and  New 
Brunswick — ^not  as  working  upon  wheat  but  timothy.  Parts  of  the  field 
examined  showed  the  heads  completely  stripped.  Damage  by  this  insect 
is  unusual  and  ordinarily  accomplished  before  the  grower  becomes  aware 
of  its  presence. 

Periodical  Cicada. 

Brood  No.  VI  of  the  periodical  cicada  which  is  listed  as  occurring  in 
small  numbers  in  the  State  was  represented  by  very  small  numbers, 
specimens  being  taken  at  Cranford,  Upper  Monclair,  Oak  Ridge  and 
Princeton. 

Pitted  Ambrosia  Beetle. 

(Corthylus  punctalissimu^  Zinlm.) 

This  ambrosia  beetle,  which  has  been  recorded  from  Eagle  Rock  and 
Cape  May  County,  being  taken  at  the  later  place  in  the  roots  of  huckle- 
berries has  this  year  been  found  by  Mr.  Weiss  in  rhododendrons  Kalmda 
latifoHa  and  Azalea  mollis  at  Somerville. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  315 

The  work  of  the  insect  is  indicated  by  a  yellowing  of  the  leaves.  The 
yellowed  leaves  wilt  and  drop  off  the  plant  The  dead  stems  break  off 
near  the  surface  of  the  ground  where  the  tunnelling  occurs. 

This  beetle's  attacks  appear  to  be  confined  to  shaded  localities  where 
there  is  an  abundance  of  mulch.  The  species  is  known  to  attack  sugar 
maple,  sassafras,  dogwood,  hazel,  huckleberry,  water  beech,  ironwood  and 
rhododendrons. 

The  only  remedy  seems  to  be  that  of  cutting  and  burning  the  infested 
stems  taking  care  to  see  that  the  whole  stem  is  secured  and  a  part  not 
left  in  the  ground. 

BiiseellaiieoiiB. 

To  a  certain  extent  the  tabulated  list  of  insect  correspondence  seems 
to  give  a  notion  of  the  miscellaneous  species.  Many  species,  however,  do 
a  type  of  work  which  is  so  common  in  character  or  so  small  in  amount 
that  no  one  will  write  in  concerning  it.  The  list  which  follows  is  based 
on  direct  observation  both  of  the  writer  and  Mr.  Harry  B.  Weiss. 

Tetranychus  himaculatuSt  Harvey,  the  red  spider  was  scarce,  probably 
because  extraordinary  amount  of  rainfall. 

EuJecanium  tuUpiferae  Cook,  the  tulip  soft  scale,  seems  to  be  decreasing, 
being  less  abundant  this  year  than  last 

Lepidosaphes  ulmi  Linn.,  the  oyster  shell  scale  has  continued  to 
Increase,  especially  in  the  nurseries  where  it  was  found  on  comus,  snow- 
berry  and  spirea  as  well  as  its  usual  food  plants. 

Leptohyrsa  explanata  Held.,  the  rhododendron  lace  bug,  was  plentiful 
on  rhododendrons  throughout  the  State.  A  related  species  was  taken  at 
Palmyra,  Arlington,  Rutherford  and  Nutley.  It  has  not  yet  been  deter- 
mined. 

Phenacoccus  acericola  King,  the  maple  false  scale,  has  been  scarce 
during  the  present  season. 

Pulvinaria  innumerahilis  Rathv.,  the  cottony  maple  scale  was  rarely 


Toumeyella  pini  King,  a  species  of  scale  new  to  New  Jersey,  waff  found 
on  pine  in  the  woods  at  Asbury  Park  on  July  26th,  seriously  damaging 
a  few  trees.    The  needles  badly  infested  by  the  scale  drop  off. 

Trioza  tripunctata  Fitch,  the  bramble  flea  louse,  was  found  on  July  7th 
seriously  damaging  blackberries  of  black  diamond  variety  at  Cologne  and 
Hammonton. 

Oalerucella  luteola  Mull.,  the  elm  leaf  beetle  was  seen  at  Plainfleld, 
July  14th,  Princeton  July  12th,  Rahway  July  13th,  Summit  June  21st,  and 
fiackettstown  July  6th.  The  damage  in  most  cases  was  slight  but  the 
species  was  generally  present 

Oastroidea  cyanea  Mels.,  one  of  the  leaf  beetles,  has  this  year  been  on 
the  increase  on  poplar  and  willow  at  Rutherford,  Irvington  and  other 
points  in  North  Jersey. 

Molasoma  scripta  Fabr.,  a  leaf  beetle  on  poplar  was  found  July  23rd 
and  later  at  MerchantviUe,  Pensauken,  Camden,  Rutherford  and  Bridgeton. 

Baperda  Candida  Fabr.,  the  round  headed  apple  tree  borer,  was  taken 
In  small  numbers  in  an  orchard  at  Freehold  on  June  24th. 

Tricho1>ari8  trinotata  Say,  potato  stalk  borer,  was  reported  by  BenJ. 
Barrett  as  injuring  tomatoes. 

Alypia  octomacuJata  Fabr.,  was  numerous  on  grape  vines  at  Secaucus, 
Homestead  and  Jersey  City. 


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3i6         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

AnUota  senatoria  Sm.  &  Abb.,  occurred  in  small  numbers  on  oak  in 
South  Jersey. 

Hemileuca  maia  Dru.,  was  seen  in  large  numbers  on  oak  at  Alloway, 
May  31st 

Ceratomia  catalpa  Bdv.,  the  catalpa  sphinx,  has  been  fairly  abundant. 
This  species  was  chiefly  interesting  becaust;  it  seemed  almost  totally  free 
from  parasitism. 

Crambiis  vulvivagellus  Clem.,  corn-root  web-worm,  was  found  at  work 
on  July  15th  at  Oak  Ridge.  The  Infested  land  had  been  in  sod  for  several 
years  just  preceding  the  planting  of  corn.  Similar  conditions  obtained 
on  a  farm  near  Newton. 

Macronoctua  onusta  Grt.,  was  found  rarely  this  season. 

Rhagoletis  pomonella  Walsh,  the  apple  maggot,  was  observed  on  tlie 
farm  of  Mr.  Harold  Hornor  at  Mount  Holly.    The  infestation  was  slight. 

IV. 

INVESTIGATIONS. 

Mushroom  Spring-tail. 

Early  in  December,  1914,  our  attention  was  called  to  trouble  Mr.  Jacobi 
of  Irvington  was  having  with  the  mushroom  spring-tail  {Achoreute* 
armatum,  Nicolet  et  al.),  and  were  requested  to  see  what  could  be  done 
towards  remedying  the  condition. 

Although  the  best  way  of  avoiding  the  work  of  the  insect  is  found  in 
the  practice  of  sterilizing  the  soil  and  manure  and  the  securing  of  dean 
spawn,  the  fact  that  the  insect  was  already  established  in  made-up  beds 
and  likely  to  do  much  harm,  led  us  to  try  out  a  soil  treatment  with  car- 
bon bisulphide. 

On  December  12th  a  preliminary  experiment  was  set  by  the  wriier  on 
a  badly  infested  bed.  Two  of  the  plots  were  approximately  a  square 
yard  each  and  the  other  about  4  square  feet.  The  small  plot  was  desig- 
nated as  A  and  had  numerous  mushrooms  on  its  surface;  the  others 
designated  as  B  and  C  respectively  showed  no  growth  above  the  soil. 

Plot  A  was  treated  with  the  carbon  bisulphide  at  the  rate  of  1  ounce 
to  the  cubic  foot.  Holes  2^  inches  deep  were  made  at  points  12  in.  apart 
and  the  liquid  poured  into  each  of  them  closing  each  as  soon  as  its 
charge  was  introduced. 

Plot  B  was  treated  with  carbon  bisulphide  at  the  rate  of  1/2  ounce  to 
the  cubic  foot  and  plot  C  with  1  ounce  to  the  cubic  foot 

Check  plots  were  interpolated  between  the  treatments. 

The  temperature  of  the  air  in  this  cellar  ranged  from  50  to  55 ^'F  and 
the  moisture  of  the  soil  was  high. 

On  December  14th  the  treatments  were  examined  by  Mr.  Rlcharoson 
with  the  following  results: 

Plot  A.    All  spring-tails  dead;  mushrooms  softened. 

Check  between  A  &  B.    All  spring-tails  alive. 

Plot  B.    All  spring-tails  dead. 

Check  between  B  &  C.    All  spring-tails  alive. 

Plot  Ct    AU  Bpring-tftUe  d^ad. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  317 

On  December  18th  the  treatments  were  again  examined  and  with  the 
I'oUowing  results: 

Plot  A.    All  spring-tails  dead;  no  mushroom  growth;  cellar  45 ^'F. 

Check,  all  spring-tails  alive;  no  mushroom  growth. 

Plot  B.    All  spring-tails  dead;  no  mushroom  growth. 

Check,  all  spring-tails  alive;  no  mushroom  growth. 

Plot  C.    All  m^ring-tails  dead;  no  mushrooms. 

On  December  2l8t  the  treatments  were  again  examined  and  with  the 
following  results: 

Plot  A.    Not  examined  for  spring-tails;  no  mushrooms. 

Check         "  "  "  "  two      " 

Plot  B.    Spring-tails  all  dead;  three   " 

Check,  not  examined  for  spring-tails;  two 

Plot  C    "  "  "  "  no 

Check  between  C  and  the  wall  no       " 

Thus  it  appeared  that  1/2  ounce  of  carbon  bisulphide  to  the  cubic  foot 
kills  the  spring-tails  and  does  not  damage  the  mushrooms.  It  also 
appeared  that  1  ounce  to  the  cubic  foot  is  injurious  to  the  mushrooms. 

The  examination  of  the  14th  served  to  demonstrate  that  the  minimum 
dosage  for  the  spring-tail  had  not  been  found.  Accordingly  a  new  set 
of  exi>eriments  was  set  by  Mr.  Richardson  on  December  15th.  Three  plots, 
each  7.7  square  feet,  were  treated,  the  first  with  1  ounce  to  the  cubic  foot, 
the  second  with  1/2  ounce  to  the  cubic  foot,  the  third  with  1/4  ounce  to 
tlie  cubic  foot,  the  fourth  with  1/8  of  an  ounce,  and  the  fifth  with  1/10 
of  an  ounce.  A  check  plot  was  interpolated  between  each  pair  of  treated 
plots.  The  carbon  bisulphide  was  placed  in  holes  5  to  7  inches  deep. 
The  plots  were  examined  on  December  16th  with  the  following  results: 

Plot  No.  1.      All  spring-tails  dead. 

Check  No.  1.     "  "  alive. 

Plot  No.  2.         "  "  dead. 

Check  No.  2.     "  "  alive. 

Plot  No.  3.  Many  spring-tails  dead  in  compost;  many  alive  in  surface 
soil;  not  as  many  present  as  in  Plot  No.  2. 

Check  No.  3.    All  spring-tails  alive. 

Plot  No.  4.  Some  spring-tails  dead  in  compost;  some  alive  in  surface 
soil. 

Check  No.  4.     All  spring-tails  alive. 

Plot  No.  5.    Some  dead;  some  alive. 

Check  No.  5.    All  alive. 

On  December  18th  the  treatments  were  again  examined,  and  with  the 
following  results: 

Plot  No.  1.      All  spring-tails  dead;  no  mushroom  growth. 

Check  No.  1.    "  "  alive;    " 

Plot  No.  2.     .  "  "  dead;  4            "        to  the  sq.  ft. 

Check  No.  2. '  "  "  alive;  5-1/2 

Plot  No.  3.        "  "  dead;  1 

Check  No.  3.    "  "  alive;  1/2 

Plot  No.  4.        "  "  "       7 

Check  No.  4.    "  "  "        4 

Plot  No.  5.    Some  alive;  sopae  d^a^;  HP  Tnushroopas. 


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3i8         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Check  No.  5.    All  alive;  2-1/2  mushrooms  to  the  sq.  ft 
On  December  21st  the  following  results  were  obtained: 


Plot  No.  1. 

5  mushrooms  to  the  sq.  ft 

Check  No.  1. 

2 

ft     tf      ft     It 

Plot  No.  2. 

6 

tt     tt     tt     tt 

Check  No.  2. 

12 

tt     It     tt     ft 

Plot  No.  3. 

0 

•»      It      *t      tt 

Check  No.  3. 

7 

tf     ft     tt      tt 

Plot  No.  4. 

8 

tt     »»      tt      tt 

Check  No.  4. 

11-1/2  " 

tt      tt      tt     tt 

•Plot  No.  5. 

1 

tf     tt     ft     tt 

Check  No.  5. 

7-1/2     " 

tt     t»      «t      tf 

On  December  26th  the  following  results 

were  obtained: 

Plot  No.  1. 

6  mushrooms  to  the  sq.  ft 

Check  No.  1. 

4-1/2    " 

It     »»     f»     ft 

Plot  No.  2. 

3 

It     tt     It     It 

Check  No.  2. 

15 

tt     tt     tt     tt 

Plot  Nd.  3. 

2 

t»        n        M        »f 

Check  No.  3. 

26 

ft        tt        It        tt 

Plot  No.  4. 

12 

tt        tt        tt        It 

Check  No.  4. 

20 

tt        tt        It        »» 

Plot  No.  5. 

5 

tt        It        It        It 

Check  No.  5. 

25 

tt        It        tt        It 

Desiring  further  evidence  of  the  effect  of  treatment  on  mushrooms 
above  the  surface,  a  small  bed  covered  with  growing  stock  wasr  treated  in 
the  usual  way  with  1/2  ounce  to  the  cubic  foot.  The  mushrooms  were 
softened  and  practically  ruined. 

Desiring  a  notion  of  the  soil  temperature,  tests  were  made  with  the 
following  results: 

Dec.  15th    2.15  P.M.  52.7'F  and  52.5-P. 

5.00  P.M.  53.6*'F  and  52.7'F. 

Dec.  16th    8.30  A.M.  52.7"»F  and  53.6''F. 

9.40  A.M.  51.8'*F  and  52.7'F. 

It  thus  appears  that  while  carbon  bisulphide  offers  a  ready  means  of 
destroying  the  mushroom  spring-tails,  its  use  is  attended  with  such 
serious  injury  to  the  mushrooms  that  it  cannot  be  considered  as  a  remedy. 

White  Grab  Remedies. 

The  problem  of  controlling  white  grubs  has  been  mainly  attacked  from 
the  standpoint  of  a  field  crop  pest  and  comparatively  little  has  been  done 
with  it  as  a  garden,  lawn  and  golf  green  problem.  Yet  in  this  guise  the 
insect  has  recently  done  more  damage  and  occasioned  more  complaint 
than  it  has  as  a  field  pest. 

The  measures  of  control  as  set  forth  in  Circular  No.  26  of  the  E^xperl- 
ment  Station  seem  satisfactory  from  the  standpoint  of, field  crops,  bat 
without  doubt  leave  much  to  be  desired  for  protection  of  g^krdens.  lawns 
and  golf  greens. 

With  the  purpose  of  devising  some  practicable  method  of  meeting  thia 
phase  of  the  problem  a  study  of  soil  disinfection  has  been  undertaken. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  319 

At  the  outset  it  was  plain  that  a  study  of  soil  treatment  would  have  to 
take  into  consideration  the  minimum  dosage  for  each  particular  insect 
form,  the  maximum  dosage  for  the  useful  organisms  growing  in  and  on 
the  soil,  and  the  relation  of  these  dosages  to  soil  texture,  chemistry, 
temperature  and  moisture. 

Carbon  bisulphide,  having  been  extensively  considered  in  Europe, 
occurred  to  us  as  the  substance  that  should  be  first  examined.  Accord- 
ingly an  efTort  was  made  to  determine  roughly  the  minimum  dosage  in 
the  red  shale  soil  common  at  New  Brunswick. 

Three  areas  were  laid  out  in  a  garden  on  red  shale  soil  where  grubs 
of  Lachonstema  fusca  Froehl.  had  been  abundant  all  summer.  Plot  No. 
1  contained  18  square  feet  and  later  counts  showed  grubs  at  the  rate  of 
1  to  each  2.5  square  feet  Plot  No.  2  contained  80  square  feet  and 
showed  grubs  at  the  rate  of  1  to  each  2.5  square  feet  Plot  No.  3  contained 
27  square  feet,  showed  grubs  at  the  rate  of  1  to  each  2.7  square  feet 
The  temperature  of  the  soil  at  a  point  three  inches  below  the  surface  at 
mid-day  averaged  about  76  ^F  throughout  the  first  five  or  six  days  of  the 
experiment  The  soil  was  just  moist  enough  for  good  working,  not  wet 
enough  to  ball  and  not  dry  enough  to  clod.  Plot  No.  1  received  1  ounce 
of  carbon  bisulphide  per  square  foot.  Holes  3  inches  deep  were  made 
at  points  12  inches  apart  throughout  the  plot  and  1  ounce  of  the  fluid 
poured  carefully  into  each  hole,  which  was  at  once  closed  by  pressing  the 
heel  upon  it  Plot  No.  2  received  7  c.  c  of  liquid  per  square  foot  applied 
in  the  same  way.  Plot  No.  3  received  15  c  c.  per  square  foot  applied  in 
the  same  way.  The  application  was  made  in  the  afternoon  of  September 
6th,  1915. 

On  September  11th  the  whole  of  plot  No.  1  was  dug  up  and  seven 
dead  grubs  were  found.  A  part  of  plot  No.  2,  amounting  to  32.25  square 
feet,  was  examined  and  seventeen  grubs  were  found  eleven  of*  which 
were  alive.  On  September  25th  the  balance  of  plot  No.  2,  amounting  to 
47.75  square  feet,  was  examined  and  sixteen  grubs,  thirteen  of  which 
were  alive  were  found.  Plot  No.  3  was  also  examined  on  ihist  date  and 
eight  grubs,  two  of  which  were  alive  were  found. 

It  thus  seems  that  the  minimum  dosage  for  the  conditions  under  which 
the  test  was  carried  out  was  not  far  from  3/4  of  an  ounce  to  the  square 
foot 

As  the  growing  season  was  drawing  to  a  close  and  the  experiments 
must  soon  be  transferred  to  the  laboratory  it  seemed  well  to  see  how 
the  same  charge  would  under  outdoor  conditions  affect  the  plants  which 
had  suffered  so  much  from  the  ravages  of  the  grubs.  Accordingly  three 
areas,  each  one  square  yard  in  extent,  were  laid  off  in  the  yard  within 
fifty  feet  of  the  other  plots.  A  mixture  of  first  year  blue  grass  and  white 
clover  formed  a  vigorous  sod  over  these  plots.  The  soil  was  identical 
with  that  of  the  garden  with  only  such  difference  as  the  surface  cultivation 
of  a  garden  through  the  growing  season  could  produce.  The  temperature 
three  inches  below  the  surface  averaged  about  70  "F  for  the  first  ten  days 
of  the  experiment.    The  soil  moisture  was  approximately  .the  same  as 


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320         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

in  the  other  experiment,  perhaps  a  little  greater.  The  experiment  was 
set  September  27th,  1915. 

Plot  No.  1  received  1  ounce  of  the  carbon  bisulphide  per  square  foot 
applied  as  outlined  In  the  previous  experiment  Plot  No.  2  received  13 
c.  c  per  square  foot  and  plot  No.  3,  7  c.  c.  per  square  foot 

Up  to  November  1st  there  was  no  trace  of  injury  to  either  the  blue 
grass  or  the  clover  on  any  of  the  plots.  It  seems,  therefore,  that  the 
minimum  dosage  for  the  grub  is  probably  well  below  the  maxim  um 
dosage  for  the  blue  grass  and  white  clover. 

Rosebng  Remedies. 

The  rosebugs  appeared  in  Mr.  John  H.  Barclay's  young  apple  orchard 
in  sufficient  numbers  to  threaten  defoliation  of  the  Duchess  variety. 
This  peculiar  varietal  preference,  which  has  been  mentioned  under  the 
heading  "Insects  of  the  Year"  has  been  characteristic  of  rosebug  injury 
at  Mr.  Barclay's  place  for  the  last  four  or  five  outbreaks. 

The  abundance  of  the  bugs  and  the  willingness  of  Mr.  Barclay  to 
cooperate  offered  a  good  opportunity  to  test  out  some  measures  of  con- 
trol. Accordingly  it  was  planned  to  test  a  new  mixture  (consisting  of  16 
pounds  of  whale  oil  soap,  1  pint  of  crude  carbolic  acid  in  100  gallons  of 
water),  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulphur  (made  up  in  proportions 
in  one  case  1  part  to  1  part  and  in  the  other  one  part  of  lead  arsenate  to 
5  parts  of  sulphur),  commercial  lime  sulphur  plus  arsenate  of  lead,  and 
self-boiled  lime-sulphur  plus  arsenate  of  lead. 

The  tree  rows  extended  east  and  west  and  this  infestation  came  in 
from  the  western  end  and  progressed  eastward.  Beginning  at  the  western 
end  of  a  Duchess  row  on  June  16th,  the  first  tree  was  coated  with  powd- 
ered arsenate  of  lead  and  sulphur  (  1  to  1)  the  second  tree  with  the  car- 
bolic-whale-oil-soap  mixture,  the  third  with  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and 
sulphur  (1  to  5),  the  fourth  with  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulphur 
(1  to  1),  the  fifth  with  carbolic-acid-whale-oil-soap  mixture,  the  sixth 
(another  variety,  Stayman  Winesap)  untreated,  the  seventh  with  powdered 
arsenate  of  lead  and  sulphur  (1  to  5)  and  the  balance  of  the  row  with  car- 
bolic acid-whale-oil-soap  mixture.  The  east  half  of  two  Duchess  rows  on 
the  north  side  of  the  orchard  wefre  sprayed  with  self-boiled  lime-sulphur 
to  which  arsenate  of  lead  had  been  added  at  the  rate  of  2  pounds  to  50 
gallons.  The  west  half  of  the  same  two  rows  were  treated  with  com- 
mercial lime-sulphur  to  which  arsenate  of  lead  had  been  added  at  the  rate 
of  2  pounds  to  50  gallons.  The  lime-sulphurs  had  been  applied  on  June 
15th. 

On  June  16th  the  trees  were  kept  under  observation  for  two  hours. 
The  powdered  lead  and  sulphur  treatment  shdwed  no  effect  except  that 
perhaps  a  few  more  beetles  were  found  on  the  ground  than  under  the 
untreated  trees.  The  carbolic-acid-whale-oil-soap  mixture  knocked  about 
50  per  cent  of  the  beetles  off  the  trees,  seemed  partly  to  paralyze  many, 
and  to  kill  some.    After  the  first  few  minutes  the  mortality  did  not  seem 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  321 

to  increase  and  in  fact  of  the  10  paralyzed  beetles  which  were  placed  in 
a  paste-board  box  and  carried  to  the  laboratory,  not  one  died. 

The  trees  treated  with  the  self-boiled  and  commercial  lime-sulphurs 
showed  a  few  bugs,  nothing  like  the  numbers  on  the  untreated  trees. 
There  were  decidedly  fewer  bugs  and  absolutely  no  new  feeding  on  the 
trees  treated  with  the  former. 

On  June  17th  Mr.  Richardson  examined  the  conditions  at  the  Barclay 
orchard  and  found  them  as  follows: 

Tree  No.  1.  Powdered  lead  arsenate  and  sulphur  (1  to  1),  55  dead 
beetles  under  the  tree;  many  beetles  on  the  tree,  some  of  which  were 
feeding. 

Tree  No.  2.  Carbolic-acid-whale-oil-soap  mixture,  6  dead  beetles  under 
the  tree;  same  conditions  on  tree  as  in  No.  1. 

Tree  No.  3.  Powdered  lead  arsenate  and  sulphur  (1  to  5),  none  dead 
under  the  tree;  same  conditions  on  tree  as  in  No.  1. 

Tree  No.  4.  Powdered  lead  arsenate  and  sulphur  (1  to  1),  11  dead 
beetles  under  tree,  fewer  beetles  and  less  feeding  than  in  1,  2,  or  3;  not 
perfect  control  however. 

Tree  No.  5.  Carbolic-acid-whale-oil-soap  mixture,  2  dead  beetles  under 
tree;  beetles  on  tree  about  as  No.  1. 

Tree  No.  6.  Other  variety,  (Stayman  Winesap),  no  treatment.  Only 
one  beetle  found  on  this  tree;  no  signs  of  feeding;  leaves  are  stiffer-than 
those  of  Duchess  variety. 

Tree  No.  7.  Powdered  lead  arsenate  and  sulphur  (1  to  5),  no  dead 
beetles  under  tree;  fewer  beetles,  and  less  fresh  feeding  than  in  No.  1; 
not  perfect  control  however. 

Trees  8  and  so  on  to  end  of  row,  carbolic-acid-whale-oll-soap  mixture. 

Practically  no  dead  beetles  under  trees,  many  beetles  on  trees  but  not 
as  many  as  at  west  end  of  orchard;  considerable  fresh  feeding;  odor 
of  soap  still  strong. 

Trees  treated  with  commercial  lime-sulphur  plus  arsenate  of  lead  aver- 
age 5  to  6  dead  beetles  under  each  tree;  not  as  many  beetles  or  anything 
like  the  amount  of  fresh  feeding  found  on  trees  of  plots  1,  2,  3.  4,  5.  7, 
and  t. 

Trees  treated  with  self -boiled  lime-sulphur  and  arsenate  of  lead;  no  dead 
beetles  under  tree;  few  beetles  on  trees;  no  fresh  feeding. 

All  later  observations  served  only  to  confirm  the  evidence  gathered  on 
the  17th  that  of  all  treatments  used  the  self-boiled  lime-sulphur  plus 
lead  arsenate  was  most  effective,  giving  in  fact  almost  perfect  protection. 
In  view  of  the  fact  that  no  dead  beetles  were  found  under  the  trees 
treated  with  self-boiled  lime-sulphur,  it  seems  likely  that  the  mixture 
acted  purely  as  a  repellent  and  that  the  lead  arsenate  had  little  or  nothing 
to  do  with  the  result. 

Potato  Flee  Beetle. 

The  prevalent  species  this  year  was  Epitrix  cucumeris  Harris.,  and  its 
abundance  was  much  greater  than  usual,  attacking  seriously  both  potato 
and  tomato. 


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322         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  mixture  recommended  by  Mr.  Cameron^  consisting  of  one  pound 
of  pyrethrum,  10  gallons  of  water  with  enough  soap  to  insure  that  a  film 
of  the  spray  will  adhere  to  the  leaves  after  spraying,  was  given  a  field 
trial.  When  the  early  planted  potatoes  on  Mr.  J.  Harry  Handle's  place 
were  about  four  inches  high  they  were  heavily  infested  with  the  flea 
beetle.  Two  rows  were  sprayed  with  a  mixture  composed  of  1  pound  ol 
pyrethrum,  10  ounces  of  whale  oil  soap  and  10  gallons  of  water  and  two 
other  rows  with  a  combination  of  10  ounces  of  whale  oil  soap  and  10 
gallons  of  water.  The  mixtures  were  applied  under  a  pressure  of  about 
100  pounds  and  about  100  gallons  per  acre  were  used. 

The  potatoes  treated  with  pyrethrum,  soap  and  water  were  freed  from 
beetles  and  kept  free  for  fully  ten  days,  and  exhibited  no  traces  of  spray- 
ing injury.  The  potatoes  treated  with  the  soap  and  water  alone  were 
freed  from  the  beetles  for  a  very  short  time  and  were  stunted.  By  the 
former  large  numbers  of  the  insects  were  destroyed;  by  the  latter  very 
few  were  killed. 

Although  the  pyrethrum,  soap  and  water  mixture  was  efTective  the 
cost  of  the  operation  is  practically  prohibitive.  Pyrethrum  costs  under 
present  conditions  50  cents  a  poimd  at  retail,  which  means  about  five 
dollars  an  acre  for  10  days'  protection. 

The  tests  with  Bordeaux  mixture  on  a  field  scale  showed  this  year  as 
last  a  50  per  cent  reduction  of  the  beetles'  work  on  plants  given  four 
treatments  with  home-mixed  5-5-50  Bordeaux.  The  protection  afforded  by 
Bordeaux  was  better  than  that  given  by  the  dust  mixture,  apparently 
because  of  its  greater  adhesiveness  and  consequent  longer  period  ot 
repellency. 

Strawberry  WeeviL 

The  life  history,  habits  and  methods  of  controlling  this  insect  nxe  set 
forth  in  New  Jersey  Bulletin  No.  225  and  no  attempt  will  be  made  to 
review  them  in  this  account.  The  past  season  has  brought  out  what 
appears  to  be  a  new  method  of  hibernating.  Many  of  the  patches  in 
southern  New  Jersey  lie  adjacent  to  woodlands  in  which  popular  opinion 
says  that  the  beetles  pass  the  winter.  In  company  with  Mr.  Elwood 
Douglass  on  August  12th  the  writer  searched  the  field  in  which  the 
studies  had  been  made  when  the  weevils  were  very  abundant  and 
was  unable  in  the  course  of  an  hour  to  find  any  traces  of  them.  Elxamina- 
tion  of  the  golden  rod  blooming  along  the  edge  of  an  adjacent  woodland 
revealed  a  few  specimens  at  work  on  the  blossoms.  Search  of  the  wood- 
land itself  was  then  undertaken.  The  forest  floor  was  examined  leaf  by 
leaf,  needle  by  needle,  and  stick  by  stick  without  finding  a  trace  of  the 
insect  The  patches  of  moss  growing  on  the  soil  about  the  base?  of  the 
tree  trunks  and  scattered  over  the  soil  between  were  then  examined. 
Here  on  the  moss  stems,  about  1/4  of  an  inch  below  the  simimits,  the 
beetles  were  found  in  abundance  indicating  that  this  type  of  wintering 
place  was  preferred  to  that  which  lies  prone.  The  species  of  moss  thus 
being  utilized  for  winter  quarters  proved  to  be  Dicranum  acoparium  (L) 

IN.  J.  SUUon  Beport  for  1914,  pp.  377-878. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  3^3 

Hedw.  There  is  a  curious  and  interesting  resemblance  between  the  place 
selected  by  this  insect  for  winter  quarters  and  that  used  by  the  chinch 
bogs  on  the  plains.  The  close  standing  stems  of  the  moss  like  those  of 
the  bunch  grass  serve  to  prevent  the  insects  from  experiencing  the  large 
changes  of  temperature  which  take  place  in  unprotected  places.  The 
upstanding  stems  of  the  moss»  again  like  those  of  the  bunch  grass,  enable 
the  insect  by  moving  up  and  down  to  regulate  at  least  to  some  degree  its 
relation  to  soil  moisture.  Approximately  every  two  weeks  since  the 
beetles  were  found  in  the  moss  they  have  been  examined.  No  changes 
have  taken  place  except  that  they  seem  slowly  to  be  migrating  down  the 
stems. 

A  study  of  the  methods  of  control  was  undertaken  because  many  of 
the  growers  were  losing  about  50  per  cent  of  the  buds  and  none  of  the 
measures  of  control  usually  advocated  appealed  to  them  as  practicable.  A 
summary  of  the  measures  of  control  hitherto  proposed  shows  that  the 
methods  fall  into  three  groups:  first,  measures  intended  to  prevent  the 
insect  from  reaching  the  plants  to  be  protected ;  second,  measures  intended 
to  render  the  protected  plants  distasteful;  third,  measures  intended  to 
destroy  the  insect 

Under  the  first  head  comes  the  practice  of  covering  the  beds  with  muslin 
or  other  similar  material;  a  proceeding  which  is  practicable  in  a  garden 
but  hardly  to  be  considered  on  a  field  scale.  Cultivating  pistillate  varie- 
ties is  a  most  effective  method  of  circumventing  the  pest  but  one  which 
has  few  followers  because  the  berries  produced  by  such  varieties  are 
thought  not  to  meet  the  market  conditions  well.  The  planting  of  pro- 
fusely blooming  varieties  is  not  adopted  by  the  growers  because  the 
varieties  in  question  are  not  thought  to  equal  in  returns  the  ones  now 
in  use. 

Trap  crops  in  this  as  in  most  insect  problems  is  largely  an  impracticable 
solution  because  of  the  additional  labor  involved  all  of  which  a  change 
in  the  weather  or  the  increase  of  the  weevil's  natural  enemies  may  set 
at  naught 

Under  the  second  head  come  various  sprays  and  dusts  such  as  crude 
carbolic  acid,  Bordeaux  mixture,  lime,  ashes,  etc.  None  of  these  sub- 
stances or  any  others  tried  appear  to  afford  a  really  satisfactory  degree 
of  protection. 

Under  the  third  head  are  included  the  arsenical  treatments.  In  the 
season  of  1913  several  growers  were  advised  that  it  might  be  worth  while 
to  try  the  arsenate  of  lead  applying  it  thoroughly  with  an  undershot 
nozzle,  Jnst  before  the  buds  opened.  Satisfactory  control  by  this  means 
was  not  obtained. 

The  damage  done  by  the  strawberry  weevil  Is  practically  all  accom- 
plished between  the  opening  of  the  earliest  buds  and  the  opening  of  the 
latest  and  the  problem  of  its  control  is  thereby  limited  to  preventing  its 
work  during  that  period  which  is  between  two  and  three  weeks  in  extent 
If  a  treatment  could  be  found  by  means  of  which  the  plants  could  be 
protected  either  by  destroying  the  beetles  dr  repelling  them  during  this 
period  the  problem  of  preventing  serious  harm  to  the  strawberry  crop 


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324         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

would  be  solved.    The  ezperlmeiits  of  1915  were  laid  out  with  a  view  to 
finding  this  type  of  remedy. 

The  fact  that  Cameron^  had  been  able  to  destroy  the  potato  flea  beetle 
{Epitrix  cucumeria  Harr.)  with  a  mixture  of  pyrethrum,  soap  and  water, 
lead  us  to  include  this  mixture  among  those  to  be  tested.  The  recent 
development  in  the  production  of  exceedingly  finely  divided  dry  arsenate 
of  lead  and  sulphur  led  to  a  test  of  them  alone  and  in  combination.  The 
well  known  repellent  and  insecticidal  action  of  tobacco  dust  and  decoction 
led  us  to  include  tests  of  these  substances.  For  the  sake  of  comparison 
powdered  lime  and  powdered  arsenite  of  zinc  and  arsenate  of  lead  spray 
were  included. 

The  place  selected  for  the  work  was  a  three-  to  four-acre  sand  field 
on   the  farm  of  Mr.  Oesei^-near  Ck)logne.    A  woodland  bordered  the 

southern  and  western  aspects.    All  of  the  work  was  done  on  Heritage  and 
the  limited  number  of  rows  prevented  the  interpolation  of  checks. 

The  northeast  comer  of  the  field  was  set  aside  for  experimental  work 
and  the  blocks  were  outlined  as  shown  in  the  following  diagram.  The 
standard  length  of  block  was  40  feet.  It  was  planned  to  start  the  treat- 
ments as  soon  as  the  beetles  began  to  work  and  to  maintain  the  coating 
until  th^  maximum  bloom  was  past 

Table  of  Treatments  and  Results. 


Plot  No. 


Tbeatiiknt. 


Nature. 


Dates  of 


Percentaee  of 
Buds  Cut 

5/5,  191575714,  1915 


Effects  in 
Plants. 


Check  at 
becinninK. 
1   

2 

8 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

0 

10   

11 

12 

13 

Check  at 
►  end 


Nothing 

Whale  oil  soap  and  water,  1  os. 
to  1  gal 


Whale  oil  soap  (10  oa.)  Pyreth- 
nim  (1  lb.)  and  water  (10  gals.) 

Arsenate  of  lead  (3  lbs.)  ana 
watw  (50  gals.) 

Arsenate  of  lead  (1  lb.)  and  sul- 
phur (1  lb.)  dust 

Arsenate  of  lead  (1  lb.)  and  sul- 
phur (5  lbs.)  dust 

Home-miTed  Bordeaux  (5-6-50). 

Tobacco  dust 

Powdered  arsenate  of  lead 

Powdered  arsen  te  of  zinc 


Hydrated  lime 

Whale  oil  soap  (600  ozs.)  black 
leaf  40  (1  gal.)  and  water  (500 
gab.) 


Dry  pryethrum 

Pyrethrum  (1  lb.)  whale  oil  soap 
(10  OS.)  and  water  10  gals.  .  . . 


Nothing. 


4/30 

4/27 

4/28 

4/30,  5/6. 

4/28.  5/6 
4/28 
4/30 
4/30.  5/6 
4/30 

4/30.  5/6 


4/30 

4/30. 
4/30 


20 


10 
7 

6 
20 
12 

7 
Badly 


6 
11 
14 
38 


48 
52 

42 

25 

8 

12 
49 
51 
19 
burned. 

41 


42 
41 
53 
60 


Soorohed 
slightly. 
Soorohed 
slightly. 

None. 

None. 

None. 
None. 
None. 
None. 
Burned 
badiy. 
None. 


Scorched 
subtly. 
None. 

Soorohed 
sUi^t^ 


»Beport  N.  I  Afl,  JJxpt.  BU.,  pp.  S78-S80.  1914. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  325 

Limited  application  of  the  two  miztoree  of  anenate  of  lead  and  anlpliiir 
made  on  May  18th  when  the  strawberries  were  in  full  bloom  did  not 
apparently  injure  the  open  blossoma 

The  field  was  selected  and  the  plan  of  work  laid  out  before  the  buds 
were  showing  at  alL  Owing  to  a  brief  illness  and  consequent  pressure 
of  routine  duties  the  writer  was  unable  to  reach  the  field  again  until  some 
of  the  first  blossoms  were  beginning  to  open.  At  this  time  (April  27th) 
the  beetles  were  present  everywhere  throughout  the  field*  but  were 
markedly  more  numerous  as  the  woodland  to  the  south  was  approadied. 

The  whale  oil  soap,  whale  oil  soap  and  pyrethrum,  '^lackleaf  40,"  and 
whale  oil  soap  having  scorched  the  plants  were  not  repeated.  The  arse- 
nite  of  zinc  burned  the  plants  badly  and  was  discontinued.  The  arsenate 
of  lead  in  water,  pyrethrum,  Bordeaux,  tobacco  dust,  having  proven 
relatively  ineffective  were  not  repeated.  The  powdered  arsenate  of  lead 
and  sulphur  combinations,  the  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  the  hydrated 
lime  having  been  found  to  give  good  protection  between  April  80th  and 
May  5th  were  repeated  on  May  6th. 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  mixture  of  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and 
sulphur  gave  better  protection  than  any  substances  tried  and  that  the. 
mixture  composed  of  one  part  of  lead  to  one  part  of  sulphur  is  a  little 
the  more  effective. 

In  view  of  this  fact  that  neither  the  mixture  containing  the  largest 
amount  of  sulphur  nor  the  pure  lead  gave  so  good  results  as  the  mixture 
which  had  a  smaller  amount  of  sulphur  it  is  obvious  that  it  is  neither 
the  arsenate  of  lead  alone  nor  the  sulphur  by  itself  which  is  effective  but 
the  mixture  of  the  two. 

When  the  plants  reached  maximum  bloom  the  effect  of  the  successful 
treatments  was  very  marked,  the  successfully  treated  blocks  being  as 
white  as  snow  while  the  checks  were  green  with  a  sprinkling  of  blossoms. 

There  can  be  no  question  as  to  the  effectiveness  of  this  year's  treat- 
ments. Whether  these  results  can  be  duplicated  next  year  remains  to 
be  seen. 

Anti-Peach-Borer  CoAtAngs, 

Thus  far  in  the  study  of  the  peach  borer  all  the  really  promising 
measures  of  control  have  been  concerned  with  an  effort  to  prevent  the 
larvse  from  gaining  an  entrance  to  the  tree  or  to  destroy  it  after  it  has 
entered. 

Extensive  studies  of  coatings  to  prevent  the  larvse  from  entering  the  tree 
have  been  made  by  PetersS  Smith',  Sllngerland',  Cory*,and  others.  The 
upshot  of  the  whole  effort  seems  to  have  been  that  while  many  of  the 
coatings  do  not  hurt  the  trees  and  do  reduce  the  borers,  none  of  them  are 
entirely  effective. 


^Memoirs  Phlla.  Soc.  Prom.  Agr.  1,  PP  15-19,  190S. 
«N.  J.  Sto.  Bull.  128,  1898. 
»N.  T.  Cornell  SUtion,  Bull,  176,  1899. 
'Maryland  Station  Bull.  176,  1913. 


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326         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Of  all  the  agents  used  for  destroying  the  larvae  after  it  has  entered  the 
tree  the  knife  and  wire  have  proven  the  most  efTectlve  and  are  the 
dependence  of  the  most  successful  peach  growers  at  the  present  time. 

The  insistent  demand  for  methods  of  control  whereby  the  injury  done 
by  the  borer  before  it  can  be  killed  and  removed  may  be  prevented,  has 
lead  us  in  spite  of  the  iailures  of  the  past  to  see  what  could  be  done 
towards  developing  a  method  of  preventing  the  larvae  from  entering. 

A  number  of  the  more  promising  substances  were  experimented  with, 
tanglefoot,  white  wash  (government  formula),  Borowax,  sulfocide,  white 
lead  and  pure  linseed  oil,  concentrated  lime  and  sulphur,  and  asphaltum 
of  both  soft  and  hard  grades. 

The  test  with  tanglefoot  began  in  1912  and  covered  a  period  of  two 
years.  The  first  year  it  greatly  reduced  the  number  of  borers  and  did 
not  apparently  injure  the  trees.  The  second  year  of  test  on  the  same 
tree,  it  again  reduced  the  borers  but  killed  some  of  the  trees  and  seriously 
injured  more. 

The  test  with  white  wash  began  in  1913  covered  two  years  ana 
reduced  the  borers  without  injuring  the  tree.  The  test  with  Borowax 
began  in  1912  and  covered  three  years.  The  first  year  it  reduced  the 
borers  but  seriously  injured  the  trees  to  which  it  had  been  applied  as  a 
coating.  The  second  and  third  year  it  was  applied  as  a  collar  about  the 
base  of  the  tree  and  reduced  the  borers  without  injuring  the  tree.  The 
test  with  sulfocide  began  in  1913,  covered  two  years  and  reduced  the 
borers  very  slightly  without  injuring  the  trees.  The  test  with  white 
lead  and  pure  linseed  oil  began  in  1913,  covered  two  years  and  reduced 
the  borers  without  injuring  the  trees. 

The  test  with  winter-strength  lime  sulphur  began  in  1913  covered  two 
years  and  reduced  the  borers  without  injuring  the  trees.  The  test  with 
asphaltum  began  in  1913  covered  two  years  and  reduced  the  borers 
without  injuring  the  trees. 

Thus  it  appears  that  this  work  has  simply  confirmed  that  of  previous 
years — that  there  are  many  coatings  which  reduce  the  borers  without 
injuring  the  tree,  but  that  none  of  them  absolutely  or  even  approximately 
prevented  infestation.  Naturally  of  course,  the  question  is  "Why  do 
they  not  prevent?"  Here  again  our  experience  is  quite  in  accord  with 
that  of  other  observers  that  these  coatings  do  not  prevent  because  they 
are  not  sufficiently  complete. 

All  lack  completeness  within  the  limits  of  the  coating  itself,  that  is, 
uncovered  spots  exist  as  the  result  of  imperfect  application  or  weathering. 
The  coatings  made  with  a  soft  grade  of  asphalt  when  applied  with  care 
appeared  to  show  no  uncovered  spots  but  allowed  them  to  appear  as  the 
result  of  the  first  season's  weathering.  In  the  trials  of  1913  and  1914 
the  material  was  applied  with  a  brush  or  a  paddle  and  the  obtaining  of 
a  complete  coating  seemed  difficult,  but  in  1915  a  method  of  pouring  the 
coating  was  devised  and  it  was  found  easy  to  make  it  complete. 

Matters  were  at  this  point  when  Blakeslee  and  Scott  came  out  with 
their  card  collar  protectors.    Both  described  their  protectors  before  the 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  327 

27th  annual  meeting  (1914-1915)  of  the  American  Association  of  Economic 
Entomologists,  and  the  pieces  of  apparatus  by  means  of  which  they  pro- 
posed to  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  borer  were  practically  Identical. 

Essentially  the  method  consisted  in  the  placing  of  a  wide  paper  or 
fiber  collar  about  the  base  of  the  trees  having  first  mounded  the  soil 
about  the  tnmk  to  serve  as  a  support,  and  cementing  it  firmly  to  the 
tree  in  such  a  fashion  that  the  larvae  have  to  crawl  over  and  under  the 
outer  rim  before  reaching  the  tnmk  of  the  tree  below  the  coating.  The 
theory  seems  to  have  been  that  the  larvse  would  not  have  strength  enough 
to  make  this  long  journey  successfully. 

A  test  of  these  protectors  as  compared  with  asphalt  coatings  was 
planned  and  executed  by  Mr.  Harry  B.  Weiss  and  the  writer.  Cards 
were  purchased  from  Scott  together  with  a  couple  of  gallons  of  sealing 
material.  Three  different  orchards  were  selected — two  on  very  sandy 
soil  near  South  Amboy  and  one  on  considerably  heavier  soil  near  Middle- 
town.  The  first  orchard  at  South  Amboy  consisted  of  young  peach  trees 
averaging  about  2  1/2  inches  in  diameter  and  the  second  of  peach  trees 
about  5  to  6  inches  through.  The  orchard  at  Middletown  was  composed 
of  peach  trees  6  Inches  or  more  in  diameter.  On  June  17th  and  18th 
the  Scott  Protector  of  proper  size  was  applied  according  to  directions  to 
32  of  the  five-  to  six-inch  trees  at  South  Amboy.  On  the  same  date  the 
Scott  cards  were  applied  to  19  of  the  two  and  one  half-inch  trees.  On 
June  24th  the  Scott  protectors  were  placed  on  20  of  the  six-inch  trees  at 
Biiddletown. 

At  South  Amboy  three  types  of  soft  asphaitum  coatings  were  used, 
the  first  of  which  was  simply  a  two  and  one-half  to  three-inch  plate  or 
collar  poured  on  the  soil  about  the  base  of  the  tree,  the  second  a  coating 
starting  6  to  8  inches  above  the  soil  and  extending  downward  to  the 
surface  where  it  spread  out  as  a  collar  2^  to  Z  inches  wide,  the  third 
a  coating  beginning  6  to  8  inches  above  the  surface  of  the  soil  and  extend- 
ing down  to  the  points  where  the  first  large  roots  came  off  and  then 
spreading  out  to  form  a  two  andone-half  to  three  inch-wide  collar.  The 
asphalt  treatments  were  limited  to  the  two  and  one-half  inch  trees. 

A  check  stood  beside  every  treated  row  and  where  possible  a  check 
row  on  each  side  of  the  treated  row  was  secured. 

The  summer  rains  were  heavy  and  the  winds  strong.  The  soil  was 
washed  and  the  trees  were  whipped  about.  In  the  young  orchard  great 
cavities  were  found  about  the  bases  of  many  of  the  trees. 

The  trees  at  South  Amboy  were  wormed  on  November  4th  and  Novem- 
ber 5th  by  Mr.  Weiss  with  the  following  results. 

"LarvK  were  one-eighth  to  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long,  the  majority 
measuring  one-half  an  inch  or  less.  Many  of  the  protectors  have  broken 
loose  and  slid  down  the  trunk.  Others  are  twisted.  Some  have  flattened 
out  following  the  washing  away  of  the  supporting  soil.  Only  one  was 
perfectly  sealed  at  time  of  worming.  The  few  cards  which  were  sealed 
with  soft  asphaitum  showed  imperfections.  Sealing  materials  sticks 
to  the  tree  but  not  to  the  protector.    Many  of  the  flaps  are  open.    Under 


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328  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

each  protector  on  the  young  trees  there  is  a  cavity  around  the  trunk  due 
to  swaying.  No  larvae  are  found  above  the  protector.  All  are  below, 
some  just  under  and  others  five,  six,  seven  and  eight  inches  below. 
Soil  under  the  protectors  and  close  to  the  trunk  is  dry.  In  a  grassy 
orchard  this  wQuld  make  an  ideal  condition  for  field  mice. 

"In  the  old  orchard  the  protectors  have  stood  up  better.  There  is  no 
cavity  about  the  trees  such  as  found  about  the  young  trees.  Many  breaks 
occur  in  the  sealing  material  and  borers  have  entered  through  them. 
Flaps  have  stuck  imperfectly.  Under  protectors  were  found  a  nest  of 
field  mice,  colonies  of  sow  bugs,  crickets,  ground  beetles,  cocoons,  angle- 
worms, and  empty  peach  borer  cocoons.  One  tree  here  was  found  per 
fectly  sealed  and  no  borers  were  discovered  in  it. 

"The  row  treated  with  asphalt  coating  and  surface  collar  showed  two 
trees  on  which  the  collar  and  coating  were  in  good  condition.  Coatings 
on  many  of  the  trees  have  weathered  badly.  Lenticels  show  through. 
Some  of  the  collars  have  broken  away  and  slipped  down.  Many  borers 
have  entered  breaks  in  asi)halt  above  the  collar  and  at  the  collar  where 
it  has  broken  loose. 

"The  row  treated  with  the  asphalt  collar  showed  only  the  collar  slipped 
down  or  broken  away  and  largely  covered  up  with  sand. 

"The  row  treated  with  a  coating  and  below-ground  collar  showed  most 
of  the  borers  above  the  ring  where  it  had  broken  away  from  the  coating. 
Borers  also  entered  lentlcles  where,  the  same  had  broken  through  the 
asphalt  coating." 

At  Middletown  the  trees  were  wormed  on  November  10th  and  the 
following  notes  were  taken. 

"Protectors  are  in  good  shape  as  far  as  form  is  concerned.  Much 
grass  is  around  them.  Everyone  is  imperfectly  sealed,  especially  about 
the  flap.  Sealing  material  failed  to  hold  the  cards  close  to  the  trunk. 
This  orchard  has  been  regularly  wormed  by  the  owner  for  years." 


Pa 


Character  of  protector. 


Time  of 
placing — ^worming. 


pi 


S-  Amboy  ^ 

young  orchard. .  Scott  Protector 6/17  &  18     11  /4  A  5    i 

**            .  .  None I  **  I         **           I 

*'            .  .  Asphalt  coating  and   surface  I  | 

collar I  '*  " 

'*            .  .  None I  *'  "           I 

"             .  .  Surface  collar  of  asphalt     .  .  . '  "  *'            j 

.  .  None •*  *'           I 

**            .  .  Asphalt   coating   with   below  **  " 

,     ground  collar 1 

S.  Amboy 

old  orchard ....  Scott  protector *'  i         *' 

**            ....  None '*  *• 

Middletown Scott  protector 6/24  1 1  /lO 

**             None "  *•         i 


19 
19 

18 
19 
19 
17 
13 


32 
11 
20 

14 


3.3  .7 

4.0  ^ 

I 

2.4    

4.2       1.8 

2.4  4.8 

7.2    

4.3  29 

7.5  5  5 
13 ^ 

1.6  4.8 
6.3    


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  329 

It  thus  appears  that  neither  the  Scott  protectors  nor  the  asphalt  coat- 
ings give  satisfactory  protection,  and  that  result  Is  due  to  Incompleteness 
of  the  covering. 

Effect  of  Moisture  Upon  lietfaal  Hij^  Temperature. 

The  work  of  Goodwin^  has  shown  that  moisture  In  the  form  of  relative 
humidity  of  the  air  Influences  the  temperature,  at  which  Insects  suc- 
cumb, only  to  a  slight  extent.  He  shows  that  moist  heat  kills  the  rice 
weevil  iCatandra  oryzae  L.)  at  from  S'C.  to  4*C.  lower  than  dry  heat, 
that  as  a  rule  the  difference  between  the  lethal  temperature  with  moist 
and  with  dry  heat  is  much  less,  and  that  the  Indian  meal  moth  {Plodia 
interpunctella  Hbn.)  succumbs  somewhat  more  readily  to  dry  heat  than 
to  moist  heat. 

The  maximum  difference  between  dry  and  moist  heat  appears  to  have 
been  about  60  per  cent,  which  is  probably  but  not  necessarily  as  large  as 
would  obtain  in  practical  work  of  utilizing  heat  as  an  insecticide.  Furth- 
ermore, it  occurred  to  the  writer,  that  the  introduction  of  seeds,  which 
seems  a  perfectly  practical  proceeding,  into  an  already  heated  chamber 
with  the  consequent  sudden  rise  of  temperature  might  give  dlfTerent 
results. 

As  the  opportunity  has  arisen  in  connection  with  other  studies,  a 
series  of  tests  with  the  bean  weevil  {Bruchus  obtectus  Say.)  supple- 
mented with  a  few  experiments  on  the  pea  weevil  {B.  pisorum  Say.)  have 
been  made.  In  general  the  plan  has  been  (1)  to  determine  the  lethal 
temperature  by  heating  dlfTerent  stages  of  the  insect  on  a  water  bath 
until  death  resulted,  consuming  not  more  than  ten  minutes  In  the  rise 
of  temperature  from  that  of  room  70  "F.  to  80**F.  to  the  lethal  degree, 
without  regard  to  factors  other  than  temperature;  (2)  to  standardize 
the  temperature  and  moisture  in  the  incubatohs  using  about  the  lethal 
temperature  in  both  Instruments  and  saturation  In  one  chamber  and  the 
lowest  possible  relative  humidity  in  the  other;  (3)  to  introduce  Into 
each  Incubator  wire  cages  containing  as  many  individuals  of  the  stage 
being  studied  as  possible;  (4)  to  remove  a  wire  cage  from  each  incu- 
bator at  half  hour  intervals  thereafter.  The  air  taken  from  outside  the 
building  for  each  machine  was  drawn  through  the  incubators  at  the 
rate  of  approximately  1  liter  per  minute.  The  water  used  for  saturating 
was  distilled. 

In  the  case  of  the  bean  weevil,  twelve  adults  were  subjected  to  a 
rapidly  rising  temperature.  Signs  of  heat  rigor  appeared  at  104  "F. 
(40*C.)  and  all  were  dead  at  122'*F.  (50"C.).  The  experiment  with  many 
more  specimens  was  reported  with  the  same  results.  Putting  the  matter 
more  in  detail  we  may  summarize  the  first  experiment  by  saying  that  four 
died  at  104"^  (40''C.)  three  more  at  113°F.  (45''C.)  three  more  at 
117.5'F.  (47.5''C.)  and  two  more  at  122*'F.   (50'C.). 

In  the  case  of  the  weevil  inside  the  bean,  two  lots  of  beans,  composed 
of  twenty-five  each,  were  subjected  to  125''F.  (37.40*C.)  with  no  mortality 
In  larvae,  pupae  or  adults.    A  lot  of  25  was  subjected  to  135"^  (43*C.)  with 


Vounial  of  Kconomic  Entomology,  Vol.  7,  pp.  313-322. 

Digitized  by  VjOOQIC 


330  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

a  100  per  cent  killed  of  stages  above  mentioned.    A  lot  subjected  to 
140'F.  (45.7*'C.)  showed  all  infestation  dead. 


Test  of  tlie  Adnlt  Weevils. 


Date. 


Time  exposed. 


Temper- 
ature. 


Relative 
humidity. 


Number 
living. 


Number 
deeuL 


July  16,  '15. 


30  min.  .  . 
60  min. . . 

1  ^  hours, 

2  hours. . . 
30  min . . . 
60  min.  . . 

1  Vi  hours. 

2  hours. .  . 


125°F. 


10 
0 
0 
0 

10 
0 
0 
0 


O 
lO 
lO 
lO 

o 

lO 
lO 
lO 


Test  of  Larvae,  Papae,  and  Adults. 


Date. 

Time  exposed. 

Temper- 
ature. 

ReUtive 
humidity. 

Number  of 

larvae 
aUve-dead 

Number  of 

pupe 
aUve^dead 

Number  o 

adulta 
afive-deKl 

July  16,*15 

30  min 

135°F 

** 

100% 
100% 

aU 
aU 
aU 

a.i 

aU 
all 
all 
all 

all 

Ihr.  to2>ghr8. 

30  min 

1  hr.  to  2  H  hrs 

July  24/15 

30  min 

I  hrto2Hhrs 

30  min     ... 

i35°F, 

4% 

4% 

100% 

100% 

aU 

aU 
aU 

aU 

aU 

aU 
aU 

aU 

I  hr.  to  2.4  hrs 

July29,'15,Hto2Hhrs 

i>4to2Hhr8 

130°F. 
.30°F. 

5% 
100% 

aU 
all 

aU 
aU 

The  first  table  shows  clearly  that  a  difference  of  from  92  to  94  per 
cent  relative  humidity  has  practically  no  effect  upon  the  lethal  tem- 
perature for  the  unprotected  bean  weevil.  It  also  indicates  that  time  of 
exposure  is  an  important  factor,  but  comparing  this  table  with  the  first 
item  of  the  next  table  shows  clearly  that  an  increase  of  10*F.  in  the 
lethal  high  temperature  is  quite  sufficient  to  annul  the  influence  of  time. 

The  second  table  is  more  complex  and  requires  closer  study.  The 
July  16th  item  indicates  that  94  per  cent  increase  in  relative  humidity 
has  no  effect  upon  the  lethal  temperature.  The  July  24th  item  Indi- 
cates that  time  is  a  consideration.  The  July  29th  item  indicates  that  a 
drop  of  b^F.  in  the  lethal  temperature  gives  complete  inununity.  Taking 
the  second  table  as  a  whole  it  indicates  that  large  increases  in  relative 
humidity — say  94  to  96  per  cent — ^have  less  influence  on  the  lethal  tempera- 
ture than  has  a  change  of  S^F. 

Test  of  the  Ijarvae  of  the  Pea  Weevil  Inside. 


Date. 

Time  exposed. 

Temper- 
ature. 

Relative 
humidity. 

Larvae 
dead-afive. 

Remarks. 

Aug.  4,  '15.  .  . 

30  min 

60  min 

30  min 

60  min 

135°  F. 

5.4% 
5.4% 
100% 
100% 

0          9 
8          0 
0          7 
0          9 

No  pupMor 
adults  preMnC 

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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  331 

This  table  seems  to  indicate  that  both  time  and  relative  humidity 
influences  the  lethal  temperature  for  the  pea  weevil.  As  a  matter  of 
fact  tbe  peas  still  contained  a  great  deal  of  moisture  and  that  may 
have  influenced  the  result 

Potato  I>ii8tliig  and  Spraying. 
B^golar  Crop. 

This  year  as  last  the  work  of  dusting  and  spraying  potatoes,  while 
a  cooperative  project  between  the  Departments  of  Plant  Pothology  and 
Entomology,  has  been  carried  on  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the 
writer.  In  this  case,  however,  he  was  assisted  by  Mr.  H.  Clay  Lint, 
Research  Fellow  in  the  Department  of  Plant  Pathology,  and  in  view 
of  the  large  measure  of  independence  accorded  to  Mr.  Lint,  the  Ehitomolo- 
gist  has  requested  him  to  write  up  the  detailed  results  and  suggested 
that  his  report  be  published  as  a  part  of  Plant  Pathologist's  report. 
Persons  who  may  be  interested  in  the  detailed  account  will  flnd  it  in 
that  report  The  writer  purposes  merely  to  set  forth  certain  general 
phases  of  this  work. 

The  acreage  and  distribution  of  the  work  this  year  was  slightly 
less  than  last,  about  18  acres  at  Freehold,  25  acres  at  Mt.  Holly  and  10 
acres  at  BUmer.  The  cooperation  with  Mr.  Frank  Jones  of  Freehold  and 
Mr.  J.  Harry  Handle  of  Elmer  was  continued  while  Mr.  John  Black  of 
Mt  Holly  took  the  place  of  Mr.  Robert  Dilatush  of  Robbinsville. 

The  plan  of  work  was  not  materially  changed.  The  experiments  were 
so  arranged  as  to  show  the  relative  values  of  the  arsenical  dusts  and 
Bordeaux  sprays  in  the  control  of  insects  and  diseases  and  in  increasing 
the  yields  per  acre.  The  work  was  again  organized  as  a  cooperation 
between  certain  insecticide,  fungicide  and  spraying-machinery  manu- 
facturers and  the  Experiment  Station  on  the  one  hand  and  between  the 
Eixperiment  Station  and  certain  potato  growers  on  the  other.  The  com- 
mercial concerns  were  the  Union  Sulphur  Company,  the  Corona  Chemical 
Company,  the  Kil-Tone  Company,  the  Dust  Sprayer  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, and  the  Bateman  Manufacturing  Company.  The  Union  Sulpnur 
Company  furnished  the  sulphur  and  made  up  the  dust  mixtures.  The 
Corona  Chemical  Company  furnished  the  arsenate  of  lead.  The  Kil-Tone 
Company  furnished  the  Kil-Tone.  At  this  point  it  should  be  said  that 
Mr.  F.  B.  Embree,  Manager  of  the  Burlington  County  Farmers'  Exchange, 
furnished  a  potato  spray  called  Tonicide,  took  personal  interest  in  ana 
very  materially  contributed  towards  the  successful  issue  of  the  work  at 
Mt  Holly.  The  Dust  Sprayer  Manufacturing  Company  furnished  three 
dusters.  The  Bateman  Manufacturing  Company  furnished  two  new 
sprayers — one  at  Freehold  and  one  at  Mt.  Holly.  The  Experiment  Station 
furnished  the  materials  for  Bordeaux,  and  put  on  and  carried  cut  the 
test  The  cooperating  growers  furnished  the  fields,  plants  and  the 
labor  necessary  to  make  the  applications  and  helped  to  keep  account  of 
the  results. 


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332         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Spraying  and  dusting  started  when  the  potatoes  were  about  six  inches 
high  and  was  continued  at  intervals  of  about  two  weeks  until  the  vineB 
met  in  the  rows  and  rendered  further  treatment  likely  to  do  more  harm 
than   good. 

At  Freehold  the  vines  grew  so  rapidly  that  only  three  sprayings  could 
be  given  but  at  both  Mt.  Holly  and  Elmer  four  applications  were  made. 
At  Freehold  the  variety  grown  was  the  Giant  and  at  Mt  Holly  and 
Elmer  the  variety  was  Cobbler.  The  mixtures  were  applied  at  all  places 
in  such  a  fashion  as  to  give  the  potato  plants  as  complete  a  coating  as 
practicable.  Approximately  100  gallons  of  spraying  mixture  was  used 
in  each  application  for  each  acre  of  plants.  Approximately  30  pounds  of 
the  dust  mixture  were  used  on  each  acre  in  each  application. 

These  amoimts  meant:  (1)  10  pounds  of  copper  sulphate,  10  pounds 
of  lime  and  6  pounds  of  lead  arsenate  (30+  per  cent  arsenic  oxide)  for 
each  acre  each  application  of  home-mixed  Bordeaux;  (2)  25  pounds  of 
sulphur  and  6  pounds  of  lead  arsenate  (30+  per  cent  arsenic  oxide)  for 
each  acre  each  application  of  powdered  sulphur  lead;  (3)  25  pounds  of 
sulphur  and  6  pounds  of  arsenite  of  zinc  for  each  acre  each  application 
of  powdered  sulphur  zinc;  (4)  6  pounds  of  lead  arsenate  (30+  per  cent 
arsenic  oxide);  (5)  20  pounds  of  Kil-Tone,  (6)  20  pounds  of  Tonicide 
(7)  2  pounds  of  Paris  Green. 

Insofar  as  practicable  a  block  of  potatoes  treated  as  a  check  was  inter- 
polated between  each  of  the  treatments.  At  Freehold  the  check  was 
Paris  green,  at  Elmer  the  check  was  really  Bordeaux,  and  at  Mt  Holly 
the  check  was  arsenate  of  lead. 

Freehold. 


Plot  Number. 

1         Treatment. 

1 

Yields  in  Bushels  per  acre. 
Firsts.  Seconds  Totals 

Increase 

over  Paris 

Green. 

1  and  7 

Bordeaux. 

407.75 
407.49 
403.00 
429.50 

.26 

2,  4.  6,  8.  10,  12 

3  and  9 

5  and  11 

Paris  Green 

Sulphur  Zinc 

Sulphur  Lead 

0.00 

4.49 

21.76    . 

Elmer. 


Plot  Numb^. 

Treatment 

Yields  in  Bushels  r  er  acre. 

Increaae 

Firsts. 

Seconds. 

Totals. 

over  lead. 

1  and  11 

2,  6,  8,  12 

3  and  9 

4  and  10 

Sand  11 

Sulphur  Lead.           298.4 
Bordeaux                   323.275 
Sulphur  Zinc.  . .        338.16 

Kil-Tone !       328.3 

J.<ad 303.85 

67.22 

64.075 

63.775 

62.835 

74.65 

365.62 

387.35 

401.925 

391.135 

378.50 

12.88 

8.85 

23.42 

Mt.  HoUy. 


Treatment. 

Yields 

in  Bushels  per  acre. 

Increase  over 

Plot  Number. 

Firsts. 

Seconds. 

Totals. 

lead  alone. 

1 

Sulphur  Lead.  . 

Bordeaux 

Sulphur  Zinc.  . . 

Tonicide 

Lead 

Bordeaux 

238.68 

273.85 

261.51 

220.0 

209.95 

242.86 

34.88 
32.16 
34.46 
34.62 
38.65 
27  75 

273.56 
306.01 
295.97 
254.62 
248.60 
270.61 

24.96 

2 

57.41 

3 

47.37 

4 

6 

e.03 
0.0  J 

6 

22.01 

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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


33S 


The  dust  distributing  machines  gave  satisfactory  service.  The  "Iron 
Age"  sprayers  in  use  at  Freehold  and  Mt  Holly  were  very  satisfactory, 
maintaining  100  pounds  pressure  when  covering  four  rows  at  «  single 
trip. 

Examining  the  Freehold  table  shows  that  the  yields  of  all  treatments 
are  very  similar,  repeating  the  experience  of  lasit  year.  Examination 
of  the  Elmer  table  shows  the  same  slight  variation  in  yield.  Examina- 
tion of  the  Mt  Holly  table  shows  an  increase  for  all  treatments  ranging 
from  6.02  bushels  for  "Tonicide"  to  57.41  bushels  for  home-mixed  Bor- 
deaux. 

All  insects  except  the  potato  flea  beetle  were  satisfactorily  controlled 
by  all  treatments. 

Some  figures  on  the  relative  effect  of  the  different  dusts  and  sprays 
upon  flea  beetle  feeding  have  been  accumulated  and  are  set  forth  in  the 
following  table. 


nut 

No. 

Treatment 

Total 
puneturee. 

Number  of 
leaves. 

Average 

number  of 

holea  per  leaf. 

1 

Sulphur  LecMi 

47.828 
30.722 
39.665 
30.638 
44.015 
19.680 
74  .410 

358 
353 
379 
336 
360 
262 
360 

183.60 

2 
3 

Bordeaux. 

Sulphur  Zino 

87.03 
104  66 

4 
5 
• 
7 

Tonioida. 

Lead  Araenata 

Bordeaux. 

Paris  Green 

117.96 
124.76 
75.115 
206.20 

These  fttcts  confirm  the  conclusions  reached  last  year  by  Mr.  Cameron 
that  of  all  the  substances  tested  Bordeaux  gives  the  best  protection  and 
that  it  eliminates  about  one-half  the  usual  injury. 

When  ft  is  understood  that  the  difference  in  flea  beetle  control  exerted 
by  the  different  mixtures  are  about  the  same  in  all  places  it  does  not  seem 
likely  that  the  difference  is  adequate  to  explain  the  large  increases  at 
Mt  Holly.  Insect  control  exerted  by  the  different  treatments  must 
therefore,  be  eliminated  as  the  principal  cause  of  the  difference  in  yield. 
Likewise  because  the  amount  of  disease  has  been  inadequate  to  bring 
about  these  differences,  diseases  must  be  eliminated  in  our  search  for 
the  principal  cause.  Differences  in  the  soil  conditions  in  different  parts 
of  the  experimental  fields,  which  are  doubtless  responsible  for  small 
variations  in  yield  will  not  explain  such  differences  as  now  found  at  Mt 
Holly.  No  doubt  the  slight  amount  of  insect  injury,  the  small  amount 
of  plant  disease  injury,  and  differences  in  soil  conditions  may  well  serve 
to  explain  such  variations  as  were  found  at  Freehold  and  Elmer,  but 
they  are  inadequate  to  account  for  such  variations  in  yield  as  are 
exhibited  at  Mt  Holly. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  last  year  the  outstanding  difference  between 
Bhner  and  Robbinsville  on  the  one  hand  which  showed  large  increases  in 
yield  in  the  treated  block,  and  Freehold  on  the  other,  which  showed  only 
■light  Increases  was  the  greater  yield  per  acre,  the  lowest  yielding  block 
at  Freehold  giving  84.93  bushels  per  acre  more  than  the  lowest  yielding 

12 


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iU         N£W  JERSEY  AC^RICULtURAL  C6LL£<3E 

at  RobbinsTille  and  62.26  bushels  more  than  the  lowest  at  Elmer.  It 
would  seem  that  this  difference  In  favor  of  Freehold  must  be  due  to  the 
better  growing  conditions  with  which  the  potato  plant  was  surrounded 
or  possibly  to  the  variety  (which  does  not  seeifi  lilcely),  and  Mr.  Cameron 
at  the  time  advanced  the  idea  that  the  excellent  growing  conditions  at 
Freehold  may  have  stimulated  the  plant  to  such  an  extent  that  the 
simulative  effect  of  the  mixture  was  overcome. 

This  year  the  same  thing  seems  to  have  happened  at  Elmer,  the  grow- 
ing conditions  have  been  so  good  that  the  stimulation  they  afforded  tlie 
potato  plants  has  ovoMome  the  stimulative  effect  afforded  by  the  mixtaree. 

In  the  light  of  these  conclusions — that  when  extra  large  yields  axe 
obtained,  the  stimulative  effect  of  Bordeaux  is  likely  to  be  lost — ^it  is 
significant  to  examine  the  Mt.  Holly  case.  Here  the  Bordeaux  yield  is 
81.3  bushels  an  acre  less  than  at  Elmer,  101.7  bushels  less  than  at  Free- 
hold and  the  stimulative  effects  of  the  spraying  and  dusting  treatments 
is  marked.  It  seems  to  be  very  much  as  Mr.  Jones  has  summed  it  up 
to  the  writer,  "it  pays  well  to  spray  the  roots  of  the  potato." 

At  the  same  time  we  should  remember  that  such  growing  conditions 
as  were  furnished  to  parts  of  New  Jersey  last  year  are  comparatively 
rare,  and  that  such  soil  conditions  as  Mr.  Jones  has  at  Freehold  are  still 
more  rare. 

Figures  on  acre  cost  of  the  different  dusts  and  spray  depend  upon 
such  variable  factors  that  no  really  satisfactory  notion  can  be  given. 
Speaking  roughly  however,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  it  will  vary  from  Hve 
to  ten  dollars.  There  was  really  very  little  difference  between  the  cost 
of  dusting  and  spraying  except  when  an  arsenical  was  used  by  itself. 

For  facts  regarding  the  relative  values  of  dusts  and  sprays  attention 
must  this  year  largely  be  limited  to  Mt.  Holly.  It  is  there  shown  that 
while  the  returns  from  sulphur  zinc  and  sulphur  lead  are  not  as  large 
as  those  from  home-mixed  Bordeaux,  they  are  good. 

Second  Crop. 

After  the  preceding  discussion  was  written  the  data  from  dusting  and 
spraying  on  second  crop  of  Cobblers  on  Mr.  Handle's  farm  came  in. 
Briefly  stated,  the  field  consisted  of  fourteen  acres  planted  with  last 
year's  second  crop  seed  which  had  been  kept  in  cold  storage.  Although 
the  time  of  planting  extended  over  a  considerable  period — July  27th 
to  August  10th — the  rate  of  growth  was  such  that  effects  of  the  difference 
in  time  of  starting  were  apparently  overcome.  The  following  blocks, 
consisting  of  more  than  one-half  acre  each,  were  laid  off  and  treated  as 
indicated:  Plot  No.  1  home-mixed  Bordeaux  (5-5-50)  plus  3  pounds  of 
arsenate  of  lead  (30+  per  cent  arsenic  oxide);  Plot  No.  2  sulphur  (5 
lbs.)  lead  arsenate  (1  lb.)  (dust);  Plot  No.  3  lead  arsenate  (3  lbs.  to  50 
gals,  of  water);  Plot  No.  4  home-mixed  Bordeaux;  Plot  No.  5  sulphur 
(6  lbs.)  zinc  arsenite  (1  lb.)  (dust);  Plot  No.  6  lead  arsenate;  Plot  No. 
7  Bordeaux;  Plot  No.  8  sulphur  lead  arsenate;  Plot  No.  9  lead  arsenate; 
Plot  No.  10  Bordeaux;   Plot  No.  11  sulphur  zinc  arsenite;   Plot  No.  12 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


335 


lead  arsenate;  Plot  No.  13  Bordeaux;  Plot  No.  14  sulphur  lead  arsenate. 

Three  triplications  of  dusting  and  spraying  mixtures  were  made,  tlie 
last  occurring  at  a  time  when  the  Tines  were  meeting  In  the  rows. 
The  first  application  came  August  23rd,  the  second  September  8th,  and 
the  third  September  24th.  Approximately  100  gallons  of  spray  were  used 
on  each  acre  each  application  and  approximately  30  pounds  of  dust  were 
used  for  each  acre  each  treatment. 

No  Insects  other  than  the  Colorado  potato  beetle  were  present  In 
troublesome  numbers  and  that  species  succumbed  to  arsenlcals.  Early 
blight  was,  however,  very  abundant  The  Bordeaux  treated  plots  were 
much  better  protected  from  blight  than  any  other  and  remained  green 
after  the  others  of  similar  date  of  planting  were  dead. 


Plot  No. 


Treatment. 


Budiek 
perAore. 

iDereaeein 

budiebper 

Aore  over  lead 

236.75 
281.34 
227.34 
229.13 

00.00 
44.60 
-9.41 
-7.62 

3,  6,  0  aad  12.. . . 
4.7.  10  and  12... 

Sand  14 

Sand  11 


Lead  Arsenate. 

Home-mixed  Bordeaux. . 

Sulphur  Lead 

Su^ur  Zing 


In  ealculating  the  results,  plots  1  and  2  have  been  omitted  because 
the  Colorado  beetle  damage  before  the  regular  treatments  were  made  was 
such  as  materially  to  affect  the  yield. 

No  doubt  the  substantial  increase  which  followed  treatment  with  Bor- 
deaux mixture  was  the  natural  result  of  its  better  control  of  early  blight 
The  differences  between  the  yields  from  lead  sulphur  and  zinc  sulphur 
on  the  one  hand  and  lead  arsenate  alone  on  the  other  are  easily  within 
the  limits  of  experimental  error. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  Mr.  Handle  sold  a  considerable  portion  of  his 
second  crop  at  the  rate  of  $1.12  a  bushel  and  could  haye  sold  all  of  It 
at  the  same  figure  if  he  had  cared  to  do  so.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  his 
Bordeaux  application  cost  him  about  $8.25  an  &cre  his  net  profit  on  spray- 
Ing  was  In  this  Instance  not  less  than  |40  an  acre. 


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REPORT  ON  MOSQUITO  WORK 
FOR  1915 


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Report  on  Mosquito  Work  for  1915 

Thomas  J.  Headlee. 


The  attention  of  the  Entomologist  and  his  field  assistants  has  been 
devoted  to  forwarding  the  control  of  the  salt  marsh  mosquito,  the  exten- 
sion of  aid  to  boards  of  health  a;id  others  interested  in  mosquito  control, 
and  to  furthering  in  every  practical  way  the  work  of  the  county  mosquito 
extermination  conunissions. 

Salt  Marsh  Mosquito  Woric 

The  salt  marsh  work  must  be  considered  under  two  divisions,  the 
first  of  \i^hich  is  concerned  with  direct  work  of  survey  and  drainage  in 
cooperation  with  local  boards  of  health,  and  second  with  the  drainage 
of  the  salt  marsh  through  the  work  of  the  county  mosquito  extermination 
commissions. 

Salt  Bfarsh  Drainage  by  tiie  Experiment  Station. 

Plans  have  been  prepared  for  six  different  pieces  of  work  and  four 
have  been  carried  out.  The  pieces  planned  for  were:  (i)  ditching  in 
Maps  I,  2,  3  of  Bergen  County;  (2)  diking,  sluicing,  tide  gating,  Map 
I  of  Bergen  Coimty;  (3)  ditching  in  Map  4  of  Bergen  County;  (4) 
cleaning  of  the  ditching  in  Ocean  County;  (5)  ditching  in  Stafford 
Township,  Ocean  County;  (6)  ditching  in  the  Borough  of  Ocean  City 
and  Upper  Township  of  Cape  Ma/  County.  The  pieces  of  work 
carried  out  a,rc  numbers  i,  3,  5,  and  6. 

In  Bergen  County. 

As  set  forth  in  last  year's  report,  the  inspection  service  maintained  on 
the  Hackensack  Valley  throughout  the  mosquito  breeding  season  of  1914 
served  to  demonstrate  that  at  certain  times  mosquitoes  bred  at  various 
points  throughout  the  entire  area  and  that  the  Bergen  section  as  well 
as  the  Hudson  County  section  must  be  drained  if  the  cities  and  towns 
lying  along  Its  edges  and  for  many  miles  to  the  north  and  west  were  to 
be  protected.  Accordingly,  drainage  plans  were  prepared  and  the  Experi- 
ment Station  decided  to  spend  approximately  $7,000.  This  sum,  when 
taken  with  the  amount  the  county  mosquito  commission  expected  to 
spend  on  the  marsh,  it  was  hoped  would  prove  sufficient  to  drain  the 
worst  spots. 

In  order  to  relieye  that  portion  of  Bergen,  Essex  and  Passaic  counties, 
which  In   previous  years  had  suffered  from  flights  of  Aedea  cantator 

(339) 


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340         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Coq.,  it  was  decided  to  begin  work  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  county. 
Accordingly,  after  complying  with  the  provisions  of  Chapter  134,  Iawb 
of  1906,  bids  for  cutting  200,000  feet  or  more  of  ditching  on  Maps  1,  2,  S, 
and  4  of  Bergen  County  were  advertised  for,  and  on  May  22nd,  1915  tluree 
bids  were  presented;  that  of  the  U.  S.  Drainage  and  Irrigation  Company 
being  the  lowest  was  accepted  and  a  contract  entered  Into  with  that  oon- 
cem  to  cut  225,000  linear  feet  of  10  by  30  inch  ditching  or  its  equlviaent 
On  March  31st  all  preliminaries  had  been  completed  and  the  contractor 
was  notified  to  begin  work. 

Scarcely  had  the  trenching  begun  when  an  enormous  brood  of  mosquito 
wrigglers  was  discovered  on  the  central  part  of  Map  1.  Throogfaout 
about  six  hundred  acres  of  the  tract  lying  between  Klngsland  Creek  and 
Saw  Mill  Creek  the  breeding  was  bad — as  bad  as  any  the  writer  has 
ever  seen.  The  ditching  of  this  area  was  hastened  to  the  utmost  extent, 
the  water  run  off  and  a  whole  brood  practically  eliminated. 

No  sooner  had  this  brood  been  eliminated  than  another  made  its 
appearance  in  the  north  end  of  the  area  on  Map  3  on  the  marsh  lying 
near  the  woodlands  and  to  some  extent  in  the  woodlands  themaetvas. 
The  gangs  rapidly  worked  north  putting  the  minimum  amount  of  ditching 
in  Map  2  and  concentrating  on  the  breeding  grounds  on  Map  3.  Here 
the  utmost  speed  succeeded  in  eliminating  only  about  95  per  cent  of  the 
brood. 

The  very  speed  with  which  the  territory  had  been  covered.  Involving 
the  cutting  of  225,000  linear  feet  of  10  by  30  inch  ditching  or  its  equiva- 
lent, prevented  the  proper  operation  of  the  cleaning  and  deepening;  gangs. 
In  Map  3  that  portion  of  the  ditches  near  the  woodlands  ran  for  several 
hundred  feet  over  what  had  apparently  only  recently  been  cedar  erwamp 
and  ditches  cut  with  the  ordinary  patented  ditching  spade  were  so  full 
of  roots  and  obstructions  as  to  be  imserviceable.  Gangs  of  men  were 
then  set  to  work  on  cleaning  out  this  ditching  by  cutting  out  and 
removing  roots,  tree  trunks  and  stumps.  This  was  hard  and  slow  work 
and  the  contractor  asked  for  an  adjustment  on  the  ditches  about  the 
woodland.  Report  from  the  inspector  in  charge,  Mr.  Chas.  S.  Beckwith. 
supplemented  by  personal  study  led  the  writer  to  conclude  that  to  insist 
on  putting  the  ditches  down  to  30  inches  would  fail  to  give  better  drainage 
to  the  area.  Accordingly,  he  prepared  a  modification  of  the  specifications 
as  applied  to  this  particular  cedar  swamp  area  and  submitted  the  same  to 
the  Director  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Experiment  Station  for  his  approval 

After  making  a  personal  investigation  of  the  conditions  the  Director 
approved  the  change  and  the  contractor  was  promptly  informed  of  the 
action.  Briefly  stated  the  modification  applied  to  only  those  ditches  about 
the  central  woodlands  in  Map  3  and  required  that  the  ditcfaeff  be  not 
less  than  12  Inches  at  their  sources,  that  they  have  a  regular  and  even 
fall  to  their  outlets,  and  that  they  be  so  cleared  of  obstructions  that  water 
could  lie  dead  in  them  nowhere.    This  modification  was  granted  only 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT,  341 

wiUi  the  proviso  that  they  should  efficiently  drain  the  area.  In  ease 
they  did  not  do  this  they  should  be  driven  deeper.  As  a  matter  of  tact 
the  drainage  afforded  by  them  has  been  efficient. 

An  immense  amount  of  time  was  consumed  in  this  work  and  the  time 
limit  of  the  contract  was  reached  and  passed.  As  the  contractor  was 
steadily  at  work  and  as  he  made  every  effort  to  prevent  breeding  over 
the  territory  served  by  the  ditching  it  seemed  well  to  allow  him  to  con- 
tinue. In  this  way  all  the  ditching  on  Maps  2  and  3  was  brought  up  to 
satisfactory  compliance  with  the  requirements.  By  this  time  the  con- 
tractor had  received  two-thirds  of  the  stipulated  pay.  The  question  tiien 
became  one  of  bringing  the  ditches  on  Map  1  up  to  standard. 

The  territory  comprised  in  Map  1  was  placed  under  dike  and  riuiee 
gates  many  years  ago,  apparently  for  agricultural  purposes.  The  usual 
result  followed — the  marsh  shrank  and  the  surface  level  was  lowered. 
Much  of  the  old  dike  had  been  washed  away  and  the  sluice  gates  at 
KlngBland  Creek  destroyed.  Through  a  ten  to  fifteen  foot  breach  Just 
south  of  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western 
Railroad  bridge  the  waters  of  the  Hackensack  River  poured  into  the  area 
from  a  point  a  little  above  low  water  to  high  tide,  and  the  monthly 
extra  high  tides  poured  over  the  remains  of  the  dike  for  long  distances. 
The  only  outlet  for  all  this  inflow  in  addition  to  the  rainfall  waa  two 
tide  sluices  each  six  feet  wide  by  three  feet  high.  Obviously  this  opening 
was  barely  enough  to  take  care  of  the  inflow  through  the  breach  Just 
south  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  bridge  not  to 
mention  the  water  which  came  in  the  monthly  extra  high  tides  and  the 
rainfall.  In  normal  seasons  this  area  was  covered  by  water  in  the  spring 
but  by  midsummer  was  usually  uncovered  by  evaporation. 

This  breach  was  eliminated  by  building  an  earthen  dam,  and  two 
sluices  were  set  in  the  mouth  of  Kingsland  Creek.  Thus  the  daily 
intake  from  the  river  was  stopped  and  the  outlet  doubled.  Under  good 
conditions  the  water  fell  to  a  point  between  four  and  six  inches  below  the 
surface  of  the  low  parts  of  the  marsh  and  from  ten  to  twelve  inches 
bdow  the  surface  in  the  central  portion. 

As  most  of  the  roots  left  in  the  ditches  on  Map  1  were  fifteen  inches 
or  more  below  the  surface  of  the  sod  they  were  constantly  under  water 
and  exceedingly  difflciUt  to  remove. 

When  formally  requested  to  remove  the  roots  from  these  ditches,  the 
contractor  mainthined  that  the  drainage  was  as  satisfactory  now  as  it 
would  be  after  they  were  removed,  and  that  their  removal,  exc^t  at 
unreasonable  cost,  was  impossible. 

Both  the  Entomologist  as  Executive  Officer  and  the  Director  of  the 
Experiment  Station  felt  that  the  drainage  effected  by  the  ditches  in  their 
present  condition  was  not  satisfactory,  that  conditions  would  be  decidedly 
better  if  they  were  deepened  to  conform  to  specifications,  and  that  the 
speelfications  upon  which  the  contractor  bid  gave  him  due  wmmlnc. 
Aecordingly  the  whole  matter  was  turned  over  to  the  Attorney  General 
for  advice. 


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342         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Realizing  the  extent  to  which  the  drainage  of  the  territory  on  Bfap  1 
depended  upon  keeping  the  waters  of  the  Hackensack  Riyer  out  and 
providing  ample  outlets,  a  plan  for  completing  the  dike  along  the  rtfSt 
from  the  mouth  of  Saw  Mill  Creek  to  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  Deli- 
ware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  and  the  placing  of  a  double 
tide  gate  with  necessary  bulk-heading  at  the  mouth  of  Kingsland  Creek 
and  two  single  gates  at  other  points  was  worked  out  Bids  for  the  dik- 
ing and  tid^gating  were  called  for  separately.  One  bid  of  practically 
fifty  cents  a  linear  foot  was  offered  for  the  diking  and  two  blda— one  of 
four  thousand  and  another  of  three  thousand  dollars — ^for  the  tide-gating. 
The  bid  on  the  diking  was  rejected  on  the  groimd  that  a  single  bid  did 
not  constitute  competition  and  the  others  on  the  ground  that  the  eon- 
struction  of  the  full  number  of  gates  without  the  dike  would  be  an 
unwise  expenditure  of  the  funds  in  hand.  Later  on,  Bergen  County 
placed  a  pair  of  tide  gates  with  perhaps  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of 
bulk-heading  in  the  mouth  of  Kingsland  Creek  following  more  or  less 
completely  the  specifications  prepared  by  us  at  a  contract  cost  of  $1,800. 

At  this  juncture,  the  office  of  the  State  Comptroller  decided  to  hold 
up  all  funds  for  permanent  improvement  until  the  exact  relation  between 
the  State's  income  and  outgo  could  be  determined.  When  the  funds 
for  permanent  improvement  were  released  we  found  it  impossible  because 
of  technical  difficulties  in  administration  of  the  act  of  1906,  coupled  with 
the  short  period  of  time  left  in  the  fiscal  year,  to  do  further  work  on 
Maps  1,  2  and  3,  and  therefore  turned  our  attention  to  the  salt  marsh  of 
the  Borough  of  Carlstadt  which  lies  just  north  of  Map  3.  Sealed  pro- 
posals for  cutting  60,000  feet  or  more  of  10  by  30  inch  ditching  on  this 
marsh  were  opened  on  October  llth,  1916.  Three  bids  were  offered,  the 
lowest  of  which  was  2  2/3  cents  a  foot. 

Mr.  Fred.  A.  Reiley  of  Atlantic  City  being  the  lowest  bidder  and 
having  demonstrated  that  he  had  the  tools  and  machinery  with  which  to 
do  the  work  was  awarded  the  contract,  subject  to  the  filing  of  proper 
papers.  Mr.  Reiley  was  given  a  contract  for  the  cutting  of  90,000  linear 
feet  of  10  by  80  inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  and  at  a  total  cost  of 
|2,400.  Three  hundred  dollars  were  reserved  with  which  to  do  such 
additional  work  on  the  area  as  could  not  be  classified  under  the  10  by 
80  inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent 

All  papers  relative  to  the  initiation  of  the  work  were  filed  with  the 
State  Comptroller  on  October  31,  1915,  and  the  contractor  was  instructed 
to  begin  work.    This  he  did. 

The  work  began  promptly  and  was  in  progress  at  the  close  of  the  fiscal 
year.  Owing  to  the  presence  of  roots  and  stumps  throughout  this  area  the 
cutting  of  the  ditching  contemplated  is  certain  to  prove  a  difficult  matter. 
AnUdpation  of  this  cov4iUon  doubUess  lead  the  cootra^or^  to  bid  the 
w\ie\i»U7  hi^h  fiiwei, 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  343 

In  Ocean  Ooontjr. 

Being  aware  that  much  of  the  salt  marsh  trenching  in  Ocean  County 
has  become  so  clogged  as  not  only  to  fail  to  drain  but  actually  to  increase 
the  water  surface  for  breeding  mosquitoes  it  was  planned  to  clean  the 
ditching  that  had  already  been  installed.  It  was  planned  to  dean 
thoroughly  100,000  linear  feet  and  to  remove  the  blockages  from  600,000 
more.  Proposals  were  submitted  for  this  work,  the  lowest  of  which  was 
13,400.  Bids  were  rejected  because  the  figures  were  belieyed  to  be  too 
high.  Just  at  this  junction  the  holp-up  in  funds  for  permanent  improye- 
ment  occurred  and  it  was  decided  in  conference  that  the  county  mosquito 
commission  (which  had  Just  at  Ihat  time  receiyed  a  small  appropriation) 
should  do  the  cleaning  with  its  own  labor  tod  that  the  money  from  the 
State  should  be  spent  in  new  work.  Accordingly,  the  county  undertook 
the  work  of  cleaning  and  coyering  all  the  ditches  of  the  county,  which 
totaUed  1,349,217  feet,  and  did  the  work  for  about  |1,200. 

In  accordance  with  the  understanding  reached  with  the  county  author- 
ities, as  soon  as  funds  were  released  we  adyertised  for  bids  for  cutting 
150,000  or  more  linear  feet  of  10  by  30  inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent 
on  the  salt  marsh  of  Stafford  Township,  Ocean  County,  as  laid  down  on 
'Stafford  Township  Maps  1,  2,  and  3.  Four  bids  were  received  on  September 
14th,  1915,  and  that  of  the  U.  S.  Drainage  and  Irrigation  Company  being  the 
lowest  ($.0148  linear  foot)  was  accepted  and  a  contract  for  cutting 
189489  linear  feet  of  10  by  30  inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  was  awarded 
to  that  concern  subject  to  the  filing  of  the  necessary  papers.  Three 
hundred  dollars  were  set  aside  for  doing  such  necessary  additional  work 
as  could  not  properly  be  included  under  the  10  by  30  inch  ditching  or  its 
equivalent. 

On  October  26th,  1915,  all  the  papers  necessary  to  the  beginning  of  the 
work  were  placed  on  file  with  the  State  Comptroller  and  the  contractor 
waa  notified  to  begin  work. 

The  territory  comprised  in  Stafford  Township,  Map  1,  was  already  partly 
ditched,  having  on  it  about  90,378  linear  feet  of  10  by  30  inch  ditching  or 
its  equivalent.  The  territory  comprised  in  Stafford  Township,  Map  2,  was 
also  partly  drained.  About  134,000  linear  feet  of  10  by  30  inch  ditching 
or  its  equivalent  had  been  cut  Such  footage  as  may  be  left  after  com- 
pleting the  drainage  in  the  territory  covered  by  Maps  1  and  2  will  be 
placed  in  that  represented  by  Map  3.  At  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year  the 
drainage  under  this  contract  was  going  forward. 

In  Gape  May  County. 

The  willingness  of  Atlantic  Coimty  to  spend  its  own  money  in  trenching 
the  salt  marsh  to  the  north  and  south  of  Atlantic  City  and  Pleasantville 
has  led  us  to  execute  three  contracts  for  salt  marsh  drainage  laid  out  in 
relation  to  the  country  work.  This  year,  however,  the  drainage  had 
proceeded  as  far  to  the  south  as  the  county  line  and  mosquitoes  breeding 
over  in  Cape  May  County  were  found  to  make  their  way  on  occasion  into 
Longport,  Margate  and  Somer's  Point 


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344         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

It  thus  became  evident  that  the  next  step  was  to  start  drainage  In 
Cape  May  County.  Accordingly,  it  was  planned  to  spend  the  available 
funds  in  the  Borough  of  Ocean  City  and  Upper  Township.  Sealed  pro- 
posals were  received  and  opened  on  October  14th,  1915.  Three  bids  were 
presented  and  that  of  Mr.  Fred.  A.  Reiley  of  Atlantic  City  (^.0139  per 
linear  foot),  being  the  lowest  and  Mr.  Reiley  having  demonstrated  that 
he  had  the  tools  and  machinery  with  which  to  do  the  work,  was  accepted. 
He  was  given  a  contract  for  cutting  209,634  linear  feet  of  10  by  30  indi 
ditching  or  its  equivalent.  Four  hundred  dollars  were  set  aside  for 
doing  such  additional  work  as  could  not  properly  be  included  under  the 
regular  contrart  ditching. 

At  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year  the  work  under  this  contract  was  going 
forward. 

Other  Counties. 

The  Experiment  Station  during  the  present  fiscal  year  has  paid  for 
salt  marsh  drainage  at  no  other  point  in  the  State  than  at  those  already 
specified,  but  it  has  kept  in  close  touch  with  drainage  all  along  the  coa^ 
and  has  directed  the  salt  marsh  drainage  work  in  Ocean  County,  ^vhich 
was  done  with  the  county  funds  under  the  authority  of  the  Moequlto 
Commission  of  that  county.  The  Ehitomologist  and  his  assistants  have  be^ 
called  upon  in  an  advisory  function  to  aid  in  practically  all  the  salt  mash 
mosquito  drainage  undertaken  throughout  the  State. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  from  a  place  in  which  the  Experiment  Station  paid 
for  practically  all  the  salt  marsh  drainage  carried  out  it  has  reached  the 
point  where  it  pays  for  the  smallest  part.  Tet,  never  before  have  so 
many  feet  of  ditching  been  cut  in  a  single  year,  so  many  rods  of  dike 
be^i  built,  and  so  many  tide  gates  been  installed. 

Local  authorities  are  doing  what  the  State  could  not  be  induced  to  do- 
making  appropriations  of  sufficient  size  to  cover  their  salt  marsh  territory 
rapidly. 

TABULAR  STATEMENT. 
Tabular  Statement  of  the  Salt  Marsh  Ditching  Woik  From 
Beginning  to  and  Tnclnding  tfab  Year  1915. 


Acrea. 

Feet  of 
ditching. 

Cost  to  ths  Statv 

PERIOD. 

Ditohinc. 

studies  and 
publications. 

Admiiii*. 
tratioo. 

Up  to  1907,  aa  reported. 

Tn^lOO?  mm  rsDorted. 

15.851 
10.961 
6.669 
2.672 
4.660 
8.628 
6.195 
7.174 

2.215.524 

1.606.524 

888.650 

365.800 

350.000 

712.000 

1.000.180 

1.564.842 

1 .293 .840 

2.685.071 

$19,466.66 

15.758.00 

9.917.00 

4.471.00 

19.650.00 

21.660.00 

21.580.00 

7.638.86 

13,426.26 

$11,000.00 

S4'.i66:66 

4.242.00 
4.6^.00 

!1;S 

In  1908,  as  reported 

Tn  1000  Ail  rcfDorted.  . 

639.00 

Tn'IOlO  am  reoorted. 

Tn  1012  OM  remnied. 

Tn  1013  fifl  reDorted.  . 

Tn  -1014   ma,  renorted 

In  1916.  BM  reported. ! 

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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  343 

Tabular  Statement  of  1015  Salt  Manh  Dltchiiic  Work. 


MEADOW. 

Number  of 

acres  in 

area. 

Number  of  feet 

of  10x30  ineh 

Ditohinaor 

iU  equivident. 

Goer  TO  THB  Sr&TB 

T>ifiAing-f!l^yf^>itn 

Saw  Mill  OMk  north  to  the  Pstcnon 
Plank  Road.   . 

5*500 
addi 

225.000 
tional 

•4,218.75 

106.50 

the  Patenon  Flank  Bead  north  to  the 
northern  boundaiy  of  the  Borough  of 
Oarlntadt 

2.000 

00.000 

2,400.00 

additional 

300.00 

Stafford  Townahip  (OM  mirvey) 

5.400              189.189 
additional 

2.800.00 
300.00 

Soroush  of  Ocean  Citf  and  Upper  Town- 
ship from  the  Meadow  Road  north  to 
end  of  Peek's  Island  on  the  east  and  to 
Beaideys  Point  on  the  west 

1 .500              209 .634 

2.900.00 

addi  tional 

400.00 

Totals. 


14.400 


713.823        $13,425.25 


Adminietration 

AJfSiUsiiiji  for  proposals $108 

MBt>  drawinc.  blue  printing,  etc 134 .  16 

Eouipment  (moton^ele,  surves^ioff  instruments,  and  other  appcuatus) 

Office  suppl  as  and  printing 


Telephone  and 

Postf^fe. 

Sandnes. 


and  fi  eight , 

id  telegr^h 


Part  of  salary  and  travelling  expenses, 
derieal  work  and  temporary  labor.  . . . 


.50 


535.92 

103.05 

1.60 

44.87 

27.20 

35.85 

682.91 

207.34 


$4.885.40 


Tabular  Statement  of  the  Salt  Marsh  I>niiiiaee  Done  by  the  State 
Experiment  Station  and  by  the  County  Mosquito 
Extermination  CommissionB. 


DATE. 

DrrcBiNO. 

COUNTT  GoMlflSSIOM 

Number'of 
feet  cut. 

Number  of 
feet  cleaned. 

Number  of 
feet  out. 

Number  of 
feet  cleaned. 

1^12. 

1.036.1«0» 
689,842 
321 .601 
713.823 

289.800 

879.365 

1.057,167 

470,000 

1013. 

Minimumamount 
None 
None 

1,300.000 

1014 

919,000 

1915 

1 .971 .248 

3.171,128 

'*    Maximum  figures,  probably  25  or  more  per  cent,  too  high. 


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346         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Financial  Statement  of  the  Experiment  Station's  Moequito 
Work  for  1915. 

Total  appropriation 120,000.00 

Salt   marsh    ditching    (contracts   and    inci- 
dental labor) 113,426.26 

Advertising   for    proposals 108.60 

Map  making,  blue  printing,  etc 134.16 

Equipment,    (motorcycle,    surveying   instru- 
ments, and  other  apparatus) 636.92 

Office  supplies  and  printing 103.06 

Express  and  freight 5.60 

Telegraph  and  telephone 44.87 

Postage    27.20 

Salaries  of  regular  and  temporary  employees.  3,720.00 

Travelling  expenses  of  same 1,462.91 

Clerical  and  laboratory  assistance 207.34 

Sundries    36.85 

Balance  reverting  to  State  Treasury 189.36 


120,000.00 

Aid  Extended  to  Boards  of  HealtlL,  Goimty  Mosquito  Exteiminallon 
OommlssionSf  and  Others. 

BOARDS  OF  HBAIiTH. 

In  past  years  most  of  the  requests  for  aid  in  fighting  the  mosquito 
pest  came  from  boards  of  health,  which  were  located  in  the  coast  counties 
somewhere  between  Cape  May  and  Jersey  City.  Their  efforts  appear 
to  have  contributed  to  the  formation  of  active  mosquito  extermination 
commissions  under  whose  direction  the  work  of  control  has  been  taken 
up  in  an  efficient  and  vigorous  manner. 

Still,  some  boards  of  health  in  counties  where  the  county-wide  move- 
ment for  mosquito  control  does  not  find  favor  are  actively  trying  to  bring 
about  local  control.  As  might  be  expected  the  interest  in  such  places  is 
mainly  in  eliminating  the  malarial  species  {Anopheles  quadritnaculatu* 
Say). 

On  August  23rd  the  writer  at  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Health  of  the 
City  of  Trenton  examined  and  reported  on  some  breeding  plaee&  The 
first  place  examined  was  a  branch  of  a  canal  which  had  been  cut  off  by 
South  Warren  street  and  thus  transformed  into  a  dead  end.  A  heavy 
growth  of  spatterdock  and  other  water  weeds  lined  one  side  and  the  place 
was  suspected  of  breeding  malarial  mosquitoes.  Nearly  thirty  minutes  of 
the  most  careful  search  failed  to  reveal  any  mosquito  wrigglers  whatever. 
In  a  small  tin  can  partly  filled  with  water  and  standing  on  the  bank 
of  this  pocket,  were  large  numbers  of  the  house  mosquito  wrigglers. 

Two  other  areas  were  examined  both  lying  almost  opposite  the  end 
of  Hoff  Avenue,  one  on  the  north  and  one  on  the  south  side  of  Oakland 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  347 

Avenue.  Several  pools  were  found  in  each  area.  LArvs  of  the  genua 
Anopheles  and  of  Uranotaenia  sapphirina  O.  S.  were  found  on  the  south 
side  and  larvs  of  Uranotaenia  sapphirina  O.  S.  were  found  on  the  north 
sida 

These  two  depressions  are  within  the  building  area  of  the  city  and  th« 
process  of  filling  them  has  already  been  begun.  The  water  should  be 
oiled  as  the  breeding  appears  until  the  areas  are  eliminated  by  filling. 

The  Board  of  Health  of  the  Borough  of  Princeton  has  this  year  shown 
more  anti-mosquito  activity  than  any  other  similar  local  organization. 
More  than  100  cases  of  malaria  were  reported  in  Princeton  during  the 
season  of  1914  and  that  is  probably  the  reason  for  its  activity.  The 
Borough  itself  was  ready  to  spend  the  money  for  work  within  its  confines 
but  the  Board  felt  that  the  best  efforts  of  the  Borough  Authorities  might 
go  for  naught  unless  the  breeding  in  surrounding  townships  could  be 
brought  under  control. 

Accordingly  the  Entomologist  called  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Health 
authorities  of  the  Borough  of  Princeton  and  of  the  surrounding  townships 
for  June  18th.  A  good  representation  was  present  and  the  problem  dis- 
cussed from  various  angles.  Dr.  A.  Clark  Hunt  of  the  State  Board  of 
Health  presenting  the  malarial  side.  A  representative  committee  with 
Dr.  Ulric  Dahlgren  as  chairman  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  work 
and  cooperation  of  surrounding  townships  promised. 

The  first  step  seemed  to  be  to  find  out  the  mosquito  breeding  condi- 
tions. For  this  survey  Mr.  W.  H.  W.  Komp  was  detailed  from  this  office 
and  Mr.  W.  T.  Eakins  from  the  State  Board  of  Health.  The  survey 
started  on  June  2l8t  and  was  continued  until  completed.  A  formal  report 
of  the  finding  was  prepared  and  submitted  to  the  conunittee.  Through 
the  activity  of  the  committee  a  detailed  map  of  Princeton  and  of  adjacent 
parts  of  surrounding  townships  was  prepared.  On  this  map  the  locations 
of  the  breeding  places  were  indicated. 

For  the  purpose  of  checking  up  the  results  of  elimination  work  under- 
taken in  and  about  Princeton  and  to  determine  what  places  most  needed 
attention,  a  series  of  night  collections  was  undertaken.  The  results  of 
these  studies  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  above  committee  and.  it  is 
the  writer's  understanding  that  this  committee  proposes  to  prepare  and 
perhaps  to  publish  a  formal  report  covering  the  mosquito  extermination 
work  done  by  it  during  the  season  Just  past 

Mosquito  Commissions. 

Throughout  the  past  year  the  Entomologist  has  held  himself  ready  to 
respond  to  the  needs  of  the  county  mosquito  commissions.  He  has  filled 
54  appointments  and  spent  about  42  days  of  10  to  12  hours  each.  In 
addition  to  this  plans  of  action  have  been  formulated,  surveys  have  been 
made,  maps  and  specifications  have  been  prepared.  In  fact,  all  the  prob- 
l^ns  incident  to  starting  and  carrying  on  the  work  of  mosquito  extermina- 
tion both  on  the  salt  mash  and  the  uplfoid  have  had  to  be  met  and  som^ 
solutions  worked  outt 


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348         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Olliers. 

Two  years  ago  the  Entomologist  helped  to  form  the  New  Jersey 
Mosquito  Extermination  Association  and  has  served  continuously  as  its 
Secretary-Treasurer.  In  this  capacity  he  has  edited  the  proceedings  oC 
the  annual  meetings  for  1914  and  1915. 

On  July  1st  Mr.  E.  T.  Judd  who  hasr  a  boys'  camp  south  of  New  Egypt 
complained  of  mosquito  trouble  and  requested  help.  A  careful  inspection 
rerealed  the  fact  that  the  species  of  mosquito  concerned  was  the  white- 
banded  salt  marsh  mosquito,  which  breeding  on  the  salt  marshes  of  the 
coast  or  river  had  winged  its  way  across  the  pines  to  this  camp.  It  was 
necessary  to  report  that  local  work  would  be  useless  and  to  advise  him 
to  move  the  camp  out  of  the  salt  marsh  mosquito  range. 

XASt  winter  at  the  request  of  State  Entomologist  of  Connecticut,  the 
Entomologist  appeared  before  the  Committee  of  Public  Safety  of  the 
Connecticut  Legislature  in  behalf  of  the  mbsquito  extermination  bill 
that  is  now  one  of  the  statutes  of  that  State.  At  the  request  of  Dr.  C.  B. 
Davenport  and  others  interested,  he  gave  a  talk  on  mosquito  extermina- 
tion work  before  a  representative  group  of  Nassau  Coxmty  people  who 
were  vitally  interested  in  mosquito  controL  At  the  request  of  one  of 
the  property  owners  (Mr.  E.  B.  Walden)  and  with  the  consent  of  the 
Connecticut  authorities  he  appeared  before  a  large  group  of  property 
owners  at  Sachems  Head  for  the  purpose  of  explaining  mosquito  eontrol 
and  its  results  as  carried  on  and  realized  in  New  Jersey. 

Many  letters  have  been  received  from  individual  citizens  of  the  State 
relative  to  habits  and  methods  of  controlling  mosquitoes  and  in  every 
case  the  fullest  information  available  has  been  furnished.  A  considerable 
number  of  letters  have  been  received  from  persons  and  organizations 
in  other  parts  of  the  country  requesting  information  on  mosquito  control 
methods  being  used  in  New  Jersey.  In  practically  all  cases  these  persons 
or  organizations  were  looking  for  a  solution  of  a  particular  local  problem. 

County  Mosquito  Extermination  Work. 

The  county  mosquito  work  has  this  year  covered  the  largest  territory 
in  its  history  of  four  years.  Something  like  118  miles  of  the  Atlantic 
coast  has  been  patrolled,  850,000  acres  of  territory  have  been  covered, 
and  about  one  and  one-half  millions  of  people  received  a  considerable 
measure  of  protection. 

Although  a  large  part  of  the  salt  marshes  in  this  coastal  strip  had 
been  ditched  by  the  Experiment  Station  before  the  County  unit  for  anti- 
mosquito  work  had  been  created  it  was  not  until  the  creation  of  the 
county  unit  was  authorized  that  the  movement  for  the  control  of  all 
species  assumed  a  large  enough  aspect  to  be  promising.  Previousr  to  1912 
local  cooperation  over  a  sufficient  extent  of  contiguous  territory  to  render 
the  work  free  from  being  spoiled  by  migrations  from  outside  the  pro> 
tected  district  seemed  impossible. 

With  the  enactment  of  a  bill  authorizing  the  creation  of  the  oovsty 
anti-mosquitQ  uhUp  the  rapid  growth  of  local  effort  began.    In  1913 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  349 

and  Union  Counties  began  work  throughout  their  territories.  In  1913 
Atlantic  and  Hudson  Counties  took  up  the  same  work  covering  all  land 
within  their  limits.  In  1915  Bergen  Joined  the  above  four.  Beginning  in 
a  small  way  with  educational  work,  one  or  two  years  previously,  active 
work  covering  a  part  of  the  territory  in  each  case  has  been  carried  on 
during  the  present  season  In  Middlesex  (salt  marsh  only)  with  all  species 
in  two  municipalities,  Monmouth  (salt  marsh  only),  Ocean  (salt  mash 
only  and  only  the  drained  part  of  that),  and  Passaic  (the  southern  half) 
Counties. 

Hudson  County. 

In  considering  the  work  of  mosquito  control  in  Hudson  C:k>unty  in  any 
given  season  it  is  necessary  to  keep  in  mind  the  nature  of  the  problem 
with  which  the  mosquito  commission  has  to  deal.  In  the  1914  report  on 
pages  459-460  the  writer  briefly  described  the  mosquito  problem  of  Hudson 
Coimty  as  he  understood  It  and  the  following  discussion  of  this  years' 
work  will  be  based  upon  that  description. 

The  control  of  fresh  water  breeding  was  continued  along  the  lines  of 
last  year.  The  number  of  breeding  places  exclusive  of  sewer  basins, 
owing  to  the  heavy  rainfall.  Increased  from  4,121  in  1914  to  7,468  in  1915. 
This  merely  refers  to  the  number  and  does  not  cover  the  increase  in 
size  which  is  more  important  for  while  the  number  has  been  almost 
doubled  the  actual  water  surface  has  probably  been  multiplied  by  19. 
Of  the  breeding  places  mentioned  5,206  or  almost  70  per  cent  were  perma- 
nently eliminated.  The  remaining  places  are  old  wells,  cesspools,  and 
cisterns. 

The  control  of  salt  marsh  breeding  as  might  be  expected  from  the  large 
marsh  to  be  covered  has  proven  more  difficult.  Hudson  County  originally 
had  about  11,468  acres  of  tidal  marsh.  Something  over  1300  acres  have 
been  filled  leaving  approximately  10,000  acres  throughout  practically  all 
of  which  mosquitoes  would  breed  under  proper  conditions.  Experience 
in  salt  marsh  ditching  has  shown  that  not  much  less  than  300  linear 
feet  10  X  30  inch  ditching  is  necessary  to  drain  an  acre  of  open  salt 
marsh  when  good  tidal  creeks  exist.  On  this  basis,  the  Hudson  County 
salt  marsh  would  need  3,300,000  linear  feet  of  ditching.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  about  660,000  feet  have  been  cut.  Furthermore  much  of  the  Hudson 
County  salt  marsh  is  not  furnished  with  good  outlets.  The  activity  of 
man  In  building  roadways,  railways,  fills  and  dikes  has  destroyed  the 
excellent  drainage  system  established  by  nature  and  rendered  the  removal 
of  the  water  from  certain  parts  of  this  marsh  extremely  difficult  To 
make  a  bad  matter  worse  certain  cities  along  both  the  eastern  and  west- 
ern ridges  have  poured  sewage  Into  the  marshes  adjacent  to  them  and 
thereby  created  enormous  breeding  areas  hundreds  of  acres  in  extent 
from  which  the  small  dark  species  which  penetrates  the  screens  and 
troubles  the  sleeper,  migrates  into  adjacent  houses  and  makes  sleep  a 
nightmare. 


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350         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  Ck)unty  Mosquito  Commission  seems  to  have  done  everytbing  its 
funds  would  permit  to  eliminate  these  places  but  the  work  is  as  yet  Tery 
incomplete.  That  portion  of  the  marshes  at  Constable  Hook  and  Port 
Johnston,  which  is  still  unfilled,  appears  to  have  been  rather  adequately 
drained  although  a  small  amount  of  breeding  can  occasionally  be  found 
on  the  latter. 

The  salt  marsh  extending  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  Jersey 
City  highland  to  the  east  is,  with  the  exception  of  the  Pen  Horn  Creek 
Valley  from  the  Lackawanna  and  Erie  Railroads  to  the  Paterson  Plank 
Road,  fairly  open  meadow  and  likely  to  be  mosquito-proofed  by  the  usual 
type  of  marsh  ditching.  This  area  which  includes  between  four  and  flye 
thousand  acres  has  195,000  feet  of  ditching  or  less  than  one-fifth  the 
amount  that  would  normally  be  required  on  bad  breeding  meadow. 

That  part  of  the  salt  marsh  included  in  the  valley  of  the  Pen  Horn 
Creek  is  entirely  inadequately  drained,  llie  twelve  to  thirteen  hundred 
acres  not  only  have  less  than  1/19  the  usual  ditching  for  such  areas  but 
the  outlets  are  stopped  up  in  such  a  fashion  that  the  accumulated  water 
from  rains  simply  cannot  quickly  escape. 

To  make  matters  worse  many  sewers  are  spilling  their  contents  into 
the  cattails  with  which  this  area  is  covered. 

That  portion  of  the  Hudson  County  marsh  which  lies  west  of  the 
Hackensack  River  is  with  the  exception  of  the  territory  between  the 
Lincoln  Highway  and  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  entirely 
enclosed  by  dikes  and  has  been  so  for  many  years.  In  addition  to  this 
interference  with  natural  drains  many  railway  grades  and  roadways 
cross  and  divide  this  shut-in  territory  into  a  considerable  number  of 
more  or  less  independent  areas  of  various  sizes  and  shapes. 

The  exception,  that  part  laying  between  the  Lincoln  highway  and  the 
Central  Railroad  still  depends  upon  a  tidal  creek  for  outlet  but  even  there* 
one  creek  is  now  doing  the  work  of  two. 

That  area  lying  north  of  the  Lincoln  Highway  and  extending  northward 
to  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad,  down-town  line,  is  in  process  of  being 
filled.  The  fills  extend  along  each  side  and  shut  off  proper  access  to  the 
river.  Temporary  work  of  oiling  is  the  only  method  of  preventing 
mosquito  development  at  present  possible  and  naturally  leaves  much  to  be 
desired. 

The  area  that  lies  north  of  the  Lackawanna  Railroad  and  extends 
northward  to  the  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  dep^&da 
upon  two  creeks  and  some  ditches  for  outlets.  About  2500  acres  are 
Included  in  this  tract  and  it  is  served  by  about  65,000  feet  of  ditching. 
To  make  the  drainage  yet  more  difficult  a  part  ot  this  area  is  apparently 
below  sea-level.  Along  the  highland  to  the  east  of  Kearny  and  Harrison 
several  sewers  discharge  and  formerly  flooded  the  meadow  Just  as  the 
sewers  now  flood  the  Pen  Horn  Creek  Valley.  The  ditching  already  cut 
when  taken  with  the  two  centrifugal  pumps  is  sufficient  to  keep  down 
heavy  breeding  under  ordinarily  moist  weather  l)yt  i§  imtdequat^  4uri|if 
ptasofis  of  )|eav7  rai^fal). 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  351 

That  portion  of  the  salt  mash  lying  north  of  the  Greenwood  Lake 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  extending  northward  to  Saw  Mill  Creek 
includes  more  than  1000  acres,  has  very  little  ditching  and  in  parts  is  a 
heayy  breeder  of  mosquitoes.  It  is  one  area  which  demands  careful  and 
extensive  drainage. 

liong  strides  have  this  year  been  made  toward  solying  certain  of  the 
most  difficult  problems  of  the  salt  marsh.  The  low  lying  marsh  lying 
just  east  of  Harrison  and  Kearny  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Green- 
wood Lake  branch  of  the  Brie,  and  the  east  by  the  Bellville  Turnpike 
and  the  "uptown"  lintf  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  on  the  south 
by  the  mass  of  tracks  rimning  east  from  Manhattan  Transfer,  and  known . 
as  the  Frank  Creek  section  of  the  Kearny  marsh  consisting  of  about 
1300  acres  has  this  year,  for  the  first  time,  been  almost  eliminated  as  a 
mosquito  breeder.  The  opening  of  the  channel  of  Frank  Creek  and  the 
connecting  of  the  various  sewers  from  Harrison  with  its  channel,  had 
in  1914,  markedly  improved  conditions. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  season  of  1915  a  four-inch  high-head  gasoline 
driven  centrifugal  pump  was  installed  Just  east  of  Frank  Creek  where 
that  stream  enters  the  tunnel  under  the  Lackawanna  and  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  tracks  and  was  connected  with  a  three  hundred  acre  area  by 
means  of  ditching.  With  one  exception  during  the  past  season  this  pump 
has  kept  the  300  acres  far  from  breeding.  The  exception  followed  the 
heavy  rains  of  midsummer  when  the  pump  was  taxed  beyond  its  capacity 
and  six  barrels  of  oil  had  to  be  used.  In  the  season  before  the  pump  was 
operating  $300  were  expended  for  labor  and  sixty  barrels  of  oil  were  used 
on  this  area. 

The  entire  cost  of  the  pump  ready  to  run  and  protected  by  a  corru- 
gated iron  house  was  about  $600. 

In  the  spring  of  1915  a  twelve-inch  low-head  electrically  driven  centri- 
fugal pump  was  installed  on  the  east  bank  of  Frank  Creek  about  one- 
half  mile  north  of  the  four-inch  pump  at  a  cost  of  about  |1,300.  It  was 
expected  that  this  pump  would  draw  the  water  from  800  acres.  Am  a 
matter  of  fact  this  pump  could  never  be  worked  to  capacity  because  the 
drainage  channels  were  not  so  constructed  as  to  bring  the  water  in  with 
sufficient  rapidity.  The  efficiency  of  the  pump  was  such  as  to  show  that 
it  could  easily  take  care  of  1000  acres  if  connected  with  the  proper 
^annels.  In  spite  of  the  relatively  inadequate  arrangements  for  utilizing 
the  pumps'  full  power,  the  writer  has  never  seen  this  area  in  so  good 
condition. 

The  Conunission  has  begun  the  cutting  of  drains  from  the  area  of 
marsh,  lying  Just  east  of  the  Arlington  Highland  and  between  the  Green- 
wood Lake  Branch  of  Erie  and  the  Belleville  Turnpike,  into  the  lower 
course,  of  Saw  Mill  Creek  where  the  same  is  an  active  stream. 

About  215,000  feet  of  old  ditches  have  been  cleaned  and  181,076  feet4>f 
now  ditching  have  been  cut 


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35i        NEW  JERSEY  AGRiCliLfUftAL  COLLEGE 

Bergen  Govmty. 

This  year  Bergen  County  undertook  a  general  campaign  against  all 
species  of  mosquitoes.  This  meant  an  effort  to  meet  the  woodland  pool 
mosquito,  the  fresh  water  swamp  species,  the  house  mosquito,  and  the 
salt  marsh  mosquitoes. 

On  the  salt  marsh  the  County  and  the  Experiment  Station  together  h&Te 
cut  more  than  500,000  feet  of  ditching,  without  douht  eliminating  the 
worst  breeding  places.  Nevertheless  there  is  good  evldenoe  to  show  that 
more  is  needed.  If  figured  on  a  three  hundred  foot  to  the  acre  basis  more 
than  1.500,000  feet  more  would  be  needed.  The  excellent  system  of  tidal 
creeks  may  however,  render  such  a  large  amount  unnecessary. 

With  the  possible  exception  of  an  area  lying  in  the  extreme  south- 
western portion  of  the  salt  marsh  the  drainage  of  the  entire  8000  acres 
may  be  had  by  a  gravity  flow. 

The  Commission  has  installed  two  excellent  tide  gates  at  the  mouth 
of  Kingsland  Creek  and  plans  to  repair  the  dike  along  the  Hackensack 
River  from  Saw  Mill  Creek  to  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  D.  L.  ft  W.  Bail- 
road.  This,  together  with  some  additional  ditching,  should  afford  the 
best  gravity  drainage  possible  to  the  marsh  comprised  in  draina^  Map 
Number  1. 

The  methods  of  upland  work  exhibited  no  features  new  to  mosquito 
control  work.  Owing  to  the  emphasis  placed  on  the  salt  marsh  it  was 
naturally  done  less  completely  than  would  otherwise  have  been  the  case. 

Passaic  County. 

In  Passaic  County  this  year  the  work  was  limited  to  the  southern  half 
of  the  County  and  largely  to  the  Cities  of  Paterson  and  Passaic  Perhaps 
the  most  striking  development  of  the  season  was  the  finding  of  heavy 
breeding  of  the  house  mosquito  along  the  shores  of  the  Passaic  River. 
This  breeding  occurred  above  the  dam  where  the  vrater  was  not  affected 
by  the  tide.  It  was  met  by  shearing  off  the  overhanging  weeds  and  brush 
and  by  regularly  oiling. 

The  other  methods  used  were  the  same  as  those  already  employed  in 
upland  work  in  previous  years  and  need  no  comment 

Essex  County. 

This  is  the  fourth  season  of  work  in  Essex  County.  The  metliods  of 
fresh  water  mosquito  control  have  undergone  no  great  change.  PwiuuM 
the  most  important  innovation  was  a  change  in  the  method  of  cheeUng 
up  the  work.  Under  the  new  scheme  a  complete  record  of  all  permanent 
breeding  places  was  kept  in  the  central  office  and  a  special  small  force 
proceeded  from  one  part  of  the  country  to  another  following  the  r^;ular 
inspectors;  first  in  this  section  then  in  another  to  see  that  these  prema- 
nent  places  were  properly  looked  after. 

The  problem  of  salt  marsh  breeding  has  been  attacked  from  a  new 
angle.  Dikes  and  tide  gates  have  been  installed  in  such  a  fashion  as  to 
keep  the  sea  off  of  about  3000  acres  and  to  let  the  normal  water  out  at 


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Experiment  station  report.  353 

every  low  tide.  In  order  to  carry  the  normal  water  to  the  sluices  about 
879,903  linear  feet  of  ditches  ranging  from  10  to  50  inches  In  width  were 
cleaned.  The  results  of  this  work  have  been  most  gratifying.  Never  has 
the  writer  seen  the  Newark  marsh  so  free  from  breeding. 

Union  Conn^. 

This  is  the  fourth  season  of  work  for  (Tnion  County.  No  radical 
changes  have  been  made  in  upland  work.  As  previously  carried  on  In 
tills  county,  the  practice  of  placing  the  bulk  of  the  cost  of  permanently 
eliminating  the  upland  breeding  places  upon  the  shoulders  of  land  owners 
has  been  continued  and  the  county  in  that  way  is  getting  an  amount  of 
work  done  at  private  expense  which  represents  in  a  single  year  as  much 
as  tbe  county  appropriates  for  the  entire  work.  This  practice  of  securing 
private  cooperation  cannot  be  too  strongly  cdinmended.  To  give  an  idea 
of  the  extent  of  this  cooperation  the  following  brief  table  is  submitted. 


Year 

Estimated  Coat 

of 

Percentage  of  toi 

Private  Work, 

Inland  Drainage. 

1912 

1  2.000 

41% 

1913 

25,000 

77% 

1914 

25,000 

88% 

1915 

20.000 

87% 

The  Union  County  Commission  has  made  an  attempt  to  eliminate 
moeqnito  breeding  on  several  hundred  acres  of  the  North  Elizabeth 
meadow  by  means  of  dikes  and  sluice  gates  built  according  to  the  sug- 
gestions of  Mr.  James  E.  Brooks.  The  Chief  Inspector's  description  of 
tbe  results  is  quoted  as  follows.  "The  observation  of  the  embanked 
meadow,  west  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  shows  an  interesting 
comparison  with  the  meadow  exposed  to  the  tide  east  of  the  Central 
Railroad  in  the  North  Elizabeth  section.  This  embanked  meadow,  after 
tbe  diking  and  tide  gate  work  was  completed  in  the  late  spring,  quickly 
dried  out  and  the  water  in  the  ditches  remained  at  an  average  of  one 
foot  below  the  meadow  level,  even  at  times  when  the  other  meadows 
exposed  to  the  tide's  action  were  completely  flooded.  This  same  condition 
continued  with  no  serious  breeding  found  in  the  embanked  meadows, 
up  to  the  first  of  August  although  scattered  serious  breeding  had  been 
observed  east  of  the  Central  Railroad,  which  is  exposed  to  the  tidal  action 
and  which  had  been  flooded  during  the  monthly  high  tides. 

"The  big  storm  of  early  August  partially  flooded  the  embanked  meadow, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  water  remained  at  almost  constant  high  water 
level  outside  of  the  gates,  which  kept  the  gates  closed  for  several  days 
after  the  big  storm  and  prevented  the  proper  run-off  of  the  water. 
In  other  words,  a  period  of  continuous  high  tides  and  heavy  rain  storms 
coincided.  It  was  observed  that  breeding  commenced  in  the  ditches  and 
that  fish  which  were  inside  of  the  embanked  meadow  as  well  as  outside, 
did  not  move  out  of  the  deeped  holes  In  the  meadow  and  salt  ponds  into 
the  smaller  ditching.    Efforts  were  made  to  attract  the  fish  into  the  small 


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354         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

ditches  by  baiting  these  ditches  and  by  other  means,  but  without  success. 
It  then  became  necessary  to  oil  the  ditches  which  were  breeding  in  the 
embanked  area,  which  was  done,  and  a  few  days  later  when  the  tide  had 
gone  down  outside  of  the  gates  sufficiently  so  as  to  flood  the  meadow  as 
the  gates  were  raised.  The  sluices  were  then  opened,  more  fish  were 
admitted  and  the  tide  allowed  to  circulate  through  the  ditches,  and  no 
further  breeding  was  then  observed  for  the  remainder  of  the  season, 
although  the  gates  were  again  lowered  and  remained  so  until  the  end 
of  the  summer. 

"The  same  condition  of  inactivity  of  the  fish  in  the  ditches  during  this 
period  in  August,  was  noticed  all  along  the  Atlantic  Coast  from  Cape 
May  to  the  Hadcensack  Valley. 

"The  results  of  the  observation  of  the  diked  meadow  would  tend  to 
show  that  by  a  proper  procedure  of  keeping  the  gates  open  for  a  portion 
of  each  month  so  as  to  keep  up  the  fish  supply  inside  of  the  embanked 
meadows,  although  at  the  same  time  preventing  the  flooding  of  the  mea- 
dows, practically  no  breeding  will  take  place  except  during  a  period  of 
ten  days  or  two  weeks  in  early  August,  when  the  fish  in  the  ditches  are 
inactive,  and  then  only  if  there  is  a  combination  of  high  tide  coincident 
with  the  short  period  of  inactivity  of  the  killi-flsh.  In  this  case  it  will 
be  necessary  to  oil  the  ditches  in  the  embanked  meadow,  which  is  not 
an  exceedingly  difficult  matter.  If  the  tide  is  low  during  early  August 
and  breeding  appears  in  the  ditches,  oiling  will  not  be  necessary  as 
breeding  can  be  prevented  by  flushing  out  the  ditches  through  raising 
the  gates  for  several  days.  The  system  of  diking  and  tide-gating  there- 
fore, through  its  effect  in  reducing  the  water  table  on  the  embanked 
meadow  and  in  preventing  submerging  from  high  tides,  seems  to  keep 
the  meadow  dry  and  to  prevent  almost  100  per  cent  of  the  normal  breed- 
ing. It  therefore  seems  advisable  as  funds  will  permit  from  time  to  time 
to  continue  the  diking  and  tide-gating  work  on  the  Union  County  salt 
marsh  in  order  to  get  better  results  in  cutting  down  salt  marsh  mosquito 
breeding." 

Middlesex  County. 

This  is  the  second  season  for  Middlesex  County  and  this  year  as  last 
the  mosquito  commissions'  attention  was  devoted  primarily  to  the  salt 
marsh  and  secondarily  to  demonstration  campaigns  in  a  municipality 
or  two. 

The  work  in  Middlesex  has  differed  from  that  in  other  counties  in  that 
the  Freeholders  were  informed  from  the  start  that  the  mandatory  feature 
of  the  law  would  not  be  invoked.  They  were  asked  to  make  an  appro- 
priation in  response  to  popular  sentiment 

Although  the  demand  this  year  for  larger  funds  in  order  that  more  than 
the  salt  marsh  breeding  could  be  prevented  was  larger  and  much  more 
insistant,  the  Board  of  Freeholders  was  under  such  pressure  to  cut  down 
expenditures  that  it  failed  to  appropriate  a  larger  sum. 

The  work  had  therefore  to  be  limited  to  the  salt  marsh  and  to  the 
supervision  of  such  fresh  water  mosquito  control  as  Individual  munici- 
palities would  pay  for. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  355 

The  Borough  of  Metuchen  and  the  Township  of  Woodbridge  were  the 
only  municipalities  that  made  appropriations.  The  methods  employed  In 
this  work  were  those  commonly  used  and  hence  deserve  no  especial  con- 
sideration. The  8,199  acres  of  salt  marsh  have  only  541,064  linear  feet 
of  ditching  and  surely  require  much  more  to  make  them  free  from  breed- 
ing. 116,564  linear  feet  of  ditching  were  cut  and  424,500  feet  were  cleaned. 
In  Middlesex  more  perhaps  than  in  any  other  county  the  practice  of 
patrolling  all  the  salt  marsh  throughout  the  mosquito  breeding  season 
has  given  good  results.  In  both  1914  and  1915  it  has  given  the  final 
touch  to  efficient  mosquito  control. 

The  barrels  of  oil  are  distributed  throughout  the  salt  marshes  at  the 
beginning  of  the  season  and  as  remnants  of  developing  broods  left  by 
the  drainage  ditches  appear  about  ready  to  emerge  they  are  destroyed 
by  the  judicious  use  of  small  amount  of  oil. 

In  one  instance  during  the  past  season  an  Inspector  proved  inefficient 
and  allowed  the  mosquitoes  to  develop  letting  off  a  sufficient  brood  to  dis- 
tress greatly  residents  living  within  two  miles  of  the  neglected  section. 
This  happening  served  to  emphasize  the  value  of  efficient  patrol. 

Monmoutti  Covmty. 
The  Mosquito  Problem. 

Physically  Monmouth  County  rises  rapidly  from  a  rather  narrow  sand 
beach  into  high  lying  level  or  rolling  fertile  land.  A  range  of  low  hills 
begins  at  Atlantic  Highlands  and  extends  southwestward  across  the  coun- 
try to  Mt  Holly  gradually  becoming  lost  in  the  general  elevation.  To 
the  north  of  this  range  the  land  rises  from  Rarltan  Bay  and  to  the  south 
from  the  ocean.  The  beaches  on  the  bay  are  shallow  and  salt  marsh 
areas  large  and  plentiful.  Along  the  ocean  the  beach  runs  rapidly  into 
deep  water  and  the  marshes  are  limited  to  river  courses.  In  fact,  the 
vast  acreage  of  the  salt  marsh  of  Monmouth  County  is  found  along  the 
Shrewsbury  and  Naveslnk  Rivers  and  Rarltan  Bay.  Small  marshes  are 
found  on  the  Shark  River  and  larger  ones  along  the  Manasquan.  As 
one  goes  southward,  the  beach  widens  and  shallows.  Back  of  the  imme- 
diate sandy  shore  area  the  soil  nms  into  a  fertile  loam  which  is  thickly 
settled  by  successful  farmers. 

The  limited  woodlands  and  the  porous  soil  prevent  the  woodland  pool 
and  to  very  large  extent  the  fresh  water  swamp  mosquito  problems.  The 
streams  give  a  serious  malarial  mosquito  problem  in  parts  of  the  county, 
the  water  holding  receptacles  incidental  to  settlement  of  the  land  by 
people  give  rise  to  a  house  mosquito  problem,  and  the  salt  marshes  pro- 
vide a  salt  marsh  mosquito  problem. 

It  does  not  seem  likely  that  the  house  or  malarial  mosquito  problem 
is  of  sufficient  importance  anywhere  except  in  the  towns  and  cities  to 
render  county-wide  control  practicable.  It  seems  therefore  best  to  under- 
take the  control  of  the  salt  marsh  species,  which  fly  far  and  give  trouble 
over  a  wide  range,  with  coimty  funds  and  to  let  the  municipalities  fiandl^ 
|he  frefh  water  species  iu  tbelr  own  ftrnds,  ^  a  (o^al  problem, 


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356         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

This  is  the  first  season  of  anti-mosquito  work  in  Monmouth  County 
under  the  direction  of  its  mosquito  commission.  It  is  not  the  first  season 
of  effort  against  the  salt  marsh  mosquito,  however.  Some  of  the  earliest 
practical  work  of  trenching  the  marsh  to  prevent  the  breeding  of  the 
salt  marsh  mosquito  was  done  along  the  Shrewsbury  River.  This  project 
was  undertaken  and  carried  out  for  the  purpose  of  getting  rid  of  the 
occasional  visitations  that  the  imperfectly  drained  marshes  still  permitted 
to  develop. 

The  work  on  the  Little  Silver  area  was  maintained  by  the  same  con- 
cern which  cut  the  ditching  and  the  Commission  kept  a  patrol  on  the 
marsh  as  a  check  on  the  work  of  the  contractor  and  did,  the  writer 
understands,  a  certain  amount  of  oil  spreading  to  kill  off  bad  breeding 
in  limited  spots. 

During  the  present  season  the  attention  of  the  mosquito  commission 
was  given  almost  wholly  to  the  problem  of  controlling  the  salt  marsh 
mosquito  and  most  excellent  results  followed  wherever  the  funds  permitted 
the  work  to  be  suflQciently  well  done.  All  told  263,441  linear  feet  of 
10x30  inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  was  dug  or  re-dug.  On  the  basis 
of  300  linear  feet  per  acre,  disregarding  the  Little  Silver  area  altogrether, 
about  389,000  linear  feet  additional  will  be  required  to  furnish  all  the 
marshes  with  satisfactory  drainage. 

An  effort  was  made  to  interest  the  various  shore  towns  in  locally  srup- 
ported  campaigns  against  the  fresh  water  breeding  species,  but  no  satis- 
factory response  was  obtained  and  the  house  mosquito  became  abundant 
in  places. 

Ocean  Oountgr* 
The  Mosquito  Problem. 

Physically  Ocean  County  rises  from  the  Ocean  as  a  low  narrow  strip 
of  sand  beach  behind  which  lies  Barnegat  Bay  with  salt  marshes  border- 
ing both  sides.  Behind  the  bay  the  gently  rising  sand  land  quickly 
passes  into  the  pine  woods,  which  cover  almost  all  of  the  back  lying 
portions.  To  the  northeast  the  county  runs  into  some  fertile  loam  where 
the  business  of  farming  is  practiced  with  great  success.  Scattered 
through  the  pines  are  low-lying  water  filled  cedar  swamps,  some  of  which 
are  enormous  in  extent. 

The  porous  nature  of  the  soil  appears  to  prevent  the  woodland  pool 
mosquito  problem  and  the  nature  of  the  cedar  swamp  water  appears  to 
be  hostile  to  the  larvse  of  all  important  species. 

The  mosquito  problem  of  Ocean  County  is  thus  limited  to  the  house 
mosquito,  breeding  in  water-holding  receptacles  about  human  habitations 
or  in  streams  and  pools  polluted  with  human  waste  and  the  salt  mash 
species  bred  upon  its  large  costal  and  river  marshes. 

The  salt  marsh  mosquito  is  so  completely  the  all-prevalent  species  and 
the  amount  of  money  (|3,000)  furnished  by  the  Board  of  Freeholders 
was  so  small  that  all  of  the  commission's  ellforts  were  directed  to  the 
control  of  breeding  on  the  salt  marsh. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  357 

The  county  has  40,400  acres  of  salt  marshes,  22,893  of  which  have  been 
partly  drained  and  18,007  have  been  untouched.  The  mosquito  commis- 
sion cleaned  1,349,217  feet  of  ditching  in  such  a  fashion  as  to  put  it  into 
efficient  working  order.  The  drained  marshes  were  patrolled  and  30,000 
additional  feet  were  cut  at  points  where  the  patrol  indicated  such  work 
as  necessary. 

A  great  deal  of  local  interest  was  manifested.  Lx)ng  Beach  cleaned 
its  ditching  and  cut  such  additional  ditching  as  was  necessary  at  its 
own  expense.  Ocean  Gate  furnished  needed  supplies  of  oil  for  use  in 
adjacent  marshes  and  the  Tribune  Company  which  was  engaged  in  devel- 
oping Beech  wood,  contributed  $250.  Seaside  Park  and  Bay  head  made 
efforts  to  destroy  their  local  breeding. 

The  great  need  in  Ocean  County  is  more  salt  marsh  drainage. 

Atlantic  Covmty. 

This  is  the  third  season  that  Atlantic  County  has  been  at  work.  The 
large  problem  in  Atlantic  is  the  control  of  the  salt  marsh  mosquito,  and 
to  that  phase  of  the  problem  the  principal  attention  of  the  commission 
has  consequently  been  devoted. 

Nevertheless  very  efficient  work  has  been  done  in  controlling  the  fresh 
water  species  of  which  the  house  mosquito  is  the  principal  member.  The 
beneficial  efforts  of  fresh  water  control  have  been  felt  in  Atlantic  City, 
Ventnor,  Margate,  Pleasantville  and  Hammonton,  but  in  May's  Landing 
and  Egg  Harbor  and  smaller  places  between  Hammonton  and  the  coast, 
they  have  been  almost  swallowed  up  by  the  migration  of  salt  marsh 
species  from  the  undrained  marshes  both  of  Atlantic  and  adjacent 
counties. 

The  salt  marsh  work  of  the  present  season,  amounting  to  825,100  linear 
feet  of  10  X  30  inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  has  completed  the  drainage 
of  the  salt  marsh  from  a  point  5  miles  north  of  Absecon  to  Somers  Point 
and  up  the  Great  Egg  Harbor  River  with  its  northern  affluents  to  Powell's 
Creek,  a  distance  of  22  miles  freeing  approximately  12,000  acres  from 
breeding.  Thus  it  is  seen  that  two  blocks  of  salt  marsh  aggregating 
18,731  acres,  one  amounting  to  about  8,496  acres  and  lying  south  of  the 
Great  Egg  Harbor  River  and  along  both  sides  of  its  upper  course  and  the 
balance  on  Brigantine  Island,  along  Great  Bay,  and  the  Mullica  River, 
yet  remain  to  be  drained. 

Atlantic  County  deserves  great  credit  for  having  developed  a  machine 
by  means  of  which  the  cost  of  ditching  has  been  reduced  from  2.5  cents  a 
linear  foot  for  10x30  inch  ditching  to  between  .5  and  1  cent.  In  fact. 
it  Is  this  development  that  has  enabled  the  Commission  to  cover  so  large 
a  territory  with  so  small  an  amount  of  money  at  its  disposal. 

In  spite  of  the  large  territory  lying  within  the  limits  of  county  adja- 
cent thereto  which  is  yet  to  be  covered,  the  reductions  in  salt  marsh 
mosquitoes  in  Atlantic  City,  Ventor,  Margate  and  the  towns  along  the 
Shore  Road  from  Somers  Point  to  Absecon  is  remarkable. 


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358         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Cape  May  Gounty. 

Physically  Cape  May  County  is  a  low  wide  penninsula  projecting  into 
the  Atlantic  Ocean.  On  the  east  coast  the  low  narrow  strip  of  sand 
beach  characteristic  of  Atlantic  County  is  continued  to  the  end  of  Cape 
May,  and  back  of  it  lies  the  usual  open  water  bordered  by  salt  marsh. 
To  the  west  the  shore  is  unprotected  by  a  beach  strip  and  the  salt  marshes 
are  largely  limited  to  the  water  courses.  As  one  proceeds  northward 
along  the  Delaware  Bay  coast  the  marsh  strips  are  seen  to  widen  and 
to  become  confluent. 

Cape  May  County  is  credited  with  53,638  acres  of  salt  marsh,  and  an 
examination  of  the  species  of  mosquito  on  the  wing  during  the  summer 
season  shows  that  the  mosquito  problem  is  one  of  suppressing  breeding 
on  the  salt  marsh. 

Thus  far  the  task  of  taking  up  the  burden  of  salt  marsh  drainage  has 
been  impossible  and  the  Commission  has  devoted  its  time  to  educational 
and  a  little  survey  work. 

Oamden  County. 

The  work  in  Camden  County  this  year  has  been  very  limited.  Owing 
probably  to  a  determination  on  the  part  of  the  mosquito  commission  to 
have  enough  funds  to  cover  the  County  or  none  at  all,  it  proved  imprac- 
ticable to  obtain  any  additional  funds,  and  such  work  as  was  done  had 
to  be  supported  on  funds  left  over  from  the  preceding  year.  This 
amounted  to  about  |1,500  the  writer  understands,  and  was  spent  in  a 
limited  campaign  in  the  municipality  of  Collingswood. 

A  Summary  and  Dlscnssion  of  Expenditures  for  Mosquito  OontroL 

For  some  time  there  has  existed  a  desire  for  such  a  statement  of  the 
facts  relative  to  the  cost  of  mosquito  control  in  the  various  counties  as 
would  give  a  real  basis  for  comparing  the  expenditure  of  one  county  com- 
mission with  that  of  another.  The  tabular  statement  of  expenditure 
(see  table  below)  will,  I  hope,  give  such  a  basis.  The  preparation  of 
this  table  has  been  made  possible  through  the  willingness  of  the  various 
commissions  and  their  employees  to  fill  out  the  information  blanks  fur- 
nished. 

The  writer  will  attempt  to  give  a  very  brief  survey  of  the  expenditures 
on  the  salt  marsh  and  inland  work,  to  state  such  of  the  general  prin- 
ciples upon  which  the  expenditure  is  based  as  his  study  has  developed 
clearly,  and  to  comment  upon  the  general  efficiency  of  the  work. 

Up  to  the  year  1912,  when  the  county  mosquito  extermination  commis- 
sions were  created,  the  State  Experiment  Station  had  expended  about 
$130,000.00  in  salt  marsh  mosquito  work,  and  municipalities,  groups  of 
individuals  and  individuals  had  spent  about  $70,000.00  more  in  the  same 
work.  The  known  breeding  places  on  the  salt  marshes  from  Jersey  City 
to  Toms  River  had  been  drained  and  a  measure  of  protection  given  to 
perhaps,  a  million  people.  Along  the  lower  part  of  Newark  Bay,  the 
Arthur  Kill,  Raritan  Bay  and  the  Monmouth  shore,  owing  to  the  com- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  359 

paratively  open  and  easily  drained  nature  of  the  marsh,  the  elimination 
of  serious  breeding  was  with  a  few  exceptions  much  more  complete  than 
it  was  either  at  the  northern  or  southern  end  of  the  area. 

Tabular  Statement  of  Bxpenditares. 

ESSEX    COUNTT. 

'-1912,  6  mos.- 

Total  Expended $35,317.28    % 

Administration    4,108.38    12 

Inspection    15,846.90    45 

Elimination — 

Permanent  Work   4,412.75  12 

Salt  Marsh   2,196.25  6 

Inland    2,216.50  6 

Temporary  Work 7,285.49  21 

Salt  Marsh   1,843.99  5 

Inland    5.441.50  16 

Equipment    3,211.04  9 

Miscellaneous  457.67  1 

Per  Capita  Cost  (Cts.)    ..  6.37  .. 

Cost  Per  Sq.  Mile  (|) 278.00  . . 

UNION    COUNTY. 

^1912,  6  mos.-. 

Total    Expended    $15,792.54     % 

Administration    1,529.70      9 

Inspection   3,829.81     24 

Elimination — 

Permanent  Work   7,202.50  46 

Salt  Marsh   4,340.93  28 

Inland    2,861.57  18 

Temporary  Work   2,106.04  13 

Salt  Marsh 

Inland 2,106.04  .. 

Equipment    988.00  6 

Miscellaneoua    136.49  2 

Per  Capita  Cost  (Cts.)   ...  10.57  ..             20.82     ..             15.89 

Cost  Per  Sq.  Mile  (I)   ....  153.00  ..            302.00     ..            230.00 

HUDSON  COUNTY. 

1913 ►  1914- 

Total  Expended  $25,917.06    % 

Administration    3,865.82    15 

Inspection   5,173.25    19 

Elimination — 

Permanent  Work 6,524.74  25 

Salt  Marsh  4,071.09  16 

Inland 2,453.65  9 

Temporary  Work 8,246.92  32 

Salt  Marsh   1.608.14  . . 

Inland    6,638.78  .. 

Equipment 1,498.15  6 

Miscellaneous  355.12  3 

Per  Capita  Cost  (Cts.)  5.08  . . 

Cost  Per  Sq.  Mile  (|)   675.00  . . 


^1913- 

< 1914— 

_ .  ^ 

$65,313.99 

% 

$62,997.75 

% 

8,915.60 

14 

9,673.46 

16 

21,354.85 

33 

19,475.54 

31 

17,357.84 

26 

10,447.48 

16 

14,570.95 

22 

9,627.23 

15 

2,786.89 

4 

820.25 

1 

14,026.68 

21 

16,250.58 

26 

4,040.49 

6 

5,029.44 

8 

9.986.19 

15 

11,221.14 

18 

3,098.47 

5 

4,556.78 

7 

360.55 

1 

2,592.91 

4 

11.08 

, , 

11.37 

514.00 

488.00 

•• 

1913  - 

. ^1914- 

131,107.05 

% 

$23,746.35 

% 

3.963.63 

13 

4,074.26 

17 

8,696.19 

28 

7,770.74 

33 

12,718.31 

40 

8,753.70 

37 

4,500.02 

14 

4,526.81 

19 

8,218.29 

26 

4,226.89 

18 

1,324.62 

4 

953.75 

4 

50.00 

200.00 

1,274.62 

, , 

753.75 

, , 

1,032.82 

6 

1,335.96 

6 

2,573.48 

9 

857.94 

4 

$31,063.36 

% 

4,472.74 

15 

6,207.30 

20 

8,377.88 

26 

5,711.93 

18 

2,665.95 

8 

10,542.15 

34 

3.260.86 

21 

7,281.29 

13 

1,108.17 

4 

355.12 

1 

5.42 

722.00 

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36o         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  CXDLLEGE 

ATI^imC  OOTTNTY. 

-1913,  6  mos.-  ' 1914 

Total  Expended  $16,666.75     %     $24,702.01     % 

Administration    2,231.27    13        3,890.22     15 

InspecUon   2,672.37    16        4,906.39     20 

Elimination — 

Permanent  Work   9,410.48  57  11,968.47  48 

Salt  Marsh   9,364.48  57  11,911.47  48 

Inland 46.00  ..  57.00  2 

Temporary  Work 131.77  1  661.06  2 

Salt  Marsh    7.92  .. 

Inland    131.77  1  653.04  2 

Equipment 1,292.32  8  2,081.76  8 

Miscellaneous  1,058.31  5  1,855.17  7 

Per  Capita  Cost  (Cts.)   21.07  . .  32.02  . . 

Cost  Per  Sq.  Mile  ($)   29.29  . .  43.41  . . 

CAMDEN    COUNTY. 

1913 ' 1914 

Total  Expended  $504.32     %       $2,929.44      % 

AdministraUon 477.82     99  920.2S     S2 

Inspection    99  636.63     22 

Elimination — 

Permanent  Work 900.73     81 

Salt  Marsh 

Inland    900.73     31 

Temporary  Work 163.59        6 

Salt  Marsh 

Inland 163.59       5 

Equipment    221.49        6 

Miscellaneous   26.50      1  86.65       8 

MIDDLESEX  COUNTY. 

1914 

Total  Expended   $5,427.46     % 

Administration    1,043.67     18 

Inspection   1.209.91     23 

Elimination — 

Permanent  Work 1.529.23  31 

Salt  Marsh   1.519.23  31 

Inland 10.00  . . 

Temporary  Work   461.58  7 

Salt  Marsh   369.47  6 

Inland * 92.11  1 

Equipment 1,131.97  20 

Miscellaneous  51.10  1 

In  the  year  1912  the  county  mosquito  extermination  commissions 
became  active  and  for  the  first  time  the  ditching  placed  by  the  State 
Experiment  Station  had,  at  certain  points,  that  maintenance  and  extension 
which  experience  has  shown  to  be  so  essential.  Most  of  the  active  com- 
missions, are  operating  in  counties  possessing  at  least  4,000  acres  of  salt 
marsh  and  a  very  considerable  part  of  the  total  expenditure  has  been 
devoted  to  the  elimination  of  breeding  on  the  marsh.  For  the  initiated 
there  is  little  need  to  explain  why  year  out  and  year  in  a  large  percentage 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  361 

of  total  expenditures  is  devoted  to  the  salt  marsh,  but  many  persons  who 
may  read  this  report  may  not  understand.  In  our  experience  no  salt 
marsh  has  ever  been  so  drained  that  breeding  could  not  later  be  found 
on  it  When  the  systems  of  ditching  were  installed  under  the  direction 
of  the  Experiment  Station  the  ditches  were  cut  only  where  breeding 
could  be  found.  Later  years  have  revealed  that  other  places,  not  at  that 
time  supposed  to  breed,  are  really  heavy  breeders.  The  drainage  itself 
sets  up  certain  changes  that  create  breeding  where  none  before  existed. 
A  good  example  of  the  former  is  the  Bergen  County  Hackensack  salt 
marsh.  Reported  as  free  from  breeding  in  past  years,  it  has  been  shown 
since  1913  to  be  a  very  heavy  breeder  and  to  supply  much  of  northeastern 
Essex  and  southern  Passaic  as  well  as  Bergen  Counties  with  Aedes  Can- 
tatar  Coq.  The  type  of  breeding  plkce  that  comes  about  as  the  result  of 
drainage  is  usually  a  cat-tail  swamp,  the  drainage  of  which  is  incident 
to  cleaning  up  breeding  areas  adjacent  to  it  In  such  a  swamp  the  water 
formerly  stood  at  a  fairly  constant  level,  and,  as  at  no  time  was  the 
wet  mud  exposed  for  deposition  of  eggs,  no  breeding  occurred.  The 
drainage  allows  the  water  level  to  rise  and  fall  with  the  tide,  thus 
exposing  the  bottom  for  egg  deposition.  Under  drainage  the  cat-tails 
eventually  disappear  and  sedges  take  their  place. 

In  fact,  so  variable  is  the  location  of  breeding  on  a  given  salt  marsh 
that  the  writer  has  almost  reached  the  conclusion  that  the  only  safely 
drained  marsh  is  one  from  which  the  water  is  completely  removed.  It 
is  not  his  thought  that  such  complete  drainage  should  be  cut  as  rapidly 
as  the  marsh  is  covered,  for  he  seriously  doubts  whether  the  necessary 
funds  could  be  obtained. 

The  usual  practice  is  to  drain  those  parts  where  breeding  is  known  to 
exist,  to  keep  the  ditches  already  cut  open  and  to  install  additional  ditch- 
ing as  new  breeding  places  appear.  This  method  seems  best  from  the 
standpoint  of  obtaining  necessary  fimds  and  from  the  standpoint  of 
expending  them  most  effectively.  The  writer  realizes  that  some  persons 
would  be  inclined  to  take  issue  with  him  on  this  point,  but  he  feels  that 
its  truth  is  borne  out  by  experience. 

With  the  creation  of  the  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission 
a  really  effective  agency  for  the  control  of  fresh-water  breeding  species 
was  formed.  The  problem  facing  most  commissions  has  been  first,  of 
obtaining  funds;  second,  of  forming  an  efficient  mosquito-fighting  machine; 
tliird,  of  finding  the  local  breeding  places;  fourth,  of  eliminating  them; 
and  fifth,  of  combating  mosquito  invasions. 

The  first  phase  has  usually  been  solved  by  a  campaign  of  education  in 
tlie  course  of  which  the  purposes  and  methods  of  mosquito  control  have 
been  explained  and  discussed  and  substantial  public  support  obtained. 

The  second  has  been  largely  determined  by  the  statute  itself.  Com- 
petent persons  with  a  knowledge  of  the  technique  of  mosquito  control 
work  have  been  employed  as  chief  inspectors,  and  the  selection  and 
organization  of  subordinates,  largely  left  to  them. 

The  third  has  been  met  by  periodically  examining  every  square  yard 
of  territory  of  the  protected  area  for  water  in  which  mosquito  larvQ 


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362         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Inreed,  and  by  tracing  the  moequitoes  found  on  the  wing  to  the  places 
where  they  originate. 

The  fourth  has  has  been  met  by  draining^  filling,  cleaning,  8to<^ng 
with  fish,  or  oiling  at  regular  intervals  all  pools  in  which  breeding  is 
found. 

The  fifth  has  never  been  adequately  met»  owing  principally  to  the 
attitude  of  Boards  of  Freeholders  that  no  money  should  be  spent  outside 
of  county  limits.  Thus  far,  it  has  been  limited  to  tracing  broods  and 
oiling.  The  good  results  of  even  such  limited  extra-territorial  work  are 
shown  in  the  Hackensack  Valley  marsh  report,  which  forms  a  part  of 
the  1914  Report  of  the  Experiment  Station.  There  is  given  a  detailed 
statement  of  the  breeding  throughout  the  season  of  1914  as  determined  by 
a  force  of  inspectors  made  up  of  employees  from  Union,  Essex,  Hudson 
and  the  Experiment  Station. 

In  every  county  having  a  salt  marsh  the  control  of  breeding  upon  It 
has  proven  thus  far  as  least  to  be  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  mosquito 
problem.  An  average  of  26  per  cent  of  all  expenditures  in  the  counties, 
covering  their  whole  territories,  has  been  devoted  to  salt  marsh  mosquito 
elimination,  and  as  high  as  57  per  cent  was  reached  in  one  case. 

Tet  in  spite  of  all  this  care  from  time  to  time  broods  of  greater  or 
less  size  have  issued.  Ordinarily,  from  the  standpoint  of  the  householder 
living  near  the  marsh,  the  broods  have  been  negligible,  yet  at  times  they 
have  been  too  large.  It  is  the  writer's  opinion  that  the  proportion  spent 
upon  the  salt  marsh  is  rarely  too  large  and  in  some  cases  imdoubtedly 
too  small. 

In  every  coimty  having  a  salt  marsh  and  attempting  to  cover  only  a 
part  of  the  problem  of  mosquito  control,  the  salt  marsh  has  first  received 
attention. 

Any  study  made  for  the  purpose  of  finding  the  general  principles  under- 
lying the  cost  of  mosquito  control  work  must  be  concerned  with  an 
analysis  of  the  effeet  which  increase  in  population  has  on  the  mosquito 
breeding  places,  for  obviously  mosquito  control  becomes  important  only 
as  the  land  is  transformed  from  a  wilderness  into  homes  for  people. 

Before  the  settlement  of  the  country  there  existed  the  fresh  and  salt- 
water marshes,  streams  and  woodland  pools.  With  the  coming  of  popu- 
lation many  fresh-water  swamps  and  woodland  pools  have  been  drained 
or  filled,  while  the  drainage  of  others  has  been  rendered  more  difficult 
and  many  have  been  polluted  with  human  wastes.  Many  streams  have 
been  cleaned  and  straightened,  but  others  have  been  stopped  up  and 
swamps  created  where  none  before  existed.  Many  have  been  so  polluted 
with  human  wastes  that  they  have  become  virulent  producers  of  mos- 
quitoes. The  salt  marsh  drains  established  by  nature  have  been  stopped 
up,  the  water  held  on  the  marsh,  and  the  areas  transformed  into  worse 
breeders  of  mosquitoes  than  they  were  formerly.  Many  of  the  salt 
marshes  have  become  polluted  with  human  wastes.  Many  entirely  arti- 
ficial breeding  places,  such  as  rain  barrels,  tubs,  buckets,  old  tin  cans, 
stopped-up  roof  gutters,  privies,  lot  and  roadside  pools;  cesspools  and 
sewer  catch-basins,  have  been  created. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATIOI^  REfOftT.  363 

Thus  far  at  least  the  settlement  of  the  land  by  man  has  Increased 
rather  than  diminished  the  mosquito  output  Examination  of  the  tabu- 
lated list  of  expenditure  shows  clearly  that  on  a  county-wide  basis  in 
New  Jersey  the  cost  of  mosquito  extermination  increases  as  the  population 
increases  in  density.  Hudson,  with  a  population  of  14,000  per  square 
mile,  spent  |675  in  1913,  $722  in  1914;  Essex,  with  5,000,  $514  and  $488; 
and  Union,  with  1,400,  $302  and  $230.  There  is  of  course,  a  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  whether  permanent  improvement  of  the  mosquito  breeding 
places  incident  to  increase  in  population  will  not  eventually  overtake 
the  increase  in  number  and  effectiveness  of  breeding  places;  and  that  the 
cost  of  mosquito  control  from  that  point  will  decrease  as  the  population 
Increases.  From  what  we  see  in  the  most  densely  populated  sections  of 
our  large  cities  where  sewering  and  grading  has  reached  its  highest 
perfection  it  looks  as  if  such  a  point  might  be  reached. 

Thus  we  have  the  relation  which  the  cost  of  mosquito  extermination 
bears  to  the  whole  population,  and  we  have  now  to  examine  its  relation 
to  the  individual.  The  tabular  statement  of  expenditures  shows  clearly 
that  per  capita  cost  decreases  as  population  increases.  Hudson,  with  a 
population  of  14,000  per  square  mile,  had  a  per  capita  cost  of  5.08  cents 
in  1913,  5.42  cents  in  1914;  Essex  with  5,000,  11.8  cents  and  11.37  cenU; 
Union,  with  1,400,  20.82  cents  and  15.89  cents. 

In  county  units,  at  least,  increase  in  population  means  increase  in 
wealth.  Increase  in  density  of  population  means,  therefore,  a  decrease 
in  the  proportion  paid  by  the  individual  taxpayer.  In  no  case  can  the 
tax  be  greater  than  one  mill,  and  in  no  case  has  any  mosquito  commission 
asked  for  the  full  amount  available  under  the  statute. 

The  efficiency  of  mosquito  extermination  work  may  be  measured  by 
increased  freedom  from  mosquito-bon^e  disease,  increased  real  estate 
values,  and  by  the  public  support  accorded  to  it. 

The  amount  of  malaria  recorded  within  the  limits  of  the  counties  at 
work  is  so  small,  and  the  diagnosis  so  rarely  founded  on  blood  tests, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  draw  any  definite  conclusions  as  to  the  effect  of 
the  work  on  public  health. 

The  increase  in  values  is  however,  a  different  matter.  Unfortunately, 
nothing  like  a  complete  collection  of  data  has  ever  been  made  relative 
to  it  In  the  course  of  some  studies  of  the  increase  in  ratables  along  the 
shore  alone  it  was  found  that  since  the  salt  marshes  had  been  drained 
there  has  occurred  an  increase  of  $5,600,000  in  shore  values  alone  in  the 
territory  from  Jersey  City  to  and  including  Sea  Bright  and  that  the 
increase  ranged  from  15  per  cent  in  the  manufacturing  sections  to  300 
per  cent  in  some  of  the  residential  sections.  Statistics  set  forth  by  Dr. 
Lipman^  serves  to  show  the  possibilities  of  this  phase  of  the  work. 

With  a  few  minor  exceptions,  the  completion  of  the  first  season's  work 
has  been  sufficient  to  enlist  the  hearty  support  of  the  public  press. 

Repeatedly  the  legislators  from  the  counties  in  which  the  work  was 
going  on  have  withstood  attempts  to  repeal  the  law  made  by  representa- 


^Upman,  J.  G.,  Proceeding  ad  Ann.  Meeting  N.  J.  Mos.  Kxter.  Aw'n,  pp.  6-9-74,  191 S* 


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364         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

lives  of  counties  where  no  work  had  been  done.  During  the  fall  of  1914 
an  inquiry  was  prepared  and  sent  out  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  iB 
still  another  way  the  attitude  of  the  public  toward  anti-mosquito  work. 
From  the  telephone  directories  in  each  of  the  principal  towns  and  villages 
in  the  protected  districts,  so  many  persons  whose  srumames  began  with 
"A"  were  selected,  so  many  persons  whose  surnames  began  with  "B"  and 
so  on  through  the  alphabet.  To  each  of  these  persons  so  selected  a  brief 
statement  of  the  expenditures  since  work  began  in  this  county  was  made, 
and  he  was  requested  to  state  whether  he  had  been  benefited  an  amount 
equal  to  the  stated  per  capita  cost  of  the  work  and  whether  he  favored 
its  continuance. 

Eighty  per  cent  of  the  persons  replied  that  benefit  had  been  received, 
and  95  per  cent  favored  the  continuance  of  the  work. 

MosquitoeB  of  the  Year. 

Neither  the  time  nor  the  space  is  available  within  the  limits  of  this 
report  to  present  an  adequate  discussion  of  this  subject  In  fact  so 
large  is  the  mass  of  accurate  data  that  it  is  deemed  worthy  of  presen- 
tation in  a  separate  paper. 

As  usual  the  brown  salt  marsh  mosquito  (Aedea  cantator  Cog.)  appeared 
this  year  to  our  certain  knowledge  from  Cape  May  10  Jersey  City. 
From  midsummer  on  it  was  replaced  from  Jersey  City  soutn  by  the 
white-banded  salt  marsh  mosquito  {Aedes  aollicitana  Wlk.).  In  the  lat- 
ter part  of  summer,  the  latter  became  in  the  territory  adjacent  to  the 
undrained  marsh  a  terrible  pest.  Cape  May  and  Cumberland  Counties 
suffering  especially.  In  the  northern  portion  of  the  Hackensack  valley 
A.  cantator  bred  throughout  the  season. 

Among  the  fresh  water  species  this  was  a  year  when  the  tmusual 
species  bred  commonly.  The  heavy  rainfall  of  midsummer  multiplied 
the  breeding  water  surface  by  ten  and  In  the  unprotected  parts  of  the 
State  the  fresh  water  species  were  a  veritable  scourge.  This  condition 
seems  to  have  obtained  practically  all  over  the  country. 

The  principal  species  concerned  in  this  trouble  in  New  Jersey  were 
the  house  mosquito  {Culex  pipiens  Linn.)  and  the  fresh-water  swamp 
mdsqulto  i  Aedea  aylveatria  Theob).  Contrary  to  the  usual  experience, 
the  latter  bred  everywhere. 

While  the  salt  marsh  species  in  the  protected  area  as  a  whole  were 
imder  better  control  than  formerly,  being  entirely  absent  from  many 
places  where  last  year  they  were  bad,  the  fresh  water  species  were  most 
unusually  hard  to  control  and  the  local  mosquito  fighting  organizations 
were  given  a  most  severe  test. 


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-'-?£.  3 


M.  Ul         ^^PO^T 


OF  THE 


Department  of  Entomology 


OP  THE 


New  Jersey  Agricultural 
Q)llege  Experiment  Station 

New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 

BY 

THOMAS  J.  HEADLEE,  Ph.D. 

For  the  Year  Ending 
October  31,  1916 


TRENTON.  N.  J. 
MacCiellish  &  QuiGLEY  Co.,  State  Printert 

I917 


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REPORT  OF  THE   DEPARTMENT 
OF    ENTOMOLOGY 


(465) 


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Department  of  Entomology 


Thomas  J.  Headi^e,  Ph.D.,  Entomologist. 
*Chari,es  H.  Richardson,  Jr.,  M.Sc,  Assistant  Entomologist. 
tAi^VAH  Peterson,  Ph.D.,  Assistant  Entomologist. 
§H'ENRY  H.  Brehme,  Field  Assistant  in  Entomology. 
♦♦Charles  S.  Beckwith,  B.Sc,  Assistant  Entomologist, 

Augusta  E.  Meske,  Stenographer  and  Clerk. 


♦Resigned  September  15,  1916. 
t Appointed  October  i,  1916. 
{Resigned  January  31,  1916. 
tOn  State  Station. 

♦♦Promoted  from  Field  Assistant  to  Assistant  Entomologist  February  z, 
1916. 


CONTENTS. 

page 

I.  Introduction,   467 

11.  Correspondence,  467 

Tabular  Statement  of  Insect  Correspondence,  1916, 467 

III.  Insects  of  the  Year,  475 

IV.  Species  of  Insects  Recently  Recorded  as  Present  in  the  State, 477 

V.  Investigations, 486 

Influence  of  Atmospheric  Moisture  on  Insect  Metabolism, 486 

The  Strawberry  Weevil,  490 

Apple  Plant  Lice,  494 

The  False  Cabbage  Aphis, 501 

Pear  Psylla,    503 

Wintering   Bees,    504 

Miscellaneous,  506 

VI.  The  Response  of  the  House-Fly  to  Certain  Foods  and  their  Fer- 
mentation Products 511 

Introduction,    511 

Methods,    512 

Conclusions,    •  518 

Bibliography,    519 

Report  of  Mosquito  Work  for  1916,  521 

Salt  Marsh  Drainage  Previous  to  1916,  521 

Salt  Marsh  Drainage  in  1916,  522 

Financial  Statement  of  Mosquito  Work,  534 

Summary  of  Mosquito  Control  by  Counties,   534 

Mosquitoes  of  the  Year,  546 

Aid  Extended  to  Organizations  and  Persons,  551 

The  Mosquito  Exterminator 553 

The  New  Jersey  Mosquito  Extermination  Association,   553 

Larvicides 554 

Conclusions,    557 

(466) 


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Report  of  the  Department  of  Entomology 

Thomas  J.  Headlbe 


INTRODUCTION 

The  attention  of  tiie  entomologist  and  his  assistants  has  been 
devoted:  (i)  to  the  carr)dng  on  of  correspondence  with 
Jerseymen  in  need  of  information  about  the  control  of  injurious 
insects  or  the  management  of  beneficial  ones,  (2)  to  the  in- 
vestigation of  the  influence  of  atmospheric  moisture  upon  insect 
metobolism;  (3)  to  the  investigation  of  the  strawberry  weevil, 
apple  aphis,  the  false  cabbage  aphis,  the  pear  psylla,  and  vari- 
ous miscellaneous  species;  (4)  to  the  investigation  of  the  effi- 
ciency of  certain  types  of  covers  for  wintering  bees;  (5)  to  the 
investigation  of  the  food  preferences  of  the  common  house  or 
typhoid  fly  as  a  basis  for  making  up  an  efficient  poisoned  bait; 
and  (6)   to  the  work  of  mosquito  control. 

II 

CORRSePONDENCE 

The  following  table  serves  to  show  the  species  about  which 
inquiries  were  made.  The  nimiber  of  letters  relative  to  each 
species  has  been  omitted  because  such  data  do  not  seem  to  serve 
any  good  purpose.  The  scientific  names  are  those  employed  in 
"Insects  of  New  Jersey,*'  which  was  issued  in  1909. 

It  is  proposed  to  revise  this  list  in  191 9  and  during  the 
interim  to  use  it  as  a  standard.  The  changes  in  nomenclature 
are  so  rapid  and  extenivc  that  it  seems  best  to  adopt  something 
and  stkk  to  it. 

Tabular  Statement  of  Insect  Correspondence,  1916 

Ammsuda 
Latim  Nmm^  Comm§n  Name  LecoUty  Date 

umbfkus  sp.,   Earthworm,    Moorestown, Mar.     9 

"     "  Wcftficld,    Nov.    14, 'xs 

OtUSTAOU 

Kpoda  sp^ .Sow   Bufi Newaili,  Mar    ^9 

(467) 


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468      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

DXPLOPODA 

Latin  Namti  Common  Name  Locality  Dai* 

Julus  sp,,   Thousand-legged  Worm,    ...Newton,     April  29 

Diphpoda  sp.,    "  "        ...Newark,  May      5 

Abachnxda 

Briophyes  pyri  FgsL Pear-leaf  Blister  Mite, Rutherford,     June      a 

"       "  "         "       Bound   Brook,    July  xo 

Briophyes  quadripes  Shrimer,  Maple  Gall  Mite Ridgewood,   June  30 

"       Short  Hills May  31 

Pedicnloidts  dianthopkilus,  .  Mite,     Sea  Girt,  Nov.      8,  *t% 

Psendoscorpionida    sp.,    . . . .  Pseudoscorpion,    Millbum Oct-       9 

Tetranychtu  sp.,    Red  Spider Wcstwood Oct  23 

"       "         "         W.  Englewood,    June  15 

**       "         "         Mt  HoUy, June  16 

"       ••         ••         Salem May  29 

"  **       "         "         Caldwell,    April  13 

"       "         "         Little  Silver June  24 

"       "         "         Nclsonville.  June  a6 

"       ••         "         Short  Hills,    Dec  24, 'x$ 

•*       "         •*         RiTerton,    Dec      7,  *i5 

"       "  "         Westfield,    Nov.  17, 'xs 

Trombidium  sp.,    Chigger,    Lebanon,    Sept.  xs 

Tyroglyphus  sp.,    Mite,   Atlantic  Highlands,    ....Sept.     7 

Imsscta 

Homoptera 

Aphididet  sp.,    Plant  Lice,    Tottenville,  N.  Y Oct,  x6 

"      "         "        Princeton,    Sept.  x6 

"      "         "        Greenlock,  Sept      9 

"      "         "        Louisville,  Ky Nor.      9. 'xS 

"      "         "        Morristown,    May  x8 

"  '*      "         "        Hammonton,   June  24 

"  "      "         "        Rahway,  Juxie      8 

"  "      "         "        Glassboro April     5 

"      "         "        Oxford,    May  18 

"      "         "       Paterson Not.  39, 'iS 

"      "         "       Phillipsburg,   Jane      x 

"  "      "         "        Morristown,    June  4 

"      "         "        Atlantic  City, June      6 

**  "      "         "        Nutley June  xo 

"  "      "         "        Hackensack,    Mar.  30 

" "         "        Newark May  24 

"      "         "       Elizabeth July  8 

"      "         "        Atsion,    July  5 

"      "         "        Rutherford,     July  24 

"      "         "        Jersey  City,    July  20 

"      *•         "        New  Brunswick,   Not.  x7, '1$ 

"      "         "        Riverton Dec.  7.  'xs 

"  "      "         "       Moorestown,  Dec  9, '15 

"      "         "       Nutley, June  9 

"      "         "       Hackensack,    Sept  23 

"  "      "         "       Blue  Anchor,   Feb.  X4 

"  "      Aphid  Gall,  New  York  City June  8 

Aphis  brassicet  Linn.,     Cabbage  Louse,    Glassboro,    Sept  20 

"  "         AUendale Mar.  30 

"  "         MonroeviUe,    Oct  10 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  469 

JLaHm  Nam4  Common  Nmm4  Locality  Datg 

\phis  nuiJi    Fabr.,  Apple  Plant  Louse, DuneUen, April  17 

"              "        "          "          "        Crowwicks Sept  i 

"        "          "          "        Scwell JtUj  5 

\phis  p^rsic^-niggr  Smith,   .  Black  Peach  Louse,   Brentwood,    Nor.  24,  '15 

iphis  ps^titdobrtMsska  DaTis,  False  Cabbage  Louse Freehold,  Oct  zs 

UpidiottAS   pemiciotuM 

Cotii»t-,      San  Jos^  Scale,  Elltabeth,    BCay  x$ 

Itpidiofm^    pemiciosus 

CoroMt. "        "        "       Caldwell Aprils 

ispidiotM^    p^rniciosus 

Conwt. "        "        "       Xew  York  City UtLj  3 

itpidiott^^    pemiciosus 

Coexist., "        "        **       Leonia, Jan.  as 

isfndiot't^    tsugti  Mar.,   ....Hemlock  Scale, Mahwah Feb.  19 

Teresa   Ifsthalus  Fabr.,   Buffalo  Tree  Hopper, Caldwell,    April  24 

Zhemt€s    abietis   Linn, Spruce  Gall  Louse, Ridgewood,  , May  9 

Zk€rm€s    pinicorticis  Fitch,. .  Pine  Bark  Aphid,   Merchantville May  5 

"     ..    "         "         "      Ridgewood,   May  9 

"     ..    "         "         "    ..- New  Market June  as 

Chionaspis   euonymi  Comst,  .Euonymous  Scale Matawan May  9 

Chionaspis    pinifolia  Pitch,  .Pine-leaf  Scale  Caldwell,    April  J4 

Cocciddt    sp.,    Scale  Insect,   Livingston,    April  j6 

"       "         •'         MiUington,    Oct  t8 

"       "         "         Newark,  Oct  16 

Coccms    pseudohesperidum,  . .  Soft   Scale,    Rutherford, 

Coccus  hesperidum  Unn.,  ..   "          "        Riverton April  8 

Colopha    ulmicola  Fitch,    ...Coxcomb  Clm  Gall Red  Bank, May  30 

Diedrocephalc    coccinea 

Porst.,      Leaf  Hopper,   Passaic,    Oct  3 

BuUcanium    nigrofasciaium 

Pere.,     Terrapin  Scale Morristown Mar.  i 

BuUcanium    nigrofasciaium 

Pcrg. "           "        Elixabeth,    Mar.  12 

ButeatUum   tulipiftra  Cook,  .Tulip  Soft  Scale PUinfield July  ao 

-         "         "       "        Metuchen,   Aug.  30 

Jassid^  sp.,    Leaf  Hopper,    Westwood,    Oct  J3 

"       "          " Morristown June  4 

LepidosaphMS  ulmi  Linn.,    .  .Oyster-shell  Scale,   Newton,  July  18 

-        ••      "        "        "        Plainfield July  14 

*•        ••      "         "        "        Plainfield,    April  a8 

"         ••      "         ••        "        Mendham,   April  26 

••      "        -        "        Sebago  Lake,  Me., Mar.  30 

"        ..      "        "        "        Leonia, Jan.  aa 

Longistigma  carya  Harr.,  ..Aphid,     Merchantville,    Sept  a8 

Macrosiphum  pisi  Kalt,   ...Pea  Louse,    Riverton Oct  i 

•*               "       **        ..."         "         Hightstown,    June  26 

My»us   cerasi  Fabr.,  Cherry  Louse,   Crawford,    July  13 

••        "            "        J^ewark May  15 

Pemphigus    vagabundus 

Walah,     Aphid  Gall Newton,   July  18 

Fhyllaphis  fagi  Linn.,   Wooly  Beech  Aphis,   Edgewater  Park June  27 

Phylloxera    carya-canHs 

Pitch Aphia  Gall,   Bloomfield,    June  12 

Psylla  pyricola  Porat, Pear  Psylla, Vineland,  April  13 

Puhnnatria  acericola  W.  ft  R.,  Cottony  Maple  Scale, Hammonton,  June  24 

Saissetia    hsmtsphasrica 

Targ.,    Hemiapherical  Scale, Cedar  Brook,   Dec,  31,  '15 

SaissetiA    hsmisphaeriea 

Targ.,    "                "        Rutherford Feb.  11 

THoma   magnolia,   Psyllid,   Rutherford, June  15 


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470      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Hemipiera 
Lotim  Nam^  Comtncn  Nam$  Locality  Date 

Anasa  tristis  DeG., Squash  Bug,   Madison,    Oct.  17 

Cimex  Uctularms  Linn.,  . . .  Bed  Bug,   Jersey  City, .  Nov.  16,  '15 

••  -       ..."       "        Moorcstown,  Feb.  12 

••       ...  "       "        Newark Mar.  23 

-       ...  "       "         Palmyra,    Aug.  at 

Lfptobyrsa  explanata  "Hmd,  .Rhododendron   I<ace   Bug,  ..Jersey   City,   Nov.  xa, '15 

Suphamiis  pyw^dis  Scott,  .Iracc  Bug,   New  York  City,   Nov.  X2, '15 

Orthoptera 

*Blahtrus  discoidalis  Say,   .  Roach,    Secaucus, 

Blatta  orientaHs  Linn., Oriental  Cockroach, Windsor,    June    30 

Gryllut  sp.,   Cricket, Red  Bank July    26 

Oicanthus  fasciatus  Pitch,  .  .Tree  Cricket,   Caldwell,    April  u 

Coltopttra 

Anthonomus  signatus  Say,  . .  Strawberry  Weevil, Frankford,  Del.,    Dec      2,  '15 

••    ..  -  "         Pleasantville,    June    14 

"  "    ..  -  -  Elmira,  N.  Y June      1 

"    ..          "               -          Kulpsville,  Pa.,   May  8 

"    ..          "               -          .., Millvine May  8 

"           "    ..          -               "         North  East,  Pa. May  6 

"    ..          "               «          Wading  River, May  i 

"    ..  "  -  MiUviUe April    8 

"    ..  "  ••  Bridgeville,  Del., April     6 

"    ..         "               -         Moorcstown Mar.  9 

'*..•*              -         Merchantrifle,    Mar.  6 

"                 "           "    ..         "               "          ^ Bridgeton,  , Feb.  24 

••    ..         "              "         Medford Mar.  21 

"    ..         "              -         Bridgeville,  Del Feb.  14 

"           "    ..          "               -          MerchantviUe Dec  is, '15 

Balaninus  rectus  Say,  Chestnut  Weevil,  Beverly,    Mar.  6 

Bruchns  obtechts  Say^ Bean  Weevil May's  Landing,  Sept  9 

Calandra  orystf  Linn. Rice  Weevil,  Laurel  Springs,  Aug.  23 

Calandra  sp„    Grain  Weevil, May's  Landing,  Oct  18 

Cathartus  advena  Wahh.,  ..Foreign  Grain  Weevil, Atlantic  Highlands*   ....Sept  7 

Cerambycidm  sp,, Long-honed  Borer,   New  Brunswick,   July  19 

"    "            "        Ridgewood June  17 

Ceratoma  trifurcata  Torat,.  ."Bean-lesii  Beetle,  Glen  Gardner,   June  3 

Chrysomelidtt  sp,,   Flea  Beetle, Hackensack Sept  aj 

Coccinellida  sp.,    Lady  Bird  Beetle,  Atlantic  Qty June  6 

Conotrachelus  nenuphar 

Hbst Plum  Curcullo,   New  York  City,   Dec  xo, '15 

Conotrachelus   nenuphar 

Hbst "            "          Belmar ICay  x6 

Conotrachelus  nenuphar 

Hbst,    "            "          East  Orange,   May  ix 

Conotrachelus  nenuphar 

Hbst.,    "            "          Burlington,   June  7 

Conotrachelus  nenuphar 

Hbst,    "            "          Elizabeth,    May  19 

Conotrachelus   nenuphar 

Hbst,    "            "          South  River, June  17 

Conotrachelus  nenuphar 

Hbst "            *•          Cresskill,    Jnly  7 

Criocerjis  asporagi  Linn.,  . . .  Asparagtis  Beetle Glassboro,    June  2 

•'••«•       ...         "               "         Mendham June  $ 

•«       ...        "               "         Summit,  Sept.  4 

*  New  insects  for  New  Jersey. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


471 


DimbroHca  vihaia  Pabw, 


.Striped  Cucumber  Beetle, 


.New  York  Qty April    4 

--..."  -  -         •.den  Gardner June     3 

...     "  "  "         ..Moorertown,   July    24 

DtrmtsUdtt  j#.,   Dermetted,  Cape  May  Court  House,  S^t'  xa 

D^smoctrus  pglliahu  Forst,  Long-homed  Beetle,  New  York  City,  June   a7 

Bcdytohpha  ituUiciana  ZelL,  Locust  Twig  Borer, Spring  Lake,   Sept     9 

Blaphidion  vUhsum  Fab.,  . .  Maple  &  Oak  Twig  Pruner,  Vineland, Sept  29 

Blattridg  sp^  Wire  Worm Little  Falls Dec    14, 

.  Uacketutown, April  23 


IS 


Epiirix  eucMtm»is  Harr.,  . . .  Potato  Plea  Beetle^ 


iMchnostmma  sp„ 


.Glasaboro,   June 

.       "  "  '•        ....Paterson,   June 

•«  **  "        Pertli  Amboy, July 

•••*••        ....Manchester,  Conn.,    ....July 

"  "  "        Oradell.    July 

•Rose  Chafer,  Glendola,  

.    "  "       Bayonne,   May 

.    "  "       Plainfield,    May 


»7 
M 
19 
'3 
3« 
31 

X 

17 
so 

S 

16 

S 

IS 

18 


10 


"4 


• . .  South  RiTor,   Jan. 

...Phillipsburg,  May 

.      "         "         "        New  Brunswick July 

.     "         "         "        Ehntr,    May 

.      • AUentown May 

.      "         "         "        Bernardsville,  May 

.      "         "         "        PWUipaburg,   June 

.      "         "         "        South  River June 

.      "         "         "        Rocky  HUl, June 

.White  Grubs,    Madison,    Feb. 

.     "  "        PhUaddphia,  Pa. May 

"     "  "        W.  LaFayette,  Ind.,  ....Ju»e 

••     ,..    "  "       W.  Englewood,    Jnne 

"     "  "        Jersey  Qty,   July 

LepHnotorsa  dtc^mliwtota 

Say,     Colorado  Potato  Beetle, 

LtptimoUitsa  dtctmHnMota 

Say,    " 

UpHnotarsa  dtcgmUmata 

Say,    " 

Ltpiimotmrsa  dtcrnnUntata 

Say.    m  H  u 

Leptinotorsm'  dtc^mUnfoia 

Say 

Macrodactylus   subspinosus 

Fabr. 

Uttcrodaetylus   subspinotus 

Fabr.,    

iiacrodactylus   tubspinosus 

Fabr.,    

Macrodaetylus   subfpinosus 

Fabr. "  "       Carmcl,    May 

Monarikrwn  maU  Pitch,  ...Scolytid  Beetle Rutherford, May 

Nodonota  punctieoUit  Say, . .Beetle,    Princeto'b,   Jime 

Oncidtrts  cmgulatus  Say,  ..Hickory  Twig  Girdler, High   Bridge,   Oct 

Phytononms  ^wcfoliii  Fabr.,  Clover-leaf  Beetle, Trenton,    Sept 

Pusodts  strobi  Teek White  Pine  WeevU, Far  Hills,   Sept 

••       "  "        "         Rutherford, Jnne 

"       "  "        "         Ridgewood,   May 

"       "  "        "  Sterlington,  N.  Y., Jan. 

Plagionotus  speciosns  Say,  .  .Sugar  Maple  Borer,   Cranford,     Sept 

PolyphyUa  variolosa  Henty, .  Scarabaeid,    Ocean  City, Nov.    17, 

Scolytus  qnadrispmotus  S%jtYi\cVovy  Bark-borer,    Plainfield,    June   26 

"        rugulos$u  Rata,  ...Fruit-tree  Bark-beetle,   Paterson June    10 

Sihanus  surinamensis  Linn.,  Corn  Silvanus Trenton,    Nov.     6, 

Lfpidopt^a 

Aneyhs  comptana,  Strawberry  Leaf  Roller,   . . .  Sewell,   '.  .June    16 

Anitota  sanatoria  Sm.  9c  Abb,,  Oak  Worm, Richmond,  Mass.,   Sept.  2$ 


Ner.    IX,  '15 


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472      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Latin  Nam€  Common  Namt  Locality  Date 

Arctiid^   sP„    Arctiid  Moth,  Berlik.,    Ang.  j9 

Carposapsa  pomonella  Linn.»  Codling  Moth,    New  Brunswick,   May    i6 

^Castnia  ihtrapon  Kail.,  . . .Hesperid  (in  greenhouse),  .  .Bound  Brook, Feb.     2 

CUheronia  regaiis  Fsbr.,  ....  Hickory  Homed  Devil Woodbine, i Sept  18 

Dtttana  integerrima  G.  &  R.,  Walnut  Datana Hasbrouck  Heights,    Aug.  38 

"       ministra  Dru., Yellow*necked  caterpillar,   ..Chatham,   Sept.    i 

Desmia  funeralis  Hubnr.,  .  .Grape-leaf  Polder,    Hackensack,    Jaae    t 

..     "        "  *'  Bridgeton.   Oct     8 

Buclea  indetermina  Bdv.,  . .  Slug  Caterpillar,    Englewood,    Sept  u 

"       ..    "  "  tyndhurst,    Sept  11 

Heliothis  armiger  Hbn.,    ...Com  Ear-worm, Westfield Sept  18 

"       ...    "        "      "        Goshen,    Mar.  m 

"...    "         "       "         New  York  City, May    19 

••       ...    "         "       "         Moorestown,   July    24 

Hemerocampa  leucostigma 

S.  fit  A.,  White-marked  Tussock  Moth,  Englewood Oct    23 

Hemerocampa  leucostigma 

S.  &  A "  "  "  "     Camden,     Dec,     a,  '15 

Hemerocampa  leucostigma 

S.  &  A.,  "  "  "  "     Camden,     Dec.     4, ''S 

Hyphantria  cunea  Dm.,  . . . .Fall  Web-worm,  Dover » Sept  13 

Limenitis   archippus   Cram.,  Nymphalid  Butterfly Newton,   Aug.   29 

Malacosoma  americana  Fabr.,  Apple  Tree  Tent  Caterpillar,  Elizabeth,    Mar.  m 

White  Plains,  N.  Y Mar.     t 

Newark,  Feb.    23 

Hampton Feb.    13 

New  York  aty May    13 

Rahway,  June     5 

"        "        "  "  Avalon May    S4 

••        "        "  "  Far  Hills,   April  a; 

Dover,    Jan.    j8 

"        "        "  "  Bridgeton,  April  19 

**  "        "        "  "  Millbum,   June   16 

"  "  "  "        "        "  "  Stockton June    8 

Marmara  salictella  Clem.,   . .  Montdair,    Sept  14 

Melittia  satyriniformis  Hbn.,  Squash  Vine  Borer Phillipsburg,    Aug.  as 

Silverton,     June    8 

Noctuids  sp.,    Cutworms,    Trenton,    Oct     7 

"      "  "         New  York  aty Nov.     4. 'xs 

"  "      "  "         Dorchester,    June   12 

Oxyptilus  periscelidactylus 

Fitch,    Grape  Plume  Moth, East  Orange,    June   13 

Papaiptma  nitela  Gn.,   Stalk  Borer,    Atco,     July    25 

"      "  "        Allendale,    July    xo 

"      "  "        Hamburg,    July     5 

Papilio  polyxenus  Fabr Celery  Caterpillar, Frenchtown,    July    16 

Pegomyia  brassica  Bouche,  .  Cabbage  Maggot,   Vineland, .Oct    25 

Peridroma  margaritosa  Haw.,  Variegated  Cut  Worm, Trenton,    Nov.  24f  '*S 

Philosamia  cynthia  Dm.,   . .  Moth,    Belvidere June  27 

Phobetron  piihecium  S.  &  A.,  Hag  Moth, W.  Milford,   Sept    9 

Phlyctaenia  ruhigalis  Guen.,  Greenhouse  Leaf  Tier, W.  Norwood,  Mar.  23 

Pieris  rapa  Linn.,  Cabbage  Worm Allendale,    Mar.  30 

"  "         Bloomfield July    x8 

Porthetria  dispar  Linn.,    ...  Gipsy  Moth,t Newark,   June     6 

Prolimacodes  scapka  Harr.,  .  Slug  Caterpillar,   New  Egypt, Sept    i 

'Swmia  cecropia  Linn.,    Cecropia  Moth, Hackensack, 


•  New  insects  for  New  Jersey, 
t  Request  for  warning  cards. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


473 


Latin  Nam^  Common  Nome  LocaUiy  Dat0 

Sttnninoidea  txitiosa  Sa7»  ..Peach  Borer Merchantville,    Nov.    ii, 

Glassboro,    April  22 


15 


SUotrogo  certolelh  OHt.,   . .  Angoumoia  Grain  Moth, 


Thytidopteryx  ephemerae' 
formis   Steph 

Thytidopteryx  ephemerae- 
formis   Steph.,    


.MiilviUe,    April 

.Burlington May 

.Brookaide,   June 

.Pateraon,   June 

.  Summit,  July 

.Plainfield,    Nov. 

.  Robbinaville,   Nov. 

.Roselle,    Jan. 

.New  York  City,   Dec 

.  Delanco,    Nov. 

.Woodbine,  Feb. 

.Allendale,    Mar. 

.  May's  Landing,   Sept. 

.  Newton,     Sept. 

.Trenton,    July 

.  Laurel    Springs,    Aug. 

.Cape  May  Court  House,  Sept 


*Diprion  simile  Hartig, 


.Pear  Slug,  Pleaaantville,    June 

.    "        "       New  Brunswick,   July 


Briocampoides  Kmacina 

RstM,,    

Briocampoides  limacina 

RstM,,    

Briocampoides  limacina 

RsU.,    *'        "       Burlington,     July 

Bxvtema  permundana  Clem.»  Raspberry  Leaf -roller Grantwood,     Mar. 

Pormidda  sp,,   Ants,   Teaneck,    June 

"      "       East  Orange June 

"      "       Somerville May 

"      "       Elizabeth,    May 

"  "      "       Flcmington,    May 

"  "      '*       Paterson, June 

"      "       Elizabeth July 

*  Janus  abhreviatus  Say,   ...Saw-fly Bound   Brook July 

••      ...  "     "     Elizabeth,    July 

"      ...  "     "      Irvington July 

"      ...  "     "      South    Orange.    July 

"      ...  "     "     Springfield,    July 

Ophion  sp.,   Ichneumon  Ply MontcUir,     Sept. 

Pteronus  ribesi  Scop., Imported  Currant  Worm,  ..Staten  Island,  N.  Y.,  ..May 

Tenthredinida  sp.,  Saw-fly, Mahwah Sept 

"     "     "      Middlebush May 

Vespa  crabro  Linn.,   European  Hornet, Blackwood,     Oct 

Siphonaptera 

CUnocophalus  canis  LUm.,  ..Cat  and  Dog  Flea,  Cream  Ridge, ...June 

"      ..  "      "       "        "        Newark,     May 

"      ..  "      "      "       "       Medford June 

Pntex  irriians  Linn.,    Human  Flea, Cream  Ridge, June 


.  Bag  Worm Mount    Holly,    July 

.   "         "        Lakewood,    Sept 

Hymsnoptera 

Apis  melUfica  Linn., Honey  Bee, Branchville,    Nov. 

Cimbex  americana  Leach,  .  .Willow  Saw-fly,   Newark,     June 

.  European  Pine  Saw-fly,  ....  Elizabeth 

"        "    "      ....Rutherford 

"    "      ....South  Orange,  


4 
10 

5 

I 

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24.  'is 
5 

a8.  'is 

I 
28 
«5 
15 

6 
23 
12 

14 


'«5 


XI 

as 

2 

6 

22 

6 

2 
7 

XI 

2 
8 

JO 

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X4 
28 
ao 
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23 


*  New  insects  for  New  Jersey. 


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474      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

DipUn 

LoUrn  ^atfut  Common  Name  Locality  D§t$ 

Acidia  9auvi»  Lowe,  Trypetid,    Bridgeton,     Mar.   24 

Anophtlo*  sp,, Malaria    Mosquito,    New  Brunswick,   July    19 

Bibionida  sp.,  .....Fly,    Irvington,     ....May    h 

Cecidomyia  pomum  Walsh, .  .Cecidomyid,  Flemington,    Sept  13 

Cecidomyiidm  sp„ Galls, Daodleii, .Aug.     7 

Culicidg, Mosquitoct,    Avalon May    24 

"  Belmar,    June   15 

"  Blythe,   CaL,    Mar.    is 

** "  Boonton,    Feb.    as 

"         "  Boston,  Mass.,  April  24 

"  CaldweU,    Feb.    ta 

"  CUffside,    Nov.  27. '«5 

"  Coocord.    May      5 

"         «•  Demarest,    Dec    17. '15 

"         "  Elwood,     Feb.    18 

"  Highland^  N.  Y.,  May    18 

"  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  . ." May     9 

"  New  Brunswick,  May     8 

"         "  New  Haves,  Conn.,  ....May    S9 

"         "  New  Haven,  Conn.,  . . .  .June   10 

" New  York  City,   June   is 

«• •••••••  Biay    26 

"  "        "         "      June    19 

**         ••  **        -         •«      Feb.     10 

"         "  ••        •«         "      Jan.    30 

"         "  "        ••         "      Jm.    jy 

"  "        "         •*      Nov.   SI. '15 

"  Palmerton,    Pa. May    13 

"         "  Penns  Grove,  June     5 

•*  Trtnton,    April  a6 

Dasyntura  hguminicota 

Lint, ..Fly,   Newton,     ...Jane   27 

Lasioptera  viHs  P.  S., Potato  Gall, Mahwah,    June    as 

"        •*        "         "      Beach  Haven,   June    ly 

••        -        -         -      Elisabeth,    Jtme   » 

-        -        "         "      Nutley,    June   15 

Meromyga  omgricono  Pitch.,  Wheat  Bulb-worm, Cream   Ridge,    June   13 

"       Newton,     July     ,3 

*MoHarthro palpus  buxi  Lab.,  Box-leaf  Miner,   Rumson,    Nov.   ai,  *i5 

Musca  dom^stica  Itirm. House  Fly,    Highland,  N.  Y.,   May    18 

••       ....     "         "      St  Paul,  Minn. Mar.    19 

"  "       ....     "         "       Boonton,    Feb.    15 

"       ....     -         "      New  York  aty,   Jiily«5 

••       ....     "         "      Summit,     July    I, 

•       ....     "         " Far    Hilhi,    ....: April  17 

"       ....     "         "      Penns  Grove.  June     s 

*ParalModiphsis  cattleya 

Moll Orchid  Midge  in  greenhouse,  Chatham,     Jan.    x8 

Pegomyia  hrassica  Bouche,.  .Cabbage  Maggot,  » . .  Garwood May    29 

*PAy<0fn3fjra  o^wi/f^  Hardy,  Columbine  Leaf  Miner,  ....Springfield,     July     6 

....Rutherford July    a9 

"  -  "  -         M         ....Riverton.     July    18 

....ElUabeth.    July     3 

Pollenia  rudis  Fabr., Muscid,     Hamburg,    Sept   t? 

Rhagoletii  pomonella  Walsh.,  Apple  Maggot,   New  York  Oty,   Nov.    16,  *iS 

Sciara  sp,,   Sciara  Army  Worm, Bound   Brook,   .July    »S 

*  New  insects  for  New  Jersey. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.     475 

The  volume  of  correspondence  this  year  has  been  much  the 
same  as  last,  but  with  an  evident  increase.  Not  far  from  an 
average  of  25  ^  letters  have  been  sent  out  from  the  office  each 
working  day.  The  correspondence  related  to  146  species  of 
insects  and  their  near  relatives  of  which  25  were  species  of 
mosquitoes. 

HI 

INSECTS  OF  THE  YEAR 

Some  notion  of  the  species  which  were  troublesome  may  be 
obtained  by  consulting  the  tabular  statement  of  insect  correspond- 
ence, but  neither  the  species  excessively  abundant  nor  those 
which  are  new  to  the  State  get  sufficient  emphasis  in  a  statement 
of  this  sort. 

T«nt  Caterpillar 

(Malacosoma  americana  Harr.) 

The  tent  caterpillar  was  again  sufficiently  abundant  to  constitute  an  out- 
breal^  although  the  amount  of  damage  was  considerably  lessened.  The 
distrioution  of  the  outbreak  was  this  year  about  the  same  as  last— mainly 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  with  its  greatest  severity  in  the  north- 
eastern section,  but  it  was  pceseat  to  some  extent  in  all  parts  of  the  State. 

Apple  Plant  Lice 

The  principal,  but  not  the  only,  species  concerned  has  been  the  rosy  aphis 
(Aphis  sorhi  Kalt.)-  To  a  less  extent  the  green  aphis  (Aphis  pomi  De  Gr.) 
was  a  factor.  The  distribution  of  the  rosy  aphis  was  apparently  ^^eral, 
and  the  damage  done  by  it  considerable.  Especial  attention  was  given  to 
it  by  the  entomologist  in  the  orchards  of  Mr.  John  H.  Barclay,  of  Cranbury, 
and  of  the  J.  L.  Lippincott  Co.,  of  Riverton.  In  both  cases  complete^ 
satisfactory  control  was  obtained  The  results  of  thb  work  are  set  forth 
under  a  special  heading  elsewhere  in  this  report. 

Pear  Pay  I  la 

(Psylla  pyricola  Forst.) 

During  the  last  few  years  the  damage  done  by  this  species  appears  to 
have  been  increasing.  In  ipi4  Mr.  J.  C.  Richdale,  of  Phalanx,  complained 
of  trouble  with  it  in  his  Kieffer  ^ar  ordiards,  and  sought  out  aid  in  con- 
trolling it.  In  1915  the  J.  L.  Lippincott  Co.,  of  Riverton,  sought  help  in 
controlling  the  same  speaes  in  its  Kieffer  orchards.  In  1916  Mr.  Wm.  H. 
Blackwell  complained  of  trouble  in  his  Bartlett  orchard  at  Titusville,  and 
Mr.   Lester  Collins,  of   Moorestown,   stated   that  not  only   was   the   psylla 

*Last  year  the  correspondence  of  the  State  entomologist  was  mentioned 
in  speaking  of  the  volume  of  correspondence.  This  year  the  correspondence 
of  the  State  entoaologiat  is  not  included. 


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476      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

injurious  in  his  Kieffer  orchards,  but  that  his  control  had  been  unsatbfac- 
tory. 

It  seems  that  the  species  has,  during  the  last  few  years,  been  experiendngr 
one  of  its  periodical  increases  in  numbers,  and  consequently  injurious 
power. 

An  account  of  the  work  done  against  it  and  of  the  results  obtained  will 
be  fotmd  in  another  part  of  this  report. 

The  False  Cabbage  Aphis 

(Aphis  pseudobrassicae  Davis) 

For  several  years  the  growers  of  turnips  about  Freehold  have  been 
troubled  with  a  plant  louse  which  has  at  times  been  so  abundant  as  to  destroy 
the  crop.  This  year  the  matter  was  brought  to  the  entomologist's  attention 
by  Mr.  Wm.  B.  Duryea,  the  Monmouth  County  farm  demonstrator. 

The  nature  and  the  extent  of  the  infestation  were  investigated,  and  the 
species,  proving  to  be  one  of  which  we  had  no  duplicate,  was  forwarded  to 
Mr.  John  J.  Davis  and  by  him  pronounced  the  false  cabbage  aphis.  While 
this  is  the  first  time  it  has  been  taken  in  the  State,  there  is  httle  doubt  in  the 
writer's  mind  that  the  species  has  been  present  in  injurious  numbers  for 
several  and  perhaps  many  years. 

The  nature  and  the  results  of  the  work  done  upon  this  species  are  set 
forth  in  a  special  section  of  this  report. 

The  Oak  Worm 

(Anisota  senatoria  Smith  and  Abbott) 

In  the  early  fall  the  work  of  the  oak  worm  attracted  much  notice.  The 
outbreak  seemed  to  be  limited  mainly  to  the  scrub  oak  in  the  central  por- 
tions of  the  State.  Even  in  this  area  its  distribution  was  patchy,  defolia- 
tion appearing  in  many  cases  at  widely  separated  points.  All  the  common 
species  of  scrubby  oak  were  attacked,  but  the  birch  seemed  to  be  the  only 
species  other  than  the  oak  to  suffer. 

The  attack  came  so  late  in  the  season  that  little  real  damage  was  done^ 
the  buds  having  been  largely  made  before  injury  began. 

The  Rose  Bug 

(Macrodactylus  subspinosus  Fab.) 

The  species,  while  not  so  abundant  this  year  as  last,  appeared  in  suffi- 
cient numbers  to  do  serious  harm.  It  is  mentioned  primarily  because  z^pm 
this  year  the  self-boiled  lime-sulfur  has  satisfactorily  protected  apple  foliage 
from  injury. 

The  Elm  Leaf  Beetle 

(Galerucella  luteola  Mull.) 

This  species  has  been  remarkably  reduced  this  year.  The  elms  on  the  col- 
lege campus  were  so  little  infested  as  not  to  reqmre  spraying. 

Sclara  Army  Worm 

{Sciara  sciaphila  Loew.) 

On  July  27  the  entomologist  investigated  report  of  army  worm  trouble  in 
Bound  Brook.  The  army  worms  in  question  were  really  in  every  case 
aggregations  of  fungous  gnat  larvse.  The  individual  larvae  were  a  half- 
inch  or  less  long,  but  crowded  so  close  together  that  they  formed  a  con- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  477 

dnuous  string,  ranging  from  2  inches  to  24  in  length.  The  largest  ones 
were  about  2  inches  wide.  These  strings  ai>peared  immediately  aiter  soak- 
ing rains,  on  lawns,  along  stone,  brick,  and  cement  walks,  as  well  as  upon 
them,  exciting  the  surprise  and  interest  and  in  some  cases  fear  of  those  who 
saw  them.  The  larvae  were  identified  by  Dr.  A.  H.  Johannsen  as  Sciara 
sciaphUa  Loew.  They  were  fully  grown  and  probably  m  search  of  a  satis- 
factory place  to  pupate. 

IV 

SPECIES  OF  INSECTS  RECENTLY  RECORDED  AS  PRESENT  IN 

THE  STATE 

First  List 

This  list  falls  into  two  divisions.  The  first  is  concerned  with  species  that 
are  probably  native,  or  at  any  rate  not  certainly  known  to  have  been  !«n- 
ported.  The  second  includes  species  definitely  knorwn  to  have  been  imported 
within  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years. 

Order  Thysanura 

Achorcutes  armatum  Nicolet.     The  Mushroom  Spring  Tail     Occurs  in  mushroom  cellars 
in  New  Jersey. 

Order  Mallophaca 

Docophorus  platyrhynchus  Nitxsch.     From  Buteo  Uneatus.    C  H.  Richardson. 

Order  NvumoPTXBA 

HfSperoUon  placidus  Navas.  Point  Pleasant,  July  2$,  Bueno.  (B'klyn.  Bui,  ▼.  lo,  No.  3-) 
Conwentsia  kageni  Banks.  Rutherford,  May  30,  bred  from  evergreens,  E.  L.  Dickerson. 
Conwgntsia  angulata  Navas.    Westfield,  August  31,  de  la  Torre  Bueno. 

Order  Mscoptsba 

Panorpa  latipennis  HSne.     Hewitt,  June  18,  Davis.     (Bui.  B'klyn  Soc.,  v.  10.  p.  109.) 
Panorpa  subfnrcata  West.    Ramsey,  June  23;  Hewitt,  June  18;  Davis.     (Bui.  B'klyn  Soc, 

V.  10,  p.   109.) 
Mtfopt  tuber  Newman.     Chester,  Dickerson.     (Bui.  B'klyn  Soc.,  v.  lo,  p.  3) 

Order  TmiCHOPTi«A 

Neuronic  paradalis  Walker.     Lakehurst,  June  5,   1909.     L.   B.  Woodruff.     (Jour.  N.  Y. 

Ent.  Soc,  V.  21,  p.  163.) 
Neuronic  smfthi.  Banks.     Lakehurst,  July  4.     Englehart. 
(Ecetina  fumosa  Bks.     Pemberton,  June  20.     H.  B.  Scammell. 
Plectroenemia  cinereus  Hg.     Pcmberton,  June  24.     H.  B.  Scammell. 

Order  Odokata 

Agrion  ttquabile  Say.     Great  Notch,  May  30.     W.  T.  Davis.     (Jour.   N.  Y.  Ent   Soc, 

Mar.,  19x3) 
Lestes  uneatus  Kirby.     Newfoundland,  August  4.    W.  T.  Davis.     (Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent  Soc, 

Mar.,  1913.) 
Bnallagma  recurvatum  Davis.     Lakehurst,  June  28,  191 3.     W.  T.  Davis. 
Bnallagma  cyathigerum  Charpentier  (annexum  Hagen)   Ramsey,  May  20.     (Jour.   N.   Y. 

Ent  Soc,  Mar.,  1913.) 
Bnallagma  ehrium  Hagen.     Newfoundland,  Lake   Htopatcong,  July.      (Jour.    N.   Y.   Ent 

Soc,  Mar.,  1913.) 
Gomphus  abbreviatus  Hagen.     Greenwood  Lake,  June  18,  19x1.     P.  M.  Schott. 
Cordulegaster  erroneus  Hagen.     Bear  Swamp,  Ramapo  Mts.,  August  18,  19x0.     Chas.  E. 

Slight     (Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent  Soc,  Mar.,  1913) 


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478      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Tttragoneurta  spimigera  Sclyu     Newfoundlmnd,  May  a8,  W.  T.  DmwU;  Greenwood  Lake, 

June  30,  Wauon.     (Jour.  N.  Y.  Soc^  Mar^  1913) 
tibettula  exusta  d»pUmta  Rambur.    Woodbaty,  May  X4«  igxa.    P.  Laumit. 
iMUku*  aUnstylus  Hagcn.     Bear  Swamp,  Ramapo  Mtt.,  June,  July.    C  E.  SUght    Qtmr. 

N.  Y.  £iiL  Soc^  Mar.,  1913.) 
WiiUamsomia  Mmin^  Hagcn.    Paterson,  May  4.  J.  A.  Groatbeck.    (BuL  Bldyn  Bat.  Soc., 

V.  8,  p.  93.) 

Order  Thysanoptbra 

Cryptothrips  gilvipes  Hood.     Pembcrton,  April.  1915.     In  cocoons  of  GeUckia  trialbama- 

CHlella,    H.  B.  Scammell. 
Hoplothrips  kamyi  Hood.     Pcmberton,  August  29,  1914,  on  dead  tree.    H.  K.  Plank. 

Order  HoMOPTsaA 

Cicada  auietes  Germar.     This  should  replace  C.  marginata  Say  of  the  1909  list     (Jour. 

N.  Y.  Ent.  Sac,  v.  33,  p.  2)  Davis. 
Cicada  pruinosa  var.  UUifasciata  Davis.     Cape  May  County,  Davis.     This  record  should 

replace  C.  pruinosa  Say  in  the  1909  list     (Jour.  N.  Y.   Ent  Soc,  ▼.  a3,  p.  8) 

Davis. 
Telamona  qu^ci.     Summit,  F.  M.  Schott 
Cyrtolobus  tub^rosus.     Summit,  F.  M.  Schott 
Phylloscelis  otra  Germ.     Harrisia,  New  Egypt.     Three  forms:  black,  long- winged;  black, 

short- winged;  brown,  short-winged.    Injurious  to  cranberry.    H.  B.  Scammell. 
Xeitocephaltu  tessellatus  Van  D.     Newark.     E.  L.  Dickerson. 
Chlorotettix  galbanata  Van  D.     Newark.     E  L.  Dickerson. 
Livia  vemali*  Fkch.    Tronton,  July  a.    E  L.  Dickerson. 
Pachypsylla  celHdis-mamma  Riley.    Makes  leaf  galls  on  Celtis.     Riverton,  June  35.    E.  L. 

Dickerson. 
Trioaa  alacris  Flor.    Rutherford,  August  18.     On  bay  trees. 
Phylloxera  fovela  Pergande.    New  Brunswick  and  other  parts  of  the  State.    Common  on 

leaves  of  hickory.    C.  H.  Richardson. 
Pemphigus  ulmifusus  Walsh.    GaH  on  leaf  of  Utmus  pubescent.    H.  B.  Wdst. 
Aphis  hedera  Kalt     In  greenhouses  on  English  ivy.     Not  common.    H.  B.  Weiss. 
Aphis  houghtonensis  Troop.     Riverton,  on  gooseberry.     T.  J.  Headlee. 
Aphis  nern  Fonsc.     In  greenhousM  on  oleander.     Not  oonunan.     H.  B.  Weiaa. 
Aphis  sorbi  Kaltenbacfa.     Throughout  the  State  on  apple.     The  rosy  apple  aphis.     T.  J. 

Headlee  and  C.  H.  Richardson. 
Mysus  rosarum  Kalt    On  roses  in  greenhouses.    H.  B.  Weisa 

Macrosiphum  sanbomi  Gill.     Black  aphis  of  chrysanthemum,  in  greenhouses.    H.  B.  Weisa. 
Aleyrodes  mori  Quaint,  var.  maculata  Morr.     Palmyra,  August  6,  on  tweet  gum.     E.  I«- 

Dickerson. 
Aleyrodes  coryli  Britten.    Norwood,  August,  on  harel  nut.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Aleyrodes  packardi  Morrill.     Wcstwood,  May,  i9i5»  on  strawberry.    G.  Kircher. 
Aleyrodes  waldeni  Britton.     Somervllle,  July,  on  leaves  of  Jugfans  8p.    H.  B,  Weiss. 
Pseudococcus  pseudonipa  Ckll.     Occurs  in  greenhouses  on  Kentia  sp.     H.  B.  WeiM. 
Coccus  pseudohesperidum  CkW.     Rutherford,  Sotith  Orange,  Summit,  in  greenhouses  on 

(^ttleya  orchids  and  other  greenhouse  plants.    H.  B.  Weiss. 
Sttissetia  ole<g  Bern.     In  greehouses  on  orange  and  lemon.    H.  B.  Weisa. 
Diaspis  bromelia  Kern.     In  greenhouses  on  pineapple.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Aulacaspis  samia  Morg.     On  Cycas  rej'oluta  in  greenhouses.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
A*pidiotus  britianwicut  Newst     In  greenhouses  on  bay  trees.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Chrysomphalus  tenebricosus  Comst.     Rutherford,  Nov.,  1912.    On  red  maple    H.  B,  Weisi. 
Ischnaspis  longirostris  Sign.     Montclair,  on  palms  in  greenhouses.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Pseudaonidia  paeonite  Ckll.     Riverton,   Princeton.     On  Japanese  azaleas.     Not  common. 

Probably  introduced  from  Japan.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
T9%meyeUa  pini  King.    Aabury  Park,  July  26,  on  pine.    E  L.  Dickerson  and  H.  B.  Weiat. 
Bucalymnatus  tesseUUus  Sign.     On  palms  in   greenhouses.     H.   B.  Weiss. 
Iccrya  purchari  Mask.     In  greenhouses  on  Acacia  sp.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Cerephstes  cirripediformis  Comst     In  greenhouses  on  dtrus  trees.     H.  B.  Weisa. 
Ceroplastes  Horidensis  Comst     In  greenhouses  on  citrous  trees.     H.  B.  Weiss. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  479 

Order  HSMirmtA 

Bonosa  sordida  Uhl.    Hadison.     P.  M.  Schott 

Aradus  sktmumi  Heid.    Lakdiorst,  May  25-    Torre  Bueno. 

Lygidea   tnendax  Rent.     New  Brunswick,   High  Bridge,  Bridgeton   and  other  parts  of 

the  state.     False  apple  red  bug. 
Drymus  crossus  VanD.     Camden.     Torre  Bueno. 

Jalysus  multispinosus  Ashm.     Lakehurtt,  Barber.     (Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent.  Soc.,  v.  19,  p.  «3.) 
Corythuca  nutrmorata  Uhl.     Vindand,  July  21.     E.  W.  Stafford. 
Ranaira  kirkaldyi  Bno.     Totowa,  July.     Wintersteiner. 
AcantholofM  dgnticulata  StaL     Schooley^  Mt..  May  20,    F.  L.  Lntr.     (Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent. 

Soc.,  V.  ao»  p.  138.) 
Pseudocntmodus  canadensis  Prov.     Lakehurst,  July  11.     Davis.     (Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent,  Soc., 

V.  19,  p.  26,) 
Sphaerobi9is  quadristriata  Barber.     Lakehurst,  July  4,  Sept  7.     Davia  &  Barber.     (Jour. 

N.  Y.  Ent  Soc,  v.  19,  p.  34.) 

Order  OiTHommtA 

Blaberus  discoidalis  Serv.     New  Jersey  flreenhouses.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Pycnoscelus  surinamensis  Linn.     Rutherford*  in  greenhouses.     H.  B.  Weisi. 

Order  CoutorrttA 

Tr^chus  boreaUs  Schaeffer.     New  Jersey,  Nicolay.     (Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent  Soc,  Mar.,  1915.) 

Cercyon  lateralis.    Staten  Island,  May  25,  1908.     Probably  occun  in  New  Jersey.    Davis. 

Atheta  virginica  Bmhv.     Vineland,  March  10.     H.  B.  Weiss. 

Oxypoda  (Sphenoma)  obliqua  Casey.     Vineland,  September  14,  H.  B.  Weiss. 

Pkilonthus  varians  Payk.  Franklin  Furnace.  F.  M.  Schott.  (Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent  Soc,  Mar., 
i9>5.) 

Sunius  discopunctatut  Say.    Vineland,  March  2.    H.  B.  Weiss. 

Baeoccra  concohrr  Fab.    Vineland,  March  a. 

Phalacrus  consimiHs  Marsh.     Vineland,  March  2, 

Cocdnetla  transvtrscgnttata  Fabr.     Malaga,  April  29,  191 1.     H.  W.  Wenzel. 

Litargus  nebulosus  Lee    Vineland,  March  2. 

Ips  calatus  Eichh.  Rutherford,  May  10,  191 5.  In  shoots  of  Finns  mughns.  H.  B. 
Weiss. 

Uonotoma  paraUela  Lee     Anglesea,  March.     H.  B.  Weiss. 

Sandalus  niger.    New  Jersey  Palisades.    Nicolay. 

Agri\us  masculinus  Horn.     Newark.     H.  B.  Weiss. 

Agriius  crinicomis  Horn.     Newark.     H.  B.  Weiss. 

Trichodea  nuttalH  Kirby.     Red  Bank,  July  4,  1908.     Kaeber. 

Dinoiierus  punetatus  Say.     Vineland,  May  4.    H.  B.  Weiss. 

Aphodius  haemotrhoidalis.     Snake  Hill;     Paterson;    under  cow  manure.     Wintersteiner. 

Dyscinetus  (Chalepus)  rubra  Web.     New  Egypt,  May  ai.     H.  B.  Scammell. 

Leptnra  exigm  Newm.  Hewitt,  June  21,  on  flowers  of  Camus  paniculata.  Woodruff. 
(Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent.  Soc,  Mar.,  1915.) 

Sugnamptns  coUaris  Fab.  var.  fuscipes  Pierce     Egg  Harbor,  June  15.     H.  B.  Weiss. 

Bugnamptus  collaris  Fa^.  var.  nigripes  Melsh.     Egg  Harbor,  June  15.    H.  B.  Weiss. 

Phytonomus  mehts  Fabr.  The  clover  weevil.  Ramsey,  Hewitt,  Lake  Hopatcong,  New- 
foundland, Rahway,  from  late  May  to  end  of  July.     Springfield.     E.  A.  Bischoff. 

Magdatis  barbicomis  Latr.     Burlington,  May.     H.  B.  Weiss. 

Ceutorhynchus  aMuentus  Dietx.  This  should  replace  C.  rapa  Gyll.  in  the  1909  list  as 
Mr.  Dietz  states  that  C.  rapa  so-called  is  not  the  same  as  the  European  species 
of  that  name.     C  A.  Frost 

Spkenophorus  solitaris,     Whitesbog,  July  t6.     H.  B.  Scammell. 

Xyleborus  saxeseni,    Tuckahoe,  October  s#  in  dead  sugar  maple     T.  J.  Headlee. 

Hylecoetns  lugnbris  Say.     Coytesvflle,  April  18,  1915.     R.  P.  Dow. 

Molamba  fasciata  Say.    Tenafly,  June  5,  in  bark  of  maple  tree     H,  O.  Pond. 

Scymnillus  aterrimus  Horn.     Whitesbog.     H.  B.  Scammell. 

Zenoa  picea  Beauv.     Red  Bank,  July  4,  1908.     Kaeber.     (Ent  News,  v.  26,  p.  238,) 


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48o      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Order  Lkfidoptbha 
Basilcrckia  archippus  var.  lantkanis.  Cook  and  Watson.     Athenia,  August  13,  1911.    F. 

E.  Watson. 
Diacrisia  virginica  Fab.  var.  fumosa  Strccker.     Passaic  Park.  January  20.  19x5.     Found 

in  house  on  window.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Hyphantria  Textot  Harris.     Passaic  Park,  June  26.     Local,  not  common.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Apantesis  intermedia  Stretch.     Lake  Hopatcong,  September  15.  i9»3.     F.  Lemmcr. 
Apaniesis  vittata   Fab.    form  radians  Wlk.      Passaic    Park,   June   4,    19*^6.     Local,  rare, 

taken  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Acronycta  radcliffei  Harv.     Orange  Mts.,  May  4.  191 3-     F.  Lemmcr. 
Acronycta  (Apatela)  albarufa  Grt.     Lakehurst,  middle  of  July.     O.  Buchholz. 
Acronycta  (Apatela)  brumosa  Gn.     Lakehurst,  end  of  May.     O.  Buchholr. 
Acronycta  {Apatela)  lanceolaria  Grt.     Elizabeth,  June  22.     O.  Buchholx. 
Apatela  (Acronycta)  aMicta  Grt.     Passaic,  Rutherford,  July  2.     M.   H.  Mead- 
Chytonix  sensilis  Grt     Cassville,  August   17,  1910.     W.  T.  Davis. 
Baileya  doubledayi  Guence.     Passaic,  May,  June,  at  light. 
Xylophatia  nigrior  Smith.     Passaic  Park,  July.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Hadena  misera  Grt.     Rutherford,  August  3,  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Hadena  stipata  Morr.     Elitabeth,  first  half  of  August     O.  BuchhoU. 
Semiphora  tensbrifera  Wlk.     Passaic,  April  26:     M.  H.  Mead. 
Pachnobia  salicarum  Walker.     Passaic  Park,  April,  19I4'     M.  H.  Mead. 
Noctua  fennica  Tausher.     Passaic,  July  2,  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Noctua  rubifera  Grt     Lakehurst,  August  and  September.     O.  Buchhols. 
Euxoa  redimicula  Morr.     Passaic,  July  28,  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Mamestra  assimilis  Morr.     Rutherford,  July  at  light     M.  H.  Mead. 
Mamestra  copsularis  Guenec.     Passaic,  May  27,  at  light     M.  H.  Mead. 
Leucania  (Heliophila)  juncicola  Gn.     Lakehurst,  middle  July.     O.  Buchholz. 
Leucania  linita   Gn.     Newark   (Ang.);     Elizabeth,  M^y,  August   (Bt) ;     Five-milc  Beach. 

August  12  (Haim). 
Leucania  scirpicola  Gn.     Eizabcth,  Lakehurst,  July,  August.     O.  Buchholz. 
Leticania  minorata  Smith.     Passaic  Park,  May  and  June.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Leucania  subpuncta  Harvey.     Lakehurst,  October  9,  1914.     Shoemaker  and  Davis. 
Xylina  baileyi  Grt.     Passaic,  October  12,  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Xylina  disposita  Morr.     Passaic  Park.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Xylina  petulca  Grt     Rutherford,  May  5,  1914.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Xyliva  pexata  Grt.     Passaic   Park,  April   17,' 1906,  Nov.,   1911.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Nonagtia  letta  Morr.     Elizabeth,  1913.     F.  Lemmer  . 

Hydroecia  stramentosa  Guenee.  Passaic  Park,  September  18.  At  arc  light  M.  H.  Mead. 
Papaipema  anargyria  Dyar.  Elizabeth,  September  7.  Larva  in  Eupatorium.  O.  Buchholz. 
Papaipema  astuta  Bird.     Union  and  Essex  Counties,  September  5  to  22.     Larva  in  horse 

balm.     O.  Buchholz. 
Papaipema  baptisiae   Bird.     Union   and   Essex  Counties,   September   15   to   30.     Larva  in 

false  indigo.     O.   Buchholz. 
Papaipema   cerina   Grt.     Union   County,   middle   September.     Larva  in   Lilium  condense. 

O.  Buchholz. 
Papaipema  duvoata  Bird.     Larva  in  Solidago  sempervirens.     Elizabeth,  September   14  W 

30.     O.   Buchholz. 
Papaipema  duplicata   Bird.     Union   and   Essex  Counties,   September   15  to  30.     Larva  in 

horse  balm.     O.   Buchholz. 
Papaipema  eupatorii  Lyman.      Larva  in  Eupatorium  purpurea.     Elizabeth,   September  JO 

to  30.     O.  Buchholz. 
Papaipema  frig^da  Sm,     Larva  in  meadow  rue.     Union  County,  September   i  to  30.    0. 

Buchholz. 
Papaipema  harrisii  Grt     Record  in   1909  list  based  on  misidentification.     Does  not  occur 

south  of  Maine.     O.  Buchholz. 
Papaipema  impecuniosa  Grt     Larva  in  Aster  puniceus.     Union   County,   September  1$ 

to  30.     O.  Buchholz.     Passaic  Park,  September.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Papaipema  lysimachia    Bird.      Union    County,    September    5    to    30.      Larva   Lysimackia 

quadrifolia,     O.  Buchholz. 
Papaipema  maritima    Bird.      Union    County,    September    20    to    October    10.      Larva   in 

Helianthus   giganteus  and   H.   tubcrnsus.     This   record    should    take   the   place  of 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  481 

necopinaHn  the  1909  list,  which  was  wrongly  identified.    Necopina  has  never  been 

taken  south  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.     O.  Buchholx. 
Papaipema  merricata  Bird.     Eliaabeth,  September  20.    Larva  in  May  apple.     O.  Buchholx. 
Papaipema  moeseri    Bird.      Union    County,    end    September.      Larva    in    Chelone    glabra. 

O.  Buchholz. 
Papaipema  necopina  Grt.     Passaic  Park,  October.     At  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Papitipema  pterisU    Bird.      Larva    in    Pteris    aquilina.      Union    County,    August    25    to 

September  5,  O.  Buchholz;    Passaic  Park,  September,  M.  H.  Mead. 
Papaipema  rigida   Grt.      Union    County,    September   s    to    30.      Larva   in   Hetiopsis   hell- 

anthoides,     O.  Buchholz. 
Papaipema   stenocelis    Dyar.      Lakehurst,    September    8    to    as.      Larva    in    Woodxvardia 

vtrginica.     O.  Buchholz. 
Xantihia  flavago  Fab.     Passaic  Park,  October.     M.   H.  Mead. 
Ortkosia  lutosa  Andrews.     Passaic,  June  30,  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Parastichtis  disdvaria  Wlk.     Passaic,  July  31,  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Scopelosoma  ceromatica  Grt.     Passaic  Park,  April.     M.  H.  Mead. 

Bpiglaea  apiata  Grt     New  Egypt.     Moths  taken  on  cranberry  vines.     H.   B.  Scammell. 
Bpi^laea  pasHUicans  Morr.     Lakehurst,  October  lyi     Buchholz  and  Letnmer. 
Epifjaea  tremula  Harv.     Lakehurst,  September  25.     O.  Buchholz. 
Calymnia  orina  Guenee.     Passaic,  July  13,  at  light.     M.   H.  Mead. 
Chhridea  virescens  Fab.     Lakehurst,  October  11,  1 914.     E.  Shoemaker,  W.  T.  Davis. 
Derrima  henrietta  Grt.     Passaic  Park,  July.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Schinia  obscurata  Strk.     Elizabeth,  June  5  to  30.     O.  Buchholz. 
Plutia  simplex   Gn.     Whitesbog,   Pemberton,  moths   resting  on  cranberry  vines.     H.    B. 

Scammell. 
Autographa  rogationis  Gn.     Elizabeth,  September   15  to  30.     O.  Buchholz. 
Anomis  erosa  Hbn.    Irvington,  November  10,  191 2.     Bred  from  larvae  found  on  hollyhock. 

(Food  plant  new  record.)     F.  Lemmer. 
Exyra  rolandiana  Grt.     Spring  Lake,  Toms  River,  Pleasantville.     Larva  in   Sarracenia. 

F.  M.  Jones. 
Catocala  connubialis  Gn.     South  Elizabeth,  July  26,  1912.     H.  H.  Brehme. 
Catocala  fratercula  Grt.  var.  jaguenetta  Hy.     Edwards,     Lakehurst,  July.     O.  Buchholz. 
Catocala  epione  Dru.     Irvington,  July  12,  191 3.     Larvae  on  butternut     (Food  plant  new 

record.)     F.  Lemmer. 
Catocala  innubens  Gn.  var.  hinda  French.     Passaic  Park.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Anticarsia  gemmatilis  Hbn.     Passaic  Park.     October  11,  1904.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Episeuxis  nigellus  Strk.     Elizabeth,  Lakehurst,  July.     O.  Buchholz. 
Bomohcka  deceptalis  Wlk.     Passaic,  July  26.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Melatopha  strigosa  Grt.     Passaic,  May  29,  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Schinira  apicalis  G.  &  R.     Passaic,  May  26,  at  light     M.  H.  Mead. 
Harpyia  scolopendrina   Bois.      Passaic   Park,   May   3,    1904.     Local,  rare,   taken   at   light. 

M.  H.  Mead. 
Harpyia  albicoma  Stretch.     August  3,  1905,  at  Passaic  Park.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Coenocalpe  magnoliata  Gn.     Lake  Uopatcong,  July   i^.     Lemmer. 
Gypsochroa  sitellata  Gn.     Irvington,  August   16,  191 3.     F,  Lemmer. 

Erastria  includens  Wlk.     Elizabeth,  July  5  to  20.     Larva  in  Carex  striata.     O.  Buchholz. 
Eois  demissaria  Hbn.      Lakehurst,   May   30   to  June   30,   O.    Buchholz;     Elizabeth,  Aug. 

15,  F.  Lemmer. 
Synchlora  liquoraria  Gn.     Passaic  Park,  May,  June.     Common.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Anaplodca   remotaria   Wlk.      Union   and    Passaic   Counties,   July    20   to   August   20.      O. 

Buchholz. 
OrthoMonia  exomata  Wlk.     Lyons  Farms,  April  29,  May  2.     F.  Lemmer. 
ApaecQsia  deductaria  Wlk.     Eilzabeth,  June  7.     O.  Buchholz. 
Cleora  indicataria  Walk.     Orange  Mts.,  July  5,   191 3.     F.   Lemmer. 
Cleora  tacenaria  Pearsall.     Lakehurst,  July  17.     O.  Buchholz. 
Metrocampa    praegrandnria    Guenee.      Passaic   Park,    June    24,    1909,    August    26,    1910. 

At  light  and  on  tomato  vine.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Xanthotype  crocataria  Fabr.  var.  atlaria  Hulst     Passaic.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Plagodis  fervidaria  H.  S.     Passaic,  April  28,  May  3,  at  light.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Plagodis  alcodaria  Gn.     Passaic,  May  19,  at  light     M.  H.  Mead. 


31  BX 


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482      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

BuchUtna  obtusaria  Him.     Lakeharst,  May,  July,  September.     O.  Buchhok. 

Priccycla  decoloraria  Hultt     Lakehorst,  July  3.     O.  BuchhoU. 

Sesia    rhododendri   Beutm.      Somerville,    August,    1914.      Larva    in   rhododendron  stem. 

H.  B.  Weiss. 
Diaihrausta    daecktoHs    Haimbach.      Browns    Mills    Jc,    June    23,     1907.      E.    Daccke. 

(Ent.  News.  ▼.  26,  No.  7.) 
Pinipestis    simmermanni    Grt.      Eaton  town,    August    5*      Larvae    in    terminal    shoots   of 

Austrian  and  other  pines.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Rhyacionia  rigidana  Pern.     Manumuskin.     Larvx  taken  May  21,  191  a.     E.  Daecke. 
Epagoge  lycopodiana  Kcarf.     Pemberton,  August  25,  September  23,  October  7,  sweeping 

cranberry  bog.     H.    B.   Scamraell  and  H.   K.   Plank. 
Sporganothis  violaceana  Rob.     Pemberton.     H.  B.  ScaramelL 

Archips  georgiana  Wlk.     Whitesbog.     On  cranberry  and  huckleberry.     Elizabeth  White. 
Tortrix  hergmannuma  Linn.     Whitesbog.     H.  B.  ScammelL 
Zelleria    oimbachi    Busck.      Wenonah.      Bred    from    short    needle   pine.      P.    Haimbach. 

(Proc.   Wash.   Soc.,  June,   191 5-) 
Geltchia  trialbnmacuUlla  Cham.     Pemberton,  among  cranberry  vines.     H.  B.  ScammelL 
Dichomeris   vacciniella    Busck.      Pemberton.      Bred    from    cranberry.      H.    B.    ScamradL 

(Proc  Wash.  Soc.,  June,  1915-) 
Stenoma  algidella  Wlk.     Whitesbog,   May  26 ,   1914.     Adult  retting  on  cranberry  vise. 

H.  B.  ScammelL 
CoUophora  laricella  Hbn.     Rutherford,  on  larch.     H.  B.  Weiss.     The  larch  case  bearer. 
CoUopkora   limosipennella   Dup.     Hackensack,    summer   of    1914.     Oue   bearer  on  ehn. 

H.  B.  Weiss. 
Anaphora  busckella   Haimbach.     Jamesburg,   July   4.      Haimbach.      (Ent    News,  v.  26, 

No.  7.) 
Anckocelis  digitalis  Grt     Passaic  Park,  August,  191 3.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Callopistra   Aoridensis   Guenee.     Passaic,    1907.   M   H.   Mead;     Riverton,   Rutiierford.  in 

greenhouses,  larvx  doing  much  damage  to  ferns,  H.   B.  Weiss. 
Cissura  spadix  Cramer.     Passaic,  May  6,  at  light.     Probably  a  visitor.     M.  H.  Mead. 
Com^la  simpUx  Walk.     Paaouc  Park,  July  12,  1906.    Taken  at  light     M.  H.  Mead. 
Dasychira  pudibunda   Linn.     European   red-taiL     Bergen   County.     Probably  intiodnced 

on  nursery  stock.     H.  Wormsbacher. 
Buharveya  carbonaria  Harvey.     Passaic  Park,  April  7,  1914.     At  light     M.  H-  Mead. 
Graphiphcra  garmani  Grt     Passaic,  April,  1901   and  1914-     M.  H.  Mead. 
Notolphus  antiqtta  Linn.     Rutherford,  on  roses  in  nursery.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Ockria  (Gortyna)   buffahensis  Grt.     Elizabeth,  end  of  August     O.   Buchholz. 
Pero  marmoratus  Grossb.     Irvington,  August  10.     P.  Lemmer. 
Symmoca   novimundi   Busck.     Montclair.      W.    D.    Kearfott      (Proc    Wash.    Soc,  Jane 

1915.) 
Tornos  scohpacinarius  Gn.     Irvington,  August  15,  1914*     P>  Lemmer. 
Xylomiges  dolosa  Grt     Passaic  Park,  April  24,  i9M-     M.  H.  Mead. 

Order  Hymsnoptsra 

Strongylogaster  alboannulatus  Rohwer.     Brown's  Mills  Jc     Daecke.     (Proc  U.  S.  Nat 

Mus.,  v.  42,  p.  238.) 
Pteronus    hudsonii    Dyar.      Rutherford,    August    19;     Trenton,    August    20.      Larva  on 

poplar.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Kaliosysphinga  dohmU  Tischb.     Elizabeth,  .\ugust,  191 3  and  1914.     H.  B.  Wdss. 
Kaliosysphinga  ulmi  Lund.     Westfield,  summer  of   191 4.     Lead  miner  of  elm.     H.  B. 

Weiss. 
Acordulecera  carya  Rohwer.     Fort  Lee,  larvae  on  new  shoots  of  pignut  hickory.     Dyax". 

(Proc  U.  S.  Nat  Mus.,  v.  43,  p.  248.) 
Acordulecera  parva   Rohwer.     Fort   Lee,    September   3,   larvae  on   young  leaves  of  black 

oak.     Dyar.     (Proc.  U.  S.  Nat  Mus.,  v.  43,  p.  248.) 
Acordulecera  quercus  Rohwer.     Fort  Lee.     Larvae  on  young  leaves  of  black  oak.    Djf* 

(Proc  U.  S.  Nat  Mus.,  v.  43,  p.  251.) 
Janus  abbreviatus  Say.     Bound  Brook,   Rutherford,   Irvington,  Elizabeth,   South  Orange, 

Springfield.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Neuroterus  saltatorius  Hy.  Edwards.     New  Jersey.     Galls  occur  on  burr  oak,  white  oak. 


post  oak.     W.  BeutenmuUer. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  483 

Callirhytis  fruUicola  Ashm.     New  Jersey.     Galls  in  acorns  of  scarlet,  red  and  black  oaks. 

W.   Beutcnmaller. 
Andrieus  glandulus  Beut     New  Jersey.     Acorn  gall  of  swamp  white  oak,  chestnut  oak, 

and  dwarf  chestnut  oak.     W.  Beutenmuller. 
Andrieus  operatola   Bassett.     New  Jersey.     Galls  on  acorns  of  red,  scarlet,  black  and 

scrub  oaks.     W.  Beutenmuller. 
Andrieus  perditor  Bassett.      New  Jersey.     Gall  is   deformed  acorn  of  scrub   oak.     W. 

Beutenmuller. 
Diastrophua   fragarut   Bt.     Athenia,   August      The   strawberry   leaf   petiole   gall   maker. 

E.  L.  Dickerson. 
Anlacidea  nabali  Brodie.     New  Jersey.     Gall  at  base  of  stems  of  Nabalns  altissimi.     W. 

Beutenmuller. 
Rhodites  mayeri  Schl.     New  Brunswick,  J.  B.  Smith  (Bt.)     (BuL  Bklyn,  Ent.  Soc,  Dec, 

1914.) 
Perilitus   cpitricis  Viereck.      Elmer,    Robbinsville,    Freehold.      From   middle   of   July   to 

beginning  of  September.    Also  bred  from  adult  Epitrix  cucumgris.    A.  E.  Cameron. 
Apanteles  choreuti  Vier.     Anglesea,  July.     Reared   from  Chortutis  carduiella.     Kearfott. 
Apanteles  epinotla  Vier.     Anglesea,  June  15. 
Apanteles  plesius  Vier.     Essex  Co.,  June  2g. 
Apanteles  traehynotns  Vier.     Little  Silver,  June  20. 

Phytodietus  vulgaris  Cress.     New  Brunswick.     Bred  from  pupa  of  7*.  PolUanP, 
Coccophagus  lumulatus  Howard.     Bred  from  a  soft  scale  on  Euonymus  received  from 

Japan.     Elizabeth,  April   13,  19x1.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Spalangia    muscidarum    Richardson.      Bred    from   pupae    of    Musca    domssfica    at    New 

Brunswick.     C.  H.   Richardson. 
Encyrtus  Aavus  Howard.    Bred  from  Coccus  hsspsridmm,    H.  B.  Weiss. 
Isosoma   orchidearum    Westwood.      The    "cattleya    fly."      Occurs    in    greenhouses    where 

Cattleya  spp.  are  grown.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Pheidole  onastasii  Emery.     Rutherford,  April  14.  19 14.     In  greenhouses.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Tetramorium    guinetnse    Pabr.      Rutherford,    April    8.    1914.      In    greenhouses.      H.    B. 

Weiss. 
Prenolepis  fulva   Mayr.   subsp.   pubens   Forel.      Rutherford,   April    14,    1914-      In   green- 
houses.    H.   B.  Weiss. 
SHgmus  conestogorum  Rob.     New  Brunswick,  mid-summer.     C.  H.  Richardson. 
Aspidiotiphagus  citrinus  Craw.     Bred  from  Diaspis  carueli  Targ.     August,  19x3.     C  H. 

Richardson. 
ItoplecHs   conqwisitor   Say.      Brown's   Mills,    September   24,    19 14.      Bred   from   Peronea 

minuta  Rob.     H.  B.  Scammell. 
Monogonogastra   rugator    Say.      New    Brunswick,    August    6,    19 12.      Collected    in   pupal 

cell  of  Lixus  concavus  in  Rumex  crispus.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Monodontomerus  dentipes.     Parasitic  on  Diprion  simile  Hartig.     Elizabeth,   Rutherford, 

South  Orange.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Oxylabis  bifoveolatus  Brues.     Snake  Hill.     (Can.  EnL,  April,  1904*) 
Signopkora  nigrita  Ashm.     Bred  from  San  Jos^  scale,  October,  19x3.     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Tenthredella  nortoni  Smulyan.     New  Jersey.     (Can.  Ent.,  v.  47,  p.  321.) 

Order  Diptera 

Boletina  obscura  Johannsen.     Forest  Hill,  April.     Weidt. 

Exechia  absoluta  Johannsen.     Riverton.     C.  W.  Johnson. 

Bxeckia  attrita  Johannsen.     Forest  Hill,  April,  November.     Weidt 

Exechia  canalicula  Johannsen.     New  Jersey,  July. 

Exechia  capiiva  Johannsen.     Cape  May,   September.     Viereck. 

Exechia  quadrata  JohannseiL     Cape  May,  September,  Viereck;    Hemlock  Falls,  August. 

Weidt 
Mycetophila  fastosa  JohannseiL     Riverton,  Delaware  Water  Gap.     C  W.  Johnson. 
Sciara  sciophila  Lw.     Newark,  E.  I.  Dickerson. 
Lasioptera  comi  Felt     Mountainville,   September  34.     Dogwood  leaf  galL     On  leaf  of 

Cornus  paniculata,     H.  B.  Weiss. 
Dasyneura  parthenocissi  Steb.     Different  parts  of  State.     Midrib  gall  of  Virginia  creeper. 

H.  B.  Weiss. 


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484      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Dasyneura  trifolii   Lw.      Newark,    September    15.      Bred    from    cocoons    on    sorface  of 

clover  leaf.  The  clover  leaf  midge.  E.  L.  Dickerton. 
Dasyllus  champlaiHi  Walton.  Brown's  Mills  Jc,  July  xo,  1906. 
Proctacanthus  nigriventris  Macquart.     New  Jersey.     H.  S.   Harbeck.      (Ann.  Ent  Soc. 

Amer.,  v.  4,  No.  a.) 
PsUopodimns  flavipes  Aid.     Merchantville,  July  28.     E.  W.  Stafford. 
PsUopodinus  viruHcoxa  Aid.     Trenton,  Jane  8,  1911.     E.  W.  Stafford. 
Asyndetus  horheckii  V.  Duzee.     Wenonah,  June  26.     H.  S.  Harbeck. 
Medgterus  lobatus  V.  Duzee.     Bamegat  City  Jc,  August  xi,  1910.     H.  S.  Harbeck. 
Medttetus  modestus  V.  Duzee.     Avon,  September  27,  1908.     H.  S.  Harbeck. 
Hyihrophorus   indentus   Aid.      Atlantic    City,    May   6.     Johnson.      (Psyche,   April,   191 1, 

p.  51.) 
Gymnoptemus  chalcochrus  Lcew.     Wenonah,  May  15,  1910.     C  T.  Greene. 
Aphiochata  Hsheri  Malloch.     Delaware  Water  Gap.     C  W.  Johnson. 
Aphiochsta  irofjuiana  MalL     Pasadena,  October  a,  6,  7.     Bred  from  grasshopper.    H.  K. 

Plank. 
Aphioch/eta  lutea  Meig.     Delaware  Water  Gap,  July   12. 

PipMHculus  tuquus  Cress.    Delaware  Water  Gap,  June  and  July.    C  W.  JohnsoiL 
PipHHculus  minor  Cress.     Riverton,  C.  W.  Johnson. 
PipUrt  albopilosa  Will.     Palisades,  May   10.     Osbum.     (Jour.  N.  Y.   Ent.  Soc..  v.  22,  ?. 

336.) 
Myiolepta  strigilata  Loew.     lona.  May  X7,  X914.     H.  S.  Harbeck. 
Syrphus  Htktri  Walton.     Riverton,  July  9,  19x0.     G.  M.  Greene. 
Eristalis  arbustorum   LiniL      Palisade,   Lakehurst,    Ramsay    (R.    C    Osbum);    Fairlawn, 

Sewell  (E.  L.  Dickerson).     (Jour.  N.  Y.  Ent.  Soc,  ▼.  23,  p.  14a.) 
SrittaHs  laHfrons  Loew.     Snake  Hill,  July    x6,   Grossbeck.      (Jour.    N.   Y.   Ent  Soc. 

v.  33,  p.   142.) 
Zodion  intermedium  Banks.    Malaga,  September  15,  1909.     C  T.  Greene. 
Alophora  nitida  Coq.     Pemberton,  July  11,  1909.     C  T.  Greene. 

Hypostena  tortricis  Coq.     Cliffwood.     Endoparasitic  upon  larvae  of  Bellnra  obliqua.    H. 
•  H.  Brehme. 

Cfuttona  nitens  Coq.     Wenonah,  September  5,  1910.     C.  T.  Greene. 
Sarcophaga  bullata  Mans.     New  Brunswick,  May   19,  July   18.     C  H.   Richardson. 
Sarcophaga  dalmatina  Schiner.     New  Brunswick,  August  21.     C  H.  Richardson. 
Sarcophaga  falculata  Pand.     New  Brunswick,  July  21.     C.  H.   Richardson. 
Sarcophaga  scoparia  Pand.     New   Brunswick,  July   x8.     C  H.   Richardson. 
Sarcophaga  utilis  Aid.     New  Brunswick,  May  25,  October  5.     C.  H.  Richardson 
Helicobia  quadrisetosa  Coq.     Wenonah,  August   21,   19 10.     C.   T.  Greene 
Coenosia  pallipes  Stein.     Newark,  August  22.     E.  L.  Dickerson. 
Scatophaga  volucricaput  Walk.     Newark,  July  to  October.     E.  L.  Dickerson. 
Leptocera    (Limosina)    ferruginata   Steub.      New   Brunswick,  July  to   September.     C  H. 

Richardson. 
Leptocera  palHceps  Johnson.     Clemcnton,  May   12,   1899.     (Psyche,  v.  22,  p.  22.) 
Lonchaa  deutschi  Zett.     New  Brunswick,  July  22,  August  25.     C.  H.  Richardson. 
Sapromyza  conjuncta  Johnson.     Jamcsburg,  July  4;    Avalon,  June  8.     C  W.  Johnson. 
Sapromyaa  djisjuncta  Johnson.     Delaware  Water  Gap,  July  8;    Wildwood,  August  12. 
Agromysa  maculosa  Mull.     Newark,  September  i.     E.  L.  Dickerson. 
Allodia  bulbosa  Johannscn.      Forest   Hill.     Weidt. 
Allodia  falcata  Johannsen.     Cape  May. 

Bottcheria  atistema  Parker.     New  Brunswick,  September  28.     C.  H.  Richardson. 
Coquillettina  plankii  Walton.     Pasadena,  August  8.     Reared  from  grasshoppers.     H.  K. 

Plank.     (Proc  Wash.  Ent  Soc,  v.  17,  p.  104.) 
Diachlorus  ferrugatus  Fabr.     Weymouth,  July  30,  1904;    Stone  Harbor,  August  3,  i^- 

Daecke. 
Hormomyia   cratagifolia   Felt     Kingston,   August   20.     Coxcomb   gall  on   Crataegus  lea^- 

H.  B.  Weiss. 
Hormomyia   verruca    Walsh.      Mountainville,    September    24.      Gall    on    willow  leaf.    H. 

B.  Weiss. 
Mycothera  impellans  Johannsen.     Lavallette,   May.     Viereck. 
Neocereta    rhodophaga    Coq.      The    rose    midge      Pound    in    greenhouses.      Maggots  in 

leaf  and  flower  buds  of  rose.     H.  B.  Weiss. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  485 

Ntolasiopttera  perfoliata  Felt  Mountainville,  September.  Bonetet  stem  gmll.  H.  B. 
Weiss. 

Oecotkea  fenestralis  Pall.     Newark,  September  18.     E.  L.  Dickerson. 

Phytomysa  aquiUgia  Hardy.  Rutherford,  Riverton,  Elisabeth,  New  Brunswick.  (Inad- 
vertently omitted  from  the  1909  list)     H.  B.  Weiss. 

Profimulium  Mrtipes  Fries.     New  Brunswick,  May  10.     C  H.  Richardson. 

Prosimulium  mutatum  Malloch.  Glassboro,  March  38,  1910;  Oementon,  May  7f  1910* 
C.  T.  Greene. 

Prostmulium  notatum  Mall.     Pemberton,  April  22.     H.  B.  Scammell. 

Prosimulium  pecuarum  Riley.     lona,  April  21,  1907.     C.  W.  Johnson. 

Pseudostenophora  bispinosa  Malloch.     Westville,  April   xi,  1900. 

Ravinia  communis  Parker.  New  Brunswick,  May  19  to  September  26,  Also  reared  from 
cow  and  pig  dung.     C.  H.  Richardson. 

Ravinia  latisetosa  Parker.  New  Brunswick,  May  19  to  Aug\»t  7.  Also  reared  from 
cow  and  pig  dung.     C  H.  Richardson. 

Pkytophaga  viclicola  Coq.  The  violet  gall  midge.  Maggots  curl  •  leaves.  Found  in 
greenhouses.     Not  common.     H.  B.  Weiss. 

Second  List 

Order  Homoptkra 

Lecttnium  comi  Bouche.  Rutherford,  Elizabeth.  Riverton.  On  boxwood  in  nurseries. 
Not  common.  Probably  introduced  from  Holland.  H.  B.  Weiss.  (Bnt  News, 
v.  26.  p.   102.) 

Hgmichionaspis  aspidistras  Sign.  In  greenhouses  on  ferns  and  Aspidistra,  H.  B.  Weiss. 
(Ent  News,  v.  26,  p.  loa.) 

Aspidiotus  tsugag  Marlatt  Rutherford.  March,  1914.  on  Japanese  hemlock.  Intro- 
duced from  Japan.     H.    B.   Weiss.      (Ent    News,  v.   26,  p.    102.) 

Targionia  biformis  Ckll.  In  greenhouses  on  orchids.  H.  B.  Weiss.  (Ent  News,  v. 
26,  p.    Z02.) 

Chionaspi^  wistoria4  Cooley.  Rutherford  on  wistaria.  Plants  originally  came  from 
Japan.     H.  B.  Weiss.     (Ent  News,  y.  27,  p.  11.) 

Chrysomphalus  perstae  Comst.     In  greenhouses  on  orchids.     H.  B.  Weiss.     (Ent  News, 

v.    27,    p.     II.) 

Leucaspis  bambusaa  Kuwana.  Riverton,  March  16.  191 1.  On  bamboo.  H.  B.  Weiss. 
(Ent  News,  v.  27,  p.  11.) 

Rhopalosiphum  Hgustri  Kalt.  Jersey  City,  July  15,  on  privet  H.  B.  Weiss  and  E.  L. 
Dickerson.     (Ent.  News.  v.   27,  p.    163.) 

Pssudococcus  kraunhiae  Kumana.  Rutherford,  July,  i9Z5f  on  Taxus  cnspidata.  Evi 
dently  introduced  from  Japan.     H.   B.  Weiss.     (Ent   News,  v.  27,  p.   163.) 

Amtonina  crowi  Ck)l.  On  Bambusa  henonis  and  B.  aurea.  Riverton,  August  6.  Evi- 
dently introduced  from  Japan.     H.  B.  Weiss.     (Ent  News,  v.  27,  p.   163.) 

Chrysomphalus  rossi  Mark.  On  orchids,  rubber  plants  in  greenhouses.  H.  B.  Weiss. 
(Ent   News.   v.   27,   p.    163.) 

Order   Hsmipt«ha 

Stephanitis  Pyriodes  Scott  {asaleat  Horv.).  Rutherford,  Arlington,  Palmyra,  Riverton, 
Nutley  and  other  parts  of  the  State.  August  to  November.  Feeds  on  foliage 
of  azaleas.     Originally  imported  from  Japan.     H.   B.  Weiss  and  E.  L.  Dickerson. 

Order  Okthoftsra 

Periplaneta  australasias  Fabr.  South  Orange,  May  21.    1914.     In  greenhouses.     H.    B. 

Weiss.     (Ent  News,  v.  27,  p.   103.) 

Grylhptalpa  gryllotalpa  Linn.  Rutherford,  May,  June,  July,  Ai^tist     Lives  in  burrows 

underground    and    cuts  off    the    roots    of    various    plants.      The    European    mole 

cricket,  introduced  from  Europe.     (N.  J.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Ann.  Rpt  ig^St  P«  3i3*) 

Blaberus  discoidalis   Senr.     In  New  Jersey  greenhouses.     H.    B.   Weiss.      (Jour.    Econ. 

Ent,  V.  10,  p.  224.) 


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486      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Order  CoutoPxetA 

Eucactophagus  graphipterus  Champion.  Summit  One  specimen  only  in  an  orchid 
houjie     H.   B.  Weiss.     (N.  J.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bui.  296,  p.   19.) 

Myelophilus  piniperda  Linn.  Rutherford,  Sept,  19 13.  T.  J.  Headlee.  European  pine 
beetle.     (N.  J.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Ann.  Rpt  19131  p.  627.) 

Phaedon  iPhlagiodera  Redt)  versicolora  Laich.  Arlington,  Elizabeth,  August  13, 
Inrington,  July  28.  Dickerson  and  Weiss.  Adults  and  larvae  destructive  to  the 
foliage  of  poplars  and  willows.  This  is  the  common  P.  armoricae  of  Europe. 
(Ent  News,  v.  27.  p.   164.) 

Order  Lvpiooptira 

Gracilaria  sachrysa  Myr.     Larvc  on  azaleas.     In  greenhouses  in  northern  New  Jersey. 

Not  common.     H.  B.  Weiss.     (N.  J.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bui.  296,  p.   zo.) 
Bveiria    huoliana   Schiff.      Somerville,    Rutherford,    May    12,    191 5.      In    Pinus  mughiu. 

H.   B.   Weiss.     The   European   pine  shoot  moth.      (U.   S.   Dept   Agr.   Bur.   Ent 

Bui.  170.) 
Castnia  therapon  Koll.     In  New  Jersey  greenhouses.     H.  B.  Weiss.     (N.  J.  Agr.  Exp. 

Sta.  BuL  296,  p.  19.) 

Order  Hymsnoftsra 

Diprion  simile  Hartig.  Elizabeth,  Rutherford,  South  Orange.  European  pine  saw  fly. 
H.  B.  Weiss.     (Jour.  Econ.  Ent,  v.  10,  p.  224.) 

Order  Diptkra 

Merodon  equestris  Linn.     Orange,  October  17,   191 3.     The  Narcissus  fly.      (Ent.  News, 

V.  26,  p.  107.) 
Pkytomysa  aquifoUi  Gour.     Rutherford.     Leaf  miner  in  English  holly.     Has  also  been 

taken  on  holly  imported  from  Holland.     H.  B.  Weiss.     (Ent  News,  v.  27,  p.  13.) 
Monarthropalpus  busi  Lab.     Rumson,  Peapack,  July,   19 14.     Boxwood  leaf  miner.     (N. 

J.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Ann.  Rpt  1916.  p.  — •) 
Parallelodiplosit  cattUya  Moll.     In  New  Jersey  greenhouses.     H.  B.  Weiss.     CN.  J.  Agr. 

Exp.  Sta.  Bui.  296,  p.  19.) 

V 
INVESTIGATIONS 

Influence  of  Atmospheric  Moisture  on  Insect  Metabolism 

Under  this  head  attention  has  been  given  to  the  influence  of  atmospheric 
moisture  on  the  speed  of  insect  metabolism;  the  bean  weevil  (Bruchus 
obtectus  Say)  was  used  as  the  principal  species  for  experiment  but  the 
angoumois  grain  moth  (Sitotroga  cerealella  Oliv.)  and  the  Indian  meal  moth 
(Plodia  inter punctella  Hbn.)  also  were  tried. 

In  summing  up  the  .status  of  knowledge  regarding  the  influence  of  atmos^ 
pheric  moisture  upon  insect  metabolism,  Bachmetjew*  said  in  substance 
that  there  is  an  optimim  degree  of  atmospheric  moisture  for  the  develop- 
ment of  insects  but  that  degree  is  not  the  same  for  all  species.  Atmospheric 
moisture  operates  both  directly  and  indirectly  upon  insects — directly  ^y 
reducing  the  body  fluids  and  indirectly  by  encouraging  fungous  diseases 
both  by  supplying  the  atmospheric  conditions  for  g^rowth  of  the  fungus  and 
by  weakening  the  insect  through  affecting  its  food  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
render  it  especially^usceptible  to  disease. 

The  nine  years  that  have  passed  since  the  publication  of  Bachmetjew's 


^  Bachmetjew,    P.      Experimentelle    Entomol  ogiscbe    studien,    Einfluss    der    Auiserep 
Faktoren  Auf  Insekton.     Bd.  a,  pp.  689-^90. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


487 


^^^ 

^  ^ 


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B 


J 


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»3,80»F,2fe%eH^ 


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OFA«CURBENT^^ 


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«  .  g.  P. 


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pheric moisture.  C  c\c\cAo 

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488   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

summary  seem  not  materially  to  have  changed  his  conclusions.  A  few 
studies  have  been  made  but  the  prime  need  is  still  the  derivation  of  facts. 
With  this  in  mind  the  writer  set  out  to  determine  the  response  of  metabolism 
of  one  or  more  insects  to  atmospheric  moisture.  The  rate  of  metabolism 
was  chosen  as  the  principal  measuring  stick  of  the  response. 

Four  constant-temperature  chambers  were  chosen  and  the  glass  containers 
in  each  were  placed  in  such  a  fashion  that  through  each  set  one  liter  of 
air  from  out-doors  was  drawn  every  12  minutes.  In  some  instances  the 
speed  of  air  was  much  g^reater  but  in  few  if  any  cases  was  the  change  less 
rapid.  The  air  currents  in  all  chambers  had  the  same  temperature  but  that 
in  each  had  a  different  degree  of  atmospheric  moisture. 

In  order  to  obtain  perfectly  fresh  material  it  was  necessary  to  cause  the 
insect-infested  seed  and  grain  to  develop  the  adults  of  the  species  concerned. 
Advantage  was  taken  of  this  fact  to  accumulate  data  on  the  influence  of 
atmospheric  moisture  on  emergence.  Approximately  equal  numbers  of  in- 
fested beans  were  placed  in  each  of  four  flasks  and  the  same  disposition 
was  made  of  infested  com.  One  bean  and  one  com  flask  was  placed  in 
each  chamber  and  subjected  80**  F.  and  different  degrees  of  moisture    The 

results  appear  in  Table  I. 

Table  I 

Influence  of  Atmospheric  Moisture  on  Emergence  of  the  Angoumols  Moth 
and  the  Bean  Weevil 


^ 

GMEBGBNCB 

DBATH 

h 

c 
^  a 

1 

CHAMBER 

m 

^1 

§f 

■ 

II 

:i 

Ki 

^  ^ 
0.-* 

fi: 

jg-S 

g 

J 

£% 

H 

1 

S 
8  2 

0 

11 

li 

^1 

^  9 

is 

li 

ANG0UM01S  GRAIN  MOTH 


1A7 

17 

9 

96 

1/21 

18 

8 

1/17 

17 

7 

8 

1/21 

16 

7 

1/16 

16 

11 

8 

1/22 

15 

8 

1/16 

12 

6 

16 

1/21 

15 

6 

BEAN  WEEVIL 


No. 

1 

80" 

100 

No. 

2 

....       80' 

71.5 

No. 

3 

...'        80* 

44.6 

No. 

4 

80» 

21.5 

100 

1,16 

22 

5 

82 

71.5 

1/16 

21 

6 

27 

44.6 

1A5 

14 

4 

89 

21.5 

1A5 

15 

7 

81 

In* dealing  with  emergence,  decrease  in  atmospheric  mobture  appears  lo 
hasten  the  emergence  and  to  decrease  the  period  occupied  by  it  It  appears 
also  to  shorten  the  period  from  beginning  to  maximum  emergence.  In 
dealing  with  death,  decrease  in  atmospheric  moisture  appears  to  hasten  the 
beginning  of  death,  and  to  shorten  both  the  period  and  time  to  maximum 
death  in  the  moth  but  to  lengthen  both  for  the  beetle. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


489 


With  fresh  material  iq  hand  the  main  study  was  started.  The  bean  weevil 
has  been  the  only  species  that  we  have  succeeded  in  breeding  in  an  entirely 
satisfactory  way.    Table  II  sets  forth  the  results  of  the  study.     (Plate  I.) 

Table  II 
Influence  of  Atmospheric  Moisture  on  Three  Broods  of  the  Bean  Weevil 


1 

II 

No.  of 

Period  of 

1 

h 

s 

ii 

a 

SpeclmeDB 

Emergence 

• 

t 

'z 

as 

^ 

CHAB.IBBR 

1 
1 
1 

O4 

i 

1 

8| 

Hi 

OB 

1 

55  > 

•a 
< 

I 

Q 

1 

I 

2 

1 
1 

FIRST    BROOD 


No. 

1 

...        80' 

100 

2/5 

2/25 

20     1 

25 

150 

2/21 

8/4 

12 

No. 

2 

. . .        80" 

68.8 

2/4 

2/27 

28     ' 

25 

129 

2/28 

8/8 

8 

No. 

8 

80» 

44.1 

2/2 

2/29 

27     ; 

25 

11 

2/25 

3/1 

0 

No 

4.    .... 

80» 

20.5 

1/81 

• 

1 

25 

00 

SECX)7«D  BROOD 

1        1 

fiO      I                        '        SAO       1        irVk 

t2/25 
t2/27 
t2/29 

4/8 
4/6 
4/10 

88  1     131 

89  129 
41            15 

491 
27 
14 

No.. 2 

No    3         

80» 
SO- 
SO" 

sb.i 

89.9 
23.0 

\o     4         ... 

1 

THIRD  BROOD 


No.  1, 

No.  2. 

No.  8. 

No.  4, 


:  so.  ' 

100 

9/8 

t 

,      SO- 

62 

9/8 

10/4 

:  80- 

26 

9/2 

f 

80" 

1 

9/1 

f 

ll 


25 
25 
23 
25 


00 

101 

00 

00 


•  Not  at  all. 

t  Date  of  maximam  emergence. 

t  Fnngi  destroyed  both  beetles  and  beans. 

I  Nothing  emerged. 

It  thus  appears:  (i)  that  the  rate  of  metabolism  as  measured  by  the 
length  of  life  cycle  varies  as  the  atmospheric  moisture;  (2)  that  repro- 
ductive ability  varies  as  the  atmospheric  moisture,  and  that  relative  humidity 
of  26  per  cent,  or  less  effectually  prevents  reproduction  of  the  species;  (3) 
that  while  100  per  cent  is  the  optimum  of  atmospheric  moisture  for  the 
beetle's  activity  if  promotes  the  growth  of  destructive  fungi  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  optimum  must  be  placed  between  75  per  cent  and  100  per  cent  at 
the  point  where  the  fungi  are  unable  to  develop. 

Further  data  on  the  effect  of  low  atmospheric  moisture  on  the  develop- 
ment of  progeny  came  from  a  set  of  experiments  which  was  devised  for 
the  purpose  of  determining  whether  concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  which  we 
wished  to  use  in  drying  the  air,  gave  off  any  matter  injurious  to  the  adult 
bean  weevil.  Five  glass  museum  jars  each  with  a  capacity  of  1,000  c.c  were 
selected.  In  the  first,  250  c.c.  of  concentrated  acid  was  placed ;  in  the  second, 
a  mixture  of  125  c.c.  of  water  and  125  c.c  of  acid;  into  the  third,  a  mix- 
ture of  83  CO.  of  add  and  167  cc  of  water;  in  the  fourth,  250  c.c.  of  dis- 
tilled water,  and  in  the  fifth  no  liquid  whatever.  Into  each  of  five  2-ounce 
wide-mouthed  bottles  enough  beans  were  introduced  to  cover  the  bottom. 


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490      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

25  vigorous  beetles  were  added  and  the  opening  covered  with  gauze.  Each 
bottle  was  suspended  by  a  short  piece  of  wire  into  the  inside  of  the  jar  cover. 
The  lids  were  put  into  places  and  screwed  down  on  the  rubber  contact  band 

In  a  little  over  one  month  the  beans  over  air  only  produced  a  new  brood 
of  beetles.  The  beans  over  distilled  water  were  destroyed  by  fungi  and 
no  beetles  were  produced.  The  beans  over  the  mixture  composed  of  about 
J4  acid  and  Yz  water  produced  a  small  brood.  The  beans  over  the  half- 
and-half  mixture  of  acid  and  water  and  those  over  the  concentrated  acid 
showed  no  injury  whatever. 

Studies  intended  to  develop  whatever  may  be  practicable  in  the  way  of 
storing  seeds  and  grain  in  an  atmospheric  moisture  so  small  as  to  render 
them  free  from  insect  injury  are  now  under  way  but  have  not  yet  reached 
a  point  where  they  can  be  satisfactorily  reported. 

The  Strawberry  Weevil 
The  study  of  this  insect  last  year  brought  out  the  remarkable  eflkiency 
of  the  mixtures  of  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur  in  protecting  the 
strawberry  from  its  ravages.  Two  applications — ^the  first  just  as  the  bud- 
cutting  began  and  the  second  about  one  week  later,  gave  aknost  perfect 
protection  with  the  half-and-half  mixture  and  only  a  little  less  complete 
results  with  the  mixture  composed  of  i  part  of  lead  arsenate  to  5  parts  of 
sulfur. 


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Pig.  2.— Diagram  of  strawberry  plots  on  Mr.  Oeser's  farm  near  Cologne: 
xxxxx  ^  rows. 


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PleATE    I. 


Photograph  showing  the  protection  afforded  beans  in  storage  by  being 
kept  in  a  dry  atmosphere:  left — under  dry  atmosphere;  right — under  a  moist 
atmosphere. 


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rj.ATi: 


Reduction  in  crop  possibilities  by  the  strawberry  weevil;    lo  buds  out  of  14 
destroyed. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 

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492      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

This  year  the  successful  mixtures  were  given  a  trial  on  a  field  scale  in 
three  different  counties.  In  Atlantic  the  most  careful  study  was  made 
again  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Wm.  Oeser,  of  Cologne,  in  close  cooperation  with 
Mr.  Ellwood  Douglass,  the  farm  demonstrator  of  that  county.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  work  on  Mr.  Oeser's  place,  Mr.  Douglass  observed  the  results 
on  17  other  places  in  Atlantic  Cotmty  and  reports  similar  results  obtained 
everywhere.  Mr.  Warren  Oley,  farm  demonstrator  for  Cumberland,  tried 
the  mixtures  on  four  places.  Mr.  George  T.  Reid,  farm  demonstrator  for 
Burlington,  applied  the  treatment  in  three  different  places. 

Table  III  shows  the  results  on  Mr.  Oeser's  place.  The  area  treated  here 
totalled  2j^  acres.  The  results  are,  however,  figured  on  an  acre  basis  for  the 
sake  of  making  the  comparisons  more  easily  comprehended. 

Table  IV 

Results  of  Experiment  on  Control  of  the  Strawberry  Weevil  on  the  Farm 
of  Richard  Smith,  Leesburg,  N.  J. 


Variety 

Treatment 

Per  Cent  of  Buds 
Cut  on  June  0 

Increased  Tleld  Orer 

Check.  Stated  in 

Percent 

Darlington, 
Old  Bed 

None 

47.6 

Darlington, 
Old  Bed 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  lb.)   + 

Sulfur  (1  m.) 

16.0 

50 

Gandy, 
Old  Bed 

None 

17JI 

Oandy, 
Old  Bed 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  Part)  + 

Sulfur  (1  Part) 

6.6 

SB 

Gandy, 
Old  Bed 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  Part)  + 

Sulfur  (5  Parts) 

4.S 

Perceptible 

Darlington 
New  Bed. 

None 

42.6 

Darlington 
New  Bed 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  Part)  + 

Sulfur  (5  Parts) 

18.2 

80 

Shropahire 

None 

18,7 

Shropshire 

Arsenate  (1  Part)  + 
Sulfur  (5  Parts) 

10.8 

ao  to86 

In  Cumberland  County  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Richard  Smith,  near  Lees- 
burg, the  most  carefully  conducted  tests  took  place.  Here  the  plots  were 
laid  out  in  two  fields  by  the  writer  and  the  treatments  were  made  by  Mr. 
Oley.  The  larger  of  the  two  fields  consisted  of  old  beds  and  covered  about 
2.6  acres,  while  the  smaller  was  made  up  of  new  beds  and  occupied  about 


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Table  V 

Results  of  Experiments  on  Control  of  the  Strawberry  Weevil  on  Farms  at 
Marlton  and  Moorestown,  N.  J. 

Piac« 

Owner 

Variety 

Treatment 

Percentage  of 

Buds  Cnt  br 

Junes 

fitoxlton 

Chai.   Day 

Unknown 
Old  Bed 

None 

25.2 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  part) 

4-  Sulfnr  (5 

Parts) 

10.7 

HeriUge. 
Old  Bed 

None 

20.8 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  part) 

+  Sulfur  (1 

Part) 

13.6 

Unknown, 
New    Bed 

None 

58.2 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  part) 

+  Sulfur  (5 

Parte) 

22.2 

Marlton 

H.  J.  Alt 

Wm.   Ball 

None 

48.0 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  part) 

+  Sulfur   (5 

Parts) 

16.1 

None 

25.5 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  part) 

+  Sulfur   (1 

Part) 

1.3.4 

Moowitown 

Rills  Bndderow 

Success  with   a 
PIstllate  Variety. 

1  Row 
Stamlnate  to  4 
Rows  PIstllate 

None 

29.7 

Powdered  Lead 

Arsenate  (1  part) 

4-  Sulfur   (5 

Parts) 

8.8 

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494      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

a8  acre.  The  statements  of  yield  have  been  furnished  by  Mr.  Smith  and 
were  not  verified  by  either  Mr.  Oley  or  the  writer.  The  determination  of 
the  percentage  of  buds  cut  was  made  by  Mr.  Chas.  H,  Richardson. 

In  Burlington  County  Mr.  Reid  made  the  applications  himself.  Mr.  Chas. 
H.  Richardson  made  a  count  of  the  buds  cut  on  each  of  the  plots  under 
treatment. 

The  increase  in  cutting  which  followed  the  application  of  the  sulfur-lead 
dusts  last  year  was  almost  negligible.  This  year  the  treatments  began  at  a 
time  when  very  little  cutting  had  occurred,  and  in  every  case  showed  con- 
siderable increase.  The  applications  this  year  were  not  made  with  quite 
the  same  completeness  as  those  of  last  year,  largely  owing  to  an  effort  to 
carry  out  the  test  under  commercial  conditions.  The  consequently  less  com- 
plete coating  is  probably  to  be  blamed  for  the  increased  cutting.  This  merely 
means  that  better  results  from  the  standpoint  of  reduced  cutting  than  those 
listed  above  may  be  had  by  more  careful  work. 

The  machine  used  in  making  all  the  treatments,  which  is  a  one-man  dust 
gun  made  by  the  Tow-Lemons  Mfg.  Co.,  while  more  satisfactory  for  this 
work  than  the  Leggett  gun  of  a  similar  type,  is  very  unsatisfactory  both 
from  the  standpoint  of  effecting  a  good  coating  in  a  limited  time  and  from 
the  standpoint  of  the  operator's  comfort  It  will  answer  for  small  patches, 
but  a  traction  or  power  machine  must  be  had  for  fields. 

The  better  results  obtained  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Oeser  are  probably  due  to 
the  fact  that  his  plots  had  one  more  dusting  than  any  other,  and  by  the 
further  fact  that  the  materials  were  there  applied  by  persons  who  had  the 
greater  experience. 

Summarizing  the  results  of  the  tests  we  may  say  that  the  application  of 
a  mixture  of  powdered  lead  arsenate  and  sulfur  reduced  the  bud  cutting 
from  50  to  75  per  cent  and  increased  the  3deld  from  25  to  aoo  per  cent,  that 
this  meant  on  the  Oeser  farm  a  net  return  at  the  rate  of  more  than  $100 
an  acre,  that  the  mixture  composed  of  i  part  of  lead  arsenate  and  5  parts 
of  sulfur  is  almost,  if  not  quite,  as  effective  as  the  one  composed  of  i  part  of 
lead  arsenate  to  i  part  of  sulfur,  that  an  efficient  traction  or  power  duster 
is  needed,  and  that  more  efficient  distribution  of  the  mixture  will  be  fol- 
lowed by  still  better  results  (p.  491). 

Apple  Plant  Lice 

Apple  plant  lice  did  so  much  harm  in  the  season  of  1915  that  it  seemed 
something  must  be  done  to  prevent  their  ravages.  For  the  first  time  in 
many  years  they  did  not  yield  to  the  ordinarily  recommended  treatments. 
For  several  years  previous  to  191 5  the  growers  in  New  York  State  had 
been  feeling  the  inadequacy  of  the  usual  methods.  A  study  of  the  species 
concerned^  in  the  New  Jersey  injury  revealed  the  fact  that  the  rosy  aphis 
(Aphis  sorhi  Kalt.)  was  almost  exclusively  to  blame  for  the  trouble. 
Previous  to  1915  this  species  had  not  been  numerous  enough  in  the  State 
to  attract  attention.  The  fact  that  its  appearance  in  large  numbers  is 
coincident  with  the  failure  of  the  common  methods  of  control  leads  one 
naturally  to  think  that  it  is  a  more  difficult  species  to  destroy.     At  any 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


495 


rate  the  measures  that  had  answered  for  Aphis  pomi  Fabr.  for  years  abso- 
lutely failed  to  control  Aphis  sorbi  Kalt  satisfactorily. 

When  the  191 5  outbreak  had  gotten  well  started  Mr.  John  H.  Barclay, 
of  Cranbury,  brought  some  badly  curled  leaves  to  the  office,  and  the  writer 
set  a  test  to  see  what  strength  of  nicotine  was  necessary  to  effect  prompt 
destruction  of  the  pest.  The  under  sides  of  the  leaves  were  covered  with 
A.  sorbi  in  all  stages  of  development.  The  writer  applied  the  mixture  with 
a  strong  atomizer,  holding  the  curled  leaves  open,  and  continuing  the  treat- 
ment until  the  under  side  of  each  of  the  leaves  was  drenched.  Each  group 
of  treated  leaves,  which  had  at  least  200  lice  on  them,  was  then  placed  on 
heavy  paper  at  the  center  of  a  ring  of  tanglefoot  ranging  from  6  to  8 
inches  in  diameter.  The  treatments  were  made  during  the  afternoon  and 
the  results  taken  the  following  forenoon. 

Table  VI 
Results  of  Laboratory  Experiment  on  Control  of  Apple  Plant  Lice 


Number  of 
Lemves 

Treatment 

Percentage  Liv- 
ing at  End  of 
Experiment 

2 

Water  only 

100 

2 

Black  leaf  40  (1  part)    +   water  (900  parts) 

00 

2 

Black  leaf  40  (1  ©art)   +.  water  (900  parti)   +  soap 
(2  lbs.  to  50  gal.) 

10 

2 

Black  leaf  40  (1  part)  +  water  (700  parts)  +  soap 
(2  lbs.  to  50  gal.) 

1 

2 

Black  leaf  40   (1  part)    +   water  (500  parU) 

10 

2 

Black  leaf  40  (1  part)   4-  water  (500  parts)  +  soap 
(2  lbs.  to  50  gaL) 

0 

Thus  it  became  clear  that  any  strength  less  than  i  to  500  had  an  element 
of  risk  in  it.  An  actual  orchard  test  put  on  soon  after  these  laboratory 
results  had  been  obtained  showed  that  while  all  lice  which  were  hit  with 
the  mixture,  composed  of  i  part  of  "black-leaf  40"  to  500  parts  of  water 
and  soap  at  the  rate  of  2  pounds  to  50  gallons,  were  promptly  killed,  sucli 
a  large  proportion  were  protected  from  the  spray  by  the  curled  leaves  that 
the  control  of  the  species  even  by  this  strength  was  impracticable. 

The  lice  cost  Mr.  Barclay  not  less  than  a  thousand  dollars.  In  the  fore 
part  of  June  they  left  the  orchard  and  did  not  return  until  early  November. 
They  came  back  in  sufficient  numbers  to  deposit  an  enormous  supply  of 


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496   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

eggs.  Mr.  Barclay  was  thus  made  to  realize  that  the  task  of  protecting  his 
crop  in  1916  was  certainly  not  any  less  and  perhaps  much  greater  than 
it  was  in  191 5.  Accordingly  a  very  close  watch  of  conditions  was  instituted 
and  preparations  were  made  for  treating  the  orchard  with  lime-stdfur  (i 
to  9)  +  "black-leaf  40"  (i  to  1,000)  when  the  buds  showed  green. 

The  dose  watch  was  kept  to  determine  just  when  the  lice  hatched,  for  the 
191 5  experience  had  caused  both  Mr.  Barclay  and  the  writer  to  suspect  that 
the  period  between  hatching  and  the  stage  when  the  buds  were  opened 
sufficiently  not  only  to  permit  burning  but  to  afford  protection  to  the  lice, 
was  too  short  to  permit  adequate  treatment  of  the  orchard.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  aphis  began  hatching  in  considerable  numbers  on  the  afternoon 
of  Saturday,  April  15,  and  by  noon  on  the  following  day  nearly  every  flower 
bud  of  the  unsprayed  trees  had  a  half-dozen  or  more  aphis.  The  trees 
which  had  received  either  lime-sulfur  or  scalecide  during  dormancy  showed 
rarely  more  than  one  specimen  per  bud  and  many  of  the  buds  were  absolutely 
free  from  infestation.  At  this  time  the  most  advanced  flower  buds  showed 
the  first  green  leaves  separating  from  the  cluster. 

On  April  18  the  writer  again  visited  the  Barclay  orchard  and  went  over 
it  in  a  detailed  manner.  The  buds  were  now  well  opened  and  the  leaves 
separated  from  the  flower  cluster  although  the  flower  buds  still  adhered 
to  each  other.  Under  these  conditions  the  lime-sulfur  at  winter  strength 
would  not  only  bum  the  tips  of  the  leaves  but,  what  is  still  more  serious, 
the  lice  could  obtain  shelter  from  the  spray.  Furthermore,  two  days  are 
insufficient  to  allow  for  spraying  an  orchard  under  spring  conditions.  The 
minimum  time  for  the  Barclay  orchard  is  5  days  and  with  the  not  unusual 
spells  of  bad  weather  a  week  would  be  required.  It  thus  seems  clear  that 
there  exists  an  element  of  risk  in  attempting  to  control  aphis  with  the  de- 
layed winter-strength  lime-sulfur. 

The  191 5  experience  with  the  inadequacy  of  the  formerly  effective  measures 
led  the  writer  to  plan  a  set  of  tests,  the  nature  and  results  of  which  will 
now  be  recorded.  The  scene  of  the  experiments  was  the  young  apple 
orchard  of  Mr.  John  Barclay.  Mr.  Barclay  made  the  applications  planned, 
in  his  characteristically  thorough  manner,  and  the  results  obtained  are 
largely  due  to  his  excellent  and  valuable  cooperation. 

The  plots  were  arranged  as  shown  in  the  diagram  on  page  497. 

The  nature  and  the  results  of  the  treatments  are  set  forth  in  Table  VII. 

When  we  remember  that  unsprayed  trees  showed  an  average  of  6  aphis 
per  fruit  bud,  the  preceding  table  makes  it  very  clear  that  each  treatment 
applied  reduced  the  pest  materially. 

Scalecide  of  winter  strength  applied  just  as  the  buds  began  to  show 
green  seemed  effective,  but,  unfortunately,  killed  fully  50  per  cent  of  the 
fruit  buds.  Observation  outside  the  experimental  plots  as  well  as  direct 
records  in  the  above  table  showed  clearly  that  lime-sulphur  of  winter  strength 
applied  in  the  green  bud  stage  would  not  effect  a  control. 

Plot  2  when  compared  with  Plots  4  and  5  shows  that  the  winter  applica- 
tion of  lime-sulfur  when  followed  by  treatment  at  the  green  bud  stage 
is  not  important. 

Comparison  of  the  results  on  Plot  i  with  those  on  Plot  2  shows  clearly 
that  the  "black-leaf  40"  plus  soap  is  more  effective  than  the  combination  of 
"black-leaf  40"  and  lime-sulfur. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


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500      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Comparison  of  the  results  on  Plot  4  with  those  on  5  clearly  shows  that 
lime-sulfur  of  winter  strength  plus  "hlack-leaf  40"  (i  to  500)  is  decidedly 
more  effective  than  lime-sulfur  of  winter  strength  plus  "black-leaf  40" 
(i  to  1,000). 

The  plot  which  had  been  treated  with  lime-sulfur  (i  to  9)  at  the  green 
bud  stage  showed  such  an  infestation  of  aphis  on  April  20  that  the  writer 
felt  that  something  must  be  done  to  prevent  later  damage.  This  afforded 
an  opportunity  for  testing  the  effectiveness  of  "black-leaf  40"  at  lower 
strength  than  i  to  500  and  accordingly  two  of  the  four  rows  were  thorough 
sprayed  with  "black-leaf  40"  (i  to  800)  plus  soap  (2  lbs.  to  50  gal.).  The 
following  day  fhe  writer  visited  the  orchard  and  examined  the  treatment 
The  counts  recorded  were  made  on  Mcintosh  and  the  cluster  buds  had 
separated  but  the  bloom  was  not  yet  open. 

Thirty-eight  fruit  buds  on  the  treated  trees  showed  8  lice  and  36  fruit 
buds  on  the  untreated  trees  showed  20  lice.  The  results  of  the  counts  were 
checked  by  a  great  nimiber  of  random  examinations  and  the  writer  be- 
lieves that  they  fairly  represent  the  conditions.  All  four  rows  were  then 
sprayed  with  "black-leaf  40"  (i  to  500)  plus  soap  (2  lbs.  to  50  gal)  and 
the  infestation  wiped  out 

Summarizing  this  work  we  may  say  that  the  results  of  these  experi- 
ments indicate  that  rosy  aphis  can  best  be  destroyed  by  making  a  dormant 
treatment  with  lime-sulfur  or  scaledde  and  following  that  with  a  green-bud 
treatment  of  "black-leaf  40"  (t  to  1,000)  plus  soap  (2  lbs.  to  50  gal),  or 
by  delaying  the  dormant  treatment  of  lime-sulfur  until  the  buds  begin  to 
show  green  and  then  applying  it  mixed  with  "black-leaf  40"  (i  to  500). 

The  writer  realizes  that  this  conclusion  does  not  coincide  with  the  results 
of  rosy  aphis  control  as  set  forth  by  the  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  Experiment  Station. 
It  is,  furthermore,  his  experience  that  a  treatment  with  winter-strength 
lime-sulfur  plus  "black-leaf  40"  (i  to  1,000),  in  the  J.  L.  Lippincott  orchard 
at  Riverton,  gave  this  past  season  an  entirely  satisfactory  control 

The  factor  which  causes  this  disagreement  is  in  all  probability  the  natural 
control  effected  by  the  weather  or  natural  enemies  or  both.  If  the  weather 
should  promptly  become  warm  and  stay  warm  and  thus  encourage  the 
ever  ready  natural  enemies  of  the  rosy  aphis  or  should  become  for  a  brief 
period  cold  enough  to  destroy  them,  the  application  of  a  relatively  in- 
effective treatment  would  give  entirely  satisfactory  control,  for  Ae  few 
that  the  treatment  left  would  be  promptly  destroyed  by  natural  forces.  So 
far  as  the  writer  knows,  no  one  has  determined  just  what  percentage  of 
kill  constitutes  satisfactory  control  under  the  varied  conditions  of  weather 
and  natural  enemies. 

In  view  of  this  uncertainty  as  to  just  what  percentage  of  the  total  num- 
ber of  lice  must  be  destroyed  in  order  to  effect  satisfactory  control  it  would 
seem  that  the  treatment  which  destroys  the  largest  percentage  should  be 
the  one  adopted. 

The  time  of  application  is  a  matter  which  depends  on  aphis  and  bud 
development.  Application  must  be  made  after  the  lice  hatch  from  the  eggs 
or  the  material  and  labor  is  largely  wasted.  It  seems  that  it  should  be  easy 
to  tell  when  the  bud  first  shows  green,  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  bud 
exhibits   in  the  course   of    its   unfolding   several    shades    of   green.     In  A. 


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C  Plate  III. 


D  E  F  G 

Photograph   of  the  opening  buds   to   illustrate   proper  time   for   spraying. 
Perfectly  safe  until  fourth  stage  (D)  is  reached. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  501 

the  bud  scales  have  separated  and  the .  light  green  tips  are  projecting. 
Hie  lightness  of  the  green  is  due  to  the  felt-like  covering  and  silvery  hairs  on 
the  under  sides  of  the  leaves.  In  B,  the  green  becomes  a  little  darker  but 
the  silvery  shade  is  still  very  prominent  In  Q  some  of  the  leaves  have 
begun  to  project  from  the  buds  like  the  ears  of  a  squirrel.  The  inside 
of  these  projecting  leaves  is  characteristically  green  while  their  outsides 
still  have  the  silvery  shade.  The  development  of  D  is  about  that  of  C.  By 
the  time  the  stage  illustrated  by  E  is  reached  the  lice  can  find  some  protec- 
tion and  by  the  time  the  condition  illustrated  by  G  is  reached  a  considerable 
percentage  of  the  lice  have  safe  shelter  and  the  lime-sulfur  is  likely  to  do 
harm. 
The  buds  show  green  from  the  stage  illustrated  by  A  to  G. 

The  False  Cabbage  Aphis 

This  season  is  the  first  during  which  the  false  cabbage  aphis  (Aphis 
Pseudobrassic<B  Davis)  has  been  taken  in  New  Jersey,  but  the  experience 
of  the  past  four  years  about  Freehold  and  some  years  ago  in  Long  Island 
leads  one  to  think  that  the  species  has  been  present  for  a  considerable 
period  and  has  been  during  that  time  confused  with  other  species. 

In  Bulletin  185  of  the  Indiana  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  Mr. 
John  J.  Davis  records  an  extensive  study  of  the  species  in  the  course  of 
which  he  concludes  that  the  insect  may  occur  wherever  the  wild  mustard 
grows  and  that  it  may  be  destructively  abundant  where  turnips  and  radishes 
are  planted.  He  further  records  that  it  is  usually  seriously  inj  urious  only  in  the 
fall.  Mr.  Davis  was  unable  to  find  that  it  produces  a  migrating  generation 
at  any  time  of  the  year  and  he  was  unable  to  produce  the  sexed  indi- 
viduals. It  would  therefore  seem  likely  that  the  species  lives  throughout 
the  year  on  the  wild  mustard  and  that  it  passes  the  winter  in  the  egg  stage. 
In  addition  to  its  importance  as  a  field  pest  of  turnips  and  radishes  he 
holds  that  it  is  likely  to  prove  a  greenhouse  pest  of  importance. 

Mr.  Davis'  breeding  experiments  of  the  false  cabbage  louse  show  that 
the  insect  under  outdoor  conditions  produced  a  maximum  of  25  generations 
and  a  minimum  of  11.  The  average  number  of  young  is  shown  to  be  99 
individuals.  This  makes  this  species  the  most  prolific  of  all  plant  louse 
species  that  have  been  studied. 

Mr.  Davis  recommends  spraying  with  a  mixture  of  40  per  cent  nicotine 
(i  to  1.200)  4-  soap  (4  lbs.  to  50  gal).  He  further  recommends  the  keep- 
ing down  of  all  weeds  of  the  cabbage  family  such  as  black  mustard,  pep- 
per grrass,  and  shepherd's  purse  by  clean  cultivation,  rotation  of  crops,  and 
fall  plowing  or  spading  of  the  turnip  fields.  In  greehouses  he  recommends 
the  application  of  the  spray  mentioned  or  fumigation  with  hydrocynic 
acid  gas. 

During  the  present  fall  the  entomologist's  attention  was  directed  to 
measures  of  control  by  the  occurrence  of  heavy  infestation  in  turnip  fields 
in  the  vicinity  of  Freehold.  He  first  tested  an  orchard  sprayer,  but  found 
that  the  amount  of  material  used  (about  1,500  gal.)  per  acre  was  prohibi- 
tive.   He  then  devised  an  apparatus  which  could  be  attached  to  a  traction 


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502      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


DETAIL 


Am  4-attacited  to 
I       floor  Koct 


R»P 


Pig-  J.— Diagram  of  the  spraying  machine  used  against  the  false  cabbage 
aphis :  A  =  side  view  of  lifter ;  B  =  soil ;  C  =  space  through  which  plants 
pass;  D  &  E  =  nozzles;  F  =  arrangement  for  lifting  the, lifter. at  end  of 
row  when  machine  is  turning.  digitized  b!7VjV:)OglV 


EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  503 

sprayer  for  lifting  the  foliage  in  such  a  manner  as  to  expose  the  under 
side  of  the  turnip  leaves  to  the  mist  delivered  by  the  low  hung  nozzles  of 
a  potato  machine.  Success  with  this  sort  of  apparatus  demands  the  main- 
tenance of  high  pressure.  The  nature  of  this  apparatus  and  its  method  of 
use  on  a  sprayer  is  illustrated  in  figure  3. 

Pear  Ptylla 

In  the  annual  report  for  last  year  (1915)  the  entomologist  gave  the 
following  procedure  as  the  one  likely  to  give  satisfactory  control : 

1.  The  rough  bark  should  be  scraped  off  during  the  fall  and  winter, 
care  being  taken  not  to  injure  the  live  tissue.  The  scrapings  should  be 
gathered  and  burned,  in  order  that  all  hibernating  psylla  sheltering  in 
them  may  be  destroyed. 

2.  During  warm  days  in  late  fall  and  early  winter  or  late  winter  and 
early  spring,  preferably  after  the  scraping  has  been  conipleted,  when  the 
psylla  are  crawling  over  the  bark,  the  trees  should  be  thoroughly  sprayed 
with  winter-strength  soluble  oil  or  with  40  per  cent  nicotine  (i  to  800) 
+  soap  (i  oz.  to  the  gal.)-    The  spray  must  not  freeze  on  the  tree. 

3.  Just  before  the  blossom  buds  open  and  after  the  eggs  are  laid,  spray 
thoroughly  with  lime-sulfur  (i  to  9). 

The  first  treatment  is  intended  to  deprive  the  psylla  of  the  cover  which 
protects  it  both  from  storms  and  spraying  mixtures.  The  second  is 
planned  to  destroy  the  adults  after  they  have  been  induced  by  the  warmth 
to  come  out  of  their  hiding  places  and  move  about  over  the  bark.  The 
third  is  intended  to  destroy  the  eggs. 

During  the  past  season  the  J.  L.  Lippincott  Co.,  of  Riverton,  N.  J.,  tried 
this  plan  in  their  Kieffer  orchard.  One  block  was  given  the  third  treatment 
and  the  rest  of  the  orchard  received  all  three. 

When  examined  in  the  fall  considerable  numbers  of  maturing  and  matured 
psylla  could  be  found  throughout  the  orchard.  The  fruit  had  been  picked 
when  the  entonK>logist  arrived,  but  was  reported  by  Mr.  Lewis  as  being 
absolutely  free  from  staining.  The  block  which  had  been  g^ven  the  one 
treatment  only  showed  considerable  staining  on  the  fruit  spurs  and  the 
under  sides  of  the  leaves,  while  the  rest  of  the  orchard,  which  had  received 
the  three  treatments,  showed  no  staining  on  the  fruit  spurs  and  very  little 
on  the  under  sides  of  the  leaves. 

The  Kieffer  pear  orchard  belonging  to  Mr.  Lester  Collins,  of  Moores- 
town,  was  examined  the  same  day.  This  orchard  was  35  or  more  years 
old,  had  not  been  scraped  or  winter-treated,  but  had  received  a  treatment 
with  lime-sulfur  (i  to  9)  just  before  the  flower  buds  opened.  The  amuont 
of  staining  here  on  the  fruit  spurs  and  leaves  was  very  considerable  and  the 
fruit  exhibited  some  injury. 

In  the  winter  and  spring  of  1915  Mr.  J.  S.  Rich  dale,  of  Phalanx,  New 
Jersey,  attempted  to  control  of  psylla  in  his  Kieffer  pear  orchard.  To  the 
older  and  better  grown  part  of  the  orchard  he  applied  the  three  treatments 
outlined  at  the  beginning  of  this  article,  except  that  instead  of  burning 
the  scrapings  he  plowed  them  under  deeply.     To  the  portion  he  applied 


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504   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

the  lime-sulfur  just  before  the  blossoms  opened.  The  entomologist  ex- 
amined his  orchard  about  two  weeks  later  and  was  unable  to  find  any 
psylla  at  all  in  the  former  portion,  but  found  it  abundantly  in  the  latter. 
A  further  examination  in  the  fall  of  1916  failed  to  show  any  psylla  in  the 
part,  which  had  received  the  three  treatments  in  1915,  although  that  block 
had  been  treated  with  sumfcner-strength  lime-sulfur  and  arsenate  of  lead 
only. 

It  thus  seems  that  the  adoption  and  carrying  out  of  the  three  treatments 
are  necessary  in  an  orchard  where  the  psylla  has  been  unchecked  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  Of  course,  we  have  in  the  last  two  years  no  direct  experi- 
ments to  show  that  the  scraping  is  worth  while,  but  it  stands  to  reason 
that  the  rough  bark  of  a  KiefFer  pear  should  prove  a  hindrance  to  reaching 
the  psylla  with  spraying  materials. 

Wintering  Beet 

Enough  has  been  written  on  this  subject  to  fill  a  book,  but  there  seems, 
nevertheless,  still  to  be  room  for  definite  and  accurate  data.  For  many 
reasons  it  is  desirable  to  winter  bees  out-of-doors  and  the  questions  of  whether 
cover  is  worth  while  and  what  sort  of  cover  is  efficient  are  ones  upon  which 
accumulations  of  facts  are  needed.  In  the  season  of  1914-1915  the  oppor- 
tunity to  contribute  to  this  matter  came  along  and  a  set  of  experiments 
was  planned  by  the  entomologist  and  Mr.  E.  G.  Carr  and  carried  out  by 
the  latter. 

In  the  fall  the  colonies,  which  were  in  8-fran»e  hives,  were  equalized  as 
regards  size  and  winter  stores.  Three  groups  were  made.  The  first,  con- 
sisting of  9  colonies,  were  left  totally  without  packing.  The  second,  con- 
sisting of  9  colonies^  were  protected  with  the  C.  H.  Root  cover.  The  third, 
consisting  of  12  colonies,  was  packed  in  3  quadruple  covers. 

The  C.  H.  Root  case  consists  of  three  parts — the  bottom^  the  body  and  the 
cover.  The  first  is  16  inches  wide,  4  inches  deep  and  22  inches  at  the  top 
and  28  at  the  bottom.  The  slant  is  covered  and  acts  as  an  alighting  board. 
This  box  base  has  a  bottom  but  no  top  and  is  packed  with  leaves.  Along 
each  side  and  across  the  back,  about  i  inch  below  the  upper  edges,  is  nailed 
a  ^-inch  strip.  The  body  is  a  double- walled  box  just  large  enough  inside 
to  fit  over  the  hive  body  minus  its  hand-hole  cleats  and  regular  cover,  and 
the  double  walls  inclose  a  space  between  them  of  2  inches,  which  is  packed 
with  ground  cork.  The  cover  is  simply  a  shallow  box  of  the  proper  size 
to  fit  closely  over  the  body  in  a  telescoping  manner,  and  is  covered  with 
good  roofing  paper.  The  roof  of  the  cover  is  packed  with  6  inches  of  leaves, 
held  in  place  with  burlap.  The  name  of  the  case  is  that  of  the  orginator, 
Mt.  C.  H.  Root,  of  Red  Bank,  New  Jersey. 

The  quadruple  case  is  a  wooden  box,  the  sides  of  which  arc  fastened 
together  with  hooks  and  eyes.  This  box  is  50  inches  long,  46  inches  wide 
and  27  inches  deep.  It  is  just  large  enough  to  slip  down  over  tfie  bottom, 
which  is  also  made  of  lumber,  and  is  not  in  any  way  attached  to  the  sides. 
The  fitting  is  sufficiently  close  to  prevent  mice  from  making  their  way  into 
the  packing.  The  cover  is  a  shallow  box,  the  outside  of  which  is  covered 
with  good  roofing  paper,  made  just  large  enough  to  telescope  over  the 
body. 


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Pl.ATK  IV. 


Photograph   of   the   winter   cases :    left — hives    uncovered ;     middle — hives 
with  Root  cases;    right — hives  with  Holterman  cases. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


505 


On  the  floor,  4  pieces  of  2  x  2-inch  lumber,  each  3  feet  long,  are  laid  in 
such  a  fashion  as  to  form  supports  for  the  hives.  The  bottom  is  then  cov- 
ered 2  inches  deep  with  leaves  or  planer  shavings. 

The  4  hives  were  then  set  on  these  supports  in  pairs  back  to  back,  and 
the  passageway  from  the  entrance  of  each  to  the  six  ffi-inch  holes,  which 
were  bored  through  the  cover  wall  exactly  opposite,  kept  open  by  inserting 
a  rectangular  box  with  one  open  end  over  the  hive  entrance  and  the  other 
over  the  holes.  The  entire  space  was  then  filled  with  leaves  and  the  cover 
put  in  place.  The  bottoms  of  the  hives  were  thus  insulated  3  inches — i  inch 
of  lumber  and  2  of  leaves;  the  sides  were  protected  by  8  inches,  the  fronts 
by  6,  and  the  tops  by  12. 

The  colonies  were  packed  about  December  i,  but  the  thermometers,  owing 
to  delay  in  their  receipt,  were  not  inserted  until  February  9.  The  colonies 
were  opened  and  the  data'  taken  April  20. 

Winter  covering  is  put  on  for  purposes  of  insulation  and  it  was  to  be 
expected  that  its  effect  would  appear  in  the  more  stable  temperatures 
obtained.  Stability  of  this  sort  is  greatly  to  be  desired  because  the  amount 
of  energy  necessary  to  maintain  the  needed  temperature,  and  consequently 
the  loss  of  bees  by  exhaustion  and  the  amount  of  stores  used,  are  reduced 

The  eflfects  of  the  different  types  of  cover  on  temperature  changes  is 
shown  by  the  four  columns  of  figures.  The  first  shows  the  conditions  in 
the  hives  protected  by  the  C.  H.  Root  cover,  the  second  those  in  the  hives 
in  the  quadruple  cases,  the  third  those  in  the  unpacked  hives,  and  the 
fourth  the  temperature  out-of-doors. 

It  thus  appears  that  the  bees  protected  by  the  C.  H.  Root  case  were 
able  to  maintain  both  the  highest  and  the  most  stable  temperatures. 

The  eflfects  of  these  conditions  are  shown  in  Table  VIII. 


Table  VIII 
Results  of  Experiment  In  Wintering   Beet 


TRBATMBNT 

0.  of  Oolonlea 

-2 

OQ  1 

1 

pi 

1 

6 

0 

' 

Z 

OQ 

•< 

•< 

2 

1 

0.  H.  Boot  case 

9 

20 

8 

IH 

0 

2 

Qnadraple    case 

12 

20 

55/, 

1 

2 

8 

jUnpack^d, 

9 

20 

6»/« 

% 

4 

The  nine  colonies  with  the  C.  H.  Root  cover  used  less  stores,  had  more 
brood  and  experienced  no  losses.  The  twelve  colonies  in  the  quadruple 
covers  used  more  stores,  had  less  brood,  and  lost  2  colonies.  The  unpacked 
hives  used  less  stores  than  the  quadruple  cases,  but  more  than  tho'se  covered 
by  the  C.  H.  Root  cases,  had  the  least  brood  of  all,  and  lost  4  colonies. 


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So6      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

It  is  thus  clearly  shown  that  the  insulation  paid  well  and  that  the  C.  H. 
Root  insulator  gave  the  best  results.  The  actual  number  of  inches  of 
insulation  about  the  hives  protected  by  the  C.  H.  Root  case  was  less  than  in 
the  quadruple  covers,  but  it  is,  of  course,  applied  in  a  different  way.  This 
fact  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  thickness  of  the  insulating  material  is 
not  always  a  measure  of  its  efficiency  and  that  the  method  of  applying  may 
be  an  important  consideration.    (Plate  II,  p.  501.) 

MItcellaneout 

White  grubs.  Last  year  the  entomologist  found  as  the  result  of  some 
preliminary  experiments  that  three-fourths  of  an  ounce  of  carbon  bisulfide 
per  square  foot  of  red  shale  soil  destroyed  all  grubs  (principally  Lachno^ 
sterna  fusca  Froehl)  when  applied  at  a  temperature  ranging  from  70**  to 
7§°F.,  and  that  one  oimce  per  square  foot  used  tftider  the  same  conditions 
did  not  injure  one-season-old  mixtures  of  blue  grass  and  white  clover. 

This  year  Mr.  William  H.  W.  Komp  undertook  as  the  subject  of  his 
undergraduate  major  thesis  the  study  of  carbon  bisulfide  as  a  destroyer  of 
white  grubs.  By  methods  which  are  explained  in  his  paper  he  reached  the 
following  conclusions:  (i)  that  from  ^  to  i  ounce  of  carbon  bisulfide 
will  destroy  all  grubs  in  a  red  shale  soil  in  a  temperature  of  70^F.  up;  (2) 
that  the  degree  of  soil  moisture  which  will  give  the  results  is  neither  very 
dry  nor  very  wet  but  medium;  (3)  that  the  cost  for  material  ranges  from 
?I35  to  $180  an  acre,  and  that  its  application,  while  effective,  is  not  practicable 
save  in  limited  areas. 

The  Cattelya  fly.  The  orchid  pest,  known  as  the  Cattelya  fly,  was  made 
a  subject  for  an  imdergraduate  thesis  by  Mr.  Jared  B.  Moore.  Mr.  Moore's 
investigation  revealed  the  fact  that  this  insect  is  really  a  limiting  factor  in 
the  conmierdal  production  of  orchid  blooms;  that  tmder  our  greenhouse 
conditions,  although  its  life  cycle  cavers  from  4  to  6  months,  it  is  almost  con- 
stantly emerging ;  that  the  destruction  of  the  larvae  without  serious  damage  to 
the  plant  by  cutting  out,  or  injecting  carbon  bisulfide,  chloroform,  ether  or 
tobacco  juice,  or  by  raising  the  temperature  either  under  dry  or  moist  condi- 
tions is  impracticable;  that  the  adult  fly  does  not  jrield  to  the  strength  of 
tobacco  normally  used  in  greenhouse  fumigation. 

The  Onion  tkrips.  A  uttle  work  on  this  insect  was  undertaken  in  co- 
5peration  with  Mr.  R.  W.  DeBaun,  extension  specialist  in  v^etable  garden- 
ing, on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Theodore  Brown,  of  Swedesboro.  "Black-leaf  40" 
(i  to  1,000)  plus  soap  (2  lbs.  to  So  gal.)  was  thoroughly  applied  under  high 
pressure  with  an  orchard  sprayer  when  the  thrips  first  apg^red.  Although 
the  onions  were  large,  in  10  days  there  was  a  marked  difference  between 
the  sprayed  and  the  unsprayed  plots. 

Com  ear  worm.  The  application  of  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur 
(consisting  of  i  part  of  lead  to  i  part  of  the  sulfur)  to  sweet  com  plots 
in  Atlantic,  Cumberland,  and  Cape  May  Counties,  eliminated  about  80  per 
cent  of  the  normal  injury.  The  work  was  done  l^  the  farm  demonstrators 
in  cooperation  with  Mr.  DeBaun. 

Onion  Maggot.  The  sodium  arsenite  and  molasses  spray  bait  consisting 
of  yi  of  an  ounce  of  sodium  arsenite,  i  gallon  of  water,  i  pint  of  molasses 
and  a  small  amount  of  aqueous  onion  extract,  was  tried  by  Mr.  DeBatm  and 
the  farm  demonstrators  in  Cumberland,  Mercer,  Monmouth  and  Gloucester 
Counties  with  most  encouraging  results.  The  protection  obtained  b  such 
that  a  large  increase  in  demonstration  work  along  that  line  is  planned  by 
Mr.  DeBaun. 

Melon  aphis.  Tobacco  extract  and  soap— "black-leaf  40"  (i  to  500)  plus 
soap  (2  lbs.  to  50  gal.)  were  used  as  a  spray  for  cantaloupes  on  more 
than  a  dozen  farms  in  South  Jersey,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  DeBaum, 
and  found  satisfactory  to  control  the  melon  aphis. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  507 

Coccidae  of  N«w  Jersey  Greenhouses.  Mr.  Harry  B.  Weiss/  assistant  to 
the  State  entomologist,  has  prepared  a  list  of  the  scale  insects  found  on 
the  greenhouse  crops  of  the  State.    The  list  follows. 

IcSRYA  Sign. 
7.  purckasi  Mask.     On  acacia,  orange,  lemon. 

OkthXzu  Bosc 

0.  insignis   Dougl.     On  ooleus,  gardenia,   verbena,  dtnii,  chrysanthemum,   tomato   and 
other  plants. 

Pstuoococcus  Westw. 

P.  citri  Risso.     On  bouvardia,  coleus,  citrus,   fuchsia,  croton,  ferns,  bay  trees,  tomato, 

palms,  geranium  and  many  others. 
P.  longispinns  Targ.     On  ferns,  citrus,  palms,  dracena,  coleus  and  many  others. 
P.  pseudonipa  CklL     On  Kentia  sp.  and  Cocos  sp. 

CmmotUlvtu  Gray 

C.  cirripediformis  Comst     On  citrus. 

C.  Horidensis  Comst    On  citrus,  oleander. 

EUCALYMNATUS  CklL 

B,  teuelUauM  Sign.    On  palms. 

Coccus  Linn. 

C.  hespetidum  Linn.     On   bay   trees,   oleander,   crotons,   begonias,   palms,   ficus,   citrus, 

cyclamen,  orchids,  camellia  and  many  others. 
C.  hngulus  DougL     On  citrus,  ficus,  euphorbia,  ferns  and  others. 

C.  pseudohuptridum  CklL     On  orchids  (Cattleya  and  Dendrobium  8pp.)< 

Sazssstu  DepL 

S,  hemispharica  Targ.     On  palms,  ferns,  oleander,  croton,  orchids,  citrus,  camellia  and 

many  others. 
S.  oigte  Bern.     On  camellia,  citrus. 

D1A8PI8  Costa. 

D.  boisduvaia  Sign.    On  palms,  orchids. 

•0.  bromelut  Kern.     On  pineapple,  oleo  fragrans,  latania. 

AuuiCASPXS  CklL 
A,  gamia  Morg.     On  cycas  revoluta. 

HSMXCHIONASPIS    Ckll. 

H.  aspidistra  Sign.    On  ferns,  aspidistra,  pandanus,  orchids. 

FioiNiA  Targ. 
P.  Horinidf  Targ.      On  camellia,  palms,  ficus,  orchids  and  others. 

AspiDioTus  Bouche. 

A,  britannieus  Newst     On  bay  trees. 

A,  cyanophylli  Sign.     On  palms,  orchids,  ficus. 


*  Weiss,  H.  B.,  Psyche,  v.  23,  pp.  22-24, 


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5o8      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

A.  heders  Vail.     On  orchids,  palms,  cycadt,  oleander,  citrus,  ivy  and  many  others. 
A.  rapax  Comst.    On  bay  treea,  palms,  camellia. 

CURYSOMPHAX.US  Ashm. 

C.  conidum  Linn.    On  palms,  pandanus,  ficns,  bay  trees,  camellia,  citrus. 

C,  aurantii  Mask.    On  citrus,  palms,  pandanus. 

C.  dictyospermi  Morg.     On  palms,  pandanus  latania. 

C.  pgrsea  Comst.     On  orchids. 

C.  rossi  Mask.     Qn  orchids. 

TAaciONiA  Sign. 

T.  biformis  Ckll.     On  orchids. 

LSPiDOSAPHEs  Schimer. 

L.  beckii  Ncwm.     On  citrus,  croton. 
L.  gloverii  Pack.     On  palms,  citrus. 

IscuNASPis  Dougl. 
/.  iongirostris  Sign.    On  palms,  pandanus. 

Parlatoria  Tag. 
P.  pergandii  Comst.    On  citrus. 

The  above  verifies  most  of  the  records  furnished  by  Dr.  W.  E.  Britton 
for  Smith's  1909  list  of  "The  Insects  of  New  Jersey,"  and  increases  the 
number  of  greenhouse  species  from  19  to  32. 

Periodical  Cicada,  Recently  it  has  been  possible  to  get  together  the  facts 
relative  to  the  distribution  of  the  periodical  cicada,  or  17-year  locust,  in 
this  State.  In  the  year  1902  a  summary  of  the  situation  was  published' 
and  what  follows  is  an  effort  to  bring  the  matter  up  to  date.  Brood  VIII 
is  to  be  expected  next  year.  The  entomologist  is  indebted  to  Mr.  Harry  B. 
Weiss  for  preparing  the  following  statement  and  the  accompanying  list 

Brood  II 

1877 — Union,  Essex,  Morris,  Monmouth  Counties  in  large  numbers ;  War' 
ren  Co.,  Hainesburg;   Sussex  Co.,  Monroe  Comer. 

i8g4— Bergen  Co.,  throughout,  especially  from  Tenafly,  Carlstadt,  River 
Vale,  Mahwah.  Pc^saic  Co.,  Paterson,  Greenwood  Lake  district  Sussex 
Co.,  Huntsburg  and  Papakating.  Morris  Co.,  Boonton  and  eastern  dis- 
tricts. Essex  Co.,  everywhere.  Hudson  Co.,  everywhere,  except  flats 
and  marshy  portions.  Union  Co.,  everywhere.  Somerset  Co.,  in  a 
few  localities.  Warren  Co.,  Rocksburg.  Hunterdon  Co.,  northwestern 
comer.  Mercer  Co..  along  road  to  Hightstown.  Middlesex  Qo^  irregularly 
distributed,  more  plentiful  north  of  Raritan  River,  becoming  less  toward 
south  and  west;  along  Raritan  River  from  Perth  Amboy  to  Bound  Brook; 
Jamesburg.  Monmouth  Co.,  slight  in  eastem  part  Ocean  Co.,  in  small 
patches;  Toms  River,  Cassville.  Burlington  Co.,  in  small  patches;  Pcm- 
berton.  Camden  Co..  Pensauken,  Clementon;  along  Camden  and  Atlwutk 
and  Reading  Railroads  toward  Atlantic  Cotmty  line.  Gloucester  Co.,  Frank- 
linville  and  north  of  this  at  several  places;  along  line  of  Cape  May  Rail- 
road. Scdem  Co.,  Friesburg.  Atlantic  Co.,  irregular  throughout;  Hammon- 
ton   to   coast   along   Atlantic    City   Railroad.     Cumberland   Co.,   irregular 

1  Weiss,  H.  B.,  Ent.  News,  v.  27,  pp.  337-339. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  509 

throughout;  between  Bridgeton  and  Millville;  along  railroad  from  Vine- 
huid  to  Cape  May  County  line.  Cape  May  Co.,  throughout  in  large  num- 
bers, except  on  lowlands;  plentiful  at  Woodbine. 

191 1 — Bergen  Co.,  from  Fort  Lee  northward  to  New  York  State  line; 
along  top  of  Palisades  and  on  both  slopes;  none  in  Hackensack  valley  and 
in  low  marsh  areas;  Rutherford,  Ramsey,  Westwood,  Tenafly,  Carlstadt, 
River  Vale,  Mahwah,  Englewood,  Alpine.  Passaic  Co.,  Paterson,  Totowa, 
Little  Falls ;  along  line  of  S.  &  W.  Railroad  they  extended  to  Morris  County 
line;  in  Lake  Macopin  region;  Hackensack.  Sussex  Co.,  Sparta^  Newton, 
Hantsburg,  Papkating.  Warren  Co.,  L.  &  W.  Railroad  to  Lake  Hopatcong; 
Morristown,  Morris  Plains;  from  Newfoundland  and  Charlottesburg  to 
Sparta  along  line  of  S.  &  W.  Railroad ;  Newark  watershed,  Chatham,  Den- 
ville,  Dover  to  Wharton,  Mendham,  Millington»  Mt  Tabor;  north  and 
south  of  Dover ;  Pleasant  Hill  in  patches ;  Mt.  Olive.  Bssex  Co.,  infested 
everywhere.  Hudson  Co.,  Snake  Hill;  very  little  Cicada  ground  now  re- 
mains in  this  county.  Somerset  Co.,  Washington  Valley  back  of  Pluckamin 
and  along  road  to  Basking  Ridge ;  in  spots  from  Bound  Brook  to  Bernards- 
ville;  Somerville,  Raritan.  Hunterdon  Co.,  High  Bridge,  throughout  hills 
southeast  toward  Lebanon;  Fairmount.  Lambertville,  Stockton,  Ravenrock. 
Union  Co.,  Roselle,  Fanwood,  Summit,  Elizabeth,  Spring^eld,  Rahway; 
county  generally  covered  in  much  reduced  extent.  Middlesex  Co.,  New 
Brunswick,  College  Farm;  from  Stelton  to  Union  County  line;  along 
north  bank  of  Raritan  River  from  Bound  Brook  to  county  line;  Rahway 
to  Perth  Amboy;  Metuchen  to  Perth  Amboy  along  north  bank  of  Raritan 
River;  Old  Bridge,  Milltown,  South  Amboy.  Mercer  Co.,  between  Hights- 
town  and  Yardville;  Princeton.  Monmouth  Co.,  Matawan,  Cliffwood. 
Ocean  Co.,  around  Lakewood,  South  Lakewood;  west  of  Lakewood,  Ridge- 
way.  Burlington  Co.,  no  records.  Camden  Co.,  Clementon;  along  line  to 
Atlantic  City  Railroad  to  Atlantic  County  line;  Almonesson,  Blue  Anchor, 
Florence  to  Williamstown  Junction,  and  along  this  branch  to  Gloucester 
County;  Haddonfield.  Gloucester  Co.,  Woodbury,  Malaga;  along  line  from 
Williamstown  to  Glassboro.  Atlantic  Co.,  irre^larly  throughout  on  gravelly 
knolls  or  areas.  Cumberland  Co.,  Husted,  Bndgeton;  Bridgeton  to  Rosen- 
hayn  along  Central  Railroad;  Vineland,  along  trolley  line  between  Malaga 
and  Newfield;  Millville,  irregular  throughout  county.  Salem  Co.,  between 
Elmer  and  Palatine  only.  Cape  May  Co.,  all  wooded  areas  of  peninsula  in 
gravelly  lands;  Woodbine,  Ocean  View,  Tuckahoe,  Dennisville,  Sea  Isle 
Junction,  Wildwood  Junction,  Seaville,  Swain,  South  Seaville. 

Brood  VI 

1881 — Essex  Co.,  Caldwell  in  small  numbers. 

1898 — Middlesex  Co.,  Piscatawaytown.  Passaic  Co.,  Charlotesburg.  Mor- 
ris Co.,  Hanover.    Cumberland  Co.,  Vineland. 

191 5 — Union  Co.,  Cranford.  Essex  Co.,  Upper  Montclair.  Passaic  Co., 
Oak  Ridge.    Mercer  Co.,  Princeton. 

Brood  VIII 

1900 — No  records  in  Smith's  reports.    Essex  Co.  (Marlatt). 

Brood  X 

i^S— Burlington,  Camden,  Mercer,  Middlesex,  Monmouth,  Morris,  Pas- 
saic, Sanerset,  Hunterdon  Counties. 

1902 — Warren  Co.,  southwestern  corner;  well  covered  south  of  Central 
Railroad  of  New  Jersey  and  along  Delaware  River.  Hunterdon  Co.,  south- 
cm  half.  Mercer  Co.,  pretty  well  distributed,  except  in  extreme  south.  Som- 
erset Co^  not  heavily  visited,  except  at  Rocky  Hill,  Middlebush.  Martinsville, 
Franklin  Park,  Bound  Brook,  Raritan,  Somerville,  Neshanic,  Three  Bridges, 
Harlingen,    Kingston.      Middlesex    Co.,    Piscatawaytown.     Monmouth    Co., 


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5IO      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Hig^ands  of  Navesink,  Locust  Point.  Ocean  Co..  New  Egypt,  Collier^s 
Mill,  Prospertown;  between  Jacobstown  and  Ellisdale  (Burlington  Co.)- 
Burlington  Co.,  Ellisdale,  Indian  Mills.  Camden  Co.,  Delaware  Township. 
Salem  Co.,  Salem,  Yorktown,  Woodstown.  Gloucester  Co.,  Swedesboro  and 
between  Swedesboro  and  Harrisonville.  Cumberland  Co.,  Shiloh;  no  rec- 
ords from  Hudson,  Essex,  Bergen,  Union,  Passaic,  Sussex,  Cape  May,  Mor- 
ris and  Atlantic  Counties. 

Brood  XIV 

iS8g— Bergen  Co.,  Englewood.     Mercer  Co.,  Princeton.     Burlington  Co., 
Palmyra.    Gloucester  Co.,  Red  Bank. 
1906 — No  reports  of  occurrence,  except  in  Bergen  County,  by  Marlatt. 

Brffod  XV 

1890 — Bssex  Co.,  Cape  May  Co.,  Anglesea. 

1907 — Cape  May  Co.,  Union  Co.,  Plainfield  to  Westfield.  Morris  Co.,  New- 
foundland. 

Leptoypha  mutica  Say.  Recently  this  species,  which  was  recorded  by 
Dr.  Smith  in  1909  as  rare  and  having  been  taken  at  Madison  only,  was 
reported  by  Mr.  Weiss  and  Mr.  Dickerson*  as  damaging  every  leaf  on  the 
fringe  bushes  (Chionanthus  znrginica  L.)  in  a  nursery  at  Hanrnionton. 
"The  injury  first  appears  as  a  slight,  whitish  discoloration  on  the  upper 
surface  along  the  midrib,  due  to  the  abstraction  of  sap  by  the  insect 
along  the  undersurface.  These  whitish  patches  gradually  enlarge  until 
the  leaf  has  a  mottled  appearance,  and  in  severe  infestations  the  entire 
leaf  becomes  yellowish-brown  and  withers  completely.  Wlien  the  plants 
are  growing  in  the  sun,  most  of  the  insects  are  found  on  the  under 
sides  of  the  leaves,  but  in  shaded  situations  and  when  the  foliage  is 
dense,  many  of  the  nymphs  are  found  on  the  upper  surfaces.  After  the 
second  stage  the  nymphs  seem  to  migrate  somewhat  and  feed  singly  and  in 
colonies  on  any  portion  of  the  leaf  which  is  shaded.  No  particular  portion 
of  the  plant  seems  to  be  preferred,  as  entire  bushes  were  found  infested 
from  top  to  bottom." 

Tropidosteptes  saxeus  Dist.  This  bug,  which  was  recorded  in  1909  from 
New  Brunswick  on  ash,  has  recently  been  reported  from  Somerville,  Mill- 
bum,  South  Orange,  Kingston,  Springfield,  Irvington,  Rutherford,  Morris 
Plains  and  Elizabeth  by  Mr.  Weiss  and  Mr.  Dickerson.  The  species  is  re- 
ported by  the  above  as  causing  a  white  spotting  of  the  upper  surfaces  of  the 
leaves  by  feeding  on  their  undersurfaces.  Severe  infestations  cause  the 
leaves  to  dry  and  curl.  The  adults  appear  at  New  Brunswick  in  the  latter 
part  of  May  and  early  June.  Eggs  are  laid  in  the  midribs  of  the  younger 
leaves.    Adults  of  the  second  brood  appear  the  latter  part  of  August 

Stephonitis  pyrioides  Scott.  Recently  this  species  of  lace  bug  (the  azalea 
lace  bug)  has  become  abundant  enough  to  do  a  considerable  amount  of  dam- 
age to  azaleas.  Mr.  Weiss  and  Mr.  Dickerson  carried  out  an  investigatioa 
of  the  species  and  reached  the  following  conclusions:     (z)  it  is  kno¥m  to 


'  Dickerson,  Edgar  L.,  and  Weiss,  H.  B.,  Ent.  News,  v.  27,  p.  308. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  511 

occur  at  Arlington,  Rutherford,  Far  Hills,  Rivcrton,  Palmyra,  Springfield, 
Nutley  and  New  Brunswick  in  New  Jersey,  at  Bala  in  Pa.,  in  Washington, 
D.  C,  and  in  Hollands  and  Japan ;  (2)  it  has  probably  come  into  New  Jersey 
in  the  tgg  stage  on  evergreens  and  azaleas  from  Japan;  (3)  it  attacks  Hino- 
degeri,  Amoena,  Ledifolia  alba,  Benigeri,  Yodogawa,  Kaempheri,  Pontica, 
Mollis,  Indica,  Shirogeri,  Hatsugeri,  Shibori,  Amurasaki,  Schilippenbachii, 
etc.,  but  is  less  severe  on  the  deciduous  than  on  the  evergreen  ones;  (4)  in- 
jury is  due  to  robbing  the  foliage  of  sap,  and  when  severe  may  cause  the 
leaves  to  become  white;  (5)  it  winters  in  the  leaf  in  the  egg  stage  and  has 
three  broods  per  season;  (6)  it  may  be  controlled  by  spraying  with  whale 
oil  soap  at  the  rate  of  5  to  6  pounds  of  soap  to  50  gallons  of  vrater  just  after 
the  winter  eggs  have  hatched.  The  spray  must  hit  the  under  sides  of  the 
leaf. 

Monarthro palpus  huxi  Lab.  Thb  small  fly,  known  commonly  as  the  Euro- 
pean boxwood  leaf  miner,  has  recently  assumed  the  position  of  a  pest  of 
considerable  importance.  Mr.  H.  B.  Webs  has  had  an  opportunity  to  make 
a  study  of  it  and  reports  the  following  conclusions:  (i)  this  insect  is  now 
known  to  occur  at  Rutherford,  Far  Hills,  Gladstone,  Peapack,  South  Orange 
and  Eatontown,  and  will  doubtless  be  found  in  other  places  in  the  near 
future ;  (2)  it  has  been  introduced  from  Holland  within  the  past  five  years ; 
(3)  it  has  been  taken  on  freshly  imported  stock  from  France  and  Holland, 
especially  the  latter;  (4)  the  uniform  green  of  valuable  plants  is  ruined  hy 
yellowish  spotted  leaves  and  in  bad  cases  with  dead  and  dying  foliage;  (5) 
egg  laying  begins  in  the  latter  part  of  May  and  doubtless  continues  through 
early  June,  the  eggs  are  laid  in  the  leaves  and  as  many  as  35  eggs  have  been 
found  in  a  single  leaf  under  laboratory  conditions,  the  eggs  hatch  and  the 
yellowish-white  maggots  mine  the  leaves  all  summer  and  pass  the  winter  in 
the  mines  and  transformation  to  pupae  occurs  in  the  spring;  (6)  that,  con- 
sidering the  damage  which  this  midge  is  capable  of  doing  and  the  lack  of 
really  efficient  remedies,  together  with  the  fact  that  partly  injured  boxwoods 
are  no  longer  ornamental,  it  would  seem  that  prompt  destruction  of-  the 
infested  plants  before  the  adults  emerge  in  the  spring  should  prove  the  best 
method  of  control. 

VI 

THE  RESPONSE  OF  THE  HOUSE-FLY  TO  CERTAIN  FOODS  AND 
THEIR  FERMENTATION  PRODUCTS 

C.  H.  RiCHABDSON 

Introduction 

Experience  teaches  that  the  house-fly,  like  most  insects,  seeks  its  food 
largely  by  means  of  a  keenly  developed  olfactory  sense.  The  present  paper 
gives  the  results  of  a  series  of  experiments  conducted  at  New  Brunswick, 
N.  J.,  during  the  summer  of  1916  on  the  response  of  the  house-fly  to  certain 
foods  and  their  fermentation  products.  It  is  a  continuation  of  the  writer's 
work  on  responses  of  the  house-fly  to  environmental  factors,  a  part  of  which 
has  already  appeared  (5). 


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512      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Investigation  of  the  food  preferences  of  this  insect  is  beset  with  numer- 
ous difficulties.  Climatic  conditions,  especially  temperature  and  light, 
affect  its  activities,  but  more  puzzling  is  the  great  difference  in  abundance 
often  observed  on  two  consecutive  days  when  conditions  of  temperature, 
moisture  and  light  appear  to  be  nearly  uniform.  Many  explanations  sug- 
gest themselves,  such  as  the  appearance  of  new  broods,  disposition  to 
migrate  and  the  desire  to  vary  the  diet.  Under  such  conditions  it  is  para- 
mount that  all  experiments  be  repeated  a  number  of  times  as  isolated 
experiments  may  lead  to  entirely  erroneous  results. 

The  data  given  here  must  be  considered  a  preliminary  treatment  of  this 
subject,  awaiting  further  verification  and  extension. 

One  of  the  first  studies  made  on  the  food  preferences  of  the  house-fly  was 
r^orted  by  Morrill  (4).  A  large  number  of  substances,  including  sucrose 
(cane  sugar),  cane  syrup,  vinegar,  bread,  bran,  sweet  and  sour  milk,  fresh 
and  stale  beer,  fresh  and  decomposed  meat,  fresh  and  decomposed  fish, 
dead  flies,  dried  blood  and  a  number  of  less  complex  chemical  substances, 
including  ethyl  alcohol,  formaldehyde  solution  (40  per  cent),  potassium 
dichromate,  cobalt  and  water  were  used  alone  and  in  various  combina- 
tions. Some  of  the  results  obtained  have  a  bearing  on  the  present  investi- 
gation. Sucrose  was  comparatively  unattractive  when  used  in  aqueous  solu- 
tion with  formaldehyde.  The  addition  of  95  per  cent  ethyl  alcohol  (i  part 
to  20  parts  of  water),  increased  its  attractiveness.  Vinegar  in  combination 
with  sucrose  was  eagerly  sought  by  house-fiies.  Vinegars  contain  from  3 
to  9  per  cent  absolute  acetic  acid  and  it  is  possible  that  this  was  respon- 
sible for  the  result,  although  one  cannot  assume  too  much  since  vinegar 
is  a  very  complex  product.  Ethyl  alcohol  when  added  to  beer  did  not  form  an 
attractive  mixture.  The  explanation  is  probably  to  be  found  in  the  fact 
that  the  mixture  contained  too  much  alcohol.  American  beers  have  an 
alcohol  content  of  from  3  to  5  per  cent  ethyl  alcohol.  The  addition  of 
dilute  alcohol  (i  to  10)  would  raise  the  alcohol  content  of  the  solution  to 
a  point  which  would  render  it  less  attractive.  The  experiments  reported 
here  show  that  10  per  cent  ethyl  alcohol  is  considerably  less  attractive  than 
4  per  cent.  Morrill's  studies  further  point  out  the  irregularity  of  response 
to  the  same  bait  on  different  days. 

Buck  (2)  conducted  a  series  of  experiments  similar  to  Morrill's.  He 
advocated  not  less  than  3  per  cent  or  over  8  per  cent  of  95  per  cent  ethyl 
alcohol  when  used  in  water  alone.  Sucrose  was  found  to  be  a  valuable 
addition  to  various  baits,  sometimes  increasing  their  attractiveness  from 
i(T  to  20  per  cent. 

Methoda 

The  experiments  were  conducted  on  a  shelf  along  the  south  side  of  a 
barn,  in  a  well-lighted  location,  where  flies  were  always  plentiful.  Screen- 
wire  fly-traps,  gH  inches  high  and  6  inches  in  diameter  at  the  base,  were 
used  in  all  experiments.  The  screen  was  given  a  coat  of  spar  varnish  to 
prevent  rusting.  White  glazed  earthenware  dishes,  122  m.m,  in  diameter  at 
the  top,  with  a  capacity  of  125  c.c,  were  used  as  containers  for  the  various 
solutions.     The  metal  traps,  pans,  and  the  earthenware  dishes  were  care- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  513 

fully  washed  at  the  cotodusion  of  each  experiment.  All  solutions  were 
made  up  with  distilled  water. 

Special  care  was  exercised  to  see  that  no  trap  containing  the  same  ma- 
terial occupied  the  same  location  in  two  consecutive  experiments.  The 
traps  were  placed  in  a  linear  series  along  the  shelf  3  feet  apart.  During 
the  course  of  a  series  of  experiments,  a  single  material  was  exposed  near 
the  east  and  west  ends  and  near  the  mliddle  of  the  space  occupied  by  the 
traps.  As  far  as  possible,  the  same  trap  was  not  used  twice  consecutively 
with  the  same  material  Unless  otherwise  stated,  only  one  portion  of  a 
substance  was  used  in  each  experiment. 

The  results  given  apply  only  to  the  house-fly  {Musca  dotnesHca  L.), 
although  a  number  of  other  species  often  frequented  the  traps.  Careful 
counts  and  estimates  made  throughout  the  course  of  these  experiments 
show  that  more  than  95  per  cent  of  the  flies  captured  were  house-flies.  The 
percentage  of  other  species  was  a  little  higher  during  July,  but  diminished 
during  August. 

All  the  substances  used  in  these  experiments  captured,  on  the  average, 
nearly  equal  numbers  of  males  and  females. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  CASBOHYDRATES 

Carbohydrates  form  a  large  part  of  the  foods  which  the  house-fly  ordi- 
narily ingests.  It  was  therefore  decided  to  test  the  attractiveness  of  aqueous 
solutions  of  some  of  the  carbohydrates  of  wide  occurrence  in  nature.  Glu- 
cose (dextrose),  fructose  (levulose)  and  galactose  were  chosen  from  the 
monosaccharides,  maltose,  lactose,  and  sucrose'  (cane  sugar)  from  the  di- 
saccharides  and  dextrin  and  starch  from  the  polysaccharides. 

Solutions  of  I  gm.  to  50  c.c,  2  gm,  to  50  c.c.  and  5  gm,  to  50  c.c.  of  dis- 
tilled water  were  employed  and  50  c.c.  were  placed  in  each  trap.  The  experi- 
ments with  galactose  were  not  completed  because  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining 
this  compound.    The  results  of  these  experiments  are  expressed  in  Table  IX. 

On  the  whole,  these  carbohydrates  in  aqueous  solution  were  not  very  at- 
tractive to  house-flies.  Considering  all  the  experiments,  lactose  caught  the 
largest  number  of  flies,  starch  the  least  Dextrin  also  caught  a  comparatively 
large  number  of  flies.  Sucrose  was  consistently  a  poor  bait  There  were 
often  great  variations  in  the  numbers  caught  on  different  days,  which  fre- 
quently bore  no  relation  to  the  length  of  time  the  traps  were  exposed. 

From  the  foregoing  experiments  I  believe  it  is  safe  to  state  that  the  car- 
bohydrates of  common  occurrence,  at  least  when  not  undergoing  fermenta- 
tion, are  not  very  attractive. 

EXPERIMENTS  WITH  AI^COHOI^  AND  ACIDS 

The  decomposition  of  foods  containing  large  amounts  of  the  fermentable 
sugars  results  in  the  formation  of  a  long  list  of  compounds,  prominent  of 
which  are  ethyl  alcohol,  carbon  dioxide,  acetic  add,  lactic  add,  fusd  oil,  and 
succinic  add.  It  is  practically  impossible  to  control  the  fermentation  in  any 
food  mixttire  so  that  one  or  even  two  or  three  compounds  will  form  at  the 
exdnsion  of  all  others.  For  this  reason  it  was  dedded  to  experiment  with 
dilute  solutions  of  certain  of  these  fermentation  products  both  in  aqueous 

33  ^ 


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514      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


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sohition  and  in  solutions  with  certain  carbohydrates.  In  this  way  mixtures 
reasonably  free  from  impurities  can  be  obtained. 

It  should  be  stated  at  this  point  that  the  amylic  alcohol  (technical)  used 
in  these  experiments  was  a  mixture  of  isoamyl  and  active  amyl  alcohols,  the 
former  predominating.  These  alcohols,  together  with  some  others,  are  found 
in  the  fusel  oil  obtained  from  crude  spirit  by  distillation.  They  are  derived 
from  the  amino  acids  in  mixtures  which  are  undergoing  alcoholic  fermenta- 
tion. 

Table  X  gives  the  results  of  these  experiments: 


Table  X 
Response  of  the  House-Fly  to  Alcohols  and  Acids 


Material 

8/28-29 
22hr8. 

8/29-aO  8/30-31 
20  hra.  24  hrs. 

8/81- 

9/2 

46  hra. 

9/4-7 
66  hrs. 

9/7-8 
30  hra. 

•3 

1 

Average  Per 
Hr.  (AUBx- 
porintents) 

50  c.c. 
4%  Bdhyl  alcohol 

146 

67           37 

82 

14 

546 

891 

148.5 

4.30 

60  c.c. 
10%  EU17I  alcohol 

19 

21 

12 

166 

3 

333 

544 

90.6 

2.62 

50  c.c. 

4%  amylic  alcohol 

(tech.) 

142 

128 

106 

292 

17 

576 

1256 

209.3 

6.06 

60  ex. 

10%  amylic  alcohol 

(tech.) 

203 

41 

31 

59 

7 

778 

1119 

186.5 

5.40 

50  c.c 
4%  acetic  acid 

S8 

22 

2 

101 

4 

235 

452 

75.3 

2.18 

60  cc 

10%  aceUc  add 

173 

11 

4 

IT 

8 

1029 

1242 

207.0 

6.00 

60  e.e. 
4%  lactic  acid 

5 

6 

10 

6.0 

0.28 

60e.e. 
10%  lactic  acid 

39 

11 

50 

1 

25.0 

1.19 

60  ce. 
4%  tQcdnic  acid 

64 

12 

76 

88.0 

1.80 

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5i6   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Four  per  cent  ethyl  alcohol  was  considerably  more  attractive  than  lo  per 
cent.  Four  per  cent  amylic  alcohol  (technical)  was  slightly  more  attracttre 
than  10  per  cent  Ten  per  cent  acetic  acid  was  more  attractive  than  4  per 
cent.  Lactic  and  succinic  acids  were  also  attractive,  but  too  few  experiments 
were  performed  with  them  to  lead  to  any  conclusions. 

Amylic  alcohol  (tech.)  of  4  per  cent  concentration  caught  more  flies  than 
any  other  substance  used  in  this  series.  Although  the  averages  per  experi- 
ment and  per  hour  of  10  per  cent  acetic  add  closely  approach  those  given 
for  4  per  cent  amylic  alcohol  (tech.),  a  comparison  of  the  individual  experi- 
ments will  show  that  amylic  alcohol  (tech.)  gave  more  consistent  results. 
Amylic  alcohol  (tech.)  was  more  than  twice  as  attractive  as  10  per  cent 
acetic  acid  in  4  experiments,  while  the  acetic  add  was  more  attractive  (thougji 
not  twice  so)  in  two  experiments. 

EXPCRIMENTS     WITH     CASBOHYDRATES     IN     SOI^UTION     WITH     ACSTIC    ACID    AXD 

ALCOHOLS. 

Aqueous  solutions  of  maltose,  lactose,  sucrose  and  dextrin  containing  ethyl 
alcohol,  amylic  alcohol  (tech.)  or  acetic  acid  were  made,  5  gm.  of  carbo- 
hydrate to  50  c.c.  of  solution  being  used.  The  alcohols  and  acetic  acid  were 
used  in  4  per  cent  concentrations.    The  results  are  stated  in  the  following 

Table: 

Table  XI 

Response  of  the  House-Fly  to  Solutions  Containing  Carbohydrates,  Alco- 
hols and  Acetic  Acrd 


Material,  5  gm.  In  SO  c.c. 
of  SolatlOQ 


8/22-28 
22hr8. 


\        r 
I       I 

8/28^26|8/26-28| 


41  hra.  I  76  brs.  I 


5 


Si 


lb 


Maltose  and  distUled  water 

Maltose  and  495?  ethyl    alcohol 

Maltose  and  4%  acetic    acid 

Maltose  and  4%  amylic   alcohol    (tech.). 


Lactose  and  dlsUlled   water,    

Lactose  and  4%  ethyl   alcohol,    

Lactose  and  4%  acetic  add 

Lactose  and  4%  amylic  alcohol  (tech.). 


Socrose  and  distilled   water 

Sucrose  and  4%  ethyl   alcohol 

Sucrose  and  4%  acetic   acid,    

Sucrose  and  4%  amyUc  alcohol   (tech.), 


Dextrin  and  distilled  water,    

Dextrin  and  4%  ethyl  alcohol 

Dextrin  and  4%  acetic  acid 

Dextrin  aiMl  4%  amylic  alcohol   (tech.), 


2 

11 
0 
2 


21 

600 
100 
440 


90 
160 

eo 

270 


7 
155 
75 
650 


28 
400 
150 
044 


62 
200 
175 
460 


6 
78 


880 


28 

500 
105 
1078 


152 
800 
235 
720 


18 


106 
080 


25 

411 
150 
946 


11.5 
250.0 

52.6 
689.0 


76.0 
180.0 
117.5 
860.0 


6.5 

116.6 

51.5 

466.0 


12.5 
205.6 

76.0 
478.0 


0.8 
7.8 
1.8 
17.1 


1.2 
8.0 
8.0 


0.1 
1.0 

as 

7.9 


Oi8 
6.5 
2.8 
16.0 


In  every  case  the  attractiveness  of  the  carbohydrate  was  increased  by  die 
addition  of  amylic  alcohol  (tech.),  ethyl  alcohol  or  acetic  add.  Amylic  alco- 
hol (tech.)  was  more  effective  when  used  with  a  carbohydrate  than  when  used 
alone ;  indeed,  with  maltose  and  dextrin,  it  appeared  to  be  remarkably  effect* 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  517 

ivc  Ethyl  alcohol  was  more  attractive  with  maltose  and  dextrin  than  when 
used  alone,  but  less  so  when  used  with  lactose  and  sucrose.  Acetic  add 
seemed  to  be  a  little  more  attractive  when  used  alone  than  when  added  to 
solutions  of  the  carbohydrates  employed  in  these  experiments. 

While  these  experiments  are  not  as  extensive  as  one  might  desire,  when 
compared  with  the  results  obtained  in  the  e3q>eriments  on  carbohydrates  and 
on  adds  and  alcohols,  they  form  a  significant  series. 

BXPSRIHBNTS    WITH    OTHER    fOOD    SUBSTAKCBS 

Wheat  Flour.  Bread  has  often  been  used  as  a  fly  bait,  and,  when  added  to 
other  food  mixtures,  it  seems  to  enhance  their  attraction  to  house-flies 
almost  invariably.  This  led  into  a  study  of  the  response  of  house-flies  to 
certain  constituents  of  wheat  flour,  but  it  was  not  possible  to  pursue  this 
work  very  far  in  the  time  allotted. 

The  studies  on  carbohydrates  showed  that  starch,  at  least  when  not  under- 
going diemical  change,  was  practically  unattractive.  Wheat  flour,  in  addi- 
tion to  its  large  starch  content,  is  rich  in  proteins,  principally  gliadin  and  glu- 
tenin  with  smaller  quantities  of  water-soluble  proteins.  It  was  therefore 
dedded  to  test  the  attractiveness  of  certain  wheat  protdns. 

By  kneading  white  wheat  flour  dough  in  water  till  practically  all  the  starch 
granules  have  been  freed,  it  is  possible  to  prepare  a  substance  consisting 
largely  of  gliadin  and  glutenin  Imown  as  crude  gluten.  The  crude  gluten 
cannot  be  entirely  freed  of  water-soluble  protein  by  this  method 

One  gm.  of  crude  gluten  in  50  cc.  of  water  was  used  in  each  trap.  Other 
traps  contained  an  equal  amount  of  wheat  flour  in  50  cc.  of  water.  Two  ex- 
periments were  made  with  the  following  results:  Crude  gluten  and  water, 
2  traps  in  each  experiment,  total  6  flies.  White  wheat  flour  and  water,  2  traps 
in  each  experiment,  total  332  flies;  control  (water),  2  traps  in  each  experi- 
ment, total  7  flies. 

In  view  of  the  poor  success  of  the  crude  gluten  it  did  not  seem  advisable 
to  try  gliadin  and  glutenin  separately. 

Other  experiments  were  made  with  solutions  containing  the  starch  gran- 
ules (in  suspension),  and  all  the  water-soluble  constituents  except  those  re- 
moved with  the  crude  gluten.  Results  of  these  experiments  follow:  i  gm. 
starch  and  water-soluble  constituents  in  50  cc.  water,  3  traps,  total  2,112  flies; 
control  (water),  2  traps,  total  3  flies;  1.35  gm.  starch  and  water-soluble  con- 
stituents in  50  cc  water,  2  traps,  total  7  flies;  same,  2  traps,  total  218  flies; 
2.5  gm.  starch  and  water-soluble  constituents  in  50  cc.  water,  2  traps,  total 
855  flies;  control  (water),  2  traps,  total  4  flies. 

These  experiments  with  solutions  containing  the  starch  and  water-soluble 
substances  of  wheat  flour  indicate  that  some  of  the  ingredients  are  attractive 
to  the  house-fly. 

Further  experiments  with  solutions  containing  only  the  water-soluble  sub- 
stances present  in  wheat  flour  (the  suspended  starch  bdng  removed  by  filtra- 
tion) gave  the  following  results:  0.1  gm.  water-soluble  constituents  in  50  cc 
water,  3  traps,  total  4  flies;  control  (water),  3  traps,  total  i  fly;  ai  gm.  water- 
soluble  constituents  in  50  cc.  water,  2  traps,  total  2,400  flies ;  control  (water) , 
2  traps,  total  21  flies. 


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5i8      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

While  too  much  reliance  cannot  be  placed  in  this  small  nmnber  of  experi- 
ments, the  indications  are  that  the  water-soluble  constituents  alone  of  wheat 
flour  arc  eagerly  sought  by  house-flies. 

Milk.  Milk  is  uniformly  a  good  fly  bait  It  is,  however,  like  idieat  floor, 
so  complex  that  any  adequate  study  of  its  attractiveness  to  the  house-fly 
would  require  considerable  time.  A  few  tests  were  made  on  fresh  milk  in 
the  following  manner.  The  milk  was  acidified  with  dilute  acetic  add  until 
the  casein  was  precipitated.  The  liquid  portion  was  separated  from  the  solid 
casein,  which  also  held  much  butterfat,  by  filtration.  In  two  experiments, 
the  casein-fat  mixture  did  not  attract  flies.  Treatment  with  ether  removed 
the  butterfat.  The  fat- free  casein  caught  77  flies  in  one  experiment;  10  cc 
of  butterfat  (ether  extract)  caught  2  flies  in  one  experiment. 

These  experiments  merely  indicate  that  fat-free  casein  is  attractive,  while 
butterfat  is  not. 

PRACnCAI,  APiOJCATlON 

A  number  of  experiments  with  poisoned  baits  were  conducted  during  tlie 
stunmer.  Previous  work  of  Mally  (3)  in  South  Africa  and  Berlese  (z)  in 
Italy  has  demonstrated  the  effectiveness  of  solutions  of  molasses  pdsoatd 
with  sodium  arsenite  as  a  bait  for  house-flies.  Several  tests  made  at  New 
Brunswick  with  Mal^s  formula  or  slight  modifications  of  it  gave  fair  re- 
sults. The  molasses  solution  was  spread  over  boards  and  rockwork  where 
flies  were  abtmdant,  and  although  many  were  killed,  the  method  was  not  as 
successful  as  was  anticipated. 

Two  trap  experiments  with  molasses  solution  (25  cc  molasses  in  75  cc 
water)  to  which  i  gm.  of  sodium  arsenite  and  4  cc  amy  lie  alcohol  (tech.) 
were  added  to  each  100  cc,  gave  2,000  and  468  flies,  respectively.  In  the 
same  series  a  sohition  of  the  water-soluble  part  of  wheat  flour  with  the 
starch  in  suspension  (1.35  gm.  in  50  cc  water)  containing  the  same  amotuit 
of  sodium  arsenite  and  amylic  alcohol  (tech.)  captured  1,052  and  206  flies, 
respectively.  The  attractiveness  of  the  wheat  flour  solution  was  greatly  in- 
creased by  the  addition  of  amylic  alcohol  (tech.).  Four  per  cent  acetic  9^d 
solution  of  wheat  flour,  containing  sodium  arsenite,  was  not  as  attractive  as 
the  solution  without  add.  The  addition  of  both  acetic  acid  and  amylic  alco- 
hol (tech.)  (4  per  cent  concentrations)  gave  little  better  results  than  wiien 
amylic  alcohol  only  was  added  to  the  solution. 

The  following  mixture  was  used  with  considerable  success  in  a  bam :  blade 
strap  molasses  800  cc,  water  1,600  cc,  sodium  arsenite  24  gm.,  amylic  alcohol 
(tech.)  100  cc  This  mixture  was  placed  in  shallow  pans  in  which  Hts  of 
straw  were  dropped.  Although  cool,  cloudy  weather  prevailed  durixig  the 
course  of  the  experiment  a  considerable  number  of  flies  were  poisoned. 

Amylic  alcohol  (tech.)  is  scarcely  soluble  in  water,  and  for  this  reason  it 
is  impossible  to  distribute  it  evenly  throughout  an  aqueous  solution.  More- 
over, it  is  quite  volatile  and  usually  disappears  within  24  hours. 

Conclusions 

The  following  conclusions  are  drawn  from  these  experiments.  As  stated 
elsewhere  in  this  article,  they  must  be  considered  as  tentative,  awaiting  more 
extended  investigation. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  519 

(i)  Glucose,  fructose,  galactose,  maltose,  lactose,  sucrose,  starch  and  dex- 
trin were  not  very  attractive  to  house-flies.  Lactose  and  dextrin  cau^t  the 
largest  number  of  flies,  starch  the  least    Sucrose  was  consistently  a  poor  bait 

(2)  The  acids  and  alcohob  Itu-ed  flies  in  the  following  order:  4  per  cent 
amy  lie  alcohol  (tech.),  zo  per  cent  acetic  add,  10  per  cent  amy  lie  alcohol 
(tech.),  4  per  cent  ethyl  alcohol,  10  per  cent  ediyl  alcohol  and  4  per  cent 
acetic  acid.  Succinic  and  lactic  adds  showed  some  attractive  qualities  in  two 
experiments. 

(3)  Maltose,  lactose,  sucrose  and  dextrin  in  4  per  cent  solutions  of  amylic 
alcohol,  ethyl  alcohol  and  acetic  add  were  more  frequently  visited  by  house- 
flies  than  the  corresponding  aqueous  solutions.  Maltose  and  dextrin  solu- 
tions were  more  effective  than  lactose  and  sucrose.  The  order  of  response  to 
the  alcohols  and  acetic  add  was  the  same  as  in  (2). 

(4)  Crude  gluten  from  wheat  flour,  consbting  largely  of  gliadin  and  glu- 
tenin  was  not  attractive.  Solutions  of  the  water-soluble  portion  of  wheat 
flour,  with  or  without  the  starch  in  suspension,  were  deddedly  attractive. 

(5)  Several  experiments  with  milk  indicate  that  fat- free  casein  is  at- 
tractive, while  butter  fat  (ether  extract)  b  not 

(6)  Experiments  suggest  that  aqueous  solutions  of  molasses  to  which  so- 
dium arsenite  and  amylic  alcohol  (tech.)  are  added  have  considerable  value 
as  a  poisoned  bait  for  house-flies.  The  water-soluble  portion  of  wheat  flour 
containing  the  starch  in  suspension  also  gave  good  results  with  the  same 
additions. 

Bibliography 

(i)  Berlete,  A. 

1 9 12.     La  distruzione  della  Mosca  domestica.     Redia,  v.  8,  p.  462-470. 
(a)  Buck,  J.  E. 

1 91 5.  Fly  baits.     Ala.  Agr.  Exp.  Sta.  Circ.  32,  39  p. 

(3)  MaUy.   C.   W. 

191 5.     Notes   on   the  use   of  poisoned  bait   for   controlling  the   house-fly, 
domestica  L-     In  South  African  Jour.   Sci.,  v.  9,  no.  9.  p.   321-328. 

(4)  Morrill,  A.  W. 

1914.     Experiments  with  house-fly  baits  and  poisons.     In  Jour.   Econ.   Ent,  v.   7, 
no.   3.  p.   268-274. 

(5)  Richardson.  C  H. 

1 91 6.  The  response  of  the  house-fly  {Musca  domestica  L.)  to  ammonia  and  other 
substances.     N.   J.   Agri.    Exp.    Sta.    Bui.    292,    19   p. 


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Report  of  the  Mosquito  Work  for  1916 

Thomas  J.  Headlee 

The  attention  of  the  entomologist  and  his  assistants  have  this 
year  been  directed  to  finishing  the  work  contemplated  under 
four  contracts  that  were  executed  but  not  finished  last  year,  to 
general  oversight  of  the  county  mosquito  work,  and  to  extend- 
ing such  aid  along  mosquito  control  lines  to  various  organiza- 
tions and  individuals  applying  for  it  as  the  means  at  hand  would 
permit.  The  funds  of  1916  were  so  limited  as  to  forbid  the 
letting  of  any  new  contracts. 

8ALT-MAR8H  DRAINAGE  IN  1916 

The  entomologist  has  found  so  many  discrepancies  in  the 
statements  relative  to  the  amounts  and  kinds  of  drainage  estab- 
lished on  the  salt-marsh  and  so  little  solid  information  on  which 
to  base  a  complete  statement  that  he  has  b^;un  the  gathering  of 
the  data  necessary  to  a  complete  detailed  statement  of  the  entire 
matter.  Until  the  facts  are  in  hand  any  further  attempt  to  state 
the  matter  appears  to  be  inadvisable. 

Table  XII 
Salt-Marsh  Ditching  Work  Up  to  and  Including  1916 


PaBIOD 


ii- 


Cost  to  the  State 


■?  «  OS 


I: 


Up  to  1907. 

In  1907,  as 

In  1906,  as 

In  1909,   as 

In  1910,  as 

In  1911,  as 

In  1912.  as 

In  1918,  as 

In  1914,  as 

In  1916,  as 

In  1916,  as 


as  reported, 

reported,  ... 

reported,  ... 

reported,  ... 

reported,  ... 

reported,  . . . 

reported,  ... 

reported,  ... 

reported,  ... 

reported,  ,., 

reported,  ... 


15.S51 
10,951 
6,669 
2,672 
4.650 
S.528 
6,195 
7.174 


2,215,524 

1,505,524  I 

888,650 

865.800 

350,000 

712.000 

1,000,180 

1.564.842 

1.293,840 

2.685,071 

2,543,713 


19,400.00 

15,758.00 

9.917.00 

4.471.00 

19,650.00 

21.650.00 

21.680.00 

7,688.88 

18.100.28 


11.000.00 


589.00 


4,100.00 
4.242.00 
4.648.00 
4,242.00 
4,643.00 
2,628.00 
6,860.00 
8.360.00 
4,886.40 
4.718.86 


(521) 


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522      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Salt-Marth  Drainage  in  1916 

The  salt-marsh  drainage  work  carried  on  by  the  Experiment 
Station  in  1916  consisted  of  bringing  the  contracts  of  the  pre- 
vious year  to  completion.  The  fiscal  year  of  191 5  came  to  a 
close  with  four  contracts  still  incomplete :  ( i )  one  for  the  cut- 
ting of  225,000  linear  feet  of  10  x  30-inch  ditching  or  its  equiva- 
lent on  that  area  of  salt-marsh  which  extends  from  the  Bergen- 
Hudson  dividing  line  northward  between  the  Hackensack  River 
and  the  highland  to  the  west  to  the  Paterson  Plank  Road,  which 
leads  across  the  valley  southeastward  from  Carlstadt;  (2) 
another  for  cutting  90,000  linear  feet  or  its  equivalent  on  that 
area  of  salt  marsh  which  extends  from  the  Paterson  Plank  Road 
northward  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the  highland  to 
the  west  to  the  northern  boundary  of  the  borough  of  Carlstadt; 
(3)  another  for  the  cutting  of  189,189  linear  feet  of  10  x  30-inch 
ditching  or  its  equivalent  on  the  salt-marsh  area  which  extends 
from  the  southern  boundary  of  Stafford  Township,  Ocean  Co., 
between  Bamegat  Bay  and  the  highland  to  the  west  to  the  north- 
em  boundary  of  the  same;  (4)  another  for  the  cutting  of 
209,634  linear  feet  of  10  x  30-inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  on 
the  salt-marsh  areas  extending  southward  from  Great  Egg  Har- 
bor on  both  sides  of  Pecks  Bay  to  the  meadow  boulevard  or 
highway  which  extends  from  Ocean  City  to  Marmora. 

First  Area 

(AH  that  salt  marsh  beginning  at  the  southern  boundary  of  Bergen  County 
and  extending  northward,  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the  highland 
to  the  west,  to  the  Paterson  Plank  Road.) 

This  area  of  salt  marsh  lies  in  the  limits  of  the  boroughs  of  North  Arling- 
ton, Rutherford,  and  East  Rutherford,  and  the  township  of  Union.  For  con- 
venience it  was  mapped  in  three  divisions  and  marked,  beginning  at  the 
southern  border,  as  "Bergen  Co.  Map  i,"  "Bergen  Co.  Map  z'  and  "Bergoi 
Co.  Map  3."  The  first  map  included  all  the  area  from  its  southern  limit 
northward  to  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  R.  R.  The  second  map 
covered  the  territory  from  that  line  northward  to  the  Eric  The  third  rep- 
resented the  marsh  from  Erie  R.  R.  northward  to  the  Paterson  Plank  Road. 

MAP  I 

In  this  section  of  marsh,  which  includes  about  1,230  acres,  147,899  linear 
feet  of  ID  X  30-inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  was  cut.  Two  large  creeks 
penetrate  this  area  and  determine  the  type  of  drainage.  Saw  Mill  crcdc 
forms  most  of  its  southern  boundary  and  Kingsland  Creek  nms  through  it 
near  its  northern  boundary.  By  means  of  a  southward  running  branch  of 
Kingsland  Creek  and  Fox's  Ditch  the  water  from  one  creek  can  pass  into  the 
other.  When  the  work  began  the  connection  had  been  almost  entirdy  closed 
by  plant  growth.  FurthermorCj  the  upper  courses  of  both  creeks  had  become 
shallow  through  the  accumulation  of  sediment,  and  at  one  point  in  its  lower 
course  the  channel  of  Kingsland  had  been  obstructed  by  throwing  pieces  of 
old  timber,  principally  railroad  ties,  into  it.  To  make  a  bad  matter  worse  at 
every  extra  high  tide  the  water  of  the  river  passed  over  its  banks  and  spread 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


523 


on  the  back  portions  of  the  marsh.  In  fact,  the  drainage  conditions  were 
such  that  large  portions  of  the  marsh  surface  were  never  free  from  water 
except  during  a  dry  period  of  considerable  length. 


BERCCN  COUNTY 

MAP  NQI 

LCOGr«> 

STATC  OJTCHIW 

COUNTY  OnrCHfNC  — - 


Fig.  4. — Drainage  Map  No.  i  of  Bergen  County. 


The  ditching  had  hardly  begun  before  the  heaviest  kind  of  breeding  ap- 
peared over  an  inundated  area  at  the  center  of  about  600  acres.  Utmost 
haste  was  made  with  the  trenching  to  run  this  water  off  and  kill  the  brood. 
Time  was  not  taken  to  clean  the  ditches  out.  Hardly  had  this  area  been 
trenched  and  the  brood  destroyed  before  heavy  breeding  appeared  in  Maps 
2  and  3,  and  the  gangs  were  hurried  into  these  areas.  The  result  of  the  haste 
was  that  while  the  mosquitoes  were  largely  eliminated,  the  trenching  was 
almost  completely  outlined  before  the  clearing  of  the  ditching  was  under- 


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524      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

taken.  Qeaning  began  on  Map  3  and  progressed  southward.  As  shown  in 
last  year's  report,  when  the  contractor  reached  the  ditch  clearing  on  Map  i 
he  balked,  and  the  matter  had  to  be  referred  to  the  attorney-general  On  the 
attorney-general  directing  the  contractor  to  complete  the  work  by  clearing 
the  ditches  on  Map  i  of  obstructions  and  putting  them  down  to  d^th,  he 
undertook  and  earned  out  the  work.  On  June  17,  1916,  the  entomologist  was 
able  to  certify  that  the  work  had  been  satisfactorily  completed  and  that  the 
last  payment  was  due. 

While  this  ditching  unquestionably  eliminated  the  worst  breeding,  it  was 
neither  sufficient  in  amount  nor  furnished  with  good  enougji  outlets.  The 
building  of  a  dike  along  the  west  bank  of  the  Hackensack  River  from  Saw 
Mill  Creek  to  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  R.  R.,  the  installation 
of  a  pair  of  tide  gates  in  the  mouth  of  Kingsland  Creek,  and  the  clearing  of 
the  channel  of  the  southern  branch  of  Kingsland  Creek,  and  of  Fox's  Ditch, 
thereby  providing  for  a  circulation  of  water  through  the  back  part  of  the 
marsh  between  Saw  Mill  and  Kingsland  Creek,  was  also  planned.  A  techni- 
cal ruling  of  the  comptroller  and  his  temporary  hold-up  of  funds,  for  reasons 
explained  in  the  last  report,  prevented  the  doing  of  further  work  on  this  area. 
The  county  mosquito  commission  undertook  to  supplement  this  work,  built 
the  tide  gates  in  1015,  and  the  dike  in  1916,  and  partly  cleaned  the  channels 
of  the  Creek  and  Fox's  Ditch  in  1916,  besides  cutting  105,886  feet  of  addi- 
tional ditching. 

The  area  is  now  in  good  shape  for  ordinary  seasons,  but  further  clearing 
of  the  above  outlets  and  the  cutting  of  certain  additional  ditching  will  prob- 
ably be  found  necessary  to  render  it  free  from  breeding  under  extreme  high 
tide  and  rainfall. 

The  drainage  systems  established  in  the  course  of  this  work  are  shown  on 
the  accompanying  map. 

MAP  2 

This  area,  which  amounts  to  1,542  acres,  consists  of  a  number  of  different 
subdivisions  that  must  be  drained  more  or  less  independently.  At  the  soutii- 
em  end  an  irregular  patch  covering  154  acres  lies  between  the  Boonton 
Branch  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  R.  R.  and  the  Jersey  City  water  pipe  line.  This 
section  was  covered  with  water,  well-stocked  with  fish,  showed  no  breeding, 
and  received  no  drainage.  Almost  the  entire  northwestern  comer,  amounting 
to  700  acres,  has  been  enclosed  in  a  dike  for  agricultural  purposes,  but  unfor- 
tunately the  southern  wall  has  been  breached  in  two  places  and  a  certain  part 
of  the  area  flooded.  Very  little  breeding  was  found  in  this  section,  and  very 
little  ditching  was  put  in.  A  third  division  lies  east  of  Berry's  Creek  and  be- 
tween the  southern  end  of  this  diked  area  and  the  Jersey  Gty  water  pipe 
line.  This  area  was  deeply  flooded,  showed  no  breeding,  and  was  not  ditched. 
The  fourth  and  last  section  lay  between  Berry's  Creek  and  the  Erie  R.  R. 
Breeding  was  found  here,  and  171669  feet  of  drainage  were  cut  to  rdieve  it 

There  can  be  no  question  as  to  whether  this  area  was  insufficiently  drained, 
but  the  breeding  in  Maps.i  and  3  was  so  much  more  serious  that  the  ento- 
mologist felt  justified  in  giving  this  section  the  minimum  amount  of  drainage. 

Since  that  time,  in  both  191 5  and  1916,  the  county  mosquito  commission  has 
cut  additional  ditching.  The  accompanying:  map  will  show  both  the  drainap 
established  by  the  Experiment  Station  and  that  cut  later  by  the  county  in 
such  a  way  that  two  can  be  distinguished.  Even  with  the  additional  ditchmg, 
the  drainage  of  the  area  is  not  complete. 

MAP  3 

This  area,  which  consists  of  1,830  acres,  was  found  breeding  between  the 
New  Jersey  and  New  York  R.  R,  and  the  highland  to  the  west,  especially  at 
the  foot  of  Orchard  Street,  where  it  was  soaked  with  sewage.  Both  the 
woodlands  and  the  marsh  surrounding  them,  especially  the  latter,  were  found 
to  be  breeding  badly.    All  the  ditching  placed  in  this  area,  amounting  to  86^147 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


525 


BERGCN  COUNTY 
MAP  N0.2 

LCCCfO 

STATE  orrcMNc  

COUNTY  OITCHINC 


Fig.  5' — Drainage  Map   No.  2  of   Bergen   County. 


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526   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

feet,  has  been  cut  in  the  above  sections.  Although  the  drainage  has  unde- 
niably eliminated  the  worst  breeding  spots  in  the  area,  the  amount  cut  is  too 
small  to  suffice  for  the  area  as  a  whole.  A  certain  amount  of  additional  ditch- 
ing has  since  been  placed  in  the  area  by  the  county  commission.  The  accom- 
panying map  serves  to  show  the  details  of  the  drainage  system  thus  estab- 
lished. 

BIMCNOOUKTY 

HAPNOd 

LOSCND 

5TATE0fTCWNC  

COUNTY  0ITCHIN( 


Fig.  6. — Drainage  Map   No.  3  of   Bergen  Count>'. 

A  feature  of  the  drainage  in  this  area  and  in  the  central  portion  of  the  first 
area  is  the  presence  of  many  old  stumps  and  roots,  which  in  some  places  arc 
so  close  together  that  the  roots  form  an  interlacing  network.  In  attempting 
to  cut  the  trenches  in  a  root-filled  region,  the  heavy  spades  could  not  be 
driven  through  and  the  contractor  was  compelled  to  resort  to  the  axe,  saw, 
and  slicing  bar.  The  prevalence  of  this  condition  is  without  doubt  the  prin- 
cipal cause  of  the  contractor  failing  to  finish  his  work  on  time. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  527 

Second  Area  (Carlstadt  Marsh) 

(All  that  salt  marsh  beginning  at  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  and  extending 
northward  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the  highland  to  the  west,  to 
the  northern  boundary  of  the  Borough  of  Carlstadt,) 

A  certain  amount  of  ditching  had  been  done  on  this  area  by  the  county 
mosquito  commission  before  the  contract  referred  to  was  let.  A  part  of  this 
drainage  had  been  placed  between  the  Moonachie  Road  and  the  highland  to 
the  west,  while  the  other  part  had  been  placed  just  south  and  southeast  of 
the  larger  wooded  area.  The  ditching  comprehended  in  this  contract  began 
on  the  southeast  side  of  the  large  woodland  and  continued  along  the  east  ^d 
north  sides  of  the  same;  then  crossed  Moonachie  Creek  and  circled  about 
the  small  woodland  which  lay  to  the  eastward. 

The  contractor,  Mr.  Fred  A.  Reiley,  proceeded  during  the  fine  weather  of 
the  fall  with  extreme  slowness  while  trying  to  use  a  marsh  ditching  machine 
(one  of  the  Eaton  type).  It  cut  fairly  good  ditches,  even  though  there  were 
many  roots  and  some  stumps,  until  the  first  one  inch  of  the  marsh  surface 
became  frozen.  Thereafter  neither  ditcher  nor  hand  spades  could  be  used. 
Nothing  further  was  done  until  the  following  spring.  When  spring  came, 
labor  was  extremely  hard  to  get,  and  only  a  small  number  of  men  were  em- 
ployed. This,  together  with  the  amount  of  stmnp  and  root  underlain  area 
delayed  the  work  until  there  was  no  hope  of  finishing  in  the  time  specified. 
The  contractor  averred  the  extreme  difficulty  of  getting  labor,  and  requested 
an  extension  of  time.  What  seemed  then  to  be  a  reasonable  extension  was 
granted,  but  the  state  of  the  labor  market  became  worse  and  worse,  and  a 
still  further  extension  was  granted.  The  work  was  finally  completed  on 
October  31,  1916. 

All  told,  94,667  linear  feet  of  10  x  30-inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  was 
cut  in  this  marsh.  The  extra  4,667  linear  feet  were  cut  to  make  up  the  re- 
duction in  depth  permitted  in  the  upper  ends  of  the  ditches  about  the  smaller 
woodland.  By  a  change  in  the  specifications  prepared  and  executed  accord- 
ing to  section  10  of  the  specifications,  the  contractor's  price  per  linear  foot 
was  cut  5  per  cent  for  the  shallowing  of  each  inch,  and  he  was  compelled  to 
cut  as  many  additional  linear  feet  of  ditching  as  the  total  reduction  would  buy 
at  the  specified  rate  of  2^'  cents  per  foot. 

The  drainage  system  established  is  as  good  as  any  that  the  entomologist 
has  seen.  It  is  not  likely,  however,  that  the  combined  drainage  established  by 
both  the  county  and  the  State  will  prove  entirely  sufficient  for  the  entire  area 
specified  above.  The  worst  places  are  drained,  but  doubtless  others  less  im- 
portant exist,  and  a  pneriod  of  extreme  high  tide  and  heavy  rainfall  during 
the  mosquito  season  will  serve  to  bring  them  out. 

The  accompanying  map  sets  forth  the  location  and  the  nature  of  the  drain- 
age systems  established  by  both  State  and  county. 

Third  Area  (Stafford  Township,  Ocean  County) 

{All  that  salt-marsh  area  beginning  at  the  northern  boundary  of  Stafford 
Township,  Ocean  County  {old  survey)  and  extending  southward  between 
Barnegat  Bay  and  the  highland  to  the  west,  to  the  southern  boundary  of 
the  said  township,) 

For  sake  of  convenience  this  area  had  been  mapped  in  three  divisions, 
named  respectively,  beginning  at  the  north— "Stafford  Township  Map  i/' 
''Stafford  Township  Map  2,"  and  "Stafford  Township  Map  3."  A  large 
amount  of  ditching  had  already  been  cut  in  Map  t  and  in  Map  2. 

About  84,588  linear  feet  of  10  x  30-inch  ditching,  or  its  equivalent,  was 
placed  in  the  territory  of  Map  i  as  a  means  of  supplementing  the  already 
existing  drainage.  In  the  course  of  this  work  three  interesting  and  rather 
difficult  drainage  problems  presented  thentselves.  The  water  in  Newell 
Ditch,  which  was  the  natural  outlet  for  a  large  portion  of  the  back  part 
of  this  marsh,  was  stagnant,  and  there  seemed  no  good  way  to  relieve  it. 
Finally,   it   was  decided  to  open  an   old  overgrown   ditch   extending   from 


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528   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

its  lower  end  southwestward  to  Cedar  Creek.  The  result  was  marvelous — 
Newell  Ditch  and  its  dependent  system  began  to  work  immediately.  The 
second  problem  was  to  find  an  outlet  for  the  section  of  the  meadow  which 
was  flooded  by  a  cedar  swamp  at  the  inner  edge  of  the  area.  After  much 
thought  it  was  decided  to  open  an  old  overgrown  ditch  known  locally  as 


BCf«€CN  COUNTY 
HAPN0.4 

LXCCND 

STATE  DfTCHlNG    

COUNTY  DITCHING 


fig.  7. — Drainage  Map  No.  4  of  Bergen  County. 

"Snapping  Turtle  Ditch."  As  a  result  the  area  was  promptly  laid  dry.  The 
third  problem  was  the  drainage  of  certain  pockets  on  a  knoll  at  the  inner 
edge  of  this  marsh.  The  sod  here  varied  from  10  to  2  inches  in  thickness 
and  the  distance  to  the  outlet  was  long.  The  problem  was  solved  by  secur- 
ing a  good  team  of  horses  and  a  breaking  plow  and  plowing  furrow  ditches 
by  which  the  water  was  led  to  the  outlets. 


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34  KX 


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S30      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  location  and  the  nature  of  ditching  are  shown  on  the  accompanying 
map. 

On  the  territory  of  Map  2  no  additional  ditching  was  cut  as  the  need 
for  it  did  not  at  the  tinie  appear. 

The  remainder  of  the  drainage,  amounting  to  104,609  linear  feet  of  10  x  30- 
inch  ditching,  or  its  equivalent,  was  placed  in  the  territory  covered  by  Map 
3  as  laid  down  on  the  accompanying  map.  Near  the  upland  in  this  area  a 
small  section,  which  was  more  or  less  underlain  by  roots  and  stumps,  was 
encountered,  but  the  trenches  were  sunk  to  depth  by  the  use  of  axe  and 
spade. 


^^r 

^\^^^ 

r 

-? 

V    ^ 

\36S' 

-i 

v^ 

^ 

lu   / 

^'-— ^ 

^ 

\  ifl^  y^'  — 

4 

X 

fe%^&. 

^ 

^NAma 


ffo^ 


\. 


^l'\~' 


\ 


OCEAN  COUNTY 


'■^'\y"~^\ 


MAP  Na2 


)\ 


fig.  p. — Drainage  Map  No.  2  of  Stafford  Township,  Ocean  County. 

On  April  22,  1916,  the  entomologist  was  able  to  certify  that  the  drainage 
contemplated  under  this  contract  with  the  U.  S.  Drainage  and  Irrigation 
Co.,  had  been  satisfactorily  completed. 

The  entomologist  feels  that  the  drainage  in  Maps  i  and  2  is  reasonably 
thorough,  but  that  a  considerable  amount  of  spurring  is  needed  in  the 
system  established  in  Map  3,  and  that  there  is  much  undrained  territory 
between  the  end  of  the  drained  area  and  the  southern  boundary  of  Staf- 
ford Township. 

Fourth  Area  (Ocean  City  and  Upper  Township,  Cape  May  Co.) 

(All  that  salt  marsh  beginning  on  the  south  side  of  Great  Egg  H(fbor 
and  extending  southward  betiveen  the  sand  strip  and  the  mainland,  to  the 
meadow  Boulevard  in  the  Borough  of  Ocean  City  and  Upper  Township  of 
Cape  May  County.) 

This  section  of  marsh  has  three  well-marked  divisions— the  island  area, 
the  area  adjacent  to  the  sand  strip  and  the  area  adjacent  to  the  mainland. 


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532      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  first  consists  of  a  considerable  number  of  low-lying  islands,  which 
because  of  the  frequency  with  which  they  are  flushed  by  the  tide,  do  not 
apparently  breed.    This  section  received  no  ditching  whatever. 

Mr.  Fred  A.  Reiley,  the  contractor,  began  the  trenching  at  the  north  end 
of  the  area  adjacent  to  the  sand  strip  and  continued  southward  toward  the 
meadow  boulevard.  Much  difficulty  was  experienced  in  obtaining  satisfactory 
outlets  for  sections  of  the  salt  marsh  that  had  been  left  partly  surrounded  by 
sand  fills,  and  for  areas  which  had  been  cut  off  from  the  normal  outlets  by 
railway  grades.  Fortunately,  only  a  few  of  the  former  were  present  Two 
lines  of  railway  run  parallel  southward  from  Ocean  City  and  both  cut  off 
considerable  sections  of  the  salt  marsh  from  all  adequate  outlets,  and  create 
great  breeding  places  for  mosquitoes.  Such  culverts  as  were  in  place  under 
the  grades  were  for  the  most  part  set  too  high  to  aflFord  any  really  effective 
drainage. 

Effective  cooperation  of  the  city  and  of  the  railways  was  secured,  and 
culverts  were  placed  as  necessary  under  the  streets  and  under  the  railway 
grades  in  such  a  fashion  as  to  establish  proper  outlet  for  the  drainage  cut  by 
die  State  Experiment  Station.  The  area  adjacent  to  the  sand  strip  was  rather 
thoroughly  drained. 

Ditching  on  the  area  adjacent  to  the  mainland  began  at  the  meadow 
boulevard  and  proceeded  northward.  No  problems  of  especial  interest  arose 
because  the  marsh  was  of  quite  the  usual  type.  The  remainder  of  feet  was 
utilized  in  cutting  long  ditches  and  the  spurring  was  neglected.  Without 
doubt  this  area  will  have  to  be  spurred  before  it  is  thoroughly  drained. 

Taking  the  fourth  area  as  a  whole  a  new  problem  presented  itself  in  the 
form  of  floating  sods.  The  floating  of  spade  sods  has  long  been  known  and 
held  as  one  of  the  drawbacks  to  salt-marsh  drainage.  Soon  after  this  job 
had  gotten  a  good  start  a  series  of  high  tides  lifted  the  long  ribbons,  moved 
them  in  some  cases  a  considerable  distance  from  the  places  where  they  were 
originally  placed.  As  this  would  greatly  interfere  with  the  harvesting  of 
the  hay  an  effort  was  made  to  fasten  the  upper  ribbon,  which  was  the  one 
that  floated  badly,  in  place.  Rough  30-inch  stakes  were  driven  through  the 
sod  into  the  soil  below,  and  it  was  found  that  when  placed  at  intervals  of 
50  feet  they  held  the  sod  satisfactorily. 

The  labor  problem  entered  into  this  job,  as  into  others,  and  necessitated 
an  extension  of  time.  On  September  25,  1916,  the  entomologist  was  able  to 
certify  that  the  work  had  been  completed.  The  accompan3ring  map  serves  to 
show  the  location  and  nature  of  the  ditching. 

In  the  course  of  the  work  under  the  contract  of  1915,  covering  225,000  feet 
of  ditching  in  Bergen  County  Maps  i,  2  and  3.  were  found  cases  in  which 
was  work  subsidiary  but  plainly  necessary  to  the  drainage  system  being 
established,  but  of  a  nature  to  render  its  equation  in  terms  of  feet  of 
10  X  30-inch  ditching  impracticable.  The  State  Comptroller  objected  to  the 
expenditure  of  additional  money  for  such  purposes,  because  the  same  had 
not  been  planned  for  in  the  original  estimates.  Accordingly,  in  the  three 
following  contracts  certain  additional  sums  over  and  above  the  contract  price 
were  set  aside  for  this  type  of  work.  In  the  Ocean  County  and  the  Cape 
May  County  contracts,  the  plan  worked  admirably,  but  in  the  Carlstadt  agree- 
ment in  Bergen  County,  it  proved  almost  useless. 

Summary 

Four  separate  contracts  started  in  191 5  were  finished  in  191 6.  The  first 
which  covered  the  ditchins:  in  Bergen  County,  Maps  i,  2,  and  3-  ^^ 
finished  Tune  I7.  IQ16,  with  251,615  linear  feet  of  10  x  30-inch  ditching. 
The  second,  which  covered  the  ditchino:  in  Boroueh  of  Carlstadt,  Bcrcen 
County.  Map  4.  was  finished  October  31.  1916.  with  94.667  linear  feet  of 
10  X  30-inch  ditchincr.  The  third,  which  covered  ditching  in  Stafford  Town- 
ship. Maps  1,  2  and  3,  of  Ocean  Countv.  was  finished  April  22,  1916,  with 
189,189  linear  feet  of  10  x  30-inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent.     The  fourth, 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  533 

which  covers  the  ditching  in  certain  marshes  in  the  Borough  of  Ocean  City 
and  Upper  Township  of  Cape  May  County,  was  finished  September  25,  1916, 
with  209,634  linear  feet  of  10  x  30-inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent. 


Fig,  II. — Drainage   Map   No.   i   of   Cape   May  County. 
Statement  of  1915  Salt-Marsh  Ditching  Work  Completed  In  1916 

No.  of  feet  of 
lo^nch  ditches  or 
Meadow  Acres        their  equivalent      Cost 

Hackensack  Valley,  west  of  River  from 
Saw    Mill    Creek    north   to    Paterson 

Plank  Road,  4.600  251,715  $4,218  75 

Additional  money  was  used  in  construct- 
ing temporary  dike  across  creek  just 
south  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  R.  R.,  and 
also  in  cutting  across  old  sunken  stone 
roads  found  near  Kingsland  Creek,  . .  106  50 

Hackensack  Valley,  west  of  River  from 
the  Paterson  Plank  Road  north  to  the 
Northern  boundary  of  Carlstadt, 2,000  94,667  2,400  00 

Additional  money  used  in  labor  in  assist- 
ance in  measuring  ditches  in  this  area,  25  50 


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534      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

l^^u'"^  Township  (old  survey)    5.400  189,189  2,80000 

Additional    money    was    used    for    the  ^>  ^  .ow  w 

cleaning  of  old  farmers'  ditches;   ^or 

plowing  shallow  ditches  near  upland 

and  in  buying  stakes  for  the  lining  out 

o^  ^»tches,  27260 

Borough  of  Ocean  City  and  Upper 
Township  and  Meadow  Road  north 
to  end  of  Peck's  Island  on  the  east 

A  AAi^^'^^^^ft  ^°'"*  on  west, 1,500  209,634  2,900  00 

Additional  labor  m  digging  shallow 
ditches,  spurring,  filling  holes,  etc.,  . .  385  88 

^^^^^^f 13,500  745,105  $13,10923 

Throughout  the  areas  covered  by  the  drainage  in  the  Bergen  County 
contracts,  sufficient  ditching  has  been  cut  to  protect  the  area  treated,  but  as 
only  the  badly  breeding  parts  were  trenched  a  large  part  of  the  marsh  was 
left  totally  without  ditches.  The  areas  covered  by  Stafford  Township  Maps 
I  and  2  are  pretty  completely  drained  but  the  portion  in  Map  3,  which  has 
been  covered,  needs  a  certain  amount  of  spurring.  That  part  of  the  Cape 
May  County  area  which  falls  in  Ocean  City  has  been  thoroughly  drained, 
but  the  part  in  Upper  Township,  which  has  been  covered,  is  in  need  of 
spurring. 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT  OF  MOSQUITO  WORK 

Total  appropriation  $4,800  00 

Equipment  (lantern  slides)  $14  00 

Office  supplies  and  printing 68  85 

Telephone  and  telegraph    22  07 

Postage 50  50 

Salaries  of  regular  and  temporary  employees 3,009  68 

Traveling  expenses  of  same 1,342  80 

Clerical  and  laboratory  assistance  151  91 

Sundries  (rubber  boots,  motorcycle  repairs,  etc.) 59  05 

Balance   reverted   to   treasury    81  14 

$4,80000 
SUMMARY  OF  MOSQUITO  CONTROL  BY  COUNTIES 

Hudson  County 

This  is  the  fourth  season  of  work  for  Hudson  County.  In  addition  to 
maintaining  a  regular  patrol  of  the  10,000  acres  of  salt  marsh  and  eliminat- 
ing in  so  far  as  possible  all  breeding  found,  the  drainage  of  various  por- 
tions has  been  improved  by  the  cutting  of  the  equivalent  of  140,000  linear 
feet  of  10  X  30-inch  ditching  in  the  form  of  20  and  30-inch-wide  drains.  On 
the  75,786  acres  of  upland,  where  more  than  one-half  a  million  of  people 
have  their  homes,  a  regular  patrol  was  maintained  throughout  the  mosquito 
season  and  all  breeding  found  destroyed. 

Bergen  County 

This  is  the  second  year  of  extensive  work  in  Bergen  County.  Starting 
with  an  undrained  salt  marsh  of  8,378  acres  and  upland  of  143,470  of  dty. 


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.■>oo 


farmland  and  forest,  the  mosquito  commission  aided  by  the  State  Experi- 
ment Station  cut  or  contracted  for  the  cutting  of  more  than  one-half  mil- 
lion linear  feet  of  the  iox30-inch  salt-marsh  trenching  for  the  purpose 
of  eliminating  the  worst  breeding  spots  on  the  salt  marsh;  the  county 
mosquito  conmiission  early  in  the  season  caused  an  inspection  of  the  upland 
to  be  made  and  on  the  basis  of  information  thus  gained  made  an  arrange- 
ment whereby  each  pool  and  swamp  should  be  reinspected  every  two  weeks 
during  the  mosquito  breeding  season  and  treated  as  might  be  necessary 
to  suppress  the  breeding.  The  inspection  work  on  the  upland  involved 
72,252  individual  examinations  of  individual  properties  and  revealed  the 
following  mosquito  breeding  nuisances:  2,395  i"^  barrels,  580  tubs,  148 
old  wells,  349  cans,  pails,  etc,  153  cesspools,  170  open  drains,  98  dstems, 
96  open  cellars,  534  miscellaneous  receptacles,  205  swamps,  56  brooks,  284 
pools,  51  ponds,  160  ditches,  15  miscellaneous  water-holding  places  of  a 
permanent  character.  More  than  6,590  of  the  nuisances  were  reported  as 
being  done  away  with. 

Ehiring  1916  further  attention  was  given  to  the  salt  marsh.  In  addition 
to  maintaining  a  regular  patrol  a  large  amount  of  drainage  work  was 
done. 

The  drainage  system  on  that  area  of  salt  marsh  lying  between  the  Hacken- 
sack  River  and  the  highland  to  the  west  and  extending  from  the  southern 
boundary  of  the  coimty  to  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  R.  R. 
was  improved  by  building  a  pair  of  3x6-feet  sluice  gates  with  necessary 
bulkheads  across  the  mouth  of  Kingsland  Creek  and  by  constructing  a. dike 
along  the  west  bank  of  the  Hackensack  River  from  the  mouth  of  Saw  Mill 
Creek  to  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  D.,  L.  &  W.  R.  R.  for  the  purpose  of 
preventing  the  low-lying  part  of  the  marsh  near  the  highland  from  being 
flooded  by  every  extra-high  tide.  This  was  an  important  step  in  mosquito 
proofing  this  area  for  once  the  water  came  on  the  marsh  it  escaped,  be- 
cause of  the  small  amotmt  of  fall,  so  slowly  that  the  mosquitoes  could 
reach  maturity  before  it  disappeared,  especially  if  the  tides  ran  extra  high 
during  the  period  and  the  weather  was  cloudy  with  consequently  little 
evaporation.  The  sluices  at  the  mouth  of  Kingsland  Creek  were  described 
in  the  last  annual  report.  The  dike  was  a  work  of  considerable  magnitude, 
being  3.3  feet  high,  3  feet  wide  at  the  top  with  a  slope  of  45  degrees,  and 
6,200  feet  long. 

The  drainage  was  further  supplemented  by  clearing  a  channel  3  feet 
wide  as  deep  as  necessary  to  establish  a  living  stream  from  the  north 
branch  of  Kingsland  Creek  through  the  south  branch  to  Fox's  Ditch  and 
thence  into  Saw  Mill  Creek,  thus  establishing  a  circulation  channel  be- 
tween the  two  main  outlets — Saw  Mill  and  Kingsland  Creeks — and  afford- 
ing an  outlet  to  the  ditching  on  the  back  part  of  the  marsh.  Wherever  the 
falling  water  revealed  shoal  places  in  Kingsland  Creek  channeling  was 
undertaken  and  carried  out. 

About  100,000  feet  of  the  usual  narrow  trenching  was  placed  in  this 
area  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  spots  not  already  drained,  the  principal 
one  of  which  lay  just  east  of  the  old  copper  mine. 

The  next  job  imdertaken  by  the  county  mosquito  commission  was  the 
improvement  of  the  drainage  of  a  section  of  salt  marsh  designated  as  the 


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536      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"Moonachie  Meadow."  This  area  extends  from  the  Carlstadt  ditching 
northward  between  the  Moonachie  Road  and  the  Hackensack  River  to  the 
Little  Ferry  Line.  The  20-inch  band  ditch  along  the  highland  was  widened 
to  30  inches  and  a  lo-inch  ditch  running  west  from  this  widened  into  a 
20-inch  ditch.  In  addition  the  construction  of  a  large  sluice  and  bulkhead 
across  Moonachie  Creek  was  carried  out.  The  sluice  box  is  open  at  the 
top,  10  feet  wide,  and  12  feet  long  and  is  guarded  by  two  gates.  On  one 
side  the  box  was  connected  with  the  shore  by  a  line  of  heavy  3-inch  piling 
50  feet  long  and  on  the  other  with  a  similar  string  60  feet  long.  To  pre- 
vent the  high  water  from  running  around  the  ends  of  the  bulkhead  a 
string  of  low  dike  was  built  from  each  end  out  into  the  meadow,  in  one 
case  100  feet  and  in  the  other  200  feet  in  length. 

The  drainage  of  the  Ridgefield  meadow,  which  extends  between  the 
Hackensack  River  and  the  highland  to  the  east  from  Bullman's  Creek  north- 
ward to  the  highland,  was  supplemented. 

The  county  mosquito  commission  maintained  a  patrol  of  the  upland 
throughout  the  mosquito  season  and  eliminated  all  breeding  found.  This 
patrol  revealed  1,690  rain  barrels  in  which  517  cases  of  breeding  were 
fotmd,  576  tubs  and  141  cases  of  breeding,  154  cesspools  and  34  cases  of 
l)recding,  24  privies  and  3  cases  of  breeding,  64  cellars  and  12  cases  of 
breeding,  55  cisterns  and  13  cases  of  breeding,  25  wells  and  5  cases  of 
breeding,  32  manure  pits  and  3  cases  of  breeding,  539  pools  and  194  cases 
of  breeding,  378  ditches  and  drains  and  185  cases  of  breeding,  899  sewer 
basins  and  0  cases  of  breeding,  66  ponds  and  16  cases  of  breeding,  392 
swamps  and  160  cases  of  breeding,  115  brooks  and  60  cases  of  breeding, 
8  lakes  and  o  cases  of  breeding,  740  miscellaneous  water-holding  places  and 
receptacles  and  163  cases  of  breeding. 

Essex  County 

This  is  the  close  of  the  fifth  season  of  work  in  Essex  County.  When 
the  year  began,  Essex  had  3,000  of  her  4,000  acres  of  salt  marsh  not  only 
well  ditched  but  had  supplemented  the  original  drainage  system  by  keeping 
out  the  tide  with  dikes  and  allowing  the  water  to  escape  through  tide  gates. 

During  the  present  season,  in  addition  to  maintaining  a  patrol  throughout 
the  mosquito-breeding  time  and  applying  such  measures  of  control  as  the 
particular  cases  of  breeding  seemed  to  require,  the  county  mosquito  com- 
mission placed  or  planned  to  place  the  remaining  acreage,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  several  hundred  that  had  been  filled  and  130,  under  the  pro- 
tection of  dike  and  sluice.  All  the  rest  of  the  marsh,  amounting  to  about 
500  acres,  had  been  trenched  in  years  previous.  None  of  the  areas  in  ques- 
tion required  the  building  of  a  dike  for  all  had  railway  grades  of  fills 
that  could  be  made  to  serve  in  lieu  thereof.  Placing  these  areas  under 
protection  was  therefore  only  a  matter  of  building  and  installing  sluices 
and  tide  gates. 

An  area  consisting  of  about  75  acres  lying  east  of  the  Central  Railroad 
of  New  Jersey  and  extending  north  of  the  North  Newark  fill  to  the  Greenville 
Branch   of   the  Pennsylvania   Railroad,   was   protected   by   placing  a  tide 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  537 

gate  on  a  large  pipe  that  ran  beneath  a  railroad  spur  into  the  water  of 
Newark  Bay.  This  area  has  been  designated  as  the  "Hassock  Meadows." 
The  Hamburg  place  section  lies  east  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New 
Jersey  and  extends  from  the  Greenville  Branch  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road to  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  which  crosses  Newark  Bay. 
The  area,  which  included  about  300  acres,  was  drained  by  installing  three 
sluices  and  tide  gates  in  a  convenient  railroad  spur  which  almost  paralleled 
the  shore  of  Newark  Bay.  Just  northeast  of  the  Central  Railroad,  which 
crosses  the  Bay,  there  lies  a  fringing  marsh  of  about  30  acres  in  which 
the  tide  gating  is  not  yet  completed.  The  shore  line  of  this  area  is  filled 
and  may  be  used  as  a  dike.  In  order  to  save  footage,  the  dikes  along  Bound 
Creek  were  given  a  deep  foreshore  and  no  attention  paid  to  its  meander- 
ings.  Curiously  enough,  breeding  appeared  in  this  foreshore  and  the  ter- 
ritory had  either  to  be  repeatedly  oiled  or  drained.  The  latter  alternative 
was  chosen  and  about  60  acres  were  drained  with  the  usual  narrow 
trenching. 

About  30  acres  of  the  Essex  marsh  Ijring  between  the  southern  section 
of  the  Port  Newark  fill  and  Maple  Island  Creek  has  been  left  with  only 
the  usual  narrow  trenching  as  protection.  About  100  acres  east  of  the 
Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  and  between  Maple  Island  and  Bound 
Creeks,  was  given  a  new  sort  of  treatment  as  an  experimtent.  It  had 
already  been  drained  by  the  usual  narrow  trenching.  The  number  of  out- 
lets was  reduced  and  those  remaining  were  furnished  with  sluice  boxes 
12  X  12  inches  x  5  feet  and  gate  of  appropriate  size.  Five  such  outlets  were 
treated  at  a  cost  of  $62.50.  This  meadow  passed  through  the  present  season 
without  serious  breeding. 

To  provide  against  the  possibility  of  a  failure  of  present  means  to  re- 
move the  marsh  water  in  time  to  prevent  the  emergence  of  a  brood  of 
mosquitoes,  one  of  the  most  low-lying  and  formerly  the  most  prolific  breeder 
of  mosquitoes  of  any  spot  on  the  marshes,  consisting  of  about  100  acres, 
has  been  connected  with  the  old  sewage  pumping  station. 

The  76,746  acres  of  upland  on  which  more  than  otie-half  a  million 
people  live  has  been  carefully  patrolled  throughout  the  mosquito  season, 
and  mosquito  breeding  eliminated  wherever  found.  This  work  has  in- 
volved the  making  of  681,800  individual  inspections  of  individual  properties 
and  the  finding  of  breeding  in  barrels  3,441  times,  in  tubs  1,212,  in  cisterns 
402.  in  cesspools  195,  in  cellars  339,  in  wells  115,  in  vats  397,  in  miscel- 
laneous receptacles  2,036  times.  It  has  involved  the  finding  of  breeding 
on  permanent  pools  2,373  times,  in  swamps  560,  in  ditches  340,  and  in 
brooks  166  times.  As  might  be  anticipated  the  great  bulk  of  the  breeding 
found  was  temporarily  eliminated  with  oil,  but  a  considerable  amount  of 
permanent  work  was  done  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  out  of  1,363  pools 
146,  out  of  285  swamps  85,  out  of  317  ditches  121.  and  out  of  92  brooks  7 
were  filled,  drained  or  cleaned  in  such  a  fashion  as  to  eliminate  the  breeding. 

Union  County 

This  is  the  fifth  season  of  work  in  Union  County.  The  county  mosquito 
commission  has  maintained  a  regular  patrol  of  its  4,000-acre  salt  marsh 
throughout  the  mosquito  season  and  in  so  far  as  possible  has  destroyed 


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53«      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

all  breeding  which  the  drainage  systems  did  not  prevent.  In  addition  to 
this  work  it  has  improved  the  drainage  systems  by  cutting  13,814  feet  of 
10  X  30-inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  on  the  North  Elizabeth  marsh,  434  feet 
on  the  South  Elizabeth  meadow,  and  39,708  feet  on  the  Linden  meadow, 
and  by  the  placing  of  sluices  and  tide  gates  in  the  openings  of  the  drainage 
channels  of  that  portion  of  the  North  Elizabeth  marsh  which  lies  east 
of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey. 

The  sluicing  and  tide-gating  of  the  openings  of  the  above  salt  marsh 
represents  a  new  departure  and  was  adopted  after  the  results  of  a  simiJar 
process  on  the  Essex  meadow  had  been  seen.  The  problem  in  Union  County 
was  much  more  extensive  than  in  Essex  for  the  area  was  not  only  12 
times  as  large  but  the  drainage  outlets  were  much  larger  and  more  numer- 
ous. Some  supplementing  of  the  present  system  was  rendered  necessary 
by  the  fact  that  the  marsh  was  so  wide,  about  i  mile,  and  the  drainage 
channels  so  narrow  that  high  water  would  not  escape  in  time  to  prevent 
the  maturing  of  large  amounts  of  breeding.  It  had  become  obvious  that 
either  greater  outlets  must  be  opened,  or  the  tide  must  be  prevented  from 
overflowing  the  meadow.  The  county  commission  felt  financially  able 
neither  to  open  the  gpreater  outlets  nor  to  inclose  the  area  in  a  dike.  The 
summer's  experience  in  Essex  with  the  practice  of  tide-gating  the  outlets 
without  building  a  dike  appeared  to  offer  a  solution  for  the  problem  of 
making  a  start  and  to  form  the  first  step  in  the  process  of  keeping  the 
tide  out.  It  was  decided  to  build  sluices  and  tide  gates  to  control  the 
outlets  with  a  view  later,  if  necessary,  to  supplementing  them  by  build- 
ing a  dike.    All  told,  6  sluices  and  7  gates  have  been  required. 

The  61,304  acres  of  upland  have  been  regularly  patrolled  throughout 
the  mosquito  season  and  all  breeding  found  eliminated  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible. Most  of  this  elimination  has  been  done  by  spreading  oil,  but  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  permanent  work  of  draining  and  filling  has  been 
effected.  One  hundred  and  eighty-three  of  the  larger  breeding  places 
such  as  ponds,  pools,  and  swamps  have  been  drained  and  109  have  been 
filled;  55  of  these  places  have  been  done  by  the  county  mosquito  com- 
mission, and  237  by  the  owners.  The  report  of  the  county  mosquito  com- 
mission shows  that  of  the  5,590  swamps,  pools,  ponds,  brooks,  etc,  about 
I1364  were  eliminated  in  the  season  of  1916. 

Middlesex  County 

This  is  the  third  season  of  mosquito  work  for  Middlesex  County.  As 
in  previous  years  the  size  of  the  appropriation  forbade  any  attempt  to 
cover  the  county,  and  compelled  the  county  mosquito  commission  to  limit 
its  effort  to  a  part  of  the  problem. 

Accordingly  the  mosquito  commission  gave  its  first  attention  to  main- 
tenance of  a  patrol  of  the  salt  marsh,  to  the  elimination  of  such  breeding 
as  the  present  drainage  systems  did  not  prevent,  and  to  the  cutting  of  as 
large  an  amount  of  additional  trenching  as  the  funds  would  permit 

For  the  purpose  of  making  the  funds  available  for  salt-marsh  trenching 
go  farther,  one  of  the  Eaton  salt-marsh  ditchers  was  purchased  in  con- 
nection  with    Monmouth    County.      By   use    of    this    machine   the   county 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  539 

mosquito  commission  has  been  able  to  cut  186,100  linear  feet  of  loxjo-inch 
ditching,  or  15,000  more  feet  than  were  cut  in  the  two  previous  years  com- 
bined. This  was  done  in  the  face  of  no  increase  in  the  appropriation 
available  for  salt-marsh  work  and  a  40  per  cent  increase  in  the  cost  of 
labor. 

The  county  mosquito  commission's  appropriation  was  increased  this  year 
by  $1,000  for  the  purpose  of  permitting  the  commission  to  offer  oversight 
in  local  anti-mosquito  campaigns.  In  accordance  with  this  provision,  such 
service  was  offered  to  every  town  in  the  county.  Metuchen,  Highland 
Park,  and  Woodbridge  availed  themselves  of  the  offer  and  the  work  of 
fresh-water  mosquito  control  was  carried  on  in  those  places. 

• 
Monmouth  County 

This  is  the  second  season  of  work  for  Monmouth.  As  was  the  case 
last  year,  the  funds  compelled  the  commission  to  limit  its  activity  to  the 
maintenance  of  a  regular  patrol  of  the  salt  marsh,  the  elimination  in  so 
far  as  possible  of  all  breeding  found,  and  to  the  cutting  of  as  large  an 
amount  of  ditching  as  the  funds  would  permit 

The  Monmouth  Cotmty  Mosquito  Commission  joined  with  Middlesex  in 
the  purchase  of  an  Eaton  machine  and  was  able  to  cut  110,000  linear  feet 
of  10  X  30-inch  ditching  or  its  equivalent  on  marshes  at  Belford,  6,000  feet 
at  Port  Monmouth,  18,000  at  Pews  Creek,  2,500  at  Rimison,  and  small  vary- 
ing amounts  at  other  points.  The  work  at  the  first  three  places  was  done 
by  machine — a  total  of  I34,cxx)  linear  feet — while  the  remainder  was  done 
with  hand  spades. 

Private  citizens  in  the  Rimison  Road  district  raised  a  fimd  of  $2,000 
which  was  expended  in  especially  thorough  patrol  of  both  the  Shrews- 
bury salt  marshes  and  of  the  adjacent  upland. 

Ocean  County 

This  is  the  second  year  of  anti-mosquito  work  by  the  county  mosquito 
commission  of  Ocean.  Last  year  the  appropriation  was  nuerely  large 
enough  to  clean  the  already  established  drainage,  which  covered  about 
20,000  acres  of  salt  march  and  to  patrol  the  same  during  the  mosquito 
season. 

This  year  the  appropriation  has  been  large  enough  to  enable  the  county 
mosquito  commission  to  clean  the  ditches,  patrol  the  marsh  and  carry  out 
a  cans!derable  amount  of  new  drainage  as  shown  in  Table  13. 

Atlantic  County 

This  is  the  fourth  season  of  anti-mosquito  work  in  Atlantic  Coimty. 
Starting  in  1913  with  50,000  acres  of  salt  marsh  and  307,409  acres  of  upland, 
the  coimty  mosquito  commission  had,  with  the  help  of  the  State  Experi- 
ment Station,  by  the  end  of  1915  cut  2,843,832  linear  feet  of  ditching, 
thereby  draining  12,013  acres,  discovered  by  means  of  a  careful  patrol  that 
19,244  acres  did  not  require  drainage,  and  18,731  acres  remained  still  to  be 
drained.  On  the  upland  the  mosquito  commission  maintained  a  patrol  of 
the  inhabited  portions,  destroyed  all  mosquito  breeding  found  and  met 
and  solved  many  minor  problems  in  upland  mosquito  work. 


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540   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

In  1916  the  county  commission  cut,  by  use  of  two  Eaton  ditching  ma- 
chines, 1,391,912  feet  of  ditching.  On  both  the  upland  and  the  marsh  a 
regular  patrol  has  been  maintained  and  wherever  fresh-water  mosquito 
breeding  has  been  found  it  has  been  eliminated  by  draining,  filling  and 
using  oil. 

Table  XIII 
Statement  of  8alt-Marsh  Mosquito  Work  in  Ocean  County 


Number  of  Unear  Feet 

AREA 

10  X  ao-inch 
Trenching 

Spurring 

Eecuttlnf 
Old  Wide 
Ditches 

Barnegat  City  Jmictlon  to  Surf  City  Borough. 

60.000 

Between  Bamesat  and  Waretown     

26,000 

North  and  soath  of  PennsylTanla  Railroad  to 
Beach    Haven,    near    the    upland    west    of 
Barneeat    Bay     

«,075 
2.100 

Beach   Hayen   Creek 

Peahala      

eoo 

Beach  Haven  Terrace 

6,687 

Spring  Beach, 

1,200 

South  of  Stlnkbole  Creek   in   Stafford  Town- 
ship      

19.087 

Spurring  in  Map  8  of  Stafford  Township.    .. 

xm 

South  of  MiU  Creek  in  Stafford  Township... 

n,i82 

Contracted    for    in    the    salt    marsh    at    the 
southern  end  of  the  county 

200.000 

Totals 

887.080 

2.490 

26.000 

Cape  May  County 

This  is  the  first  year  of  work  in  Cape  May  County  and  all  the  effort  of 
the  county  mosquito  commission  has  been  directed  toward  the  drainage  of 
the  salt  marsh.  A  contract  for  300,000  linear  feet  was  let  and  the  work 
up  to  date  is  as  follows: 

Pond   Creek   Marsh,    20,195  linear  feet 

Schellenger's  Landing  to  Mill  Creek,  52,994  linear  feet 

Cape  Island  Creek  Marsh,   39»05o  linear  feet 

North  of  Mill  Creek,   20,000  linear  feet 

Total,    132,239  linear  feet 

In  the  hope  and  the  expectation  of  giving  some  portion  of  the  cotmty 
quick  relief,  the  drainage  was  started  at  Cape  May  City  because  the  winds 
which  normally  carry  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  can  reach  it  only  after  passing 
over  wide  waterways,  and  it  was  to  be  expected  that  when  the  adjacent 
marshes  were  drained  it  would  be  free  from  salt-marsh  mosquito  trouble 


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{^' 


EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


Table  XIV 


541 


Salt-Marsh  Drainao*  Done  by  the  State  Experiment  Station  and  County 
Mosquito  Commleelon 


TEAR 


1912, 
1918. 
1914. 
1915. 
1916. 


Experiment  Station 
Ditchlnff 


County  Oommlsslon 
mtchinff 


Number  ot 
reet  Cnt 


•1,088,188 
689.842 
821,601 
745.105 
None 


Number  of 
Feet  Cleaned 


I 

Mintmnm  amt.     , 

None  ( 

None  j 

None 


Number  ot 
Feet  Cnt 


239.800 

879.865 

1.057,167 

1.971.242 

2,548,718 


Number  of 
Feet  Cleaned 


470.000 
1.300,000 

919.000 
3.171.128 
••500.000 


*  Maxlmnm  flgurea,  probably  25  or  more  per  cent  too  high. 
••  Blockage  was  remoTed  trom  the  entire  drainage  system,   tlie  above  inelndes  only  com- 
plete cleaning. 

Passaic  Coutity 

This  is  the  fourth  season  of  work  in  Passaic  County.  The  anti-mosquito 
work  of  the  first  year  was  limited  to  a  small  amount  of  demonstration  work 
at  Pompton  Lakes.  The  second  year  an  effort  was  made  to  control  the 
mosquitoes  in  the  city  of  Passaic.  The  third  year  the  work  included  both 
Passaic  and  Paterson.  The  fourth  year  Paterson,  Passaic  and  Acquack- 
anock  were  covered. 

The  results  of  the  first  season  were  pretty  good  but  the  area  chosen 
was  sparsely  settled  and  the  results  did  not  gain  the  credit  they  deserved. 
The  results  of  the  second  season  failed  to  be  appreciated  because  the 
flights  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquito  A.  cantator  swamped  the  effect  of 
the  absence  of  fresh-water  species.  The  results  of  the  third  season  were 
greatly  minimized  by  the  breeding  which  escaped  from  pools  that  were 
formed  everywhere  by  the  exceedingly  heavy  rains  in  early  August.  Never- 
theless, the  results  were  not  by  any  means  as  good  as  more  efficient  organiza- 
tion might  have  made  them. 

In  1916,  however,  the  organization  at  last  reached  a  highly  effective  point 
and  the  patrol  and  elimination  work  was  ably  and  effectively  done  with 
a  result  that  people  in  the  protected  territory — about  215,000 — were  afforded 
a  high   degree  of   protection  indeed. 

The  patrol  maintained  during  1916  by  the  county  mosquito  commission 
involved  the  making  of  205,007  individual  inspections  of  individual  proper- 
ties, covered  3,922  possible  breeding  places  and  913  instances  of  breeding. 
These  possible  breeding  places  consisted  of  13  vats,  947  tubs  and  barrels, 
95  cesspools,  5  privies,  12  cellars,  1,229  cisterns,  458  wells,  17  street  gutters, 
540  sewer  basins,  2  manure  pits,  308  miscellaneous  water-holding  re- 
ceptacles, 178  pools,  26  ditches  and  drains,  11  swamps,  7  brooks,  9  rivers, 
and   I    lake. 

All  breeding  was  promptly  destroyed  when  found  and  321  of  3,922  pos- 
sible places  were  permanently  done  away  with. 


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542   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Somerset  County 

The  work  in  this  county  was  of  a  purely  survey  nature  but  the  county 
commission  intends  to  do  a  certain  amount  of  educational  work.  The  survey 
has  covered  all  the  worst  breeding  areas  of  the  county,  and  shows  that 
certain  parts  of  the  county  have  a  very  real  mosquito  problem. 

Mercer  County 

This  is  the  first  year  of  active  work  in  Mercer  County  and  the  entire 
effort  has  been  limited  to  the  Borough  of  Princeton  and  vicinity.  The 
leaders  in  Princeton  are  without  doubt  responsible  for  the  initiation  of 
the  work.  The  borough  offered  to  raise  $5,000  if  the  county  board  of 
freeholders  would  appropriate  a  like  sum  for  the  use  of  the  county  mosquito 
commission.  To  this  proposition  the  board  assented  and  the  mosquito  coro- 
mission  has  this  year  had  the  expenditure  of  $10,000. 

The  problem  here  is  purely  one  of  suppressing  the  breeding  of  fresh- 
water mosquitoes.  The  salt-marsh  species  only  rarely  reach  Princeton  and 
then  in  negligible  nimibers.  It  can  not  be  said  that  Princeton  has  an  ex- 
ceptionally large  number  of  mosquitoes  or  that  the  malarial  species  are 
there  peculiarly  abundant.  In  fact,  the  malarial  species  at  Princeton  do 
not  compare  in  numbers  with  those  of  certain  other  points  in  the  State. 
It  was  not  the  anno3rance  of  the  mosquito  pest  that  induced  anti-mosquito 
work  at  Princeton  but  an  alarming  increase  in  the  number  of  cases  of 
malarial  fever  existing  in  the  borough. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  season  of  191 5  a  meeting  was  called  by  the 
writer  at  the  request  of  certain  interested  citizens  to  consider  the  problem 
and  methods  that  should  be  adopted  in  solving  it.  At  this  meeting  a  sp^ 
cial  committee  known  as  the  "Princeton  mosquito  committee"  vras  ap- 
pointed and  charged  with  the  duty  of  working  out  the  nature  of  the 
mosquito  control  problem  and  in  so  far  as  possible  its  solution.  Prof. 
Ulric  Dahlgren  was  made  chairman. 

Regarding  the  status  of  malaria  in  and  about  Princeton,  the  committee 
made  the  following  report: 

"The  records  of  the  Borough  Board  of  Health  show  that  in  1913  there 
were  64  cases  of  malaria  reported.  Many  of  these  were  not  properly 
diagnosed  and  were  not  malaria.  Twenty-five  blood  examinations  were 
made — 13  positive  results.  On  the  other  hand  a  g^reat  many  cases  of  real 
malaria  were  not  reported  because  no  physician  was  called  in  and  the 
cases  were  treated  by  the  family  of  the  patients  with  quinine  pills  or  with 
nostrums. 

"In  1914,  131  cases  of  malaria  were  reported.  Forty. blood  examinations 
were  made — 10  positive. 

"The  reports  for  191 5  are  not  yet  in  but  will  show  an  increase  in  new 
cases  according  to  present  indications;  65  cases — 85  blood  examinations— 27 
positive. 

"The  College  Infirmary  shows  in  1912-13— 10  cases. 

"The  College  Infirmary  shows  in  1913-14— 9  cases. 

"The  College  Infirmary  shows  in   1914-15— 22  cases. 

"During  the  first  third  of  191 5- 16  there  have  been  10  cases. 


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Experiment  station  report.         543 

"From  the  local  report  of  many  inhabitants  the  committee  secured  state- 
ments that  malaria  has  always  existed,  that  at  times  it  has  assumed  an 
epidemic  form  and  has  aroused  the  town.  But  at  all  times  it  has  been 
plentiful  and  these  periodical  crises  have  perhaps  been  the  result  of  more 
virulent  cases  rather  than  an  excessive  number  of  cases.  These  reports 
have  all  tended  to  show  that  the  most  malaria  has  existed  on  the  southern 
limits  of  our  town  along  the  course  of  Stony  Brook,  the  Millstone  River, 
and  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  Canal. 

"Dr.  Raycroft,  Mr.  Ballinger,  Dr.  Stewart  Paton,  and  the  chairman  of 
the  Committee  have  gone  over  most  of  the  ground  from  Kingston  to  the 
Basin  and  have  found  an  excessive  number  of  cases.  Mr.  Ballinger's  re- 
port on  his  survey  reads  in  part  as  follows: 

"This  survey  included  a  house-to-house  canvas  of  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  Alexander  Street  and  those  bordering  along  the  Delaware  and 
Raritan  Canal  in  the  vicinity  of  Alexander  Street;  19  houses  in  all.  In 
formation  was  obtained  from  16  houses  and  the  following  results  are 
based  on  that  number. 

"Histories  were  given  at  the  16  houses  of  32  cases  of  malaria  during 
191 5»  averaging  two  cases  to  each  house.  Histories  were  obtained  of  55 
present  residents  having  had  malaria  at  some  time  during  their  residence 
in  the  district,  making  an  average  of  3.5  cases  to  each  house.  Of  these 
55  persons,  only  two  had  ever  suffered  from  the  disease  previous  to  their 
residence  in  this  district.  Several  houses  were  encountered  which  con- 
tained persons  sick  in  bed  with  the  disease  at  the  time  of  the  survey,  others 
gave  a  history  of  having  had  malaria  as  long  as  15  to  20  years  ago,  while 
some  discouraged  sufferers  said  that  they  'always  had  it.'  One  family 
of  eight  gave  a  history  of  never  having  had  malaria  previous  to  their  mov- 
ing into  this  district  twelve  years  ago,  and  since  that  time  every  member 
of  the  family  had  suffered  from  the  disease  every  year.  Another  family 
of  two  stated  that  they  had  lived  in  this  district  and  in  New  Jersey  but 
three  months,  and  were  both  suffering  from  a  severe  attack  of  the  disease 
at  the  time  of  making  the  survey. 

"Practically  speaking,  nearly  every  person  who  has  lived  in  this  district 
for  a  year  or  more  has  suffered  from  malaria.  The  average  t3rpe  of  the 
residents  in  this  district  is  characterized  by  an  anaemic  physical  condi- 
tion confirming  the  great  prevalence  of  the  disease.  With  this  large 
reservoir  of  the  disease  adjacent  to  some  very  extensive  areas  breeding  the 
Anopheles  mosquito,  no  better  facilities  could  be  provided  for  the  trans- 
mission of  malaria. 

"The  Committee  feels  satisfied  that  the  disease  has  been  increasing  dur- 
ing the  past  ten  years  and  wish  to  call  attention  to  the  two  main  factors 
in  this  increase: 

'*Tst.  The  presence  in  Princeton  during  the  last  few  years  of  large  bodies 
of  Italians  working  on  such  large  projects  as  Lake  Carnegie,  the  Stadium, 
the  two  large  laboratories,  and  other  buildings.  Doubtless  many  of  these 
men  were  (and  are)  subject  to  chronic  forms  of  malaria  and  supplemented 
the  old  sources  of  infection  for  the  adult  Anopheles  mosquitoes  that  have 
transmitted  it  to  our  new  cases. 

**^nd.  The  new  breeding  place  for  these  Anopheles  mosquitoes  furnished 
by  the  pools  of  water  and  swamps  created  by  several  extensive  back-waters 


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544      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

that  arose  owing  to  the  raising  of  the  level  of  the  Stony  Brook  and  the 
Millstone  River  to  form  Lake  Carnegie.  Also  by  the  degeneration  of  the 
banks  of  several  abandoned  basins,  through  falling  earth  and  the  growth 
of  grasses  and  weeds  which  have  furnished  better  conditions  for 
Anopheles  larvae.  This  latter  process  has  been  going  on  for  a  much  longer 
period,  as  much  as  ten  or  fifteen  3rears. 

"It  is  only  fair  to  state  at  this  point  that  for  die  greater  part  of  its  course 
the  lake  has  improved  certain  large  districts  by  converting  them  from 
swamps  into  open  water.  At  the  same  time,  however,  we  must  declare 
that  it  has  created  the  lesser  areas  spoken  of  above  which  are  situated  at 
its  two  heads  where  it  is  entered  by  Stony  Brook  and  the  Millstone  River. 

"It  also  appears  that  the  borough  has  been  effectually  cleaned  from 
mosquito  breeding  places  during  the  past  year  by  the  Board  of  Health 
through  the  work  of  Mr.  Ballinger  and  his  assistants,  and  that  our  mosquito 
trouble  both  malarial  and  as  a  nuisance  came  mostly  from  sources  outside 
the  borough." 

The  town  of  Princeton  is  located  on  the  eastern  portion  of  the  sum- 
mit of  an  almost  east  and  west  irregularly  oval  ridge  which  slopes  off 
rather  gently  in  every  direction.  The  highest  point  on  this  ridge  is  227 
feet  above  the  sea.  A  small  stream  known  as  Stony  Creek  flows  along 
the  western,  southern,  and  southeastern  faces  of  this  ridge  and  on  the 
southeast  aspect  reaches  a  level  of  50  feet,  creating  a  sharp  slope  in  that 
direction.  At  a  point  slightly  south  of  east,  Stony  Brook  joins  the 
Millstone  River  and  continues  along  the  eastern  aspect  of  the  ridge. 

Stony  Brook  and  its  branches  form  the  drains  for  most  of  this  ridge. 
A  small  brook  takes  its  origin  in  the  northeastern  aspect  of  the  ridge  and 
runs  a  northeast  course  to  the  Millstone  River. 

Several  years  ago,  for  the  purpose  of  creating  a  lake,  a  dam  was  thrown 
across  the  Millstone  River  just  south  of  Kingston,  and  the  lower  valleys  of 
the  Millstone  and  of  Stony  Brook  were  drowned  to  form  Carnegie  Lake. 
The  shores  of  the  new  lake  were  rather  carefully  shaped  but  a  long  suc- 
cession of  swamps  and  pools  lying  on  the  south  side  of  the  Delaware  and 
Raritan  Canal,  which  runs  parallel  to  Stony  Brook  and  the  Millstone 
south  and  southeast  of  Princeton,  that  were  formerly  emptied  by  drains 
passing  under  the  caral  bed.  havin;r  been  kept  full  and  transformed  into  breed- 
ing places.  Furthermore,  Stony  Brook  and  low  spots  along  its  bank  for 
some  distance  above  the  head  of  Carnegie  Lake  have  become  stagnant, 
and  the  more  stagnant  portions  have  become  partially  filled  with  water 
plants  creating  an  ideal  breeding:  place  for  the  malarial  mosquitoes.  The 
Millstone  from  the  point  where  it  diverges  from  Carnegie  Lake  to  the 
Pennsylvania  Railroad  has  flooded  its  valley  and  forms  a  shallow  marsh 
in  which  the  fresh-water  swamp  and  the  malarial  mosquitoes  breed. 

When  the  mosquito  survey  was  made  the  main  breeding  areas  were 
located  along  the  bottom  of  the  southern  slope  of  the  Princeton  ridge,  in 
these  areas  of  badly-drained  territory  which  have  just  been  described. 

The  estimates  prepared  indicated  that  the  first  cost  for  the  Mercer 
County  work  alone  would  aggregate  almost  $10,000  and  that  almo«^t  $5,000 
more  of  the  needed  improvements  lay  in  Middlesex  County.  The  opera- 
tions recommended  were  draining,  filling,  bank  trimming  and  ripraping. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  545 

The  county  mosquito  commission  placed  Mr.  C.  S.  Sinccrbeaux  of  Prince- 
ton in  charge  and  took  up  the  work  on  the  basis  of  the  recommendations 
of  the  conunittee. 

On  August  10,  1916,  the  writer  went  over  the  work  with  Mr.  Sincer- 
beaux.  The  work  in  the  borough  which  he  believes  he  is  paid  for  by  the 
borough,  seemed  to  be  pretty  well  looked  after,  although  some  breeding  was 
found.  The  first  and  only  large  piece  of  work  examined  was  the  filling  of  two 
large  deep  depressions  between  the  canal  and  Stony  Brook,  well  above 
the  head  of  Carnegie  Lake.  This  is  a  large  job,  involving  the  expendi- 
ture of  about  $3,500.  For  the  purpose  of  permitting  the  operation  to  take 
place  with  the  least  trouble,  Mr.  Sincerbeaux  caused  the  level  of  Carnegie 
Lake  to  be  lowered  a  foot  and  thereby  discovered  a  unique  and  probably 
one  of  the  most  important  anti-mosquito  measures  in  the  whole  problem. 
This  lowering  of  the  water  left  a  muddy  and  pebbly  beach  and  rendered 
almost  the  entire  lake  edge  free  from  breeding  by  giving  the  fish  access 
to  all  parts.  The  writer  at  once  recommended  that  the  process  be  repeated 
annually  as  soon  as  heavy  breeding  appears  and  that  the  level  be  left 
down  until  the  university  opens  in  the  fall 

Information  concerning  progress  since  August  10,  1916,  is  not  at  hand. 

EfTectiveness  of  the  County  and  State  Work 

The  effect  of  the  large  amount  of  work,  which  has  just  been  outlined,, 
should  be  pronounced.  It  might  be  expected  to  appear  in  at  least  three 
forms,  a  very  decided  reduction  in  the  numbers  of  the  pest,  approval  of 
the  people  who  have  been  protected,  and  in  the  advancement  of  taxable 
values. 

Before  attempting  to  discuss  these  points  it  is  necessary  to  define  what 
is  meant  by  the  protected  districts.  The  present  area  in  which  all  species 
are  combatted  includes  all  of  Hudson  County,  most  of  Bergen,  less  than  half 
of  Passaic,  all  of  Essex,  all  of  Union,  Metuchen,  Highland  Park,  and 
Woodbridge  in  Middlesex,  Rumson  district  in  Monmouth,  Atlantic  City, 
Pleasantville,  Hammonton  and  other  towns  and  villages  in  Atlantic  County 
and  Cape  May  City  in  Cape  May  County.  The  work  has  been  going  on 
longer  and  is  better  organized  in  Hudson,  Bergen,  Passaic,  Essex  and 
Union  Counties  than  elsewhere.  The  sole  exception  to  the  above  state- 
ment is  Atlantic  County  where,  owing  to  an  immense  undrained  salt  marsh 
both  in  Atlantic  and  adjacent  counties,  the  work  of  local  control  is  obscured 
by  flights  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes.  It  can  be  said,  however,  that  Atlantic 
City  has  enjoyed  an  immunity,  especially  this  year,  through  this  work  that 
is  scarcely  second  to  any  in  the  State  and,  what  is  still  more  remarkable, 
both  Pleasantville  and  Hammonton  have  had  such  relief  as  they  have  not 
before  known. 

In  Middlesex  the  county  commission  kept  the  salt-marsh  species  down 
in  a  satisfactory  manner  and  had  very  good  results  in  the  municipalities 
mentioned.  In  Monmouth  the  same  conditions  obtained  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  Belford  and  a  portion  of  the  Manasquan  areas  where  consider- 
able amounts  of  breeding  matured,  owing  to  inadequate  drainage.  In 
Ocean  the  effort  was  limited  to  the  control  of  breeding  of  the  salt-marsh 

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546   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

mosquito  within  the  drained  area.  Of  course,  mosquitoes  bred  in  the  un- 
drained  marshes  between  Seaside  Park  and  Barnegat  Junction  and  to 
the  southward  of  the  ditched  area  along  the  mainland  migrated  as  far  to 
the  north  as  Forked  River  and  in  some  cases  farther.  With  the  exception 
of  very  small  issues  in  overlooked  places  the  territory  from  Toms  River 
north  to  Point  Pleasant  was  very  free  from  the  salt-marsh  mosquito.  In 
Cape  May  County  the  salt-marsh  drainage  had  just  made  a  start  and  an 
effort  was  made  by  the  Board  of  Health  of  Cape  May  City  to  control  the 
fresh-water  species.  It  was  not  until  nearly  the  end  of  the  season  that  the 
adjacent  marshes  were  drained. 

It  thus  becomes  clear  that  we  must  look  mainly  to  the  northeastern  sec- 
tion of  the  State  for  the  most  tangible  effects  of  mosquito  control  work 
With  the  exception  of  a  few  limited  areas  within  the  protected  district 
covered  by  the  five  counties  of  Hudson,  Bergen,  Passaic,  Essex,  and  Union, 
the  number  of  mosquitoes  is  but  a  small  fraction  of  what  they  were  in 
years  before  the  work  began.  This  is  the  universal  testimony  of  practically 
all  the  thinking  people  who  have  lived  in  the  district  long  enough  to  pass 
judgment.  Two  years  ago  the  scheme  of  determining  the  extent  and 
density  of  the  mosquito  faima  by  regular  collections  of  mosquitoes  on  the 
wing,  was  put  into  practice  and  a  comparison  of  the  collections  of  dus 
year  with  those  of  last  show  that  the  control  work  of  this  year  left  but 
a  fraction  of  the  number  that  survived  the  efforts  of  the  preceding  season. 
The  mosquito  is  not  exterminated  in  these  districts  but  many  of  the  house- 
holders declare  that  they  have  seen  none  all  sununer.  With  a  few  excep- 
tions, where  uncontrolled  local  breeding  has  let  off  enough  mosquitoes  to 
be  troublesome,  the  mosquito  pest  has  been  severe  nowhere  throughout  the 
protected  areas.  These  conditions  obtained  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  in 
many  of  the  unprotected  areas  the  mosquito  pest  was  very  severe,  especially 
previous  to  August. 

The  approval  of  the  people  served  has  been  most  satisfactory.  The 
newspapers  have  strongly  endorsed  the  effectiveness  of  the  work,  many 
organizations  and  individuals  have  expressed  themselves  as  pleased  vidi 
the  protection  which  the  work  has  afforded. 

It  seems  yet  too  early  for  the  increase  in  taxable  values  due  to  success- 
ful mosquito  control  to  be  discerned. 

MOSQUITOES  OF  THE  YEAR 

It  has  occurred  to  the  writer  that  the  best  method  of  giving  a  picture 
of  the  mosquitoes  of  the  year  is  to  select  excerpts  from  the  weekly  issue  of 
the  "Mosquito  Exterminator." 

April  24.  "A  brood  of  A,  cantator  with  a  few  A.  sollicitans  is  on  Ac 
marshes  from  Cape  May  to  Jersey  City.  The  wrigglers  are  growing  slowly 
and  range  from  very  small  to  nearly  full  grown.  Emergence  of  such  as 
are  not  destroyed  may  be  looked  for  early  in  May.  Mr.  David  Young;  in- 
spector in  charge  of  the  work  in  Passaic  Coimty,  reports  the  finding  of 
A.  sylvestris  in  small  numbers." 

May  I.  "Mr.  Young,  of  Passaic  County,  reports  that  he  is  unable  to 
find  any  widespread  or  heavy  breeding  of  A.  sylvestris.  He  has  made  an 
especial  study  of  this  matter  because  he  feared  the  tremendous  abundance 
of  this  species  late  last  summer  might  be  followed  by  a  large  brood  early 
in  this  season."  "The  brood  of  wrigglers  now  on  the  Atlantic  coastal 
marshes  have  made  but  little  growth  during  the  past  week  and  no  pupae 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  547 

whatever  have  been  reported.  The  impression  seems  to  be  that  the  size 
of  the  brood  on  the  drained  marshes  is  negligible.  No  brood  can  safely 
be  considered  negligible  so  long  as  it  exists  in  discoverable  numbers  in 
easy  reach  of  supposedly  protected  populations.  On  the  undrained  marshes 
near  the  upland  the  breeding  among  the  partially  submerged  grasses  is 
heavy  and  larvae  one-fourth  of  an  inch  long  were  on  the  twenty-seventh 
taken  in  water  reading  48°  F." 

May  30.  "The  first  spring  brood  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes,  which  began 
emerginjr  Mav  i  at  Cape  May  Point  and  on  May  6  in  the  lower  Hacken- 
sack  Valley,  has  completed  its  emergence  and  apparently  reached  its  maxi- 
mum of  distribution.  It  travelled  m  troublesome  niunbers  from  the  salt 
marshes  of  the  bay  coast  at  least  as  far  north  as  Bridgeton  and  from  the 
lower  Atlantic  Coast  far  into  the  Pines  of  Ocean,  Burlington,  and  parts 
of  Atlantic  Counties.  It  was  present  in  troublesome  numbers  in  various 
parts  of  Cape  May  County.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  report  that  the  people  liv- 
inj^  adjacent  to  the  drained  marshes  of  Atlantic,  Ocean,  Monmouth, 
Middlesex,  Union,  Essex  and  Hudson  Counties  were  not  troubled  by  this 
brood.  The  trouble  experienced  near  the  Belford  meadows  in  Monmouth, 
the  Cheesequake  meadows  in  Middlesex,  the  stump  lots  and  Frank  Creek 
section  of  the  Kearney  marshes  of  Hudson,  the  Kingsland,  Lyndhurst, 
Rutherford,  and  Carlstadt  meadows  of  Bergen  was  of  short  duration  and 
at  no  time  severe.  It  is  of  great  interest  to  note  that  the  areas  which 
showed  infestation  sufficient  to  attract  attention  lay  adjacent  to  or  ¥dihin 
easy  reach  of  incompletely-drained  salt  marsh,  as  shown  by  the  fact  that 
the  Belford  meadows  are  almost  without  drainage,  the  Cheesequake 
meadows  need  additional  drainapre  in  certain  parts,  the  Kearney  meadows 
of  Hudson  County,  especially  those  portions  which  lie  just  west  of  the 
Hackensack  River  and  are  known  as  the  "Cedar  Stump  Lots"  need  addi- 
tional ditching,  and  that  the  drainage  of  the  Kingsland,  Lyndhurst,  Ruther- 
ford and  Carlstadt  marshes  is  incomplete.  Furthermore,  the  places  within 
the  reach  of  the  partially-drained  marsh  have  been  less  troubled  than  by 
the  corresponding  brood  of  last  year,  and  Passaic  County,  which  last  year 
was  rather  severely  punished  by  this  brood,  is  this  year  reported  free 
from  it  It  is  certainly  not  without  significance  that  more  than  100  miles 
of  the  coast,  all  of  which  are  in  reach  of  the  drained  or  partially-drained 
salt  marsh,  have  been  free  from  mosquitoes  or  markedly  less  troubled 
than  last  year,  while  those  parts  within  reach  of  the  undrained  salt  marsh 
have  had  mosquitoes  abundantly.  It  is  further  of  great  importance  to 
note  that  Atlantic  City  and  the  shore  road  to  the  west  of  it  have  not  been 
troubled  and  that  this  portion  of  the  coast  lies  adjacent  to  several  miles  of 
drained  marsh  while  huge  undrained  areas  lie  both  to  the  north  and  south 
of  it.  The  experience  with  this  and  previous  broods  has  demonstrated 
that  broods  of  mosquitoes  can  be  eliminated  and  adequate  protection  given 
by  a  rather  incomplete  but  vigorously  working?  systems  of  drainage  when 
supplemented  by  careful  oversight,  the  digging  of  short  supplementary 
ditches  and  the  application  of  a  small  amount  of  oil  at  the  right  time.  It 
has  further  shown  that  dependence  upon  drainage  systems  wiUiout  careful 
oversight  leads  to  the  emergence  of  serious  numbers  of  mosquitoes,  re- 
gardless of  how  complete  the  drainage  system  may  be.  The  first  step  in 
the  spring  is  to  see  that  the  existing  drainage  systems  are  in  good  work- 
ing order,  and  the  work  of  a  repair  must  be  started  early  enough  to  have 
it  completed  before  the  first  of  May.  As  the  brood  approaches  maturity, 
oil  should  be  placed  near  bad  spots  and  the  remnant  of  the  brood  should 
be  promptly  oiled  oflF  as  soon  as  pupation  begins." 

June  6.  "The  second  brood  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  got  on  the  wing 
the  latter  part  of  last  week.  Alonjar  the  Delaware  Bay  coast  the  issue  was 
large  enough  to  be  troublesome.  Neither  Atlantic  City  nor  the^  shore  road 
lying  west  of  it  have  been  troubled.  North  of  the  Mullica  River  a  large 
brood  escaped  and  worked  its  way  north  and  northeast.  On  Saturday 
the  entomologist  found  the  northern  border  of  this  brood  at  Bamegat. 
He  was  informed  by  Mr.  Stephen  Johnson,  who  is  in  charge  of  the  work 
in  Ocean   County,   that   this   brood   first   appeared   at   Manahawkin,   which 


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548      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

lies  four  miles  to  the  south  of  Bamegat,  on  the  morning  of  the  same  dar)r. 
How  far  this  brood  will  migrate  up  the  bay  cannot  at  this  time  be  told. 
It  had  already  flown  five  miles  northward  on  the  drained  marsh.  From 
Bamegat  north  to  Middlesex  G^unty  this  brood  appears  to  be  negligible. 
In  Middlesex,  Union,  Essex,  Bergen  and  Hudson  Counties  the  same  satis- 
factory conditions  are  reported." 

July  5.  "About  the  middle  of  July  during  each  of  the  past  three  years 
a  great  brood  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  has  emerged  and  invaded  terri- 
tory, which  up  to  that  time  had  been  free  from  the  pest  That  time  Ais 
season  is  now  approaching  and  while  our  present  information  does  not 
show  the  marshes  unusually  wet,  all  persons  doing  salt-marsh  mosquito 
control  work  would  do  well  to  keep  their  areas  under  especially  careful 
and  close  observation.  Provisions  for  the  prompt  and  efficient  destruc- 
tion of  that  portion  of  the  brood  which  the  drainage  does  not  eliminate 
from  the  ditched  marsh  should  be  made.  The  fresh-water  swamp  mosquito 
is  more  troublesome  than  it  has  been  in  any  previous  year  with  which  wc 
are  familiar.  In  many  parts  of  the  State,  which  are  without  timber  and 
free  from  the  salt-marsh  mosquitoes,  it  was  the  first  species  to  appear, 
and  up  to  the  present  has  remained  the  dominant  form.  The  only  parallel 
of  this  condition  with  which  we  are  familiar  was  seen  late  last  summer 
when  the  fresh- water  swamp  mosquito  bred  everywhere  in  the  temporary 
pools  which  were  created  by  the  tremendous  rainfall  of  early  August  Docs 
the  dominance  of  this  species  indicate  a  change  in  its  habits  and  a  cor- 
responding complication  of  the  problem  of  mosquito  control?  Whether  it 
does  or  not  every  effort  should  be  made  to  find  and  eliminate  its  breed- 
ing places  and  thus  to  reduce  it  at  least  to  its  former  status." 

July  12.  "The  drained  salt  marshes  are  this  year  drier  than  they  have 
been  at  this  period  of  the  year  in  any  of  the  preceding  three  seasons.  By 
this  date  in  previous  years  a  larp^e  brood  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  has 
been  in  course  of  development.  This  year  the  drained  marshes  show  little 
breeding.  In  the  course  of  a  meeting  of  chief  inspectors  of  Passaic,  Bergen, 
Hudson,  Essex,  Union  and  Middlesex,  held  in  Newark  on  July  10,  it  de- 
veloped that  in  all  these  counties  the  dominant  fresh- water  mosquito  for 
the  last  two  months  has  been  the  fresh-water  swamp  species.  This  bears 
out  the  point  made  in  the  last  issue  of  the  'Exterminator* — that  the  habits 
of  this  well-known  species  appear  to  have  changed  and  that  it  is  now 
breeding  much  more  generally  than  was  the  case  in  previous  years.  The 
reports  submitted  at  this  meeting  showed  that  mosquitoes  on  the  wing  at 
this  time  were  scarce  or  absent,  and  that  no  complaints  of  trouble  were 
being  received." 

July  18.  "The  conditions  on  the  drained  salt  marsh  continue  good  and 
no  broods  of  considerable  size  have  anywhere  gotten  under  way.  Here 
and  there  a  small  brood  has  started  and  in  a  few  instances  a  small  num- 
ber of  adults  have  escaped.  The  practice  of  assuming  that  any  part  of 
a  salt  marsh  where  water  exists  is  and  will  continue  free  from  breeding 
is  a  dangerous  one  which  will  sooner  or  later  permit  the  escape  of  a  brood 
of  size  sufficient  to  cause  serious  annoyance.  Complete  removal  of  all 
stagnant  water  appears  to  afford  the  only  real  assurance  that  breeding 
will  not  occur.  Water  of  a  stagnant  nature  which  for  any  reason  cannot 
be  removed  should  be  kept  under  the  most  careful  scrutiny  and  the  examina- 
tions should  be  both  exhaustive  and  frequent.  The  fresh- water  mosquito 
conditions  are  reported  good  throughout  the  protected  districts." 

July  25.  "On  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  of  last  week  Dr.  Jacob  G.  Lip- 
man,  director  of  the  New  Jersey  Experiment  Stations,  Mr.  Alfred  Gaskill, 
director  of  the  Department  of  Conservation  and  Developrnent,  and  Dr. 
Thomas  J.  Headlee,  entomologist  of  the  New  Jersey  Experiment  Stations 
and  executive  officer  in  charj^e  of  mosquito  work,  made  a  trip  along  the 
coast  from  Jersey  City  to  Ocean  City  for  the  purpose  of  observing  the 
prevalence  of  mosquitoes.^  At  the  outset,  and  before  beginning  the  coastal 
trip  proper,  an  examination  was  made  of  the  northern  and  northwestern 

Sarts  of  Union  and  Essex  Counties,  southern  Bergen  and  eastern  Hudson, 
fosquito  conditions  were  determined  by  daylight  collections.     All  collec- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  549 

tions  were  five  minutes  in  length  and  were  made  in  shady  places  in  the 
midst  of  bushes  or  high  weeds.  Speaking  generally,  few  or  no  mosquitoes 
whatever  were  taken  nat  any  station  until  Barnegat  was  reached.  The 
largest  collection  previous  to  that  point  was  taken  at  Forked  River  where 
five  specimens  were  secured.  The  next  to  the  largest  was  found  in  Wee- 
quahic  Park  where  four  were  caught.  The  most  significant  thing  in  the 
collections  was  the  absence  of  the  dominant  form  of  salt-marsh  mosquito, 
the  white-marked  variety.  When  the  undrained  marshes  were  reached  there 
was  an  obvious  increase  in  the  mosquitoes,  but  there  was  not  that  over- 
whelming onset  which  usually  marks  the  transition  from  drained  to  un- 
drained marsh.  The  reader  will  remember  that  in  the  two  last  issues  of 
the  'Exterminator'  mention  was  made  of  the  absence  of  the  usual  heavy 
brood  of  wrigglers  in  early  July  and  that  the  conditions  of  the  marsh  were 
whatever  were  taken  at  any  station  until  Barnegat  was  reached.  The 
experience  of  this  trip  shows  beyond  question  that  no  general  brood  issued 
during  the  middle  of  July.  The  recent  tides  have  been  hi^  and  accom- 
panied by  storms,  and  at  several  points  local  salt-marsh  broods  are  de- 
veloping. The  fresh-water  mosquito  control  is  at  present  very  good 
although  many  of  the  improtected  sections  of  the  State  are  suffering 
severely  from  the  house  mosquito.  The  time  of  the  mosquito  fighters  trial 
is  at  hand.  Practically  all  pools  of  whatever  nature  are  warm  enough 
to  breed  and  the  mosquito  can  complete  its  development  in  the  minimum 
time.  Only  the  most  vigilant  can  hope  to  cope  adequately  with  the 
mosquito  pest  at  this  time  of  the  year." 

August  J.  "We  are  gravely  informed  by  an  editorial  writer  in  a  recent 
issue  of  the  *New  York  Evening  Post'  that  the  mosquito  pest  has  invaded 
New  York  City  and  has  not  been  satisfied  with  attacking  persons  who 
live  on  or  near  the  ground,  but  has  appeared  in  places  as  high  as  the  twenty- 
ninth  floor,  that  although  science  has  turned  her  hand  to  the  job  of 
mosquito  extermination  the  beast  is  still  unconquered  and  the  coming  of 
the  fearless  knight  who  shall  slay  the  pest  is  eagerly  awaited  by  the  tor- 
tured ones.  Thus  able  writer  says  that  Dr.  Doty  almost  conquered  the 
mosquito  in  Staten  Island  and  that  Dr.  Howard  had  done  a  good  deal 
toward  reducing  the  pest.  In  New  Jersey  within  50  miles  of  the  editorial 
office  from  which  these  'facts'  emerged  live  fully  a  million  people  whose 
homes  border  on  the  salt  marshes  of  Newark  Bay  and  the  Hackensack 
River,  the  home  of  the  'Jersey  bird,'  from  which,  by  the  way,  according  to 
metropolitan  newspaper  opinion,  formerly  came  New  York  City's  supply  of 
mosquitoes.  Thousands  of  these  people  are  occupying  their  unscreened 
porches  every  pleasant  evening  without  being  troubled  by  mosquitoes  and 
bcttef  still  occupying  their  sleeping  rooms  without  disturbance.  With  the 
exception  of  a  few  limited  localities  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people 
in  this  area  have  experienced  a  relief  from  the  pest  which  they  characterize 
as  a  wonderful  improvement  Shortly  after  the  mosquito  pest  appeared 
this  season  in  New  York  City,  one  evening  a  gentleman  whom  the  writer 
knows  well  was  crossing  the  Hudson  from  New  York  to  the  Jersey  side. 
The  mosquitoes  were  bad  in  the  ferry  boat  slip  on  the  New  York  side  and 
the  passengers  were  slapping  them  energetically.  In  the  midst  of  the  tur- 
ii.v.ii  a  voice  suddenly  said  'wait  till  we  get  across  to  Jersey,  then  we  will 
get  away  from  the  mosquitoes.  We  used  to  have  them  over  there  but 
now  we  don't.'  These  facts  not  to  mention  the  more  than  one  hundred 
miles  of  marsh-bordered  coast  which  is  under  patrol  and  the  summer  resorts 
that  have  been  freed  of  mosquitoes,  are  overlooked  by  the  Post's  editorial 
writer.  Why  should  a  great  newspaper  constitute  itself  a  bureau  of  mis- 
information? The  first  of  August  is  here  and  no  great  brood  of  mosquitoes 
has  emerged  from  the  drained  marshes  yet.  About  ten  days  ago  the  un- 
drained marshes  of  New  Jersey  and  of  Long  Island  gave  off  a  tremendous 
brood  of  the  white-marked  salt-marsh  mosquito  and  all  the  upland  within 
reach  has  been  flooded.  The  record  of  the  partly-drained  marsh  has  again 
shown  that  the  only  safe  drainage  is  that  which  eliminates  all  stagnant 
water.    All  standing  water  on  the  marsh  is  potentially  dangerous." 


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550   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

August  9.  "At  the  meeting  of  the  chief  inspectors  of  Hudson,  Berg^en, 
Passaic,  and  Union  Counties  held  in  Newark,  at  2:00  P.  M.  yesterday  it 
was  shown  that  the  month  of  July  and  the  early  part  of  August  had  passed 
without  serious  mosquito  trouble.  Breeding  in  both  fresh  and  salt  water 
was  reported  wherever  water  had  stagnated  and  the  general  impression 
was  given  that  breeding  during  the  latter  part  of  July  and  early  August 
had  been  hard  to  overcome." 

August  15,  "The  tides  have  been  running  high  and  many  of  the  salt 
meadows  are  wet.  A  brood  of  the  white-marked  salt-marsh  mosquitoes 
{A.  solicitans)  has  hatched  and  is  developing.  Present  reports  do  not 
show  the  extent  of  the  marsh  involved  but  do  indicate  that  it  is  sufficientnly 
large  to  warrant  the  sharpest  attention  by  all  persons  charged  vnih  the 
duty  of  controlling  salt-marsh  breeding.  The  temperatures  are  high  and 
but  little  more  than  a  week  will  suffice  for  the  pest  to  pass  from  hatching 
of  egg  to  winged  mosquito.  The  recent  dry  weather  has  dried  up  many 
breemng  pools  but  has  reduced  the  brooks  and  permanent  pools  to  a  place 
where  they  are  breeding.  The  work  of  controlling  the  swamp  mosquito, 
the  house  mosquito  and  the  malarial  mosquito  will  admit  of  no  relaxa- 
tion. Mr.  David  Young,  inspector  in  charge  for  the  Passaic  Coimty 
Mosquito  Commission,  reports  the  breeding  of  the  swamp  mosquito  {A. 
sylvestris)  in  the  sewage-polluted  water  of  the  Passaic  River  above  the 
dam.  Tlus  record  was  made  by  collecting  the  larvse  and  breeding  out  the 
adults." 

August  22,  "The  Augfust  brood  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  is  on  the 
wing,  and  again  the  drained  and  patrolled  marshes  have  stood  the  test 
The  reports  from  different  counties,  which  are  due  the  latter  part  of  this 
week,  will  reveal  in  detail  the  nature  of  this  issue  of  mosquitoes.  Mr. 
Leslie,  chief  inspector  of  the  Bergen  County  commission,  reported  on 
August  18  substantially  as  follows:  Collections,  even  when  made  along  the 
edge  of  the  meadow,  show  a  marked  scarcity  of  A,  cantator  (the  brovm 
salt-marsh  mosquito),  and  Mr.  Kraft,  who  lives  in  the  meadows  beside  the 
Paterson  Plank  Roao,  reports  but  few  mosquitoes  about  his  house.  Speak- 
ing generally  the  collections  show  some  sylvestris  (the  fresh- water  swamp 
mosquito)  and  a  few  pipiens  (the  house  mosquito).  In  Englewood, 
Tenafly,  Ridgewood,  Bogota,  and  Leonia  we  find  mosquitoes  on  the  wing 
to  be  very  scarce  indeed.  During  the  present  season  the  only  places  whicn 
have  even  at  times  had  serious  trouble  with  mosquitoes  are  Hasbrouck 
Heights,  Woodbridge,  Carlstadt  and  certain  parts  of  Hawor^  and  of 
Hadcensack.  The  collections  from  Union  and  Essex  Counties  with  which 
the  writer  is  familiar,  show  that  the  salt-marsh  species  have  been  reduced 
to  a  point  where  they  are  nowhere  abundant.  They  also  show  that  the 
fresh-water  swamp  mosquito  is  the  dominant  species  and  that  pipiens  are 
scarce.  Both  Mr.  Gies  and  Mr.  Dobbins  report  that  the  number  of 
mosquitoes  on  the  wing  is  small  enough  to  render  this  the  best  year  they 
have  thus  far  had  in  their  respective  counties  of  Union  and  Essex.  Mr. 
Young,  of  Passaic  County,  reports  a  very  satisfactory  freedom  from  mos- 
quitoes in  the  protected  parts  of  his  county,  and  the  results  of  his  collec- 
tions, which  the  entomologist  has  the  privilege  of  seeing,  bear  out  his  state- 
ments. The  people  of  Paterson  and  Passaic  are  to  be  congratulated  on  the 
freedom  from  the  mosquito  pest  which  thus  far  this  season  has  been  theirs 
and  should  give  Mr.  Young  the  credit  which  is  due  him.  Mr.  Paterson 
reports  the  control  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  in  Middlesex  County  as  thus 
far  good,  but  not  entirely  complete  on  every  part  of  the  marsh.  Mr.  Van 
Note,  of  Monmouth  County,  reports  in  much  the  same  strain  as  Mr.  Pater- 
son. He  points  especially  to  the  absolute  control  obtained  on  the  Shrews- 
berry  River.  Mr.  Johnson,  of  Ocean  Count\',  reports  mosquitoes  in  large 
numbers  as  far  north  at  Barnegat,  and  in  steadily  diminishing  numbers  as 
far  north  as  Toms  River.  Between  Toms  River  and  Point  Pleasant  he 
reports  very  satisfactory  control.  Mr.  Reiley,  acting  chief  inspector  of 
Atlantic  Coimty,  said  under  date  of  August  18:  'The  entire  inspected  area 
of  the  county  is  practically  free  of  pipiens'   (the  house  mosquito).     'We 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  551 

still  have  a  few  of  the  salt-marsh  brood  of  three  weeks  ago  and  expect  a 
large  issue  from  the  undrained  marshes  between  Uie  nineteenth  and  twenty- 
first  Taken  as  a  whole,  Atlantic  County  for  the  time  of  year  has  never 
been  in  better  condition  regarding  mosquitoes.'  Mr.  Beckwith,  in  describ- 
ing a  collecting  trip  from  Cape  May  City  to  Woodbine,  said:  'Every  time 
after  leaving  the  coast  I  stopped  the  motorcycle  to  make  a  collection,  sol- 
licitans'  (the  white-marked  salt-marsh  mosquito)  *came  about  my  head  in 
clouds.'  •' 

In  the  undraind  marshes  of  South  Jersey  a  vicious  brood  emerged  dur- 
ing September  and  a  small  one  during  October.  On  the  drained  marshes 
the  issue  was  so  small  as  to  be  completely  negligible. 

AID    EXTENDED   TO   ORGANIZATIONS   AND   PERSONS 

In  the  course  of  the  year  the  entonwlogist  has  made  80  trips  relating  to 
mosquito  work,  involving  the  giving  of  about  93  days  of  time ;  has  prepared 
and  mailed  the  "Mosquito  Exterminator/'  and  has  served  the  New  Jersey 
Mosquito  Extermination  Association  as  secretary. 

Mr.  Charles  S.  Beckwith,  assistant  entomologist,  has  served  as  engineer 
in  charge  of  the  drainage  work  of  the  Cape  May  County  Mosquito  Com»- 
mission  during  the  present  season  and  acted  as  advisor  in  mosquito-control 
niatters  to  various  boards  of  health  in  that  county. 

Last  fall  one  year  ago  the  Cape  May  City  Board  of  Health  requested  the 
entomologist  to  furnish  a  plan  for  the  control  of  local  breeding  mosquitoes. 
An  investigation  of  conditions  was  made  and  a  detailed  report  of  breeding 
places  prepared  and  submitted.  Based  on  this  report,  the  following  recom- 
ncKndations  were  given: 

There  should  be  a  house-to-house  inspection  made  in  West  Cape  May  once 
every  lo  days,  and,  as  there  is  no  sewer  system  in  West  Cape  May,  C.  pipiens 
will  be  found  breeding  in  unsealed  cesspools.  These  should  be  oiled  about 
once  every  lo  days.  There  will  be  found  a  number  of  out-houses,  which 
should  be  oiled  in  the  same  way.  The  rain-water  barrels  and  other  recep- 
tacles found  should  be  done  away  with  entirely,  or  oiled  once  every  lo  days 
during  the  mosquito-breeding  season. 

As  you  will  see  from  the  foregoing,  there  is  evidently  a  considerable  amount 
of  opportunity  for  mosquito  breeding  withih  the  limits  of  Cape  May  City, 
West  Cape  May  and  Cape  May  Point,  and  that  the  boards  of  health  con- 
cerned could  do  a  great  deal  of  excellent  work  in  protecting  the  people  from 
nwsquitocs  that  are  bred  right  at  home.  Of  course,  the  large  marsh  men- 
tioned by  Mr.  Henry  Brehme,  lying  between  Cape  May  City  and  Cape  May 
Point,  has  already  been  taken  care  of.  The  report  is  intended  to  point  out 
the  main  lines  along  which  a  local  mosquito  campaign  should  be  run.  I  am 
not  convinced  that  the  putting  on  of  a  thorough  house-to-house  canvass  for 
the  control  of  local  breeding  is  the  best  policy  for  the  present  year,  because 
the  collections  thus  far  made  in  Cape  May  City  indicate  that  the  principal 
nwsquito  is  the  salt-marsh  variety.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  people  were 
troubled  by  mosquitoes  in  their  bedrooms,  it  is  likely  that  a  campaign  against 
the  house  species  would  result  in  affording  speedy  relief.  All  things  con- 
sidered, I  suspect  that  the  best  plan  would  be  for  the  Board  of  Health  to 
undertake  the  permanent  elimination  of  as  large  a  proportion  of  these 
breeding  places  as  possible,  and  to  spend  the  minimum  amount  of  money 
on  the  control  of  breeding  in  cesspools,  privies,  lot  pools  and  sewer  catch 


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552      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

basins.  I  should  think  that  proceedings  taken  under  the  DuflSeld  amend- 
ment to  the  general  health  laws  for  the  year  1904  should  enable  the  board 
to  bring  about  the  elimination  of  most  of  these  minor  permanent  breeding 
places  at  the  expense  of  the  property  owners. 

On  August  8,  1916,  on  request  of  the  Board  of  Health  of  Avalon,  the 
entomologist,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Beckwith,  examined  the  mosquito-breeding 
conditions  in  that  borough,  and  submitted  the  following  report: 

"At  your  request,  I  am  submitting  to  you  a  statement  of  the  results  of 
the  inspection  made  recently.  Two  places  on  the  beach  front  were  first 
examined.  One  on  the  beach  just  at  the  Casino,  and  the  other  along  the 
shore  of  the  Inlet,  between  Mr.  Runk's  place  and  the  railroad. 

**In  the  first  instance,  shallow  ditches  had  been  cut  in  such  a  fashion  as 
to  draw  the  water  into  certain  sand  pits  near  the  beach.  When  the  area 
was  examined,  it  was  obvious  that  the  outlet  ditch  had  not  been  properly 
graded,  or  had  filled  up,  for  water  was  standing  in  the  ditches  at  the  center 
of  the  area  and  the  lower  end  of  the  outlet  ditch  was  dry.  I  would  suggest 
regrading  of  the  outlet  ditch.  Mr.  Hall's  man  informs  me  that  he  examines 
this  area  once  every  week,  and  whenever  wrigglers  are  found  in  the  water, 
promptly  oils  the  surface  of  the  ditches.  Until  this  area  can  be  filled,  I  am 
inclined  to  think  that  this  is  the  best  plan. 

"In  the  second  area  a  system  of  shallow  ditches  has  been  cut.  Here  the 
grading  of  the  outlet  ditch  is  not  satisfactory,  for,  while  the  ditches  were 
all  dry  yesterday,  in  many  places  in  the  upper  course  the  bottoms  were  a 
greenish-brown,  indicating  unmistakably  that  water  had  stood  in  them  long 
enough  for  a  heavy  growth  of  algae  to  take  place.  When  the  water  finally 
dried  up,  this  growth  of  algae  was  left  on  the  ditch  bottom,  and  soon  assumed 
the  color  mentioned.  I  would  suggest  that  a  good  outlet  ditch,  extending 
well  up  into  the  area,  be  cut,  of  sufficient  depth  that  the  tide  will  ebb  and 
fall  in  it  from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  that  the  water  will  run  from  it 
into  this  central  ditch.  This  central  ditch  will  furnish  the  area  with  an 
abundance  of  killifish,  which  will  ordinarily  make  it  unnecessary  to  use  oil 
It  was  suggested  by  an  employee  of  Mr.  HialFs  that  a  central  sump,  or  hole, 
be  dug.  that  all  drainage  of  this  area  be  turned  into  it,  and  that  the  water 
be  pumped  out  over  the  beach  as  often  as  accumulated.  This  plan,  if  car- 
ried out  completely,  would,  undoubtedly,  be  successful;  but,  entirely  aside 
from  the  question  of  expense,  the  human  factor  in  starting  the  pumps  at 
the  right  time  is  large,  and  the  chances  are  that  the  area  would  produce 
mosquitoes  before  the  water  was  removed.  Under  the  other  plan,  so  long 
as  the  ditches  are  kept  open,  nature  takes  care  of  the  situation  and  acts  when 
action  is  needed. 

"Several  small  lot  areas,  something  like  three  or  four,  were  examined  in 
the  upper  portion  of  the  boroujcrh.  In  no  case  was  there  any  indication 
that  drainage  was  practicable.  Fillintr  seemed  to  be  the  only  real  remedy. 
Oiling  at  regular  lo-day  intervals  throughout  the  breeding  season  until 
such  filling  is  done  should  prevent  breeding. 

"An  area  located  in  the  woodland  just  south  of  the  sewage  disposal  plant 
was  considered,  and  I  am  informed  the  level  of  the  bottom  of  this  depression 
is  naturally  lower  than  the  outlet  which  is  provided.  I  am  also  informed 
that  ordinary  high  tide  is  sufficient  to  penetrate  the  culvert  opening  under 
the  roadway.  Now,  if  this  is  true,  it  seems  to  me  it  would  be  well  to  lower 
the  level  of  the  outlet  ditch  until  high-tide  water  can  be  sent  strongly  in  tfie 
said  depression,  in  order  that  killifish  may  be  brought  in  and  roosqmW 
larvse  destroyed.  This  would  probably  take  care  of  the  situation  until  such 
time  as  the  area  is  filled. 

"We  then  went  south  on  the  roadway  until  we  came  to  a  truck  growers 
home,  below  which  there  seemed  to  be  a  little  improvement  on  the  sand 
strip.  Here  I  noted  a  considerable  number  of  enclosed  pockets,  apparently 
depressions,  between  the  sand  dunes,  one  of  which  just  dried  up,  and,  in  dry- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  553 

ing  up,  had  apparentiy  given  off  a  brood  of  mosquitoes.  I  have  no  doubt  that 
a  considerable  number  of  these  pockets  exist  south  of  this  point.  Breeding  in 
such  places  can  be  prevented  only  by  the  use  of  oil  until  such  time  as  Siey 
can  be  drained  or  filled. 

"It  might  be  well  to  have  a  board  of  health  inspector  charged  with  the 
duty  of  looking  after  these  and  other  permanent  breeding  places  and  see  that 
they  are  oiled  whenever  breeding  occurs  in  them. 

"We  then  drove  south  on  the  new  Stone  Harbor-Avalon  road,  and  noted 
that  the  road  builder  had  cut  off  a  good  many  natural  drains  and  had  pro- 
vided little  passageway  for  the  water  to  escape.  I  saw  one  culvert,  and  it 
seems  to  me  more  should  be  put  in.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  cutting 
off  of  these  natural  drains  will  make  it  necessary  to  establish  an  artificial 
drainage  system,  such  as  might  be  brought  about  by  cutting  a  20-inch  ditch, 
30  inches  deep,  about  half  way  between  the  sand  dimes  and  the  roadway,  and 
connecting  the  same  with  culverts  underneath  the  roadway.  It  is,  or  course, 
assumed  that  the  culverts  will  be  placed  at  points  where  the  natural  drains 
lead  off  into  the  thoroughfares,  and  that  they  will  be  set  sufficiently  low  to 
take  care  of  the  water  at  low  tide. 

"In  closing  this  brief  report,  we  desire  to  congratulate  the  Borough  of 
Avalon  on  the  small  amount  of  breeding  places  found  on  and  along  the  sand 
strip.  The  amount  of  filling  done  is  enormous,  and  most  of  the  worst  places 
have  been  eliminated  by  it. 

"Of  course,  the  Borough  of  Avalon  can  never  hope  to  be  free  from  occa- 
sional heavy  infestations  by  the  mosquitoes  which  breed  on  the  marshes 
until  the  west  and  southwest  are  drained. 

"I  presume  that  you  are  aware  that  nearly  $15,000  worth  of  salt-marsh 
drainage  will  have  been  done  in  Cape  May  County  by  the  time  the  mosquitoes 
fly  next  year.  This  is,  however,  only  a  beginning,  for  approximately  $100,000 
will  be  required  before  the  marshes  of  Cape  May  County  can  be  adequately 
taken  care  of." 

THE  MOSQUITO  EXTERMINATOR 

For  the  purpose  of  keeping  all  persons  in  the  State  who  are  vitally  inter- 
ested in  mosquito-control  work  informed  in  the  prog^ress  of  the  work,  and 
to  form  a  clearing  house  for  mosquito-control  information  in  general,  the 
entomologist  this  year  prepared  and  issued  each  week  a  circular  under  the 
title  of  "The  Mosquito  Exterminator."  All  told,  22  numbers  have  been 
issued  and  mailed  to  all  members  of  the  State  association  and  such  others 
as  indicated  a  desire  for  them.  The  mailing  list  began  on  April  24,  with  257 
names,  and  closed  with  435. 


THE  NEW  JERSEY  MOSQUITO  EXTERMINATION  ASSOCIATION 

This  association  was  formed  nearly  four  years  ago,  has  held  three  annual 
meetings  and  published  an  account  of  the  proceedings  in  each  case.  The 
program  for  the  fourth  annual  meeting  is  now  being  made  up.  The  first 
year's  proceedings  had  92  pages,  the  second  136,  and  the  third  159.  The 
nature  of  the  association  and  its  purposes  are  well  shown  in  the  following 
constitution : 

Article  i.  The  name  of  this  organization  shall  be  the  New  Jersey  Mosquito 
Extermination  Association. 

Article  2.  The  purpose  of  this  association  shall  be  the  advancement  of  the 
cause  of  mosquito  extermination  in  New  Jersey. 


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554      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Article  3.  The  oflficcrs  shall  be  a  president,  first  vice-president,  second 
vice-president  and  secretary-treasureer. 

There  shall  also  be  an  executive  committee,  composed  of  the  oflfccrs  ex 
officio  and  four  members  selected  at  large.  These  officers  shall  be  elected 
annually  at  the  regular  annual  meeting  or  convention  of  the  Association. 

A  nominating  committee  of  three,  appointed  by  the  executive  committee, 
shall  propose  the  names  of  candidates  for  the  officees  and  of  the  four  mem- 
bers at  large  of  the  executive  committee,  and  shall  also  present  such  otfier 
names  as  are  offered  by  petition  signed  by  five  members  of  the  Association. 
Such  names  as  are  presented  by  petition  must  be  in  the  hands  of  the  nominat- 
ing committee  10  days  before  the  regular  annual  meeting.  A  majority  vote 
of  the  membership  present  shall  be  sufficient  to  elect 

Article  4.  This  Association  shall  hold  one  regular  annual  meeting  and 
such  special  meetings  at  such  tinies  and  places  as  Shall  be  selected  ^  the 
executive  comnvittee. 

Article  5-  Membership  in  this  Association  shall  consist  of  County  Mos- 
quito Extermination  Commissions,  Boards  of  Health,  Boards  of  Trade,  vari- 
ous civic  organizations,  or  members  of  these  organizations,  and  of  persons 
connected  with  them,  and  of  such  other  persons  as  may  be  interested  in  the 
work  of  mosquito  extermination. 

Article  6.  Any  of  the  organizations  or  persons  mentioned  in  Article  5  may 
become  men^rs  of  this  Association  on  making  application,  without  payment 
of  dues  or  assessments. 

Article  7.  The  expenses  of  this  Association  shall  be  met  annually  by  a 
pro  rata  apportionment  to  all  the  active  County  Mosquito  Extermination 
Commissioners  in  the  State. 

Article  8.  This  Constitution  may  be  amended  at  any  regular  meeting  by 
a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  present. 

The  present  membership  is  257. 

LARVICIDE8 

A  certain  amount  of  time  was  given  to  the  testing  of  various  substances 
as  larvicides.  In  the  main  the  study  was  limited  to  such  substances  of  J 
mineral  or  organic  nature  which  the  cost  and  recognized  properties  indicated 
might  form  larvicide. 

NaCl  and  CaCU.  The  work  on  these  substances  confirmed  the  results 
obtained  by  Chidester*  and  showed  that  the  amount  necessary  (NaG  and 
CaCla)  was  such  as  to  render  the  use  of  either  impracticable  from  the  stand- 
point of  cost. 

NaOH.  The  resistance  of  fully-grown  larvse  of  A.  canfator  and  A.  sollicf 
fans  to  NaOH  was  determined  by  adding  it  to  creek  water  (2.9  per  cent 
salinity)  in  doses  ranging  from  o.oooi  gm.  to  0.2  gm.  per  l.ooo  c.c.  Two- 
tenths  gm.  had  killed  everything  in  3  days.  Another  test,  in  the  course  of 
which  tap  water  was  substituted  for  the  creek  water,  was  then  set  up  with 
amounts  of  NaOH  ranging  from  0.5  gm.  to  20  gm.  per  1,000  c.c.  In  two  days 
some  killing  was  visible  in  the  i-gm.  solution,  more  in  the  5-gm.,  and  com- 
plete killing  in  the  20-gm.  A  brown  precipitate  appeared  in  all  jars  frow 
o.T  gm.  up. 

Sodium  sulfo  carbonate.  CThis  is  a  commercial  article  and  not  C  P." 
was  prepared  by  the  Dow  Chemical  Co.).  It  was  used  in  testing  the  resist- 
ance of  fully-grown  larvae  of  A.  canfator  and  A,  soUicitans  in  tap  water  to 
strength  ranging  from  i  to  3  c.c.  of  the  material  to  100  c.c.  of  water.  In  two 
days  the  larvae  had  transformed  to  pupse  and  some  adults  had  emerged. 

Borax.  (This  is  marked  refined,  and  furnished  by  Eimer  and  Amend.)  The 
resistance  of  2  to  4-mm.  C.  pipiens  larvae  to  borax  in  tap  water,  in  amonnts 
ranging  from  3.5  to  20  gm.  to  1,000  c.c,  was  tested.    In  the  first  six  days  the 


>  Chidestcr.  F.  E.,  N.  J.  A  gr.  Exp.  Sta.  Bui.   29Q. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  555 

larvae  seemed  to  be  quite  normal.  The  charge  was  then  increased  so  that 
the  amounts  ranged  from  30  to  50  gm.  In  two  days  more  everything  seemed 
nortnal.  Two  days  later  the  charge  was  in  every  case  increased  to  100  gm. 
In  one  day  more  there  were  no  changes. 

Capper  sulfate.  The  resistance  of  2  to  4  mm.  larvae  of  C  pipiens  to  cop- 
per sulphate  in  tap  water  ranging  from  i  to  20  gnu  per  1000  c.c.  was  tested. 
In  one  day  all  in  20  gm.  were  dead,  and  most  of  those  in  10  gnv  had  suc- 
cumbed. In  one  day  more  all  in  10  gm.  and  all  in  5  gnu  were  dead.  In  one 
day  more  all  in  i  gm.  were  dead.  The  doseage  for  killing  in  48  hours 
seems  to  be  5  gm.  to  1,000  c.c. 

Iron  sulfate.  (This  is  the  American  Steel  and  Wire  product.)  The  re- 
sistance of  2  to  5  mm.  larvae  of  A.  sollicitans  to  iron  sulfate  in  tap  water, 
using  amounts  ranging  from  2.5  to  50  gm.  per  1,000  c.c,  was  tested.  Two 
days  later  all  were  dead  in  the  50-gm.  solution,  but  all  in  weaker  strengths 
were  alive. 

Pyrethrum,  The  resistance  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  ranging  from  3  to  6  mm.  in 
length,  by  placing  amounts  ranging  from  i  to  10  gm.  to  100  c.c.  of  tap  water, 
was  tested.  The  mixture  was  allowed  to  stand  over  night  and  25  specimens 
placed  in  each  jar  the  following  morning.  In  one  day  all  were  dead  in  the 
tested  jars.  The  same  process  was  then  repeated  by  using  strengths  ranging 
from  I  gm.  to  2,000  c.c.  down  to  i  gm.  to  10,000  c.c.  In  two  days  all  larvae 
were  dead.  The  test  was  then  turned  around,  and  jars  in  which  the  larvae 
had  been  placed  in  tap  water  were  treated  with  a  water  extract  of  pyrethrum 
at  strength  ranging  from  7  gm,  to  3,000  c.c.  to  i  gm.  to  20,000  c.c.  In  one  day 
all  were  dead  in  the  i  to  2,000  c.c.  In  two  days  an  were  dead  in  i  to  3,000.  In 
three  days  all  were  dead  in  i  to  20,000. 

Nicotine,  The  resistance  of  5-min.  larvae  of  A.  sollicitans  to  40  per  cent 
nicotine  in  tap  water  at  strength  ranging  from  i  c.c.  to  1,000  c.c.  to  i  c.c.  to 
40,000  cc,  was  tested.  In  one  day  all  larvae  were  dead  in  i  to  10,000  or 
grreater.  Also,  the  resistance  of  2  to  4  mm.  larvae  of  C.  pipiens  to  nicotine,  in 
tap  water,  was  tested,  at  strengths  varying  from  i  cc.  to  30,000  cc.  to  i  cc. 
to  60,000  cc  In  2  days  all  were  dead  in  i  to  40,000,  and  in  4  days  all  were 
dead  in  i  to  60,000. 

Quassia,  A  water  extract  of  quassia  was  prepared  by  macerating  50  gm.  of 
quassia  chips  in  So  cc  of  distilled  water.  The  resistance  of  2  to  4  mm.  larvae 
of  C.  pipiens  to  quassia,  in  tap  water  varying  from  i  cc.  to  1,000  cc.  to  50  c.c. 
to  1,000  cc,  was  tested.  In  two  days  all  were  dead  in  501  cc.  to  1,000  cc.  In 
three  days  no  further  killing  was  visible. 

Hellebore.  The  resistance  of  2  to  4  mm.  larvae  of  C.  pipiens  to  hellebore,  in 
strengths  ranging  from  6  to  40  gm.  to  1,000  cc  of  tap  water,  was  tested. 
Eight  hours  before  the  larvae  were  introduced,  the  hellebore  was  placed 
in  the  water  and  thoroughly  mixed  with  it.  In  two  days  all  were  dead  in 
the  40  to  1,000.  In  three  days  a  few  were  dead  in  the  30  to  1,000.  In 
eight  days  all  were  dead. 

Ginger.  The  resistance  of  2  to  4  mm.  larvae  of  C.  pipiens  to  ginger,  in 
strength  ranging  from  0.5  to  5  gm^  per  1,000  cc  tap  water,  was  tested.  In 
T  day  all  were  dead  in  5  to  1,000,  and  most  of  the  specimens  were  dead  in 
2  to  i.ooo.    In  two  days  all  were  dead. 

Pyroligneous  acid.  (This  is  the  purified  product  made  by  the  Malhn- 
kodt  Chemical  Works.)  The  resistance  of  2  to  4  mm.  larvae  of  C.  pipiens 
to  pyroligneous  acid  in  tap  water  at  strenjfth  varying  from  i  cc.  to  1,000 
c.c.  to  I  c.c.  to  40,000  c.c.  was  tested.  At  the  end  of  6  days  all  were  alive. 
The  dose  was  then  increased  i  to  500,  and  in  2  days  later  all  were  alive. 

Carbo-sul.  This  is  a  commercial  preparation.  It  is  an  emulsified  carbon 
disulfiide.  The  resistance  of  fully-grown  lar\'ae  and  some  pupae  of  A.  can- 
tator  and  A.  sollicitans  to  carbo-sul  was  tested  in  tap  water  at  strengths 
varying  from  3  cc  to  100  cc  to  i  cc  to  1,000  cc.  In  one  day  all  larvae 
in  3  to  TOO  were  killed.  The  pupae  gave  up  adults  which  died  before  they 
could  take  wing.     The  weakest  strength  killed  a  few  larvae  in  36  hours. 


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556   NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Pyridine.  (This  is  the  technical  from  Eimer  and  Amend.)  The  resist- 
ance of  fully-grown  larva  and  some  pupae  of  A,  cantator,  A.  sollicitans, 
and  C.  salanarius  to  pyridine  in  tap  water  was  tested,  at  strengths  varying 
from  o.ooooi  ex.  to  i,ooo  c.c.  to  0.2  c.c.  to  1,000  c.c.  In  one  day  all  were 
dead  in  0.2  to  1,000.  In  two  days  some  were  dead  in  o.i  to  i,0Q0.  In  the 
latter  strength  some  of  the  pupae  gave  up  adults  which,  however,  perished 
before  they  could  take  wing. 

Cresol.  (This  is  U.  S.  P.  from  Eimer  and  Amend.)  The  resistance 
of  2  to  4  mm.  C.  pipiens  larvae  to  cresol  in  tap  water  at  strengths  varying 
I  c.c.  to  8,000  c.c.  to  I  c.c.  to  50,000  c.c.  was  tested.  In  one  day  all  were 
dead  in  i  to  30,000  and  greater  strengths.  In  two  days  all  were  dead  in 
I  to  50,000. 

Lysol.  (This  is  a  commercial  product  manufactured  -by  Leher  and 
Fink.)  The  resistance  of  2  to  4  mm.  C.  pipiens  larvae  to  ly^ol  in  tap  water 
in  strengths  varying  from/  i  c.c.  to  8,000  c.c.  to  i  c.c.  to  50,000  c.c.  was 
tested.     In  one  day  all  were  dead  in  i  to  40,000. 

Phenol.  (This  is  100  per  cent  crude  carbolic  acid  furnished  by  Eimer 
and  Amend.)  The  resistance  of  C.  pipiens  larvae  2  to  4  mm.  long  to  phenol 
was  tested  in  tap  water  at  strength  varying  from  i  c.c.  to  1,000  c.c.  to  i  ex. 
to  40,000  c.c.  In  two  days  all  were  dead  in  i  to  20,000  and  in  greater 
strengths.     In  four  days  all  were  dead  in  i  to  30,000. 

^Mixture  of  10  c.c.  pyridine,  10  c.c.  xylol,  and  rosin  to  make  2$  c.c.  The 
resistance  of  2  to  4  mm.  larvae  of  C.  pipiens  to  this  mixture  in  tap  water  in 
strengths  varying  from  i  c.c.  to  20.000  c.c.  to  i  c.c.  to  50,000  cc.  was  tested. 
In  one  day  all  were  dead  in  i  to  40,000.  This  experiment  was  repeated 
under  the  same  conditions  with  the  same  species  of  larvae,  and  in  two 
days  all  were  dead  in  the  i  to  50,000. 

Standard  Oil  samples.  During  the  winter  of  191 5  the  writer  requested 
the  Standard  Oil  Company  to  prepare  an  oil  which  would  give  good  spread- 
ing power  with  strong  staying  ability.  The  company  responded  with  three 
samples.  No.  i  and  No.  2  of  which  were  black  in  color,  while  No.  3  was  a 
straw  yellow.  On  February  24,  191 5,  the  writer  selected  three  glass  dishes, 
filled  to  the  same  height  with  distilled  water.  Each  dish  had  about  70 
square  inches  of  water  surface.  Each  was  treated  with  5  c.c.  of  oil  The 
first  received  its  supply  from  Sample  I,  the  second  from  Sample  2,  and  the 
third  from  Sample  3.  Thirty-one  days  later  the  oil  film  of  No.  3  was  com- 
plete, while  on  both  No.  i  and  No.  2  it  was  broken.  Three  large  glass 
dishes  were  then  prepared,  filled  to  the  same  height  with  water,  and 
each  made  the  recipient  of  50  or  more  2  mm.  larvae  of  C.  pipiens.  Oil  was 
introduced  at  the  rate  of  3  c.c.  to  the  square  foot.  The  first  was  treated 
with  sample  No.  i,  the  second  with  No.  2,  and  the  third  with  No.  3.  One 
day  later  8  larvae  were  alive  in  No.  i,  10  in  No.  2,  and  o  in  No.  3. 

A  test  of  the  lasting  power  of  some  of  the  more  promising  substances 
was  arranged  Seven  wooden  wash-tubs  were  arranged  in  3  pairs  and  a 
chock.     One  series  was  filled  about  half  full  of  red  shale  soil. 

It  thus  appears  that  none  of  the  mixtures  tried  in  the  above  experiment 
persist  to  a  satisfactory  extent,  and  that  the  best  from  that  standpoint  is 
Standard  Oil  sample  No.  3. 

It  is  easy  to  find  substances  that  will  kill  mosquito  larvae  very  quickly, 
but  to  get  one  that  will  remain  effective  over  a  long  period  seems  attended 
with  difficulties.  All  tubs  were  filled  to  the  same  height  with  water.  The 
tubs  were  allowed  to  stand  until  larvae  of  C.  pipiens  appeared  in  each. 

Pair  No.  i  was  then  treated  with  a  proprietary  substance,  known  as  Khan's 
mixture,  at  the  rate  of  10  gms.  to  the  gallon  of  water.  Pair  No.  2  was 
treated  with  Standard  Oil  sample  No.  3  at  the  rate  of  1.5  cc  to  the  gallon. 
Pair  No.  3  with  pyridine  at  the  rate  of  1.5  c.c.  to  the  gallon.    Pair  No.  4  with 


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the  mixture  pyridine,  xylol  and  rosin  at  the  rate  of  1.5  c.c  to  the  gallon. 
The  tubs  were  left  outdoors  throughout  the  experiment  The  results  are 
set  forth  in  Table  XV. 

Table  XV 
Results  of  Experiment  with  Samples  of  Oil  as  Larvlcides 


DATE 

No.  1  Khan's 
Mixture 

No.  2 
Standard 
oa  No.  3 

No.  8 
Pyridine 

No.  4 

Pyddin  & 

Xylol  &  Rosin 

No.  5 
No  Treatment 

9/4      

Bxperlment  a 

et  np. 

9/5,    

All  aUve 

All  alive 

All  dead  ex- 
cept pupae 

All  dead  ex- 
cept pupae 

All  alive 

9/e 

Few  dead 

Few  dead 

AU  dead 

All  dead 

All  a&lve 

9/7,  

All  dead 

AU  dead              "      " 

"      .'* 

9/10 

••      •* 

••       •»           C.  living  plpiens 
1        preaent 

C.  living  plpiens 
present 

9/11 

..      .. 

"      .. 

..       .. 

9/12 

C.  llTing  plpiens 
preaent 

••      *• 

*•       *• 

9/lS 

"      •• 

..      .. 

t*      •• 

9/14 

..            M 

C.  Uvlng  plplena 
preaent 

«4               •• 

9/16 

..      .. 

..              .. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The  four  contracts  between  the  State  and  various  contractors  for  salt- 
marsh  ditching,  which  were  executed  but  not  finished  last  year,  have  been 
satisfactorily  completed  this  year,  with  a  total  of  745.105  linear  feet  of  narrow 
ditching. 

The  counties  have  cleaned  thoroughly  500,000  linear  feet  of  ditching,  and 
removed  obstructions  throughout  all  the  drainage  systems  to  keep  them  in 
working  order.  The  counties  have  cut  2,543,713  linear  feet  of  new  10  x  30-inch 
ditching  or  its  equivalent  on  the  salt  marsh.  They  have  patrolled  95,000  acres 
of  salt  marsh  (covering  a  coast  line  of  125  miles),  have  patrolled  315.000 
acres  of  upland,  and  have  afforded  a  good  measure  of  protection  to  one  and 
three-fourths  millions  of  people. 

The  investigation  of  larvicides,  which  included  a  test  of  substances  con- 
sisting of  metal  salts,  drugs  and  more  or  less  pure  organic  chemicals,  shows 
that  while  a  number  of  compounds  that  would  destroy  mosquito  larvae  were 
found,  none  had  the  ability  to  remain  effective  for  more  than  a  limited 
period  after  the  application  was  made. 


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REPORT   OF   THE   DEPARTMENT 
OF   ENTOMOLOGY 


(425) 


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Department  of  Entomology 


Thomas  J.  Hiqadlee,  Ph.D.,  Entomologist 
♦Charles   S.   Beckwith,  B.Sc,  Assistant  Entomologist 
Alvah  Peterson,  Ph.D.,  Assistant  Entomologist 
Augusta  E.  Meske,  Stenographer  and  Clerk, 

*On  State  Station. 


CONTENTS 

PAGB 

Introductory 427 

Insect  Correspondence  427 

Insects  of  the  Year  4S6 

Orchard  Plant  Lice  437 

Plum  Curcuuo  437 

Potato  Flea  Beetle  438 

Cabbage  Worms 438 

June  Bugs 488 

Rose  Bug 439 

Vegetable  Plant  Lice  439 

Tussock   Moths   ...- 439 

Chrysanthemum  Midge 440 

The  Rose  Typophorus 440 

Recently  Introduced  Foreign  Insects  440 

Insect  Scouting  442 

Climate  and  Insect  Investigations 442 

'   Atmospheric    Humidity    and    the    Augoumois    Grain 

Moth  443 

A  Further  Test  of  the  Effect  op  Atmospheric  Moisture 

Upon  the  Bean  Weevil. 444 

Conclusions  445 

Orchard  Insect  Investigations 44^ 

Pear  Psylla  446 

Peach  Tree  Borer  449 

Eggs 459 

Summary  ^ 463 

Small  Fruit  Insect  Investigations 464 

S^TRAWBERRY  WEEVIL  464 

Orchard  Plant  Lice  464 

Rose  Bug  465 

Vegetable  Insect  Investigations 465 

Bean  Maggot  ,..^ 465 

Greenhouse  Insect  Investigations  467 

The   Use  of   Hydrocyanic   Acid   Gas   for   Greenhouse 

Fumigation  ^ 467 

Soil-Infesting  Insect  Investigations 469 

Laboratory  and  Field  Experiments  With  Sodium  Cyanide 

AND  Other  Chemicals  Against  Wireworms  In  the  Soil  469 

House-Fly  Investigations  479 

Fly  Control  at  Beach  Haven,  New  Jersey  479 

Report  on  Mosquito  Work 485 

(426) 


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Report  of  the 
Department  of  Entomology 

Thomas  J.  Headlee,  Ph.D. 


INTRODUCTION 

The  attention  of  the  entomologist  has  this  year  been  devoted  to : 
(i)  the  dissemination  of  information  about  injurious  insects 
through  the  medium  of  letters  to  persons  who  have  written  request- 
ing help;  (2)  the  dissemination  of  timely  information  on  the  nature 
of  and  the  methods  to  be  used  in  combating  specific  insects  which 
were  this  year  sufficiently  abundant  to  do  large  harm;  (3)  the 
prosecution  of  investigations  on  lines  later  to  be  described;  (4) 
the  prosecution  of  the  work  of  mosquito  control. 

The  personnel  of  the  staflf  has  not  changed  except  that  an  addi- 
tional stenographer  has  been  employed. 


INSECT  CORRESPONDENCE 

Besides  advice  of  a  general  sort  information  concerning  at  least 
171  different  species  of  mites  and  insects  has  been  requested. 


(427) 


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428 


NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


ABACHMIDA 


Latin  Nam« 
Bryobia  pratenses  Qarman.. 

Brlophyes   pyri  Pffst 


"  quadripes   Shlmer 

Tetranychus  bimaoulatus  Harv. 


Trombidium    xnuscarlum. . . 
Tyroflrlyphus   lintneri   Osb . 


Common  Name 
Clover  mite 


Pear-leaf  blister  mite. 


Maple    mite . 
Red    spider. . 


Harvest    mite... 
Mushroom    mite. 


Bud     mites. 


IXMsality 

Elizabeth    

Barleiffh  Heights.   Md. 

Montclair    

Paterson   

NelsonvHle   

Mantua    

New  Brunswick 

Keansburff    

Mt.  Holly 

Trenton    

SomervUle    

Hackenaaek  


Date 

ICar.  IS. 

ICar.  19. 

June  S. 

June  SS. 

June  27. 

Aug.  8. 

Aug.  16. 

Sept  12. 

Oct.  6. 

Dec  6.  '1«. 

Jan.  7. 

July  JB. 


INSBCTA 
ThyMMiiir» 

L^plsma  saccharina  Linn Silver    fish La   Gloria,    Cuba . 


Thrips   sp.. 


Aleyrodes  packardl,   Morr. 


Thrips    Pensauken 

Hommitera 
Strawberry  White  fly. 


Nov.      7,  'li. 
.  July    1«. 


vaporariorum  Westa. 


Aphis  brassicae  Linn . 
gossypl  Qlover. 
pomi   DeQ 


Oreenhouse 


Cabbage    aphis.... 

Melon    aphis 

Green  apple  aphis. 


pseudobrassicsB    Davis ..  i  False   cabbage   aphis. 


setarisB   Thos. 
sorbi    Kalt... 


Aphididn 


Rusty  plum  louse. 
Rosy  apple  aphis.. 


Montclair    .' 

Summit   

Princeton    

Clinton    

Sea    Bright 

Morristown    

Quinton    

B.   Rutherford 

Washington   

New  Brunswick. . . . 

Haokensack    

Lyndhurst    

Allendale    

Haddonfleld   

Bgg   Harbor 

B.     Rutherford ..... 

Matawah    

S.  Orange 

Plant  lice i  Haddon    Hts 

eggs I  MerchantviUe    

, I  Dunellen    

Belle    Mead 

!  Tenafly    

!  Barleigh   Hts..    Md . 

, I  Riverton    

;  Maplewood    

t  Caldwell    

'  Bound    Brook 

,  Long    Branch 

1  Hackensack    

I  Pocono,  Pa. 

I  Louisville.    Ky 

I  Westfleld    

I  Allentown     

Riverton    

Bloomfleld    

Paterson   

Plalnfleld    

Port  Richmond,  N. 

Rahway    

Plalnfleld    

Rldgewood    

Bound    Brook 

Bound    Brook 

Ramsey    

Rldgewood   

RiegelsviUe    

W.    Bnglewood 

Madison     


Aug. 

Aug. 

Nov. 

Jan. 

Sept 

Sept 

Sept 

Sept 

Oct 

Dec. 

Apr. 

July 

Aug. 

Nov. 

Oct 

Sept 

June 

June 

Nov. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

May 

May 

June 

June 

June 

June 

June 

June 

June 

June 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 

July 


•II. 


1«. 

4. 

8. 

t. 
11 
SO. 
20. 
28. 
SO. 
21.  'It 

4. 

7. 
84. 
11,  '16. 

4. 
S8. 
10. 

20,  '16. 
31.  'li 

S. 

s. 

SI. 
SI. 

so. 
so. 

S6. 

S8. 

f. 

7. 

7. 
14. 
SS. 

ss. 

S6. 

so. 

8. 
8. 
8. 
8. 
8. 
7. 
7. 
f. 
t. 

i. 
f. 
f. 
f. 

18. 


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HOMOPTBBA— Continued 


Latin  Nam« 


Aphidlde 


Common  Name 
Plant  lice 


Aplirophora  paraliela  Bay 

AapldlotM  hedene  Vail 

"          pemiciosus  Conurt.. 
▲ulacaipia  roM»   Bouche 


Frog  hoppers... 
Oleander  Scale . . 
San  Jose  Scale . 
Rose    Scale 


LK>oality 
New    York   City. 

Westfleld     

New   York   City. 

Paterson   

Allendale    

No.    Hampton . . . 

Ramsey     

Rutherford     

Berarenfleld  . . . . 
Bound    Brook... 

Hahwah    

Somenrille    

Westfleld     

Bloomsbury   

Lyndhurst    

North  Bergen . . . 

Paterson   

Wyckoff    

Hohokus   

NuUey   

New  Helford 

Waldwick    

Westwood     

Paterson   

Union     

Hanover    

Iffadlson    

Nauffhrierht    

Newton    

Paterso«i   

Ridffewood   

Blue    Anchor. . . 

Caldwell    

Blberon   

Summit    

Verona     

Newark    

Woodbridge    . . . 

Newark    

Morris   Plains... 

Newark    

Bound    Brook... 

Caldwell    

Denvllle    

Elizabeth    

Perth  Amboy... 
Ridgefleld   Park. 

Andover    

Blizabeth    

Qlen    Ridge 

Garwood   

Irvington    

Rahway    

Elmer    

New  York  City. 
Roselle  Park... 
Bast   Orange.... 

Matawan     

New  Brunswick, 
New   York   City. 

Parlln    

New  York   City. 

Flndeme    

Clayton    

Jersey    City 

Arlington    

Rahway    

Asbury  Park.... 
Bemardsville 

Princeton    

LaCrosse.  Wis.. 

Metuchen    

Iffontclair    


Date 

July  10. 

July  10. 

July  10. 

July  10. 

July  11. 

July  11. 

July  11. 

July  11. 

July  12. 

July  12. 

July  12. 

July  12. 

July  12. 

July  IS. 

July  IS. 

July  IS. 

July  IS. 

July  IS. 

July  14. 

July  14. 

July  14. 

July  14. 

July  14. 

July  16. 

July  16. 

July  17. 

July  17. 

July  17. 

July  17. 

July  17. 

July  17. 

July  18. 

July  18. 

July  18. 

July  18. 

July  18. 

July  19. 

July  10. 

July  10. 

July  19. 

July  19. 

July  19. 

July  20. 

July  20. 

July  20. 

July  20. 

July  20. 

July  20. 

July  2S. 

July  28. 

July  28. 

July  28. 

July  28. 

July  28. 

July  24. 

July  24. 

July  24. 

July  26. 

July  26. 

July  26. 

July  26. 

July  26. 

July  27. 

July  28. 

July  29. 

July  80. 

July  81. 

Aug.  8. 

Aug.  4. 

Aug.  4. 

June  28. 

May  2. 

Oct.  19. 

May  17. 


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NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 


HOMOPTEJRA— Continued 


Latin  Name 

Ceresa  bubalus  Fab 

Chermaphli   abi«tiooIens   Thos. 


plnicortls    Fitch. 


Chionaspis    euonymi    Comst. . 

pinifolifle  Fitch 

Chx78omphalu0  aonidum  Linn 

Coccide    

Coccus  hesp^ridum  Linn 

Bulocanium   nigrofasciatum 

Berg. 


quercicltronia  Fitch 
tullpiferse    Cook. 


Ja88id»    Sp 

Lachnufl    sp 

Lepidosaphes   ulmi   Linn 


Longistigma   caryoe    Harr 

Myzus  libis   Linn 

Nectarophora   pisi   Kalt 

Phenacoccus    acericola    Kinsr. . 

Phyllocoptis    phloescoptis    Nal . 

Pseudococcua    sp 

Psylla  buxi  Linn 

••        pyrioola   Forst 

Pulvinaria  acericola  Walsh  & 
Riley 


"  .  innumerabills    "        " 

Salssetla  hemlspherica  Tarer. 
Schizoneura  lanigera  Hausm. 


Tibicen  septendedm  Linn. 
Typhlocyba  comes  Say 


Common  Name 
Buffalo  tree  hopper 
Spruce  gall  louse 


Pine  bark  louse. 


Buonymous    Scale 
Pine -leaf    Scale. 
Circular    Scale.. 

Soft  scale 

Soft  Brown  Scale 

Teil-apln   Scale.. 


Soft    Scale 

Tulip  soft  scale. 


Leaf    hopper. . 
Oyster-shell   scale 


Plant    louse 

Currant  aphis. .. 


Qreen    pea   aphis 
Maple   false   scale 

Plum    gall 

Mealy    bug 

Box   psylla 

Pear    psylla 

Cottony  maple  scale 


Hemispherical   scale 
Woolly  apple  louse 


17-year    locust... 
Orape  leaf  hopper 


Locality 

Barleigh   Hts.*    Md 

BemardsTllle    , 

Kingston     

CaldweU    

Ridgewood  

Maplewood 

Coloeme  , 

New    York   City , 

Princeton    , 

Plainneld 

Elizabeth    

Mt.  Bphraim «...., 


Somerville 
Rutherford  . . . 
Hackensack  . . . 
Hackensack  . . . 
Lacrosse,   Wis.. 


Date 

Mar.  80. 

Apr.  S. 

Dec.  a,   '16. 

June  21. 

Aug.  6. 

Dec  28,  '16. 

Apr.  26. 

May  10. 

June  SO. 

July  30. 

Aug.  6. 

Occ  24. 

July  12. 

Mar.  2. 

May  S. 

May  2. 

May  2. 


Swedesboro    j  J*n» 

Collingswood    '  Sept 

Moorestown   ^p** 

Morristown     June 

Haddon    Hts >  Jan. 

No.     Paterson Feb. 

New  Brunswick. 

Elizabeth    

Ridgewood 


Apr. 

Augr. 

Augr. 

Ridgewood     )  Sept 


Hillsdale 

Camden     

White  House 

Princeton    

So.  Orange 

Moorestown   

Newark    

Dumont    

Blberon   

Orange    

Plainneld    

Ridgewood   

Tuckerton     

Plalnfleld    

Jersey    City 

Mt  Holly 

Montclair    

W.  Orange 

Cresskill    

New   Brunswick. . . . 

Fleminsrton    

Pompton  Plains.... 

Pensauken      

Jersey    City 

Bemardsville    

Morrestown    


Aug. 

Aug. 

July 

Oct 

Sept 

Oct 

June 

Aug. 

Oct 

Jan. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

Apr. 

July 

Sept 

Nov. 

May 

June 

June 

Dec 

Sept 

July 

Feb. 

Aug. 

June 

Oct 


6. 
II. 
26. 
IS. 

4. 
27. 
26. 
16. 
18. 

7. 

8. 
11. 
19. 

6. 
29. 
26. 
28. 

6. 

6. 

2. 
20. 
18. 
19. 
14. 
88. 

9,   'It. 
27. 
18. 
24. 
81,   '16. 

6. 
16. 
27. 
81. 
19. 

6. 


Stockton    

New   York   City. 

Arlington    

Sussex    

Manasquan     .... 

Plalnfleld    

Elisabeth    

Gladstone    

New    York    City. 

P.  Amboy 

Verona     

Irvington    

Hilton    

New  York  City. 
Wyomissing,  Pa. 
Merohantville    . . 


May  8. 

June  28. 

July  2. 

July  14. 

Aug.  7. 

June  7. 

Jan.  19. 

June  9. 

Nov.  28,  '1%, 

Nov.  20,   •!«. 

July  28. 

July  17. 

Sept  18. 

Feb.  6. 

June  89. 

Aug.  8. 


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HOMOPTERA— Continued 


Latin  Nam« 
▲BttMk  tristia  DeO 

AwUmm   cristatua   Linn 

CtiwMi'r    lectulariiM   Linn 

H«tarooordyla8  malinus  Reuter 
Lgrsns  pratensis  Linn 

P«ita.toinSd«  sp. 

AerWtdc 

Biattide  .'.!!'.'.!'.!!!!!!!'.!!!!! 

aryUiOm   

merooentmni  rhoxnbifollum 

Sauss. 


Oeeaatbns  nisricomia  Walker. 
Pmratenodera   sinensis    Sauss . . 

Ptaroplkylla  persplcellata  L. . . . 

gtagmoman  tis  Carolina  Johann 


ocnlatus   Linn 

Ampblcems  bioandatus  Say . . . 
ABtltonomiM  si^rnatus  Say 


HBMIPTBRA 
Conunon  Name 
Squash   bus 


Wlieel  buff. 
Bed    buff. . . 


Apple  red  hug 

Tarnish   plant   buff. 

Stink    bug 


Orthopt«r» 

Locusts    

Grasshoppers 

Cockroaches     

Cricket. 


Katydid. 


Tree  cricket 

Chinese    Mantld. 


Katydid. 


Mantld 

Coleopteni 

Click    beetle # 

Apple    twiflr   borer 

Strawberry    weevil.... 


J 


BalaalAiM  caryae  Horn. 
BnKkiM  obtectus  Say. . 


Hickory-nut    weevil...^ 
Bean    weevil 


■p. 


ByiutiM  onlcolor  Say. 


orya 
ChrwmomeUdm 


Linn. 


Golaoptera    

CoBotrachelns  nenuphar  Hbst. 


Locality 

Stockton   

Port  Jervis 

Roselle  Park .... 

Trenton  

Great    Meadows. 

Oradell    

Dunellen   

Mooi;estown 

E.    Rutherford.. 

Dumont 

Short    Hills 


New  Brunswick. 

Elisabeth    

Plainfleld    

Belmar    


Date 

July  16. 

July  25. 

Sept  8. 

July  16. 

'  July  SO. 

(Nov.  14, 

May  7. 

j  Feb.  20. 

I  July  28. 

Aug.  6. 

'Aug.  27. 


:  Aug.  9, 

Aug.  4. 

I  Aug.  14. 

'Sept.  17. 


16. 


Sewell    '  Feb. 

Belmar    |  Feb. 

Elisabeth Aug. 

Riverton    '  Mar. 

Bnglewood    Nov. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Apr. 

Feb. 


Secaucus 
Moorestown 
Ridgewood   . 
Riverton    . . . 

Haddonfleld    t  Apr. 

Roselld    Jan. 

Ridgewood    Apr. 

Maple    Shade <  Feb. 

Woodbury     June 

Linwood    May 

Pleasantville    !  Dec. 

Jersey    City I  Mar. 

Wading    River Apr. 

Hammonton    '  May 

Atco    May 

New   York   City Nov, 


Weevils    

Borer   

American    raspberry 

beetle 


Summit 
New  York  City. 
Bound  Brook . . . , 
Perth  Amboy... 
New    York   City., 

Plainfleld    , 

Caldwell    

Paterson   , 

Jdaya  Landing. . . 
Bloomsbury   . . . . , 

Newark    

Haddon  Heights. 

Summit   

Belle    Meade 

Lakewood     

Gillette    

Franklinville   . . . . 

Haddonfleld    

Moorestown    

Pattenburg     


Rloe   weevil. 
Flea    beetle . 


Borer  

Plum  curculio. 


Sparta   

Sparta    

Agassis,   B.   C... 

Fiuo«rne   

Lebanon    

Keyport    

Hahway     

Toms  River 

Palmjrra    

Lambertville    . . . . 
Aura    


Dec. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
Apr. 
May 
May 
June 
July 
July 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Sept. 
Feb. 
July 

May 

June 

Nov. 

July 

Feb. 

Aug. 

Apr. 

Oct. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Feb. 


8. 
26. 
80. 
SO. 

27,  '16. 
10. 

1. 

2. 

6. 
16. 

6. 

2. 

2. 

6. 

29.  *16. 
18. 
12. 
20. 

1. 
28. 

21,  '16. 
11,  '16. 

1. 
29. 
11. 
18. 
27. 
28. 

2. 
18. 
28. 
10. 
13. 
16. 
22. 
26. 
27. 
26. 
18. 

3. 
17. 

29. 
26. 

11,  '16. 
28. 

1, 

3. 
26. 

81,  '16. 
21. 

4. 
12. 


Digiti 


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432 


NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


COLBOPTBRA— Continued 


Ijatin  Name 
ConotracheluB  nenuphar  Hbst. 


Common  Nama 
Plum  curcullo 


Cotalpa   lanigera    Linn 

Cryptorhynchus   lapathi    Linn. 
Diabrotica    12 -punctata    Oliv. . 


Blateridse 


▼ittata    Fab. 


Bpitrix   cucumeris   Harris. 


Goldamith   beetle 

Poplar  borer | 

Southern    com    root 

worm 
Striped  cucumber  beetle 
Wire    worms 


Locality 
Philadelphia.   Pa. 

Blisabetn    

Lonff    Branch.... 

Flemington    

8.  Orange 

Teaneck    

PUinfleld    

Metuchen    

Burlington    

Kinkora    


Potato  flea  beetle. 


Buphoria    inda    Linn 

FIdia  vitlclda  Walsh 

Ithycerus  nova-boracensis 

Forst 
Lachnosterna  fusca  Froehl. 
sp. 


Leptinotarsa    lO-Uneata    Say 


If acrodactylus  subspinosus  Fab, 


Mononychus   vulpeculus   Fab 

Oberea  bimaculata  Oliv 

Phyllotreta   armoracle   Fowlr 
Platydema  excavatum  Smith 
Saperda  Candida  Fab 


Scolytns  rugulosus  Rats. 


SilTanus  surinamensis  Linn. 
Strigoderma  arboricola  Fab. 


B  town    fruit-chafer . 
O  rape   root-  worm .... 


Curculionid  . 
May    beetle . 


Potato    beetle. 


Rose    bug. 


Beetle    

Cane    borer. . 
Flea    beetle. 


Round-headed  apple  tree 

borer    

Fruit  tree  bark  beetle. 


Saw-toothed  grain  beetle 
Beetle 


Brldgeton     

Bnglewood   

New   York  City.... 

Bnglewood   

Great  Meadows    . . . 

New   York   City 

Newark    

RobbinsvUle    

Haokettatown    

Flemington    

Trenton     

New  Brunswick.... 

Bamegat    

Chester    

Montdalr   

Boonton    

Bound    Brook 

Rahway    

Cream    Ridge 

Pompton  Plains. . . . 
Woodbury  Heights. 

Martinsville     

Garwood 

Trenton 

Princeton    

Westfleld    

Newton   

Morristown,    Pa. . . . 
Batontown   


Jersey   City 

AtlanUe    City 

Morristown    

Merchantville    

Linden     

Trenton     

New  York  City 

Bamegat    

Freehold   

Far   HlUs 

Trenton  

LitUe    SUvar 

Vlneland     

Bnglewood   

Plainfleld    

Teaneck  Park 

West    Bnd 

West  New  York 

Plainfleld    

Hopewell     

Rutherford     

Hopewell    

Rutharf ord 

Newton    , 

Paterson 

Cape  May  Court  House, 


Haokettstown    

W.    Bnglewood 

Barlelgh  Heights.  Md. 

Flemington    

Haokettstown    

Woodbury    


D»to 

Mar.  20. 

May  21. 

June  7. 

June  17. 

June  26. 

July  7. 

Sept  e. 

Oct.  19. 

May  26. 

July  20. 


Nov. 
Apr. 
Oct. 
Feb. 
June 
June 
June 
Mar. 
May 
May 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
July 
July 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Aug. 
June 

Jan. 
Jan. 
Mar. 
May 

June 
June 
Dec 
June 
July 
July 
Apr. 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
July 
July 
July 
July 
July 
June 
May 
June 
Oct 


16,  '16. 
20. 

20.  'll. 
26. 

4. 
16. 
20. 
16. 
20. 
22. 
17. 

6. 

f. 

t. 

8. 

t. 

9. 
12. 
20. 
2L 
26. 
26. 
22. 
29. 
80. 

6. 

8. 
10. 
26. 

24. 
28. 
88. 

24. 
li. 
26. 
27.  '10. 

8. 

6. 
24. 

9. 
16. 
19. 
88. 
86. 
88. 
88. 

8. 

8. 

4. 

8. 
29. 
It 
88. 

1 
88. 


Sept  It 
Jan.  14. 
Apr.  18. 
Sept  It 
Sept  86. 
July  i. 


Digiti 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT. 


433 


L.BP1DOPTBRA 


Ijatln  Name 
Ampelophava    myron   Cram. 


Archtpa  sp 

BembMda  marglnata  Harr. 
Callosamla  promethea  Dra. 


Carpocapaa  pomonella  Linn 


CltlMronla    regalia    Fab . . . 
Datana  inteserrlma  G.   & 


minlatra   Dm. 


Diacrlala  Tirginlca   Fab . . . 
Dlaphania  nltidalla  Cram. 


«Draaterla  erechtea  Cram . . . 
Dryocampa  rubicunda  Fab. 
Bnarmonia  prunivora  Walsh 


Oallerla  melonella  Unn. 
Halisldota   sp 


tessellaris  a  &  A 


Harrisina   amerlcana   Harr. 
Hellothis  obsoleta  Fab 


Hemerocampa  leucostlgma 


&  A. 


Hyphantrla  cvnea  Dru 

Letilla   coccidlTora    Comst.. 
Laspeyresla  molesta  Busck. . 

Lepidoptera     

Leucanla   nnipuncta    Haw . . . 

Limacodidse     

Malacosoma  amerlcana  Fab. 


Common  Name 
Grapevine  hog-caterplll 

ar   

Leaf    roller 

Raspberry  root-borer. . 
Promethea   moth 

Codling   moth 

Hickory   homed   devil. 
Black  walnut  caterpillar 

Yellow    necked 

caterpillar 

Moth     

Pickle  worm 

Moth     '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'. 

Maple  worm 

Lesser  apple  worm . . . 

Bee     Moth 

Moth    

Pale  tussock  moth . . . 

Grape    leaf   skeletonixer 
Corn  ear  worm 

White  marked  tussock 
moth 


Fall   web   worm 

Oriental  peach  moth 

Caterpillar   

« 

Moth  !!!!!!!!! 

Caterpillar    

Moth    '/.'.'.'..'.'.'. 

Caterpillar    

Army  worm 

Caterpillar    

Tent  caterpillar 


Locality 

Atlantic    City 

Tonally    

Cape    May 

Frwiaau    

Allmuchy    

Tonxs  Rlrer 

Geneva    

New   York   City 

Glen    Ridge 

Cream   Ridge 

Pittstown    

Delaware    

Flemington    

Camden 

Metuchen    

Monmouth  Junction.... 

Freehold   

BUsabeth    

Bemardsvllle    

Plalnfleld    

Flemington    

Atlanta.    Ga 

Milwaukee.   Wis 

Flemington    

Palmyra    

Toms  River 

Toms  River 

Springfield    

New   York   City 

Bemardsvllle     

Titusvllle    

B.     Rutherford 

Newton    

Woodstown     

Toms  River 

New   Brunswick 

Jersey    City 

Asbury  Park 

Mt   Holly 

PhfTlipsburg     

Newark    

Elizabeth    

Chatham     

B.     Rutherford 

Rleglesvllle    

Bemardsvllle     

N.  Paterson  

Springfleld    

Brooklyn,    N.   Y 

Newark    

Wllliamstown    

New   Brunswick 

Bloomfleld    

MerchantviUe    

Williamstown    

Perth    Amboy 

Trenton    

Newark   

N.   Montclair 

Paterson    

Great    Meadows 

Cape  May  Court  House. 

Glbbsboro    

Moorestown     

Pompton  Plains 

Morristown     

Rldgewood    

Green   Village 

Allendale    

Elizabeth    


Date 


Jan. 

Mar. 

Dec. 

Apr. 

Mar. 

Oct 

Nov. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

Apr. 

May 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Aug. 

May 

Aug. 

A«g. 

Aug. 
May 
May 

Sept. 

May 

July 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

July 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Jan. 

Jan. 

Apr. 

June 

Feb. 

July 

July 

July 

Aug. 

Sept. 

July 

Aug. 

Feb. 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Jan. 

Mar. 

May 

June 

June 

July 

June 

July 

Aug. 

Aug. 

June 

Aug. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

Apr. 

Apr. 

May 

July 


24. 
30. 
18. 
16. 

8. 
31. 
11. 
22. 
12. 
14. 
26. 
26. 
28. 
11. 
19. 
28. 

31 
13. 

6. 
SO. 
88. 

IS. 
24. 
28. 
22. 
31. 

1. 

1. 
S3. 
18. 
IS. 
28. 

6. 

4. 
20. 

3. 
80. 
27. 

27. 
17. 
23. 
23. 

4. 
10. 

t. 
13. 
27. 
24. 
29. 
28, 
16. 
18. 
10. 
16. 
23. 
24. 
26. 
27. 

8. 
11. 

4. 
11. 
84. 
13. 
21. 
22. 

2. 
It. 

3. 
27. 


10. 
16. 
16. 
16. 


16. 
16. 
If. 


16. 


Ag28 


Digiti 


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434 


NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


UBPIDOPTBRA— Continued 


LAtln  Name 
Mellttia  satyrlnlformla  Hbn. 


Melalopha  Inoluaa 
Noctuide  Bp 

••  «« 

•«  «« 

•«  *• 

Ozyptilttfl  pertaoelldactylus 

Fitoh 


Papalpema  nltela  On 

Perldroma  savcia  Hbn 

Phalonla  ruUlana  Hbn 

Phlegethontius  sexta  Johnn.. 
Phobetron  pltbeoium  8.  &  A. 
Plerls  rapa  Linn 


Plodia   interpnnctella   Hbn. 
PolycbroaU  viteana  Clem.. 


Samla   oeoropla   Linn 

Sanninoidea   exiUoea    Say. 


Scbisura  concinna  8.  &  A... 

Beslida  sp 

Slbine  stlmnlea  Clem 

SUotroffa  cerealella  oVit 

««  «•  *',,,.. 

«•  ««  «« 

««  •«  *« 

Sphecodlna  abbottil   Swains.. 

Sphlnffld»    

Thyrldopteryx  ephemernformiB 
Steph. 


Common  Name 
SQuaah  vine  borer 

Locality 
Keyport     

Da 
Nor. 
May 

Apr. 
Aug. 
Jan. 
Oct, 
June 
June 
June 
July 
July 
July 

June 
June 
June 
June 
June 
Aug. 
Feb. 
June 
Aug. 
Aug; 
May 
Aug. 
June 
Aug. 
July 
Sept 
Sept. 
Mar. 
Sept 
Jan. 
Nov. 
Nov. 
Nov. 
D^ 
Jan. 
Jan. 
Jan. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
May 
May 
May 
June 
June 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept 
Sept 
Sept 
Oct 

Aug. 

Aug. 

Sept 

Sept 

Feb. 

Feb. 

Aug. 

Oct 

July 

July 

Jan. 
F^ 
Apr. 
Apr. 
July 
Aug. 
Aug. 

to 
19.  'It 

Hackensack     . . , , 

IS. 

•«          «•           t« 

Qlen    Ridge 

2L 

««          «•          «< 

Elisabeth     

IS. 

Poplar  t«nt   mAJcAr 

Atlantic    City 

ss. 

Cnt    wor 
«<           «« 
««           «« 
««           (« 
•«           «« 
i»           «« 
«•           •« 

Grape  pli_ 

m 

New  York  aty 

Riverton   

4. 

Bound    Brook 

1. 

Washington   ........ 

11 

Stelton    

i. 

Paterson 

IS. 

Orange    

St. 

am  moth 

HMmmIt    ............  ^  ^ 

L 

Caldwell    

9. 

««          **         •« 

Red    Bank 

IL 

Stalk    bo 
Variegate 

•*           •« 

rer 

Hackensack    

Cranford  

New  Brunswick 

Wortendyke 

11. 

1«. 

7. 

d    ent    worm .  . 

11. 

Mt  Holly 

L 

Soutbem 

Hag   mol 

Cabbage 

•• 

«• 

tobacco  worm 
.h 

Passaic    

Westfleld     

IS. 
S4. 

worm 

Bngllshtown    

1 

•« 

Passaic    

IS. 

«« 
•« 

New  Brunswick 

Passaic    . .    .... 

IS. 
T. 

««            «• 

R&hway 

17. 

««            «« 
Indian   meal    moth. . 

Highland   Park    

Hackettatown    

27. 
SS. 

Qrape  berry  moth 

Philadelphia.   Pa 

Camden     .......... 

SS. 
28. 

Ceoropia 
Peach    tr 

moth  .• 

B.    Rutherford 

26. 

ee   borer 

Burlington 

7,  '11 

•  *'     .  .  . 

«         •« 

•  •• 

•  «« 

•  •• 

•  *'     • ....  I 
«         •« 

«         •• 

Bordentown     

S,  '11 

«( 

Rutherford 

2S.  '11 

« 

W.    Bnglewood 

2S.  '11 

(« 

Oibbsboro   

IS. 

«« 

W.    Bnglewood 

14. 

tt 

Convent     

SS. 

«< 

Morristown    

21. 

«• 

Plainfleld    

4. 

<t 

Bngllshtown 

21. 

t< 

Colllngswood  

2L 

(4 

Westfleld    

21 

M 

Hawthorne 

28. 

«« 

Washington  .  .* 

IS. 

«• 
«• 

Bnglewood  

S.  Orange 

New  York  City 

Brooklyn    

SS. 
St 
S4. 

11. 

„ 

Camden 

B.    Rutherford 

It 
19. 

l«                         i 

Camden 

ik 

««                         « 

BlberoA  

s. 

Red  hvmped  apple 

caterpillar 
Clear  winged  moth 

Sussex    

MerchantTille    

14. 
11 

Saddle   back  caterpillar 
««           ««              «« 

Angovmola   grain   moth 

Trenton 

Arlington    

11 
IS. 

s. 

Beverly 

1 

«•               ««           «« 

Buena 

S7. 

«• 
Sphinx  m 

"          Of 

Bag  won 
««         •« 
««         «« 

««                     M 
•«                   M 

M                       «« 

oth 

Philadelphia,   Pa 

Stockton   

1 
S4. 

kterpUlar 

n. 

Hackensack a 

SI 

Oibbsboro  

S4. 

Moorestown   

1. 

Freneau 

11 

Salem    

14. 

Haddottfleld   

Mullca   Hill 

1 
7. 

Philadelphia,   Pa 

7. 

Digiti 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT. 


43S 


LBPIDOPTBRA— Continued 


Latin,  Name 

Thyridopteryx  ephemereformls 

Steph. 


TortrioidflB    

Apic  melllfera  Lilnn... 


Apt*    sp 

Caliroa  cerasi  !• 

Camponotue   heronleanus 

pennaylvanlcua  Dea. 
Camponotua     herculeanua 

pennalyvanicuB  DeO. 
Diaatrophna    cnacutttfonnla 

Harr 
Formlcldae   ap 


lohnemnonldte    

laoeoma  orchideamm  Westw.. 


Uonomorimn  pharaonls  Linn.. 

M  ««  «« 

Pteronna  rlbeall  Scop 

Vespa  crabro  Idnn 

Ctenooephalaa  canla  Curt 

Pulez  irrltana  Unn 

Aeidia  auaTls  Loaw 

*«  ••  •« 

••  •«  «« 

AgTomyaa   sp 

ChlronomidsB    ap 

Cttllclda  Bp 


Common  Name 
Baff    worm 

M  «• 

««  «• 

««  «« 

«•  «« 

««  •« 

M  •« 

Leaf   roller 

Honey   bee 


Beet   

Poplar  aluff 

Carpenter  ant... 
/ 

Cane  call 

Ants   

«« 

«• 
«« 
«« 

«« 

Ichneumon    fly.. 
Cattleya  fly 

Red    ants 

Cicada    kiUer!.'.' 
European  hornet 
«•  «« 

SIplMHUI 

Cat  and  dog  flea 

••      ««        ««      «« 
Human  flea 

M  «• 

«•  «• 

Diptera 

ICanrot  in  Bng.  walnut 
huaks 


Leaf    miner 

Midffa    

Moaqulto     . 


Locality 

Bordentown 

Bordentown  

AtlanUc    Highlands . . . 
Montolair    Helffhta. . . . 

Vlneland  

Paterson   

Prinoeton    

Mt.  Bphriam 

N.  Pateraon 

Hasbrouck  Heights.... 

B.   Orange    

Caldwell    

New   York  City 

Salem 

Brooklyn     , 

Washington  

Vlneland  

Demarest    

Singac   

Columbua    

Campgaw   

Mahwah    

Rockaway    

Andover    

Plalnfleld    

Metnchen    

Maple  Shade 

Atlantic  City 

MerchantvUle    

Boonton    

Asbury  Park 

Plalnfleld    

Spring   Lake 

Newark   

Callfon     

Orange    

Camden     

Philadelphia,   Pa 

Long    Branch 

Long    Branch 

Plalnfleld    

Camden     

Convent     

Fall  River,  Mass 

Old    Bridge 

Sewell    

Broadway 

Princeton    

Monmouth  Junction... 

Bridgeton   

Forked    River 

Belleville    

Bordentown  

Bridgeton  

Woodbine   

Bridgeton 

Hartford 

Bridgeton 

Philadelphia,   Pa 

Rye  Beach,  N,  B 

Boston,    Mass 

Newton,  Mass 

Vancouver,   B.   C 

Arlington.  Mass 

Rio   Grande 

MillvUle    


Date 


Aug. 

Aug. 

Aug. 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Sept. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Feb. 

Dec. 

Deo. 

Jan. 

May 

May 

May 

May 

May 

May 

May 

May 

June 

June 

June 

July 


17. 
SL 
8S. 

28. 

6. 
11. 
18. 

6. 
27. 

11.  'If. 
16.  'If. 

2, 

L 
10. 
14. 
14. 
16. 
22. 
22. 
28. 
28. 
28. 
SO. 
28. 


Apr.  12. 

Oct.  19. 

May  9. 

Mar.  8. 

Apr.  22. 

May  20. 

June  1. 

June  2. 
June 
June 
June 
June 

June  19. 

June  20. 

June  27. 

July  6. 

July  10. 

Aug.  2. 

Feb.  7. 

Jan.  11. 

Sept.  11. 

Sept.  26. 

Aug.  2. 

Oct.  24. 

Oct.  28. 


2. 

4. 
4. 
4. 


June 
July 
Sept. 
Apr. 
June 
July 


Jan. 
Oct. 
Oct. 

Nov. 


Jan, 
Jan. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
Mar. 


26. 
18. 
8. 
24. 
20. 
18. 


8. 

2. 
10. 
14,  'If. 


IS. 
16. 

1. 
27. 

6. 
12. 


Digitized  by  VjOO' 


gle 


436 


NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


DIPTSRA— Continued 


liatin  Name 
Culicide    sp 

Dlarthronomyia    hypogna 

H.  Lw. 


BristalU    tenax    L 

Laeioptera  vltls  O.  8 

Ifansonla    perturbana 

MonarthropalpuB  buxi  Lab 

Mnsca  domestica  Linn 

•t  ••  «• 

Peffomyia   vlclna  .Llntn 

Phorbla   braaslce   Bouche 

cepamm    Melff 

fUBOlceps    Zett 

Phytoniza    aQullegle    Hardy. . 
chry'&nthemi 

Kowarz 

Psychoda  sp 

Phagoletla  pomonella   Walsh 

Solara  multiseta  Felt 

Tipniidae   ep 


Common  Name 
Moequito   


Chrysanthemum  midge. 


Drone    fly 

Potato   gall   on   grape . . 

Irritating  mosqblto  . . . 
Boxwood  leaf  miner... 
House    fly 

Spinnach  leaf  miner  . . 
Cabbage    maggot 

Onion    maggot 

Seed    com    maggot 

Columbine    leaf -miner.. 
Chrysanthemum  leaf- 
miner 

Moth   fly 

Apple    maggot 

Mushroom    fty 

Crane  fly 


Locality 
Llvermore»    Me.... 

Dayton.    O 

Rahway     

Providence,   R.   I.. 

Rahway     

Port  Tatia,   N.   D. 

Lewes,     Del 

Morsemere   

Baltimore,    Md.... 

Chatham 

Browns    Mills.    . . . 

Chatham 

New   York    City... 

Mlddletown    

Jersey    City 

Rldgewood    

Lawrence    

Newark   


Warren  Point 

New   Brunswick 

Philadelphia,    Pa 

New   Brunswick 

Rutherford     

Secane,  Pa 

Cape  May  Court  House . 

Passaic    

Mendham    

Middietown    

Rumson     

Elizabeth    

Maplewood 

Montclalr    

Boonton    

New    Egypt 

New   Brunswick 

Bay    Head 

MiUviUe     

Elizabeth    

Harlingen     

Brielle   

Llnwdbd    

Old    Bridge 

Brldgeton 

Lumberton . . . 

Keyport     

Newton    

Salem 


Date 
Mar.  It. 
Mar.  20. 
Apr.  9. 
Apr.  11. 
Apr.  If. 
May  1. 
May  If. 
May  SI. 
May  SS. 
June  18. 
June  SI. 
June  25. 
June  30. 
July  2. 
July  10. 
July  12. 
July  14. 
Cfct.     10. 


Apr. 
Apr. 
Apr. 
Apr. 
May 
May 
Oct, 
June 
June 
July 
Jan. 
May 
May 
July 
Aug. 
May 
June 
July 
July 
July 
Jan. 
Apr. 
June 
June 
Dec 
May 
Juns 
June 
June 


12. 
18. 
19. 
19. 

1. 
21. 
22. 
21. 
24. 

9. 
11. 
22. 
28. 
11. 

8. 

8. 
19. 

2. 
28. 
30. 
SO. 
28. 

8. 
11. 

18.  '11. 
20. 
20. 
29. 

2. 


Atlantic  City '  July  23. 

Asbury  Park \  Aug.  21. 

Trenton   Oct      8. 

Toms   River 1  Oct  21.  "K. 

Sea     Bright :  Sept  14. 

Leonia    |  Oct  8. 

Wyoming    June  18. 


INSECTS  OF  THE  YEAR 

This  year  has  been  especially  marked  by  a  widespread  outbreak  of 
plant  lice  on  fruit  and  vegetables,  an  unusual  activity  of  the  plum 
curcuHo,  the  potato  flea  beetle,  cabbage  worms,  June  bugs,  and  rose 
bug,  and  various  species  of  tussock  moths.  In  greenhouses  the 
chrysanthemum  midge  and  the  rose  Typophorns  have  claimed  at- 
tention.   Among  foreign  species  which  have  gained  a  foothold  the 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  437 

recognizedly  injurious  Japanese  beetle  (Popilia  japonica)  and  a  bay 
tree  infesting  psyllid  are  noteworthy,  especially  the  former.  No 
year  in  the  writer's  experience  has  better  illustrated  the  need  for 
that  sort  of  insect  scouting  which  will  give  a  thorough  fore-knowl- 
edge of  insect  outbreaks  as  an  essential  step  in  adequately  protect- 
ing crops  from  injury. 

Orchard  Plant  Lice 

Before  the  opening  of  spring  the  presence  of  large  numbers  of 
shining  blatk  eggs  on  the  twigs  and  smaller  -branches  of  the  apple 
orchards  in  many  parts  of  the  state  clearly  indicated  that  damage 
by  orchard  plant  lice  was  likely  to  occur.  The  season  opened  late 
;ind  remained  cold.  When  the  lice  hatched  from  the  eggs  they 
thrived  mightily  and  soon  accomplished  large  damage. 

Three  species  were  concerned — the  green  apple  aphis,  the  rosy 
apple  aphis,  and  the  oat  aphis.  Although  the  apple  growers  were 
warned  of  the  danger  many  failed  to  get  a  control  and  suffered 
large  damage.  It  is  a  pleasure,  however,  to  say  that  all  who  sprayed 
properly  obtained  control  of  the  insects  and  suffered  no  serious 
harm. 

The  oat  aphis  has  already  begun  to  return  to  the  trees  in  large 
numbers  and  if  the  rosy  comes  back  later,  the  outlook  for  trouble 
next  year  will  be  excellent. 

Plum  Curculio 

The  damage  done  this  year  by  this  insect  was  at  once  the  most 
widespread  and  locally  the  most  severe  of  the  past  five  seasons. 
Orchards,  the  crops  of  which  normally  are  not  seriously  troubled, 
have  this  year  been  badly  damaged. 

The  attack  seems  to  have  come  between  the  blossom-fall  and  the 
ten-days-after-blossom- fall  spraying,  at  the  time  when  the  former 
had  been  practically  eliminated  _by  the  washing  of  the  rains  and  the 
growth  of  the  fruit.  Very  little  harm  was  done  following  the  appli- 
cation of  the  latter  spraying.  In  orchards  standing  near  woodlands 
or  plantings  interspersed  with  old  stumps  or  carpeted  with  grass, 
the  damage  was  particularly  severe. 

Clean  culture  in  the  forepart  of  the  season  followed  by  a  cover 
crop  not  producing  a  dense  sod,  the  removal  of  stumps  and  tfie 


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438        NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

cleaning  out  of  overgrown  fence  rows  will  rob  the  beetles  of  their 
wintering  quarters  and  reduce  the  number  which  must  be  fought 
If  followed  by  that  type  of  spraying  which  will  preserve  the  coating 
practically  intact  for  the  first  month  after  the  blossoms  fall,  dam- 
age by  this  insect,  even  under  unfavorable  conditions,  will  be 
greatly  reduced  if  not  rendered  negligible.  It  seems  reasonably 
certain  that  normally  the  regular  and  efficient  spraying  of  the  apple 
orchard  will  year  by  year  cut  down  the  amount  of  curculio  injury 
to  a  point  where  it  will  be  entirely  negligible. 

This  season's  experience  most  conclusively  shows,  however,  that 
the  application  of  merely  the  sprays  listed  in  the  spra)ring  schedule 
may  permit  an  unusual  abundance  of  curculio  to  be  followed  by 
a  failure  to  obtain  satisfactory  protection. 

Potato  Flea  Beetle 

This  and  other  species  of  flea  bettles  have  this  season  been  ex- 
tremely abundant.  Appreciation  of  the  damage  which  they  do  ap- 
pears to  be  so  slight  among  the  growers  that  little  effort  has  been 
made  to  control  them. 

Cabbage  Worms 

Th^  caterpillars  (principally  of  the  imported  cabbage  worm)  have 
been  so  unusually  abundant  this  season  that  the  cabbage  crop  has 
been  considerably  damaged.  Here  again  failure  to  act  against  the 
worms  has  been  followed  by  considerable  harm. 

June  Bugs 

This  year  has  witnessed  the  largest  number  of  these  big,  blunder- 
ing, night-flying  insects  for  several  years.  Tender  foliage  in  the 
tops  of  poplar  and  oak  trees  has  been  badly  eaten.  Small  trees  and 
shrubs  have  in  some  places  suffered  severely.  Rose  bushes  have 
been  badly  eaten.  The  work  was  done  entirely  at  night  and  the 
grower  usually  did  not  discover  the  marauder. 

The  June  bug  is  the  parent  of  the  white  grub.  Eggs  have  been 
laid  in  grass  lands.  If  weather,  or  natural  enemies  do  not  greatly 
reduce  the  brood  thus  started,  we  may  expect  large  damage  next 
year  and  the  year  after  to  lawns,  golf  greens  and  crops  planted  on 
land  this  year  in  timothy,  blue-grass  and  other  grass  sod. 


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Rose  Bug 

The  rose  bug  appeared  this  year  with  more  than  its  usual  severity. 
The  prevention  of  its  work  in  apple  orchards  in  1915  and  1916  by 
the  prompt  application  of  self-boiled  lime-sulfur  has  this  year 
teen  extended  to  grape,  peach  and  cherry  with  satisfactory  results. 

Vegetable  Plant  Lice 

Potatoes,  tomatoes,  eggplants,  cabbages,  cauUflower,  beans,  pep- 
pers and  other  vegetable  crops  were  this  year  very  seriously  and  in 
5ome  cases  mortally  damaged  by  various  species  of  plant  lice*. 

In  the  latter  part  of  June  it  became  evident  from  the  number  of 
winged  lice  found  on  various  vegetables  that  an  outbreak  was  prob- 
able. By  the  tenth  of  July  large  damage  had  been  done  to  potatoes 
ihroughout  the  northern  half  of  the  state.  Later  at  certain  points 
in  South  Jersey  similar  but  less  serious  damage  was  done. 

Wherever  a  mixture  composed  of  i  part  of  40  per  cent  nicotine  to 
500  parts  of  water  to  which  soap  was  added  at  the  rate  of  2  potinds 
to  50  gallons  of  soft  water,  or  3  to  4  pounds  to  the  same  quantity  of 
hard  water,  was  applied  in  §uch  a  fashion  as  to  wet  thoroughly  all 
the  lice,  they  were  destroyed  and  the  damage  promptly  checked. 

Great  difficulty  in  making  satisfactory  applications  of  this  mix- 
ture was  experienced  in  some  instances,  owing  to  the  fact  that 
potatoes  had  met  in  the  row  when  this  insect  was  discovered,  thus 
rendering  treatments  with  wheeled  machinery  impracticable,  and 
owing  to  the  great  scarcity  of  adequate  spraying  machinery. 

Tussock  Moths 

Three  species  of  tussock  moths  have  attacked  the  foliage  of  elm, 
maple  and  other  shade  trees  during  the  past  season.  While  thev 
have  not  done  much  real  damage  because  the  buds  were  well  formed 
before  any  considerable  defoliation  took  place,  they  have  excited  1 
great  deal  of  alarm. 

The  white  marked  species  {Hemerocampa  leucastigma  S.  &  A.), 
while  more  abundant  during  the  forepart  of  the  season  did  little 
harm  at  that  time.     On  the  twenty-first  of  July  the  writer  saw 

*The  principal  species  upon  cabbage,  potatoes,  tomatoes  and  eggplant 
was  the  green  peach  aphis  (Myzus  persicae  Sulz).  The  species  upon 
beans  were  (Myzus  lycopersieae  and  AptUa  psetuiobraasieae  Davis). 


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440        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

the  greatest  abundance  of  both  the  cocoons  and  eggs  masses  on  the 
maple  trees  in  the  city  of  Trenton.  The  partial  second  brood  ap- 
peared in  only  small  numbers. 

The  hickory  tussock  moth  (Halisidota  caryae  Harr.)  and  the 
pale  tussock  caterpillar  (Halisidota  tessellaris  S.  &  A.)  appeared 
in  large  numbers  during  the  last  days  of  August  and  continued  feed- 
ing until  the  first  of  October. 

Chrysanthemum  Midge 
During  the  last  of  March  a  prominent  florist  of  Irvington  called 
our  attention  to  the  work  of  this  insect  (Diarthronomyia  hypogcp 
H.  Lw.)  upon  chrysanthemums.  The  examination,  which  was 
promptly  made,  indicated  that  the  infestation  had  just  become  estab- 
lished. This  fact  when  taken  with  the  well-known  ability  of  the 
species  to  do  large  damage  led  us  to  advise  the  prompt  destruction 
of  all  injured  plants. 

During  the  investigations  of  this  problem  it  became  clear  that 
the  insect  was  more  widely  distributed  than  had  been  thought.  A 
letter  of  inquiry  which  was  sent  out  for  the  purpose  gave  the  fol- 
lowing distribution: — Madison,  Morris  County;  Rutherford  and 
Warren  Point,  Bergen  County ;  North  Bergen,  Hudson  County,  and 
New  Brunswick,  Middlesex  County,  in  New  Jersey,  and  Phila- 
delphia in  Pennsylvania. 

The  Rose  Typophorus 
jMLJ^SSJls^Typophorus  excavatm^Jm) 

iil- 
md 
3rk 
is 
jms 


The  species  of  Rose  Typophorus  referred  to  on  this  page  should 
read: 


Typophorus  Canellus  Fab.,  var.  Quadrinotatus  Say. 

ow, 
*lc 
mic 

acid  gas  it  almost  disappeared,  but  during  October  it  again  became 

troublesome. 

Recently  Introduced  Foreign  Insects 

Perhaps  the  most  important  of  this  year's  developments  is  the  find- 
ing of   a  serious   infestation   of   the   Japanese   Popilia    {PopHia 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  441 

japonica)  in  Burlington  County.  This  insect,  which  reminds  one  in 
its  feeding  habits  of  the  rose-bug,  has  a  long  list  of  fdod  plants 
including  grape,  cherry,  roses,  Virginia  creeper,  elder,  Crataegus, 
althea,  smartweed,  tear  thumb,  evening  primrose,  ragweed,  velvet 
leaf  and  jewel  weed.  It  seems  to  have  a  peference  for  smartweed, 
grape,  cherry,  and  rose.  In  Japan  it  is  recorded  as  an  enemy  of 
string  beans,  grapes,  peas,  and  peanuts.  The  damage  is  done  pri- 
marily by  the  adult  beetle. 

The  beetles  begin  emerging  in  the  latter  part  of  June  and  remain 
on  the  wing  into  September.  Eggs  are  laid  in  the  soil  above  which 
the  beetles  are  feeding.  The  grubs  hatch  and'  live  in  the  soil 
throughout  the  rest  of  the  summer,  the  following  winter,  and  as 
much  of  the  following  summer  as  is  necessary  to  reach  maturity. 

The  present  infestation  covers  an  area  in  a  scattering  fashion  of 
several  square  miles.  The  heavy  infestation  is  confined  to  an 
area  about  a  half-mile  square. 

It  is  expected  that  the  State  Department  of  Agriculture  will  next 
season  undertake  a  campaign  for  the  eradication  of  this  species. 

A  European  psyllid  known  as  Triosa  alacris  was  introduced  into 
New  Jersey  on  imported  stock,  apparently  from  Belgium,  several 
years  ago.  It  attacks  the  foliage  of  bay  both  under  glass  and  in 
the  open.  Its  activity  causes  the  leaves  to  curl,  discolor  and  blister. 
When  a  curled  leaf  is  opened  the  small  lice  are  found  within  covered 
by  a  white  waxy  secretion.  The  insect  which  belongs  to  the  sucking 
group,  inserts  its  beak  through  the  rind  and  withdraws  the  sap  un- 
til the  trees  have  a  sickly  appearance. 

Winter  is  passed  in  the  bay  trees  as  an  adult  and  the  species  be- 
lomes  active  when  the  trees  are  removed  from  cold  storage  and 
placed  outside.  Eggs  are  laid  on  the  under-sides  of  the  leaves  near 
the  margin.  There  are  two  broods  out-of-doors  during  the  summer 
reason. 

Fumigation  with  hydrocyanic  acid  gas  or  tobacco  during  winter 
has  been  found  to  destroy  the  species. 

The  infestation  of  the  European  mole  cricket  (Gryllotalpa 
gryllotalpa)  described  in  the  Annual  Report  for  1915  is  still  present, 
but  no  spread  has  taken  place  nor  have  any  new  infestations  been 
discovered.  The  owners  of  the  land  on  which  this  infestation 
occurs  are  fighting  the  insect  by  hunting  out  and  destroying  the 
nests  during  June  and  July. 


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442        NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Insect  Scouting 

Perhaps  the  most  important  factor  in  furnishing  timely  in- 
formation to  growers  on  the  i;nethods  of  controlling  insects  is  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  activities  of  all  injurious  species  at  all 
times  of  the  year.  It  has  been  the  writer's  experience  that  nearly 
every  species  exhibits  an  undue  number  of  healthy  representatives 
for  some  time  previous  to  the  doing  of  sufficient  damage  to  consti- 
tute an  outbreak. 

With  foreknowledge  it  would  be  practicable  to  draw  the  growers' 
attention  to  impending  danger  in  time  to  permit  the  taking  of 
reasonably  adequate  measures  of  prevention.  This  foreknowledge 
of  insect  outbreaks  can  be  had  only  through  a  system  of  scouting 
which  covers  all  parts  of  the  state  with  sufficient  frequency  to  keep 
track  of  the  status  of  all  seriously  injurious  species. 

CLIMATE  AND  INSECT  INVESTIGATIONS 

This  investigation  deals  with  the  problem  of  measuring  the  effect 
of  climate  upon  the  life  and  seasonal  cycles  of  injurious  insects 
and  their  natural  enemies.  It  is  an  attempt  to  attack  the  problem 
from  the  standpoint  of  measuring  the  effect  of  specific  climatic  fac- 
tors such  as  temperature,  moisture,  light,  etc. 

During  the  present  season  our  attention  has  been  devoted  to:  (i) 
ihe  effect  of  atmospheric  moisture  upon  the  activity  of  the 
angoumois  grain  moth  or  "fly  weevil,"  one  of  the  most  serious  of 
the  insects  attacking  stored  grains;  and  (2)  further  tests  of  the 
effect  of  atmospheric  humidity  on  the  activity  of  the  bean  weevil. 

Just  at  present  our  attention  is  centered  upon  the  problem  of 
measuring  the  effect  of  atmospheric  moisture  upon  the  grain-in- 
festing species. 

These  factors  of  climate  in  their  extremes  are  powerful  in- 
secticides and  a  study  of  them  is  not  only  certain  to  teach  us  how  to 
forecast  the  effect  of  weather  conditions  and  thus  to  know  when  to 
strike  a  species  that  may  soon  develop  into  a  serious  pest,  but  will 
yield  new  specific  methods  of  controlling  many  of  the  species  worked 
with. 


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443 


Atmospheric  Humidity  and  the  Angoumois  Grain  Moth 

A  set  of  experiments  was  arranged  to  determine  the  effect  of 
atmospheric  humidity  upon  the  rate  of  metabolism  of  the  angoumois 
grain  moth.  Five  flasks  were  selected.  In  each  a  section  of  a 
3'ellow  flint  com  ear  (cob  and  all)  was  placed.  Ten  moths  were 
introduced  into  each  flask. 

One  was  set  aside  as  a  check.  Each  of  the  other  four  was  placed 
in  an  incubator  chamber  held  constantly  at  8o°F.  and  quite  dark 
except  for  little  flashes  now  and  then  from  the  thermostat  and  pilot 
lights  and  the  short  periods  during  which  the  doors  were  open  to 
permit  examinations.  Each  flask  by  means  of  its  glass  inlet  and 
outlet  tubes  is  connected  with  an  air  line,  through  which  an  air 
current  of  8o**F.  and  of  a  specified  moisture  content  travels  at  the 
rate  of  about  a  Uter  in  ten  minutes.  The  insects  are  left  under 
these  conditions  until  the  entire  life  cycle  has  been  completed. 

Table  i 

Effect  Upon  Amount  of  Atmospheric  Moisture  on  the 
Angoumois  Grain  Moth 


Chamber 
number 


Atmoepherio 
moiature 
per  cent 


Date  of 

maximum 

death 


Date  of 
maximum 
emerirence 


Lengrth  of 

life  cycle 

in  days 


Number 
of  indi- 
viduals 

produced 


Remarks 


T^ 


1 
2 

3 

4 
Check 


Less  than  1 

100 

78 

24 


8/24.  '17 
8/28,  '17 
8/24,  '17 
8/24,  '17 
8/23,  '17 


0 
4/26 
4/28 

0 


0 
88 
85 

0 


nothing  out  6/18. 

I I 


0 

1 

21 

0 

1917 


Fungi   active 


All   alive 


The  rate  of  metabolism  in  the  life  cycle  of  the  angoumois  grain 
moth  appears  to  increase  with  the  moisture,  being  most  rapid  at 
ICO  per  cent  (table  i).  Owing  to  the  fact  that  fungi  attack  and 
destroy  the  insect  at  such  high  moistures,  the  optimum  moisture 
must  be  specified  as  the  highest  percentage  which  will  not  encour- 
age the  heavy  growth  of  fungi. 

It  is  alsQ  clear  that  this  insect,,  like  the  bean  weevil,  is  unable  to 
withstand  low  atmospheric  moisture. 


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444        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

A  Further  Test  of  the  Effect  of  Atmospheric  Moisture  Upon  the 

Bean  Weevil 

The  fact  that  the  machines  were  employed  on  a  study  of  the 
angoumois  grain  moth  was  taken  advantage  of  to  run  another  ex- 
periment on  the  effect  of  atmospheric  moisture  upon  the  rate  of 
metabolism  in  the  bean  weevil. 


Table  2 
Effect  of  Amount  of  Atmospheric  Moisture  on  the  Bean  Weevil 


Chamber 
number 


1 
2 
3 
4 
Check 


Atmospheric 
moiature 
per  cent 


Lesfl  than  1 
100 
73 
24* 


D«te  of 

maximum 

death 


3/25,  '17 

8/27,  '17 

8/27,  '17 

8/26.  '17 

8/2«,  '17 


Date  of 
maximum 
emerirence 


4/28 

4/26 

6/8 


Len^h  of 

life  cycle 

In  days 


0 
27 
29 
88 


Number 
of  indi- 
viduals 
produced 


0 

168 

209 

IS 


not  out  6/18.  1917 

I l_ 


Renuirks 


A  consider- 
able amount 
of    funfftts 


All    alire 


Thus  again  we  see  that  the  rate  of  metabolism  in  the  bean  weevil 
life  cycle  increases  as  the  moisture,  and  that  the  optimum  lies  in 
the  highest  per  cent  of  moisture  that  will  not  encourage  heavy 
growth  of  fungi  (table  2). 

The  question  of  the  effect  of  atmospheric  moisture  upon  the  life 
cycle  is  important  from  the  standpoint  of  the  use  of  low  atmospheric 
moistures  as  an  insecticide.  While  the  machines  were  running  a 
set  of  experiments  bearing  upon  this  point  were  carried  out. 

Enough  small  white  beans  were  placed  in  each  of  twelve  flasks 
to  cover  the  bottom  evenly.  Twenty-five  bean  weevils  were  placed 
in  each  flask.  The  charged  flasks  were  divided  into  three  lots — ^the 
first  to  be  placed  under  the  controlled  conditions  at  once,  the  second 
to  be  placed  only  after  the  eggs  had  hatched  and  the  larvae  pene- 
trated the  beans  and  the  third  to  be  introduced  only  after  the  pupal 
stage  had  begun. 

*A  break  occurred  in  this  line  giving  for  a  short  period  a  higher  per 
cent  of  humidity. 


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Table  3 

Effect   of   Atmosphere  Moisture   on  Different   Stages   of  the 

Bean  Weevil 


Staffe  of 

Date  when 
placed  In 
incubator 

Number  Bhnerffinff   in  Chamber 

insect  when 
placed  in 
incubator 

Less  than         ^^-  * 

No.   3 

73 

per  cent 

No.   4 
24 

percent* 

Remarks 

l^arva 
Papa 

3/13,  1917 
8/20,  1917 
4/17.   1917 

0 
0 

I 
■ 

98 

17 

1 

42 
13 
17 

3 
6 

10 

Some  funffua 
on  No.  2 

Some   funffua 
on  No.  2 

Covered   with 
runiri  in  No.  2 

*A  break  in  the  air  line  running  through  chamber  No.  4  and  a 
consequent  rise  in  the  relative  humidity  will  serve  to  explain  ^  the  ability 
of  the  egg  stage  to  survive  the  apparently  prohibitively  dry  air. 

The  results  as  set  forth  in  table  3  conclusively  indicate  that  low 
atmospheric  humidity  most  strongly  affects  the  eggs,  then  the  larvae, 
and  finally  the  pupae. 


Conclusions 

The  results  set  forth  above  when  taken  with  those  described  in 
the  1 91 6  report  show  clearly: 

( 1 )  That  for  at  least  two  widely  divergent  species  of  the  stored 
grain  insect  group — one  a  beetle  and  the  other  a  moth — increase  in 
atmospheric  humidity  means  increase  in  speed  of  metabolism  as 
measured  by  length  of  life  cycle. 

(2)  That  the  optimum  per  cent  of  atmospheric  humidity  is  the 
Inghest  which  will  not  encourage  a  heavy  growth  of  fungi. 

(3)  That  100  per  cent  atmospheric  humidity  destroys  by  en- 
couraging the  growth  of  fungi  and  that  low  atmospheric  moisture 
destroys  directly — probably  by  the  abstraction  of  water. 

(4)  That  while  the  egg  stage  of  the  bean  weevil,  at  least,  is  most 
sensitive  to  the  effect  of  low  atmospheric  humidity,  other  stages 
are  unfavorably  affected. 

(5)  That  low  atmospheric  moisture  might  be  developed  into  an 
efficient  insiecticide  for  certain  species  of  stored  grain  insects. 


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446        NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

ORCHARD  INSECT  INVESTIGATIONS 

Pear  Psylla 

The  study  of  pear  psylla  control  has  been  continued  and  increased 
in  scope  because  of  the  contradictory  results  which  the  growers  re- 
ported. Three  orchards,  each  of  which  was  a  representative  of  its 
section  of  the  state,  were  included.  The  orchard  of  Mr.  W.  H. 
Blackwell  in  the  Delaware  River  Valley  near  Titusville,  was  taken 
to  represent  the  northern  portion  of  the  state;  the  orchard  of  Mr. 
Lester  Collins  near  Merchantville  for  the  central  rich  loam  region; 
and  the  orchard  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Ellis  near  Vineland  for  the  southern 
part.  The  two  southern  plantings  consisted  mainly  of  the  Kieflfer 
variety,  while  the  northern  one  was  composed  principally  of  Bart- 
lett 

Blackwell  Orchard. — ^This  orchard;  consisting  of  about  two 
acres  of  Bartlett  trees,  most  of  which  are  25  feet  high,  has  been 
very  seriously  troubled  by  psylla  for  several  years.  In  the  season 
of  1916,  owing  perhaps  to  application  of  the  winter-strength  lime- 
sulfur  at  too  early  a  date,  the  psylla  was  not  successfully  controlled, 
and  the  fruit  was  considerably  stained. 

In  1917  it  proved  impracticable  either  to  scrape  the  trees  or  to 
give  them  a  winter  treatment.  When  the  flower  buds  were  ready 
to  open,  the  trees  were  thoroughly  sprayed  with  commercial  lime- 
i-ulfur  (i  to  9). 

In  the  course  of  an  examination  of  the  orchard  on  May  2,  a 
very  few  psylla  could  be  found  on  about  one  tree  in  ten.  On  this 
date  the  codling  moth  spray  was  being  applied  and  "Black-leaf  40" 
at  the  rate  of  i  to  500  was  included.  On  July  30  a  light  infestation 
of  pear  psylla  was  found  on  the  trees  nearest  the  house.  On 
October  25,  all  the  trees,  especially  those  near  the  house,  had  lost 
the  foliage  from  the  lower  limbs  and  the  psylla  was  very  abundant 

Mr.  Blackwell  reports  that  the  heavy  infestation  developed  the 
last  of  August,  almost  coincidently  with  picking  time,  but  that  fniit 
was  not  blemished. 

Ellis  Orchard.— Although  Mr.  Ellis  has  three  blocks  of  Kicffcr 
pear  the  psylla  has  been  troublesome  only  in  the  one  nearest 
the  house.     There  more  or  less  damage  has  been  experienced 


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EXPERIMENT   STATION    REPORT.  447 

annually  for  some  years.  In  1917  the  entomologist  looked  over 
this  orchard  and  recommended  both  winter  and  spring  treatment. 
The  application  of  the  former  proved  impracticable.  Winter- 
strength  lime-sulfur  was  applied  thoroughly  just  as  the  flower  buds 
were  ready  to  open.  About  two  weeks  later  the  trees  were  again 
sprayed  thoroughly  with  a  mixture  of  nicotine  (^  pint  of  "Black- 
leaf  40"),  soap  (2  lbs.)  and  water  (50  gal.)  . 

On  July  31  only  a  very  light  infestation  could  be  found  in  the 
orchard  nearest  the  house.  On  October  4  the  orchard  nearest  the 
house  showed  a  decided  infestation  on  the  leaves.  The  fruit  showed 
only  very  slight  staining.  On  November  i,  adult  psylla  and 
nymphs  about  to  mature  were  found  on  the  trees,  but  all  the  young 
forms  had  disappeared. 

Collins  Orchard. — ^This  planting,  consisting  of  more  than  100 
acres,  includes  several  varieties,  the  principal  one  of  which  is 
Ki^er.  With  a  few  exceptions  the  Kieflfer  is  the  crop  producer 
and  the  other  varieties  are  interplanted  for  the  sake  of  cross  fer- 
tilization. 

In  this  orchard  a  large  block  was  scraped,  winter-treated,  and 
spring-treated;  and  a  small  block  was  spring-treated  only.  At  the 
outset,  the  winter  treatment  was  applied  very  incompletely  but 
later  more  care  was  exercised. 

Before  the  blossoms  opened  psylla  eggs  were  extremely  abundant 
m  all  parts  of  the  orchard  but  appeared  in  much  greater  numbers 
in  those  parts  when  the  trees  were  large  enough  and  dense  enough 
to  afford  shade. 

On  July  26  pear  psylla  was  found  to  be  abundant  in  this  orchard. 
The  portions  of  the  orchard  which  received  no  winter  treatment 
were  the  most  badly  infested.  The  scraped  and  sprayed  blocks  were 
the  clearest.  The  difference  between  the  trees  of  the  unscraped 
blocks  that  were  treated  with  both  scalecide  and  commercial  lime- 
iiulfur  and  those  that  were  treated  with  commercial  lime-sulfur 
alone  was  much  greater  than  the  diflference  between  the  twice- 
sprayed  unscraped  trees  and  the  twice-sprayed  scraped  trees.  This 
indicates,  as  might  be  expected,  that  the  dormant  spraying  with 
scalecide  was  much  more  important  than  the  scraping. 

On  October  5  an  inspection  of  the  entire  orchard  showed  some 
infestation  throughout.  The  scraped  portion  was  only  lightly 
infested. 


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448        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

At  this  time  the  fruif  was  reported  to  have  been  only  slightly 
stained  and  much  cleaner  than  last  year. 

Discussion  of  Results. — In  all  orchards  the  treatments  reduced 
the  infestation.  In  the  Blackwell  and  Ellis  orchard  the  fruit  was 
practically  unstained  but  the  foliage  was  marked.  In  the  Collins 
orchard  the  fruit  was  somewhat  stained. 

In  the  Blackwell  and  the  Ellis  orchards  the  psylla  appears  to  have 
steadily  increased  in  numbers  from  the  last  spraying  until  the  close 
of  the  season.  In  the  Collins  orchard  the  psylla  appears  to  have 
increased  until  late  midsummer,  then  to  have  experienced  a  reduc- 
tion. 

In  the  Collins  orchard  ^here  appeared  a  great  number  of  new 
eggs  and  a  considerable  number  of  new  nymphs  within  too  short  a 
period  for  them  to  have  come  from  eggs  which  were  laid  previous 
to  the  treatments.  Furthermore,  some  adults  were  found  shortly 
after  the  spraying  was  completed.  The  small  number  of  old 
nymphs  found  testifies  to  the  egg  destruction  wrought  by  the  spray, 
for  previous  to  the  treatment  as  many  as  two  dozen  eggs  were 
found  on  a  single  fruit  spur. 

With  these  facts  in  hand  it  is  obvious  that  scraping  and  winter 
spraying  left  a  large  number  of  adults,  that  the  spring  treatments 
failed  to  destroy  all  of  the  eggs,  and  that  a  considerable  number 
of  adults  were  still  alive  and  actively  laying  eggs  after  the  blossoms 
fell. 

The  facts  gathered  during  this  season's  experience  seem  to  show 
conclusively  that  while  the  number  of  psylla  destroyed  by  the  treat- 
ments at  present  recommended  may  sufficiently  reduce  the  insect 
to  prevent  serious  staining  of  the  fruit,  damage  will  in  all  probability 
be  done  to  the  foliage,  and  with  a  favorable  season  harm  may  be 
done  to  the  fruit  itself. 

In  view  of  the  susceptibility  of  the  adult  to  the  action  of  40  per 
cent  nicotine,  it  may  be  that  spraying  just  before  the  blossoms  open 
with  commercial  lime-sulfur  (i  to  9)  to  which  nicotine  has  been 
added  at  the  rate  of  ^  pint  to  50  gallons  would  destroy  both  the 
eggs  and  hang-over  adults,  and  thus  give  a  degree  of  reduction 
which  would  constitute  control.  What  effect  this  mixture  would 
have  on  the  opening  blossoms  cannot  be  told  without  further  study. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  449 

Peach  Tree  Borer 

some  experiments  on  the  adults  and  eggs  and  other  notes 

Alvah  Peterson,  Ph.D. 

During  the  summer  of  1917  a  study  was  made  of  the  peach  borer  at 
the  peach  orchard  of  Mr.  James  M.  Moon  and  Son  near  Clementon,  N. 
J.  This  orchard  has  about  eighty  acres  of  seven  to  eight  year  old  peach 
trees  of  different  varieties  which  for  several  years  has  been  heavily  in-  . 
fested  with  borers.  The  larger  part  of  the  orchard  is  on  a  light  white 
sand  soil  and  the  smaller  portion  on  a  heavier  gravel  sand  soil. 

The  majority  of  experiments  were  conducted  under  two  large  screen 
eagles  located  in  the  white  sand  portion  of  the  orchard  where  the  in- 
festation was  most  severe.  One  all  wire  screen  cage  12x12x9  feet 
was  constructed  about  a  peach  tree  while  a  second  wire  screen  cage 
8x8x6  feet  with  a  wooden  roof  covered  with  tarred  paper  was  placed  in 
an  open  space  beside  ttte  large  cage.  These  cages  were  built  and  put 
into  position  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Moon  and  Mr.  Robert  Schellenger  to  whom 
we  are  greatly  indebted  for  their  cooperation  and  interest  in  this  in^ 
▼estigation. 

The  problem  of  the  peach  borer  was  approached  from  several  aspects^ 
but  the  principal  lines  of  investigation  were  the  feeding  habits  of  the 
adult,  the  response  of  the  female  when  ovipositing  to  various  materials 
conunonly  used  in  spraying  and  other  chemicals,  the  susceptibility  of 
the  eggs  to  certain  contact  insecticides  and  other  compounds  and  the 
effectiveness  of  Scott  tree  protectors  and  various  spray  mixtures  in 
keeping  the  larvae  out  of  the  tree.  The  last-mentioned  phase  of  the  in- 
vestigation cannot  be  reported  on  at  this  time,  for  it  will  be  necessary 
to  wait  until  the  spring  boring  (1918)  has  been  completed  in  order  to 
obtain  the  desired  data. 

In  respect  to  the  food  and  feeding  habits  of  the  adult  stage,  it  can  be 
said  that  in  all  the  experiments  and  observations  made  under  cages  or 
throughout  the  orchard  and  in  nearby  woods,  no  adult  was  ever  seen  to 
partake  of  or  show  any  desire  for  food  or  liquid  during  its  entire  adult 
existence.  Furthermore,  it  was  repeatedly  noted  that  males  and  females 
would  emerge  from  pups  in  captivity  and  copulate,  and  then  the  female 
would  proceed  to  deposit  at  least  two-thirds  the  total  number  of  eggs 
within  her  body.  In  one  case  511  eggs  were  deposited,  and  during  this 
period  the  female  showed  no  desire  for  food  or  liquid  of  any  description. 
In  brief,  these  observations  show  clearly  the  improbability  of  develop- 
ing an  attractive  poison  bait  for  the  adult. 

From  an  anatomical  point  of  view  the  mouth-parts  of  the  adult  and 
their  connection  with  the  oesophagus  seems  to  be  normal  and  compares 
favorably  with  similar  structures  in  adults  of  other  species  of  the 
Lepidoptera  which  are  known  to  feed.  This  anatomical  condition  is 
readily  seen  in  dissections  made  under  a  binocular  microscope. 

The  following  chemicals,  along  with  decayed  peaches  and  fresh  peach 
gyim,  were  used  in  a  number  of  experiments  to  tempt  the  adults  to 
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450        NEW   JF^RSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 

feed;  com  syrup  ("Karo",  diluted  one-half) »  cane  sugar,  honey,  maltose, 
lactose,  fructose,  dextrine,  acetic  acid  (25  per  cent  solution),  ammonium 
hydroxide  (weak  solution),  pyridine,  alcohol  (70  per  cent  solution), 
formic  acid,  clove  oil  and  distilled  water.  All  these  materials  were 
used  in  liquid  form  (when  in  dry  state  1  gm.  was  dissolved  in  10  cc.  of 
water).  Small  Syracuse  watch  glasses  were  placed  about  the  orchard 
near  peach  trees  on  inverted  tin  cans  and  filled  with  the  various  solu- 
tions. A  careful  watch  was  kept  of  these  throughout  a  number  of  days, 
,from  10  a.  m.  to  4  p.  m.  when  the  adults  were  abundant  The  same 
materials  were  used  under  the  8x8x6  foot  wire  cage  with  numerous 
adults  freely  flying  about  in  the  cage.  The  various  materials  were 
also  placed  separately  under  small  round  cages,  6x9  inches,  with  one  of 
more  adults  in  each  case.  In  all  these  experiments  no  adult  peach  borer 
ever  visited  any  of  the  above  liquids  or  showed  any  desire  for  them. 
In  the  course  of  the  experiments,  particularly  those  about  the  orchard, 
a  number  of  insects  visited  the  various  solutions.  Ants,  flies  and  honey- 
bees came  to  the  honey  and  some  of  the  sugan  while. male  ants  were 
also  attracted  by  the  fonnic  acid  solution. 

For  the  purpose  of  obtaining  adults  for  study  some  250  to  300  pupe 
were  collected  during  the  latter  part  of  July  and  the  first  two  weeks 
in  August.  These  were  buried  one-half  inch  below  the  surface  of  moist 
sand  held  in  discarded  tin  cans.  There  were  8  to  12  pnpie  in  each  tin 
and  the  tin  cans  themselves  were  embedded  to  their  full  depth  in  the 
soil  under  the  large  covered  cage.  A  small  round  wire  cage,  6  inches 
in  diameter,  9  inches  high  and  opened  at  the  bottom,  was  placed  over 
each  tin;  consequently,  the  adults  on  emerging  were  in  captivity.  In 
only  one  or  two  cases  did  more  than  one  adult  emerge  on  the  same  day 
from  pups  in  the  same  tin  throughout  the  entire  season.  No  definite 
records  were  kept  on  the  exact  length  of  the  pupal  stage,  but,  as  a  rule 
it  took  from  three  to  four  weeks  to  obtain  adults  from  freshly  con- 
structed pupal  cases.  Some  adults  were  also  secured  from  underneath 
mosquito  netting  which  was  placed  in  the  form  of  a  cone  about  the 
base  of  100  trees  that  were  heavily  infested  with  larve.  This  method 
of  securing  adults  required  considerable  work  and  a  daily  inspection  of 
the  trees,  and  on  the  whole  was  not  as  satisfactory  as  the  foregoing 
method. 

During  the  past  season  the  adults  did  not  emerge  in  great  abundance 
until  the  middle  of  August.  A  few  were  seen  throughout  the  month  of 
July,  but  they  did  not  begin  to  appear  in  numbers  until  the  last  week 
In  July,  reaching  their  maximum  emergence  about  the  15th  of  August 
and  continuing  to  emerge  until  September  15,  so  far  as  known.  All 
adults  emerged  during  the  early  hours  of  the  morning  and,  so  far  as 
observed,  never  came  out  after  9  a.  m.  Copulation  between  the  male  and 
female  in  all  cases  occurred  between  9  a.  m.  and  1  p.  m.,  but  usually  be- 
tween 11  a,  m.  and  12:30  p.  m.  The  time  intervsd  between  emergence 
and  the  appearance  of  a  desire  for'  copulation  varied  considerably  in 
different  individuals  and  in  the  sexes.  In  one  instance,  less  than  an  hoar 
elapsed  before  one  female  was  copulating  with  a  captive  male,  while  in 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  451 

other  cases  24  hours  might  elapse  before  the  female  showed  any  desire 
for  copulation.  From  all  observations  it  seems  that  females  are  ready 
to  copulate  sooner  than  males  after  emerging,  at  least  it  was  noted 
that  it  was  generally  more  difficult  to  induce  males  to  copulate  with 
females  when  both  had  emerged  on  the  same  day  than  if  one  introduced 
an  older  male  or  one  caught  at  large. 

Some  investigators  have  been  unable  to  get  males  and  females  to 
copulate  in  captivity,  but  my  experience  has  been  quite  contrary  to  this. 
Whenever  a  female  emerged  she  was  transfered  to  a  small  round  wire 
screen  cage,  6  inches  in  diameter,  9  inches  high  and  open  at  the  bottom, 
which  stood  on  an  inverted  peach  carrier  with  a  clean  manila  paper  be- 
neath the  cage.  Sometime  between  9  a.  m.  and  12:80  p.  m.  the  female 
would  cling  to  the  side  of  the  cage,  elevate  and  project  the  .tip  end  of 
her  abdomen  and  generally  within  a  few  minutes,  usually  not  over  five, 
one  or  more  males  from  the  orchard  would  be  hovering  about  the  cage. 
In  one  case  some  fifty  males  were  captured  about  one  caged  female  in 
less  than  one  hour.  The  males  always  approached  a  female  ready  for 
copulation  agfainst  the  wind,  which  shows  that  the  female  emits  some 
attractive  odor.  Also,  in  most  instances  the  males  would  remain  on  the 
side  of  the  cage  opposite  to  that  from  which  the  wind  was  coming,  even 
though  the  female  might  be  on  the  other  side.  If  one  or  more  of  the  wild 
males  were  captured  in  a  net  and  transferred  to  the  cage  in  a  large 
wide-mouthed  bottle,  copulation  usually  took  place  immediately.  In  a 
number  of  experiments  reared  males  were  used  with  as  much  success  as 
to  90  minutes,  varying  with  different  individuals. 

A  male  in  copulating  hovers  over  the  female  and  strikes  at  the 
elevated  caudal  end  of  her  abdomen  with  the  caudal  end  of  his  abdomen. 
Often  the  male  may  strike  several  times  before  he  succeeds  in  clasping. 
When  successful  he  reverses  his  position  and  has  his  head  in  the  opposite 
direction  to  that  of  the  female.  Usually  he  continues  to  fly  for  a  few 
seconds  after  clasping  but  he  soon  settles  down  and  copulates  for  45 
to  90  minutes,  varying  with  different  individuals. 

Copulation  in  this  species  resembles  closely  copulation  as  it  occurs 
in  the  lesser  peach  borer,  as  described  by  Mr.  King.  A  more  detailed 
account  might  be  g^iven  concerning  this  act,  but  this  has  been  carefully 
discussed  by  other  workers.  One  i)oint,  however,  should  be  mentioned 
concerning  the  behavior  of  the  male.  Apparently  the  male  is  very  much 
excited  when  copulating,  for  he  may  strike  at  another  male  or  even 
copulate  with  a  dead  female.  In  one  experiment  an  unfertilized  female 
had  been  accidentally  killed  some  18  hours  previous  to  the  experiment 
and  she  was  on  the  bottom  of  the  cage  on  her  dorsal  aspect  with  the 
caudal  portions  of  her  abdomen  projecting.  Two  recently  emerged 
inactive  males  and  one  active  unfertilized  female  ready  for  copulation 
^  were  also  present  in  the  same  small  cage.  Several  males  were  hovering 
about  the  outside  of  the  cage  and  it  was  noted  that  one  of  these  struck 
repeatedly  at  a  male  within  which  was  clinging  to  the  side  of  the  cage 
opposite  to  that  from  which  the  wind  was  blowing  (the  female  was  on  the 
opposite  side) .    The  wild  male  without  the  cage  was  caught  in  a  net  and 


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452        NEW   JERSEY    AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


Plate  1:  Peach  Borer. 

Abbreviations:  a — abdominal  segment;  b — ^normal  depression  on  egg; 
c — exit  or  opening  made  by  larva  in  hatching;  e.  s. — egg  shell;  h— 
head;  r — ^resticulations  or  wax-like  elevations  on  the  egg;  x — ^frag- 
ments of  egg  shell  broken  off  by  larva  in  hatching;  y — ^hexagonal  and 
variously  shaped  areas  on  egg;  Ch — check  branch;  F — ^fish-ofl  soap, 
1  gm.  to  82  cc;  LS— Imie-sulfur,  1-9;  Sc— Scalecide,  1-15;  Sk— "fly- 
skat",  1-10;  T.  C. — tin  cans  containing  pupae  in  center  between  cul 
branches. 

1.  Normal  egg  of  peach  borer,  view  of  broad  side. 

2.  Normal  egg  of  peach  borer,  view  of  narrow  side. 

8.  Collapsed  or  shrivelled  egg  of  peach  borer,  view  of  broad  side. 

4.  Diagrammatic  section  through  egg  of  peach  borer,  showing  U-shaped 

position  of  larva  before  hatching. 

5.  Hatched  egg  of  peach  borer,  view  of  narrow  side  showing  exit  and 

egg  fragments. 

6.  Hatched  egg  of  peach  borer,  view  of  broad  side  showing  exit  and  er 

fragments. 

7.  Diagram  showing  arrangement  of  peach  branches  (numerals)  anc 

materials  used  (letters)   in  experiment  started  on  August  21  a. 
continued  until  September  31   (see  discussion  of  certain  chemical^ 
and  common  sprays  in  female  when  ovipositing). 
Fio.  1.  Map  of  New  Jersey  showing  drainage  and  mosquito  conditions 

at  the  end  of  1916. 
Fio.  2.  Map  of  the  drainage  established  in  Upper  Township  of  Cape 

May  County. 
Fig.  8.  Map  of  the  drainage  established  in  Egg  Harbor  Township  of 

Ocean  County. 
Fio.  d. — Statistics  of  Mosquito  work  in  Essex  County. 


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Plate  I 


North 

Ch      P      I£      Ch      L5      P      Ch 

"5  27  7  28  TC  29  TI  SO  15  31  T3  32  14 

5ic    ^     5c     5c     ^     Sit 


Sc/15 

West,  LS/16 

Sc/17 


T.C.   T.C.   T.C.   T.C.   T.C. 
T.C.   T.C.   T.C.   T.C.   T.C. 


16/Sc 

19/LS,  East 
20/Sc 


Sk  Ch  P  P  Ch  Sk 

I5r2?5      355      45T      555      655      7 

5H  y  IS  5E  13  y  5h 

South 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  453 

placed  in  the  cage.  After  flying  about  for  a  few  seconds,  he  was  attracted 
by  the  dead  femcde  on  the  bottom  of  the  cage  and  immediately  struck  at 
her  abdomen  and  succeeded  in  clasping.  He  continued  to  copulate  with 
the  dead  female  for  ten  minutes.  In  the  meantime,  another  male  was 
introduced  and  copulation  took  place  with  the  active  female.  It  is  noted 
in  a  number  of  cases,  that  an  unfertilized  female  will  continue  to  elevate 
and  project  the  caudal  end  of  her  abdomen  for  two  or  three  days  and 
during  this  period  males  will  continually  visit  the  cage  and  try  to  copu- 
late with  the  female  within.  During  this  period  the  unfertilized  female 
may  deposit  some  of  her  eggs  but  in  no  instance  will  she  give  forth  the 
normal  number.  The  largest  number  coming  from  an  unfertilized 
female  was  14,  so  far  as  known,  and  probably  never  over  50.  Unfertilized 
f ggs  collapse  (plate  1,  fig.  3)  on  exposure  to  air  after  several  days  and 
never  hatch. 

After  copulating  the  female  starts  to  deposit  eggs  in  5  to  30  minutes. 
In  depositing  eggs  she  sways  her  abdomen  from  side  to  side  and  acts 
as  though  she  were  feeling  about  with  the  tip  end  for  a  suitable  location 
for  the  eggs.  When  a  desired  spot  is  apparently  found,  which  may  be 
a  crevice  in  the  branch,  under  a  piece  of  bark  or  even  on  the  smooth 
surface  of  the  branch,  one  to  six  eggs  are  usually  deposited.  She  then 
flys  about  the  cage  'for  several  seconds,  at  times  two  or  three  minutes, 
and  will  probably  return  to  the  same  place  where  she  deposited  her 
first  batch.  Often  the  eggs  are  congregated  in  continuous  areas  of  50 
to  100  eggs.  The  female  will  also  deposit  eggs  on  the  wire  screen  of 
the  cage,  on  the  tin  parts,  on  plain  pine  boards,  on  decayed  peaches, 
peach  leaves,  fresh  peach  gum,  on  manila  paper  and  other  objects,  but 
jn  the  majority  of  the  experiments  the  greater  number  of  eggs  were 
found  on  branches  cut  from  peach  trees. 

Bright  sunshine  is  not  altogether  necessary  for  copulation  or  egg 
deposition  when  adults  are  in  captivity.  No  dark  cloudy  days  occurred 
during  the  entire  season,  but  on  a  few  days  the  sun  was  obscured  by 
clouds,  most  of  the  time,  and  under  such  conditions  copulation  took 
place  as  usual  and  some  eggs  were  deposited,  but  not  as  many  as  on 
bright  days. 

During  the  bright  days  in  August  the  female  deposited  eggs  between  9 
a.  m.  and  4:30  p.  m.  The  majority  of  eggs  were  deposited  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  day  copulation  took  place,  but  the  female  usually  continued 
to  deposit  eggs  throughout  the  following  day  and  in  exceptional  cases 
deposited  some  eggs  on  the  third  day;  however,  these  were  usually  found 
on  the  floor  of  the  cage,  for  the  female  on  the  third  day  was,  as  a  rule, 
too  weak  to  crawl  up  on  the  branch.  In  most  experiments  the  female 
died  on  the  third  or  fourth  day,  but  before  dying  she  became  inactive 
and  sluggish  for  12  hours  or  more.  Males  and  unfertilized  females 
usually  outlived  the  fertilized  females  by  24  hours,  but  so  far  as  observed 
no  adult  lived  over  5  days. 

Table  4  gives  the  number  of  eggs  deposited,  the  eggs  retained  within 
the  abdomen  and  the  total  number  of  eggs  possessed  by  10  females  used 
in  various  experiments. 


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454        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 

Table  4 
Eggs  Deposited  and  in  the  Abdomen  of  Ten  Females  Usea  m 

Experiments 


Female 

Deposited 
462-74% 

In  abdomen 

ToUl 

Female 

DepoBlted 

In  abdomen 

Total 

Bxpt     D. 

164-26% 

60(> 

Bxpt     M. 

823-76% 

104-26% 

427 

Bxpt.       I 

76-39% 

117-61% 

192 

Bxpt     P. 

305-66%    , 

164-34% 

469 

Bxpt     J. 

313-70% 

132-30% 

446 

Bxpt     0. 

218-34% 

420-66% 

688 

Bxpt     K 

511-73% 

187-27% 

698 

Bxpt     S.* 

884-68% 

188-87% 

8«7 

Bxpt     L. 

372-69% 

165-31% 

587 

Bxpt     v.* 

342-69% 

168-31% 

49S 

♦Female  given  only  one  day  to  deposit  eggs. 

The  average  number  of  eggs  deposited  by  the  ten  females  was  314.5 
or  64.6  per  cent  of  the  average  number  of  normal  eggs,  484.4,  i>ossessed 
by  an  average  female.  The  smallest  number  of  eggs  deposited  by  one 
female  was  75  (Expt.  I)  and  the  greatest  number  511  (Expt  K).  The 
smallest  female  had  a  total  of  192  eggs,  while  the  largest  possessed  698 
eggs,  or  more  than  three  times  as  many.  In  the  above  figures,  the  large 
white  immature  eggs  found  in  the  abdomen  of  all  the  females  are  not 
taken  into  consideration,  but  only  the  normal  apparently  mature  chest- 
nut brown  eggs  are  included.  As  a  rule,  the  large  white  eggs  were  not 
abundant,  and  so  far  as  observed,  were  about  10  per  cent  of  the  total 
number  of  mature  eggs.  If  the  female  will  deposit  two-thirds  of  all 
her  mature  eggs  under  cage  conditions,  it  is  likely  that  a  greater  pro- 
portion would  be  deposited  under  natural  out-of-door  conditions. 

In  watching  the  female  deposit  eggs  it  was  noted  that  she  seemed  to 
use  some  care  in  choosing  a  favorable  location.  With  this  observaticm 
in  mind,  a  few  experiments  were  conducted  to  see  what  effect  certain 
spray  materials  might  have  on  the  female  when  she  was  seeking  a  place 
to  put  her  eggs.  Various  common  sprays  were  tried  such  as  "Scaledde," 
nicotine  resinate,  lime-sulfur,  fish-oil  soap  and  "Fly-skat,"  a  commercial 
product  which  possesses  a  considerable  amount  of  creosote  (put  up  by 
Kil-Tone  Chemical  Company  of  Newark,  N.  J.).  Crude  carbolic  acid  also 
was  tried  in  combination  with  "Scalecide"  and  fish-oil  soap. 

In  each  experiment  one  fertilized  female  was  placed  in  a  small  round 
wire  cage  (6  inches  in  diameter  and  9  inches  high)  along  with  two 
branches  (1  inch  in  diameter  and  B  inches  long)  cut  from  peach  trees. 
These  were  placed  in  an  upright  position,  one  on  the  east  side  and  one 
on  the  west,  and  every  hour  or  so  during  the  period  when  the  female 
was  depositing  egg^s  the  position  of  the  branches  was  reversed  in  order 
that  the  light  might  not  have  any  influence  on  the  female.  S*o  far  as 
known,  light  does  not  influence  the  female  when  depositing  her  eggs. 
One  of  the  branches  was  sprayed  and  allowed  to  dry  before  using  while 
the  other  served  as  a  check.  No  branch  was  ever  used  in  any  experi- 
ment which  had  been  cut  and  sprayed  more  than  three  days  in  advance 
of  the  experiment.  Table  5  gives  the  time  of  spraying,  which  was 
always  just  after  the  branches  were  cut. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT. 
Table  5 

Repellant  EflFcct  of  Various  Sprays  on  Female  During 
Oviposition 


455 


8c 

Spray  used 

.1 

1 

q5 

9 

a 

•0 

1 

c 

c 

a 

o 

is 

li 

A 

••Scaleclde/' 
1-16. 

Aug. 

Aug.  7-8 

Aug. 

8  j    129 

t     1« 

3 

37 

185 

Aug. 

oi    129 

I 

16 

3 

45 

192 

B 

'•Scaleclde/' 

1-20.     Car- 

boUc  acid,   1-ff. 

Auk. 

Aug.  7-8 

Aug. 

8j    137 

8 

0 

11 

166 

Aug. 

9|    211 

42 

44 

24 

821 

c 

Nicotine 

retinate, 

1-100. 

Aug. 

Aug.  8-10 

Aug. 

46 

48 

20 

0 

114 

Aug. 

11 

93 

66 

20 

0 

179 

I> 

Llme-Sttlfor, 

Aug. 

^ 

Aug.  8-10 

Aug. 

9'      96 

( 

60 

186 

7 

349 

Aug. 

163 

86 

196 

7 

452 

■• 

Flah-oU   soap,    1 
ffm.-lOO  cc  Car- 
bolic  add,   1-99. 

Aug. 

Aug.  8-10 

Aug. 

16 

14 

0 

0 

30 

Aug. 

20 

18 

0 

11 

49 

JP* 

"Ply -skat," 
1-10 

Aug. 

' 

Aug.  9-12 

Aug. 

8 

.     0 

0 

16 

Aug. 

13 

13 

8 

29 

52 

o»» 

No   spray. 

Aug.  11-12 

Aug. 

13 

14 

0 

0 

0 

14 

H 

"Ply-skat." 
1-10. 

Auff. 

11 

Aug.  11-18 

Aug. 

64 

56 

72 

25 

217 

Aug. 

64 

75 

72 

88 

239 

I 

Piah-oU   soap,    1 
ffm.-100  cc.  Car- 
lK>Uc   add,    1-99. 

Au». 

11 

Aug.  11-13 

Aug. 

24 

31 

17 

3 

75 

Aug. 

24 

31 

17 

3 

75 

J 

"Scaleclde," 
1-16. 

Aug. 

14 

Aug.  14-16 

Aug. 

37 

63 

141 

82.  (6) 

313 

Aug. 

37 

" 

141 

82.  (6) 

313 

E 

Plsh-oll  soap 
1  gttL-l9  cc. 

Aug. 

14 

Aug.  14-16 

Aug. 

313 

27 

92 

8.(1) 

440 

Aug. 

313 

27 

118 

63.  (6) 

511 

L. 

Lilme-siilfiir, 
1-9. 

Aug. 

14 

Aug.  14-16 

Aug. 

8. 

6 

130 

76,  (1) 

35; 

Aug. 

80 

6 

130 

96.  (11) 

872 

Mt 

Plsh-oll   soap, 
1  flrin.-16  cc. 

Aug. 

14 

Aug.  16-18 

Aug. 

17*104 

16 

48t 

10 

177 

Aug. 

18  1    133 

15 

48t 

127 

323 

Nt 

Li  me  -sulfur, 
1-9. 

Aug. 

14 

Aug.  16-19 

Aug. 

17  j        5 

0 

Of 

0 

' 

Aug. 

18        25 

8 

Ot 

0 

33 

Ot 

"Ply-skat," 

Aug. 

17 

Aug.  17-19 

Aug. 

18      160 

25 

174t 

10 

369 

Aug. 

20  ,    160 

26 

174t 

133 

492 

Ft 

1     "Scaleclde." 
1-16. 

Aug. 

17 

Aug.  17-19 

Aug. 

18  j      76 

S4 

40t 

35 

355 

Aug. 
Aug. 
AUJC. 

20 
20 

76 

84 

40t 

105 

305 

Qt 

Plsh-oil  soap 
1  gm.-Z2  cc. 

Aujf. 

18 

Aug.  18-20 

154 

30 
30 

14t 
14t 

8 

206 

21  1    154 

20 

218 

Rt 

"Ply-skat," 
1-10 

Aug. 

20 

Aug.  20 

Aug. 

21      212 

16 

41t 

3 

.3 

8t 

Lime-sulfur, 
1-9. 

Aug. 

20 

Aug.  20 

Aug. 

21 

103 

53 

72 

6 

234 

•Fertility     of    female    questioned, 
tCage   sprayed   with   same    material   as 


Unfertilized    female.  ()Egg8  on  leaf, 

sprayed    on   branch  ;^gecPS^I*^^jy^*a'lC 


456        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICUI-TURAL   COLLEGE 

The  results  in  the  above  experiments  as  recorded  in  table  6  are  not  as 
definite  as  might  be  wished  for;  however,  they  do  bring  out  a  few  im- 
portant points. 

"Scalecide,"  1-15,  was  used  in  experiments  A,  B,  J  and  P,  and  in  ex- 
periments A  and  B  there  was  a  decided  repellent  effect,  while  in  ex- 
periment J  and  P  the  number  of  eggs  on  the  sprayed  branch  was  some- 
what larger  than  the  number  on  the  check.  This  difference  is  not  easily 
understood. 

Nicotine  resinate,  1-100,  was  used  in  one  experiment  and  the  results 
show  that  this  material  does  not  repel. 

Lime-sulfur,  1-9,  has  some  repellent  effect,  at  leaaft  the  number  of 
eggs  on  the  sprayed  branches  in  experiments  D,  L,  N  and  S  was  never 
more  than  60  per  cent  (and  usually  less)  of  the  number  of  eggs  on  the 
check,  or  unsprayed  branch. 

Fish-oil  soap  acted  as  a  decided  repellent  in  exi)eriments  K,  M  and  0, 
while  in  Experiments  E  and  I  when  combined  with  crude  carbolic,  1-99, 
the  repellent  effect  was  counteracted.  This  combination  seems  to  be 
less  effective  than  soap  alone,  but  the  results  are  questioned,  for  the 
females  in  these  two  experiments  (E  and  I)  did  not  deposit  the  usual 
number  of  eggs,  and  the  fertility  of  the  female  in  experiment  E  is 
doubtful. 

"Fly-skat,"  1-9  and  1-10,  a  commercial  product  possessing  a  large 
quantity  of  creosote,  showed  a  decided  repellent  effect  in  experiments 
0  and  R,  while  in  experiment  H  it  did  not  repel.  Experiment  F  is 
questioned  for  the  fertility  of  the  female  was  not  known. 

On  August  21,  an  experiment  was  set  up  in  the  large  cage  (8x8x6 
feet)  to  determine  the  response  of  the  female  to  various  spray  materials 
and  was  run  continuously  until  September  21.  Thirty-two  peach 
branches,  1  to  2  inches  in  diameter  and  18  inches  long,  were  cut  on  . 
August  21  and  sprayed;  6  with  **Scalecide,"  1-15  (Sc),  4  with  "Fly-skat," 
1-10,  (Sk),  6  with  lime-sulfur,  1-9  (LS),  6  with  fish-oil  soap,  1  gm.  to  32 
cc.  (F) ,  and  10  checks  (Ch) ,  or  unsprayed  branches.  These  branches  were 
placed  under  a  wooden  frame  structure  (36x18x18  inches)  which  was 
covered  with  white  mosquito  netting.  The  branches  were  arranged 
as  in  plate  1,  figure  7.  Branches  1  to  20  stood  upright  in  the  soil  about 
8  inches  from  the  edge  of  the  cage  while  branches  21  to  32  stood  in  the 
same  line  with  1  to  20,  but  were  tilted  (45**  angle)  toward  the  middle, 
and  those  opposite  each  other  tied  together  at  their  top  ends.  Ten  tin 
cans  filled  with  moist  sand  soil  and  each  possessing  from  10  to  12  living 
pups  in  cases  were  buried  in  the  soil  in  the  middle  between  the  rows  of 
branches. 

This  experiment  was  carried  on  for  30  days,  and  during  this  period 
60  adults  emerged;  at  least  60  empty  pupal  skins  were  seen  in  all  the 
tins  on  September  21,  but  what  proportion  of  these  adults  were  females 
is  unknown.  Some  adults  appeared  as  late  as  September  15,  but  none 
were  seen  after  this  date.  Table  6  g^ves  the  number  of  eggs  deposited 
en  the  various  branches,  st)rayed  and  otherwise. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT. 
Table  6 


457 


Number  of  Eggs  Deposited  in  Experiments  on  the  Peach  Tree 

Borer 


side  and 
total  eggB 


South 
1523 


North 
2271 


West 

766 


Baat 
461 


South* 
699 


North* 
468 


No.  of 
branch 


1 

2 

3 

4 

6 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

fai 

22 
23 
24 
26 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
82 


Spray 


Check     

Fl8h-oil  toap  . . 
Lime-sulfur     . . . 

Check    

Llme-suIfur  . . . 
Whale-oil  soap 

Check     

Check     

Fish-oil  soap  . . 
Lime-sulfur     . . . 

Check     

Lime-BUlfur  .  . . 
Fish-oil  soap  . . 
Check     

'Scaloclde" 
Lime-sulfur     . . . 

Scalecld**'"     .  .  . 

Scaieclde"     ... 
Lime-sulfur     . . . 

Scalecide"     . . . 

"Fly-skat"     

Check    

Fish-oil  soap  . . 
Fish-oU  soap  . . 
Check     

Fly-skat"     

Fly-skat"     

Check    , 

Scalecide"      . . . 

Scalecide"     . . . 

Check    

"Fly-skat"     


Bffga 


685 

108 

72 

176 

95 

126 

261 

525 

203 

234 

342 

182 

245 

540 

266 

176 

235 

180 

170 

111 

22 

164 

83 

176 

118 

36 

76 

101 

118 

51 

91 

31 


'Branches    inclined    toward    middle.  ,  , 

Table  7  gives  the  average  number  of  eggs  per  branch,  also  the  largest 
number  on  any  one  branch  and  the  smallest  number. 

A  study  of  the  average  number  of  eggs  per  branch  in  the  above  ex- 
periment shows  that  the  average  number  of  eggs  on  the  check  branches 
exceeds  the  average  number  of  eggs  on  all  the  sprayed  branches.  The 
average  number  of  eggs  on  branches  sprayed  with  fish-oil  soap  (com- 
paring similar  averages)  is  40  to  90  per  cent  that  of  the  check.  Branches 
sprayed  with  lime-sulfur  show  50  per  cent  of  the  number  found  on  the 
checks,  while  on  the  "Fly-skat"  branches  the  eggs  are  reduced  to  35 
per  cent  that  of  the  check.  The  number  of  eggs  on  "Scalecide"  branches 
is  between  46  to  86  per  cent  of  the  number  found  on  the  check  branches. 
Since  this  experiment  ran  for  30  days  one  must  take  into  consideration 
the  possibility  of  considerable  loss  in  the  effectiveness  of  the  various 
sprays  on  the  different  branches.  How  great  this  decrease  was  and  its 
importance  is  unknown. 


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458        NEW   JERSEY    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 

The  above  experiments,  along  with  the  individual  experiments  in  table 
6,  show  that  the  female  in  depositing  eggs  in  captivity  is  undoubtedly 
influenced  somewhat  by  various  spray  mixtures  present  on  the  branches 
of  the  tree,  but  in  no  case  did  any  of  the  materials  used  completely  re- 
pel the  female  and  prevent  her  from  depositing  some  eggs.  In  a  num- 
ber of  cases  the  repellent  served  to  cut  down  the  number  of  eggs  50 
per  cent  and  in  some  instances  the  reduction  was  much  greater  than  this. 
How  the  female  would  respond  to  these  various  mixtures  when  applied 
to  the  trees  in  the  orchard  and  not  under  any  sort  of  confinement  is 
unknown,  but  so  far  as  we  know,  she  would  probably  behave  in  a 
similar  manner.  There  is  a  possibility  that  field  observations  could  de- 
termine this  point,  but  the  results  might  be  questioned  for  it  is  a  difficult 
task  to  find  the  eggs  on  a  large  tree,  and  furthermore,  one  would  never 
be  certain  that  all  had  been  seen.  , 

Table  7 
Peach  Borer  Eggs  If'ound  with  Different  Treatments 


Branches 

Average 

number 

of    eggs 

per    branch 

Largest 

number 

of    eggs 

per    bran6h 

SmaHeat 

number 

of    ens 

per   branolt 

Check,  upright.  No.  1,  4,  7,  8,  11  and  14 

Check,  slant.  No.  22.  26,  28  and  81 

421 
116 
300 
170 
129 
166 
164 

41 
196 

84 
168 

686 
164 
686 
246 
176 
246 
234 
76 
266 
118 
266 

176 
91 

Check,  averacro  tor  all 

91 

Fish- oil  soap,  nprlffht.  No.  2,  6,  9.  and  13 

Flsh-oU   soap,   slant.   No.    23   and    24 

108 
8S 

Flsh-oll    soap,    average   for   all. 

82 

Llme-Bulfur,  upright.  No.  8.  6.  10.  12.  16  and  19 

••Fly-skaV  slant.  No.   21,   26.  27  and  32 

"Scaleclde."  upright.  No.  16.  17.   18  and  20 

"Scaleclde."  slant.  No.  29  and  30 

72 
22 

111 
il 

"Scaleclde,"    average    for   all 

61 

NOTB. — For  branches  No.  28  and  24.  with  an  average  of  129  eggs,  adjacent  cbeok 
branches  No.  22  and  26,  with  an  average  of  141  egga.  come  closer  to  being  tnM 
checks  than  the  average  number  of  eggs  in  all  slants  (116).  Also  for  branches 
No.  29  and  30,  with  an  average  of  84  eggs,  adjacent  check  branches  No.  28  and  81, 
with  an  average  of  96  eggs,  come  closer  to  being  true  checks  than  the  average 
number  of   eggs   in   all   slants    (116). 

It  may  be  possible  to  find  some  sort  of  material  which  would  repel  the 
female  and  prevent  her  from  depositing  eggs  wherever  the  material  is 
found  on  the  tree,  but  one  point  which  must  be  considered  in  this  phase 
of  the  peach-borer  problem  is  the  unknown  probability  that  larvsB  hatch- 
ing from  eggs  well  up  on  the  branches  in  the  tree  may  crawl  or  drop 
to  the  ground  and  eventually  gain  entrance  to  the  tree.  What  is  the 
fate  of  larvae  hatching  from  eggs  deposited  on  the  smaller  branches  and 
leaves  of  the  tree?  Personally,  I  have  never  seen  a  female  deposit  eggs 
on  any  other  part  of  the  tree  than  the  main  trunk,  but  a  number  of 
workers  have  recorded  that  eggs  may  be  deposited  almost  anj^here  on 
the  tree  and  on  weeds  and  grasses  about  the  tree.  If  larvas  hatching 
from  eggs  on  various  parts  of  the  tree  eventually  enter  the  tree  near 
the  crown  of  the  plant,  repellent  sprays  or  washes  would  not  be  sufficient 
to  prevent  the  female  from  depositing  eggs  unless  the  entire  tree  is 
treated. 


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459 


Lig^t  seems  to  have  little  or  no  influence  on  the  female  when  she 
chooses  a  place  to  deposit  her  eggs.  A  comparison  of  the  number  of 
eggs  deposited  on  the  branches  on  each  side  of  the  cage  in  the  above 
lar^e  experiment  shows  but  little  difference.  This  also  was  true  of 
the  small  cage  experiments  with  various  individuals,  as  shown  in  table  8, 
where  two  unsprayed  branches  were  placed  in  an  upright  i>osition  on 
the  east  and  west  sides  of  the  cage  and  allowed  to  remain  in  this 
position.  The  morning  light  was  the  strongest  on  the  east  branch  and 
the  afternoon  light  on  the  west  branch. 

Table  8 
Borer  Eggs  Deposited  in  Different  Parts  of  Cage 


No.   ot 
Bxpt. 

Date 
deposited 

Date 
observed 

Bggs  on 
west  branch 

Bggs  on 
east  branch 

Bggs on 
cage 

Bggs  on 
floor 

Total 
eggs 

T 

Aug.     20     ^ 

Aur  21 

1               70 

61 

79 

26 

226 

U 

Auff.     20 

1 

Aug.  21 

76 

113 

196 

6 

390 

V 

Auk.     20 

Aug.  21 

133 

20 

183 

6 

842 

Eggs 

A  few  experiments  were  conducted  with  the  eggs  of  the  peach  borer. 
A  niimber  of  common  sprays  and  other  chemicals  were  used  on  the 
twigs,  on  which  eggs  were  afterwards  deposited,  and  also  directly  on 
the  eggs  before  they  hatched,  and  their  effect  noted. 

The  egg  of  the  peach  borer  (plate  1,  Fig.  1,  2)  is  a  small  flattened 
ellipsoidal  body  with  one  end  broader  (more  obtuse)  than  the  other 
and  also  slightly  depressed  (d).  The  egg  averages  0.65  mm.,  or  1/40 
of  an  inch  in  length,  and  0.4  mm.,  or  1/60  of  an  inch  at  its  greatest 
width.  Two  opposite  surfaces  of  the  egg  are  flattened  (d) ,  and  in  most 
cases  slightly  concave,  one  of  these  surfaces  is  adjacent  to  the  object 
on  which  the  egg  is  deposited.  The  egg  has  a  soft  chestnut  brown  color, 
and  distinct  hexagonal  and  variously  shaped  areas  (y),  marked  off  by 
somewhat  elevated  white  lines  (r)  and  these  areas  are  more  prominent 
toward  the  large  end  of  the  egg, 

A  distinct  larva  may  be  found  within  the  eggs  two  or  three  days  be- 
fore hatching.  It  is  in  a  U-shaped  position  with  the  head  and  caudal 
portions  located  near  the  large  end  of  the  egg  (plate  1,  fig.  4).  When 
the  larva  is  ready  to  emerge  it  breaks  through  the  small  thin  depressed 
area  (d)  at  the  large  end  of  the  egg.  It  punctures  the  shell  (e)  with 
its  mandibles  and  then  continues  to  tear  down  the  egg  shell  ventrad  of 
its  head  until  the  opening  is  large  enough  for  it  to  crawl  out  (plate  1, 
fig.  5,  6).  In  the  tearing  down  process  the  bits  and  frag^ments  (x)  of 
the  egg  shell  are  not  eaten  by  the  larva,  so  far  as  observed,  but  pushed 
to  one  side,  as  shown  in  plate  1,  figures  5  and  6.  Since  the  egg  shell  is 
not  consumed,  as  is  the  case  with  some  insects,  it  is  impractical  to  apply 


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46o        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


seme  sort  of  a  stomach  i>oison  to  the  egg  with  the  hope  of  killing  the 
larva  as  it  eats  its  way  out  of  the  shell.  The  eggs  of  the  peach  borer 
require  9  to  11  days  to  hatch,  but  in  a  few  cases  it  took  a  day  or  two 
longer.  An  examination  of  a  large  number  of  eggs  used  in  the  various 
checks  shows  that  in  the  majority  of  cases,  100  per  cent  of  the  eggs 
hatched  which  were  deposited  by  fertilized  females. 

A  few  experiments  were  conducted  to  see  what  effct  various  spray 
mixtures  would  have  on  the  hatching  ability  of  *peach  borer  eggs  when 
the  eggs  were  deposited  on  freshly  sprayed  branches  (branches  sprayed 
from  3  to  6  hours  before  eggs  were  deposited).  Table  9  shows  the  re- 
sults of  these  experiments. 


Table  9 

Effect  of  Various  Sprays  on  Eggs  When  Applied  Before 

Deposition 


If 
It 

Spray 

a 

0 

u 

a 

11 

3^ 

1 

1 

Fish-oil   soap, 

1   Km.-100  CO. 

Crude    carbolic, 

1-99. 

Aug.    11 

Aug.   11-13 

Aug.  23? 

31 

1 

Check. 

Aug.   11-13 

Aug.  23? 

24 

2 

"Scaleclde," 
1-16. 

Ausr.   14 

Aug.   14-16 

Aug.    24? 

63 

2 

Check. 

Aug.   14-16 

Aug.    24  7 

37 

3 

Fish-oil    soap, 
1  Km.-16  CO. 

AuK.    14 

Au>f.    14-16 

Aug.   26-26 

27 

4 

Lime-sulfur. 
1-9. 

Aug.    14 

Aug.   14-16 

Aug.   25 

6 

5 

"Scaleclde," 
1-15. 

Aug.    17 

Aug.    17-19 

Aug.   28 

28 

6 

Check. 

Aug.    17-19 

Aug.   28 

42 

6 

"Fly-skat." 
1-10. 

Auk.    20 

Aug.    20 

Aug.    81- 
Sept    4 

17 

7 

Lime-sulfur, 
1-9. 

Aug.    20 

Aug.    20 

Aug.    81- 
Sept    4 

24 

8 

"Fly-skat," 
1-10. 

Aug.     17 

Aug.    17-19 

Aug.   27-28 

25 

In  no  experiment  where  the  spray  material  was  applied  before  the 
eggs  were  deposited  did  the  spray  materially  affect  the  hatching  of  the 
eggs.  Except  for  experiments  2,  5  and  6  all  eggs  on  the  sprayed 
branches  hatched,  and  the  few  that  failed  to  hatch  may  be  explained  on 


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other  grounds.  When  experiment  6  is  compared  with  experiment  8  one 
readily  sees  the  probability  of  some  other  factor  entering  into  experi- 
ment 6  than  that  of  the  spray  alone. 

The  results  of  the  experiments  where  the  insecticide  was  sprayed  on 
the  eggs  sometime  within  1  to  5  days  after  dei>osition  are  shown  in 
table  10. 

Table  10 
EfiFect  of  Various  Sprasrs  on  Eggs 


5 
zS5 

Spray 

Date  of 
application 

Date   eggi 

were 

depoaited 

II 

1 

it 

11 

"Scaledde." 
1.16. 

Auff.    6 

Aug.    4 

Aug.     7 

47.  (3) 

0 

44 

••Scaledde/* 

1-16. 

Crude    carbolic. 

1-99. 

Aug.    6 

▲Ug.    4 

Aug.     ? 

41 

0 

41 

NlcoUne 

resixiate, 

1-100. 

Aug.    6 

Aug.    4 

Aug.     ? 

4 

■1     4 

1       1 

Lime-sulfur. 

AU«.    6 

Aug.    4 

Aug.     ? 

41,  (6) 

23 

18 

Check. 

Aug.    4 

Aug.     ? 

60.  (21) 

27 

2 

••Fly-ekat" 
1-10. 

Auff.    20 

Aug.    18 

Aug.   27 

46 

16 

80 

Check. 

Aug.    18 

Aug.    27 

44 

44 

2 

0 

Pish-oll   soap, 
1-10. 

Auk.    20 

Aug.    18 

Aug.   27 

67 

66 

Check. 

Aug.    U 

Aug.    27 

84 

84 

0 

Fleh-oll    soap, 

1-10. 
Crude  carbolic, 

2-98. 

Auff.    20 

Aug.    18 

Aug.   27 

61 

0 

61 

Check. 

Aug.    18 

Aug.   27 

88 

88 

0 

••Scaledde," 
1-20. 
Crude    carbolic. 
1-: 

Aug.    18 

Aug.    8 

Aug.   17 

40 

7 

88 

Ch€ 

Aug.    8 

Aug.    17 

98 

98 

0 

Lilme-i     mrt 

1-3 

Aug.    18 

Aug.    8 

Aug.  ls-19 

42 

82 

10 

Che 

Aug.    8 

Avg.  18-19 

68 

44 

9 

'Tly-8 
1-1 

Aug.    17 

Aug.   14-16 

Aug.  26-27 

.     47 

46 

2 

Nicotine        4*»» «  * 
l-K 

Aug.    21 

Aug.   16-18 

Aug.  27-28 

64 

61 

8 

Che< 

Aug.  16-18 

Aug.  27-28 

88 

24 

* 

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NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


Table  10— (Continued) 
E£Fect  of  Various  Sprays  on  Eggs 


5 

Spray 

d 

0 

11 

il 
III 

3& 

Si 

51 

"Scaledde," 
1-30. 

1       AUK.    21 

Aug.   17-19 

Aug.  27-29 

103 

43 

60 

Check. 

Aug.  17-19 

Aug.  27-29 

11 

• 

"Scaleclde." 
1-20. 

Aug,    21 

Aug.  18-20 

Aug.    30- 

Sept.    1 

102 

28 

74 

Check. 

••Scaledde," 
1-10. 

Auff.    21 

Aug.  18-20 
Aug.    20 

Aug.    30- 
Sept.    1 

Aug.    31- 
Sept.    1 

104 

13 
24 

2 
80 

Check. 

Laundry    soap. 
1-200. 

1 

Aug.    21 

Aug.    20 
Aug.    20 

Aug.    31- 
Sept.    4 

Aug.    31- 
Bept.    4 

27 
54 

3 
• 

Nicotine    reslnate. 
1-100. 

Aug.    21 

Aug.    20 

Aug.    31- 
Sept.    4 

29 

1 

Check. 

Nicotine    resinate. 
1-2B0. 

Aug.    21 

Aug.    20 
Aug.    20 

Aug.    31- 
Sept    4 

Aug.    31- 
Sept    4 

102 

38 

100 

S 
S 

Check 

Nicotine    resinate. 
1-600. 

Aug.    21 

1 

Aug.    20 
Aug.   20 

Aug.    81- 
Sept    4 

Aug.    31- 
Sept.    4 

11 
82 

• 
• 

20 

Check. 

••Ply-»kat." 
l-«. 

Aug.    21 

Aug.    20 
Aug.    18? 

Aug.    31- 

Sopt    4 
Aug.  28-29 

67 
19 

S 

20 

Check. 

Aug.    18? 

Aug.  28-29 

15 

1 

Numbers  in  parenthesis  indicate  eggs  lost 

Bxpt.   1-9,  eggs  on  wood  or  paper  kept  in  small  tin  boxes. 

Bxpt  9-20,  eggs  under  normal  conditions  on  bark  of  branches. 

In  the  above  sets  of  experiments  no  material  was  sufficiently  effective 
consistently  to  kill  100  per  cent  of  the  eggs  or  enough  to  make  any  one 
material  worthy  of  being  considered  an  infallible  agent  in  killing  peacfa 
borer  eggs.  Eggs  which  were  killed  by  the  different  chemicals  usually 
collapsed  as  shown  in  plate  1,  figure  3.  ''Scalecide"  at  varying  strengths 
gave  the  best  results,  killing  40  to  100  per  cent  of  the  eggs  in  the 
different  trials  (Expt.  1,  2,  9,  IS,  14  and  15)  and  the  stronger  concentra- 
tions were  the  most  effective.  "Scalecide"  combined  with  crude  carbolic 
(Expt.  2  and  9)  killed  100  and  82.5  per  cent.  Lime-sulfur  was 
given  two  trials  (Expt.  4  and  10)  and  it  killed  between  20  and 
30  per  cent  of  the  eggs.  "Fly-skat,"  1-10,  (largely  a  creosote 
compound)  was  given  several  trials  and  the  results  vary  some- 
what   In  experiment  11,  2  eggs  failed  to  hatch  out  of  47  while  in  ex- 


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periments  6  and  20  about  66  per  cent  of  the  eggs  were  killed.  A  few 
experiments  were  conducted  with  fish-oil  soap  alone,  fish-oil  soap  and 
crude  carbolic,  and  laundry  soap  and  creosol  but  these  are  not  extensive 
enough  to  base  any  conclusions  on  them.  Nicotine  resinate  was  given  a 
miinber  of  trials  (Expt.  3,  12,  17,  18  and  19)  at  varying  strengths  of 
1-100,  1-250,  and  1-500,  yet  in  no  experiment  was  there  a  sufficient 
number  of  eggs  killed  to  warrant  the  statement  that  this  material  might 
kill  the  egg.  It  was  thought  i^en  the  material  was  used  that  it  might 
act  as  a  stomach  poison  and  kill  the  larva  as  it  ate  (apparently)  its 
-wray  out  of  tiie  shell,  but  as  pointed  out  before,  the  larva  probably  does 
not  consume  any  considerable  portion  of  the  shell  as  it  breaks  through 
'with  its  mandibles.  Nicotine  resinate  has  good  lasting  qualities  and  is 
not  readily  decomposed  after  spraying,  consequently,  any  larva  which 
consumes  its  shell  would  suffer  if  nicotine  resinate  were  present. 

The  lasting  effect  of  nicotine  resinate  is  shown  in  one  experiment 
^where  on  July  16  the  lower  portions  of  15  seven-year-old  peach 
trees  were  sprayed  with  2%  gallons  of  nicotine  resinate,  1-100 
(1  gallon  for  6  trees).  Small  pieces  of  bark  were  removed  on 
July  23,  July  30,  August  5,  August  13  and  August  20  from 
the  trees  which  received  only  one  treatment,  and  placed  in  a 
clean  test  tube  with  a  small  amount  of  distilled  water  and  shaken. 
After  standing  for  about  30  minutes  the  solution  was  filtered  and 
a  few  drops  of  silico-tungstic  acid  solution  were  added  to  the  clear 
filtrate.  Immediately  the  solution  became  cloudy,  having  the  appearance 
of  a  white  milky  solution.  The  same  test,  each  time,  was  given  to  bits 
of  bark  removed  from  unsprayed  check  trees  and  in  no  case  was  there 
any  indication  of  a  cloudiness.  The  sprayed  trees  were  tested  again  on 
September  21,  but  at  this  time  there  was  no  indication  of  nicotine.  The 
above  qualitative  test  for  nicotine  is  recommended  by  Mr.  V.  I.  Safro 
(see  "How  to  Test  for  the  Presence  of  Nicotine  on  Sprayed  Plants", 
Joor.  Econ.  Ent.,  1917,  vol.  10,  p.  459-561).  The  above  experiment  shows 
a  definite  test  for  nicotine  on  the  bark  of  peach  trees  five  weeks  after 
application  of  nicotine  resinate,  1-100. 

Summary 

The  results  in  the  above  experi:r.ents  are  largely  negative,  so  far  as 
they  may  help  to  develop  a  much-needed  control  measure  for  the  peach 
tree  borer.  In  brief,  they  show  the  improbability  of  developing  a  poison 
bait  for  the  adult,  the  partial  repellent  effect  of  certain  chemicals  on  the 
female  while  ovipositing  and  the  partial  destruction  of  eggs  when  cer- 
tain substances  are  applied  as  a  spray.  A  number  of  experiments  have 
been  started  and  are  now  in  operaion  on  the  use  of  various  chemical 
and  mechanical  tree  protectors,  but  the  evidence  obtained  thus  far  is 
insufficient  to  warrant  a  statement  at  this  time.  The  author  is  of  the 
opinion  that  the  peach  tree  borer  problem  will  be  solved  by  a  mechanical 
or  chemical  barrier  which  will  kill  the  larva  before  it  enters  the  tree 
or  prevent  it  from  getting  into  the  tree.  The  development  of  any  con- 
trol measure  along  the  line  of  killing  the  larva  after  it  enters  the  tree 
is  not  advisable. 


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464        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 
SMALL  FRUIT  INSECT  INVESTIGATIONS 

Strawberry  Weevil 

The  study  of  1915  and  1916  had  developed  the  fact  that  keep- 
ing the  strawberry  buds  covered  with  a  mixture  of  finely  ground 
sulfur  (such  as  will  pass  through  a  sieve  with  200  wires  to  the 
inch)  and  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  (5  to  i)  from  the  time  the 
injury  begins  until  they  open,  will  give  adequate  protection  from 
mjury  by  the  strawberry  weevil.  As  during  neither  year  had  satis- 
factory means  of  distributing  the  dust  been  found,  with  the  pos- 
sible exception  of  a  screen  wire  sifter  invented  by  Mr.  Tony  Riz- 
zotti,  of  Hammonton,  it  seemed  best  in  1917  to  concentrate  on  the 
problem  of  machinery. 

Accordingly,  in  1917  a  test  of  distributing  machinery  was  made 
on  the  farm  of  and  in  co-operation  with  Mr.  Howard  F.  DeCou, 
of  Haddonfield.  The  screen  wire  sifter  proved  best  for  small 
acreages,  while  a  power  duster  seemed  best  for  larger  areas. 

Bulletin  No.  324  of  ths  station  covering  the  entire  problem  of 
controlling  this  insect  has  been  prepared  and  will  soon  be  off  the 
press. 

Orchard  Plant  Lice 

Attention  was  this  year  devoted  to  the  question  of  destroying  the 
eggs  of  each  of  the  three  common  species  of  apple  plant  lice — ^the 
green  apple  aphis,  the  rosy  apple  aphis,  and  the  oat  aphis.  Dr. 
Peterson  discovered  that  the  egg  had  at  least  three  layers — an 
outer  brittle  transparent  layer,  a  middle  heavily  pigmented  layer, 
and  an  inner  thin  transparent  envelope.  He  found  that  about  one 
week  before  hatching  took  place  the  outer  layer  split  open,  and  that 
thereafter  the  egg  was  especially  sensitive  to  loss  of  moisture  and 
to  the  action  of  various  insecticides  and  other  chemicals. 

Dr.  Peterson  found  that  commercial  lime-sulfur  when  applied 
to  the  egg  at  winter-strength  apparently  so  hardened  the  shell  that 
hatching  did  not  occur.  He  found  that  a  2  per  cent  solution  of 
crude  carbolic  acid  in  water  to  which  enough  soap  had  been  added 
to  break  the  surface  tension  destroyed  the  egg  and  caused  it  to 
shrivel.  He  found  that  the  addition  of  40  per  cent  nicotine  to  the 
lime-sulfur  resulted  in  the  destruction  of  a  larger  percents^  of 
eggs. 


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In  the  course  of  some  orchard  tests,  it  was  found  that  the 
thorough  application  of  commercial  lime-sulfur  (i  gallon  to  9 
gallons  of  water),  to  which  40  per  cent  nicotine  had  been  added  at 
the  rate  of  }i  pint  to  each  50  gallons  of  spray  mixture,  to  the  trees 
just  before  the  leaves  began  to  project  from  the  buds,  gave  a  prac- 
tically perfect  control  of  the  three  species  of  plant  lice. 

The  details  of  this  work  are  set  forth  in  another  bulletin  about  to 
be  published  of  this  station  and  touched  upon  in  Bulletin  32S. 

Rose  Bug 

The  investigations  of  the  rose  bug  were  limited  to  the  extension 
of  the  use  of  self -boiled  lime-sulfur  to  peach,  cherry  and  grape.  For 
two  years  rose-bug  injury  to  apple  has  been  promptly  stopped  by  a 
single  thorough  application  of  self-boiled  lime-sulfur.  This  year 
when  Mr.  Warren  Oley  requested  suggestions  for  control  of  a 
threatening  outbreak  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Vineland,  the 
entomologist  suggested  a  treatment  with  self-boiled  lime-sulfur. 
Mr.  Oley  reported  that  this  treatment  gave  prompt  relief  on 
peaches,  grapes,  and  cherries. 

VEGETABLE  INSECT  INVESTIGATIONS 
Bean  Maggot 

For  some  years  the  growers  of  lima  beans  along  the  Delaware 
Bay  coast  have  lost  their  early  seeding  through  the  action  of  a 
small  white  maggot.  This  creature  which  is  only  about  %  inch 
long  when  fully  grown,  bores  into  and  mines  the  seed  before  it 
has  a  chance  to  get  the  plant  above  the  ground. 

The  species  concerned  appears  to  be  the  seed  com  maggot 
(Pegomyia  fusiceps  Zett.)  ;  an  insect  which  is  recognized  as  oc- 
casionally injurious  to  bean  seed  in  various  parts  of  the  Mississippi 
Valley  and  eastward  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  Unfortunately,  its  life 
history  is  not  understood,  but  is  usually  assumed  to  be  like  that  of 
the  cabbage  maggot 

Assuming,  because  of  its  relationship,  that  it  might  be  repelled 
by  tar  and  carbolic  acid,  plans  were  made  to  treat  the  surface  of 
the  hills  as  soon  as  the  early  seed  was  planted. 

The  plan  included  two  groups  of  treatments — the  first  applied 
just  after  the  beans  were  planted,  and  the  second  to  otherwise  un« 
treated  rows  12  days  after  the  seed  was  put  into  the  ground. 

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466        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

It  thus  appears  that  the  nearest  to  a  perfect  stand  (47.5  per  cent) 
was  obtained  by  use  of  the  tarred  paper  card  (table  11). 

Observation  clearly  indicated  that  the  single  treatments  had  been 
broken  up  or  washed  away  by  the  rains.  It  was  therefore  decided 
to  try  the  effect  of  maintaining  the  most  promising  treatments. 

Table  11 

Treatments  and  Results  of  Bean  Maggot  Investigations 
May  4,  191 7 


^                        Treatment  applied  the  day  of  planting. 

1 

Untreated     

0.7 
0.7 

1.1 
1.9 
1.4 
0.9 
0.8 

4 
4 

4 

4 
4 
4 
4 

17.6 

t 

Tarred    seed    

17.6 

t 

Lime  and  carbolic  add   (just  enouffh  of  the  latter  to 
give  a  strong  odor) 

SO.O 

4 

Tarred   paper  disks ' 

47.6 

5 

Tarred    sand 

S6.0 

6 

Tarred    seed 

22.6 

T 

Untreated    

20.0 

Treatment  applied  12  days  after  planting. 


1        Tarred    sand     

1.2 
0.0 
0.0 
1.0 

4 

4 
4 

4 

S0.0 

2        Acid    phosphate     

8        2-12    fertilizer     

4        Sheep    manure 

26.0 

Accordingly,  on  May  4,  1917,  some  new  rows  were  planted.  Every 
other  row  was  left  as  a  check.  All  materials  were  aj^lied  as  a 
continuous  band  six  inches  wide.  Tarred  sand,  whitewash,  and 
carbolized  whitewash  (just  enough  crude  carbolic  to  give  the  mix- 
ture a  strong  odor)  were  applied. 

By  May  28  such  plants  as  wtre  coming  up  had  gotten  through. 
Examinations  made  on  that  date  showed  that  most  of  the  seed 
had  rotted  in  the  ground  and  that  neither  checks  nor  treated  rows 
were  injured  by  the  maggots.  Either  the  planting  on  May  4  was 
made  when  the  fly  was  no  longer  on  the  wing  or  the  weather  was 
too  cold  for  it  to  be  active.  • 

It  seems  likely  that  the  planting  came  between  broods,  for  on 
this  date  the  flies  were  emerging  from  the  soil  in  large  numbers 
and  Mr.  Moore  informed  the  entomologist  that  they  had  been  com- 
ing out  for  some  days  previous  to  that  time. 

Plantings  made  on  this  date  and  every  week  thereafter  through- 
out the  first  half  of  the  summer  season  showed  no  traces  of  injury 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  467 

by  this  species  and  Mr.  Moore  reports  that  such  has  been  his  ex- 
perience since  he  first  began  to  notice  the  pest. 


Conclusions 

It  thus  appears  that  an  early  spring  brood  of  flies  emerges  and 
lays  eggs  in.  the  soil  upon  or  in  the  vicinity  of  the  bean  seed,  and 
that  the  maggots  which  hatch  from  the  eggs  concentrate  upon  the 
bean  seed  and  destroy  it.  The  problem  of  control  in  this  area 
appears  to  narrow  down  to  the  prevention  of  injury  to  the  early- 
planted  seed,  and  the  experiments  indicate  that  much  is  to  be  hoped 
from  the  continuous  wide  band  of  tarred  sand  or  strip  of  tarred 
paper. 

GREENHOUSE  INSECT  INVESTIGATIONS 

The  Use  of  Hydrocyanic  Acid  Gas  for  Greenhouse  Fumigation 
The  use  of  hydrocyanic  acid  gas  for  the  destruction  of  green- 
house insects  is  at  present  greatly  limited  by  the  fear  of  damaging 
the  crops  on  which  the  insects  are  feeding.  This  fear  has  strong 
foundation  in  the  fact  that  many  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of 
crops  have  been  destroyed  by  improper  dosages. 

The  dosage  or  the  time  of  exposure  or  both  must  vary  with  the 
crop,  the  stage  of  development  of  the  crop,  the  construction  of  the 
house  and  possibly  with  the  temperature  and  the  moisture.  A 
great  mass  of  facts  relative  to  the  dosage  various  greenhouse  plants 
will  stand  has  been  accumulated  at  various  experiment  stations  and 
by  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.  Also  some  facts 
bearing  upon  the  effect  of  temperature,  moisture  and  light  have 
been  gathered. 

Unfortunately,  the  tremendous  effects  of  house  construction, 
especially  as  regards  glazing  and  air  currents,  on  dosage  have  been 
largely  neglected.  A  recommended  dosage  that  may  be  perfectly 
efficient  in  one  greenhouse,  may  destroy  the  crop  in  another,  or  fail 
to  kill  the  insects  in  another.  The  difference  lies  primarily  in  the 
distribution  and  the  density  of  the  gas  atmosphere.  Before  much 
progress  in  determining  the  effect  of  house  conditions,  either  a 
long  and  probably  costly  series  of  trials  must  be  made,  or  some  way 
of  determinmg  the  density  of  the  gas  atmosphere  must  be  devised. 


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468        NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

During  the  past  year  an  effort  to  devise  an  apparatui  for  this 
purpose  and  to  make  a  study  of  the  gas  distribution  under  green- 
house conditions  was  begun.  The  work  was  carried  on  by  a  grad- 
uate student,  Mr.  W.  H.  W.  Komp. 

The  essential  unit  of  the  apparatus  finally  settled  upon  consisted 
of  one  aspirator  jar,  a  test  tube  absorber  and  glass  and  rubber  tub- 
ing. Both  the  jar  and  the  absorber  were  placed  on  a  stand  out- 
side the  section  being  fumigated  but  in  a  temperature  as  high  as  or 
higher  than  that  of  the  house  under  fumigation.  The  rubber  tub- 
ing passed  into  the  greenhouse  to  be  fumigated  to  the  point  where 
the  concentration  of  gas  was  to  be  investigated.  Enough  units 
were  employed  to  give  an  idea  of  the  gas  concentration  throughout 
a  section  of  the  house.  As  many  test  tubes,  each  partly  filled  with 
one-hundreth  normal  sodium  hydroxide  solution,  as  there  were 
readings  to  be  taken  were  prepared  for  each  unit. 

When  each  of  the  units  had  been  made  ready,  the  fumigation  was 
set  Immediately  the  tubing  of  each  unit  was  cleared  of  air  by 
drawing  one  liter  of  water  from  each  aspirator  bottle.  A  test  tube 
containing  the  sodium  hydroxide  was  then  placed  in  the  pipe  line 
and  the  air  charged  with  the  first  up-rush  of  gas  drawn  through 
the  solution  by  drawing  off  another  liter  of  water  from  each  as- 
pirator bottle.  The  tube  was  then  taken  out  of  the  line  and  set 
aside.  The  pipe  lines  were  then  cleared  by  drawing  off  another 
liter  from  the  aspirator  bottle.  The  second  test  tube  was  then  in- 
serted in  the  line  and  another  absorption  made. 

In  this  way  samples  of  gas  concentration  were  absorbed  at  short 
intervals  throughout  the  course  of  fumigation.  After  the  com- 
pletion of  the  fumigation  the  absorbed  gas  was  titrated  with  one- 
thousandth  normal  silver  nitrate  solution. 

The  upshot  of  the  study  seemed  to  be  that  the  gas  reached 
maximum  general  concentration  within  8  minutes  or  less  of  the 
time  when  fumigation  began.  There  was  first  a  s^-ift  up-rush  of 
the  gas  that  produced  a  heavy  concentration  in  the  comb  entirely 
above  the  insect-infested  plants.  The  gas  then  distributed  out- 
ward and  downward  until  maximum  general  concentration  was 
reached.  Thereafter  the  concentration  gradually  decreased  until 
it  fell  below  the  minimum  dosage  for  the  insects,  or  was  released  by 
opening  the  ventilators. 

Irregularities  in  distribution  occurred,  which  are  at  present  with- 
out adequate  explanation.    Indeed  the  irregularity  may  b^  sufficient 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  469 

to  damage  the  plants  if  concentration  is  markedly  greater,  or  to 
fail  to  kill  the  insect  if  the  concentration  is  much  less.  These 
irregularities  may  be  partly  overcome  by  increasing  the  number  of 
generators. 

The  details  of  the  work  upon  which  the  preceding  statements 
are  based  will  be  found  in  a  later  bulletin  of  this  station. 

SOIL-INFESTING  INSECT  INVESTIGATIONS 

Laboratory  and  Field  Experiments  vdth  Sodium  Cyanide  and 
Other  Chemicals  Against  Wireworms  in  the  Soil 

Alvah  Peterson,  Ph.D. 

During  the  summer  of  1916,  Mr.  J.  P.  Quinn,  of  the  Orange  City 
Poor  Farm  at  Livingston,  N.  J.,  brought  to  the  laboratory  samples  of 
potatoes  and  other  vegetables  badly  injured  by  wireworms.  A  trip  was 
made  to  Livingston  during  October,  1916,  and  it  was  noted  that  the 
2-acre  piece  of  land  south  of  the  home  was  heavily  infested  with  wire- 
worms.  Consequently,  this  gave  us  the  opportunity  to  try  to  control 
these  insects  by  treating  the  soil  with  cyanide.  In  order  that  we  might 
know  how  to  proceed  and  what  strength  to  use,  a  number  of  experi- 
ments were  performed  at  the  laboratory,  out-of-doors  and  in  the  green- 
house, using  soil  and  wireworms  obtained  from  Livingston. 

Laboratory  experiments 

Sodium  Cyanide,  The  first  series  (A,  B,  C  and  D)  of  experiments 
I>erformed  were  conducted  in  small  flower  pots,  6  inches  deep  and  6 
inches  in  diameter  at  the  top  and  3  inches  at  the  bottom,  using  streng^ths 
of  sodium  cyanide  ranging  from  10  to  500  pounds  to  the  acre.  Each 
pot  contained  5  active  larvs  and  was  set  up  as  follows  on  November  9. 
Four  inches  of  subsoil  was  placed  in  each  pot  and  5  larvs  dispersed 
throughout  the  same.  The  hole  in  the  bottom  of  each  pot  was  closed 
by  a  rubber  stopper.  The  pots  in  series  A,  B  and  C  were  buried  in  the 
ground  out-of-doors  in  an  open  space  near  the  laboratory  and  covered 
with  boards  to  keep  out  the  rain  while  the  pots  in  series  D  were  kept 
in  the  greenhouse;  the  temperature  ranging  between  55**  and  65*F.  and 
the  moisture  between  60  and  80  per  cent.  The  temperature  of  the  soil 
in  the  out-of-door  experiments  averaged  about  50**F.  or  somewhat  lower. 
In  each  series  there  were  7  treated  pots,  as  indicated  in  the  table,  and 
one  check  for  the  series  in  the  greenhouse  and  one  for  those  out-of-doors. 

In  series  A,  including  experiments  3-9,  the  required  amount  of  cyanide 
was  dissolved  in  lOcc.  of  water  and  poured  on  the  surface  of  the  sub- 
soil, while  in  series  B  (Expt.  10-16)  the  necessary  amount  of  poison 
was  pulverized  and  sprinkled  on  top  of  the  subsoil,  but  in  Series  C 


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470        NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

(Expt.  17-24)  and  D  (Exprt.  25-31),  the  cyanide  was  dissolved  in  175  cc 
of  water  and  poured  on  the  subsoil.  In  all  the  above  experiments,  2 
inches  of  top  soil  was  put  over  the  subsoil  immediately  after  the  treat- 
ment was  given. 

The  amounts  of  sodium  cyanide  used  were  10,  25,  50, 100, 150,  250,  and 
600  pounds  to  the  acre,  and  the  exact  quantity  required  for  each  pot 
was  figured  on  the  basis  of  the  number  of  square  inches  (19.6)  in  the 
circular  area,  5  inches  in  diameter,  at  the  top  of  the  subsoil.  The  fol- 
lowing proportion  gives  the  required  amount  of  sodium  cyanide  in  grams 
per  pot:  19.6  square  inches  is  to  48,560  square  feet  in  an  acre  times 
144  square  inches  to  a  square  foot  as  the  unlmown  F  is  to  10,  25,  50, 100» 
150,  2^0  and  500  pounds  (changed  to  grams).  Table  12  lists  the  results 
of  the  experiments  after  7  days'  (Nov.  9-16)  exposure. 

Table  12 

The  Effect  of  Sodium  Cyaxiide  on  Wireworms  in  Four  Series  of 

Experiments  A,  B,  C  and  D  (Soil  and  Larvae  in  Flower  Pots, 

November  9-16,  1916) 


No.  and 

Amount  nsed  and 

Ss 

Si 

No.  and 

Amount   used  and 

?? 

?1 

Mriea 

rate   per  acre 

u  — 

u  S 

series 

rate   per  acre 

,3" 

a« 

2- A.  B.  C 

Check 

17-C 

.72  gm..-600  lbs. 

3-A 

.72  ffm..-500  lbs. 

18-C 

.86  gm...260  lbs. 

4-A 

.36  sm..-260  lbs. 

10-C 

.21  gm..-160  lbs. 

6-A 

.21  flrm.,-160  lbs. 

20-C 

.14  gm.,-100  lbs. 

«-A 

.14  gm.,-100  Iba. 

21-C 

.072  gm.,-  60  lbs. 

7-A 

.072  erm..-  50  lbs. 

22-C 

.036  gm..-  25  lbs. 

8-A 

.035  gm.,'  25  lbs. 

23-C 

.021  gm..-  10  lbs. 

9-A 

.021  gm..-   10  lbs. 

24-D 

Check 

10-B 

.72  gm..-500  lbs. 

26-D 

.72  gm..-500  Iba 

11-B 

.36  gm.,-260  Iba. 

26-D 

.36  gm..-250  lbs. 

12-B 

.21  ffm..-150  lbs. 

27-D 

.21  gm..-150  lbs. 

13-B 

.14  gm.,-100  lbs. 

28-D 

.14  gm.,-100  lbs. 

14-B 

.072  gm..'  60  lbs. 

29-D 

.072  gnu-  60  lbs. 

IB-B 

.035  gm.,-  25  lbs. 

80-D 

.036  gm..-  25  lbs. 

16-B 

.021  gm.,-  10  lbs. 

81-D 

.021  gm..-  10  lbs. 

Series    A.    B    and    C    in    soil  out-of-doors. 
Series    D    in   greenhouse. 

The  results  of  these  pot  experiments  show  some  interesting  and  un- 
expected facts.  The  killing  point  in  all  four  series  is  almost  identical. 
This  shows  that  it  makes  little  or  no  difference  whether  the  salt  is  dis- 
solved or  applied  in  crystalline  or  powdered  form,  also  the  difference  of 
lOT.  in  the  temperature  of  the  out-of-door  and  greenhouse  experiments 
made  no  decided  difference  in  the  percentage  killed.  The  larvae  were 
all  killed  in  strengths  of  500  and  250  pounds  to  the  acre,  and  only  two 
lived  (No.  5- A  and  27-D),  at  the  150-pound  treatment  while  only  one 
larva  was  killed  (30-D)  where  25  pounds  and  10  pounds  to  the  acre 
were  used.  The  pots  treated  at  the  rate  of  50  and  100  pounds  to  the 
acre  showed,  respectively,  a  total  of  16  alive  and  4  dead,  and  7  alive  and 
18  dead. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  471 

The  larvsB  when  removed  from  the  pots  were  examined  carefully,  and 
as  a  number  of  them  were  sluggish,  they  were  examined  again  in  48 
hours,  being  kept  in  moist  untreated  soil  during  this  period.  In  some 
csi^ses  a  few  recovered  but  the  majority  of  the  slugg^ish  larvs  were  dead 
at  the  end  of  the  period.  This  fact  suggested  the  possibility  of  a 
greater  kill  if  the  larvae  were  exposed  for  two  weeks  or  longer.  Fur- 
thermore, it  was  also  not  known  how  long  the  treated  soil  would  be 
effective  against  wireworms,  so  on  November  22,  two  weeks  after  the 
sail  was  treated,  in  series  A,  B,  C  and  D,  8  fresh  active  larvaB  were 
placed  in  the  subsoil  of  pots  17,  18>  19  and  20  of  series  C,  and  in  pots 
24,  25,  26,  27  and  28  of  series  D,  without  adding  any  more  cyanide, 
and  allowed  to  remain  in  these  until  December  7,  when  they  were  ex- 
amined. All  the  larvae  were  alive  except  in  pots  17-C  and  25-D,  where 
one  dead  wireworm  was  found  in  each.  This  test  shows  the  decided 
loss  in  the  effectiveness  of  sodiimi  cyanide  after  four  weeks  had  elapsed 
from  the  time  of  treatment,  for  only  pots  treated  at  the  rate  of  500 
pounds  to  the  acre  showed  any  killing  power  whatsoever. 

The  larvae  in  series  A,  B,  C  and  D  were  exposed  for  only  7  days  be- 
fore they  were  examined,  consequently  it  was  thought  that  a  longer 
exposure  might  give  a  greater  percentage  of  kill.  Four  pots  (plus  a 
check  pot)  each  containing  from  4  to  7  larvae  were  treated  on  November 
22  with  sodium  cyanide  dissolved  in  25  cc.  of  tap  water  at  the  rate  of 
100  pounds  to  the  acre.  These  were  examined,  one  at  each  date,  on 
December  7,  14,  21  and  January  1,  and  all  the  larvae  were  found  dead 
in  each  treated  pot  while  the  larvae  in  the  check  pot  were  alive.  These 
pots  were  kept  out-of-doors  during  the  whole  period,  and  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  soil  in  which  they  were  buried  ran  between  32*  and  40**F., 
but  usually  SS^'F.  or  below.  This  experiment  shows  that  an  exposure 
of  two  weeks  or  more  will  kill  all  the  larvae  when  cyanide  is  used  at 
the  rate  of  100  pounds  to  the  acre,  while  this  was  not  true  in  previous 
6xx>eriments  when  the  wireworms  were  kept  in  the  treated  soil  for  only 
7  days.  Temperature  may  have  had  some  influence  here,  for  it  was 
.10®F.  or  more  below  that  of  series  A,  B,  C  and  D,  and  it  is  possible  that 
this  may  account  for  the  greater  kill,  but  this  is  seriously  questioned. 

If  sodium  cyanide  at  the  rate  of  100  pounds  to  the  acre  will  kill  during 
an  exposure  of  two  weeks  or  longer,  possibly  smaller  amounts  would  be 
as  effective.  Four  more  pots  were  treated  along  with  a  check  pot  on 
December  8,  two  with  sodium  cyanide  at  the  rate  of  75  pounds  to  the 
acre  and  two  at  the  rate  of  50  pounds.  These  were  placed  out-of-doors 
in  the  soil  which  had  an  average  temperature  of  33**F.  and  one  of  each 
strength  was  examined  on  December  21  and  January  6  (two  week  in- 
terval). On  December  21  all  the  larvae  were  dead  in  the  pot  receiving 
75  pounds  to  the  acre,  while  three  were  dead  and  two  alive  in  pots 
treated  with  50  pounds  to  the  acre.  On  January  6,  the  pot  treated  with 
sodium  cyanide  at  the  rate  of  75  x)ounds  to  the  acre  showed  one  alive 
and  four  dead,  while  the  pot  with  50  pounds  to  the  acre  gave  the  same 
results  as  those  examined  on  December  21,  three  dead  and  two  alive. 
This  experiment  again  indicates  that  an  exposure  of  two  weeks  or 


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472        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

longer  will  produce  a  greater  kill  than  one  week,  and  also  the  mini- 
mum dosage  in  flower-pot  experiments  is  beftween  75  and  100  pounds 
to  the  acre. 

The  problem  of  how  the  sodium  cyanide  in  the  soil  kills  the  wire- 
worms  was  considered  in  connection  with  this  study.  So  far  as  known, 
little  or  no. work  has  been  performed  to  determine  how  the  wireworms 
or  other  soil-infesting  insects  are  killed  when  the  cyanide  is  introduced 
into  the  soil  where  they  live.  Are  they  killed  by  inhaling  the  fumes 
coming  from  the  sodium  cyanide,  or  are  they  killed  by  contact  with 
this  material  in  solution,  or  does  it  act  as  a  stomach  poison? 

Several  experimenrts  were  conducted  which  may  throw  some  light 
on  this  question.  On  January  12  four  double  wire  screen  cages  w^ne 
constructed.  The  inner  or  smaller  cage  was  made  of  a  3-inch  strip  of 
wire  screen  which  was  rolled  to  form  a  cylinder  1  inch  in  diameter  and 
rubber  corks  placed  in  each  end.  A  larger  cage,  similarly  con- 
structed, was  2  inches  in  diameter  and  made  from  a  5-inch  strip  of 
wire  screen.  The  small  cage  was  suspended  within  the  larger  cage 
by  two  strings  in  such  a  manner  that  no  part  came  in  contacrt  with  the 
outer  cage  and  leaving  a  %-inch  air  chamber  between  the  inner  and 
outer  cage  on  all  sides.  Soil  and  several  wire  worms  were  introduced 
into  the  small  inner  cages  of  No.  1  and  3,  while  wireworms  only  were 
placed  in  the  small  inner  cages  of  No.  2  and  4.  All  four  double  cages 
were  buried  in  subsoil  in  flower  pots  and  the  subsoil  in  pots  1  and  2 
possessing  respective  cages  was  treated  in  the  usual  manner  with 
sodium  cyanide  dissolved  in  25  cc  of  water  at  the  rate  of  150  pounds 
to  the  acre.  After  treating,  the  pots  were  tilled  with  topsoil.  Pots  3 
and  4  served  as  checks.  The  cages  were  examined  on  January  26 
and  all  the  larvae  in  the  cages  removed  from  the  treated  pots  were 
dead  while  those  in  the  untreated  pots  were  alive  and  active.  The 
results  of  this  experiment  indicate  that  the  larvae  are  killed  by  in- 
haling the  poisonous  fumes,  for  the  larva  were  removed  from  direct 
contact  with  the  poisoned  soil,  consequently  they  could  not  come  in 
contact  with  the  same  or  consume  poisoned  particles.  It  is  possible 
that  the  fumes  might  have  been  taken  up  by  the  moist  untreated  soil 
in  the  inner  cage  of  No.  1,  but  this  could  not  have  occurred  in  No.  2, 
for  no  soil  was  present  in  the  inner  cage.  The  only  possible  way  for 
the  poison  to  have  reached  the  larvae  would  have  been  over  the  two 
strings  which  held  the  inner  cage  in  suspension. 

In  experimenting  with  ^wireworms  and  sodium  cyanide  in  flower 
pots  measuring  6  inches  in  diameter  at  the  top,  3  inches  at  the  bottom 
and  6  inches  deep,  it  was  realized  that  the  results  obtained  in  these 
comparatively  •  small  and  confined  spaces  would  not  necessarily  hold 
in  larger  vessels  or  in  field  experiments.  To  determine  the  depth  to 
which  the  poisonous  eSedt  of  the  sodium  cyanide  would  penetrate  the 
soil  in  sufficient  quantity  to  kill,  a  number  of  experiments  were  ccm- 
ducted  in  glazed  sewer  pipes,  5  inches  in  diameter  (inner  space)  and 
25  inches  long.  These  pipes  were  closed  at  their  collar  end  with  a 
circular  tin  disc  and  stood  upright  (collar  down)  in  the  soil  on  a 
greenhouse  bench. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  473 

On  January  12  fifteen  larve  were  placed  in  each  of  three  tiles  and  in  a 
check  lot.  In  two  of  the  tiles,  No.  1  and  2,  the  larve  were  distributed 
throughout  the  tile  and  separated  from  each  other  by  round  wire 
screen  discs  5%  inches  in  diameter.  Starting  with  the  bottom  thexe 
were  3  larve  in  the  first  inch  cd  subsoil  (23  to  24  inches  deep)  and 
these  were  confined  in  this  space  by  a  wire  screen  23  inches  from  the 
toiK  Two  larvsB  and  5  inches  of  subsoil  occupied  the  space  between  18 
to  23  inches  from  the  top  and  at  18  inches  and  17  inches  there  were 
2  wire  screens  and  3  larvae  included  in  the  soil  between  them.  Above 
17  inches  and  up  to  12  inches  2  larva  and  soil  were  introduced  and 
then  again  at  12  inches  and  11  inches  2  wire  screens  enclosed  3  larva 
and  subsoil.  Above  11  inches  and  up  to  6  inches  deep  2  larvae  and  sub- 
soil were  introduced.  The  top  six  inches  of  the  tile  was  not  filled 
until  after  the  sodium  cyanide  was  applied.  Tile  No.  1  was  treated 
with  sodium  cyanide  dissolved  in  50  cc  of  water  at  the  rate  of  150 
pounds  to  the  acre,  while  title  No  2  received  treatment  of  cyanide  at 
the  rate  of  100  pounds  to  the  acre. 

In  tile  No.  3  five  small  cylindrical  wire  screen  cages  3!4  inches  long 
and  2  inches  in  diameter  were  placed  in  the  center  of  the  tile  end  to 
end  and  on  top  of  each  other;  the  top  cage  being  7  inches  from  the  top  of 
the  tile.  The  cages  were  filled  with  subsoil,  3  large  larvae  put  in  each 
and  the  space  surrounding  the  cages  filled  with  diit.  The  sodium 
cyanide  at  the  rate  of  100  pounds  was  dissolved  in  50  cc  of  water 
and  applied  6  inches  from  the  top  of  the  tile,  and  then  the  tile  was 
filled  to  the  top.  The  cages  served  the  purpose  of  confining  the 
larvae  to  definite  depths,  thus  making  it  possible  to  learn  to  what  depth 
the  poison  penetrates  in  sufiicient  quantity  to  kill. 

The  above  experiments  were  examined  two  weeks  after  they  were 
iftarted.  In  tile  No.  1  where  the  cyanide  was  applied  at  the  rate  of 
160  pounds  to  the  acre  it  was  found  that  all  larv»  within  12  inches  of 
the  top  of  the  tile,  or  6  inches  from  point  of  treatment  were  dead.  One 
or  two  were  dead  below  the  treated  surface,  but  all  others  were  alive 
and  active.  Where  sodium  cyanide  was  used  at  the  rate  of  100  pounds 
to  the  acre,  all  larvae  within  10  inches  of  the  top  of  the  tile,  or  3  to  5 
inches  from  the  point  of  treatment  were  dead,  while  below  this  the 
larvae  were  alive  and  active. 

Since  sodium  cyanide  would  not  consistently  kill  larvae  below  6 
inches  when  used  at  the  rate  of  150  pounds  to  the  acre,  three  other 
tile  experiments  were  started  on  January  26,  using  sodium  cyanide  at 
the  rate  of  200  pounds  (tile  No.  4),  300  pounds  (tile  No.  5)  and  400 
pounds  (tile  No.  6)  to  the  acre.  In  these  experiments  the  wire  screens 
were  omitted,  but  the  15  larvae  were  evenly  distributed  at  varjring 
depths  throughout  the  length  of  the  sewer  pipe  (6  to  24  inches).  The 
material  was  dissolved  in  50  cc.  of  water  and  poured  upon  the  subsoil 
6  inches  from  the  top  of  the  tile,  and  then  the  tile  was  filled  with  soil. 

These  tiles  were  examined  on  February  ^.  About  50  per  cent  of  the 
larvae  had  escaped  through  the  lower  end  of  the  tiles  into  the  soil  on 
the  bench,  but  enough  remained  in  the  upper  portions  of  the  tile  to 


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474        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

srive  some  clue  in  regard  to  the  depth  that  the  sodium  cyanide  was 
effective.  In  tile  No.  4  all  the  larvss  6  inches  below  the  place  of  treat- 
ment (12  inches  from  the  top)  were  dead,  while  in  tile  No.  5  one  was 
alive  at  11  inches  from  the  top  of  the  tile,  or  5  inches  from  the  place 
of  treatment,  but  all  others  in  this  zone  were  dead.  In  title  No.  6 
all  were  dead  above  15  inches,  or  9  inches  from  the  treated  surface. 
The  above  experiments  indicate  that  strengths  of  sodiimi  cyanide 
greater  than  150  pounds  to  the  acre  penetrate  to  greater  depths  in 
sufficient  ^rength  to  kill.  Greater  strengths  are  more  effective,  but 
even  cyanide  at  the  rate  of  400  poimds  to  the  acre,  was  not  strong 
enough  to  kill  all  of  the  larvse  throughout  the  tiles,  for  below  12  and 
15  inches  a  number  of  active  larvae  were  found.  In  determining  the 
depth  to  which  sodiimi  cyanide  will  penetrate  in  sufficient  quantity  to 
kill  it  is  necessary  to  confine  the  larvffi  to  definite  parts  of  the  soil,  for 
they  will  migrate  considerably  if  this  is  not  done. 

Other  Chemieals.  A  few  other  chemicals,  such  as  lime-sulfur,  sodium 
sulfocarbonate  and  pryidine,  and  one  commercial  product,  "carbol-sul,'' 
which  is  composed  of  40  to  50  per  cent  of  carbon  bisulfide,  were  ex- 
perimented with,  and  will  be  briefly  reported  on  at  this  time. 

Lime-sulfur,  20°B.  (3  i>ots)  and  sodium  sulfocarbonate  (3  pots)  were 
used  separately  at  the  jrate  of  500,  250  and  100  gallons  per  acre.  Each 
was  diluted  in  50  cc.  of  water  put  on  the  subsoil  in  flower  i>ots  as  in 
experiments  with  sodium  carbonate  and  the  pots  filled  after  the  treat- 
li^ents  were  made.  In  another  pot  using  lime-sulfur  at  the  rate  of 
100  gallons  to  the  acre,  10  drops  of  pyridine  were  added,  also  10  drops 
of  pyridine  were  added  to  still  another  pot  where  sodium  sulfocar- 
bonate was  used  at  the  rate  of  100  gallons  to  the  acre,  and  10  drops 
of  pyridine  alone  was  used  in  one  pot.  In  all  of  the  above  experi- 
ments there  were  3  larvae  in  each  pot.  After  7  days  of  exposure  all 
were  alive  and  active,  showing  the  ineffectiveness  of  the  respective 
chemicals. 

"Carbo-sul"  is  manufactured  by  the  Carbo-sul  Company,  Inc.,  of 
New  York  City  and  claims  are  made  by  these  people  that  "carbo-sul" 
?s  an  effective  insecticide  against  soil  infesting  insects.  On  January 
27  ten  flower  pots  were  prepared  as  in  the  sodium  cyanide  experi- 
ments with  3  active  larvae  at  varying  levels  in  each.  These  pots  were 
kept  in  the  greenhouse  and  No.  1,  2,  3,  4,  5  and  6  were  treated  re- 
spectively with  "carbo-sul"  at  the  rate  of  500,  250,  100,  50,  25  and  10 
gallons  per  acre.  The  required  amount  of  carbo-sul  was  dissolved 
in  100  cc.  of  water  and  poured  on  the  subsoil,  and  then  the  pots  were 
filled  with  dirt  immediately.  In  i>ots  7,  8  and  9  the  entire  pot  was 
filled  with  soil  and  then  a  surface  treatment  was  made  with  "carbo-sul" 
at  the  rate  of  500,  250  and  100  gallons  per  acre  by  dissolving  the 
respective  quantities  in  300  cc.  of  water  and  pouring  the  same  upon 
the  filled  pots.    Pot  No.  10  served  as  a  check  in  the  above  experiments. 

On  February  3,  seven  days  after  treating,  all  the  pots  were  ex- 
amined and,  altogether,  only  3  dead  larvae  were  foimd,  two  of  these 
occurring  in  pot  No.  1  and  one  in  pot  No.  2.    All  larvae  were  alive  and 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  475 

active  in  pots  where  a  surface  treatment  (No.  7,  8,  and  9)  was  made. 
Hie  above  experiment  shows  the  ineffectiveness  of  "carbo-sur*  in 
flower-pot  experiments  and  from  onr  experience  with  sodium  cyanide 
under  laboratory  conditions,  it  would  probably  be  less  effective  in  field 
work  with  wireworms. 

''Carbo-suP  has  a  very  decided  odor  and  in  the  above  experiments 
the  odor  disappeared  within  four  or  five  days  after  treating  while  in 
the  cyanide  experiments  the  indistinct  odor  coming  from  sodium  cyanide 
was  detected  in  the  soil  after  two  weeks'  exposure,  especially  in  pots 
receiving  the  larger  amounts  of  cyanide. 

Field  work 

While  the  laboratory  experiments  were  being  performed,  one  field  ex- 
periment was  conducted  at  Livingston  in  cooperation  with  Mr.  J.  P.  Quinn 
on  December  5,  1916,  and  we  are  indebted  to  him  for  the  interest  shown 
in  this  problem  and  his  willingness  to  cooperate  with  us  in  every  pos- 
sible manner.  At  this  time  the  wireworms  were  scattered  through- 
out the  lower  strata  of  the  top  soil  and  the  upper  portion  of  the  sub- 
soiL  In  the  infested  field  the  subsoil  varied  somewhat  in  depth,  10  to 
15  inches,  and  in  digging  into  the  infested  areas  it  was  noted  that  the 
larvie  were  going  down  and  leaving  behind  dis^tinct  burrows  through 
the  sandy  and  day-like  soil.  With  these  observations  in  mind,  it  was 
tbiought  that  it  might  be  possible  to  kill  the  wireworms  provided  the 
sodimn  cyanide  was  placed  at  some  depfth  in  the  soil  and  covered  at 
once.  This  was  done  by  plowing  deep  furrows,  applying  the  cyanide 
dissolved  in  water  and  then  immediately  covering  the  treated  furrows 
with  the  dirt  from  newly-formed  furrows.  With  this  method  it  seemed 
that  the  sodium  cyanide  or  gas  which  it  evolves  might  i)enetrate  the 
burrows  and  reach  the  wireworms  in  sufficient  quantity  to  kill. 

A  plot  74  by  390  feet  was  staked  off  in  the  heaviest  infested  poi1;ion 
(N.  E.)  of  the  2-acre  field  south  of  the  home.  This  was  plowed  to 
a  depth  of  6  to  8  inches  and  each  furrow  averaged  12.7  inches  in 
vridth.  Two  furrows  in  the  center  were  left  untreated,  serving  as  a 
check,  while  the  first  eight  furrows  on  each  side  of  the  check  were 
treated  with  cyanide  at  the  rate  of  100  pounds  to  the  acre  (10  pounds 
of  sodium  cyanide  dissolved  in  50  gallons  of  water  and  6  gallons 
sprinkled  in  each  furrow  390  feet  long)  and  the  outside  50  furrows 
(25  on  each  side)  received  cyanide  at  the  rate  of  150  pounds  to  the 
acre  (15  pounds  of  sodium  cyanide  dissolved  in  50  gallons  of  water 
and  6  gallons  sprinkled  in  each  furrow  390  feet  long).  The  individual 
making  the  treatment  walked  a  short  distance  ahead  of  the  team  of 
horses  and  plow  which  was  making  a  new  furrow,  and  sprinkled  the 
cyanide  solution  into  the  open  furrow  by  means  of  a  3  gallon  water- 
ing pot,  and  then  the  plow  threw  the  dirt  into  the  treated  furrow, 
thus  covering  the  cyanide  with  several  inches  of  soil  almost  as  soon  as 
it  was  applied. 

At  the  time  of  treatment  the  temperature  of  the  soil  (6  inches)  was 
43'*F.  In  about  four  days  heavy  rains  came  and  then  a  cold  spell 
which  froze  the  land.     It  remained  in  this  condition  until  late  in  the 


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476        NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

spring  making  it  impossible  to  dig  into  the  ground  to  determine  the 
effect  of  the  cyanide  treatments.  On  May  9  the  plot  was  examined 
in  various  parts  and  it  was  apparent  that  the  cyanide  had  not  killed 
the  majority  of  the  larva  but  there  was  undoubtedly  some  reductiout 
probably  not  over  25  per  cent.  So  far  as  observed,  no  difference  could 
be  detected  in  the  two  plots  where  the  cyanide  was  used  at  the  rate  of 
100  pounds  and  150  pounds  to  the  acre,  respectively. 

The  majority  of  the  larvs  on  May  9,  were  fouikl  at  the  surface  of 
the  subsoil  and  a  few  in  the  top  soil.  On  May  25,  1917,  Mr.  J.  P.  Quinn  re- 
ported that  the  larvae  were  up  in  the  top  s(m1  and  attacking  newly 
planted  com,  and  at  this  time  the  heaviest  infestation  was  in  the 
southwest  part  of  the  field.  On  May  28  a  trip  was  made  to  Livingston 
with  Dr.  Headlee  and  Mr.  F.  A.  Kaufman  of  the  Boessler  and  Has- 
slacker  Chemical  Company,  of  New  York  City,  for  the  purpose  of  con- 
ducting some  experiments  on  surface  treatment  with  sodium  cyanide. 
In  cooperation  with  the  above  men  and  Mr.  J.  P.  Quinn,  7  plots  12  by 
18  feet  were  laid  out  with  check  plots  between  them  in  the  worst  in- 
fested portion  of  the  field,  and  treated  as  indicated  in  table  18.  At  this 
time  the  larvae  were  congregated  about  the  com  in  the  various  hills 
and  within  1  to  3  inches  of  the  surface  of  the  top  soil.  The  number 
of  larvae  in  each  hill  ran  between  10  and  25  while  occasionally  as  many 
as  45  were  found  in  a  hill.  With  the  larvae  congregated  in  this  fashion 
it  was  thought  that  a  thorough  surface  treatment  with  sodium  cyanide 
dissolved  in  water  might  penetrate  the  soil  and  kill  the  wiieworma. 
The  cyanide  solution  was  sprinkled  upon  the  plots  from  a  8  gallon 
watering  pot. 

Table  13 
Plan  of  Field  Experiment  in  Control  of  WirewcMrms 


Plot  No. 

Condition  of  soil 
before  troatlnr 

Amount  of  NaCN  and 
rate  per  aero 

Amount  of 
water 

Soil    undisturbed 
Raked  llffhUy 
Undisturbed   and   hills   only 
treated 
Raked    lightly 
Raked   lightly 
Raked   lightly 
Raked   lightly 

8   oz.=:    (100-lb.   rate) 
8   oz.=    (100-lb.    rate) 

8  os.=    (100-lb.   rate) 
2  oz.=   (  26-lb.   rate) 
4   02.=    (  60-lb.   rate) 
6   ox.=    (  75-lb.   rate) 
12  0%.=   (160-lb.   rate) 

20  gaL 

20  gaL 

10  gaL 
20  gaL 
20  gaL 
20  gal. 
20  gal. 

The  above  treatments  recorded  in  tl»  table  were  examined  on  June 
6  and  it  was  found  that  some'  of  the  Is^rvm  were  killed  in  the  com 
hills  in  plots  1,  2,  3,  6  and  7,  but  no  plot  showed  an  effective  contrt^ 
Plot  7  showed  the  greatest  number  dead,  but  these  did  not  exceed  25 
per  cent  of  all  the  larvae  in  the  hills.    The  above  experiment  shows  the 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


477 


impossibility  of  killing  wireworms  by  treating  the  surface  of  infested 
land  with  sodium  cyanide  at  the  rate  of  25  to  150  pounds  to  the  acre. 

After  the  above  results  were  obtained  it  was  thought  that  the 
sodium  cyanide  must  be  covered  and  not  directly  exposed  to  the  sun- 
shine and  air  currents  in  order  to  be  effective,  consequently  another 
large  plot  was  plowed  and  treated  in  a  manner  similar  to  the  field 
experiment  performed  on  December  5,  1916.  This  experiment  was 
conducted  on  June  5,  1917,  in  the  same  part  pi  the  field  as  on  Decem- 
ber 5,  but  the  area  treated  was  only  40  feet  wide  and  195  feet  long 
and  plowed  to  a  depth  of  6  inches.  The  field  was  staked  off  at  each 
end  at  intervals  of  5  feet  (see  diagram)  making  5  furrows  to  each  plot. 


.195  feet- 


D                                    ISO    lbs.    NaCN    plua    ammonium    sulfate                                    D 

C                                    100    lbs.    NaCN    plua    ammonium    aulfate                                    C 

B                                                               160     lbs.     NaCN                                                               B 

A                                                                  100     IbB.     NaCN                                                                 A 

A                                                                  100     lb«.     NaCN                                                                 A 

B                                                                 160     lbs.     NaCN                                                                 B 

C                                     100     lbs.    NaCN    plus    ammonium     sulfate                                     C 

D                                     150    lbs.    NaCN    plus    ammonium    sulfate                                     D 

•Corn   planted  June   5. 

The  required  amount  of  sodium  cyanide  was  dissolved  in  50  gallons 
of  water  and  the  treatments  made  on  June  5.  The  solution  was, 
sprinkled  into  the  open  furrow  with  a  watering  pot,  8  gallons  to 
each  furrow,  in  front  of  a  team  of  horses  pulling  a  plow  that  filled  the 
treated  furrow  at  once.  In  plot  A  the  cyanide  was  used  at  the  rate 
of  100  pounds  to  the  acre  (72  ounces  dissolved  in  80  gallons  of  water) 
and  in  plot  B  at  the  rate  of  150  pounds  to  the  acre  (108  ounces  dis- 


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478        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

solved  in  30  gallons  of  water).  Plots  C  and  D  were  respectiv^y 
treated  with  cyanide  as  in  A  and  B,  but  in  addition  to  tbis  treatmentt 
a  solution  of  ammonium  sulfate  was  used.  Ammonium  sulfate  with 
sodium  cyanide  probably  liberates  HCN  (Kaufman)  and  thus  this 
combination  should  be  more  effective.  For  plot  C,  10  pounds  of 
ammonium  sulfate  was  dissolved  in  30  gallons  of  water  and  for  plot 
D,  15  pounds  to  30  gallons  of  water.  In  treating  plots  C  and  D  the 
sodium  cyanide  solution  was  applied  with  a  watering  pot  in  the 
usual  manner  and  immediately  followed  by  a  similar  quantity  of  h 
solution  of  ammonium  sulfate,  and  then  the  furrow  was  covered  at 
once.  After  all  the  plots  were  treated,  the  western  half  of  the  en- 
tire block  was  rolled  in  order  to  harden  the  surface  of  the  soil  and 
thus  probably  help  to  keep  the  gas  within  the  soil.  Four  rows  of 
com,  two  at  each  end  of  the  block,  were  planted  across  each  half  of 
the  treated  area,  and  in  each  row  there  were  two  hills  in  every 
plot,  as  indicated  by  asterisks  in  the  diagram. 

The  above  experiment  was  observed  on  June  11,  and  a  number  of 
active  wireworms  were  found  in  all  the  hills  of  com,  regardless  of  the 
treatment  given,  but  on  the  whole  they  were  not  nearly  so  abundant  as 
in  the  infested  untreated  portion  of  the  field  at  the  west  end.  There 
was  considerable  variation  in  the  number  of  larvae  found  in  liie  dif- 
ferent plots,  yet  these  differences  did  not  accord  in  any  definite  man- 
ner with  the  treatments  given.  There  was  also  no  decided  differ- 
ence In  the  number  of  larvae  in  the  plots  where  the  ammonium  sul- 
fate was  used.  This  experiment  shows  some  reduction  in  the  num- 
ber of  larvse,  but  on  the  whole  the  treatments  did  not  give  a  sat- 
isfactory control. 

On  November  6,  1917,  some  final  counts  were  made  of  the  in- 
festation in  the  various  plots  of  the  field  by  removing  soil  to  the 
depth  of  15  to  20  inches  from  areas  covering  nine  square  feet.  Table 
14  shows  the  resutls. 

Table  14 
Restilts  of  Field  Experiments  in  Control  of  Wireworms 


Date  of 

Plot  No. 

Treatment 

application 

No.  of  lami 

1 

Check 

15 

2 

160   lbs.   to  acre 

Dec    8,    19ie 

t 

160    lbs.   to   acre 

Dec  6.   19ie 

t 

100    lbs.    to    acre 

June  6.  1917 

11 

160    lbs.   to   acre 

Dec   6.   191  < 

4 

( 160    lbs.    to   acre 

Jane  6,  1917  J 

7 

At  this  time  the  number  of  larv»  throughout  the  field  was  much 
less  than  in  the  previous  year,  and  the  table  gives  indication  of  some 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  479 

reduction  in  the  plots  treated  with  cyanide,  yet  it  also  shows  the  in- 
effectiveness of  sodium  cyanide  when  used  at  strengths  no  greater 
than  150  pounds  to  the  acre. 

As  a  last  attempt  to  kill  wireworms  with  sodium  cyanide  a  num- 
ber of  hills  of  com,  heavily  infested  with  larvae  and  in  an  untreated 
section  of  the  field,  were  uncovered  with  a  hoe  on  June  5  and  about 
one  quart  of  water,  in  which  sodium  cynaide  was  dissolved  at  the 
rate  of  300  pounds  per  acre,  was  poured  upon  the  larvae  within  each 
hill  and  then  immediately  covered  with  soiL  The  same  treatment 
plus  an  equal  amount  of  ammonium  sulfate  was  also  tried  on  a  num- 
lier  of  infested  com  hills.  These  hills  were  examined  on  June  11  and 
all  the  larvae  found  dead,  15  to  40  to  the  hilL  This  dracrtic  method  of 
treating  hills  is  apparently  very  effectfve,  yet  even  in  this  treatment 
some  of  the  larvae  may  have  been  repelled  by  the  sodium  cyanide 
which  we  do  not  know  of.  The  results  of  this  experiment  show  that 
it  is  possible  to  kill  wireworms  if  one  uses  large  doses  of  cyanide  and 
applies  the  material  directly  upon  the  larvae. 

In  conclusion  it  can  be  said  that  wireworms  can  be  killed  with 
large  quantities  of  sodium  cyanide,  but  the  amoimt  necessary  to 
bring  about  a  satisfactory  control  makes  this  method  of  soil  treatment 
too  expensive  for  ordinary  use  in  the  field. 

Since  we  were  unable  to  control  wireworms  satisfactorily  with 
sodium  cyanide  at  the  Orange  City  Poor  Farm,  a  system  of  crop 
rotation  dosigned  to  meet  the  problem  of  wireworm  control  was 
worked  out  by  Dr.  Headlee  and  Mr.  Quinn,  which  will  be  put  into 
operation  during  the  coming  season. 

Note,  We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  Kaufman  of  the  Roessler  and  Hasslacker 
Chemical  Company  at  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.,  for  the  interest  shown  in 
this  work  and  for  furnishing  us  with  the  greater  portion  of  the  sodium 
cyanide  and  ammonium  sulfate  used  in  the  various  experiments.  Also, 
I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Headlee  for  the  sincere  interest  shown  in  this 
problem  and  for  many  valuable  suggestions. 


HOUSE-FLY  INVESTIGATIONS 
Fly  Control  at  Beach  Haven,  New  Jersey 

Alvah  Peterson,  Ph.  D. 

For  several  years  this  department  has  been  trying  out  various  con- 
trol measures  against  the  house-fly  and  its  allies  and  also  studying 
their  breeding  and  feeding  habits.  During  1913  an  effort  was  made 
to  control  the  flies  in  the  city  of  New  Brunswick,  while  in  1914  the 
problem  of  control  was  restricted  to  the  College  Farm.  In  1915  and 
1916  careful  studies  were  made  by  Mr.  Richardson  on  the  breeding 
and  feeding  habits  of  the  house-fly     and  closely  related  forms.     For 


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48o        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

1917  it  was  thought  that  we  should  take  charge  of  the  fly  control 
work  in  some  community,  and  make  a  practical  demonstration  of 
some  of  the  well-known  control  measures.  In  looking  about  for  a 
suitable  place,  we  desired  a  small  community,  500  to  8000  people,  in 
order  that  one  man  might  keep  in  close  touch  with  the  entire  opera- 
tion. It  was  also  necessary  that  the  place  chosen  be  well  isolated 
from  nearby  cities  or  places  where  flies  might  breed  and  migrate. 
Beadi  Haven,  N.  J.,  seemed  to  fulfill  these  requirements,  so  the  city 
council  was  approached  with  the  proposition  and  we  met  with  a  hearty 
response  from  the  very  beginning. 

Beach  Haven  is  a  small  seacoast  town  ¥rith  a  residential  popula- 
tion of  about  500  people,  and  during  the  summer  months  from  2500 
to  8000  people.  It  is  located  at  the  southern  end  of  a  long  narrow 
island  (20  to  25  miles)  which  is  several  miles  off  the  coast  of  New 
Jersey.  The  town  is  well  isolated,  for  the  nearest  community  of  any 
size  is  Tuckerton,  and  this  place  is  six  or  seven  miles  west  of  Beach 
Haven  with  an  extensive  body  of  water  between  the  two  places.  The 
small  communities  on  the  island,  several  miles  north  of  Beach  Haven, 
are  smaller  than  Beach  Haven  and  possess  few,  if  any,  places  where 
flies  might  breed  abundantly.  Beach  Haven  also  has  a  good  sewage 
disposal  system  and  no  out-of-door  privies  are  permitted  within  the 
limits  of  the  borough.  The  garbage  is  also  cared  for  by  the  city,  be- 
ing collected  at  least  three  times  a  week,  placed  on  a  large  barge 
and  transi>orted  to  a  disposal  plant  across  the  bay.  The  above  con- 
ditions at  Beach  Haven  are  in  many  respects  quite  ideal,  thus  mak- 
ing it  possible  to  obtain  definite  results  provided  the  remaining  breed- 
ing places  were  cared  for.  These  places  were  almost  entirely  con- 
fined to  horse  and  cow  stables,  of  which  there  are  only  eight  in  the 
borough  and  within  one  mile  of  its  limits.  The  total  number  of 
animals  inhabiting  these  places  during  the  past  season  did  not  ex* 
ceed  25  horses,  1  pony  and  8  cows. 

Undsr  these  conditions  the  control  of  the  house-fly  in  this  town 
largely  resolved  itself  into  caring  for  the  manure  and  the  stalls  at 
the  various  stables.  The  first  step  toward  fiy  control  was  accom- 
plished in  this  borough  on  June  25  when,  under  personal  supervi- 
sion, all  the  stalls  and  breeding  places  (except  some  large  piles  of 
manure)  were  thoroughly  treated  with  borax  (crystals).  At  this 
time  comparatively  few  adults  were  about  and  only  a  few  larv» 
were  found  under  the  floor  boards  in  a  few  stalls,  but  some  of  the 
piles  contained  a  considerable  number  of  larvae  which  were  sufficient 
to  increase  the  population  of  flies  materially  if.  not  treated  at  once. 
The  floor  boards  of  stalls  and  other  parts  of  the  bam  were  examined 
every  two  weeks  during  the  summer,  and  only  once  did  any  stable 
require  more  than  two  treatments  in  order  to  prevent  breeding  in 
these  places.  The  manure  piles  were  inspected  once  a  week  during 
June,  July  and  August  and  the  breeding  found  was  reported  to  the 
city  authorities  and  to  the  caretaker  when  at  home. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  481 

The  stable  men  were  given  instractions  in  respect  to  the  disposal 
of  the  manure  or  treating  when  this  was  necessary.  In  the  majority 
of  cases  a  hearty  response  was  met  with,  but  in  one  or  two  instances 
the  desired  results  were  not  obtained  by  this  method.  It  is  hoped 
that  this  difficulty  may  be  overcome  in  another  season. 

The  manure  was  cared  for  in  one  of  four  ways  at  the  different 
stables.  The  manure  from  two  stables  was  removed  daily  (at  least 
three  times  a  week)  and  spread  out  on  nearby  gardens  or  vacant  lots. 
Manure  handled  in  this  manner  dries  rapidly  and  is  not  suited  for 
breeding;  at  least  no  larvae  were  found  in  this  manure.  One  stable 
man  removed  the  manure  from  the  stable  twice  a  week  and  placed  it 
out  on  the  marshes  where  the  tides  kept  it  soaked  with  salty  water. 
Another  stable  possessed  a  large  cement  pit  and  the  manure  was 
thrown  into  this  pit  and  covered  with  water.  This  method  was  very 
satisfactory  in  eliminating  breeding  until  the  pit  was  filled  and  the 
manure  was  exposed  above  the  top  of  the  pit  and  about  its  margin. 
Under  these  conditions  a  large  amount  of  breeding  was  found  sev- 
eral times  during  the  season  and  it  was  necessary  to  use  borax.  All 
manure  which  was  not  cared  for  according  to  the  above  methods  was 
treated  with  a  solution  of  borax  at  the  rate  of  0.62  pounds  to  8 
bushels  of  manure. 

The  borough  furnished  each  stable,  where  the  borax  treatment  was 
necessary,  with  one  or  two  large  SO-gallon  cans,  one  10-quart  water- 
ing pot  and  all  the  necessary  borax  for  making  treatments.  The 
stable  men  were  instructed  to  sprinkle  2hi  gallons  of  solution  on  the 
daily  output  of  manure  from  one  horse  and  to  make  this  application 
every  day.  One  ounce  of  borax  to  one  cubic  foot  of  manure  will  kill 
90  per  cent  or  more  of  the  larvae  and  inhibit  the  eggs  from  hatching 
provided  it  is  applied  in  solution  form  and  the  larvae  and  eggs  come  in 
contact  with  it.  It  was  fignired  out  that  the  average  output  from  one 
horse  is  1%  cubic  feet  of  manure  per  day  and  that  2%  gallons  of  water 
containing  1%  ounces  of  borax  should  i>enetrate  all  parts  of  this  amount 
of  manure.  The  large  stock  cans  held  about  80  gallons  of  solution  (18 
ounces  of  borax)  and  this  was  sufficient  to-  make  12  treatments  for  one 
horse.  In  making  treatments  it  was  noted  that  wet  manure  which  had 
been  soaked  by  rains  or  when  located  in  low  wet  areas  was  difficult  to 
treat,  for  it  was  next  to  impossible  to  make  any  additional  water  (by 
sprinkling)  penetrate  the  wet  manure.  When  manure  is  in  this  condi- 
tion, particularly  in  low  wet  areas,  and  contains  numerous  larvae,  it 
should  be  put  on  higher  ground  in  order  that  it  may  dry  out  somewhat; 
or  a  thick  layer  of  gravel  or  cinders  placed  imder  the  manure  in  wet 
and  low  areas  will  help  considerably. 

At  the  begimung  of  the  season  we  planned  to  use  hellebore  in  treat- 
ing infested  manure,  but  this  cost  30  cents  a  pound  on  the  Philadelphia 
market  while  borax  could  be  purchased  in  100-pound  lots  at  9  cents  a 
pound.  Manure  treated  with  borax  is  detrimental  to  some  plants  when 
the  manure  is  used  as  a  fertilizer,  but,  so  far  as  known,  it  will  not  in- 
jure plants  provided  one  does  not  use  over  15  tons  of  treated  manure 
to  the  acre. 

Ag  31 

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482        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

In  the  weekly  inspections  the  manure  piles  were  carefully  examined 
and  also  a  lookout  was  kept  for  dead  fish  and  grarbage  which  might 
breed  blow  files  and  the  like.  One  striking  thing  noted  in  respect  to 
the  adult  flies  about  the  town  was  the  small  percentage  of  common 
house-flies  and  the  large  percentage  of  stable  and  blow  flies.  Un- 
doubtedly the  latter  came  from  dead  fish  scattered  here  and  there  on 
the  beach,  in  the  marshes  and  about  the  town.  At  times  the  garbage 
was  not  disposed  of  as  rapidly  as  it  should  have  been  and  occasionally 
the  cans  were  alive  with  blow-fly  larvs  breeding  in  meat  and  fish.  The 
control  of  blow  flies  is  a  matter  of  proper  disposal  of  all  decaying 
meat  and  dead  fish. 

Besides  caring  for  manure,  fly  traps  and  poisoned  baits  were  used 
during  July  and  August,  but  these  indoubtedly  played  only  a  minor 
part  in  the  efforts  made  toward  the  control  of  flies.  Poisoned  baits  gave 
some  promise  of  becoming  an  important  factor  in  fly  controL 

Fly  Traps.  Wire  fly  traps,  10  inches  in  diameter  and  10  inches  high, 
were  furnished  the  various  stables  one  hotel  and  one  restaurant  Ck)m- 
paratively  few  adults  were  captured  during  the  season,  and  so  far  as 
observed,  the  traps  were  of  little  value  in  controlling  the  flies.  Pos- 
sibly a  larger  trap  might  have  given  better  satisfaction.  The  traps 
were  baited  once  a  week  by  placing  decayed  bananas  and  molasses  in 
a  paper  plate  beneath  the  trap. 

Poisoned  Bait.  At  the  outset  it  was  planned  to  make  an  extensive 
investigation  of  poisoned  baits  but  other  work  would  not  permit.  It  is 
desirable  to  find  a  poisoned  bait  which  is  attractive  to  adult  flies,  easily 
applied,  with  good  lasting  qualities  and  which  kills  rapidly.  Experi- 
ments were  conducted  with  only  one  bait  (sodium  arsenite,  molasses 
and  water)  which  has  recently  been  used  by  C.  W.  Malley  with  good  re- 
mits in  Africa. 

A  number  of  experiments  were  conducted  in  small  round  traps,  6 
inches  in  diameter  and  9  inches  high,  with  the  above  bait.  It  was  ap- 
plied to  the  sides  of  the  cage  by  means  of  a  brush  and  rhe  flies  within 
readily  consumed  the  bait.  After  a  fly  had  partaken  of  the  poisoned 
solution  it  required  from  1  to  6  hours  or  more  for  the  i>olson  to  kill 
Table  15  shows  the  results  of  one  of  a  number  of  similar  experiments 
that  were  performed  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  effect  of  the 
varying  strengths  of  poison  and  the  amount  necessary  to  kill.  In  this 
experiment  the  designated  amount  of  sodium  arsenite  was  dissolved  in 
one-half  the  necessary  amount  of  water  and  then  an  equal  amount  of 
com  syrup  ("Karo")  was  added.  The  experiment  was  started  on  July 
13  at  11  A.  M.  and  continued  until  7  A.  M.  the  next  day.  Each  trap 
possessed  one  or  more  individuals  of  Stomoxys  calcitrans,  Musca  dames- 
tica,  Calliphora  eryth/rocephalfl.,  Lucilia  sericata,  Phormia  regina,  Fannia 
canicularis  and  other  species  but  75  per  ^  cent  of  the  flies  were  Stomoxys 
calcitrans. 

Individuals  of  all  species  consumed  some  of  the  i)oisoned  bait  and 
died.  The  table  shows  that  all  the  strengths  used,  1  ounce  to  1/8 
ounce  of  sodium  arsenite  per  gallon  of  solution,  were  sufficient  to  kHl, 
but  the  rapidity  of    kill    was    considerably    higher    with  the    greats 


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kxpi:riment  station  report. 


483 


strengrths  and  also  the  percen'tage  killed  (in  20  hours)  was  somewhat 
greater.  An  examination  of  the  number  of  dead  at  2  P.  M.  shows  clearly 
the  rapidity  of  kill  for  the  various  strengths.  Since  the  above  poison  acts 
slowly  in  killing  the  adults  this  undoubtedly  accounts  for  the  fact  that 
comparatively  few  dead  flies  may  usually  be  found  near  the  bait  when 
used  on  a  bam  or  otherwise.  In  other  words,  the  fly  may  go  some 
cistance  before  it  dies. 


\ 


Table  15 


Effect  of  Poison  of  Varjdng  Strength  on  Flies 


i 

ex 

Strength  of  anenite 

1? 

Q09 

I: 

Is 

a 

1! 

.6 

u 

1 

1    oz.    to    1    ral. 

0 

2 

10 

14 

14 

17 

20 

2 

22 

2 

V&    OS.    to    1    gal. 

0 

s 

8 

12 

15 

17 

" 

SO 

3 

%    oz.   to   1   gal. 

1 

1 

6 

12 

12 

17 

6 

22 

3 

%    08.   to   1   gal. 

0 

1 

4 

6  > 

10 

13 

20 

12 

82 

5 

Check,    molasses    only 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

20 

20 

The  poison  bait  used  by  C.  W.  Malley  in  South  Africa  contained  1 
i>ound  of  sodium  arsenite,  2  gallons  of  cheap  molasses  and  10  gallons 
of  water.  This  mixture  is  very  thin  and  was  found  to  dry  rapidly  on 
exposure  to  air,  and  on  hardening  was  not  as  attractive  as  when  moist. 
The  above  bait  was  thickened  by  using  equal  amounts  of  molasses  (or 
pyrup)  and  water,  and  adding  sodium  arsenite  at  the  rate  of  1  ounce 
to  1  gallon  of  solution.  Even  this  concentration  of  molasses  would 
harden  in  the  course  of  three  of  four  hours,  especially  on  a  warm  day 
when  exposed  'to  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  It  was  found  that  the  ad- 
dition of  honey  (honey  25  per  cent,  molasses  25  per  cent  and  water  50 
per  cent)  would  keep  the  bait  from  hardening  rapidly,  but  the  use  of 
honey  would  probably  be  unsafe  in  territories  where  bees  are  pres- 
ent. Flies  are  attracted  in  considerable  numbers  to  freshly  applied 
bait,  but  compartively  few  can  be  found  on  hardened  bait,  conse- 
quently it  is  desirable  to  find  some  material  which  will  not  dry  out  and 
harden  rapidly  but  retain  its  moisture  and  remain  more  or  less  sticky. 
So  far  nothing  satisfactory  has  been  found  outside  of  honey. 

The  bait  was  applied  at  the  various  stables  in  the  borough.  A  2- 
quart  pail  and  an  ordinary  paint  brush  were  furnished  and  the  stable 
man  was  asked  to  make  a  daily  application  of  the  material  to  the 
sides  of  the  bam,  fences  or  sheds  where  flies  naturally  congregate  in 


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484        NEW   JERSEY    AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 

considerable  numbers.  At  two  of  these  stables  buncbes  of  Eftraw  were 
clipped  into  poisoned  bait  and  suspended  above  the  manure  piles.  It 
was  noted  that  a  considerable  number  of  flies  visited  these  bundles, 
especially  when  the  bait  was  fresh  and  sticky. 

Just  how  many  flies  or  what  proportion  of  the  adults  were  killed  by 
the  use  in  the  borough  of  poisoned  baits  is  unknown.  In  some  definite 
trials  it  was  undoubtedly  effective.  During  the  latter  part  of  July 
Stomoxys  oalcitrans  and  other  species,  including  green-headed  flies, 
were  particularly  abundant  in  a  private  garage  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  town  (garage  adjacent  to  a  stable)  so  the  mechanic  made  use 
of  the  poison  bait  by  brushing  a  goodly  quantity  of  the  material  on 
the  screens  in  the  windows.  On  the  following  day  the  majority  of  the 
flies  had  disappeared  and  numerous  dead  flies  could  be  seen  about  the 
garage  and  on  the  window  sill.  Among  the  dead  flies  were  a  number  of 
green-headed  flies  which  the  man  claims  readily  consumed  the  bait 

So  far  as  can  be  observed,  it  may  be  said  that  flies  were  by  no 
means  so  abundant  at  Beach  Haven  in  1917  as  in  the  previous  season. 
Whether  this  was  due  entirely  to  the  control  measures  used  or  to 
weather  conditions  and  parasites  we  are  unable  to  say.  The  only  way 
definitely  to  determine  the  ffectiveness  of  the  control  measure  will  be 
by  carrying  on  these  various  measures  for  several  S€»^sons.  In  making 
the  weekly  inspections,  it  was  noted  that  adults  were  abundant  twice  at 
one  stable  and  once  at  another  and  these  outbreaks  were  predicted  on 
the  basis  of  conditions  at  the  respective  bams  some  ten  days  previous 
to  the  appearance  of  the  adults.  Numerous  comments  by  people  who 
had  lived  for  a  number  of  years  in  Beach  Haven  all  confirmed  the  fact 
that  the  flies  were  not  as  abundant  as  in  former  years.  This  was 
particularly  true  at  one  hotel  where  only  a  few  flies  could  be  found 
about  the  kitchen  while  in  previous  years  it  was  said  to  be  fairly  black 
with  adults  throughout  most  of  the  summer.  The  experience  of  the 
past  season  should  help  considerably  in  combating  this  insect  in  1918. 

Note,  We  are  particularly  indebted  to  Mr.  Ireland  and  Mr.  Engle  for 
the  interest  shown  in\the  problem  and  their  constant  attention  to  nec- 
essary enforcement  of  treatments,  etc.  We  also  wish  to  express  our 
thanks  to  those  men  in  particular  who  cared  for  their  manure  in  the 
proper  manner  and  thus  eliminated  breeding  in  their  piles.  Personally, 
I  am  indebtedly  to  Dr.  Headlee  for  the  cooperation  shown  in  this  work 
and  for  the  many  valuable  suggestions  received. 


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REPORT  ON  MOSQUITO  WORK 

Thomas  J.  Headlee,  Ph.D. 
PREVIOUS  TO  191 7 

The  map  which  follows  will  serve  to  show  in  a  graphic  way 
what  has  been  accomplished  in  salt-marsh  drainage  by  all  agencies 
up  to  1916-1917,  and  the  effect  of  this  work  on  the  prevalence  of 
the  salt-marsh  species  (fig.  i). 

The  migration  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  over  the  upland  is 
shown  by  dots,  in  the  places  and  in  relative  abundance  as  indicated 
by  last  year's  reports. 

The  occurrence  of  infested  areas  in  the  region  of  the  salt-marsh 
which  is  marked  drained  is  due  to  the  incompleteness  of  the  drain- 
age system  installed. 

An3rthing  like  complete  elimination  throughout  this  large  area 
involves  the  installation  of  more  complete  drainage  systems  than 
now  exist  in  more  than  a  very  few  places.  For  the  purpose  of 
showing  lack  of  completeness  in  the  drainage  system,  table 
I,  giving  estimates  prepared  about  January  i,  1917,  is  presented. 

Table  i 
Status  of  Salt-Marsh  Drainage  in  New  Jersey,  January  i,  191 7 


Countj 

Total  area 
acres 

Drained  or  not  in 
.  need  of  draining 
,           per  cent 

Undrained 
per  gent 

TTudaon 

11.468 
8.378 
4.631 
4,41S 
8.199 
8,878 

66 
60 
98 
90 
60 
AO 

44 

Bergen    

40 

Basex   

2 

Union    

10 

Mlddleaez    

60 

Monmouth    

40 

Ocean 

40.400              1                     fio 

40 

Atlantic     

63.335 
53.688 
52.661 

66 
11 

4 

45 

Cape   May    

89 

Cumberland     

96 

In  Bergen,  the  lower  end  of  Ocean,  Atlantic,  and  Cape  May 
as  well  as  in  certain  limited  areas  in  other  counties  the  ground 
which  was  covered  was  sufficiently  drained,  and  the  percentage 
marked   as   undrained    represents   areas   that   are   practically   un- 

(485) 


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Condition  in  m 

^\\i  Aw1W   i  I. 

AREA  OF  OPtCINAL 
IT  HAQSH  MOSQUITO 
INFESTATION  ENCLOSCO  BV 

BROKEN  LINE 

TIDAL  MARSH  UNORAINED  ■ 
TIDAL  MARSH  PARTLY   OR 
COMPLETELY   DRAINED  B 

AREA  PRACTICALLY  FREED  OF 
SALT  MARSH  MOS(HJITOeS  IP. 

AREA  STILL  INFESTED   W 
SALT  MARSH  MOSQUITOES        S 


itized  by  VjUUV  It 


££& 


EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  487 

touched.  In  the  other  counties,  however,  with  the  v  limited  areas 
expected,  the  shortage  is  due  to  lack  of  completeness  within  areas 
already  covered  by  drainage  systems. 

The  same  point  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  average  number 
of  linear  feet  per  acre  in  the  area  covered  is  about  120,  while  rather 
careful  investigations  of  the  past  three  years  have  shown  that  about 
3cx>  linear  feet  of  iox30-inch  ditching,  or  its  equivalent,  per  acre 
is  necessary  to  effect  mosquito  drainage  in  open  salt  meadows.  In 
sections  shut  in  by  railway  grades,  roadways,  and  fills  the  number 
of  feet  required  may  be  less,  but  the  cost  of  dike,  sluice,  and  tide- 
gate  construction,  or  the  installation  of  pumps  and  the  maintenance 
of  all  will  more  than  offset  the  difference. 

Although  not  by  any  means  complete,  the  amount  of  work  ac- 
complished is  large  and  the  results  in  mosquito  control  gratifying. 
Al)out  January  i,  191 7,  a  general  statement  of  the  work  up  to  that 
time  was  prepared,  which  reads  as  follows : 

"Approximately  95,000  acres  of  salt  marsh  have  been  rendered 
reasonably  free  from  mosquito  breeding.  This  has  involved  the 
cutting  of  11,500,000  feet  of  ditches  10  inches  wide  and  30  inches 
deep,  or  their  equivalent,  the  building  of  17.2  miles  of  dike,  the 
installation  of  76  sluice  and  tide-gates  (representing  842  square  feet 
of  cross  section  outlet  opening),  the  installation  of  one  4  and  one 
12-inch  centrifugal  pump  and  the  connection  of  100  acres  of  marsh 
with  a  large  sewage  pumping  plant. 

'*The  best  testimony  as  to  the  efficiency  of  the  work  is  the  fact 
that  not  a  single  brood  of  mosquitoes  of  any  consequence  has 
emerged  during  the  past  season  (1916)  from  the  95,000  acres  which 
have  been  drained." 

Previous  to  1912  the  burden  of  salt-marsh  drainage  was  borne 
by  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  through  its  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station,  alone  and  in  some  cases  in  cooperation  with  certain  munic- 
ipalities such  as  Jersey  City,  Newark,  and  Elizabeth.  In  1912,  how- 
ever, the  county  mosquito  unit  was  authorized  and  local  effort  be- 
came at  once  pronounced.  With  the  county  unit  come  the  regular 
maintenance  of  the  trenching  already  cut  and  the  establishment 
of  new  drainage  systems.  In  1912  Essex  and  Union  counties  began. 
In  1913,  Hudson,  Passaic  and  Atlantic  became  active  and  Essex 
and  Union  continued.  In  19 14,  Bergen,  Middlesex,  Monmouth  and 
Ocean  began  and  the  others  continued.  In  1915  Cape  May  took  up 
the  work  and  the  others  continued.     Local  efforts  were  under- 


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488         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

taken  in  Somerset,  Mercer  and  Camden  but  in  every  case  the  prob- 
lem of  mosquito  control  was  found  to  be  local  and  not  of  sufficient 
importance  to  merit  county-wide  activity. 

The  salt-marsh  work  of  a  drainage  character  done  by  the  counties 
soon  reached  and  passed  the  state's  efforts.  At  the  beginning  of 
the  county  work  (1912)  the  state  was  doing  about  75  per  cent 
and  the  counties  25  per  cent  of  the  salt-marsh  drainage,  while  in 
19 1 5  the  state  was  doing  28'  per  cent  and  the  counties  72  per  cent, 
and  in  1916  they  were  doing  all  of  it. 

While  endeavoring  to  economize  on  state  expenditures  during 
the  winter  of  191 5- 16,  the  Legislature  provided  only  $4,800,  just 
enough  to  keep  the  force  together,  and  consequently  no  new  drain- 
age work  could  be  undertaken  by  the  State  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station. 

Table  2 

Salt-Marsh  Ditching  in  New  Jersey,  1912-1916 


Experiment  Station  Ditchinir 

County  Commission  Dltcbinc 

Tear 

No.  of  feet 
cut 

No.  of  feet 
cleaned 

No.  of  feet 
cut 

No.  of  feet 
cleaned 

i»n 

1$13 

1914 

1915 

1916 

1,086,188* 

689,842 

821,601 

745.106 

None 

Minimum  amount 
None 
None 
None 

289.800 

879.365 

1,057,167 

1.971.242 

2.542.713 

470.000 
1.800.000 

919.000 
8.171.128 

600.000»» 

Many  of  the  county  units  undertone  the  control  of  fresh-water 
species  as  well  as  those  which  bred  on  the  salt  marsh.  This  was 
true  of  Hudson,  Bergen,  Essex,  Union,  and  Atlantic  counties. 
Passaic  had  no  salt  marsh  and  so  devoted  its  entire  attention  to  the 
fresh-water  species. 

One  portion  of  the  statement  mentioned  on  page  487  bears  on 
the  volume  of  fresh-water  work  accomplished.  "Approximately 
50  per  cent  of  the  reasonably  permanent  fresh-water  mosquito  breed- 
ing pools,  scattered  over  315,000  acres  of  upland,  have  been  per- 

*  Maximum  figures,  probably  26  per  cent  or  more  too  high. 

**Blockare  was  removed  from  the  entire  system;   the  above  Inolndes  complete 
oleanlnf  only. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  489 

manently  eliminated.  Approximately  315,000  acres  of  upland  have 
been  likewise  patrolled  (during  1916)  and  as  nearly  as  possible  all 
residual  breeding  destroyed." 

Throughout  the  development  of  the  county  work  the  anti-mos- 
quito knowledge  and  force  of  the  State  Agricultural  E3q)eriment 
Station  has  been  at  the  command  of  the  county  units  and  has  been 
very  freely  used  by  them. 

WORK  OF  1917 

Mosquito  Control  Work  of  the  State  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station — Salt-Marsh  Drainage 

Two  pieces  of  drainage  work  were  undertaken  and  carried  out 
during  1916-17.  One  was  located  in  Upper  Township  of  Cape  May 
County  on  both  sides  of  Beesley's  Point  and  another  in  Little  Egg 
Harbor  Township  of  Ocean  County  on  the  marsh  lying  about  Well's 
Island. 

Upper  Township,  Cape  May  County  Work.  The  area  laid 
out  for  drainage  extended  from  the  Meadow  Boulevard  West 
of  Peck's  Bay  northward  along  the  upland  to  Beesley's  Point 
and  southward  along  the  west  side  of  the  upland  from  Beesley's 
Point  to  Schooner  Creek.  More  than  half  that  portion  of  the  area 
lying  east  of  the  upland  was  already  covered  by  drainage  systems, 
but  it  was  included  with  the  thought  that  such  additions  as  might 
be  necessary  to  complete  could  be  made.  As  a  matter  of  fax:t,  the 
marsh  owners  were  so  opposed  to  such  action  that  it  did  not  seem 
practicable  to  make  any  addition  to  the  system  as  already  established, 
especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  drainage  was  reasonably  good 
as  it  stood. 

Bids  were  called  for  and  Mr.  Harold  I.  Eaton,  having  submitted 
the  lowest  bid,  was  awarded  the  contract  on  February  7,  1917,  for 
100,000  linear  feet  of  ditching,  10  inches  wide  and  30  inches  deep, 
or  its  equivalent,  for  the  sum  of  $2,400.  By  "equivalent"  is  meant 
ditches  of  greater  width  or  less  depth  reckoned  on  the  basis  of  the 
standard  iox30-inch  ditch. 

The  actual  work  of  drainage  began  at  the  point  where  the  last 
work  left  off,  continued  northward  to  Beesley's  Point  and  from 
thence  southwestward  as  far  toward  Schooner  Creek  as  the  funds 


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490         NEW  JERSEY -AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


e 


2 


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a> 

5 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  491 

could  permit.  Not  as  much  spur  ditching  was  cut  as  the  type  of 
salt  marsh  demanded,  but  quite  as  much  was  put  in  as  could  be  in- 
stalled and  allow  us  to  live  on  terms  of  amity  with  the  small 
owners.  (Fig.  2.) 

All  told  99,579  linear  feet  of  iox3o-inch,  or  its  equivalent,  of 
main  ditching  was  put  in  and  2,408  linear  feet  of  spur  ditches  were 
cut.    The  system  thus  established  covers  650  acres. 

Little  Egg  Harbor  Township,  Ocean  County  Work.  The  area 
laid  out  for  drainage  practically  surrounds  Well's  Island  and  in- 
cluded all  that  territory  between  the  Mullica  River  and  Great  Bay 
on  the  one  hand  and  Deep  and  Roundabout  Creeks  on  the  other. 

Bids  were  called  for  and  Mr.  Harold  I.  Eaton's  proposal,  be- 
ing the  lowest  of  all  submitted,  was  accepted  and  a  contract  for 
cutting  1 14,285  linear  feet  of  iox3o-inch  ditching,  or  its  equivalent, 
was  let  for  the  sum  of  $2,400  on  April  24,  1917. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  footage  contracted  for  failed  to  cover 
the  whole  of  the  areas  as  above  outlined.  It  covered  the  marsh 
surrounding  Well's  Island  only  and  included  about  640  acres. 

Although  parts  of  the  area  were  such  as  to  demand  a  large  amount 
of  spurring,  very  little  was  put  in  because  it  was  thought  that  the 
Ocean  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  could  do  that 
more  cheaply  with  its  own  labor.  The  Commission  agreed  thus  to 
supplement  the  ditching  system  established.  After  the  contracted 
amount  (114,285  feet)  had  been  cut  5,220  feet  additional  for  the 
purpose  of  securing  better  outlets  were  cut  at  a  labor  cost  of  $100. 
All  told  119,505  linear  feet  of  ditching  was  cut  by  the  State  Agri- 
cultural Experiment  Station  on  this  area. 

The  nature  and  the  arrangement  of  the  system  thus  established 
are  shown  in  figure  3. 

Table  3  serves  to  show  year  by  year  the  amount  of  salt-marsh 
drainage  that  has  been  established.  Up  to  1913  the  amount  stated 
is  based  upon  estimates  for  the  most  part.  Beginning  in  1913  the 
amount  of  drainage  stated  is  based  on  measurements.  It  has  been 
deemed  advisable  to  omit  the  acreage  because  so  much  of  the  drain- 
age is  placed  in  areas  already  covered  by  inadequate  drainage  sys- 
tems. The  cost  of  administration  up  to  1913  included  the  diflference 
between  the  contract  price  of  ditching  and  the  total  amoimt  ex- 
pended. With  the  formation  of  the  county  commission  unit,  local 
interest  in  mosquito  control  became  such  that  expenditures  for 
salaries,  traveling,  preparation  of  plans  and  matters  necessary  there- 


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492         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


a 

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Pi 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


493 


to  increased  to  a  point  where  the  difference  between  the  money 
spent  for  ditching  and  the  total  expenditure  could  not  be  justifiably 
charged  to  administration  of  salt-marsh  drainage.   In  1913,  I9i4»  I9IS» 

Table  3 

Statement  of  Salt-Marsh  Drainage  from  the  Beginning  to  and 
Including  the  Year  191 7 


COST  TO  THE  STATE 

Feet  of 

1 

ADMINISTRATION 

PBRIOD 

Acres 

ditching 

Necessary     ! 

Ditching 

studies  and  j 

For  actual 

For  other 

publications 

1 

ditch 
cutting 

purposes 
of  the  act 

Up  to  1907.  as  reported 

1 

16.861 

2,216.624 

111.000.00 

. 

In  1907.  as  reported... 

10.961 

1.605.524 

119.400.00 

$4,100.00 

In  1908.  as  reported... 

6.669 

888.660 

16.768.00 

4.242.00 

In  1909.  as  reported... 

2.672 

365.800 

9.917.00 

589.00 

4.648.00 

In  1910,  as  reported... 

4.650 

860.000 

4,471.00 

2.628.00 

In  1911.  as  reported... 

8.628 

712.000 

19.660.00 

6.850.00 

In  1912.  as  reported... 

6.196 

1.000.180 

21.660.00 

3.360.00 

In  1913.  as  measured.. 

7,174 

1.664.842 

21,580.00 

4,028.70 

I4.89S.S0 

In  1914.  as  measured.. 

1.298.840 

7.5SS.86 

6.213.66 

2.224.09 

In  1915,  as  measured.. 

2.686,071 

18,426.26 

4.085.40 

1.600.00 

In  1916.  as  measured.. 

2.643.718 

2.378.88 

1.800.00 

In  1917,  as  measured.. 

2,897.869 

4.900.00 

2,772.00 

2.296.81 

Table  4 

Statement  of  the   Salt-Marsh   Drainage  Work   Done  by   the 

State  Experiment  Station  and  the  County   Mosquito 

Extermination  Commissions 


Experiment  Station  Ditching 

County  Commission  Ditching 

Date 

Number  of 
feet  cut 

Number  of 
feet  cleaned 

Number  of 
feet  cut 

289.800 
879.366 
1.067.187 
1.971,248«« 
2.642.718 
2,176,492 

Number  of 
feet  cleaned 

1912 

1913 

1914 

1916 

1916 

1917 

1,0S6,180« 
689.842 
821.601 
71S.823 
None 
221.492 

Minimum  amount 
None 
None 
None 
None 

470.000 

1.300,000 

919,000 

1916  and  1917  an  attempt  was  made  to  charge  that  portion  which  it 
seemed  should  properly  belong  to  salt-marsh  drainage  under  that 
head.  In  1916  the  only  salt-marsh  drainage  work  consisted  of  the 
finishing  of  contracts  let  the  previous  year. 

•Maximum  figures,  probably  26  per  cent  too  high. 
**In  1916  the  practice  of  going  over  every  foot  of  the  entire  system  obtained. 


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494         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  large  number  of  feet  listed  for  the  present  and  the  past  sev- 
eral years  is  due  to  the  work  of  the  county  mosquito  commissions 
in  their  attempt  to  drain  the  salt  marshes  that  come  within  the  limits 
of  their  counties.    Table  4  serves  to  show  this  point. 

Aid  Extended  and  Surveys  Made 

During  the  year  the  entomologist  has  made  87  trips  to  various 
points  in  the  interests  of  mosquito-control  work,  occupying  approx- 
imately 108  days. 

Two  surveys  were  made — the  first  a  fresh-water  problem  at  AI- 
lamuchy  Lake  artd  the  second  a  salt-marsh  problem  at  Sea  Isle  City. 

Allamuchy  Lake  Report.  The  lake  itself  is  an  artificial  pond 
caused  by  damming  across  a  narrow  valley.  As  is  customary 
with  such  lakes  the  head  of  it  is  shallow  and  runs  out  into  a  ty|rical 
marsh.  The  sides  are  timbered  to  the  very  water's  edge  and  many 
trees  have  fallen  over  into  the  water.  Just  above  the  lake  (No.  i) 
is  another  dam  and  another  lake  (No.  2)  which  is  about  one- fourth 
the  size  of  Lake  No.  i.  The  marsh  above  is  about  the  same  size  as 
the  marsh  adjoining  the  first  lake.  Just  beyond  the  camp  buildings, 
that  is  ,southwest  of  the  camp,  is  another  inlet  with  its  corresponding 
marsh. 

The  following  procedure  was  advised : 

(1)  Lake  No.  1 

(a)  Clear  edges   of   all   vegetation   and   fallen  timber  and  stock 
with  fish. 

(b)  Cut   main   outlet   through   marsh  at   its   head,   either  dig  or 
dynamite. 

(c)  Clear  all  inlet  streams  of  any  obstruction  and  drain  swamp 
southwest  of  the  camp. 

(2)  Lake  No.  2. 

(a)  Lower  surface  of  lake  by  taking  out  3  feet  of  dam  so  as  to 
drain  marsh  near  upland. 

(b)  Keep  camp  clear  of  all  tinware  and  crockery  so  that  there  may 
be  no  standing  water  in  the  camp. 

The  woods  within  a  radius  of  one  mile  of  the  camp  should  be 
inspected  and  all  woodland  pools  be  located  and  either  filled  or 
drained. 

Mosquitoes  may  fly  from  the  large  marsh  areas  about  Waterloo, 
or  from  the  marsh  just  beyond  the  divide  above  the  camp,  but 
these  may  be  drained  in  the  same  manner  as  the  other  marshes  by  a 
deep  straight  central  outlet. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  495 

Sea  Isle  City  Report.  The  area  concerned  in  this  rei>ort 
is  that  part  of  Ludlam  Beach  which  extends  from  the  point  where 
the  West  Jersey  and  Seashort  Railroad  enters  to  Corson's  Inlet. 
Iti  this  section  the  natural  drainage  of  the  beach  is  greatly  inter- 
fered with  by  the  roadway  and  the  roadbeds  of  the  West  Jersey 
and  Seashore  and  Atlantic  City  Railroads. 

The  purpose' of  the  plan  and  specifications  which  follow  is  to  re- 
lieve this  congestion  and  re-establish  eflFective  drainage. 

The  proposed  drainage  system  is  planned  to  carry  all  the  surface 
water  oflF  the  marsh  inclosed  by  the  railroads.  The  railroad  ctd- 
verts  are  all  placed  30  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  marsh  through- 
out plan  I  and  24  inches  below  the  surface  in  plans  II  and  III, 
and  are  so  provided  with  ditches  that  the  water  may  run  out  with 
every  low  tide.    The  most  northerly  culvert  has  a  special  g^de. 

The  culverts  under  the  street  shall  be  placed  as  low  as  possible 
without  actually  digging  into  the  sand  itself.  The  ditches  must 
be  so  graded  as  to  carr>'  the  standing  water  out  readily. 

The  plan  of  this  system  has  been  drawn  to  an  approximate  scale 
of  I  inch  equal  to  200  feet.  The  streets,  etc.,  were  taken  directly 
from  the  tax  maps;  and  the  switches,  the  marsh  line  and  some  of 
the  creek  outlets  were  sketched  in  on  the  ground.  All  are  approxi- 
mately correct. 

The  plan  calls  for  a  ditch  between  the  Atlantic  City  Railroad 
and  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  Railroad  thrpughout  the  length 
of  the  marsh,  except  where  the  fills  are  over  50  feet  in  width 
and  in  such  places  this  ditch  is  omitted.  The  same  applies  to  be- 
tween the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  Railroad  and  the  trolley,  and 
between  the  trolley  and  Commonwealth  Avenue  on  maps  II  and  III. 

The  ditching  east  of  Commonwealth  Avenue  is  merely  indicated, 
the  exact  location  is  to  be  staked  as  the  work  starts. 

Drain  No.  1  is  located  just  across  Landis  Avenue  from  House 
Street  It  is  a  20  by  30-inch  ditch.  It  goes  under  the  West  Jersey 
and  Sea  Shore  Railroad  tracks  6.2  feet  below  base  of  rail  and  under 
the  Atlantic  City  Railroad  2.8  feet  below  base  of  rail  and  outlets  into 
Beach  Creek.  • 

Drain  No.  2  consists  of  a  20  by  30-inch  ditch  under  Landis  Ave- 
nue, 75  feet  north  ,  of  Matilda  Street.  It  runs  as  far  but  does  not 
cross  the  West  Shore  and  Seashore  tracks. 

Drain  No.  3  consists  of  a  20  by  30-inch  ditch,  starting  100  feet  east 
of  Landis  Avenue  just  north  of  Farrand  Street.  From  there  it  runs 
in  a  westerly  direction  crossing  Landis  Avenue  and  crosses  the 
West  Jersey  and  Sea  Shore  Railroad  6.2  feet  below  base  of  rail 
and  the  Atlantic  City  Railroad  2.8  feet  below  base  of  rail.  It  then 
continues  across  the  marsh  and  outlets  into  Swimming  Creek. 


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496         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Drain  No.  4  is  a  20  by  30-iiich  ditch  crossing  Landis  Avenue  just 
north  of  Elm  Street.  It  outlets  into  the  middle  ditch  and  runs  as  far 
as  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  Railroad  tracks. 

Drain  No.  5  is  situated  600  feet  north  of  Drain  No.  4.  It  starts  75 
feet  east  of  Landis  Avenue  and  crosses  Landis  Avenue  running  in 
a  wesfterly  direction  across  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  Railroad  at 
a  grade  of  6.2  feet  below  base  of  rail  and  across  the  Atlantic  City 
Railroad  2.8  feet  below  base  of  rail,  thence  across  the  marsh  into 
Swimming  Creek. 

Drain  No.  6  runs  parallel  to  Drain  No.  5  and  is  situated  500  feet 
north  of  it. 

Drain  No.  7  starts  200  feet  east  of  Landis  Avenue  just  north  of 
Prospect  Street.  It  crosses  Landis  Avenue  by  culvert  and  under  the 
freight  switch  of  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  Railroad.  Thence, 
it  crosses  the  main  track  of  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  Railroad 
6.2  tenths  feet  below  base  of  rail  and  the  Atlantic  City  Railroad  2JS 
feet  below  and  thence  across  the  marsh  into  Swimming  Creek.  A 
branch  from  Drain  No.  7  cix)sses  Prospect  Street  by  culvert  and 
drains  the  block  east. 

Drain  No.  8  is  located  just  south  of  proposed  Philadelphia  Street. 
It  crosses  Landis  Avenue  by  culvert  and  thence  crosses  the  Wert 
Jersey  and  Seashore  tracks  5.2  feet  below  base  of  rail  and  across  the 
Atlantic  City  Railroad  2.8  feet  below  base  of  rail  and  thence  across 
the  marsh  and  into  Ludlam  Bay. 

Drain  No.  9  is  1300  feet  north  of  Drain  No.  8.  It  crosses  Landis 
Avenue,  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  Railroad  at  a  grade  of  5.2 
feet  below  base  of  rail,  the  Atlantic  City  Railroad  at  a  point 
2.2  feet  below  base  of  rail  thence  across  into  Ludlam  Bay.  As  this 
part  of  the  cut  is  through  sand,  it  must  be  made  with  sloping  sides 
and  should  be  8  feet  wide  and  2  feet  deep. 

Drain  No.  10  is  1400  feet  north  of  Drain  No.  9  and  otherwise  simi- 
lar to  it 

Drain  No.  11  is  1500  feet  north  of  Drain  No.  10  and  otherwise  simi- 
lar to  it. 

Drain  No.  12  is  1650  feet  north  of  Drain  No.  11.  It  crosses  Landis 
Avenue  and  thence  across  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  tracks  at  a  point 
5.2  feet  below  base  of  rail  and  across  the  Atlantic  City  Railroad  2.8 
feet  below  base  of  rail,  directly  across  the  marsh  into  Ludlam  Bay. 

Drain  No.  13  is  just  north  of  the  Whale  Beach  switch.  This  crosses 
the  trolley  tracks  and  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  tracks  through  old 
culvert  No.  7,  which  is  low  enough  to  drain  low  spots  between  Com- 
monwealth Avenue  and  the  Wert  Jersey  and  Seashore  Railroad.  The 
Atlantic  City  Railroad  crossing  must  be  2.8  feet  below  base  of  rail, 
however,  and  then  directly  across  into  Ludlam  Bay. 

Drain  No.  14  is  located  1400  feet  north  of  Drain  No.  13.  It  crosses 
Commonwealth  Avenue,  the  trolley,  the  West  Jersey  and  Seashore  at 
a  grade  of  5.2  feet  below  base  of  rail  and  the  Atlantic  City  Railroad 
at  a  grade  of  2.8  feet  below  base  of  rail,  thence  directly  across  ix^ 
Ludlam   Bay. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  497 

Drain  No.  15  is  1600  feet  north  of  Drain  No.  14  and  drains  into 
the  iK>nd»  outlets  and  grade  remaining  the  same. 

Drain  No.  16  is  900  feet  north  of  Drain  No.  15  and  runs  at  the 
same  grade  across  the  railroad  emptying  into  the  pond. 

Drain  No.  17  is  just  south  of  Prescptt  Avenue.  It  crosses  Com- 
monwealth Avenue,  the  trolley  tracks,  the  Wert  Jersey  and  Seashore 
Eailroad  at  a  grade  of  5.2  feet  below  "base  of  rail  and  the  Atlantic 
City  Railroad  at  2.8  feet  below  base  of  rail,  thence  across  the  marsh 
into  Strathmere  Bay. 

Drain  No.  18  is  at  the  northern  end  of  Strathmere.  It  has  two  culverts 
across  Commonwealth  Avenue,  one  across  Willard  Road  and  then  it 
runs  as  a  railroad  ditch  to  a  point  75  feet  north  of  Webster  Road 
where  it  crosses  the  railroad  at  a  grade  of  5.8  feet  below  base  of  rail. 
Then  it  crosses  sand  hills  where  the  sides  must  be  kept  in  place  by 
planks  1  inch  thick  on  each  side.  It  is  dug  thus  for  200  feet,  crosses 
Bay  View  Drive  and  opens  directly  into  the  Bay.  Grade  stakes  are 
^ven  for  all  road  culverts  in  this  drain. 

Cross  drains  as  given  are  connected  by  cross  ditches  in  many 
places.    These  are  shown  on  the  maps. 

There  are  at  present  lo  culverts  under  the  West  Jersey  and  Sea- 
shore Railroad  tracks  as  they  cross  the  tidal  marsh  from  Hartson 
Street,  Sea  Isle  to  the  Corson  Inlet  Station,  Strathmere.  These 
do  not  include  the  street  culverts  in  Sea  Isle  proper. 

Cu]|rert  No.  1  is  located  at  the  most  southerly  part  of  the  marsh. 
It  is  just  north  of  the  fill  on  which  Hailson  Street  is  to  be  built.  It 
consists  of  a  round  iron  culvert  about  10  inches  in  diameter,  the  bot- 
tom of  which  is  probably  4  feet  below  the  top  of  the  rail.  There  is 
a  comparatively  good  ditch  leading  to  it  but  the  ditch  leading  from 
it  is  badly  choked  with  cinders,  sand  and  weeds.  The  situation  is 
very  bad  if  a  drainage  into  the  Atlantic  City  Railroad  culvert  is  to 
be  considered. 

Culvert  No.  2  is  located  about  800  feet  north  of  Culvert  No.  1.  It 
is  set  with  the  bottom  approximately  5  feet  below  the  top  of  the  rail 
at  this  point.  At  present  there  is  1  foot  of  water  standing  in  it  as 
a  result  of  no  outlet.  It  opens  at  a  point  where  it  would  have  to 
cross  two  switches  in  order  to  go  straight  to  any  good  outlet.  It 
is  an  iron  culvert  2  feet  in  diameter. 

Culvert  No.  3  is  an  old  box  culvert  set  about  250  feet  south  of 
Prospect  Street  Station.     This  needs  lowering  to  grade. 

Ciriveyt  No.  4  is  an  old  wooden  culvert  set  just  opposite  Philadelphia 
Avenue.  This  is  a  box  18  by  12  inches  and  set  4  feet  below  the  top 
of  the  rail. 

Culvert  No.  5  is  just  about  100  feet  north  of  Culvert  No.  4.  It  is 
a  wooden  box  and  is  unnecessary  if  Culvert  No.  4  is  lowered. 

Culvert  No.  6,  is  located  just  south  of  the  switch  at  Whale  Beach. 
This  is  a  very  small  6  by  10-inch  box  culvert  set  4  feet  below  the 
top  of  the  rail.     This  needs  lowering  and  an  increase  in  size. 

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498         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Culvert  No.  7  is  loca'ted  just  north  of  Whale  Beach  switch.  This 
is  cast  iron  protected  on  the  west  side  with  terra  cotta.  It  acts  as 
a  street  culvert  for  the  road  crossing  at  this  place  and  if  proi)er  out- 
let and  inlet  were  furnished  it  would  be  in  very  good  shape. 

Culvert  No.  8  is  located  opposite  Emerson  Road.  This  is  a  wooden 
box  culvert  set  4  feet  below  the  top  of  the  rail.  It  is  open  for  its 
entire  length  but  needs  lowering. 

Culvert  No.  9  is  situated  in  line  with  Franklin  Road.  It  consists 
of  a  box  culvert  which  is  set  4  feet  below  the  top  of  the  raiL  It  is 
not  able  to  drain  the  ponds  properly  until  it  is  set  lower  and  pro- 
vided with  a  proper  outlet. 

Culvert  No.  10  is  situated  just  opposite  the  center  line  of  Otis  Ave- 
nue. It  is  an  iron  pipe  set  4  feet  below  the*  top  of  the  rail.  No  good 
outlet  has  been  provided  so  that  it  has  rapidly  become  filled.  It  is 
low  enough  at  this  point,  but  a  much  better  place  to  drain  would  be 
just  sourth  of  Prescott  Street  (one  block  north  of  Otis).  Here  the  old 
grade  of  5  feet  below  the  top  of  the  rail  would  be  sufficient. 

The  culverts  under  the  triangular  switch  of  the  Atlantic  Qty 
Railroad  near  Matilda  Street  are  all  good,  but  those  under  the 
main  line  are  all  worn  and  broken,  the  only  active  one  being  at 
a  point  200.feet  north  of  Culvert  No.  i  on  the  West  Jersey  and 
.Seashore  Railroad.  The  other  culverts  are  all  broken,  and  all  need 
resetting. 

The  culverts  in  the  triangle  switch  near  Sea  Isle  are  new  and  are 
draining  the  inclosed  marsh  well. 

Taken  as  a  whole,  the  grade  of  the  bottom  of  the  Atlantic  City 
Railroad  culverts  should  be  2.18  feet  below  the  base  of  the  rail  and 
they  should  be  arranged  so  that  they  will  be  opposite  those  proposed 
for  the  West  Jersey*  and  Seashore  tracks. 

Financial  Statement  of  State  Experiment  Station's 
Mosquito  Work 

Total    appropriation    $10,000.00 

Salt-mav6h     ditching      (contracts     and     incidental 

labor)     $4,900.00 

Advertising   for   proposals    32.37 

Equipment 307.69 

Telephone   and   telegraph    30.26 

Postage    65.00 

Salaries   of  regular  and   temporary  employees 3,135.00 

Traveling   expenses    1,800.30 

Clerical  and  laboratory  assistance  65.00 

Labor  and  technical  assistance 82.20 

Reverting  to  State  Treasury   82.19 

$10,000.00 

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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  499 

County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  Work 
Hudson,  Bergen,  Essex  and  Union  have  continued  their  eflforts 
to  find  and  destroy  all  mosquito  breeding  which  occurs  within  their 
limits.  Passaic  did  the  same  work  for  the  territory  covered  by  the 
cities  of  Paterson  and  Passaic  and  adjacent  boroughs.  Middlesex, 
Monmouth,  Ocean  and  Cape  May  have  devoted  their  whole  attention 
to  the  suppression  of  saltrmarsh  breeding.  Atlantic  has  given  pri- 
mary attention  to  the  suppression  of  breeding  on  her  salt-marshes  but 
has  also  made  an  eflfort  to  suppress  the  local  fresh-water  species  in 
Atlantic  City  and  other  towns  and  cities  of  the  county. 

Hudson  County 

The  plan  of  discovering  by  regular  examinations  of  all  parts  of 
th^  county  all  mosquito  breeding  and  of  destroying  it  in  so  far  as 
possible  has  been  continued  during  the  present  year.  The  effort  to 
eliminate  the  reasonably  permanent  breeding  places  in  a  permanent 
manner  by  proper  drainage  and  filling  has  been  continued  to  the 
extent  of  the  commission's  funds. 

During  March  and  April  the  entire  drainage  system  was  thor- 
oughly gone  over  and  cleared  wherever  thought  to  be  necessary. 
About  700,000  feet  of  marsh  trenching  were  thus  put  in  shape  for 
tlie  summer. 

During  the  season  109,943  linear  feet  (reckoning  on  the  basis  of 
ditches  10  inches  wide  and  30  inches  deep)  of  ditching  was  done. 
Most  of  this  was  cut  in  areas  filled  with  old  cedar  stumps  and  was 
both  difficult  and  expensive  to  install.  The  detail  of  this  work  is 
indicated  in  the  following  statement : 

Apr.  12.  J.  C.  Meadows  west  of  West  Side  Park,  15,000  ft.  at  2% 

cents  per  ft. 
May  10.   Dennis  property,  Belleville  Turnpike,  stump-lot  ditching,  2,120 

ft  at  7  cents  per  ft. 

Peat  House,  Snake  Hill,  for  County  Board  of  Health,  826  ft. 

at  2%  cents  per  ft. 

J.  C.  Meadows,  2,507  ft.  at  2%  cents  per  ft. 

County  Road  near  P.  R.  R.,  2,235  ft.  at  2%  cents  per  ft. 

County  Road  near  P.  R.  R.,  1,835  ft.  at  7  cents  per  ft. 

Harrison  Turnpike  &  D.,  L.  &  W.  R.  R.,  3,266  ft.  at  2^^  cents 

per  ft 

Saw  Mill  Creek,  stump-lots,  5,200  ft.  at  7  cents  per  ft 
May  25.  Kearny  Meadows,   north   of  Belleville   Turnpike,   stump-lots, 

17,100  ft.  at  7  cents  per  ft. 

Same  ditch,  clear,  483  ft.  at  2%  cents  per  ft 


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500         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Clear  Meadow  ditches,  parallel  with  Harrison  Turnpike,  4,460 

ft.  at  2^  cents  per  ft. 
June  14.  New  Ditch,  Saw  Mill  Creek  section,  10,570  ft.  at  7  cents  per 

ft. 

Repairing  old  ditch  from  P.  R.  R.  west  to  pump,  6^50  ft.  at 

5  cents  per  ft. 

Repairing  stump-lot  ditch,  P.  R.  R.  east  to  Dead  Horse  Credt 

section,  2,400  ft.  at  7  cents  per  ft. 
July  12.   Stump-lots,  Saw  Mill  Creek,  15,372  ft.  at  7  cents  per  ft. 

Dead  Horse  Creek  section,  4,400  ft.  at  7  cents  per  ft. 
Aug.   9.   From  Saw  Mill  Creek  towards  Erie  R.  R,  1,480  ft.  at  7  cents 

per  ft. 

Belleville  Pike  near  Arlington,  8,789  ft.  at  7  cents  per  ft. 

Near  P.  R.  R.,  Secaucus,  8,800  ft.  at  7  cents  per  ft. 
Oct   25.   Kearny  stump-lots  near  D.,  L.  &  W.  R.  R.,  6,000  ft  at  7  cents 

per  ft. 
Nov.   1.   Kearny  stump-lots  north  of  Belleville  Turnpike,  4,500  ft  at 

7  cents  per  ft. 

Cleaning  and  recutting  400  ft.  of  same  territory  at  10  cents 

per  ft 
The  Commission  reports  as  follows  on  the  prevalence  of  mos- 
quitoes : 

"Briefly  stated,  the  conditions  were  by  no  means  discouraging, 
considering  the  weather  and  other  conditions  which  we  had  to  con- 
tend with.  Mosquitoes  were  not  at  all  troublesome  in  any  part  of 
the  county  until  well  along  in  July.  In  Arlington,  where  they  were 
found  in  greater  numbers  than  in  any  other  part  of  the  county,  they 
did  not  appear  until  about  July  I2,  and  were  not  troublesome  after 
August  15;  in  fact,  by  that  date  had  almost  entirely  disappeared. 
In  Harrison  and  East  Newark,  the  adjourning  communities,  they 
were  not  troublesome  at  any  time  during  the  season. 

"At  Snake  Hill  they  were  not  noticed  until  about  July  20,  and 
were  troublesome  there  only  about  four  weeks.  Bayonne  was  not 
afflicted  seriously  until  about  August  i,  and  then  the  trouble  ex- 
isted only  along  the  shore  front,,  principally  on  the  east  and  south 
sections  of  the  city  and  along  Newark  Bay.  Lafayette,  Hoboken, 
West  Hoboken  and  Union  Hill  experienced  far  less  trouble  than 
in  previous  years.  In  North  Hudson,  adjourning  the  Bergen  County 
line,  pipiens  were  found  troublesome  as  early  as  July  i.  In  Jersey 
City,  particularly  along  the  western  section  from  Newark  Avenue 
to  the  Bayonne  line  and  west  of  Summit  Avenue  and  the  Boulevard, 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  501 

salt-marsh  mosquitoes  were  considerably  trouhjesome  subsequent  to 
July  20,  for  about  three  weeks.  Jersey  City,  east  of  Summit  Ave- 
nue from  Lafayette  to  Hoboken,  was  practically  free  of  mosquitoes 
during  the  entire  season. 

"Considering  the  conditions  found  in  reference  to  the  mosquito 
pest  throughout  the  state,  we  think  we  have  reason  to  feel  pleased 
with  the  scarcity  of  the  mosquito  pest  in  this  county  and  the  short 
duration  of  their  period  of  annoyance.  We  find  but  a  few  who 
complain  of  being  annoyed  indoors,  and  the  use  of  bed  canopies  for 
protector  purposes  is  a  thing  of  the  past. 

"Among  the  communicable  diseases  reported  throughout  the 
county,  we  find  only  two  cases  of  malaria  reported  to  the  Kearny 
Board  of  Health,  both  of  which  appeared  after  the  patients  had 
returned  from  a  vacation  in  the  country." 

Bergen  County 

The  mosquito  commission  started  this  year  with  the  definite  plan 
of  devoting  a  large  proportion  of  the  labor  budget  to  upland  drain- 
age and  retaining  for  the  salt-marsh  work  merely  enough  properly 
to  maintain  the  work  already  done.  The  commission's  idea  in  mak- 
ing this  plan  was  to  test  the  efficiency  of  the  drainage  system 
already  established  on  the  salt  marsh.  On  the  whole,  salt  marsh 
as  judged  by  the  breeding  found  seemed  to  be  pretty  well  drained. 
It  appeared  that  the  North  Arlington  meadow  would  be  more  easily 
controlled  if  some  cross  ditching  were  placed  to  secure  a  better 
circulation  by  breaking  the  long  diagonal  ditches,  some  of  which 
are  nearly  one  mile  in  length.  It  appeared  that  the  Lyndhurst 
meadow  drainage  would  be  greatly  improved  by  the  constructing  of  a 
modem  automatic  tide-gate  in  Stump  Creek.  It  seemed  that  the  wi- 
dening of  certain  sewage-charged  ditches  in  the  East  Rutherford 
meadow  would  be  advisable.  Walden's  and  Leive's  woodlands, 
the  first  lying  south  and  the  second  north  of  the  Paterson  Plank 
Road,  must  be  drained.  The  Overpeck  Creek  meadow  should  be 
drained. 

Plans  for  the  efficient  carrying  out  of  the  work  just  mentioned 
are  being  worked  out. 

The  commission  feels  that  its  work  on  the  upland  has  involved 
the  completion  of  a  number  of  pieces  of  drainage  work  that  are  of  a 
real  importance  to  the  communities  where  the  work  occurred.  The 
policy  followed  in  carrying  out  this  work  has  been  to  secure  the 


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S02         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


financial  cooperation  of  the  community  in  which  the  work  was  to  be 
done.  In  this  way  many  miles  of  drainage  have  been  installed  and 
many  of  the  worst  breeding  spots  in  the  county  have  been  eliminated. 

In  this  way  extensive  pieces  of  drainage  were  done  at  West 
Moonachie,  Hasbrouck  Heights,  Ramsey,  Fort  Lee,  Oradell,  Ruther- 
ford, Palisade  Township,  Haworth,  Englewood,  East  Paterson, 
Riverside,  Teaneck,  Westwood,  Emerson  and  Camp  Merritt. 

Most  of  the  ditching  is  of  the  open  or  uncovered  type  and  the 
eflfect  of  the  frost  is  bound  to  be  felt  in  the  sliding  in  of  the  banks 
and  the  formation  of  obstruction  which  must  be  removed  from 
time  to  time. 

Tabic  5 
Record  of  Mosquito  Collections  in  Bergen  County 


Total  number  of  mosquitoes 

caught 

1 

c 

%      c 

0. 

i 

1 
1 

B    1 

i;5 

Date 

1 

1 

g 
g 

i 

i 

cc 

S 

u 

s 

1 

o 

a 
s 

1 

o 

9 

s 

9 
O 

X 

1 

o 

1 

Eh 

11 
If 

It 

5^w 

111 

5?i 

minutes 

6/8,    1917 

7 

4 

4 

8 

13 

1.6 

20 

12.6 

e/19,    1917... 

29 

19 

29 

14 

8 

70 

2.4 

20 

8.6 

e/26,    1917... 

86 

8 

23 

8 

44 

1.2 

20 

16.6 

7/8,    1917.... 

42 

21 

96 

88 

166 

3.7 

20 

6.4 

7/10,    1917... 

26 

6 

16 

26 

68 

2.8 

20 

S.6 

7/17,    1917... 

19 

4 

29 

, , 

40 

, , 

78 

8.6 

20 

6.2 

7/24.    1917... 

42 

71 

121 

28 

226 

6.3 

20 

S.7 

8/1.    1917.... 

40 

24 

188 

27 

188 

4.7 

20 

4.2 

8/8,    1917.... 

48 

17 

60 

86 

118 

2.6 

20 

7,6 

8/14.    1917... 

40 

47 

83 

49 

189 

8.4 

20 

8.8 

8/21,    1917... 

29 

40 

10 

41 

98 

8.8 

20 

e.6 

8/28,    1917... 

42 

18 

S7 

^ , 

17 

74 

1.7 

20 

11.0 

9/14.    1917... 

86 

2 

4 

12 

, . 

18 

.6 

4«.4 

9/11,    1917... 

9 

0 

0 

0 

0 

For  the  purpose  of  giving  some  notion  of  the  prevalence  of  mos- 
quitoes, table  5,  based  upon  the  regular  weekly  night  collections,  is 
introduced.  In  interpreting  it  one  must  remember  that  these  col- 
lections are  made  in  weed  patches  and  in  shrubbery  where  the  mos- 
quitoes are  much  more  abundant  than  in  the  open  streets,  roadways, 
and  yards. 


Note:     Salt-marsh  species  include  A.  cantator,  A.  solUcltans.  and   A.  taenlorliTiiehiiB. 

Fresh-water  swamp  species  include  M.  pertnrbans  and  A.  sylvestris,  mostly  the  latter. 

Woodland  pool  species  include  A.  suboantans  and  A. 

House  mosquito  O.  plpiens. 

other  species  A.  panottplnnls'  and  A.  qaadrlmaculatiis. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  503 

The  dominance  of  the  fresh-water  swamp  mosquito  is  strikingly 
shown  in  the  colimin  entitled  "Total  number  of  mosquitoes  caught." 
There  were  evidently  three  main  issues  horn  the  salt  marshes — the 
first  reaching  its  highest  point  abount  June  19,  the  second  about 
July  3  and  the  third,  the  largest  of  all,  about  July  24.  The  fresh- 
water swamp  brooks  follow  the  same  plan,  but  became  relatively 
more  abundant  in  the  late  midsimimer  issue. 

Passaic  Coimty 

In  Passaic  County  the  work  of  mosquito  control  was  limited  to 
the  cities  of  Paterson  and  Passaic,  Aquacknock  Township,  and  the 
boroughs  of  Hawthorne,  Prospect  Park,  Totowa,  and  West  Park. 
This  territory  amounts  to  75  square  miles  and  has  a  population  of 
241,000,  or  91  per  cent  of  the  entire  population  of  the  county.  The 
funds  were  too  small  to  make  it  practicable  to  include  the  whole 
county. 

In  the  absence  of  salt  marshes  the  entire  attention  was  given  to 
the  suppression  of  fresh-water  species. 

At  regular  intervals  throughout  the  mosquito-breeding  season, 
all  parts  of  the  territory  were  examined  and  all  breeding  discovered 
eliminated  in  so  far  as  possible.  Owing  to  lack  of  funds  most  of  the 
elimination  work  was  of  a  temporary  character. 

Breeding  in  223  swamps  and  reasonably  permanent  pools,  1,220 
barrels  and  tubs,  1,690  cisterns  and  wells,  648  sewer  catch  basins 
and  116  cesspools  and  drains  was  revealed  by  the  inspection  work. 

The  Passaic  River  from  Dundee  Dam  to  Wagaraw  Bridge,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  five  miles,  became  at  times,  along  the  banks  and  the 
shores  of  the  sludge  islands,  an  intense  breeder  of  mosquitoes.  Pa- 
trol by  means  of  a  boat  and  elimination  by  covering  the  breeding 
surface  with  oil  was  necessary  throughout  the  summer.  Along  that 
part  of  the  river  from  the  Dundee  Dam  south  to  the  Ackerman 
Avenue  Bridge,  a  number  of  isolated  pools  proved  to  be  virulent 
breeders  and  had  to  be  regularly  treated  with  oil. 

An  effort  to  invoke  the  authority  of  the  mosquito  section  of 
general  health  laws  was  made  with  little  success.  Only  two  boards 
of  health  responded  in  a  way  to  get  any  real  results. 

For  the  purpose  of  giving  an  idea  of  the  prevalence  of  mosquitoes 
throughout  the  cities  of  Paterson  and  Passaic  during  the  present 
season,  table  6,  based  upon  regular  collections,  is  presented.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  the  collections  here  recorded  were  made 


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504         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

in  weed  patches  or  shrubbery  where  the  mosquitoes  are  much  more 
abundant  than  in  the  open  street  or  dooryard. 

Taolc  6 

Record  of  Mosquito  Collections  in  Passaic  Cotmty 


Total  number  of  mosquitoes 

caugrht 

« 

a 

« 

H     a 

Date 

■ 
a 
o 

5 

a 

o 
It 

1 

S 

U 

"3 

1 

a 

•d 

c 

o 
"3 

S 
H 

e  number  of 
to  per  statloi 

0  9 

—  ^  o 
o«2 

9 

2 

SE 

c3 

«•-= 

9  d 

ts  o-s 

.O 

B 

J: 

SB 

3 

s 

5 

9  B 

■«♦* 

^g 

feP 

z 

i 

£ 

h 

1 

O 

5 

0 

I 

>2 
<B 

9  ® 

Is 

^!l 

6/21,    1917... 

1 

48 

22 

1 
106     1          2 

1 

180 

2.7 

6/27,    1917... 

48 

88 

114 

.. 

6 

168 

SS.0 

7/5.    1917.... 

48 

20     1        23 

.. 

0.8 

7/11.    1917... 

51 

1     1          9 

i 

7/19.    1917... 

57 

5      1        22 

2 

7 

7/26,    1917... 

61 

17      1      147 

17 

17 

181 

8/2.    1917 

51 

9      '        71 

4 

8 

1.8 

8/9,    1917.... 

51 

5      1        68 

3 

16 

1.8 

8/16.    1917... 

48 

10      ;        14 

14 

8/28,    1917... 

54 

3      ,        U 

'.'. 

27 

L 

»te:     Salt-marsh  species   include  A.  cantator,  A.  soUleltens,  and  A.  taenii^iyiiekiiB. 

Fresh-water  swamp  species  include  M.  pcrturbans  and  A.  sylTestiiSy  mostly  tbe  lattw. 

Woodland  pool  species  includ^  A.  subcantans  and  A.  eanadensi^- 

House  mosquito  C.  plplens. 

Other  species  A.  ponctipfnnis  and  A.  qaadrimacnlatiu. 

It  is  obvious  that  early  in  June  there  was  an  outbreak  of  the 
fresh- water  swamp  mosquito,  and  that  a  similar  emergence  occurred 
during  the  latter  part  of  July. 

Judging  by  the  expression  of  public  opinion  as  reflected  in  the 
newspapers  the  mosquito  pest  was  this  year  greatly  reduced. 

Essex  County 

The  mosquito  control  work  in  Essex  this  year  as  in  previous 
seasons  has  been  county-wide.  Throughout  the  mosquito-breeding 
season  at  regular  intervals  all  parts  of  the  county  were  carefully 
examined  for  mosquito  breeding.  Whenever  any  was  found  it  was 
as  completely  destroyed  as  the  conditions  would  permit. 

Without  doubt  the  inspection  and  elimination  work  of  this  county 
were  more  intensive  than  those  of  any  other  county.    More  men  were 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


! 


op 


op 


s 


"il 


ss 


SB 


S?3 


CtJf^Oi      CD 


ss 


ss 


S5 


38 


S£ 


?^ 


SS 


?^ 


^S 


S 


9S 


§S 


^«SS 


;^^ 


ion 


s 


s 


HH 


o 


» 


-2 

o 


I 


S 


SOS 


Digiti 


ized  by  Google 


5o6         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

employed,  more  oil  was  spread  and  more  money  was  spent.  The 
tremendous  amount  of  inspection  done  and  the  large  number  of 
breeding  places  found  are  shown  in  figure  4. 

On  the  salt  marsh  only  such  work  as  was  necessary  to  prevent 
industrial  development  from  destroying  drainage  was  undertaken. 
Owing  to  the  absence  of  killifish  in  the  ditches  behind  the  dikes, 
there  was  much  mosquito  breeding  in  them.  This  had  to  be  killed 
by  oiling,  but  as  is  usually  the  case  not  all  the  breeding  could  be 
caught  by  this  means.  The  establishment  of  a  circulatory  system 
by  means  of  which  the  drainage  systems  are  more  or  less  flushed 
and  supplied  with  a  abundance  of  fish  is  necessary  to  eliminate 
this  breeding  in  the  ditches  which  always  follows  shutting  oflF  an 
area  from  penetration  by  fish. 

Table  7 

Record  of  Mosquito  Collections  in  Essex  County 


Total  number  of  mosquitoes 

1 

• 

cauvbt 

a 
0 

i! 

4 
Date 

1 
i 

1 

s 
I 

1-1 

u 

1 

It 

1 

1 

z 

1 

1 

1 

1 

0 

5 

1! 

'4 

zi 

III 

1 

minntss 

6/10.  1917... 

26 

14 

92 

12 

2 

126 

2.8 

20 

6.t 

6/27,  1»17... 

42 

27 

160 

12 

2 

192 

4.4 

20 

4.6 

7/6,  1917.... 

66 

28 

84 

9 

6 

, . 

127 

2.4 

20 

8.2 

7/11,  1»17... 

64 

10 

22 

11 

16 

69 

0.9 

20 

22.0 

7/18,  1917... 

60 

61 

49 

8 

18 

126 

2.1 

20 

9.4 

7/25,  1917... 

67 

72 

163 

11 

70 

316 

4.7 

20 

4.1 

8/1.  1917.... 

78 

76 

204 

6 

84 

418 

6.3 

20 

2.f 

8/8.  1917 

74 

47 

82 

2 

49 

i 

182 

2.4 

20 

8.2 

8/16,  1917... 

69 

28 

68 

74 

2 

167 

2.8 

20 

7.1 

8/22.  1917... 

78 

12 

38 

2 

45 

93 

1.1 

20 

18.0 

8/29,  1917... 

76 

6 

16 

2 

82 

55 

0.7 

.  20 

28.0 

9/6.  1917 

76 

1 

.. 

8      1 

10 

0.1 

20 

200.0 

Note:     Salt-marsh  species  Include  A.  oantator,  A.  sollicltans.  and  A.  taenlorliymehva. 

Fresh-water  swamp  species  Include  M.  perturbans  and  A.  sylveatris,  mostly  the  latter. 

Woodland  pool  species  include  A.  svbcantans  and  A.  canadensis. 

House  mosquito  C.  piplens. 

Other  species  A.  ponotipliiiiis  and  A.  qvadrimacalatni. 

For  the  purpose  of  giving  a  notion  of  the  prevalence  of  mos- 
quitoes during  the  past  season,  table  7,  based  upon  regular  collec- 
tions, is  submitted.  It  should  be  remembered  in  interpreting  this 
table  that  the  collections  were  made  in  weed  patches  and  shrubbery 
where  the  mosquitoes  were  much  more  abundant  than  in  streets 
and  open  dooryards. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  507 

A  consideration  of  the  table  shows  that  about  June  27  there  was 
a  noticeable  outbreak,  principally  of  the  fresh-water  swamp  mos- 
quito, and  that  a  similar  thing  occurred  the  latter  part  of  July  and 
the  first  part  of  August. 

Union  County 

In  Union  County  the  mosquito  control  work  was  of  county-wide 
character  and  consisted  of  the  regular  examinations  of  the  entire 
territory  of  the  county  for  breeding  followed  by  Its  destruction 
in  so  far  as  the  conditions  would  permit  whenever  found,  and  in 
the  accomplishment  of  as  much  permanent  elimination  work  through 
drainage  as  the  funds  rendered  possible. 

Approximately  250,000  linear  feet  of  ditching  obstructed  with 
mud  or  sod  was  cleaned  early  in  the  season. 

The  enclosure  of  that  portion  of  the  North  Elizabeth  meadow, 
which  lies  just  east  of  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  by  tide- 
gating  the  creek  and  principal  ditches  and  closing  up  the  rest  was 
completed,  and  1,300  acres  were  thereby  protected  from  flooding 
by  high  tide. 

The  need  for  a  more  efficient  method  of  cleaning  out  the  large 
outlet  ditches  and  creeks  led  to  the  purchase  of  a  small  dredge 
carrying  a  9-cubic  foot  orange-peel  bucket.  It  was  used  to  clean 
out  Great  Ditch  on  which  the  drainage  of  all  the  south  end  of  the 
western  section  of  the  North  Elizabeth  meadow  depends.  This 
machine  which  cut  a  channel  5  feet  deep  and  13  feet  wide  removed 
12,080  cubic  yards  of  mud  at  a  cost  of  13  cents  a  cubic  yard,  and 
cleaned  the  ditch  for  a  distance  of  6,035  linear  feet. 

An  area  of  about  40  acres  on  the  Linden  meadow  lying  just 
ba^k  of  the  Grasselli  Chemical  Plant  became  a  virulent  breeder. 
The  Company  not  only  furnished  a  large  gang  of  men  for  tem- 
porary work  but  contributed  the  sum  of  $500  toward  the  installa- 
tion of  a  tide-gate  in  Pylis  Creek,  which  when  taken  with  a  tide- 
gated  sluice-way  to  be  introduced  by  the  Central  Railroad  Com- 
pany through  the  Sound  Shore  Railway  just  south  of  the  chemical 
plant,  will  shut  the  high  tides  off  of  about  235  acres,  including 
this  40-acre  spot. 

To  the  systems  already  present,  57,941  linear  feet  of  iox3b-inch 
trenching  was  added,  making  a  grand  total  on  the  4,000  acres  of 
974,260  feet  of  ditch,  ij4  miles  of  dike  and  18  sluices  and  tide 
gates. 


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5o8         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  drainage  of  pools  and  swamps  has  gone  forward  this  year, 
about  loo  being  treated.  Since  the  beginning  of  the  work  approx- 
imately 1,900  such  places  have  been  eliminated  through  the  drainage 
by  cooperation  between  the  mosquito  commission  and  the  owners. 

For  the  purpose  of  giving  an  idea  of  the  prevalence  of  mosquitoes, 
table  8,  based  on  the  night  collections,  is  submitted.  In  interpreting 
this  table  one  must  remember  that  the  collections  were  made  in 
weed  patches  and  shrubbery  where  mosquitoes  are  more  abundant 
than  in  the  open  streets,  roadways,  and  open  yards. 

Tables 
Record  of  Mosquito  Collections  in  Union  County 


6/6-7.  1917 
6/12-13,  1917 
6/19-20.  1917 
6/27,  1917... 

7/5,  1917 

7/12,  1917... 
7/18-19.  1917 
7/25-26.  1917 
8/1-2,  1917.. 
8/8-9,  1917.. I 


28 
27 
88 
88 
86 
88 
33 
33 
30 
30 


4 

19 
22 
16 
26 
2 
56 
64 
28 
38 


>tal  number 

of  mosquitoes 

caugrht 

c 

—  c 

1- 

eg 

=»  *  t 

0  d 

^0 

>       • 

0 
0 

0 

"5 

-2 

2     i 

G 

S 
6 

II 

9  •^ 

ao 
2^ 

?      1 

« 

«■=  tc 

M(d 

■3  • 

5 

9> 

5 

1 

■0  s* 
3  0  > 

i! 

£    1 

^ 

w 

5 

& 

ZB< 

<^ 

Bt 

minutes 

8 

s 

6 

0.2 

20 

100.0 

28 

14 

61 

2.2 

20 

0.0 

117 

6 

*i 

166 

4.6 

20 

4.S 

144 

1 

11 

1 

172 

5.2 

20 

t.8 

97 

8 

18 

1 

160 

4.0 

20 

0.0 

18 

16 

1 

87 

1.1 

20 

18.0 

45 

'.'. 

108 

8.2 

20 

6.2 

126 

2 

21 

*i 

206 

6.2 

20 

8.1 

124 

4 

10 

6 

171 

6.7 

20 

8.1 

56 

" 

36 

" 

ISO 

4.3 

20 

4.0 

Note:     Salt-marsh  species  Include  A.  cantator,  A.  solUettMis,  and  A.  taenlorfajfifccli— . 

Fresh-water  swamp  species  Include  M.  pertnrbans  and  A.  svlrwtiiB,  mostly  tba  lattar. 

Woodland  pool  species  Include  A.  subcantans  and  A.  OMiadeiiais. 

House  mosquito  C.  pipiens. 

Other   species   A.   punctlpinnls  and   A.   qaadrlnmcalatos. 

It  is  evident  that  there  was  an  outbreak  about  the  middle  of  June 
reaching  its  chmax  about  June  27,  and  that  the  fresh-water  swamp 
mosquito  was  mostly  to  blame. 

A  second  outbreak  came  about  July  25,  in  which  both  the  salt- 
marsh  and  fresh-water  swamp  species  were  concerned. 

Middlesex  County 
In  Middlesex  County  the  mosquito  commission  has  continued  its 
work  of   (i)   keeping  the  present  drainage  systems  in  operation; 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


509 


(2)  examining  the  entire  salt  marsh  at  regular  intervals  through- 
out the  mosquito-breeding  season;  (3)  using  oil  to  destroy  such 
breeding  as  the  drainage  systems  failed  to  kill ;  (4)  cutting  as  much 
additional  ditching  as  the  funds  would  permit;  (5)  furnishing 
expert  oversight  and  management  for  locally-supported  campaigns 
against  fresh-water  mosquitoes. 

In  the  early  spring  sod  and  mud  blockage  was  removed  from  all 
the  drainage  systems  throughout  the  county.  As  the  examinations 
exhibited  the  need  of  further  attention  of  this  sort  it  was  given. 
Upon  the  superintendent  fell  the  duty  of  carrying  out  the  regular 
salt-marsh  examinations.  When  breeding  was  found  in  sections 
where  the  drainage  would  remove  enough  of  it  to  render  the  use  of 
oil  practicable,  oil  was  applied  and  the  residual  breeding  destroyed. 

Table  9  will  show  the  drainage  established  in  previous  years  and 
the  amount  which  it  has  this  year  been  able  to  add. 

Table  9 
Salt-Marsh  Drainage  in  Middlesex  County,  1914-1917 


Meadow 


Linear  Feet  of  Ditches  Cut 


Previous 
to  1914 


Carteret    

Sewaren    

Woodbridse   Creek 

Rarltan     

Sayreville  

South    Amboy    .... 

Cheeaequake     

Marquis   Creek    . . . 
Whale  Creek   , 


678 

447 

711 

2.236 

832 

204 

1.600 

86 

77 


61.700 

66.600 

80,000! 

106,600] 

8.000 

18.000 

144,000 

4.000 

6,000 


Cut    During 


1914 


6,000 
1.000 

'32,000 
'iV.ooo 


1916 


1916 


9,849  600 

10.9651  2.100 

17.8191  I.600I 

68,000!  171.050 


7.246 
760 
379 
986 


6.270     438,900       66.000     114.943     186,400       76.634     848.696 


11,250 


1917 

~l7766 

767 
1.1601 
66.6771 


945 
3.140 
1.200 


Total 


78.814 

71,412 

82,688 

443.327 

8,000 

54.439 

167.900 

6.679 

6,986 


During  this  season  for  the  first  time  industrial  development  of 
the  salt  marshes  has  interfered  with  the  progress  of  mosquito  work. 
The  principal  interference  has  come  from  the  effluent  discharged 
from  gun-cotton  factories.  The  effluent  contains  from  i  to  3  per 
cent  of  acid,  composed  of  both  sulfuric  and  nitric  acid.  At  that 
strength  mosquitoes  can  not  breed  in  it,  but  when  diluted  with 
marsh  water  it  becomes  a  medium  in  which  they  will  breed.  Unfor- 
tunately, the  killifish  upon  which  the  success  of  the  drainage  system 
depends  is  more  sensitive  to  acid  than  the  mosquito  wriggler.  Acid- 
charged  water  areas  may  become  heavily  charged  with  breeding  and 
not  a  single  killifish  will  penetrate  them.    The  situation  demands  a 


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5IO         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

prompt  remedy,  but  thus  far  nothing  really  practicable  has  been 
found. 

Another  sample  of  industrial  interference  occurred  at  Carteret  o» 
the  Rahway  River  meadow.  Here  the  Mexican  Petroleum  Corpor- 
ation, in  the  course  of  filling  a  large  area  along  the  Arthur  Kill, 
filled  up  one  of  the  main  outlets  of  the  marsh  and  transformed  what 
was  formerly  a  reasonably  well-drained  salt  marsh  into  a  virulent 
breeder  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes.  This  corporation,  when  once  it 
understood  the  situation,  financed  the  construction  of  a  6-foot  ditch 
to  serve  as  a  new  outlet. 

With  the  exception  of  an  undrained  section  on  the  upper  course 
of  the  Cheesequake  Creek,  the  acid-soaked  section  near  the  Nixon 
Nitration  Works  near  Millville,  and  the  shut-oflF  section  of  the 
Carteret  meadow,  the  breeding  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  was  well 
controlled.  Broods  from  the  first  furnished  bad  mosquito  trouble 
to  the  village  of  Cheesequake,  Parlin  and  parts  of  South  River. 
Two  broods— one  in  July  and  one  in  August — from  the  second  made 
trouble  in  Metuchen,  Highland  Park  and  Stelton.  Broods  from  the 
third  troubled  Carteret.  Woodbridge,  Sewaren,  Perth  Amboy,  the 
main  portion  of  South  Amboy  and  Morgan  were  scarcely  at  all 
troubled. 

Monmouth  County 

In  Monmouth,  almost  the  entire  attention  of  the  mosquito  com- 
mission is  centered  on  the  salt-marsh  of  3,315  acres.  The  only 
exception  is  the  maintenance  of  fresh-water  work  in  the  Riunson 
and  Little  ^ilver  district. 

All  parts  of  the  salt  marshes  were  examined  at  regular  intervals 
throughout  the  mosquito-breeding  seasons.  Wherever  mosquito 
breeding  was  found  additional  drainage  was  established.  The  dis- 
tribution and  the  amount  of  ditching  follows: 

Lmear  Feet 

Belford 8,931 

Port   Monmouth    3,000 

Keansburrg  . .  •. 440 

Union  16,253 

Oyster  Creek   441 

Matawan   2,565 

Whale  Creek    582 

Rumson  and  Little  Silver 5,200 

Manasquan    9,074 

Total  46.476 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  511 

In  the  fresh-water  mosquito  work  in  the  Rumson  and  Little 
Silver  district  the  entire  area  was  carefully  examined  at  regular 
intervals  and  the  breeding  destroyed  whenever  found.  During  the 
season,  of  the  375  places  found  breeding,  350  were  temporarily 
eliminated  and  300  were  later  permanently  abated.  These  375 
places  consisted  of  70  cesspools,  15  catch  basins,  5  row  boats,  i 
roof  gutter,  i  cellar,  i  pond,  50  barrels,  150  tin  cans  and  82  pools 
and  marshy  places. 

The  fresh-water  breeding  in  the  vicinity  of  Camp  Vail  of  the 
Signal  Corps  Unit  located  at  Oceanport  was  kept  under  control, 
the  men  working  in  cooperation  with  camp  sanitary  corps. 

Relative  to  prevalence  of  mosquitoes  in  Monmouth,  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  work  reports  as  follows : 

"The  result  of  the  season's  work  was  not  as  satisfactory  as  had 
been  hoped  for  during  the  first  part  of  the  season,  but  with  con- 
stant and  extra  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  entire  working  force  at 
hand  the  remaining  part  of  the  season  proved  to  be  successful  and 
kept  up  to  standard." 

Ocean  County 

As  in  previous  years  the  mosquito  commission  has  devoted  its 
attention  primarily  to  the  salt  marsh ;  paying  little  attention  to  the 
regular  examination  of  the  drained  areas  and  giving  almost  its 
entire  efifort  to  the  cutting  of  new  drainage. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  season,  the  sod,  weed  and  worst  mud 
blockages  were  removed  from  the  entire  system  and  all  ditches  put 
into  operation. 

During  the  year  a  total  of  538,277  linear  feet  have  been  arranged 
for,  nearly  all  or  quite  all  of  which  have  been  cut.  The  bulk  of 
this  work  has  been  done  in  the  south  end  of  the  county,  relieving 
almost  5,000  acres  from  serious  mosquito  breeding.  Moreover,  the 
small  depressions  in  this  area  are  being  filled  with  sod  taken  from 
the  ditches. 

Concerning  the  prevalence  of  mosquitoes  the  commission  reports 
as  follows: 

"The  summer  of  1917  has  been  a  severe  test  of  the  faith  of  those 
who  are  not  conversant  with  the  habits  of  mosquitoes  and  the  work 
done  for  their  control. 


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512         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"When  there  is  a  combination  of  heavy  rains  and  high  tides  it 
taxes  any  system  of  meadow  drainage,  however  perfect,  to  carry  oflF 
the  water  within  8  days,  or  the  time  it  takes  from  hatching  to  adult. 

"There  were  three  of  these  combinations  this  simmier,  one  of 
which  caused  a  brood  that  got  off  July  15  and  this  was  followed 
by  another  August  20.    Another  emerged  September  20. 

'The  meadows  have  been  examined  frequently  by  our  superin- 
tendent, and  breeding  conditions  noted,  and  we  know  that  such 
mosquitoes  as  reached  the  adult  stage  on  the  drained  areas  of  Ocean 
County,  or  the  part  north  of  Manahawkin,  were  comparatively 
few  and  would  not  have  been  commented  upon  had  it  not  been  for 
the  terrible  flights  from  the  undrained  salt  marshes.  The  spots  on 
the  drained  meadows  from  which  the  mosquitoes  came  are  known 
and  will  come  in  for  an  early  treatment  in  1918,  Some  have 
already  been  corrected." 

Atlantic  County 

While  Atlantic  County  has  devoted  the  greater  part  of  her  atten- 
tion to  the  suppression  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  she  has  made  a 
successful  effort  to  combat  the  fresh-water  species  that  breed  within 
the  limits  of  her  towns  and  cities.  All  the  drained  salt  marshes 
and  all  territory  covered  by  the  towns  and  cities  are  regularly  exam- 
ined throughout  the  mosquito-breeding  season  and  such  breeding  as 
is  found  is  eliminated  in  so  far  as  possible.  In  addition  to  this  work 
as  large  a  part  of  the  undrained  salt  marsh  as  the  funds  will  permit 
is  selected  and  drained. 

Previous  to  1917,  4,355,138  feet  of  mosquito  ditching  had  been 
cut  on  the  salt  marsh.  The  cost  of  labor  necessary  to  put  this  sys- 
tem in  good  operation  at  the  outset  of  the  present  season  amoimted 
to  $1,857.72.  During  the  season  of  1917,  992,735  feet  have  been 
added  at  a  cost  of  $12,668.12  making  a  total  of  5,347,873  linear 
feet  of  mosquito  ditching  on  the  salt  marshes  of  the  county.  With 
the  exception  of  Brigantine,  the  salt  marsh  of  Atlantic  is  now 
drained  from  Leed's  Point  to  Somer's  Point,  along  the  north  shore 
of  the  Egg  Harbor  River,  and  work  is  now  going  on  between  Egg 
Harbor  and  Middle  Rivers. 

Very  few  mosquitoes  escaped  from  the  drained  marshes,  but  the 
enormous  broods  produced  on  the  undrained  marshes  of  Atlantic 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  513 

and  her  immediate  neighbors  flooded  the  county  at  times  with  a 
severe  pest  of  mosquitoes.  The  June  brood  covered  the  Shore  Road 
and  reached  Egg  Harbor  and  Hammonton.  Fortunately,  it  scat- 
tered quickly  and  lasted  only  a  short  time.  The  July  brood  from 
the  undrained  areas  was  very  large.  Egg  Harbor  and  Hammonton 
probably  had  more  mosquitoes  than  at  any  time  since  the  work 
b^;an.  May's  Landing  was  severely  infested.  The  Shore  Road 
was  troubled.  The  August  brood  came  off  the  undrained  marshes 
in  a  scattering  fashion. 

Although  some  mosquitoes  were  present  in  Longport,  Margate 
and  Ventor  and  about  the  inlet,  Atlantic  Qty  got  no  mosquitoes 
until  the  twenty-fifth  of  August  when  a  northwest  wind  brought  in 
a  supply  which  reached  the  board-walk  in  several  places.  They 
quickly  disappeared  and  the  city  was  not  troubled  during  the  rest 
of  the  season. 

Cape  May  Coimty 

The  plan  adopted  last  year  by  the  mosquito  commission  of  devot- 
ing practically  all  the  funds  at  its  disposal  to  salt-marsh  drainage 
work  and  of  beginning  the  work  at  the  south  end  of  the  county  and 
working  northward  has  been  continued  this  year.  It  is  the  plan 
which  will  give  noticeable  protection  in  the  shortest  space  of  time 
because  the  warm,  moist,  slow-moving  winds  on  which  mosquitoes 
love  to  travel  normally  come  from  the  southeast,  south,  southwest 
and  west.  As  the  marshes  are  drained  mosquitoes  which  formerly 
bred  there  and  were  carried  by  the  wind  to  the  towns  lying  to  the 
east,  northeast,  north  and  northwest  will  not  come,  and  the  towns 
will  be  relieved.  Only  rarely  will  the  mosquitoes  which  breed  to 
the  northwest,  north  and  northeast  be  carried  in. 

As  the  towns  and  cities  are  relieved  from  the  salt-marsh  species 
the  house  mosquito  becomes  troublesome;  not  because  of  greater 
abundance  but  because  the  removal  of  the  greater  pest  affords  peo- 
ple an  opportunity  to  take  note  of  the  lesser. 

The  ditching  necessary  in  the  Cape  Island  Creek  meadows,  the 
Spicer  Creek  Marsh,  the  meadows  along  the  sound  from  Schel- 
lenger's  Landing  east  to  Jones*  Creek  near  Wildwood  road,  the 
meadows  of  Pond  Creek,  New  England  Creek,  and  Cox  Hall  Creek, 
has  been  completed.    This  means  that  all  the  salt  marsh  from  the 

AfiT  33 

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314         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

»uthem  end  of  the  Cape  May  Point  to  Jones*  meadows  along  the 
Delaware  Bay  shore,  a  distance  of  about  7  miles,  and  all  the  salt 
marsh  along  the  Atlantic  Ocean  side  from  the  Cape  May  Point  to 
Turtle  Gut  Inlet,  a  distance  of  8  miles,  has  had  the  necessary  initial 
trenching  installed.  This  has  involved  the  cutting  in  1916-17  of 
533f702  linear  feet. 

The  shifting  sand  of  the  Bay  shore  has  compelled  the  installation 
of  a  special  tide-gated  outlet  for  Pond  Creek,  and  it  now  seems 
likely  that  similar  outlets  will  for  the  same  reason  have  to  be  pro- 
vided for  both  New  England  and  Cox  Hall  Creeks. 

The  South  Cape  May  marsh  lies  so  low  and  has  such  an  inade- 
quate outlet  through  Cape  Island  Creek  that  the  installation  of  a 
tide-gate  to  prevent  overflow  at  extra  high  tides  seems  advisable. 

The  city  and  boroughs  in  the  vicinity  of  which  this  work  has  been 
done,  have  shown  a  commendable  spirit  of  cooperation.  Cape  May 
City,  through  its  board  of  health,  has  ditched  all  ponds  and  low 
lands  within  its  limits.  It  has  regularly  oiled  its  culverts  and  catch 
basins  throughout  this  mosquito-breeding  season.  The  boroughs  of 
West  Cape  May,  Cape  May  Point  and  South  Cape  May  ditched  the 
worst  spots  within  their  limits.  The  city  of  Wildwood,  acting 
under  the  advice  of  the  commission,  did  a  considerable  amount  of 
draining  and  oiling. 

It  is  reported  that  Cape  May  City  had  mosquitoes  for  only  three 
days  this  season,  and  that  they  were  not  severe  at  these  times.  It 
is  reported  that  the  borough  of  West  Cape  May,  Cape  May  Point, 
and  South  Cape  May  experienced  great  relief.  It  is  also  stated  that 
the  city  of  Wildwood  realized  a  considerable  amotmt  of  protection. 

Mercer  County 

The  mosquito-control  work  in  Mercer  County  diflfers  from  that 
in  all  the  preceding  counties  in  that  it  is  located  at  one  point  cmly 
(Princeton  and  vicinity),  and  is  concerned  primarily  with  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  malaria-carrying  species.  In  last  year's  report  an  ac- 
count  of  the  survey  and  progress  of  the  work  was  set  forth.  The 
following  description  prepared  by  Dr.  Ulric  Dahlgren,  the  chairman 
of  the  unofficial  mosquito  extermination  committee  and  the  most 
active  agent  in  the  matter,  will  serve  to  show  the  nature  of  the 
work  and  its  results. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  515 

'*We  do  not  know  whether  our  malaria  was  a  new- world  disease 
or  was  brought  to  this  country  by  settlers  from  the  old  world.  As 
there  are  several  kinds  of  malaria  in  most  localities^  it  seems  probable 
that  at  least  some  of  our  varieties  were  brought  over  by  the  first 
or  some  of  the  early  emigrants.  These  different  kinds  depend  on 
the  different  species  of  protozoan  parasites  that  produce  them.  The 
parasites  get  into  our  blood  and,  multiplying  vastly,  they  bore  into 
and  break  up  vast  numbers  of  the  red  blood  cells,  producing  the 
well-known  chills  and  fevers  and  other  symptoms  that  so  many  are 
familiar  with. 

"How  do  they  get  into  our  blood  ?  One  way  only  is  known.  A 
mosquito  bites  us  and  first  she  injects  some  fluid  into  our  tissues  to 
make  the  blood  flow  readily,  and  then  she  sucks  out  as  much  of  this 
blood  as  she  needs.  If  she  stings  a  person  with  malaria  she  sucks 
out  some  of  these  parasites  with  that  blood,  and  if  she  subsequently 
stings  normal  persons  she  injects  some  of  the  parasites  into  their 
blood  and  then  they  get  the  disease. 

"The  affair  is  not  as  simple  as  the  above  paragraph  would  make 
it  seem,  however,  or  else  we  would  all  have  malaria  most  of  the 
time.  It  must  be  a  particular  kind  of  mosquito,  the  Anopheles 
mosquito  of  one  or  more  species  that  does  the  transferring,  and, 
furthermore,  the  biting  of  the  sick  person  must  precede  the  infection 
of  the  new  victim  by  a  certain  period.  Still,  if  there  are  enough 
of  these  mosquitoes  and  enough  sick  people  aroimd  to  infect  them, 
nearly  all  people  will  eventually  get  the  trouble. 

"These  particular  Anopheles,  or  malaria-bearing  mosquitoes,  are 
found  only  in  certain  kinds  of  stagnant  or  slow-moving  waters. 
And  one  of  the  localities  in  which  they  have  been  foimd  in  New 
Jersey  from  the  earliest  settlers'  records,  is  the  lowland  south  of 
and  next  to  Princeton,  N.  J.  About  the  worst  spot  was  one  known 
as  The  Basin,'  about  a  half-mile  south  of  the  edge  of  the  town. 
Here,  in  the  last  century,  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  Canal  has  been 
built  through,  and  at  this  point  several  (four)  large  basins  had  been 
constructed  to  allow  the  canal  boats  to  pass  in  and  out  of  the  line 
of  traffic  to  unload  at  their  leisure.  A  customs  house,  the  station 
of  the  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad  from  New  York  to  Philadel- 
phia (now  removed),  as  well  as  hotels,  dwellings,  warehouses  and 
other  buildings  were  erected,  and  the  surrounding  grounds  were 
cared  for,  a  certain  amount  of  grass  kept  cut,  and  the  waters  were 


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5i6         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

so  stirred  and  used  by  passing  boats  that  they  were  not  very  good 
for  the  breeding  of  mosquitoes. 

"The  advance  of  civilization  with  its  various  engineering  featured 
and  changes  of  physical  surroundings  always  favors  some  forms  of 
wild  life  and  is  against  the  welfare  of  others.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  recession  of  man  from  a  civilized  and  occupied  area  again 
changes  the  conditions  so  that  some  of  the  forms  of  natural  life  have 
their  state  of  prosperity  altered.  In  the  case  of  the  Princeton  Basin 
we  find  a  mixed  condition  from  the  start.  The  cutting  of  steep 
banks  and  sides,  the  elimination  of  wild  grasses  and  weeds  by  con- 
stant use,  probably  worked  against  the  Anopheles  mosquitoes,  while 
it  permitted  the  multiplication  of  the  common  but  harmless  nuisance, 
the  household  mosquito  of  civilization.  If  the  town  had  grown  up 
around  the  basin  the  menace  to  health  by  Anopheles  would  probably 
have  been  eliminated,  but  matters  never  went  that  far,  however. 
On  the  outskirts  of  the  little  settlement  the  dump  heaps  from  exca- 
vation and  the  building  of  embankments  formed  pools  and  marshes 
and  dammed  up  waters,  on  the  edges  of  which  grass  and  weeds 
overhung  the  bank,  and  here  Anopheles  probably  held  its  own.  At 
any  rate,  we  hear  of  malaria  in  the  region  which  had  its  ups  and 
downs,  rising  at  times  to  the  strength  of  epidemics,  of  some  of  which 
the  elder  inhabitants  of  the  town  have  a  distinct  recollection.  At 
one  time  it  was  so  bad  that  the  people  of  Princeton  seriously  con- 
sidered moving  all  houses  and  permanent  residents  from  the  basin. 
The  college  authorities  were  much  worried  at  times  over  the  matter. 

"A  time  came  finally,  about  fifty  years  ago,  when  for  many  rea- 
sons the  'Basin'  became  neglected  and  fell  into  disuse.  The  railroad 
was  moved  to  a  better  grade  and  roadbed  nearly  two  miles  south, 
and  the  branch  built  to  connect  it  with  Princeton  came  up  to  the 
town  and  did  not  connect  with  the  basin.  Also  the  railroad  bought 
the  canal,  and  nearly  all  the  freight  and  coal  that  had  been  carried 
on  the  canal  was  now  brought  directly  to  the  town  on  the  cars.  As 
a  result  the  'Basin'  lost  many  of  its  inhabitants,  and  the  various 
buildings  fell  into  disrepair  and  most  of  them  into  ruin.  Banks 
caved  in,  drains  were  obstructed,  trees  grew  and  flourished  around 
the  basins,  and,  worst  of  all,  grass  and  weeds  overhung  the  banks 
to  form  the  quiet  natural  retreats  so  favorable  to  the  malarial  pest. 

"The  study  of  the  situation  was  carried  on  by  the  following 
measures :  first,  a  survey  by  experts  representing  the  State  Board  of 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  517 

Health,  the  State  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  and  the  local 
entomologists,  to  determine  where  the  mosquitoes  bred.  Allvbreed- 
ing  mosquitoes  were  located  by  the  larvae  being  present  in  the  waters 
examined,  but  the  dangerous  Anopheles  quadrimactUatus  Say  was 
found  only  in  outlying  streams  and  pools,  mostly  in  the  waters  of 
the  'Basin'  and  the  extensions  of  these  waters  in  the  lowlands  east 
on  the  line  of  the  Delaware  and  Raritan  Canal.  Such  pools  and 
marshes  as  showed  these  larvae  or  'wrigglers'  were  carefully  marked 
down  on  the  map  as  solid  black  circles.  Secondly,  a  study  of  the 
mosquitoes  on  the  wing  was  inaugurated.  Nine  men  went  out  just 
after  sunset  twice  a  week  for  the  whole  summer  and  stood  for 
half  an  hour  with  bared  forearm  and  a  bottle  to  catch  such  mosqui- 
toes as  attempted  to  bite  them.  They  then  moved  to  a  second  sta- 
tion and  spent  another  half  hour  as  bait  and  ended  the  evening  with 
a  similar  period  at  a  third  station.  These  twenty-seven  stations 
covered  the  town  and  surrounding  country  in  such  a  way  as  to  show 
how  far  the  diflferent  kinds  of  mosquitoes  flew  and  how  thick  they 
were.  Here  was  shown  the  fact  that  the  malarial  mosquito  was 
not  the  most  abundant  form  and  was  a  poor  flier  from  his  birth- 
place. But  there  were  enough,  and  they  wandered  in  diminishing 
numbers  up  into  the  town  from  the  'Basin'  and  its  eastward  extend- 
ing chain  of  pools  and  other  waters. 

"In  the  third  place,  a  medical  survey  was  made  and  all  cases 
of  malaria  were  placed  on  the  map  as  one-line  circles.  The  town 
was  pretty  well  peppered  with  these,  but  the  'Basin'  was  riddled 
with  cases.  Almost  every  house  had  some  cases,  in  some  every 
member.  One  family  of  eight  all  had  it.  These  victims  were  able 
to  get  around.  Some  could  work,  while  others  could  not,  and  a 
few  were  perfectly  healthy.    The  new  cases  suflFered  most  acutely. 

"An  engineer  next  made  a  careful  survey  of  the  entire  region 
which  menaced  the  town,  and  in  collaboration  with  Dr.  Headlee,  of 
the  State  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  planned  the  most 
economical  and  efficieftt  way  of  treating  each  pool,  swamp,  or 
other  body  of  water  in  order  to  make  it  impossible  for  Anopheles 
to  breed  there.  Small  bodies  of  water  were  marked  to  be  filled, 
some  large  bodies  to  be  drained  in  whole  or  in  part,  followed  by 
filling.  Some  waters  that  could  not  be  eliminated  were  to  have 
their  banks  cut  and  trimmed.  No  temporary  measures  were  sug- 
gested. 


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5i8         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

"Armed  with  the  knowledge  thus  acquired  the  Princeton  Commit- 
tee then  cast  about  for  means  to  put  their  ideas  into  deeds.  It  was 
decided  that  the  town,  or  rather  some  of  its  beneficent  members 
and  institutions,  would  be  able  and  willing  to  contribute  some  $5,000 
or  over,  and  after  promises  were  obtained  the  Princeton  Committee 
went  to  the  Mercer  County  Mosquito  Conunission  to  enlist  their 
aid  in  getting  the  Board  of  Freeholders  of  Mercer  County  to  appro- 
priate $5,000  to  carry  the  thing  through.  After  consulting  the  direc- 
tor of  the  Experiment  Station  at  New  Brunswick  as  to  the  feasi- 
bility of  the  plan,  the  commission  asked  the  freeeholders  and  they 
appropriated  the  money,  and  the  work  was  begun  under  the  su- 
pervision of  an  engineer,  Mr.  C.  S.  Sincerbeaux. 

"This  work  is  at  present  only  partly  done.  And  yet  a  large 
and  important  part  of  it  is  finished.  The  worst  pools  around  the 
basin  have  been  eliminated,  and  other  large  bodies  have  been  filled 
or  drained.  The  committee  must  still  collect  money  to  push  the 
work  to  completion. 

"Certain  larger  property  holders  in  the  region  have  attended  to 
the  difficulties  in  their  own  portions  of  the  district.  The  Walker- 
Gordon  Farm,  St.  Joseph's  College,  and  the  Rockefeller  Institute 
have  done  or  are  doing  thorough  work  based  on  the  survey.  This 
work  has  extended  only  over  one  summer,  and  yet  good  results 
have  been  shown  already,  although  the  committee  hardly  dared  h<^>e 
for  them  at  so  early  a  period. 

"Briefly  these  results  are  about  as  follows:  In  1914,  127  cases 
of  malaria  were  reported  to  the  Princeton  Board  of  Health;  in 
I9i5>  65  cases  were  reported;  in  1916,  8  cases  were  reported. 

"A  study  of  these  figues  has  led  the  commission  to  believe  that 
the  fall  in  cases  from  127  in  1914  to  65  in  1915  was  due  to  two 
factors:  first,  more  careful  diagnosis  by  the  town  phpiicians, 
who  began  using  a  blood  test  before  reporting  any  chills  and  fever 
as  malaria,  and  second,  to  a  very  efficient  cleaning  up  of  the  town 
and  warning  to  the  people  of  the  danger,  with  methods  of  avoid- 
ing it. 

**Nineteen  hundred  and  sixteen,  however,  was  a  fine  mosquito 
year,  with  its  wet  weather  and  favorable  temperatures  for 
mosquito  breeding,  and  the  very  large  and  satisfactory  drop  seems 
to  be  caused  by  only  one  factor — the  engineering  work  carried  to 
partial  completion  during  that  summer." 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  519 

Mosquitoes  of  the  Year 

The  first  brood  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes,  which  usually  appears 
during  the  first  half  of  May,  came  out  in  small  numbers  along  the 
lower  Atlantic  and  the  Bay  coasts,  and  was  scarcely  noticeable  in 
northern  New  Jersey. 

The  second  brood  appeared  about  the  middle  of  June  in  the 
south  and  about  5  or  6  days  later  in  the  north.  In  the  south  this 
brood  was  large  enough  to  migrate  25  miles  or  more  back  into  the 
pines. 

The  third  brood  began  to  come  out  about  the  tenth  of  July  in  Cape 
Map  County,  appeared  in  Atlantic  about  the  twelfth  and  made 
itself  felt  in  the  north  about  the  sixteenth.  This  brood  was  large 
from  the  undrained  salt  marshes  and  carried  far.  Indeed  the 
number  escaping  from  the  drained  marshes  was  unusually  large. 

The  fourth  brood  emerged  during  about  the  corresponding  period 
of  August.  It  was  not  so  large  as  the  preceding,  nor  did  it  travel 
so  far. 

The  fifth  brood  began  emerging  from  the  tenth  of  September 
in  the  south  to  the  sixteenth  in  the  north.  Although  not  so  general 
as  was  the  August  brood,  in  limited  areas  the  density  was  great 
and  the  annoyance  serious. 

The  first,  or  May,  brood  was  composed  of  A.  cantator  with  a 
few  A.  sollicitans  along  the  Delaware  Bay  Coast.  The  second  or 
Jime  brood  consisted  of  A.  cantator  in  the  north  and  A.  sollici- 
tans in  the  extreme  south,  with  a  mixture  of  the  two  species 
between.  The  third  or  July  brood  consisted  of  A.  cantator  and 
A,  sollicitans  in  the  north  and  A.  sollicitans  throughout  the  south- 
em  two-thirds  of  the  coast.  The  fourth  and  fifth  broods  were 
mostly  A.  sollicitans,  although  A.  cantator  appeared  from  the 
upper  courses  of  the  streams  when  bordered  by  salt  marsh. 

In  June  and  again  in  July  the  fresh-water  swamp  mosquito  ap- 
peared in  large  numbers,  especially  in  July.  Taking  the  season  as 
a  whole  this  species  (A.  sylvestris)  has  been  the  dominant 
mosquito  in  point  of  numbers,  throughout  the  non-sandy  section 
of  the  sea-coast. 

For  the  purpose  of  giving  a  notion  of  the  prevalence  of  mosqui- 
toes during  the  very  worst  portion  of  the  season  the  following  series 
of  collections  made  July  27  and  28  is  appended  (table  10).  All 
collections  were  made  in  shrubbery  in  broad  daylight.    All  collec- 


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520         NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

tions  were  the  work  of  two  collection  bottles.  When  the  total 
catch  in  5  minutes  reached  30,  the  limiting  factor  became  the 
length  of  time  necessary  for  the  bottles  to  kill.  #,j   ■ 

Table  zo 
Mosquitoes  Collected  July  27  and  a8,  1917 


Name    of    place 


Btelton    .....•• 

Plalnfleld   

Fanwood    •« 

Sprlnff field  

Sfeaex  Park 

C^ntli  end)    

Kmmx  Park 

(north  end)    • 

North  Arllnirton  Cemetery. 

Weeqoahio   Park    

BllsatKfth    

Wo<  dbridffe   

JoBt  northwest  of  Morgan 
Shreiv  berry  River 

(north  branch)   

Manasquan 

Bay  Head   

Oebomvllle    

Beachwood    

Forked  River 

Bamevat   

Tnckerton    

Port  Republic 

Woodbine    

Cape  May  City  


Middlesex 
Union  .... 
Union  . . . . 
Union  .... 


County 


Basex 


Eaeex  .... 
Hudson  . . 
Eeaex   .... 

Union    

Middleeex 
MiddUsex 

Monmouth 
Monmouth 
Ocean  . . . . 
Ocean  . . . . 
Ocean  . . . . 
Ocean  . . . . 
Ocean  . . . . 
Ocean  . . . . 
Atlantic  .. 
Cape  May 
Cape  May 


Number    of    moaqulto^ir' 


P 


11 


The  collection  at  North  Arlington  Cemetery  was  made  at  the 
edge  of  bad  breeding  marsh.  The  collection  near  Morgan  was 
made  near  a  piece  of  undrained  salt  marsh.  In  Ocean  County 
the  mosquitoes  from  the  large  undrained  areas  to  the  south 
were  met  in  increasing  numbers  from  Forked  River  as  we 
went  south  until  the  full  density  of  the  brood  was  reached  at  Tuck- 
erton.  Port  Republic  was  like  the  rest  of  the  Shore  Road,  beside 
drained  marshes  but  in  reach  of  flights  from  undrained  meadows. 
At  Woodbine  the  full  density  of  the  brood  was  found.  The 
marshes  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  May  City  are  drained  and 
the  mosquitoes  must  come  in  on  a  northeast  or  a  northwest  beeeze. 

The  table  strikingly  illustrates  the  absence  of  the  fresh-water 
swamp  and  woodland  pool  problems  from  that  portion  of  the  coast 
which  lies  south  of  the  Raritan  River. 


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& 


APR  16  1925 


6 
C 


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APR  16  1925 


REPORT  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT 
OF  ENTOMOLOGY 


(203) 


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Department  of  Entomology 


Thomas  J.  Hradt.kr,  Ph.D.,  Entomologist, 
^Charles  S.  Beckwith,  B.Sc,  Assistcffit  Entomologist. 
tMiTCHELL  Carroll,  B.Sc,  Assistant  Entomologist. 

Alvah  Peterson,  Ph.D.,  Assistant  Entom4>logist. 

Augusta  E.  Meske,  Stenographer  a/nd  Clerk 

•  On  State  Station. 

t  Appointed   February   1,    1918. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction 205 

Insect  Correspondence 205 

Insects  op  the  Year '  209 

Investigations 210 

Pear  Psylla 210 

Plum  Curcuuo 212 

Sprinkling  Sewage  Filter  Fly 214 

Cranberry   222 

Eggs  of  Apple  Aphides 231 

Peach  Tree  Borer 284 

Report  on  Mosquito  Work  243 

County  Mosquito  Work  243 

Outlet  for  Southern  End  of  the  North  Arlington  Mea- 
dow, ETC 244 

Drainage  of  the  Marshes  North  of  Harrison  Turn- 
pike,  ETC 245 

Raritan  Ordnance  Depot  259 

East  Shore  of  Delaware  River,  etc 266 

Atlantic  Loading  Company  and  Bethlehem  Steel  Com- 
pany Plants,  etc 277 

Camden  and  Gloucester  Shipbuiiding  Plants,  etc 284 

Plans  for  Controlling  Mosquitoes  at  the  Plant  of  the 

International  Shipbuilding  Corporation,  etc 292 

Wilmington  Ship  Yards 293 

Other  Services  Rendered  to  the  Emergency  Fleet  Cor- 
poration       294 

Mosquitoes  of  the  Year  294 

Financial  Statement  295 

(204) 


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Report  of  the 
Department  of  Entomology 

Thomas  J.  Headlee 


INTRODUCTION 

The  period  covered  by  the  present  report  extends  from  November 
I,  1917  to  June  30,  1918.  Because  of  this  shortening  of  the  fiscal 
year,  which  was  due  to  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  1918,  the  work 
reported  is  necessarily  limited  to  that  which  could  be  accomplished 
during  the  non-active  season  of  1917  and  the  forepart  of  the  active 
season  of  191 8.  The  lines  followed  and  the  results  accomplished 
are  set  forth  in  the  body  of  the  report. 

The  personnel  of  the  staflf  has  experienced  little  change.  Miss 
Augusta  Meske  has  continued  as  clerk  in  charge  of  the  office  and  has 
been  assisted  regularly  by  Miss  Grace  B.  Wobbe  and  temporarily 
from  time  to.  time  by  various  stenographers.  Dr.  Alvah  Peterson 
has  worked  along  lines  of  insects  injurious  to  agriculture,  giving 
especial  attention  to  orchard  aphis  and  to  the  peach  borer.  With 
the  opening  of  the  present  season  he  began  an  investigation  of  the 
methods  for  control  of  the  Oriental  Peach  Moth  {Laspeyresia  Mo- 
lesta).  Mr.  Charles  S.  Beckwith  continued  his  work  in  connection 
with  mosquito  control.  On  November  6,  1917,  while  riding  his 
motorcycle,  he  was  struck  by  an  automobile  and  sustained  a  com- 
pound fracture  of  the  right  leg,  which  prevented  him  from  doing 
any  active  work  for  a  period  of  about  five  months.  With  the  open- 
ing of  the  season  his  attention  was  devoted  to  the  habits,  Kfe  history 
and  control  of  the  sprinkling  sewage  filter  fly  (Psychoda  alternata). 
When  this  work  was  completed  his  attention  was  turned  to  cranberry 
investigations.  On  the  first  of  February,  Mr.  Mitchell  Carroll,  of 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  was  employed  as  assistant  to  the 
entomologist  of  the  State  Experiment  Station,  and  has  given  his 
attention  since  joining  the  staff  to  the  problems  of  mosquito  control. 

INSECT  CORRESPONDENCE 

The  insect  correspondence  is  a  little  larger  than  during  a  similar 
period  of  last  .year.  Approximately  4,000  letters  have  been  sent  out. 
Inquiries  concerning  82  species  of  insects  have  been  received  and 
answered.  The  tabular  list  which  follows  will  serve  to  give  an  idea 
of  the  species  concerned. 

(205) 


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2o6        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 


VBKMBS 


Latin   Name 
Tubifex    tubif ex   Muller    

Bryobia  pratensis  Oarman    . . 
Briophyes   pyrl    Pgst 

Tetranychufl   sp 


Common   Name                          Locality 
I  Red  worm    Ixrenton   


ARACHNIDA 

Clover  mite    

Pear  leaf  blister  mite.. 


Red  spider 


Middletown    

Moscow,  Idaho   . ., —  . 

Vlneland    

German    Valley    


I  I>ate 

I  Feb.        14 


Apr.  1 

Dec  13.  •! 

May  IS 

Mar.  27 


Collembola  sp. 


INSECTA 

Thysanors 

.  Spring  tall   Brldgeton 


.May 


Termes  flavlpes  KoU. 


Isoptera 

White   ant    New   York  City    May 

Parasltlctt 

H»matopinu8  aslnl   Linn Sucking     louse     of     the 

horse  and  ass Camp  Devens,   Mass.    ..Feb. 


18 


Homoptera 


Aphidldse 


Aphis   houghtonenslB  Troop 
Aphis  m'tU  Fabr 


Aspidiotus    hedercB   Vail.    ... 
perntciosus  Comst. 

Chermaphls    pinicortlcls    Fitch 
Chionaspis  euonymi  Comst.   .. 

Coccidee    

Buleucanium      nigrofasciatum 

Perg 

Lepldosaphes   ulml   Lln^ 


Myxtts  ribia  Linn 

Pemphigus  bursarlus  Linn.    . 

Phylloxera    caryflB-caulis    Fitch 


Psylla  pyrlcola  Forst 

Sohizoneura  lanlgera  Hauam. 


Potato  plant  lice 
Plant    lice    


Gooseberry  aphis   . 
Green  appl*  louse. 


Oleander  Scale 
San  Jose  Scale 


Pine   bark  aphid 
Buonymus  scale   . 
Armored   scale    . . 


Terrapin   scale    . . . 
Oyster  shell  scale 


c:urrant  aphis  . . . 
Plant   louse   gall 


Hickory  gall 


Pea»*  psylla    

[Woolly  apple  louse   . . 

Heinlpt«ra 


Ridgewood    

Hopewell     

Springfield    

Richland     

Paterson   

Toms  River  . . . . 

Newton    

Moorestown    .... 

Trenton   

TituavlUe    

Newton    

Watchttng    

Vlneland   

Holmdel    

New  Brunswick 
West   Orange    . . 

Woodbury 

Riverton   

Rumson 

Vlneland  


Merchantville    . . . 

Allentown 

Hackettatown    . . . 

Morrtstown    

Cranf ord   

Union y  . . 

Haokettstown    . . . 

Philadelphia    

Haddon   Heights 
New  York  City  . . 


Bridgeton  . . . 
Bernardavllle 
Vlneland  .... 
Verona    


Cimex  lectularius  Linn Bed    Bug    Mt.    Lakes 

Tibicen  septendecim   Linn.    ...  17-year  locust   Brielle    


Feb. 

21 

Mar. 

15 

Jane 

« 

June 

19 

June 

25 

June 

2< 

June 

2< 

Apr. 

6 

Jan. 

le 

Feb. 

11 

Feb. 

21 

Feb, 

28 

Mar. 

2S 

Apr. 

24 

Apr. 

2€ 

Apr. 

< 

Apr. 

24 

Mar. 

» 

Nov. 

S 

Nor. 

12 

Mar. 

IS 

Oct. 

29 

Mar. 

4 

Mar. 

9 

Apr. 

4 

Apr. 

4 

Apr. 

2S 

Jane 

20 

May 

25 

May 

31 

Jane 

15 

Jane 

e 

Jane 

17 

Mar. 

25 

Mar. 

13 

]Mar. 

25 

ijane 

20 

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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT. 

Orihopter» 


207 


Latin  Name 

Aorldldas    sp 

MIcrocentrum    rhombifolittm 

SauB. 

CBcanihuB   fasciatus   Fitch    . . . 
Scttdderia   texensis   S.   A  P.    . . 


Amphicema  bicaudatua  Say.   . . 
Anthonomua  signatus  Say.    . . . 


Attaffenus  piceus  OIlv 

Bruchus  obtectus  Say 

Caasida  bivittata  Say.  .!..!!! 
Chryaobothris  f emorata  Fab. . . 
Conotracheloa   nenuphar 

Herbat. 


Cryptorhynchus  lapathi  Linn. 
I>eamoceru«  palliatus  Fabr.  . . 
Diorymellus  leevlnargo  Champ 
Drasterlus  elegans  Fabr 

Blateridse     

^pitrix  cucumerlB  Harr 

■P 

ESuphorla  inda  Linn 

Macrodactylus    subeplnoBus 

Fab. 

Papaipama  nitela  On 


Alaophila  pometaria  Peck   

Archipa  f ervldana  Clem 

Carpocapsa    pomonella   Linn. . . 

Kaproctis  chrysorrhcea  ijinn.  . , 

Haliaidota   caryee  Harr.    

Heliothla  armiger  Hbn 

Hemerocampa  leucoatlgma 

S.  A  A. 

Hyphantria  cunea  Dru 

Laspeyreflla  moleata  Buack   . . . 


Common   Nam« 
Graaa    hoppers    

Katydid 

Striped  tree  cricket   . . . 
Cranberry  Katydid    

Coleoptera 

Twig    borer    

Strawberry  weevil  

Black  carpet  beetle   . . . 
Bean   weevil    

Gold   Bug 

Flat-headed      apple-tree 

borer 

Plum    curculio    

Willow    borer    ....!.! 
Borer   

Wire    worms    

Potato  flea  beetle    . . . 


Flea   beetle    

Bumble  flower  beetle   . . 

Rose   bug    

Common  stalk  borer    . . 

Lepldoptera 

Fall   canker   worm    .... 

Leaf    roller    

Codling  moth   

Brown  tail  moth 

Hickory  tussock  moth.. 
Com  ear  worm 

White-marked  tussock 
moth 


Locality 
Plainfleld    / 


Minotola   

Moorestown   

Riverton    , 

Asbury  Park   , 

Waterford  Works    >  Apr. 


Date 
Mar.       25 

liar.  16 

Mar.  26 

Mar.  28 

Mar.  13 


Berlin    Apr. 

Millvllle     May 

IFeb. 

Moorestown    Apr. 

Berlin Apr. 

Magnolia May 

Irvington    Apr. 

Barnegat    Feb. 

West  Orange May 

Summit   June 

Minotola   June 

Trenton     May 

Hackettstown    May 

Qlassboro    May 

Chester    June 

SomervlUe    I  June 

Newark    Dec. 

Murray   Hill    May 

Lakewood     '  June 

Puyallup.    Wash.    iMar. 

J  amesburg    May 

Red    Bank    May 

New    Egypt    May 

Mt.   View    Feb. 

Burlington    Apr. 

Plainfleld    May 

New  York  City 'June 

Verona    June 

Barnegat    I  June 

Plainfleld    |May 

Englewood   June 


Rutherford  .... 
New  York  City 
Chatham     


June 
Jane 
June 


Fall   webworm    

Oriental   peach  moth 


Hoboken    Mar. 

Woodbury Mar. 

Trenton  June 

Woodbridge    Nov. 

Old   Bridge    May 

Rlngoes     Jan. 

New  York  City May 

Leonia   Nov. 

Vineland   Apr. 


Elizabeth    

German  Valley 
Montreal.  Can. 
Union  Hill    


Mar. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
Apr. 
Hollis,  N.  Y Apr. 


Paterson 
Hammonton     . . . 

Bayonne    

Bast  Orange   ..,. 
New  Brunswick 
Middletown    . .    . 


Apr. 
Apr. 
Apr. 
Apr. 
May 
Mar. 


26 


24 

6 

21 

11 

24 

20 

4 

11 

1 

4 

26 

25 
28 
31 

6 
28 
28. 
81 
26 
26 
20 
22 
22 
26 
24 
24 

6 
11 
14 
29 

4 

4 
17 

4 


13 
IS 
26 

6.  '17 

8 
14 
'28 

6.   '17 

9 

6 
26 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

6 

8 
27 
20 


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2o8        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

L.BPIDOPTBRA— Continued 


Latin  Name 

Lepidoptera 

Macronoctua  onueta.  Clem. 
Marmara   sallotella   Clem.  ., 
Melittia  Mityrlniformis  Hbn. 


Noctuldas   sp 

OzyptlluB  pertacelldactylus 

Fitch 


Common   Name 

Caterpillar   

Iria  borer   

Leaf   miner    

Squash   borer    


Cut    worms 


Grape  plume   

9rape  plume  moth 


Phlyct«nla    rublffalla   Quen 
Polychrosie    viteana    Clem    . 
Sanninoidea  exltiosa  Say.    . . 


Thyrldopteryx  ephemer«formi» 
Steph 


Oreen  house  leaf  tier 
jorapeberry  moth  .... 
',  Peach   borer    


Vanessa  antiopa  Linn. 


Locality 

Summit    

Princeton    

Verona     

So.    Orange    .... 

Newark     

Chatham 

Passaic    

Newton    


Date 


Clifton     . . . . 
Lyndhurst    . 
Cranford  . 
Paterson 

Paterson    

Summit   

SomervlIIe    . 
Cranford   . . . 
Moorestown 
So.    Orange 
Ocean  Port 


Bag  worm    Maple  Shade 

Tea  neck    . . . . 

Sewell    

••         ••       t*'nion     

••       Swedesboto    . 

Mourning  cloak  butter-  j 

fly  Moorestown    . 


'Jan. 

21 

JMay 

SS 

Mar. 

IS 

May 

S2 

May 

SI 

June 

4 

June 

C 

May 

22 

Way 

1« 

May 

21 

May 

22 

May 

28 

June 

10 

Peb. 

4 

Mar. 

8 

Jan. 

28 

FM». 

27 

Apr. 

18 

May 

IC 

Mar. 

15 

Mar. 

If 

Mar. 

25 

Apr. 

24 

June 

25 

Apis  mellifera  Linn. 


Camponotus  herculeanua  penn- 
sylvanicus.    DeG. 

DiastrophuB   niger   Bass    

Evania  appendigaster  Linn.    . . 


Formlcida?  sp 

Pteronus   rlbesl   Scop. 


Hymenoptera 

Honey  Bee   


Andover 
Vlneland 


Carpenter   Ant    

(Jail  fly    

Parasite  on  eggs  of 

cockroach 
Ants   


Currant-worm 


May 


Oxford  . . 
Freehold 


Camden  . . . . 
Newark     . . 
Woodbury  . . 
Toms  River 
River  Edge 
Arlington    . . 


Anopheles  crucians  Wied. 


Dlptera 

I  Malaria    mosquito    Cape    May 


Anopheles    sp 

Cecldomyla  occellaris  O.  8. 
Cullcidce   sp 


Maple   leaf  spot. 
Mosquitoes    


Lasioptera  vitis  O.  S.    .. 
Pegomyla  vicina  Lintn. 


{Potato   gall 


Phorbia  brassicse  Bouche 


'*  ceptorum  Meade 

Psychoda  alternata  Say.    . . 


Spinach  or  beet  leaf 

miner 


Cabbage  maggot 


Onion    maggot    ....... 

Sprinkling  sewage  filter 
fly 


Bound  Brook  . . . 
New  York  City  . . 
Harrisburg,   Pa.    . 

Wash.,  D.  C 

Philadelphia.  Pa. 
Tupelo,  Miss.  . . . 
Sibley.    Miss.    .... 

Pt    Pleasant    

River    Edge     .  . . . 


New  York  City 

Newark 

Montclair    

Summit   

Allenwood     . . . . 


Jan. 

8 

Jan. 

1» 

1 
Mar. 

30 

June 

26 

May 

8 

May 

IC 

June 

14 

June 

26 

Mar. 

27 

Apr. 

24 

Mar. 

28 

Mar. 

28 

Apr. 

4 

June 

4 

Mar. 

25 

Mar. 

29 

Mar. 

SO 

Mar. 

SO 

Apr. 

1 

May 

SI 

jJuae 

19 

May 

85 

IJune 

20 

May 

20 

Juna 

26 

Feb. 

21 

Trenton   Fel). 


Mus  norvegicus 


MAMMALS 

Brown   rat    Toms    River 


Dec.       20.  '17 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  209 


INSECTS  OF  THE  YEAR 

Plant  Lice 

This  vear,  as  last,  orchard  and  vegetable  plant  lice  have  been  very 
abundant.  Without  doubt  this  is  correlated  with  the  cool  weather 
which  prevents  the  parasitic  enemies  of  these  insects  from  destroying 
them.  While  our  knowledge  of  substances  to  be  used  for  the  destruc- 
tion of  these  lice  is  fairly  complete  and  satisfactory,  our  information 
on  the  type  of  machinery  that  should  be  used  in  controlling  the 
vegetable  species  is  exceedingly  limited.  Furthermore,  the  spra)ring 
practice  of  apple  orchardists  and  of  vegetable  growers,  with  a  few 
exceptions,  does  not  even  approximate  our  knowledge  of  what  should 
be  done.  We  are  faced  with  the  problem  of  putting  the  necessary 
information  on  control  of  these  species  before  our  people  in  such  a 
way  thaft  they  can  take  it  up  and  do  the  work  efficiently. 

Flea  Beetles 

This  year,  as  for  a  number  of  years  past,  the  cucumber  and  tomato 
flea  beetles,  Epitrix  cucumeris  Harr.  and  Epitrix  fuscula  Cr.,  have 
been  extraordinarily  abundant  and  have  done  a  large  amount  of 
damage  to  potatoes  and  tomatoes.  Unfortunately  our  knowledge  of 
methods  of  controlling  these  insects  is  in  an  unsatisfactory  state. 
We  have  nothing  at  present  which  will  prevent  approximately  100 
per  cent  of  the  damage.  Careful  and  thorough  applications  of  Bor- 
deaux in  such  a  way  as  to  cover  all  parts  of  the  infested  plants  will 
eliminate  a  large  percentage  of  the  injury.  With  ordinary  spraying 
practice  about  50  per  cent  of  the  damage  can  be  prevented,  but, 
by  more  thorough  treatments  a  larger  percentage  of  the  damage 
can  be  prevented.  Applications  of  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur  dust 
made  up  at  the  rat6  of  i  to  5  form  an  efficient  protection  against 
these  beetles,  provided  the  coating  is  maintained.  Further  work 
of  an  investigational  nature  is  without  doubt  needed  on  these  species. 

Oriental  Peach  Moth 

Through  work  financed  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Agri- 
culture and  carried  out  in  cooperation  with  the  state  entomologist 
of  the  New  Jersey  State  Department  of  Agriculture,  the  area  of 
distribution  of  the  Oriental  Peach  Moth  (Laspeyresia  tnolestd)  is 
now  known  to  include  Middletown  and  New  Brunswick  as  well  as 
Rutherford  and  Springfield.  In  the  first-named  section  damage  by 
this  insect  may  prove  to  be  very  large.  In  view  of  the  serious  out- 
look for  damage  and  the  lack  of  information  on  successful  measures 
of  control,  Dr.  Peterson  has  begun  an  investigation  of  this  insect. 


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210        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Horse-radish  Flea-beetle 

For  several  years  the  horse-radish  flea-beetle  (Phyllotreta  armor- 
aciae  Fab.)  has  been  giving  a  great  deal  of  trouble  to  growers  of 
this  vegetable  in  the  Brookdale  section.  It  seems  to  emerge  from 
winter  quarters  in  the  spring,  just  as  the  horse-radish  sprouts  are 
coming  through  the  ground,  and  to  consume  them  at  such  a  rate 
as  to  greatly  delay  and  partly  destroy  the  crop.  This  year  some 
tests  were  made  of  substances  to  destroy  it  and  of  substances  to 
prevent  its  work.  Pieces  of  horse-radish  root  sliced  and  treated  with 
Paris  green  suspended  in  water  were  scattered  about  the  field  and 
large  numbers  of  the  beetles  were  killed.  The  growing  tips  were 
coated  with  sulfur,  with  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur  i  to  5,  and  with 
hydrated  lime.  The  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur  seemed  to  give  the 
best  protection,  although  the  plants  treated  with  lime  were  not 
seriously  troubled.  Blowing  machinery  was  prepared  to  carr>-  on 
more  extended  experiments  against  this  insect,  but  the  plants*  started 
off  quickly  and  outgrew  the  injury  to  such  an  extent  that  there  was 
no  opportunity  for  carrying  out  further  experiments. 

Seed  Com  Maggot 

This  year  experiments  for  the  control  of  the  seed  corn  maggot 
(Pegomyia  fusiceps)  similar  to  those  outlined  in  the  1917  report 
were  carried  out.  The  data  are  not  at  hand  at  this  time  and  cannot 
therefore  be  included. 

INVESTIGATIONS 

Pear  Psylla 

In  the  report  for  191 6  the  entomologist  recommended  the  follow- 
ing procedure  against  the  pear  psylla. 

1.  Scraping  the  rough  bark  from  the  trees  in  late  fall  or  early 
winter. 

2.  Thorough  spraying  of  the  trees  during  a  warm  spell,  after 
the  scraping  had  been  completed,  when  the  psylla  could  be  found 
walking  stiffly  over  the  tree  trunks  and  branches ;  with  either  winter- 
strength  soluble  oil  or  40  per  cent  nicotine  [i  to  500  plus  soap  2 
pounds  (soft  water)  or  4  or  5  pounds  (hard  water)  to  50  gallons] 
just  before  the  buds  burst. 

3.  Thorough  spraying  with  winter-strength  lime-sulfur  just  as  the 
flower  buds  begin  to  open. 

It  was  explained  that  No.  i  was  intended  to  deprive  the  psylla 
of  winter  cover.  No.  2  to  kill  the  adults,  and  No.  3  to  destroy  the 
eggs  laid  by  the  over-wintering  brood 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  211 

The  work  of  1917  served  to  show  that  some  of  the  over-wintering 
psylla  had  not  completed  egg-laying  by  the  time  No.  3  had  to  be 
applied,  for  eggs  were  found  after  the  blossoms  had  opened  and 
indeed  after  they  had  fallen. 

In  the  report  for  1917  the  results  of  work  against  the  psylla  in 
three  different  orchards  were  set  forth  as  follows;  'The  facts 
gathered  during  this  season's  experience  seem  to  show  conclusively 
Siat  while  the  number  of  psylla  destroyed  by  treatments  at  present 
recommended  may  sufficiently  reduce  the  insect  to  prevent  serious 
staining  of  the  fruit,  damage  will  in  all  probability  be  done  to  the 
foliage,  and  with  a  favorable  season  to  the  fruit  itself." 

Collins  Orchard.  For  some  years  this  orchard  has  been  suffering 
from  psylla.  Last  year  a  determined  effort  was  made  to  conquer 
it.  A  small  part  was  scraped,  practically  all  was  winter-sprayed, 
and  all  was  given  the  treatment  with  winter-strength  lime-sulfur  just 
before  the  flower  buds  burst.  The  net  result  was  such  a  reduction 
of  psylla  as  to  permit  the  production  of  a  crop  of  fruit  practically 
free  from  staining.  This  year  the  scraping  was  extended,  the  winter 
spraying  omitted  and  the  spring  application  made.  The  net  result 
thus  far  has  been  a  heavy  infestation  of  psylla  in  the  third  week  in 
June.  The  control  this  year  is  not  nearly  so  good  as  that  effected 
last  year.  This  bears  out  the  importance  of  the  omitted  winter 
treatment.  In  the  1917  report  the  following  statement  bearing  on 
this  point  occurs:  "The  difference  between  the  trees  of  the  un- 
scraped  blocks  that  were  treated  with  both  scalecide  and  commercial 
lime-sulfur  and  those  that  were  treated  with  commercial  lime-sulfur 
alone  was  much  greater  than  the  difference  between  the  twice- 
sprayed  unscraped  and  the  twice-sprayed  scraped  trees.  This  in- 
dicated, as  might  be  expected,  that  the  dormant  spraying  with  scale- 
cide was  much  more  important  than  the  scraping."  These  facts 
indicate  rather  clearly  that  with  the  methods  of  spraying  now  in 
use  in  this  orchard  reasonably  satisfactory  control  can  not  be  had 
without  the  winter  spray. 

During  the  last  week  in  June  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  what  could 
be  done  with  summer  treatments  two  blocks  of  three  rows  were 
sprayed;  one  with  40  per  cent  nicotine  (i  to  500)  and  soap  (2 
pounds  to  50  gallons)  and  another  with  lime-sulfur  (summer 
strength)  and  40  per  cent  nicotine  (i  to  500).  In  neither  case  was 
a  sufficienfv  high  percentage  destroyed,  but  better  results  came  from 
the  latter  than  from  the  former.  It  was  felt  that  the  thoroughness 
of  the  treatment  was  not  sufficient  to  justify  dismissal  of  the  measure 
as  a  useless  expenditure  of  time  and  money.  The  application  of  a 
lime  and  of  a  lime  and  sulfur  dust  was  made  but  seemed  absolutely 
ineffective,  the  particles  riding  upon  the  globules  of  honey-dew  with- 
out in  any  apparent  way  interfering  with  the  health  or  prosperity 
of  the  psylla  nymphs  underneath. 


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212        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Taylor  Orchard.  The  psylla  has  been  on  the  increase  in  this 
orchard  for  a  period  of  several  years,  and  no  eflfective  efforts  have 
been  made  to  control  it.  The  trees  were  neither  scrapedvjior  winter- 
sprayed  but  were  rather  thorou^ly  coated  just  before  blossoming 
with  winter-strength  lime-sulfur.  When  examined  the  second  week 
in  June,  few  psylla  could  be  found. 

Lippincott  Orchard.  Three  years  ago  last  winter  the  J.  L.  Lippin- 
cott  Co.  applied  for  help  against  psylla.  A  portion  of  the  orchard 
was  scraped,  a  part  winter-sprayed  and  all  treated  with  winter- 
Strength  lime-sulfur  just  before  the  blossoms  opened.  Examin- 
ations later  in  the  season  showed  that  decidedly  the  best  results 
came  from  that  portion  of  the  orchard  which  was  both  scraped  and 
winter-sprayed,  and  that  the  unscraped  trees  which  received  the 
winter  spraying  were  cleaner  than  those  which  did  not.  During 
each  of  the  following  seasons  the  scraped  block  was  extended  and 
both  winter  and  spring  treatments  were  applied.  Each  year  the 
control  of  the  psylla  has  grown  better  until  this  year  during  the 
fore-part  of  the  season  it  seemed  practically  perfect.  When  examin- 
ations were  made  during  the  second  week  in  June  no  specimens  of 
psylla  could  be  found. 

From  these  results  we  may  draw  in  the  following  conclusions: 

1.  All  three  treatments  are  important  and  where  psylla  is  bad 
none  should  be  neglected. 

2.  The  least  important  is  the  scrapinjg. 

3.  Faithful  annual  practice  of  the  winter  and  spring  spraying 
accompanied  by  as  much  scraping  as  may  be  necessary  to  keep  the 
trees  clean  will  bring  the  psylla  under  reasonably  satisfactory 
control 

4.  Thoroughness  of  coating  coupled  with  the  proper  time  of  ap- 
plication is  absolutely  essential  to  success. 


Plum  Curculio 

There  have  been  so  many  failures  to  control  this  insect  by  our 
better  apple  growers  during  the  last  few  years  that  the  entomologist 
gave  the  matter  close  attention  during  the  present  season.  Last 
year's  study  showed  clearly  that  failure  to  control  resulted  from  the 
fact  that  the  insect  made  its  attack  after  the  blossom-fall  spray 
coating  had  been  largely  eliminated  by  the  weather  and  especially 
by  the  rapid  growth  of  the  fruit  and  before  the  ten-days-after- 
blossom-fall  spray  had  been  applied.  To  close  up  this  gap  the  spray 
schedule  was  this  year  amended  by  the  following  note:  "When 
curculio  injury  is  likely  to  be  severe  it  is  recommended  that  No.  4 
be  applied  7  days  after  the  petals  fall  and  repeated  10  days  later," 
The  nature  of  this  variation  is  set  forth  in  the  following  table. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  213 

1917  Schedule  1918  Schedule 

1.  Before   the   buds   swell.      If         1.  Same  as  1917. 
aphis   e^gs    are    present  on    the 

trees  delay  this  treatment  until 
budis  show  green,  hut  complete 
same  without  fail  before  the  lit^ 
tie  leaves  stick  out  like  tiny  squir- 
rel's ears. 

2.  As  blossoms  first  show  color.         2.  Same  as  1917. 

3.  Directly  after  the  petals  fall.         3.  Same  as  1917. 

4.  Ten  days  after  blossoms  fall.         4.  7  days  after  blossoms  fall. 

5.  June  20th  to  30th  for  all  fall         5.  17  days  after  blossoms  fall, 
and  winter  varieties. 

6.  June  20th  to  30th  for  aU  fall 
and  winter  varieties. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  plum  curculio  is  in  the  orchard  and  able 
to  do  damage  usually  from  the  time  the  petals  fall  until  a  period 
of  one  month  has  passed  by.  This  would  mean  that  the  spray 
coating  of  fruit  and  foliage,  particularly  of  the  former,  should  be 
maintained  throughout  this  period.  Experience  of  the  past  several 
years  clearly  indicates  that  ordinarily  under  our  conditions  the 
damage  is  done  in  a  few  days  sometimes  within  ten  days  after  the 
blossoms  fall.  This  may  be  due  to  the  fact  that  the  coating  after 
the  ten-days-after-blossoms-fall  spraying  is  maintained  much  better 
than  before  that  treatment.  The  entomologist  is  not  clear  on  this 
point  but  feels  from  relatively  incomplete  observations,  which  he 
has  been  able  to  make  that  this  condition  is  due  more  to  the  habit 
of  the  insect  than  to  the  more  complete  coating. 

This  year  those  who  have  applied  the  extra  spray  with  sufficient 
thoroughness  have  eliminated  the  normal  curculio  damage.  There 
have  been  two  especially  good  examples  of  this  result. 

Mr.  Harr>-  Holcombe,  who  is  running  the  Brisbane  orchards  at 
Allaire,  has  completely  conquered  the  curculio,  although  until  this 
year  these  orchards  have  been  neglected  and  this  insect  allowed  to 
work  at  will.  The  crop  on  unsprayed  apple  trees  on  this  farm  this 
year  has  been  ruined  by  the  curculio.  Mr.  Barclay  Moon,  whose 
apple  orchard  is  located  near  Clementon,  has  succeeded  this  year 
for  the  first  time  in  eliminating  serious  curculio  damage.  Last  year 
the  curculio  took  his  crop.  Both  men  have  closed  up  the  gap  between 
the  blossom-fall  and  the  ten-days-after-blossom-fall  spray  by  the  in- 
troduction of  another  spray  as  outlined  in  the  above  schedule. 

Thoroughness  of  application,  by  means  of  which  the  fruit  and 
foliage  are  kept  well  coated,  is  an  absolutely  necessary  point.  With- 
out this  thoroughness,  control  of  the  insect  can  not  be  had.  The 
material  operates  largely  as  a  repellant  and  the  curculio  will  search 
out  the  uncovered  spots  on  the  apple  fruit  surface. 

Better  results  are  secured  with  a  mixture  of  lime-sulfur  and  ar- 
senate  of  lead  than  with  arsenate  of  lead  alone.  The  lime-sulfur 
seems  to  have  a  repellant  action. 


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214        NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 
Sprinkling  Sewage  FUter  Fly 

{Psychoda  alternata)  Say. 

Thomas  J.  Headlee 

and 
Charles  S.  Beckwith 


Introduction 


This  small  light-colored  mothlike  fly  has  proven  itself  a  serious 
nuisance  wherever  sprinkling  filters  have  been  utilized  for  the  puri- 
fication of  faecal  sewage.  When  the  sprinkling  filters  are  located 
at  great  distances  from  human  habitation  the  matter  seems  to  have 
proven  a  nuisance  only;  but  when  located  within  reach  of  human 
habitation,  a  mile  or  less,  these  flies  penetrate  the  houses,  get  into 
the  foods  and  are  accused  by  the  persons  concerned  of  being  the 
carriers  of  infections  from  which  they  suflfer.  There  seems  to  be 
no  clearcut  evidence  to  show  that  they  are  responsible  for  the  car- 
riage of  infections,  but  in  the  opinion  of  the  part  of  the  public  con- 
cerned they  are  firmly  identified  as  carriers,  and  suits  at  law  have 
been  and  are  always  likely  to  be  filed  against  the  municipality  or 
company  running  such  a  filter  plant. 

The  Joint  Sewer  Committee  of  the  city  of  Plainfield  and  the 
boroughs  of  North  Plainfield  and  Dunnellen,  feeling  that  everything 
possible  should  be  done  to  render  the  sewage  disposal  plant  under 
its  charge  a  pleasant  neighbor  for  the  people  living  in  the  vicinity, 
called  the  senior  author  into  consultation  for  the  purpose  of  finding 
out  a  way  to  eliminate  this  nuisance.  A  survey  of  the  literature 
showed  that  the  only  method  holding  out  any  hope  of  controlling 
the  pest  was  one  embodied  by  Metcalf  and  Eddie  in  their  advice  to 
use  charges  of  hypochlorite  of  lime. 

After  considerable  reflection,  the  senior  author  decided  that  a 
study  of  the  insect  and  its  habits  would  have  to  be  made  and  a  test 
of  the  various  insecticides  instituted. 


Habits  and  Life  History 

The  work  began  when  the  sprinkling  filter  still  had  a  capping  of 
ice.  It  was  found  that  each  piece  of  stone  had  upon  it  a  more  or 
less  complete  amorphous  coating,  which  on  examination  proved  to  be 
exceedingly  complex,  being  composed  of  a  ground  work  or  matrix 
of  gelatinous  material  in  which  and  on  which  were  found  immense 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  215 

numbers  of  bacteria,  algae,  protozoa  (single-celled  animals),  worms 
( unsegmented  and  segmented)  and  arthropods  (principally  Crusta- 
cea and  insects).  The  sprinkling  sewage  filter  fly  was  found  in  the 
maggot  and  pupa  stages  resting  just  in  this  film  with  the  breathing 
tube  or  tubes  projecting  through  the  film  and  securing  atmospheric 
air. 

As  soon  as  possible  the  junior  author  undertook  the  task  of  de- 
termining the  life  history  and  habits.  This  study  contitiued  through 
the  spring  into  the  sumrner.  It  was  found  that  the  principal  species 
concerned  was  Psychoda  alternata  Say,  but  that  during  the  latter 
part  of  April  Psychoda  cinerea  Banks  appeared.  It  was  found  that 
with  the  opening  of  warm  weather  the  flies  emerged  from  the  over- 
wintering piipae  and  larvae  in  such  numbers  that  for  a  period  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  breathe  while  working  at  the  filter  without 
getting  some  of  them  in  the  nose  or  mouth.  After  the  over-winter- 
ing film  had  broken  down  and  sloughed  oflf  and  the  warm  weather 
film  and  begun  to  form  the  flies  rapidly  disappeared  until  they 
became  so  scarce  as  no  longer  to  form  a  nuisance.  Records  of  the 
preceding  summer  (1917)  show  that  with  the  advancement  of  the 
season  the  summer  film  becomes  steadily  heavier  and  the  flies 
more  abundant  until  in  the  month  of  August  when  they  reach  a 
density  greater  even  than  that  of  the  forepart  of  the  warm  season. 

It  seems  that  the  abundance  of  flies  is  correlated  with  the  thickness 
of  the  film.  A  thick  heavy  film  is  normally  accompanied  by  a  tre- 
mendous breeding  of  the  sprinkling  sewage  filter  fly. 

A  study  of  the  food  habits  of  the  maggots  showed  that  the  feeding 
takes  place  in  the  fihn  and  that  the  food  apparently  consists  of 
portions  of  the  film.  This  habit  of  feeding,  of  course,  serves  to 
explain  the  increase  in  fly  breeding  which  accompanies  an  increase 
in  the  thickness  of  the  film. 

The  eggs  are  laid  upon  the  surface  of  the  stone  in  irregular  masses 
of  from  30  to  100.  The  egg  is  about  0.36  mm.  long  and  0.17  mm. 
wide,  oval  in  shape,  white  in  color  and  resembles  under  a  microscope 
nothing  so  much  as  a  very  small  rice  grain.  With  the.  exception  of 
the  yolk,  the  egg  is  almost  transparent.  From  32  to  48  hours  were 
required  for  hatching  at  a  temperature  of  70**F. 

The  larvae  or  maggots  are  very  much  like  mosquito  wrigglers 
and  seem  to  pass  their  existence  in  much  the  same  way.  Soon  after 
hatching  they  make  their  way  into  .the  film  where  they  thrust 
their  breathilig  tubes  through  the  film  itself.  The  number  of  larvae 
on  a  sprinkling  sewage  filter  bed  is  almost  unbelievably  large.  A 
single  square  inch  of  stone  has  been  found  to  accommodate  as  many 
as  sixty  specimens.  The  larvae  are  present  throughout  the  filter 
from  top  to  bottom,  but  they  are  most  abundant  in  the  zone  which 
begins  three  inches  below  the  surface  and  ends  twelve  inches 
below  the  surflace.     The  length  of  the  larval  stage  ranges  from 


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2i6      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

9  to  15  days  under  a  temperature  of  70**F.  The  largest  active  larvae 
taken  at  any  time  in  this  study  was  9.2  mm.  long. 

Transformation  to  the  pupa  takes  place  in  the  location  where 
the  larvae  fed  and  developed.  The  two  breathing  tubes  with  which 
the  pupae  are  furnished  are  thrust  through  the  fihn  where  atmos- 
pheric air  may  be  obtained.  The  pupa,  of  course,  does  no  feeding 
and  is  able  to  move  only  by  jerking  its  abdomen.  The  pupa  is 
about  6  mm.  long,  exclusive  of  the  breathing  tubes,  and  requires 
from  20  to  48  hours  to  complete  development  at  70*  F. 

For  the  sake  of  completeness  the  writers  include  the  notes  on 
the  adult  as  given  by  Dr.  Haseman  (Transactions  of  the  American 
Entomological  Society,  vol.  33,  p.  320)  "These  vary  considerably 
among  themselves,  and  differ  in  many  respects  from  Banks'  descrip- 
tion of  Ps.  altemata,  especially  in  size  and  darker  shade.  The  thorax 
and  anterior  portion  of  abdomen  varies  from  light  yellowish  to 
brownish  black ;  the  posterior  portion  of  the  abdomen  being  lighter. 
In  some  specimens  the  patches  at  the  tips  of  the  veins  are  brown, 
and  the  wings  conspicuously  marked  with  black.  The  patches  at 
the  tip  of  veins  4  and  6  are  usually  bordered  within  with  a  patch  of 
white,  and  sometimes  white  patches  are  present  next  to  other  of  the 
apical  blotches  of  black;  posterior  fringe  almost  one-half  breadth  of 
wing.  The  antennae  are  14-jointed  as  long  as  breadth  of  wing;  the 
first  segment  longer  than  broad,  second  globular  3-12  with  basal 
enlargements  and  slender  pedicles;  pedicle  of  12  short,  but  not  re- 
duced so  m.uch  as  shown  in  figure;  13  spherical,  closely  joined  to 
14,  which  has  a  terminal  spike.  Ventral  plate  almost  as  broad  as 
long,,  cleft  over  half-way  to  base.  Ovipostor  quite  strong,  slightly 
curved,  tapering  gradually  to  rather  acute  tip,  one-fifth  millimeter 
long.  Inferior  male  genitalia  very  long,  slender,  sickle  shaped,  with 
strong  clavate  tenticle  at  tip ;  basis  of  inferior  appendages  with  short 
median  terminal  spike ;  rounded  laterally  and  only  slightiy  tapering 
toward  base;  superior  male  appendages  2-jointed;  basal  segment 
strong  shorter  than  terminal  one,  which  is  slender,  with  acute  tip, 
bearing  short  spinules.  Intromittent  organ  longer  than  terminal 
segment  of  superior  appendages,  slender,  slightly  curved  downward. 
Length  of  wing  1.6-1.75  mm.;  breadth  0.6-0.7  mm." 

Control 

The  habits  of  the  adult  fly  are  such  as  to  preclude  the  control  of 
the  species  through  the  destruction  of  the  mature  form.  Nothing 
short  of  covering  the  filter  with  screening  which  has  been  treated 
with  a  substance  similar  to  tanglefoot  could  be  depended  upon  to 
destroy  the  adult.  The  shutting  off  of  the  air  supply,  which  would 
result  from  covering  the  filters  in  this  way  was  thought  by  the 
engineer  in  charge  to  be  undesirable  from  the  standpoint  of  the 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


217 


effective  operation  of  the  filter.  Furthermore,  the  cost  of  such  an 
installation  would  be  large  and  the  length  of  time  the  netting  would 
remain  effective  would  be  limited. 

The  problem  of  control  seemed  therefore  to  narrow  down  to  a 
question  of  destroying  the  fly  in  its  immature  stages.  In  view  of 
the  fact  that  the  immature  stages  of  the  fly,  with  the  exception 
of  the  egg,  are  passed  in  the  film,  which  is  the  active  agent 
in  the  purificfeition  of  the  sewage,  it  seemed  necessary  to  secure 
an  agent,  which  would  be  selective  in  its  action  in  destroying  the 
iraifiature  stages  of  the  fly  and  not  seriously  injuring  the  other 
components  of  the  film.  A  considerable  number  of  chemicals  were 
tried  in  all  cases  with  a  view  of  determining  the  minimum  dosage 
for  the  fly  and  its  effect  on  the  life  and  activity  of  the  other  ele- 
ments of  the  film.    Tables  i  and  2  show  the  results. 


Table  i 
Results  of  Treatment  of  Filter  Bed  with  Insecticides 


Thick- 
ness of 
Coating 


I 


Borax 


1/2  In. 
1/4  In. 
1/S  in. 
1/16  in. 
1/32  in. 
1/64  in. 
1/128  in. 
1/256  in. 
1/612  In. 
1/1024  in. 


Hypochlorite 
of  Lime 


Larvs  <iead,lArv8d  dead 
Pllm  dead     Pilni  dead 

Larvse  dead  larvae  dead 


Larvse  dead  Larvae  dead 
Film  dead    jFllm  dead 

Larvae  alive  Larvae  dead 
Film  alive     Film  dead 

Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 

Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 

I  Larvae  dead 
iFilm  dead 

Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 


Larve  dead 
Film  dead 


Larvae  dead 
Film  alive 


I 


Stone    Lime 


Copper 
Sulfate 


Iron 
Sulfate 


Pyrethrum 


Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 

Larvae  dead 

I 

I  Larvae  dead 


Film  dead 
I  Larvae  dead 


Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 


! Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 


Larvae  dead      Larvae  dead      Larvae  dead 


I 
Larvae  dead      Larvae  dead 


Larvae  dead      Larvae  dead      Larvae  dead 


I 

I  Larvae  dead 

Film  dead 

Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 

Larvae  alive 
Film  alive 


Larvse  dead 
Film  dead 


Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 


Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 


I/arvae  alive 
Film  aUve 


Larvae  alive 
Film  alive 


Larvae   all  re 
Film   alive 


I  Larvae  dead 
{Film  dead 


Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 


Larvae  alive 
Film  alive 


Larvae  dead 
Film  dead 


liarvae  alive 
Film  alive 


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2i8      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


Table  a 


Results  of  Treatment  of  Filter  Bed  with  Insecticides 

Flooding 


Rate  of 
Treatment 

Carbon 
Bisulflde 

Black    Leaf   40 
Diluted  1-60 

Black  Leaf  40 
Diluted  1-500 

Saturated  Solu- 
tion of  Hellebore 

1   ox.   to   1   sq.   ft 

Larvs  dead 
FUm  dead 

Larvc  dead 
Film  alive 

Larvae  alive 
Film  alive 

Larvae  dead 

%  o«.  to  1  sq.  ft. 

Lanre  dead 
FUm  dead 

I>arve  dead 
Film  alive 

Larvie  alive 
Film  alive 

Larse  Larvae  dead 
Small  Larvae  alive 
Film    active 

^    OS.   to   1   Ml.  ft 

Larvae  dead 

Film  Injured  but 
still   alive 

Larve  dead 
Film  allTe 

Larvae  alive 
Film  alive 

In  general  the  tables  show  that  the  minimum  dosage  for  the  fly 
is  destructive  to  the  film.  Three  materials — hypochlorite  of  lime, 
carbon  bisulfide,  and  40  per  cent  nicotine — gave  some  promise  in 
the  preliminary  tests  outlined  above. 

Forty  per  cent  nicotine,  diluted  with  50  parts  of  water,  was  ap- 
plied to  the  filter  bed  at  the  rate  of  J4  ounce  to  the  square  foot, 
but  it  did  not  kill  the  larvae.  The  filter  in  question  involved  nearly 
80,000  square  feet  of  surface,  representing  a  need  of  20,000  ounces 
of  40  per  cent  nicotine,  or  1,250  pounds,  which  at  present  prices 
would  cost  more  than  three  thousand  dollars  for  material  for  a 
single  treatment.  This  was,  of  course,  sufficient  to  show  that  further 
experiment?  with  a  40  per  cent  nicotine  were  not  worth  while. 

Carbon  bisulfide  was  applied  to  the  filter  at  the  rate  of  54  ounce 
to  the  square  foot,  and  killed  the  film  wherever  it  actually  touched 
it,  but  had  no  eflfect  on  the  fly  3  inches  below  the  surface.  At  this 
rate  1.666  pounds  of  carbon  bisulfide  would  be  necessary  for  a 
single  treatment  involving  an  outlay  at  the  ante  bellum  prices  of 
over  eighty  dollars,  and  at  present  prices  very  much  more. 

The  hypochlorite  of  lime  applied  in  the  same  way,  at  the  rate  of 
as  much  as  roo  pounds  to  the  acre  did  not  materially  aflfect  either 
the  maggots  or  the  film. 

The  diflFerence  in  the  results  obtained  by  treating  the  small  con- 
tainers and  treating  the  filter  bed  is  probably  due  to  the  fact  that 
the  stone  in  the  small  containers  was  necessarily  disturbed  in  being 
removed  from  the  bed  and  placed  in  the  containers,  and  the  film 
more  or  less  injured  in  the  process. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  219 

The  tests  above  outlined  having  turned  out  in  such  an  unsatis- 
factory fashion,  it  was  decided  to  reexamine  the  work  done  by 
Messrs.  Metcalf  and  Eddie  in  the  use  of  hypochlorite  of  lime.  On 
P2^  760  (vol.  3)  of  "American  Sewage  Practice"  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing statement  by  these  authors. 

**It  may  also  be  valuable  in  preventing  the  diffusion  of  objection- 
able odors  from  the  spraying  of  sewage  when  dosing  trickling  filters, 
as  demonstrated  by  John  D.  Watson  at  Birmingham,  EnglaiKl,  (Re- 
port of  the  Metropolitan  Sewerage  Commission  of  New  York,  1914, 
page  188)  in  reducing  organic  growths  tending  to  clog  such  filters 
and  in  killing  the  little  moth  flies  which  thrive  in  and  about  the 
filters.  Its  effectiveness  for  this  purpose  has  been  demonstrated  by 
Harry  J.  Hanmer,  City  Engineer,  •Gloversville,  N.  Y.,  who  has  used 
it  with  some  success,  on  the  advice  of  the  authors.  Twelve  pounds 
of  dry  powder  was  added  to  each  of  three  16,720-gallon  doses  (equiv- 
alent to  28.7  parts  per  1,000,000)  on  one  day,  and  the  same  treatment 
was  repeated  on  the  second  day  thereafter.  The  rate  of  application 
was  approximately  12  pounds  per  acre  per  day,  equivalent  to  about 
12  pounds  per  1,000,000  gallon  per  day.  This  treatment  killed  the 
larvae  and  young  flies  but  did  not  appear  to  kill  the  full-grown  in- 
sects.   It  rraterially  reduced  the  fly  nuisance  about  the  filters." 

Twelve  pounds  of  hypochlorite  of  lime  were  applied  at  the  Plain- 
field  plant  through  the  dosing  tanks  on  one  day  and  the  second  day 
thereafter  the  dose  was  repeated.  About  60  per  cent  of  the  larvae 
disappeared.  It  seemed  as  if  the  first  day's  dosage  killed  or  removed 
a  part  of  the  film  and  that  the  third  day's  dosage  killed  a  large  part 
of  the  larvae.  The  incomplete  kill  resulting  from  this  first  treatment 
led  to  a  trial  of  increased  strength.  Similar  tests  were  made  with 
15,  30  and  50  pounds  per  acre.  The  kill  being  still  incomplete,  the 
50-pound  treatment  was  repeated  three  days  in  succession  and  gave 
a  kill  of  about  85  |>er  cent  of  the  maggots.  Many  of  the  maggots 
appeared  in  the  final  tanks  alive  and  fully  15  per  cent  remained  in 
the  filter  bed  unharmed.  The  film  was  considerably  injured  by  the 
heavier  treatments,  particularly  the  last  one. 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  the  tests  of  chemical  substances  brought  for- 
ward nothing  of  a  satisfactory  nature  for  the  control  of  the  sprink- 
ling sewage  filter  fly. 

Flooding 

The  senior  author  early  in  the  study  brought  into  the  laboratory 
some  of  the  filter  stones,  and,  desiring  to  keep  the  material  on  them 
alive  until  the  following  day,  covered  them  with  tap  water.  When 
he  undertook  to  resume  examination  of  the  film  on  the  following 
day  he  found  that  all  of  the  maggots  of  the  sewage  filter  fly  were 
dead.     This  accidental  observation  when  correlated  with  the  fact 


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220      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

that  the  breathing  tubes  of  the  maggots  and  the  pupae  projected 
through  the  film  in  such  a  way  as  to  enable  the  creatures  to  obtain 
atmospheric  air  led  promptly  to  the  suspicion  that  the  species  could 
be  destroyed  by  drowning. 

Examination  of  the  film  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  effect 
of  the  various  chemicals  upon  it  indicated  that  the  other  animal 
forms  at  least  were  such  as  to  be  resistant  to  such  a  process  and  the 
bacteriological  studies  made  by  various  sewage  disposal  students 
indicated  that  the  bacteria  should  be  able  to  resist  flooding  for  a 
considerable  period  of  time.  It  was  therefore  determined  to  test 
submergen.^e  as  a  possible  method  of  destroying  the  sewage  filter 
fly. 

Accordingly,  a  series  of  experiments  were  undertaken  by  the 
junior  author  to  test  out  this  method  of  destruction.  In  these  ex- 
periments the  filter  stones  with  their  covering  of  film  were  taken 
directly  from  the  filter  bed  and  placed  in  6-inch  burnt-clay  non- 
glazed  flower  pots,  the  drainage  hole  of  which  was  stopped  up.  An 
average  of  about  one  quart  of  stone  was  placed  in  each  pot  and  the 
pots  set  into  the  bed  so  that  their  tops  wete  practically  flush  with 
the  surface.  As  the  spray  played,  the  pots  became  filled  with  water 
and  the  stone  contained  in  them  completely  submerged.  The  length 
of  time  was  the  only  variant.  After  the  treatment  was  completed 
the  stones  were  examined  for  signs  of  life  in  the  larvae  and  pupae. 
The  condition  of  the  film  was  determined  by  making  a  smear  on  a 
glass  slide  and  examing  it  under  the  microscope.  The  active  forms 
of  protozoa  were  used  as  an  index  to  the  life  of  the  film.  Putre- 
faction was  determined  by  odor  only.  Table  3  sets  forth  the  detail 
of  the  results. 


Table  3 


Results  of  Flooding  Experiment  Carried  Out  in  Flower  Pots 


Length  of  time  flooded 


16  hours 

18  hours 

22  hours 

24  hours 

82  hours 

30  hours 

48  hours ' 


Condition   of   Larvae   and 
Pupae 


alive 
alive 
95  per  cent  dead 
dead 
dead 
dead 
dead 


Condition  of  Film 


alive 
alive 
alive 
alive 
alive 
slight  putrefaction 
putrefaction 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  221 

This  set  of  experiments  was  repeated  three  times  with  exactly 
the  same  results.  It  thus  seemed  that  submergence  for  24  hours 
destroyed  100  per  cent  of  the  larvae  and  pupae  and  apparently  did 
not  injure  the  film. 

Realizing  that  the  results  in  the  flower  pots  might  differ  from 
results  of  the  same  treatment  on  the  filter  bed  in  this  case  as  in 
others  cited,  we  asked  the  Joint  Sewer  Committee  to  make  the  neces- 
sary preparations  to  submerge  one  quarter  of  the  filter  bed,  involv- 
ing somewhat  less  than  half  an  acre.  Although  the  problem  of  block- 
ing off  the  drainage  pipes  from  this  section  was  a  difficult  one  it  was 
undertaken  and  carried  out.  The  entire  supply  of  effluent  was 
turned  into  one  dosing  tank  and  run  into  this  quarter  of  the  filter. 
In  3  hour*;  and  30  minutes  after  starting  this  quarter  of  the  bed 
was  submerged.  The  submergence  wfeis  completed  at  1.30  P.  M. 
and  the  water  was  maintained  on  the  bed  continuously  from  that 
time  until  1.30  the  following  day,  when  the  sewage  was  turned 
from  this  quarter  entirely  into  the  other  parts  of  the  bed.  In 
about  two  hours  after  the  sewage  was  turned  off  this  quarter,  some 
of  the  stops  were  knocked  out  of  the  drains  and  samples  of  the 
eflfluent  caught  as  it  came  from  the  treated  section  of  the  bed. 
Thousands  of  larvae  and  pupae,  particularly  larvae  were  swept  out 
and  careful  examinations  of  samples  showed  that  100  per  cent 
were  dead.  For  an  hour  after  this  time  the  senior  and  junior 
authors  watched  the  effluent  as  it  came  from  the  filter  into  the 
final  Imhoff  tank.  Constantly  during  this  period  the  water  swept 
by  well  filled  with  these  dead  larvae  and  a  smaller  number  of  dead 
pupae.  In  no  case  were  any  found  to  be  alive.  This  submergence 
w<as  completed  on  Saturday  aftemocrti.  The  filter  was  allowed 
to  stand  without  water  over  Sunday.  The  following  Monday  the 
stopping  was  all  removed  and  the*  sewage  tuTned  back  on  this 
quarter  o^  the  bed  as  usual.  Tests  of  the  effluent  of  the  filter  for 
a  week  afterward  by  the  manager  of  the  plant,  Mr.  John  R.  Downs, 
indicated  th^t  the  activity  of  the  film  had  been  in  nowise  impaired. 

It  thus  seems  that  the  sprinkling  sewage  filter  fly,  Psychoda  alter^ 
nata,  and  its  less  important  relative  Psychoda  cinerea,  may  be  de- 
stroyed by  the  simple  process  of  submerging  the  sprinkling  sewage 
filter  for  24  hours  with  the  ordinary  sewage  as  delivered  to  the 
sprinkling  niters  without  in  any  way  impairing  the  efficiency  of  the 
film  upon  which  the  activity  and  efficiency  of  the  sprinkling  sewage 
fiher  depends. 


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222      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Cranberry  Investigations 
Introduction 

For  several  reasons  the  conduct  of  the  cranberry  investigations 
was  this  year  turned  over  to  the  department  of  entomolog>%  and 
arrangements  were  made  whereby  the  full  time  of  one  man,  Mr. 
Charles  S.  Beckwith,  could  be  given  to  the  work  throughout  the 
season.  The  following  plan  resulted  from  a  conference  at  Wliites- 
bog,  N.  J.,  called  for  the  purpose  of  outlining  the  problems  in  cran- 
berry culture  which  are  most  in  need  of  investigation.  This  con- 
ference was  participated  in  by  various  largely  interested  cranberry 
growers,  a  representative  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agri- 
culture, the  director  of  the  New  Jersey  Agriculture  Experiment 
Stations,  Mr,  Charles  S.  Beckwith  and  the  Entomologist.  It  was 
decided  that  the  purpose  of  these  investigations  is  to  make  a  search 
for  the  general  principles  upon  which  successful  cranberry  growing 
depends.  It  is  hoped  that  the  first  season's  work  with  this  object 
in  view  may  at  least  afford  some  clue  to  the  methods  which  must  be 
used  in  searching  for  these  principles  and  that  it  may  make  some 
worth-while  contributions  to  the  practical  work  of  cranberry  cul- 
ture. 

It  is  believed  that  the  general  principles  are  concerned  with  the 
plant  itself,  plant-food,  soil  acidity,  soil  water  and  such  limiting 
factors  as  weather,  insects  and  fungi. 

It  was  decided  that  the  problems  of  plant-food,  soil  acidity,  soil 
water  and  insects  should  be  attacked  during  the  present  season  and 
that  problems  concerned  with  the  plant  itself  and  such  limiting 
factors  as  weather  and  fungi  should  be  for  the  present  disregarded. 
This  limitation  was  the  result  of  the  fact  that  the  time  of  the  inves- 
tigators concerned  was  limited.  These  problems  were  chosen  from 
among  the  others  because  studies  had  already  been  begun  on  plant- 
food,  soil  acidity  and  soil  moisture,  and  because  the  department 
was  especially  fitted  to  attack  the  insect  question.  The  problems 
connected  with  strains  and  varieties  of  plants  had  already  received 
sufficient  attention  to  bring  knowledge  on  that  subject  to  a  point  not 
yet  reached  in  plant-food,  soil  acidity  and  soil  moisture,  and  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  is  still  working  on  the 
jiroblems  of  injurious  fungi. 

Plant-Food  Problem 

This  problem  is  attacked  with  the  assumption  that  the  studies 
could  be  so  arranged  as  to  eliminate  the  variables  of  plant  variety 
and  strain,  soil  acidity,  soil  water,  weather,  insects  and  fungi  to  such 
an  extent  as  to  render  the  results  comparable.     Under  these  con- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


223 


ditions  the  plant-food  problem  involves  the  determination  of  opti- 
mum amounts  of  nitrogen,  phosphoric  acid  and  potash  for  each  of 
the  soil  types — Savanah,  mud  and  iron  ore — and  of  the  best  sources 
of  these  foods.  For  five  seasons  studies  of  these  problems  have 
gone  forward  and  it  now  seems  quite  clear  that  while  the  Savanah 
bottom  does  respond,  neither  the  mud  nor  iron  ore  shows  any  benefit 
except  a  slight  one  followed  by  the  application  of  acid  phosphate, 
phosphate  rock,  bone  meal  and  steamed  bone.  In  considering  these 
results,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  applications  were  made  in 
I9I3»  1914*  and  1915,  and  that  because  of  super-abundant  vine 
growth,  no  applications  were  given  in  1916  and  1917.  It  must  also  be 
understood  that  the  results  of  1917  are  not  available,  as  the  man 
who  took  them  was  drafted  and  failed  to  leave  the  data  upon  which 
the  results  could  be  computed. 

Nitrogen 

On  the  Savanah  bottom.  Nitrogen  was  secured  from  four  sources, 
sodiurn  nitrate,  ammonium  sulfate,  dried  blood  and  cotton-seed  meal. 
The  effect  of  nitrogen  from  various  sources  when  applied  alone  is 
shown  in  table  4,  in  which  we  have  an  average  annual  crop  from 
1/20  acre. 

Table  4 

Value  of  Nitrogen  of  Various  Sources 
(Average  for  Four  Years) 


TREATMENT 

Average 
yield 

1  Average  increase 
1        over  check 

1 

14   lbs.   sodium  nitrate   1913-1914-1915 

lbs. 
171.25 

144.37 

185.48 

192.09 
138.42 

lbs. 
32.83 

10   lb«.   ammonium   sulfate   1913-1914-1915 

20  lbs.   dried   blood   1913-1914-1915 

5.95 
47  ng 

80  IbB.  cottonseed  meal  1913-1914-1915 

1              63.67 

Check     

NOTE. — Results    are    taken    by    averaging    ci 

•ops    of    1913. 

1914 

,    1915    and    1916 

together. 


In  the  above  table  cottonseed  meal  is  shown  to  be  the  best  source 
and  ammonium  sulfate  is  shown  to  be  the  poorest  source.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  plants  on  the  ammonium  sulfate  plots  acted  as 


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224      NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

if  they  had  been  poisoned  and  it  is  suspected  that  the  sulfate  was 
transformed  into  sulfuric  acid,  so  increasing  the  acidity  as  seriously 
to  damage  the  plants.  Nitrogen  was  applied  to  Savanah  bottom 
alsn  in  combination  with  phosphoric  acid  and  potash.  The  results 
of  these  applications  are  set  forth  in  table  5  on  the  basis  of  an 
average  yield. 

Table  5 

Summary  of  Complete  Fertilizer  Results,  Nitrc^en  from  Various 
Sources  Being  Used  on  1/20  Acre  Plots 


TREATMENT 


Average 
Plot  I  Average  increase 
Xo.         yield  over 

'     checks 


14    lbs.    sodium    nitrate.    25    lbs.    acid    phosfate,     10    lbs. 
muriate    of    potash 


10  lbs.    ammonium  sulfate,   25    lbs.    acid   phosfate.    10   lbs. 
muriate  of  potash 


30  lbs.    cottonseed    meal,    26    lbs.    acid    phosfate.    10    lbs. 
muriate  of  potash 


Check — nothing 


9 
11 


20  lbs.  dried  blood,  25  lbs.  acid  phosfate,  10  lbs.  muriate 

of  potash )     13 


15 

10 

12 
14 
16 


lbs. 
234.69 

167.92 

287.41 


lbs. 
91.55 

24.78 

144.27 


295.94      ;      152.80 
143.14 


From  table  5,  we  again  note  that  the  greatest  average  increase 
was  made  with  cottonseed  meal  as  the  source  of  nitrogen,  and  that 
the  poorest  return  came  from  ammonium  sulfate. 

On  mud  and  iron  ore  bottoms.  The  returns  from  the  use  of  nitro- 
gen from  all  sources  on  the  mud  and  iron  ore  bottoms  were  so 
unsatisfactory  as  to  render  the  presentation  of  a  tabular  statement 
not  worth  while. 


Phosphoric  Acid 

On  Savanah  bottom.  Phosphoric  acid  was  secured  from  four 
sources:  acid  phosirfiate,  basic  slag,  rock  phosphate  and  steamed 
bone.  The  results  of  the  use  of  phosphoric  acid  from  each  of  these 
sources  applied  separately  are  set  forth  in  table  6. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT. 
Table  6 


22; 


Value  of  Phosphoric  Acid  from  Different  Sources  (Average  for 

4  Years) 


TREATMENT 


25  lbs.  acid  phosphate  1913-1914-1915. 

25  lbs.  ba^ic  slag 

15  lbs.    rock   phosphate 

15  lbs.  steamed  bone 


Average 
yield 

Average  Increase 
over-checks 

lbs. 
198.34 

lbs. 
94.49 

129.28 

25.43 

146.47 

42.62 

142.75 

88.90 

103.86 

• 

Check I 

1 

The  table  indicates  that  the  best  results  came  from  the  use  of 
acid  phosphate  and  the  poorest  from  basic  slag.  Phosphoric  acid 
was  used  also  in  combination  with  other  fertilizers.  The  results  of 
this  trial  are  set  forth  in  table  7. 

Table  7 

Sununary  of  Complete  Fertilizer  Results  with  Phosphoric  Acid 
From  Various  Sources 


TREATMENT 

Plot 
No. 

Average 
yield 

Average 
increase 

26  lbs.  acid  phosphate,  10  lbs.  ammonlwm  sulfate,  10  lbs. 
muriate  of  potash 

1 

9 

27 

29 

31 
26-28 
30-32 

lbs. 
234.69 

249.85* 

208.97 

222.21 
160.61 

n>s. 

91.66 

25  lbs.    basic    slag.     14    lbs.    sodium     nitrate*,     10     lbs. 
muriate  of  potash 

89.24 

15   lbs.   phosphate  rock.   10  lbs.  sodium  nitrate*,    10   lbs. 
muriate  of  potash 

48.811 

23  lbs.    steamed   bone,    10   lbs.    sodium   nitrate*,    10    lbs. 
muriate  of  potash 

61.60 

Check    

*  Sodium  nitrate  was  used  as  a  source  of  nitrogen  on  these  plots  to  prevent  acid 
action  of  ammonium  sulfate  on  basic  slag,  and  this  may  have  been  a  deciding  factor. 

It  thus  appears  that  when  used  in  combination  phosphoric  acid 
from  acid  phosphate  gives  the  best  results,  and  from  phosphate  rock 
the  poorest  results. 


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226      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Mud  and  iron  ore  bottoms.  The  results  of  the  application  of 
phosphoric  acid  in  its  various  combinations  to  mud  and  iron  ore 
bottoms  are  so  variable  as  to  render  their  presentation  not  worth 
while 

Potash 

On  Savanah  bottom.  The  potash  was  secured  from  three  sources, 
muriate  of  potash,  sulfate  of  potash  and  kainit.  % 

Table  8 

Value  of  Potash  from  Different  Sources  on  1/20  Acre  Plots 
(Average  for  4  Years) 


TREATMENT 


Average 
yield 


Average  Increase 
over-d&eeks 


30  lbs.  muriate  of  potash  191S-1914-1916. 
10  lbs.  sulfate  of  potash  1913-1914-1915. 

42  lbs.  kalnlt  1913-1914-1916 

Check 


lbs. 

150.80 

148.84 
144.44 
131.85 


lbs. 
18.95 


16.99 
12.59 


This  table  shows  only  slight  increases;  the  best  coming  from 
muriate  of  potash  and  the  poorest  from  kainit.  Potash  was  used  in 
combination  with  other  fertilizers,  and  results  are  set  forth  in  table  9. 

Table  g 

Summary  of  Results  From  Complete  Fertilizers,  vrith  Potash 
From  Varying  Sources 


TREATMENT 


10    lbs.    muriate   of   potash.    10    lbs.    sulfate   of   ammonia, 
25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   

10   lbs.  of  sulfate  of  potash,   10   lbs.   of  sulfate  of  amonia, 

and 

25  lbs.  acid  phosphate 


I 


I 


lbs. 
9  214.69 

I 


S9 
41 


202.S8 


I        Iba 
91.5S 


42  lbs.    kainit.    10   lbs.   sulfate   of   ammonia,    26    lbs.    acidj 

phosphate    |     41     (     184.19 

*  I  I 

Check    1  40,  42|     14e.71     ! 

I  I    -  I 


65.C7 
17.41 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  227 

The  best  results  here  came  from  the  potash  applied  as  muriate 
and  the  poorest  from  the  potash  applied  as  kainit. 

On  mud  and  iron  ore  bottoms.  The  results  of  potash  applied 
either  alone  or  in  combination  with  other  fertilizers  on  these  types 
of  bottom  are  so  variable  and  unimportant  as  to  render  a  presenta- 
tion of  them  not  worth  while. 

Conclusions  on  Previous  Work  on  Plant-foods  and  Plans  for 

New  Work  »    . 

Certain  facts  stand  out  as  the  results  of  tests  of  1913,  1914,  191 5 
and  1916.  The  fertilizers  gave  marked  results  in  increased  yield  on 
Savanah  bottom.  The  best  results  followed  the  use  of  nitrogen 
and  the  poorest  the  use  of  potash.  On  mud  and  iron  ore  bottoms 
the  results  were  varying  and  unsatisfactory.  The  fertilizers  in 
duced  a  super-abundknt  vine-growth,  indicating  that  the  amount 
applied  was  too  great.  It  was,  therefore,  decided  to  discontinue 
plant-food  treatments  on  mud  and  iron  ore  bottoms  and  to  decrease 
the  amount  annually  applied  to  Savanah  bottom  by  50  per  cent. 
In  accordance  with  this  plan,  the  following  schedule  of  treatments 
has  been  adopted  for  the  Savatiah  bottom  and  the  materials  have 
been  applied. 

Plot  No. 

1.  7  pounds  nitrate  of  soda. 

2.  Nothing. 

3.  5  pounds  ammonium  sulfate. 

4.  Nothing. 

5.  10  pounds  dried  blood. 

6.  Nothing. 

7.  15  pounds  cottonseed  meal. 

8.  Nothing. 

9.  7  pounds  nitrate  of  soda,  I2j4  pounds  acid  phosphate. 
ID.  Nothing. 

11.  S  pounds  ammonium  sulfate,  i2j/$  pounds  acid  phosphate. 

12.  Nothing. 

13.  10  pounds  dried  blood,  I2j4  pounds  acid  phosphate. 

14.  Nothing. 

15.  15  pounds  cottonseed  meal,  I2j4  pounds  acid  phosphate. 

16.  Nothing. 

17.  I2j4  pounds  acid  phosphate. 

18.  Nothing. 

19.  I2>^  pounds  basic  slag. 

20.  Nothing. 

21.  yyi  pounds  rock  phosphate. 

22.  Nothing. 

23  7J/2  pounds  steamed  bone. 


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228      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 

24.  Nothing. 

25.  15  pounds  bone  meal  (2-30)  5  pounds  ammonium  sulfate. 

26.  Nothing. 

2^  i2j/$  pounds  basic  slag,  7  pounds  nitrate  of  soda. 

28.  Nothing. 

29.  7J4  pounds  phosphate  rock,  5  pounds  ammonium  sulfate. 

30.  Nothing. 

31.  7 J/^  pounds  steamed  bone,  5  pounds  ammonium  sulfate. 

32.  Nothing,    f 

33.  Nothing. 

34.  Nothing. 

35.  Nothing. 
'^,  Nothing. 

37.  Nothing. 

38.  Nothing. 

39.  7  pounds  nitrate  of  soda,  I2j4  pounds  acid  phosphate. 

40.  Nothing. 

41.  7  pounds  nitrate  bf  soda,  I2j4  pounds  of  acid  phosphJate. 

42.  Nothing 

Soil  Acidity 

At  the  outset  of  the  plant-food  studies  in  1913,  the  assumption 
that  the  degree  of  acidity  favorable  to  the  growth  and  productive- 
ness of  the  cranberry  plant  was  unimportant  so  long  as  the  soil  is 
at  all  acid,  was  thought  worthy  of  test.  Some  very  small  plots 
V 1/200  acre  in  size)  were  laid  out  on  the  Savanah  and  mud  bottoms 
and  treated  with  copper  sulfate,  manganese  sulfate,  sulfur,  ground 
limestone  and  ground  burned  lime.  This  treatment  was  repeated 
in  1914  and  the  results  on  the  yields  were  taken  in  191 5  and  1916. 

On  Savanah  bottom.  Copper  sulfate  was  applied  at  the  rate  of 
25  pounds,  50  pounds  and  100  pounds  per  acre.  The  25  pounds 
and  100  pounds  showed  slight  increases  and  the  50  pounds  showed 
rather  larger  decreases.  The  variation  in  results  is  within  the 
limits  of  experimental  error  and  it,  therefore,  seems  proper  to  assume 
that  the  copper  sulfate  showed  no  pfeirticular  effect.  The  manganese 
sulfate* was  applied  at  the  rate  of  100  pounds,  200  pounds,  400 
pounds  and  800  pounds.  The  results  are  like  those  of  the  copper 
sulfate.  Grotmd  sulphur  was  applied  at  the  rate  of  100  pounds.  200 
pounds,  400  pounds  and  800  pounds.  The  first  two  showed  variable 
results  but  the  last  two  showed  a  decided  reduction  in  yield  and  at 
one  point  completely  destroyed  the  cranberry  plants.  The  ground 
limestone  was  applied  at  the  rate  of  1,000  pounds,  2,000  pounds, 
4,000  pounds  and  8,000  pounds  per  acre.  In  191 5  all  ground  lime- 
stone applications  showed  a  decided  increase  in  yield,  but  in  1916 
the  returns  were  small  and  variable.    This  is  probably  due  to  the 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  229 

short  crop  in  191 6.  The  ground  burned  limestone  was  applied  at 
the  rate  of  500  pounds,  1,000  pounds,  2,000  pounds  and  4,000 
pounds.  In  1915  practically  all  showed  benefit,  the  1,000-pound 
treatment  giving  the  best  results.  In  1916  the  gains  were  small  and 
tincertain. 

On  mud  bottoms.  The  results  of  treatment  on  mud  bottoms  were 
much  the  same  as  those  on  the  Savanah  bottoms,  although  the  in- 
creases were  not  so  pronounced. 

It  thus  appears  that  the  copper  sulfate  and  manganese  sulfate, 
both  of  which  would  nof  only  certainly  not  decrease  but  would 
probably  increase  the  acidity,  do  not  increase  the  crop  and  in  some 
cases  actually  largely  decrease  it.  It  also  appears  that  lime  tends 
to  increase  the  .crop  both  on  Savanah  and  mud  bottoms.  From  these 
facts  we  may  conclude  that  the  present  degree  of  soil  acidity  is  too 
high  and  that  the  optimum  crop  results  are  likely  to  follow  a  re- 
duction. 

Accordingly,  this^  year  a  series  of  i/20-acre  plots  were  laid  out 
on  savanah  and  mud  bottoms  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the 
amount  of  lime  needed  to  produce  the  optimum  degree  of  acidity. 
A  test  of  the  sources  of  Hme  was  included  by  using  non-magnesium 
and  magnesium  lime  rock  and  Iburned  lime.    The  plan  follows : 

July  5,  1918. 

Lime  applications  were  made  to  the  Savanah  series  of  lime  plots 
which  were  newly  laid  out  last  week.  Lime  plots  consist  of  ten 
i/20-acre  plots,  each  i  rod  wide  and  8  rods  long  numbered  from 
east  to  west.    Applications  were  as  follows: 

Plot  No. 

1.  Nothing. 

2.  50  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (non-magnesium). 

3.  50  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (magnesium). 

4.  Nothing. 

5.  100  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (non-magnesium). 

6.  100  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (magnesium). 

7.  Nothing. 

8.  200  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (non-magnesium). 

9.  200  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (magnesium). 
10.  Nothing. 

July  fifth  was  slightly  cloudy  and  the  light  breezes  blew  from  the 
west.    There  was  a  full  bloom  on  the  cranberry  plants. 

July  6,  T918. 

Lime  applications  were  made  to  the  mud  series  of  lime  plots 
newly  laid  out  last  week.  Lime  plots  consisted  of  ten  1/20  acre 
plots,  each  i  rod  wide  and  8  rods  long,  numbered  from  the  east 
to  the  west.    Applications  were  as  follows: 


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230      NEW   JERSEY.  AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Plot  No. 

1.  Nothing. 

2.  so  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (non-magnesium). 

3.  50  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (magnesium). 

4.  Nothing. 

5.  100  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (non-magnesium). 

6.  100  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (magnesium). 

7.  Nothing. 

8.  200  pounds  pulverized  limestone   (non-magnesium). 

9.  200  pounds  pulverized  limestone  (magnesium). 
10.  Nothing. 

The  plants  were  just  past  full  bloom,  a  heavy  mat  of  vines  was 
on  the  ground  and  some  spots  had  a  little  g^ass  growing  through. 
The  day  was  cloudy.     There  was  a  very  slight  east  wind. 

Soil  Moisture 

The  fact  that  differences  in  plant  growth  of  both  the  cranberry 
plants  and  of  the  weeds  (grass  and  weeds)  which  aflfect  them,  seem 
to  be  correlated  with  the  height  of  water  table  and  soil  moisture, 
led  to  the  formation  of  a  plan  to  investigate  the  underlying  causes. 
Of  course,  the  first  step  in  a  study  of  this  sort  is  to  establish  the 
fact  and  the  degree  of  correlation  that  appears  to  exist. 

For  this  purpose  a  piece  of  bog  having  both  Savanah  and  mud 
bottoms  and  both  well  and  poorly  drained  sections  was  chosen. 
Thirty  points  arranged  in  three  lines  running  crosswise  over  the 
different  types  of  bottoms  are  to  be  laid  out.  At  each  point  a  heavy 
survey  stake  is  to  be  driven  in.  The  tops  of  these  stakes  will  be  set 
to  common  level  and  will  correspond  to  the  water  level  of  the  Swain 
drainage  ditch  at  the  outlet.  Data  on  the  height  of  water  table,  the 
amount  of  soil  moisture  for  each  inch  between  the  surface  and  the 
water  table,  and  the  species  and  vigor  of  plants  will  be  taken  at 
least  once  each  week  throughout  the  season. 

The  data  taking  will  close  with  the  flooding  of  the  bogs  and  the 
results  will  be  correlated. 


Insect  Enemies 

The  work  on  insects  this  year  will  be  of  a  general  survey  nature, 
with  especinl  attention  to  tip  worm  and  others  as  the  occasion  de- 
mands. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  231 

Eggs  of  Apple  Aphides 

Alvah  Peterson 

During  the  dormant  season  of  1916-17,  a  careful  preliminary 
study  was  made  of  the  eggs  of  three  species  of  aphides  found  on 
apple  trees,  Aphis  averus  Fabr.,  Aphis  potni  De.  G.,  and  Aphis  sorbi 
Kalt.  Particular  attention  was  paid  to  the  structure  of  the  egg 
covering  and  the  behavior  of  the  eggs  during  the  hatching  period 
and  their  response  to  environmental  factors  such  as  moisture  and 
temperature  and  to  common  contact  insecticides  and  other  chemicals. 
During  the  past  season  (1917-18)  these  studies  were  continued  with 
the  eggs  of  A,  auence  (the  eggs  of  A,  Potpvi  and  A.  sorbi  were  not 
available).  A  preliminary  report  on  the  results  obtained  during 
1916-17  may  be  found  in  the  December  number  (1917)  of  the  Jour- 
nal of  EconcMmc  Entomology  and  a  more  complete  report  in  Bul- 
letin 332  of  the  New  Jersey  Agricultural  Experiment  Stations.  In 
this  report  only  a  summary  of  the  new  and  most  important  features 
of  the  investigation  will  be  given. 

A  morphological  study  of  the  eggs  of  all  three  species  of  apple 
plant  lice  shows  two  distinct  layers  in  the  egg  shell,  a^  outer,  semi- 
transparent  layer  which  is  soft  and  glutinous  when  the  egg  is  de- 
posited, but  hardens  and  becomes  tough  (may  be  brittle)  and  im- 
pervious upon  long  exposure  to  weather,  and  an  inner  soft,  elastic, 
black  membrane.  A  third  layer,  thin  and  membraneous,  may  be  seen 
about  the  nymph  when  it  starts  to  emerge.  This  is  probably  the 
first  cast  skin  (exuvium)  of  the  growing  nymph. 

The  outer  layer  about  the  egg  usually  splits  along  the  dorso-mesal 
line  a  number  of  days  before  the  nymph  emerges.  The  eggs  of 
A,  avencB  show  a  split  outer  layer  2  to  30  days  or  more  before  the 
inner  pigmented  layer  is  severed  by  the  nymph.'  In  1918  the  first 
eggs  of  A.  avenae  split  their  outer  coverings  on  February  15  and 
when  the  first  nymphs  emerged  on  March  21,  approximately  95 
per  cent  of  the  normal  live  eggs  (45-50  per  cent  of  the  eggs  were 
dead)  showed  a  split  outer  semi-transparent  covering.  The  increase 
in  the  number  of  eggs  that  showed  a  split  outer  layer  was  gradual 
and  progressive  from  the  first  warm  days  after  February  15  until 
the  nymphs  emerged.  So  far  as  observed  no  nymph  hatches  without 
splitting  the  outer  layer  at  least  48  hours  or  more  before  it  severs 
the  inner  pigmented  elastic  membrane. 

The  observations  on  the  morphology  and  behavior  of  the  egg 
coverings  show  conclusively  that  the  egg  is  not  a  hard  resistant 
body  and  that  it  goes  through  a  critical  change  pTrevious  to  the 
emergence  of  the  nymph.  It  is  in  the  midst  of  these  changes  or 
critical  period  that  the  egg  is  most  susceptible  to  evaporating  factors 
and  certain  contact  insecticides. 


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232      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

The  outer  semi-transparent  layer  of  the  egg  is  somewhat  imper- 
vious to  water,  consequently,  the  water  content  of  the  embryo  does 
not  evaporate  as  rapidly  in  moist  weather  or,  in  other  words,  when 
low  evaporating  factors  exist,  such  as  high  humidity,  low  tem|>er- 
ature  and  probably  small  wind  velocity.  The  outer  layer  however, 
is  not  entirely  impervious,  for  extreme  drought  will  cause  the  vast 
majority  (95  to  100  per  cent)  of  normal  eggs  to  shrivel  and  never 
hatch.  In  brief,  low  humidity,  high  temperature  and  probably  high 
winds  cause  the  evaporation  of  the  water  content  of  the  embryo 
within  the  egg  and  thus  destroy  a  large  number  of  them. 

The  inner  pigmented  (black)  layer  of  the  egg  is  not  an  efficient 
protector  against  evaporation.  Numerous  and  varied  experiments 
at  the  laboratory  and  observations  made  on  the  percentage  of 
hatched  eggs  of  A.  avenae  during  the  two  totally  different  seasons 
of  1917  and  1918  show  conclusively  the  pervious  nature  of  this 
layer. 

The  eggs  are  most  susceptible  to  evaporating  factors  and  contact 
insecticides  during  the  latter  part  of  March  and  the  first  part  of 
April  or,  in  other  words,  when  the  greatest  number  show  a  split 
outer  layer,  and  this  occurs  when  the  first  nymphs  commence  to 
emerge. 

Experiments  conducted  in  the  laboratory  in  incubators  under 
controlled  temperatures  and  percentages  of  moisture  and  also  ex- 
periments where  eggs  of  A.  avence  were  kept  out-of-doors  during 
the  critical  period  (February  15  to  March  31,  especially  important 
March  15-31)  in  1917  which  was  cold  and  wet,  and  in  1918  which 
was  warm  and  dry,  show  conclusively  that  the  percentage  of  hatched 
eggs  is  much  higher  in  a  low  evaporating  (cold  and  wet)  environ- 
ment than  in  a  high  evaporating  (warm  and  dry)  environment 

Contact  insecticides  probably  prevent  the  egg  from  hatching  in 
several  ways.  From  a  physical  viewpoint  some  substances  (lime- 
sulfur)  tend  to  harden  the  outer  semi-transparent  layer  and  this 
makes  it  impossible  for  the  nymphs  to'  split  the  hardened  shell.  This 
hardening  effect  may  be  due  to  dessication.  Dessicating  substances 
may  also  remove  the  water  content  of  the  embryo,  especially  if 
applied  after  the  outer  layer  is  split.  Other  substances  soften 
and  disintegrate  the  outer  impervious  layer  (crude  carbolic  acid 
and  cresols)  and  thus  expose  the  inner  pigmented  layer  to  evaporat- 
ing factors.  The  above  physical  reactions  of  contact  insecticides 
on  the  eggs  of  aphides  may  be  important,  but  it  is  probable  that 
the  toxic  effect  of  the  various  contact  insecticides  on  the  embryo 
is  more  important.  So  far,  no  technique  has  been  found  which  will 
determine  the  penetrative  ability  of  the  various  chemicals  used  and 
their  toxic  influence. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  ^ 

Control 

As  the  result  of  the  various  experiments  conducted  at  the  labor- 
atory and  in  various  orchards  throughout  the  state  we  can  safely 
recommend  as  a  control  measure  for  aphides  a  delayed  dormant 
spray  of  lime-sulfur  i  to  8  or  i  to  9,  combined  with  40  per  cent 
nicotine  (**Black  leaf  40")  1-500.  The  combined  spray  kills  98  to 
100  per  cent  of  all  the  eggs  that  are  coated  and  will  also  kill  all 
the  newly-hatched  nymphs  provided  they  are  hit.  Dormant  lime- 
sufur  by  itself  will  kill  a  large  percentage  (90  per  cent  or  better) 
of  the  eggs  but  not  enough  to  warrant  its  use  alone.  Lime- 
sulfur  I  to  8  or  I  to  9  alone  will  kill  only  a  small  percentage  of  the 
newly-hatched  nymphs.  A  combined  spray  is  better,  for  it  will  kill 
almost  all  of  the  unhatched  eggs  and  all  the  young  nymphs. 

The  tim<;  of  application  is  important.  In  the  foregoing  summary 
it  was  shown  that  the  egg  is  most  easily  killed  after  the  outer  layer 
has  split  and  it  was  also  pointed  out  that  the  greatest  number  of 
eggs  showed  a  split  outer  shell  just  as  the  first  nymphs  start  to 
emerge.  The  first  nymphs  of  A,  avetUE  emerged  in  1917  and  1918 
as  the  fruit  buds  were  swelling,  just  prior  to  the  time  when  the  first 
green  can  be  seen.  The  eggs  of  A,  pomi  and  A.  sorbi  in  1917  did 
not  emerge  for  7  to  14  days  after  the  buds  started  to  swell  on  the 
early  varieties  of  apples.  With  the  above  facts  in  mind  one  can  get 
the  best  results  by  delaying  the  dormant  spray  until  the  buds  are 
swollen  and  first  show  green.  The  dormant  spray  will  not  in- 
jure swollen  fruit  buds  or  those  with  short  projecting  tips  of 
leaves,  but  an  application  after  these  stages  have  passed  when  the 
leaves  are  quite  distinct  and  separated  will  bum  the  foliage  of  most 
varieties.  It  is  also  more  difficult  to  hit  all  the  young  nymphs  when 
the  leaves  -ire  distinct  and  separated,  for  they  are  more  or  less  pro- 
tected by  the  leaves.  In  case  one  fails  to  obtain  complete  control 
with  dormant  strength  one  may  use  40  per  cent  nicotine  i  to  500, 
and  fish  oil  soap  (2-5  pounds  to  50  gallons  of  water).  This  will  kill 
all  the  nymphs  that  are  hit  and  will  not  injure  the  foliage.  In  case 
all  the  eggs  have  not  hatched  this  mixture  will  not  kill  over  75  per 
cent  of  the  eggs. 

A  miscible  oil,  "Scalecide"  i  to  15,  has  been  given  a  thorough 
trial  in  the  orchard  and  at  the  laboratory,  but  it  has  not  produced 
satisfactory  results.  Some  eggs  are  killed  by  this  material,  but  it 
does  not  give  as  good  control  as  a  combined  dormant  lime-sulfur  and 
nicotine  spray.  Other  miscible  oils  were  tried  and  it  was  observed 
that  those  possessing  carbolic  acid  derivatives  (Mechling's  Scale 
Oil)  gave  a  more  perfect  control  than  miscible  oils  free  from  car- 
bolic acid  derivatives,  such  as  **Scalecide".  Crude  carbolic  acid  and 
cresol  combined  with  miscible  oils  will  kill  a  large  percentage  of 
eggs,  but  there  is  some  indication  that  an  amount  of  acid  present 


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234      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

in  the  oil  in  sufficient  quantity  (2  per  cent  of  spray)  to  kill  all  the 
eggs  may  be  detrimental  to  dormant  buds. 

Other  contact  sprays  such  as  a  strong  solution  of  fish  oil  soap, 
I  pound  to  6  gallons  of  water,  combined  with  nicotine  i  to  500,  or 
with  crude  carbolic  acid  (1.5  to  2  per  cent),  give  considerable 
promise  of  becoming  effective  sprays  for  the  control  of  aphides  in 
the  tgg  stage  when  applied  near  the  time  when  the  first  nymphs 
emerge. 

Any  soap  spray  spreads  better  than  lime-sulfur  and  for  this  reason 
they  may  prove  to  be  more  efficient.  Crude  carbolic  acid  (5  per  cent) 
or  cresoi  U.  S.  P.  (2  per  cent)  combined  with  fish  oil  soap  will  not 
injure  dormant  buds  of  apple  trees,  so  far  as  observed. 

Peach  Tree  Borer 
Experiments  With  Tarred  Paper  Collars  and  Other  Substances 

Alvah  Peterson 

During  the  siunmer  of  1917  a  careful  study  was  made  of  the  feed- 
ing and  oviposition  habits  of  the  adult  peach  tree  borer  Sanninoidea 
exitiosa  Say,  at  Clementon,  N.  J.,  in  the  James  M.  Moon  and  Son's 
8o-acre  peach  orchard.  A  number  of  spraying  experiments  were 
conducted  also  with  the  eggs.  The  results  of  these  investigations 
were  very  interesting,  but  they  were  largely  negative  in  so  far  as 
they  may  develop  a  much  needed  control  measure  (see  N.  J.  Agr. 
Exp.  Sta.  Ann.  Rpt.  1917). 

In  addition  to  the  above  investigations  a  number  of  mechanical 
and  chemical  barriers  were  placed  on  or  about  the  trunks  of  numer- 
ous peach  trees  with  the  idea  of  preventing  the  female  adult  from 
depositing  eggs  on  the  tree  and  keeping  the  young  larvae  out  of  the 
tree.  The  most  extensive  set  of  experiments  along  this  line  was 
the  use  ol  tarred  paper  collars,  commercially  called  "Scott's  tree 
protectors.'*  These  were  placed  about  the  base  of  75  or  more  8  to 
lo-year-old  trees  in  three  distinct  portions  of  the  peach  orchard. 
A  similar  lot  of  trees  were  selected  in  each  part  of  the  orchard 
for  checks  and  they  received  the  same  treatment  as  the  former  trees, 
except  that  the  collars,  or  protectors,  were  not  used. 

During  November,  1916,  all  the  trees  in  the  orchard  were  bored  for 
larvae  by  the  owner.  Again  in  the  early  part  of  June,  1917,  the  dirt 
was  pulled  away  (6  to  10  inches  deep)  from  all  the  trees  used  in 
the  various  experiments  and  they  were  "wormed"  twice,  the  first 
time  about  ten  days  after  the  dirt  was  removed  and  the  second 
time  ten  days  after  the  first  "worming."  In  these  two  borings  a 
large  number  of  larvae  were  removed  which  varied  considerably  in 
size,  but  one  is  unable  to  remove  all  the  larvae  by  digging  for  them. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  235 

provided  one  does  not  wish  to  injure  the  tree  any  more  than  can 
be  helped.  In  the  autumn  the  larvae  coming  from  eggs  deposited 
late  in  the  summer  of  the  same  year  are  too  small  to  be  readily  seen 
and  thus  they  easily  escape  detection.  This  is  true,  also,  to  some 
extent,  in  the  spring  of  the  year.  In  the  early  part  of  the  year 
one  can  find  some  larvae  that  are  full-grown.  These  appar- 
ently come  from  eggs  deposited  late  in  the  summer  two  years  pre- 
vious. In  other  words,  large  larvae  found  late  in  the  spring  of  1917 
came  from  eggs  deposited  during  the  latter  hailf  of  the  summer  of 
1 91 5.  The  above  assumption  in  respect  to  the  age  of  the  full-grown 
larvae  found  in  the  spring  of  the  year  explains  some  of  the  results 
obtained  after  one  season's  use  of  the  tarred  paper  collar.  The 
prolonged  development  of  some  of  the  larvae  and  the  difficulty  of 
removing  all  of  them  by  boring  makes  it  next  to  impossible  to  de- 
termine definitely  the  value  of  any  mechanical  or  chemical  protector 
in  one  year.  Consequently,  a  conclusive  statement  on  the  value  of 
a  tarred  paper  disc  is  not  possible  at  this  time.  However,  the  results 
obtained  after  one  year's  trial  are  of  such  a  nature  as  to  indicate 
what  may  be  expected  in  another  season.  All  the  tarred  paper  collars 
have  been  replaced  (June,  1918)  on  the  same  trees  and  in  another 
season  their  value  will  be  more  conclusively  shown. 

In  these  experiments  two  sizes  of  tarred  collars  were  used  in 
order  to  fit  the  diflFerent-sized  trees.  The  tarred  paper  protectors 
were  purchased  from  Thomson  Chemical  Company,  Baltimore,  Md., 
but  one  can  make  them  readily  from  tarred  roofing  paper.  From 
60  to  70  protectors,  according  to  size,  can  be  cut  from  a  roll  of 
tarred  roofing  paper  (104  square  feet  in  roll).  The  diameters  of 
the  two  collars  used  were  15  inches  and  17  inches  and  the  diameters 
of  the  inner  circles  or  holes  were  4  inches  and  5  inches,  respectively 
About  the  inner  circle  at  intervals  of  ^  to  ')4  inch  cuts  ^  to  1^4  inch 
deep  were  made  along  the  radii  and  one  cut  was  continuous  from 
the  inner  circle  to  the  outer  margin  of  the  collar.  When  the  trees 
were  readv  for  the  protectors  the  dirt  was  piled  up  about  the  base 
of  the  tree  (4  to  6  inches),  firmly  packed  down  and  made  smooth 
with  a  wooden  paddle.  The  collar  was  then  placed  about  the  tree 
and  made  to  fit  snuggly  against  the  tree  and  the  cone-shaped  mound 
of  dirt  A  strong  wire  paper-clip  was  placed  on  the  outer  margin 
of  the  collar  where  the  edges  overlapped.  The  use  of  the  clip  proved 
to  be  very  important  for  it  holds  the  protector  in  place  and  thus 
relieves  the  strain  from  the  sealing  material. 

Two  subtsances  were  used  to  seal  the  overlapping  edges  of  the 
protector  and  the  protector  to  the  tree.  These  were  "borene,"  a  coal 
tar  product,  put  out  by  the  same  firm  that  makes  the  Scott's  tree 
protector  and  ''Liquid  Lap  Cement/'  an  a'sphaltic  compound,  manu- 
factured by  the  Barber  Asphalt  Paving  Company,  Maurer,  N.  J. 
The  last-mentioned  material  when  purchased  is  a  heavy  liquid  and  it 


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236      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

is  necessary  to  boil  this  material  for  several  hours  (6  to  12)   in 
order  to  reduce  it  to  the  proper  consistency.    After  the  protectors 
were  placed  about  the  trees  the  sealing  material  was  heated  in  an 
iron  heater  until  the  material  became  soft  enough  to  be  s^plied 
with  a  wooden  paddle.    The  sealing  material  was  first  appUed  be- 
tween the  overlapping  edges  of  the  protector  without  removing  the 
paper  clip  and  then  about  the  inner  circle  adjacent  to  the  tree  thus 
sealing  all  openings  between  the  protector  and  the  tree.    Just  enough 
material  was  used  to  complete  the  seal,  and  as  a  rule  the  sealing 
material  did  not  extend  on  the  tree  over  one  inch  above  the  inner 
margin  of  the  protector.    The  so-called  **borene"  was  applied  to  all 
the  protectors  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  the  orchard  and  to  four  in 
the  south-western  part.    All  remaining  protectors  were  sealed  with 
**Liquid  Lap  Cement.*'    The  latter  proved  to  be  the  best  and  most 
economical.     It  spreads  more  readily  and  consequently  does  not 
require  as  n^uch  material  to  complete  the  seal.    All  the  protectors 
were  sealed  for  the  first  time  on  June  28-29,  1917,  and  a  careful 
watch  was  kept  for  the  appearance  of  any  cracks  in  the  seals.    On 
July  26,  1917,  the  majority  of  the  protectors  in  the  north-eastern 
part  of  the  orchard  showed  a  number  of  small  cracks  in  the  "borene," 
while  only  five  protectors  out  of  45  or  more  in  other  parts  of  the 
orchard  which  were  sealed  with  **Liquid  Lap  Cement"  bhowcil  any 
cracks.    On  July  2y  all  the  protectors  were  gone  over  with  a  thin 
coating  of  Liquid  Lap  Cement  and  during  the  remainder  of  the 
season  each  protector  was  carefully  inspected  and,  so  far  as  ob- 
served, no  cracks  or  openings  of  any  description  occurred.     In 
other  words  the  seals  were  nearly  perfect  and  this  in  large  measure 
is  due  to  the  use  of  a  strong  wire  clip.    Former  trials  with  similar 
tree  protectors  by  this  station  and  other  entomologists,  where  no 
paper  clip  was  used,  showed  a  serious  cracking  in  the  seal  a  short 
time  after  it  was  applied  and  there  was  considerable  difficulty  in 
retaining  a  good   seal  even  though  the  protectoi^s   were  resealed 
several  times  during  a  season. 

At  the  end  of  the  season,  in  November,  the  trees  were  bored  and 
at  this  time  only  a  few  large  larvae  were  found.  The  small  larvae 
coming  from  eggs  laid  in  1917  were  too  small  to  be  readily  seen. 
Again  in  May  and  June,  1918,  the  trees  were  examined  fof  larvae 
and  on  May  23-24  the  largest  number  were  found  The  dirt  was 
pulled  away  from  the  trees  on  May  10  and  they  were  allowed  to 
stand  until  May  23-24  before  digging  out  the  larvae.  The  larvae  were 
removed  from  points  on  the  tree  wherever  the  gum  and  excrement 
could  be  seen,  Again  on  June  4  the  trees  were  examined  for  borers 
and  at  this  time  about  one-third  as  many  larvae  were  found  as  on 
May  23-24.  Also,  many  more  larvae  were  found  at  this  time  than 
in  November,  1917. 

Table  10  gives  the  size  and  the  number  of  larvae  and  fresh  channels 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.       2.^7 

(no  larvae  seen  in  these)  for  each  tree  experimented  upon.  In 
digging  out  the  larvae  from  the  trees,  one  can  easily  overlook  or 
destroy  the  worm  with  the  instrument  used  in  boring  and  not  be 
aware  of  it,  consequently,  it  was  thought  best  to  keep  a  record  of  the 
fresh  channels  where  excrement  and  gum  were  present  but  no 
larvae  seen.  The  number  of  larvae  have  been  recorded  according  to 
size  for  the  sake  of  showing  the  great  variation  in  the  size  of  the 
larvae  at  any  one  time  of  the  year.  Since  80  to  90  per  cent  of  the 
larvae  were  removed  in  May  and  June,  this  gives  a  good  idea  of 
their  size  at  this  time  of  the  year. 

The  trees  with  protectors  on  them  .are  indicated  by  the  letter  p 
-while  the  check  tree's  are  distinguished  by  ch.  The  protectors  were 
used  in  three  parts  of  the  orchard  {S,  £.,  S.  W.  and  N.  E.)  In 
the  S.  E,  and  ^.  W.  parts  the  soil  is  light  and  sandy,  especially  in 
the  5*.  W,  portion,  while  in  the  A^.  E.  portion  the  soil  is  heavy,  dark 
colored  and  possesses  a  considerable  amount  of  gravel.  Trees  of 
the  same  age  in  the  N.  E,  part  of  the  orchard  as  in  other  parts  are 
larger  and  healthier  in  appearance.  The  infestation  of  borers  was 
least  severe  in  this  part,  while  the  heaviest  infestation  occurred  in 
the  5*.  IV.  portion  where  the  soil  is  largely  white  sand.  This  per- 
centage of  'infestation  for  the  various  parts  of  the  orchard  closely 
corresponds  with  Mr.  Moon's  experience  in  boring  for  the  larvae 
in  past  year?. 


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238      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


Table  lo 

Size,  Number  of  Larvae  and  Fresh  Channels  Found  in  Each 

Tree  After  One  Season.     (p=Protector  About  Tree 

and  ch=Check — ^no  Protector) 


TRBB  No. 

1 
Larva                 Larve             Larvae               Freah 
^— %    inch      %— %    Inch    %— 1    inch       channel* 

1                         1 

Total  lanr» 

and 

channels 

^-P 

Z — p 

0 

Q 

1 

0            i              0 
0                          0 
0                           0 
0                           0 
0                          0 
0            f               n 

1 

0 

3 — p , 

0 

4 — p 

0 

b — p . . 

1 

6 — p 

0 

7 — p 

0 
0 
0 

0 
2 

8 — p    

0 

9 — p    

0 

10 — p    

0 

11 — p 

1_ 

12 — p '. 

0 
0 
0 

13— p    

14 — p 

0 

16 — p    

Q 

17 — p 

0 

1                               III 
Total ^ j                0                        2                        2                        4 

8 

19— ch 

20 — ch 

0 
0 
0 
3 
0 

e 

1 

0 
0 

1 
2 

? 

3 

1 
2 
3 
n 

s 

4 
1 
S 
3 
S 
5 
4 
1 
7 

21 — ch 

22— oh 

23 — ch 

24 — ch 

26 — ch  

26— ch 

27— ch 

28 — ch 

3            1               3 

1 

Total   

7 

16 

3                        10 

3< 

29— p 

0                         0           !             n 

0 
n 

t 

7 
0 
1 
2 
< 
0 

30— p   

0                         7 
0                         0 
0                         0 
0            1              0 
0             1               4 
0            1              0 

81- p 

32 — p 

33 — p 

34— p   

35 — p    

36 — p 

0                           0            1              A 

0 

37 — p 

0                          0 

0            1               0 
0            1              0 
0            1              0 
0            1              0 
^0            1              1 

0                 1                    A 

0 
4 

0 
0 
0 
1 

38 — p    

0 
0 
0 
0 
n 

4 
0 
0 

n 

39 — p 

40 — p    

41— p 

42— p    

43 — p    

0            1               0            1               0 
0             1               0             1               2 

0 

44 — p    

45 — p 

0           1             0           1             0           1             0           1             0 

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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  239 

Table  10 — Continued 


TREK  No. 

Larvse 
»4  — %    inch 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
2 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

Larvae               Larvse               Freah 
H— %    inch     \—l    inch       channels 

Total  larvae 

ana 

channels 

46 — ^p 

1                         0 
0                         0 

0              1                 0 
0                           0 

0'    !      1    . 

47 — p 

0     1      0 

48 — p 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 

49— P 

60^— p 

0 
0 

61 — ^p 

1 
0 
2 
0 

2 

62 — p 

1 

63 — p    

2 

64 — p 

3 

66 — p 

0         1           1 

2 

66— p   

57 — p 

0 

1 
0 

0 
1 

68 — p 

0 

69 — ^p 

0         1           1 

! 

•     1 

1 

TotAl    

2 

1                       1                       1 

16                          10             1             10             1             28 

60— ch 

0 

1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

1 

0 
0 
0 

1 

3 
2 
6 
4 
3 
3 
2 
2 
2 
0 
2 
2 
0 

1 
6 
1 
0 
1 
0 
0 

1 

2 
0 
0 

1 
1 

8 
1 
4 
2 
2 
2 
0 
0 
0 
3 
1 
0 
0 

61 — ch , . 

62 — ch 

11 

63 — ch 

64 — ch 

66— ch 

4(e— oh 

67 — ch 

68 — ch 

69— ch 

70 — oh 

71 — ch 

72 — ch 

Total   , 

3 

• 

31 

18 

18 

65 

78— p 
74— p 
76— p 
76— p 
77— p 
78— p 
79— p 
80— p 
81— p 
82— p 
83— p 
84— p 
86— p 
86— p 
87— p 
88 — p 
89— p 
90— p 
91— p 
92— p 
98— p 
94— p 
96— p 
96— p 

Total    . 


0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

9 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

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240      NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


Table  lo — Continued 


97 — ch  

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

s 
1 

2 

1 
0 
0 
0 

1 

0 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

1 

3 

1 

3 

9S — ch  

2 

99 — ch  

2 

100 — ch  .-. . . 

1 

101 — ch  

0 

102 — ch  

1 

103 — ch  

3 

104 — ch  

2 

Total  • 

0 

8 

1 

5 

14 

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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT. 


241 


Sis 

■?^ 

O  u 
CO    u 


Oj3 

c 
o 


Per- 
centage 
of 
Infestation 

ci 

© 
d 

© 

c* 

64 

© 
© 

© 

d 

© 
d 
© 

Average 
number 
of  larvse 

and 
channels 
per  tree 

09                                       (^                  Ok                  <e                  '^ 

CO                              (O                              C4                              9»                              1^                              •• 

d                  CO                  ^                  -v                  e                  i-< 

1 

11 

0 

11 

a 

cii 

0  2 

d 
M      < 

©                     C4                     00                     oe                     e« 

©                     CO                     ra                     ©                     <o 
^                    ©                    ^                    d                    d     . 

•:        oi:        cji        0    t        ^    t        0    t 

7  > 

a 

-^                     0                     «                     ©                     ■♦                     c» 
d                    d                    d                    ^                    d                    d 

A*-                          A*^                          A^                          X>«                          A^                          A*^ 

NOO                  «0                  ©^                  MM                  iH'^.f-lOO 
^                             r4               r^         CO               v^         t-4                            M 

i 

a 

?i 

d 

© 

^                           00                           ■♦                           © 
lA                              CO                              ©                              © 

d                    fri                    d                    «H 

i        t             X 
1      oo           V 

J       t            X 

>     ©         « 

© 
d 

>-H                iHCO                r^'*               0000 
^          CO                 CO          r^                              C* 

lli- 

If" 

© 
© 
d 

CO                     CO                     ©                     © 
0                     e«)                     ©                     © 

d                    d                    d                    d 

i5 

At         At         At         4ii         ^iJ         ^i 
©00           r-©           e>9.-4            eoeo            ©•<••           o«o 

1 
I 

V                 1 

1 

1 

( 

OQ 

1 
C 

1 
1 

a 

oe 
0 

c 

M 

.      1 

X 

5 

0 

a 

^      1 

C 

M 

m 

0 

I 

c 
u 

^          I 
0, 

0 

0 

CO 

3 

E 

1 

u 

P 

H 

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242      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Experiments  ip-i8p  and  I9ch-28ch  were  conducted  in  the  S.  E. 
part  of  the  orchard  (sand  soil),  experiments  29p-59p  and  6och-72ch 
in  the  S.  IV.  part  (very  light  sand  soil)  and  experiments  73p-96p  and 
97ch-i04ch  in  the  A^.  E.  part  (heavy  gravel  soil).  Table  ii  summar- 
izes the  results  of  table  lo  and  gives  the  average  number  of  larvae 
of  each  of  three  sizes  per  tree  and  the  average  number  of  fresh 
channels  per  tree  and  the  total  average  number  of  larvae  and  channels 
per  tree  for  each  section  of  the  orchard.  In  all  cases  the  number 
of  larvse  per  tree  where  protectors  were  used  was  geatly  reduced 
(76  to  90  per  cent).  The  protectors  in  the  S.  E.  and  A^.  E.  parts  of 
the  orchard  reduced  the  infestation  90  per  cent,  and  75  per  cent  in 
the  5*.  IV.  portion.  In  this  table  it  should  be  noted  that  many  of 
the  larvae  found  under  the  protectors  were  almost  full  grown  and 
these  were  imdoubtedly  present  in  the  tree  when  the  protectors  were- 
applied. 

The  above  reduction  in  the  percentage  of  larvae  where  tarred  paper 
collars  were  kept  sealed  about  the  base  of  the  tree  gives  us  a  preli- 
minary indication  of  their  value  in  keeping  the  larvae  out  of  the 
trees.  It  will  require  two  or  more  seasons  to  determine  the  final 
value  of  the  tarred  paper  card. 

Other  Substances. — A  number  of  experiments  were  tried 
with  various  chemicals  or  common  spray  materials  by  spraying 
the  same  on  the  trunks  of  trees  at  intervals  of  ten  days  to 
two  weeks.  In  all  cases  the  number  of  small  larvae  present 
in  the  spring  of  the  year  apparently  indicates  their  ineffec- 
tiveness. Fifteen  trees  were  treated  vsdth  nicotine  resinate, 
I  part  to  100  of  water.  Ten  of  these  received  only  one  treat- 
ment, on  July  16,  while  five  of  them  were  treated  on  July  16, 
August  I,  ?.nd  August  16.  The  material  was  sprayed  on  the  main 
trunk  of  the  tree  and  the  larger  branches  above  ground  and  on  the 
trunk  of  the  tree  six  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  One 
gallon  was  sufficient  to  soak  thoroughly  the  outer  bark  of  five  trees. 
So  far  as  observed,  the  material  did  not  injure  the  tree  nor  was  it 
effective  in  reducing  the  number  of  larvae.  It  has  been  shown  that 
nicotine  resmate  has  good  lasting  qualities,  and  for  this  reason  it 
was  thought  that  it  should  be  effective  in  keeping  the  larvae  out  of 
the  tree. 

The  trunks  of  ten  trees  were  sprayed  with  **Scalecide,"  i  to  15, 
on  July  25.  August  6  and  August  18.  In  using  this  material  care 
waSs  taken  only  to  wet  the  trunk  of  the  tree  above  ground  without 
allowing  any  large  surplus  to  soak  into  the  ground  about  the  crown 
of  the  tree.  So  far  as  observed,  no  injury  resulted  from  this  treat- 
ment and  the  number  of  larvae  (large  and  small)  was  not  materially 
reduced.  This  series  of  experiments,  however,  is  by  no  means  con- 
clusive, for  the  material  was  not  applied  early  enough  during  the 
summer  season  to  keep  out  all  the  larvae.    The  main  object  of  the 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  243 

experiment  was  to  determine  the  repellant  effect  of  "Scalecide"  on 
the  adult  moth,  but  other  experiments  on  the  insects  in  cage!s  show 
the  ineffectiveness  of  this  material  in  respect  to  this  point. 

The  trunks  of  ten  trees  were  sprayed  with  three  applications 
(July  25,  August  6  and  August  18)  of  "Scalecide"  i  to  20,  pte 
crude  carbolic  acid  (i  per  cent)  and  ten  others  with  three  applica- 
tions of  fish  oil  soap  (i  pound  to  25  gallons  of  water)  plus  crude 
carbolic  acid  (i  per  cent).  The  chief  purpose  of  these  experiments 
was  to  determine  the  effect  of  the  material  on  the  peach  tree. 
So  far  as  observ^ed,  there  was  no  injur>\  The  number  of  larvae  was 
not  materially  reduced;  however,  this  is  not  a  conclusive  test  for 
this  material. 

REPORT  ON  MOSQUITO  WORK 

Thomas  J.  Headlee 

Owing  to  the  shortening  of  the  fiscal  year  there  is  little  to  report 
in  the  way  of  additional  drainage.  The  bulk  of  this  work  is  yet  to 
be  done  and  practically  none  that  has  been  done  is  ready  to  report. 
The  usual  tabular  matter  relative  to  drainage  will  therefore  be 
omitted,  and  included  in  next  year's  statetment. 

One  contract  for  275,862  linear  feet  (100,000  feet  of  ditches  10 
inches  wide  by  15  inches  deep  and  175,862  feet  of  ditches  10  inches 
wide  and  2(:  inches  deep)  was  let  to  the  United  States  Drainage 
Irrigation  Company  at  $9,600.  The  price  is  higher  than  it  has  been 
necessary  previously  to  pay,  but  the  increased  cost  of  labor  and 
apparatus  seemed  to  justify  the  increased  figure. 

The  areas  to  be  drained  are  located  in  Ocean  and  Cape  May  coun- 
ties. The  first  includes  the  marsh  lying  alongside  the  sand  strip  from 
Bamegat  City  lighthouse  to  Surf  City  and  the  second  the  salt  marsh 
from  Schooner's  Creek  south  of  the  Tuckahoe  River  westward  to 
Job's  Creek. 

The  principal  attention  of  the  entomologist  and  his  assistants  has 
been  given  to  the  preparation  of  plans' for  mosquito  control  in  con- 
nection with  the  counties,  ordnance  depots,  loading  plants  and  ship- 
building ya  'ds. 

County  Mosquito  Work 

Hudson,  Bergen,  Passaic,  Morris,  Essex,  Union,  Middlesex, 
Ocean,  Atlantic  and  Cape  May  counties  have  continued  in  the  work 
during  the  present  season.  Hudson,  Bergen,  Essex,  Union  and 
Atlantic  counties  are  continuing  their  effort  against  all  species  of 
mosquitoes  v/hich  breed  within  their  limits.  Rissaic  is  fighting  all 
species  of  mosquitoes  which  occur  in  the  southern  half  of  the  county. 


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244      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Middlesex,  Monmouth,  Ocean  and  Cape  May  counties  are  devoting 
practically  their  entire  attention  to  the  salt-marsh  mosquito  problem. 
Morris  is  making  a  survey  of  the  mosquito  breeding  places  with  a 
view  to  tl-H  formulation  of  plans  for  attacking  the  problem  as  a 
whole. 

The  period  involved  in  this  report  includes  the  inactive  season 
which  run-^;  from  November  first  to  April  first.  During  the  active 
portion  of  the  season,  a  large  amount  of  work  has  been  accomplished 
in  these  various  counties,  but  the  data  relative  to  it  are  not  now 
at  hand  and  cannot  be  included  in  this  report. 


Outlet  for  the  Southern  End  of  the  North  Arlington  Meadow 

and  of  the  Triangular  Area  Extending  Between  the  Belleville 

Turnpike  and  the  Greenwood  Lake  Branch  of  the  Erie 

Railroad  from  the  Highland  to  the  West  to  the 

Junction  of  the  Two  Roads 

The  second  area  mentioned  lies  entirely  and  the  first  fully  half 
in  Hudson  County.  The  second  has  been  a  prolific  breeder  of  sylz/es- 
tris  and  during  the  early  part  of  the  season  of  cantator.  The  first  has 
been  a  prolific  breeder  of  cantator.  The  sole  outlet  for  the  second 
is  a  ditch  passing  under  the  Bellville  Pike,  only  a  few  hundred  feet 
from  the  highland.  The  present  outlet  permits  the  water  to  dis- 
appear from  the  surface  of  the  first  area  only  after  the  first  and 
sometimes  the  second  broods  have  emerged.  The  present  outlet  is 
not  suflficient  even  to  remove  the  water  from  all  the  surface  of  the 
second  area. 

Without  doubt  the  present  choked-up  condition  of  Saw  Mill  Creek 
is  partly  responsible,  but  the  present  tide-gate  outlet  will  not  remove 
promptly  all  the  water  which  the  creek  carries  down  when  the 
meadows  carry  much  water  on  the  surface.  Two  3  by  6-foot  flumes 
are  thought  to  be  necessary  to  remove  the  rain-water,  and  one  ad- 
ditional 3  by  6-foot  flume  has  been  added  to  provide  for  the  waste 
water  which  is  thrown  into  the  stream  from  the  Arlington  Celluloid 
Works.  The  outsid*^  cost  of  the  flumes  and  gates  is  $3,000  of  which 
the  Arlington  Celluloid  Works  has  agreed  to  bear  one-half,  the  other 
half  to  be  borne  jointly  by  Bergen  and  Hudson  counties. 

It  is  proposed  to  have  the  plans  and  specifications  prepared  in 
the  office  of  the  entomologist  and  to  carry  out  the  work  under  a  joint 
committee. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  245 

Area  of  Kearney  Marsh  Extending  Between  Frank  Creek  and 
the  Highland  to  the  West  from  the  Harrison  Turnpike 
to  the  Junction  of  Frank  Creek  and  the  Joint  Sewer 

For  many  years  this  area  which  is  more  or  less  sewage-soaked 
has  been  a  prolific  breeder  of  pipiens,  supplying  not  only  the  ridge  to 
the  west  but  a  considerable  area  across  the  Passaic  River.  In  dis- 
cussing the  dangerous  nature  of  this  area  with  the  Hudson  County 
Mosquito  Extermination  Commission,  the  entomologist  was  requested 
to  prepare  a  plan  of  drainage  that  would  relieve  the  situation.  Mr. 
Mitchel  Carroll,  assistant  to  the  entomologist,  made  a  study  of  the 
area  and  prepared  the  following  detailed  plan. 

The  Drainage  of  the  Marshes  North  of  the  Harrison  Turnpike 

and  Between  Frank  Creek  and  the  Upland 

in  Hudson  County 

Mitchel  Carroll 

North  of  the  Harrison  Turnpike,  and  between  Frank  Creek  and 
the  uplajid,  there  are  approximately  200  acres  of  marsh.  This 
region  was  recently  surveyed  and  mapped. 

It  is  not  claimed  for  the  survey  that  it  is  complete  nor  minutely 
accurate  in  all  its  details.  On  account  of  the  amount  of  water  overf- 
lying the  surface,  the  soft  nature  of  the  soil,  and  the  height  and 
density  of  the  vegetation,  a  complete  survey  of  this  region  would 
have  been  rather  costly.  Furthermore,  the  necessity  for  extensive 
triangulating  and  levelling  was  not  apparent.  The  prospective  use 
of  the  data  that  might  have  been  gathered  in  this  way  was  out  of  all 
proportion  to  its  probable  cost.  It  is  believed  that  the  data  ob- 
tained in  the  survey  are  sufficiently  detailed  and  accurate  to  de- 
monstrate that  it  is  possible  to  drain  the  area  in  question  by  means 
of  the  i2-irch  pump  on  the  east  bank  of  Frank  Creek,  and  to  indicate 
a  method  of  doing  this. 

The  marsh  west  of  Frank  Creek  and  north  of  the  Harrison  Turn- 
pike is  divided  by  railroad  embankments  into  four  areas.  These 
are  designated  as  Areas  i,  2,  3  and  4. 

Area  1 

Area  i  lies  north  of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the 
Erie  Railroad  and  between  Frank  Creek  and  the  upland.  It  is  sub- 
divided by  the  Bergen  Avenue  and  Duke  and  Tappan  Street  sewers 
into  three  smaller  areas,  designated  Areas  lA,  iB,  iC.  It  is  ad- 
visable, in  order  that  their  contents  may  not  be  spilled  over  the  marsh, 
and  to  prevent  the  blocking  of  ditches,  culverts  and  pump  by  sludge 
deposits,  to  confine  all  open  sewers  within  the  banks  and  to  establish 
no  connections  between  drainage  ditches  and  sewers.     Hence  the 


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246      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

drainage  system  recommended  for  this  area  is  independent  of   the 
sewer  systen.** 

It  is  proposed  to  leave  the  sewer  system  as  it  is  at  present  except 
that  the  banks  of  all  sewers  should  be  repaired  and  raised  sufficiently 
to  prevent  the  escape  of  any  sewage  on  the  marsh.  This  arrange- 
ment has  the  advantage  of  relieving  the  Hudson  County  Mosquito 
Extermination  Commission,  to  whom  the  responsibility  does  not 
rightly  belong,  of  the  burden  of  pumping  or  otherwise  taking  care  v 
the  sewage  of  the  towns  on  the  upland. 

Arem  lA 

Area  lA  lies  between  the  Bergen  Avenue  sewer  and  Frank  Creek. 
In  this  area  it  is  reconmiended  that  a  main  drainage  canal  4  feet  wide 
and  approximately  2,400  feet  long  be  dug.  This  canal,  marked  I>itch 
No.  I,  should  extend  in  a  straight  line  diagonally  across  the  marsh 
from  a  point  on  the  Bergen  Avenue  sewer  about  200  feet  northwest 
of  the  junction  of  the  Bergen  Avenue  and  Duke  Street  sewers,  to 
the  upland  m  the  vicinity  of  the  dairy.  Near  the  upland  end  this 
ditch  should  be  about  30  inches  deep.  That  is,  the  bottom,  in  the 
scale  of  elevations  used,  would  have  an  elevation  of  about  92 
feet  and  would  be  4  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump  on 
the  east  bank  of  Frank  Creek,  or  6.84  feet  below  the  top  of  the  con- 
crete work  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert  of 
the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad.  As  it 
approaches  the  Bergen  Avenue  sewer  there  could  be  a  drop  of  about 
I  inch  every  hundred  feet;  so  that  at  the  Bergen  sewer  the  depth 
would  be  about  54  inches.  That  is,  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  at 
this  point,  according  to  the  scale,  would  be  about  90  feet,  or  i  y2  feet 
above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump,  or  8.84  feet  below  the  top 
of  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert  of  the  new  New- 
ark and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 

Ditch  No.  I  is  planned  to  supply  sufficient  reservoir  capacity  to 
draw  all  rain  water  off  the  adjacent  marsh  within  24  or  48  hours 
after  precipitation.  In  this  it  will  be  assisted  by  the  ditch  which  at 
present  parallels  Frank  Creek.  These  two  ditches  should  be  con- 
nected at  their  ends,  near  the  Erie  Railroad.  The  old  ditch  would 
then  discharge  into  the  proposed  canal,  instead  of,  as  at  present,  into 
Frank  Creek.  Laterals  20  by  30  inches  or  30  by  30  inches  should,  of 
course,  be  nm  out  as  needed  from  Ditch  No.  i. 

The  cos^  of  digging  Ditch  No.  i  by  hand  at  30  cents  per  linear 
foot  would  be  about  $720. 

Sluice  Under  Bergen  Avenue  Sewer.  To  preserve  its  indepen- 
dence of  the  Sewer  system  it  is  proposed  to  carry  Ditch  No.  1  under 
the  Bergen  Avenue  Sewer  in  a  wooden  sluice.    This  sluice  is  planned 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  247 

to  be  50  feet  long  by  approximately  2  feet  square.  It  could  be  built 
of  2-inch  by  12-inch  by  lo-foot  rough  planks  used  lengthwise.  Half 
the  planks  will  need  to  be  tongued  on  one  edge ;  the  other  half  will 
need  to  be  grooved  on  one  edge.  The  ribs  should  be  on  the  outside, 
placed  about  1/3  feet  apart  and  should  consist,  except  at  the  joints, 
of  3-inch  by  4-inch  timber.  At  the  joints,  i.  e.,  every  10  feet,  the 
ribbing  should  consist  of  3-inch  by  6-inch  material. 

The 'above  sluice  could  be  constructed  of  five  10- foot  boxes. 
Each  box  would  consist  of  eight  2-inch  by  12-inch  by  lo-foot  planks ; 
four  of  the  planks  would  need  to  be  grooved  on  one  edge,  the  other 
four  tongued  on  one  edge.  The  tongue  and  groove  is  to  insure  a 
tight  joint  between  the  two  planks  along  the  center  line  of  each 
of  the  four  plain  sides.  At  the  junction  of  the  planks  along  the 
four  angles  of  the  box  it  is  possible  to  use  either  a  miter  joint  or 
a  joint  such  as  is  used  for  skirtings,  doors,  jambs,  etc.  The  latter 
is  a  modified  tongue-and-groove  affair  and  is  the  tightest  joint  that 
could  be  used  here.  It  is  belieyed,  however,  that  simple  square 
joints  would  be  the  best  in  the  end.  If  the  four  sides  are  joined 
together  so  that  the  interior  cross-section  is  not  an  oblong,  but  a 
square,  this  type  of  joint  reduces  the  interior  cross-section  area  the 
least  of  any.  It  is  also  the  cheapest,  and  because  heavier  spikes  can 
be  used,  is  probably  the  strongest ;  also  if  it  is  calked  it  can  certainly 
be  made  a?  tight  as  necessary.  Three  feet  two  inches  from  either 
end  of  the  box  ribs  of  3  by  4-inch  timbers  should  be  spiked  to  the 
outside,  the  four  comers  of  the  ribs  being  either  miter  or  square 
joints,  or  what  is  perhaps  a  better  arrangement,  the  vertical  and 
horizontal  ribbing  could  be  laid  side  by  side  at  the  comers  and 
bolted  together.  At  one  end  of  each  box,  except  the  two  which  are 
to  be  used  for  the  beginning  and  end  of  the  sluice,  respectively,  a 
rib  of  3  by  6-inch  timbers  should  be  spiked  to  the  outside.  Three 
inches  of  tliis  rib  should  extend  beyond  the  end  of  the  box,  for 
when  the  sluice  is  laid  the  ribless  end  of  the  next  box  is  to  be  in- 
serted and  spiked  fast.  Ribs  3  by  4-inches  are  large  enough  for 
the  box  ends  which  are  to  serve  respectively  as  the  inlet  and  outlet 
of  the  sluice. 

Across  the  ribs  on  top  of  the  sluice  it  would  be  well,  in  order  to 
relieve  this  pressure  on  the  planking  of  the  box,  to  spike  a  double 
row  of  2  by  12-inch  planks.    These  need  not  be  tongued  and  grooved. 

The  ends  of  the  sluice  should  be  protected  by  walls  of  sheet 
piling.  Each  wall  should  be  6  feet  in  length  and  would  require  six 
8- foot  rough  2  by  12-inch  planks.  It  should  be  braced  with  3  by 
4-inch  timber. 

The  sluice  may  be  set  on  3  by  6-inch  cross-pieces  bolted  to  10  or 
12-inch  round  piling.  The  piling  should  project  above  the  boxes 
far  enough  to  allow  3  by  4-inch  cross  pieces  to  be  bolted  across 
the  top.    About  twelve  lo-foot  piles  would  be  required. 


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248      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

It  would  be  well  to  protect  the  inlet  of  the  sluice  with  wire  grating. 
To  construct  the  complete  sluice,  then,  would  require  the  follow- 
ing lumber : 

400  ft.  of  2"xl2''  rough  planks  (%  grooved  on  one  edge; 

%  tongued  on  one  edge) 800  bd.  ft. 

196  ft  of  2''xl2"  rough  planks  (plain)   392  bd.  ft. 

171  ft.  of  S^xr  rough  timber 171  bd.  ft. 

67  ft  of  3''x6''  rough  timber   100.5'bd.  ft. 

Total 1363.5  bd.  ft- 

12  10-ft  long  10"  or  12"  round  piling. 

The  best  prices  quoted  on  the  above  lumber  were  ioj4  cents  per 
foot  for  yellow  pine  and  9  cents  per  foot  for  Jersey  oak.  Ten- foot 
piling,  12  inches  thick  at  the  base,  can  be  bought  for  $1.60  per  pile. 
Allowing  10  cents  per  foot  fcfr  the  lumber,  the  cost  of  the  above 
culvert  would  be  as  follows : 

1363.5  bd.  ft  of  lumber  at  10  cents $136.35 

12  10-ft  12"  piles  at  $1.60  19.20 

Labor 60.00 


Total  $215.55 

Area  IB 

It  is  proposed  to  drain  Area  iB,  lying  between  the  Duke  Street 
and  Bergen  Avenue  sewers,  by  Ditch  No.  2.  This  is  a  3-foot  wide 
ditch  approximately  1,200  feet  long.  It  runs  in  a  straight  line 
diagonally  across  the  marsh  from  a  point  near  the  upland  to  a 
point  near  the  Duke  Street  sewer  about  200  feet  above  the  junc- 
tion of  the  latter  with  the  Bergen  avenue  sewer.  Here  it  con- 
nects with  Ditch  No.  i.  It  is  proposed  to  carry  these  two  ditches 
(Nos.  I  and  2)  after  their  junction  under  the  Duke  Street  sewer, 
by  a  wooden  culvert  similar  to  the  one  already  described. 

At  its  head  near  the  upland,  the  bottom  of  Ditch  No.  2  might 
have  an  elevation  of  92  feet  according  to  the  scale,  that  is,  it  should 
be  about  4  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump  or  6.84  feet 
below  the  top  of  the  concrete  on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  Newark 
and  Paterson-Frank  Creek  Culvert.  This  would  give  it  a  depth  of 
about  30  inches.  It  might  drop  1J/2  inches  in  every  hundred  feet, 
so  that  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  at  the  point  when  it  dips  under 
the  Duke  Street  sewer  would  be  about  90.5  feet,  or  2  feet  above 
the  bottom  of  the  present  stunp  and  8.34  feet  below  the  top  of  the 
southwest  comer  of  the  concrete  culvert  of  the  new  Newark  and 
Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  over  Frank  Creek.  Laterals  may  be 
run  from  this  ditch  as  needed. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  249 

The  cost  of  Ditch  No.  2  at  25  cents  per  linear  foot  would  be 
$300. 

To  carry  ditches  i  and  2  under  the  Duke  and  Tappan  Street 
sewer  will  require  a  culvert  40  feet  long.  This  may  be  constructed 
of  wood  in  the  same  manner  as  the  sluice  under  the  Bergen  Avenue 
sewer  already  described.    The  following  lumber  will  be  needed. 

320  ft.  of  rough  2''xl2''  plan&   (%   grooved  on  one  edge 

and  %  tongued  on  one  edge)  640  bd.  ft. 

176  ft.  of  rough  2''xl2"  planks  (plain)   352  bd.  ft. 

56  ft.  of  rough  S'^xS"  timber   84  bd.  f t. 

147  ft.  of  rough  TxA"  timber    147  bd.  ft. 

Total   1^23  bd.  ft 

10  round  piles  12"xl0  ft. 

The  approximate  cost  of  this  sluice  completed  would  be  as  fol- 
lows: 

1223  bd.  ft.  of  lumber  at  10  cents  $122.30 

10  round  piles,  12''xl0  ft.,  at  $1.60 16.00 

Labor,  nails,  etc.,   55.00 

Total  $193.30 

It  would  be  well  to  protect  the  inlet  of  this  culvert  like  the  one 
under  the  Bergen  Avenue  sewer,  by  some  sort  of  grating  or  strainer. 


Area  IC 

Area  iC  is  the  small  section  of  marsh  between  the  Erie  Railroad 
and  the  Duke  and  Tappan  Street  sewer.  It  is  proposed  to  run  Ditch 
No.  3  through  this  area  in  a  straight  line  parallel  to  the  railroad, 
from  the  dump  on  the  upland  end  to  Ditch  No.  i.  It  would  form 
a  junction  with  the  latter  between  the  Erie  Railroad  and  the  Duke 
and  Tappan  Street  sewer.  Ditch  No.  3  would  be  about  1,100  feet 
long.  It  should  be  about  2  feet  wide.  At  the  upland  end  the  ele- 
vation of  the  bottom  might  be  about  92  feet,  or  3^/^  feet  above  the 
bottom  of  the  present  stunp  and  6.84  feet  below  the  top  of  the 
Southwest  corner  of  Frank  Creek  culvert  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 
This  should  give  a  depth  of  about  30  inches.  At  the  lower  end, 
near  the  Bergen  sewer  culvert,  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  might 
be  91  feet,  2.5  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump  and  7.84 
feet  below  the  top  of  the  southwest  comer  of  the  Frank  Creek 
culvert  of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Rail- 
road. This  would  give  a  depth  of  about  42  inches  below  the  level  of 
the  marsh. 


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250      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 

The  cost  of  Ditch  No.  3  at  20  cents  per  linear  foot  would  be  $220. 

Beyond  its  junction  with  Ditch  No.  3  it  is  proposed  to  carry  ditch 
No.  I  under  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie 
Railroad  by  a  30-inch  iron  pipe.  The  elevation  of  the  bottom  of 
this  culvert  should  bo  according  to  our  scale  89.5  feet,  one  foot  above 
the  bottom  of  the  present  sump,  or  9.3  feet  below  the  top  of  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert  of  the  new  Newark- 
and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railrbad. 

Four  12-foot  lengths  of  pipe  would  be  needed.  At  3,500  pounds 
per  length,  the  total  weight  of  this  pipe  would  be  14,000  pounds,  or 
7  tons.  At  $78.25  per  ton  (price  quoted  by  Crane  Company,  June 
14,  1918)  the  cost  of  the  pipe  would  be  $547.75.  It  ought  not  to 
cost  more  than  $100  to  lay  this  pipe.  This  would  bring  the  total 
cost  to  $647.75. 

South  of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  Branch  of  the  Erie  Rail- 
road. Ditch  No.  I  would  discharge  into  Ditch  No.  7,  yet  to  be 
described. 


Area  2 

Area  2  is  the  triangular  piece  of  marsh  between  the  old  and  new 
Newark  and  Paterson  branches  of  the  Erie  Railroad  and  Frank 
Creek.  It  is  proposed  to  drain  it  by  Ditch  No.  4.  This  is  a 
straight  ditch  running  parallel  to,  and  about  75  or  100  feet  north 
of  the  old  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 
The  ditch,  as  planned,  would  be  about  1,200  feet  long  and  3  feet 
wide.  The  elevation  of  the  bottom  at  the  upland  end  could  be 
about  92.5  feet,  or  4  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump, 
and  6.34  feet  below  the  top  of  the  concrete  work  on  the  southwest 
comer  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert  of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad.  This  should  give  a  dq>th  of  about 
30  inches.  At  the  lower,  or  Frank  Creek  end  of  the  ditch,  the 
elevation  of  the  bottom  is  9.34  feet  below  the  top  of  the  southwest 
comer  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert  of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson 
branch  of  the  Erie.  This  would  give  a  depth  at  this  end  of  about 
60  inches.  Ditch  No.  4  would  thus  drop  about  3  in  1,200.  Laterals 
should  be  run  out  at  right  angles  as  needed. 

At  its  lower  end,  Ditch  No.  4  would  discharge  into  Ditch  No.  7 
to  be  described  presently. 

The  cost  of  Ditch  No.  4  at  25  cents  per  linear  foot  would  he  $300. 


Area  3 

It   is   proposed   that   Area   3,    lying   west   of   the   Wobum   De- 
greasing  Works  and  between  the  Harrison  Turnpike  and  the  old 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  251 

Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  be  drained 
by  Ditch  No.  5.  The  latter  would  be  approximately  1,000  feet  long 
and  30  inches  wide.  It  is  run  diagonally  across  the  marsh  from 
a  point  near  the  upland  to  Ditch  No.  4.  This  would  necessitate 
the  putting  in,  by  the  railroad  company  or  the  Hudson  County 
Mosquito  Extermination  Commission,  of  a  culvert  under  the  old 
Newark  and  Paterson  branch.  The  elevation  of  the  bottom  of  this 
culvert  should  be  about  91  feet,  according  to  our  scale ;  this  would 
be  about  2.5  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump,  or  7.84  feet 
below  the  top  of  the  southwest  comer  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert 
of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie.  A  culvert 
24  inches  in  diameter  should  be  large  enough.  At  the  upland  end 
Ditch  No.  5  could  have  an  elevation  of  92.5  feet  at  the  bottom,  4  feet 
above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump,  or  6.34  feet  below  the  top  of 
the  concrete  on  the  southwest  comer  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert 
of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad. 
This  would  probably  give  a  depth  of  about  30  inches.  At  the  junc- 
tion with  Ditch  No.  4  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  might  be  91  feet, 
2.5  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump,  or  7.84  feet  below 
the  top  of  the  concrete  work  on  the  southwest  comer  of  the  Frank 
Creek  culvert  of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie 
Railroad.  The  depth  here  would  be  about  40  inches.  Ditch  No.  5 
would  thus  drop  about  18  inches  in  1,000  feet.  Laterals  are  to  be 
run  out  at  right  angles  as  needed. 

To  dig  Ditch  No.  5  at  22  cents  per  foot  would  cost  $220. 

The  cost  of  an  iron-pipe  culvert  to  carry  Ditch  No.  5  under  the 
railroad  would  be  as  follows: 

4  lengths   (12  feet  each)   of  24-inch  cast  iron  pipe  at  2450 
poTmd8=9800  pounds,  or  4.9  tons. 

4.9  tons  of  cast  iron  pipe  at  $78.25   $383.43 

Cost  of  laying  this  pipe  50.00 

TotaJ $433.43 

Arem  4 

Area  4  is  a  small  piece  of  marsh  bounded  on  the  east  and  south 
by  Frank  Creek,  on  the  west  by  the  fill  of  the  Woburn  Degreasing 
Company,  and  on  the  north  by  the  old  Newark  and  Paterson  branch 
of  the  Erie  Railroad.  It  could  be  drained  by  a  ditch  30  inches  wide 
200  or  300  feet  long.  This  ditch  could  be  dug  for  about  $60.  It 
should  pass  under  the  above  railroad  by  a  culvert  20  inches  in  dia- 
meter and  connect  with  Ditch  No.  7,  in  Area  2.  The  culvert  under 
the  Erie  Railroad  should  have  an  elevation  at  the  bottom  of  91  feet, 
2.5  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump,  or  7.84  feet  below 
the  top  of  the  concrete  work  on  the  southwest  comer  of  the  Frank 


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252      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Creek  culvert  of  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie 
Railroad. 

This  culvert  would  require  three  12-foot  lengths  of  20-inch  cast 
iron  pipe  weighing  1,800  pounds  per  length.  This  is  equivalent  to 
5400  pounds,  or  2.7  tons.  At  $78.25  per  ton  the  cost  of  the  pipe 
would  be  $211.28.  The  cost  of  laying  the  pipe  should  not  exceed 
$50.    The  total  cost  of  the  culvert  would  thus  be  $261.28. 

Ditdi  No.  7 

Ditches  No.  i,  4,  5  and  6,  as  has  already  been  indicated,  are 
planned  to  discharge  into  Ditch  No.  7.  The  latter  is  10  feet  wide 
by  6  feet  deep  by  400  feet  long,  which  it  is  planned  to  dig  from  the 
proposed  iron  pipe  culvert  under  the  new  Newark  and  Paterson 
branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Area  2. 
That  is,  the  southeast  end  of  Ditch  No.  7  would  lie  about  50  feet 
west  of  Frank  Creek  and  about  the  same  dfstance  north  of  the  old 
Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad.  This  would 
bring  it  opposite  the  sump  of  the  12-inch  pump  on  the  east  bank  of 
Frank  Creek.  The  ditch  is  brought  to  this  point  because  it  is  pro- 
posed to  draw  the  water  from  it  by  means  of  the  pump  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Creek  in  a  manner  to  be  hereinafter  described. 

The  elevation  of  the  bottom  of  this  ditch  at  its  lower  end,  that 
is,  the  end  opposite  the  pump  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Creek,  can  be 
the  same  as  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  of  the  present  sump.  On 
our  scale,  the  elevation  of  the  bottom  at  the  lower  end  would  thus 
be  88.53  fc<^t,  or  10.31  feet  below  the  top  of  the  concrete  work  on 
the  southwest  comer  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert  of  the  new  Newark 
and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie.  The  elevation  of  the  bottom  of 
the  other  end  of  the  ditch  should  be  a  foot  higher. 

The  capacity  of  Ditch  No.  7  as  planned  is  about  20,000  cubic 
feet,  or  158,000  gallons.  In  utilizing  the  full  capacity  of  the  pump, 
2400  gallons  per  minute,  the  ditch  would  be  emptied  in  66  minutes. 
It  may  be  that  when  using  the  pump  to  drain  this  ditch  we  can  not 
obtain  a  higher  rate  than  2,000  gallons  per  minute.  But  even  at 
the  latter  rate,  the  ditch  would  be  emptied  theoretically  in  79  minutes. 
Hence,  it  is  clear  that  the  dimensions  of  the  ditch  as  given  are  none 
too  large. 

To  excavate  Ditch  No.  7  would  require  the  removal  of  889  cubic 
yards  of  material.  It  is  thought  that  this  can  be  done  most  cheaply 
by  means  of  d)mamite.  The  cost  of  the  ditch,  if  the  latter  explosive 
used,  should  not  exceed  25  cents  per  cubic  yard.  The  total  cost 
would  thus  be  about  $225.25. 

The  work  of  draining  the  marshes  west  of  Frank  Creek  should 
begin  with  the  excavation  of  Ditch  No.  7.    It  is  strongly '  recom- 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  253 

mended  that  d3mamite  be  used  as  an  experiment  in  this  operation. 
A  representative  of  the  Du  Pont  Powder  Company  can  no  doubt 
be  obtained  to  superintend  this  work  as  a  demonstration.  If  the 
experiment  is  a  success,  dynamite  can  also  be  used  in  the  larger  of 
the  other  ditches  and  the  cost  of  digging  the  latter  would  thus  be 
reduced. 

Hie  Sump 

To  draw  the  water  out  of  Ditch  No.  7  by  the  pump  on  the  east 
bank  of  Frank  Creek,  it  will  be  necessary  to  construct  a  sump  on 
the  west  side  of  the  creek,  similar  to  the  present  siunp  on  the  east 
side.  The  east  end  of  the  new  sump  should  be  about  15  feet  west 
of  the  creek  bank,  and  should  lie  just  north  of  the  present  sump.  At 
its  west  end  the  new  sump  will  connect  with  Ditch  No.  7. 

The  elevation  of  the  bottom  of  the  proposed  sump  should  be 
the  same  as  the  elevation  of  the  deepest  part  of  the  present  sump. 
This,  on  our  scale,  is  88.53  feet,  or  10.31  feet  below  the  top  of  the 
concrete  work  on  the  southwest  comer  of  the  Frank  Creek  culvert 
of  the  nev/  Newark  and  Paterson  branch  of  the  Erie.  This  would 
g^ve  a  depth  of  six  or  seven  feet. 

The  sump  should  be  5  feet  wide  by  24  feet  long.  It  is  recom- 
mended that  it  be  lined  with  2-inch  planks  instead  of  the  i-inch 
used  in  the  present  sump.  There  should  be  a  gate  of  2  layers  of 
i-inch  boards  at  the  west  end.  For  bracing,  3  by  4-inch  timbers 
can  be  used.    The  following  lumber  would  thus  be  required. 

424  ft.  of  2"xl2"  rough  planks  =  848  bd.  ft 

80  ft  of  l''xl2''  rough  boards  =  80  bd,  ft 

166  ft  of  3''x4''  rough  timber  =  166  bd.  ft 

Total    1,094  bd.  ft. 

At  10  cents  per  board  foot  this  lumber  would  cost  $109.40. 

The  Overhead  Pipe 

To  draw  the  water  from  the  above  sump  it  is  proposed  to  carry 
a  12-inch  iron  pipe  from  the  north  end  of  the  12-inch  T  over  the 
present  sump,  across  Frank  Creek.  The  pipe  could  be  carried 
across  the  creek  on  12-inch  round  piling.  On  the  west  end  it  would 
dip  down  into  the  sump  by  means  of  a  45-degree  elbow. 

A  representative  of  the  Henry  R.  Worthington  Company,  manu- 
facturers of  the  12-inch  pump  on  the  east  bank  of  the  creek,  was 
consulted  in  regard  to  the  feasibility  of  this  plan.  The  writer  was 
assured  it  was  entirely  practicable. 

In  carrying  the  pipe  across  the  creek,  it  will  be  necessary  to  have 
it  slope  slightly.  The  plan  will  not  work  very  well  unless  this  is 
done.  The  west  end  of  the  pipe,  before  it  starts  to  dip  into  the 
sump,  should  be  about  a  foot  lower  than  the  east  end. 

Water  cannot,  of  course,  be  drawn  from  the  two  sumps  simul- 


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254      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

taneously.  Provision  must  hence  be  made  for  shutting  oflF,  or  clos- 
ing, the  pipe  from  one  sump  when  it  is  desired  to  draw  water  from 
the  other.  This  will  necessitate  the  installing  of  a  gate-valve  on 
each  of  the  two  supply  pipes.  A  90-d^^e  elbow  will  silso  be  needed 
on  the  north  end  of  the  12-inch  T  mentioned  above. 

The  cost  of  the  pipe,  valves,  etc.,  called  for  in  this  plan  is  as 
follows : 

50  ft.  of  12"  iron  pipe  at  $4.05  per  100  feet $202.50 

1  90**  12-inch  elbow    18.00 

1  45*  12-inch  elbow    22.50 

2  No.  460  Gate-valves  at  $93.75    187.50 


Totol  $430i»0 

Prices  quoted  by  Crane  Compajay,  June  14,  1918. 

To  carrv  the  pipe  across  the  Creek  to  the  proposed  sump  would 
also  require: 

10  12-inch  round  piles  at  $1.60   $16.00 

16  ft.  of  3''x6''  roug^  timber 24  bd.  f t 

16  ft.  of  3''x6''  rough  timber    16  bd.  ft 


40bd.ftatl0^      4.00 


Total  for  lumber  $20.00 

The  tota)  cost  of  getting  the  water  from  Ditch  Xo.  7  to  the  pump 
by  this  plan,  then  would  be  approximately : 

Lumber  for  proposed   sump    $109.40 

Piles  and  lumber  to  carry  pipe  over  creek   20.00 

Pipe,  valves  and  elbows   430.50 

Labor,  spikes,  nails,  etc, 120.00 


Total    $679.90 

The  total  cost  of  the  drainage  plan  outlined  above  for  the  200 
acres  of  marsh  north  of  the  Harrison  Turnpike  and  between  Frank 
Creek  and  the  upland  would  be  approximately: 

Ditch  Xo.  1 $720.00 

Wccden  sluice  under  Bergen  Avenue  Sewer 215.55 

Wooden  sluice  under  Duke  and  Tappen  Sewer 193.30 

Ditch  No.  2    300.00 

Ditch  No.  3    220.00 

Ddtch  No.  4    300.00 

Ditch  No.  5    220.00 

Ditch  No.  6    60.00 

Ditch  No.  7    225.25 

30-inch  iron  culvert  under  new  Newark  &  Paterscm  R,  R.  647.75 

24-inch  iron  culvert  under  old  Newark  &  Paterson  R.  R, 433.43 

20-inch  iron  culvert  ur.der  old  Newark  &  Paterson  R.  D 261.28 

New  sump  and  12"  iron  pipe  to  pump  679.40 


Total    $4,475.96 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  255 

It  is  believed  this  estimate  is  too  high  rather  than  too  low,  and  that 
it  may  be  possible  to  do  the  work  as  outlined  for  not  more  than 
$4,000. 

Conclusion 

It  should  be  pointed  out  that  it  is  useless  to  put  in  the  proposed 
sump,  and  pipe  over  Frank  Creek  to  connect  it  with  the  pump  on 
the  east  bank,  unless  an  adequate  ditching  system  to  feed  the  sump 
also  is  installed.  The  meadows  will  remain  more  or  less  saturated, 
and  will  at  times  give  off  broods  of  mosquitoes  unless  drained  by 
deep  ditches  similar  to  the  ones  described  in  this  report.  The  theory 
back  of  the  broad  deep  ditches  recommended,  is  that  they  will  act 
as  reservoirs,  drawing  all  water  off  the  marsh  within  24  or  48  hours 
after  precipitation,  that  the  meadow  will  thus  be  thoroughly  dried 
out  and  will  itself  have  a  considerable  reservoir  capacity.  Rain 
water  does  not  lie  in  pools  on  a  dry  meadow  as  on  a  saturated  one, 
but  is  quickly  absorbed. 

Addendum 

As  supplementary  to  the  foregoing  report  there  are  some  con- 
siderations with  respect  to  the  drainage  of  the  area  west  of  Frank 
Creek  that  must  be  referred  to. 

It  is  evident  to  any  one  who  has  inspected  Frank  Creek  north 
of  the  Harrison  Turnpike,  especially  during  or  after  periods  of 
heavy  precipitation,  that  the  creek  is  at  present  taking  care  of  all  the 
water  it  is  capable  of  carrying.  This  is  true  at  least  with  the  present 
system  of  culverts.  Of  course  it  is  possible  to  dredge  out  the  creek 
and  put  in  larger  culverts;  but  that  this  will  be  done  at  any  time 
in  the  near  future  is  a  very  remote  possibility. 

Hence  if  more  water  is  pumped  into  Frank  Creek  under  present 
conditions,  there  is  danger  of  overloading  it,  and  yet  there  is  no 
way  of  getting  rid  of  the  water  on  the  marshes  which  form  the 
subject  of  this  paper  except  by  pumping  it  into  this  creek. 

Just  south  of  the  uptown  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  is  a. 
stream,  discharging  into  the  Hackensack  River,  designated  "Dead 
Horse  Creek.''  At  the  present  time  this  creek  is  connected  with 
the  area  from  which  the  12-inch  pump  on  the  bank  of  Frank 
Creek  draws  water,  by  a  culvert  (which  the  writer  has  not  seen) 
along  the  Belleville  Turnpike  under  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
tracks  and  a  ditch  along  the  Harrison  Turnpike  under  the  same 
tracks.  Parenthetically,  it  may  be  noted  here,  that  should  it  be 
found  desirable,  there  is  plenty  of  room  beside  the  Belleville  Turn- 
pike to  substitute  an  open  ditch  for  the  above  culvert. 


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256      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

It  is  thus  seen  that  there  is  another  outlet  to  Area  3  other  than 
Frank  Creek.  The  writer  has  inspected  this  outlet  (Dead  Horse 
Creek)  and  believes,  for  the  reasons  given  above  that  it  should  be 
more  fully  utilized  than  at  present.  The  obvious  way  to  do  this 
is  by  means  of  a  pump. 

It  is  recommended  that  a  12-inch  centrifugal  pump  similar  to  the 
one  on  Frank  Creek  be  installed  behind  the  Hackensack  River  Dike 
at  the  outlet  of  Dead  Horse  Creek.  A  power  line  supplying  the 
Martin  Dennis  Works  already  runs  to  this  point.  It  is  fortunate 
that  this  is  a  2-phase  line,  and  not  a  single  phase  line  like  the  one 
from  which  the  Frank  Creek  Pump  draws  power. 

The  cost  of  installing  a  12-inch  low  head  centrifugal  electrically 
driven  pump  at  this  point  would  be  as  follows : 

1  12"  Class  C.  Worthmgton  Pump $410.00 

(price   includes  base   and  pulley) 

1  2-Phase  Western  Electric  Motor 346.50 

(price  includes  pulley,  base  and  starter) 

2  90^  12.inch  elbows   36.00 

1  12-mch   T    22.60 

1  12-inch  Crane,  No.  460  Gate-Valve 93.75 

50  ft.  of  12-inch  pipe  202.50 

$1,111.25 
Pump  House  sump,  concrete  work,  labor,  belt,  etc.,  800.00 

Total    $1,911.25 

The  above  estimate  is  for  a  pump  installed  in  the  same  manner  as 
the  present  one.  A  better  arrangement  would  be  to  run  a  45-degree 
16-inch  elbow  with  16-inch  pipe  from  the  pump  directly  down  into 
the  sump.  A  16-inch  pipe  should  be  used  with  a  12-inch  pump,  as 
the  latter  has  a  16-inch  suction.  And  a  45-degree  elbow  is,  of  course, 
much  more  efficient  than  two  90-degree  elbows  and  i  T.  Although 
16-inch  pipe  is  more  expensive  than  12-inch,  this  arrangement  would 
not  cost  much  more  than  one  similar  to  that  used  on  the  Frank 
Creek  pump.  For  the  intake,  only  one  45-degree  16-inch  elbow  and 
about  15  feet  of  16-inch  pipe  would  be  needed. 

The  present  cost  of  these  would  be: 

15  ft.  of  16-inch  pipe  at  $6.03  per  foot   $90.45 

1  45**  16-inch  No.  569  elbow  54.15 

Total   $144.60 

The  cost  of  an  intake  similar  to  the  one  on  the  Frank  Creek 
pump  would  be : 

1  12-mch  T  $22.50 

2  90°    12-inch   elbows    36.00 

About  20  ft.  of  12-inch  pipe  at  $4.05  per  foot 81.00 

ToUl   $139.60 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  257 

The  cost  of  the  pipe  and  valve  for  the  outlet  would  be  about  the 
same  in  the  twp  plans,  as  12-inch  pipe  could  be  used  here: 

The  motor  listed  above  is  rated  at  1,200  revolutions  per  minute, 
60  cycle,  220  volt.  It  can  be  delivered  in  6  weeks  or  less  from 
date  of  order  to  the  Western  Electric  Company  or  can  be  ob- 
tained a^  once  from  the  stock  of  Venino  Brothers  and  Company, 
65  Hamilton  Street,  Newark.  Venino  Brothers  also  have  in 
stock  some  low-priced  2-phase  motors.  The  pump  can  be 
delivered  in  8  weeks  from  date  of  order  to  the  Henry  R.  Worth- 
ing^on  Company.  The  pipe  can  be  obtained  at  once  from  the 
stock  of  Crane  Company,  Newark. 

The  entomologist's  office  recommends  to  the  Hudson  County 
Mosquito  Commission  that  the  above  pump  be  installed  at  the 
earliest  opportunity.  It  could  draw  water  not  only  from  the 
eastern  side  of  Area  3,  thus  relieving  the  Frank  Creek  Pump 
and  Frank  Creek,  but  also  from  Areas  2,  6  and  possibly  5  and 
7.  The  culverts,  and  much  of  the  ditching  needed  to  connect 
this  pump  with  the  above  areas  already  exists. 

There  is  only  one  possible. objection  to  Dead  Horse  Creek  as 
an  outlet,  and  that  is  that  it  is  crossed  at  the  Belleville  Turnpike 
by  a  water  pipe  line.  As  there  is  usually  several  feet  ot  water  in 
the  creek  under  this  pipe  line,  the  obstruction  is  slight.  Further- 
more, with  pumping,  the  water  in  the  Creek  would  be  kept  so 
low^  that  the  obstruction  would  disappear. 

•  It  is  believed  that  a  12-inch  pump  at  the  outlet  of  Dead  Horse 
Creek  fed  by  a  proper  ditch  system,  and  used  in  conjunction  with 
the  pump  of  Frank  Creek,  also  fed  by  a  proper  ditch  system, 
would  put  an  end  to  mosquito  trouble  between  the  New  York 
and  Greenwood  Lake  Branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  and  the  Harrison 
Turnpike,  and  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the  upland.  The 
theory  back  of  this  view  is  similar  to  the  argument  advanced  in  favor 
of  a  pump  fed  by  deep  broad  ditches  for  the  area  west  of  Frank 
Creek.  By  the  action  of  the  proposed  pump  the  water  in  Dead  Horse 
Creek,  and  the  tributary  ditches,  should  be  kept  very  low.  The 
meadow  surface  would  thus  dry  out  thoroughly  and  rain-water 
would  be  rapidly  absorbed. 

It  must  be  admitted  here,  however,  that  there  is  a  difference 
of  opinion  among  those  interested  in  the  drainage  of  the  above 
areas,  as  to  whether  a  12-inch  pump  has  sufficient  capacity  to 
tak-e  care  of  the  precipitation.  But  in  spite  of  this  the  writer 
does  not  hesitate  to  recommend  the  12-inch  size.  For,  if  after 
a  fair  trial  it  should  prove  inadequate,  another  pump  can  be  in- 
stalled at  the  same  sump.  Nothing  would  be  lost  and  perhaps 
money  can  be  saved,  by  thoroughly  testing  the  one  recommended 
before  going  to  greater  expense.  But  care  should  be  taken  that 
the  sump  is  large  enough,  and  that  there  is  room  and  a  place  for 
an  additional  pump,  should  one  prove  necessary. 


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258      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Note 

All  prices  quoted  in  this  report  are  those  which  prevailed  on 
June  14,  1918. 

The  prices  of  lumber  and  piling  were  quoted  by  the  Cronk 
Manufacturing  Company  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 

The  figures  on  cast-iron  pipe  for  culverts  and  wrought-iron 
pipe,  elbows,  valves,  etc.,  for  pumps  were  obtained  from  the 
Newark  Branch  of  Crane  Company. 

The  prices  on  pumps  were  quoted  by  the  Henry  R.  Worth- 
ington  Company  of  Harrison. 

The  figures  on  electric  motors  were  obtained  from  the  Newark 
office  of  the  Western  Electric  Co.,  and  Venino  Bros.  &  Co.,  of 
Newark. 

The  information  in  regard  to  the  2-phase  power  line  at  the 
Martin  Dennis  Works,  at  the  mouth  of  Dead  Horse  Creek,  was 
obtained  from  the  Public  Service  Corporation.  If  it  is  decided  to 
install  an  electrically  driven  pump  at  the  mouth  of  this  creek, 
arrangements  should  be  made  to  have  the  Jersey  City  manager 
of  the  Public  Service  Commercial  Department  formally  accept 
the  business  before  any  material  is  ordered  or  contracts  let* 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  259 


Raritan  Ordnance  Depot,  BonhamtaWn,  N.  J. 

The  authorities  in  charge  of  the  Raritan  Ordnance  Depot  re- 
quested a  plan  for  protecting  the  depot  from  the  mosquito  pest. 
Mr.  Mitchel  Carroll  made  the  necessary  study  and  prepared  the 
following  report. 

REPORT   ON    THE    PROBLEM    OF    PROTECTING   THE   RARITAN    ORDNANCE 
DEPOT  FROM  THE  MOSQUITO  PEST 

MiTCHEL  Carroll 

Introduction 

The  problem  of  mosquito  control  at  the  Raritan  Depot,  on  account 
of  the  species  occuring  in  this  vicinity,  is  a  double  one.  There  is 
first  the  problem  of  controlling  the  species  which  breed  in  fresh 
water,  and  second,  the  problem  of  controlling  the  salt-marsh  species. 

The  Fresh-Water  Problem 

The  work  of  protecting  the  Ordnance  Depot  employees  from 
fresh- water  mosquitoes  may  be  divided  into  two  parts.  There 
is  first  the  prevention  of  breeding  in  areas  on  the  reservation  and 
second,  the  prevention  of  breeding  in  areas  adjacent  to  the  reser- 
vation, or  ^o  near  that  the  mosquitoes  breeding  there  may  readily 
migrate  to  the  reservation.  The  fresh-water  work  would  include 
the  proper  draining  or  filling  of  all  ponds,  pools  and  ditches  where 
possible.  Where  this  is  impracticable  all  stagnant  water  should  be 
oiled  regularly  at  weekly  intervals. 

Outside  the  reservation  mosquito  invasions  are  to  be  expected 
from  species  breeding  in  the  ice  pond  at  Bonhamtown.  This  pond  is 
drained  by  Mill  Brook  into  the  Raritan  River  about  two  miles  west 
of  the  Ordnance  Depot.  The  pond,  and  the  brook  throughout 
much  of  its  course,  is  within  a  mile  of  the  reservation.  Anophelines 
(the  malaria-carrying  species)  and  Aedes  sylvcstris,  one  of  the 
most  troublesome  of  the  fresh-water  mosquitoes,  breed  around  the 
edges  of  this  pond  and  along  Mill  Brook.  Species  of  Anophelines 
have  been  shown  to  migrate  i  1-4  miles  and  sylvestris  10  miles. 
Hence  the  proper  protection  of  the  Depot  from  the  fresh-water 
mosquitoes  will  require  measures  to  prevent  breeding  in  the  ice 
pond  and  Mill  Brook.  The  borders  of  the  pond  must  be  cleared 
of  vegetation  and  the  water  kept  at  a  sufficient  depth  to  permit 
fish  to  get  at  the  wrigglers  around  the  edges.  The  same  measures, 
cleaning,  straightening  and  deepening  the  edges,  must  be  taken 
along  the  course  of  Mill  Brook  wherever  breeding  is  found. 


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26o      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Throughout  the  season,  from  May  first  to  October  first  the  res- 
ervation and  adjactnt  territory,  espeddly  along  Mill  Brook  and 
the  ice  pond,  should  be  regularly  patrolled  and  all  sluggish  water- 
courses and  stagnant  poles  inspected  for  larvae  or  wrigglers.  TTiis 
inspection  will  reveal  the  necessity  for  further  control  work  (drain- 
ing, cleaning,  filling  or  oiling)  from  time  to  time.  It  may  also 
show  that  there  is  no  breeding  in. some  suspected  waters,  and  thus 
time  and  expense  will  be  saved.  The  patrol  work  should  be  in- 
trusted to  an  inspector,  who  can  devote  as  much  time  as  necessary 
to  it. 

The  Salt- Marsh  Problem 

The  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  breed  in  stagnant  pools  on  the  marsh. 
The  control  of  these  species  is  eflFected  by  so  trenching  the  marsh 
that  all  stagnant  pools  are  drained  by  spurs  from,  or  seepage  into, 
the  drainage  ditches.  The  drainage  system,  where  there  are  no 
dikes  and  tide-gates,  is  so  arranged  that  all  water  on  the  meadow 
will  rise  and  fall  with  the  tide  and  the  killifish  or  salt  minnows, 
with  which  the  tidal  creeks  are  filled,  may  penetrate  to  all  parts  of 
the  marsh  and  consume  the  wrigglers  (immature  forms  of  the 
mosquitoes)  as  fast  as  they  hatch  from  the  eggs.  The  unit  which 
has  been  developed  for  this  purpose,  through  an  experience  of 
twelve  years  of  control  work  by  the  State  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station,  is  a  ditch  approximately  lo  inches  wide  and  30  inches  deep 
with  perpendicular  smooth  sides,  adequately  outletted  to  tide 
water.  These  trenches  are  arranged  in  a  paralled  system  with  due 
regard  to  the  use  of  the  creeks,  which  meander  through  the 
meadows,  as  outlets. 

Where  there  is  extensive  breeding  the  salt-marsh  mosquitoes 
mig^te  on  winds  of  low  velocity  (10  miles  an  hour  or  less)  of 
high  humidity  (70  per  cent  or  more)  and  of  high  temperature 
(about  So*"  P.),  distances  of  30  miles  or  more. 

The  following  marshes  are  the  only  ones  within  the  county  that 
are  large  enough  and  near  enough  to  the  Raritan  Ordnance  Depot 
to  be  considered  dangerous  from  a  mosquito  standpoint:  Raritan, 
Carteret,  Sewaren,  Woodbridge  Creek,  Sayreville,  South  River, 
South  Amboy  and  Cheesequake. 

The  Carteret  meadow  is  distant  about  8  miles  to  the  northeast. 
It  contains  578  acres,  and  112,944  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch 
ditching,  or  its  equivalent,  has  been  installed  here  by  the  Middlesex 
County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  and  the  Agricultural 
Experiment  Station.  It  is  estimated  that  about  37,000  feet  of 
ditching  are  still  required  on  this  meadow. 

The  Sewaren  meadow,  containing  approximately  447  acres,  lies 
6  miles  to  the  northeast;  71,422  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch 
trenching  have  been  cut  in  this  marsh  by  the  commission  and  the 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  261 

Experiment  Station.  Some  oil  also  has  been  used  here,  so  that 
no  time  during  the  past  summer  did  a  heavy  brood  emerge.  But 
about  88,578  feet  of  ditching  are  still  needed  to  complete  the 
drainage  of  this  marsh. 

Woodbridge  Creek  (approximately  711  acres  of  marsh)  is  about 
5  miles  distant  to  the  northeast;  51,721  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditch- 
ing, or  its  equivalent,  have  been  cut  here  by  the  commission  and 
the  Agricultural  ExJperimenit  Station.  Much  emergency  work, 
made  necessary  by  the  blocking  of  trenches  by  hydraulic  and  gar- 
bage fills,  was  done  on  this  meadow  last  season.  This  work  (oiling 
and  trenching)  prevented  severe  migrations  from  this  marsh.  On 
this  marsh  98,280  feet  of  trenching  still  need  to  be  cut. 

Even  if  there  has  been  no  control  work  on  the  above  three 
marshes,  they  would  hardly  be  a  source  of  danger  to  the  Ordnance 
Depot,  because  the  prevailing  winds  that  carry  mosquitoes  are  not 
from  that  direction. 

One  and  one-hatf  to  two  miles  to  the  south  is  the  Sayreville 
marsh  (332  acres)  which  contains  3000  linear  feet  of  10  by 
30-inch  ditching  cut  by  the  commission  and  the  Agricultural  Experi- 
ment Station.  Some  additional  ditching  is  required  to  drain  this 
meadow  adequately.  But  in  the  past  this  marsh  has  had  only  scat- 
tered breeding  in  wet  seasons. 

The  South  River  marsh  (4  miles  to  the  southwest)  of  1,929  acres 
is  tide-swept  and  has  caused  no  trouble  in  the  past. 

If  breeding  should  start  in  the  future  on  the  Sayreville  and 
South  River  marshes,  the  Du  Pont  de  Nemours  Powder  Company 
and  the  Hercules  Powder  Company  have  signified  their  willingness 
to  cooperate  with  the  commission  in  controlling  it. 

The  South  Amboy  marsh,  about  5  miles  east  by  southeast,  con- 
sists of  204  acres;  54440  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching,  or 
its  equivalent,  have  been  cut  here  by  the  commission  and  the  Agri- 
cultural Experiment  Station.  No  broods  escaped  from  this  meadow 
last  summer,  but  additional  ditching  (25,560  feet  estimated)  is 
needed. 

The  Cheesequake  Meadow  (1600  acres)  is  7  miles  to  the  south- 
east; 157,900  linear  feet  of  ditching  have  been  cut  here  by  the 
commission  and  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station.  On  the 
southern,  or  undrained  portion  of  this  marsh,  extensive  breeding 
occurred  last  summer  during  June,  July  and  August.  Large  mi- 
grations took  place  during  the  latter  two  months.  But  the  records 
of  the  commission  do  not  indicate  that  these  migrants  came  to  the 
north  side  of  the  Raritan  River.  Conferences  are  now  being  held 
between  representatives  of  the  Gillespie  Construction  Company, 
agents  of  the  United  States  Government,  and  the  Middlesex 
Q>unty  Mosquito  Commission,  to  draw  up  a  plan  and  agreement 
for  the  control  of  breeding  on  the  still  unditched  portion  of  this 
meadow. 


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262      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

On  all  of  these  meadows,  during  the  present  season,  the  com- 
mission  will  maintain  a  patrol  and  will  do  as  much  control  work 
as  its  funds  will  permit. 

The  North  Raritan  Marsh 

It  is  clear  from  the  above  facts  that  the  only  salt-marsh  mosqui- 
toes likely  to  trouble  employees  of  the  Raritan  Ordnance  Depot  are 
those  which  may  breed  on  the  Raritan  marsh,  north  of  the  Raritan 
River.  This  marsh  consists  of  2,235  acres.  To  control  the  breed- 
ing on  it  the  commission  and  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station 
have  cut  to  date  447,695  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching,  or 
its  equivalent.  An  adequate  system  of  mosquito  control  on  this 
jneadow,  it  is  estimated  would  necessitate  the  cutting  of  185,628 
more  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching,  or  its  equivalent,  provided 
the  present  outlets  are  not  interfered  with  and  provided  the  dis- 
charge of  acid  on  the  meadow  is  prevented. 

The  Raritan  Ordnance  Depot  property  extends  from  the  New 
Jersey  Gay  and  Brick  Company  Railroad  to  about  the  railroad 
running  to  the  Nixon  Nitration  Works  wharf.  The  area  contains 
approximately  1300  acres  of  the  Raritan  salt  marsh,  and  158,136 
feet  of  the  trenching  referred  to  in  the  preceding  paragraph.  On 
account  of  the  building  operations  now  going  forward  and  because 
of  lack  of  funds  the  commission  can  no  longer  undertake  to  main- 
tain, mosquito-control  work  on  this  property.  If  the  employees  of 
the  Ordnance  Depot  are  to  be  protected  from  the  salt-marsh  mos- 
quitoes bred  on  the  reservation  this  control  work  must  now  be 
carried  on  by  the  Sanitary  Department  of  the  Ordnance  Depot. 

For  the  purpose  of  mosquito  control  the  reservation  marsh  can 
conveniently  be  divided  into  two  areas:  (i)  the  areas  west  of  the 
Bloomfield  Railroad  and  (2)  the  area  east  of  this  railroad. 

Salt  Marsh  West  of  Bloomfield  Railroad 

This  area  consists  of  800  or  900  acres  of  the  reservation  marsl' 
On  it  there  are  approximately  137,630  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch 
ditching,  or  its  equivalent,  already  cut  by  the  commission  and  the 
Agricultural  Experiment  Station  to  prevent  mosquito  breeding. 

The  control  work  here  will  consist  of  cleaning  the  ditches  alreadv 
installed  and  maintaining  them  at  their  original  depth,  and  the  cut- 
ting of  at  least  95,000  more  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching, 
or  its  equivalent.  About  60,000  linear  feet  of  the  above  ditching 
should  be  cut  in  an  undrained  area  of  some  200  acres,  near  the 
center  of  the  property,  between  the  Bloomfield  Railroad  and  the 
Nixon  Railroad  and  south  of  Red  Root  Creek.  At  the  northwest 
comer  of  the  Depot  marsh  is  located  the  Nixon  Nitration  Works. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  263 

Some  15,000  to  30,000  additional  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch 
ditching  will  probably  be  required  to  bring  again  under  controi 
fhe  mosquito  breeding  on  the  200  acres  of  meadow  adjacent  to  the 
Nixon  plant  and  on  either  side  of  Red  Root  Creek  east  of  here. 

One  of  the  principles  underlying  successful  salt-marsh  mosquito 
extermination  depends  upon  the  presence  of  killifish  to  consume  the 
larvae,  or  wrigglers,  existing  in  sluggish  streams,  ponds  and  ditches. 
Without  the  fish  these  waters  become  serious  mosquito-breeding 
places.  A  trace  of  acid  seems  to  repel  killifish,  but  it  requires 
highly  acidulated  water  to  prevent  mosquito  development. 

The  meadows  on  either  side  of  Red  Root  Creek  are  naturally 
low-lying  and  the  acid-charged  effluent  from  the  Nixon  plant  has 
killed  the  grass,  causing  the  meadow  peat  to  rot,  holes  to  form  and 
the  meadow  surface  to  sink  still  lower.  When  the  nitration  plant 
was  closed  temporarily  in  July  of  last  year  the  continuous  supply 
of  acid  was  interrupted,  and  in  the  sections  of  the  creek  where  the 
water  was  sluggish,  the  connecting  ditches  and  the  sunken  meadow 
areas  all  began  breeding  mosquitoes  in  tremendous  numbers;  for 
while  there  was  not  enough  acid  remaining  to  kill  the  mosquito 
wrigglers,  a  trace  of  acid  persisted  and  this,  apparently,  was 
sufficient  to  repel  the  killifish. 

The  writer  understands  that  the  Nixon  Nitration  Works  is 
now  controlled  by  the  United  States  Government.  This  should  ren- 
der the  repetition  of  last  summer's  trouble  easy  of  prevention.  It 
is  suggested  that  the  acid  effluent  be  neutralized  with  milk  of  lime 
before  it  is  discharged  on  the  meadow,  or  that  it  be  carried  by  fltune 
and  ditch  directly  to  the  river. 

The  necessity  for  cutting  new  outlets  for  all  ditches  blocked  by 
building  operations  cannot  be  too  strongly  emphasized.  All  ditches 
containing  stagnant  water  are  potential  mosquito  breeders.  The 
connection  of  salt  marsh  trenching  with  tide  water  should  be 
maintained.  If  this  is  not  possible  the  ditches  must  be  oiled  regu- 
larly and  frequently  (at  intervals  of  a  week  or  ten  days)  or  else 
filled. 

Filling  can  often  be  substituted  to  advantage  for  spurring,  in 
taking  care  of  small  depressions  on  the  meadow  surface.  The  sod 
taken  from  the  ditches  can  be  utilized  for  this  purpose. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  measures  adequate  control  of  mos- 
quito breeding  on  the  salt  marsh  requires  the  maintenance  of  a 
patrol  and  regular  inspectft)n  of  the  meadows  throiighcmt  the 
season  from  April  fifteenth  to  October  first.  This  regular  inspection 
of  all  water  on  the  marsh  for  larvae  will  disclose  the  necessity  for 
emergency  wor^  from  time  to  time.  The  latter  will  consist  in  re- 
moving blockages  from  ditches,  shallow  spurring  to  surface  pools, 
and  oiling.  But  if  adequate  permanent  ditching  has  been  installed 
and  is  properly  maintained,  acid  pollution  and  the  blocking  of  ditches 


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264      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 

by  building  operations  prevented,  very  little  emergency  work  should 
be  necessary. 

In  our  opinion  the  best,  and  in  the  long  run  the  cheapest,  method 
of  controlling  mosquito  breeding  in  this  section  of  the  Ordnance 
Depot  marsh  is  to  supplement  the  ditching  system  by  conducting 
the  waters  of  Red  Root  Creek  under  the  above  railroad  through 
sluices  or  culverts  with  tide-gates  on  the  outside.  Since  the  plains 
for  the  improvement  of  the  property  call  for  culverts  under  the 
railroad  anyway,  and  ^ince  the  machinery  for  putting  in  these 
culverts  is  already  on  the  ground  and  the  work  has  commenced, 
the  additional  expense  of  the  tide-gates  and  sufficient  cross-section 
area  of  sluiceway  to  drain  adequately  the  area  under  discussion 
would  be  comparatively  small. 

Furthermore,  since  magazines  will  probably  be  erected  at  various 
places  on  the  marsh,  it  will  eventually  be  found  necessary  to  build 
a  low  dike  along  the  Raritan  River  side  of  the  marsh  to  protect  the 
property  from  the  destructive  effects  of  the  occasional  storm  tides. 
In  the  latter  event  tide-gates  will  be  a  necessity  and  it  would  be 
much  cheaper  to  put  them  in  now  while  the  culverts  are  being  in- 
stalled. 

So  far  as  mosquito-control  work  is  concerned,  however,  the  above 
dike  is  not  necessary.  All  the  diking  needed  is  already  present  in  the 
embankment  of  the  Bloomfield  Railroad.  All  that  is  required  is 
that  tide-gates  and  culverts  of  sufficient  cross-section  area  be  in- 
stalled where  Red  Root  Creek  passes  under  the  railroad.  We  have 
been  informed  that  the  plans  call  for  three  3-foot  pipes  or  culverts 
imder  the  railroad.  While  these  pipes  may  have  capacity  enough 
to  take  care  of  the  waters  of  Red  Root  Creek  ordinarily,  we  be- 
lieve that  during  wet  weather,  or  after  the  Qccurrence  of  the 
occasional  extra  .high  tide,  the  water  would  not  drain  off  the  meadow 
rapidly  enough  to  prevent  mosquito  breeding. 

Mr.  C.  C.  Vermeule,  who  investigated  the  draining  of  the  New 
Jersey  tide  marshes  for  the  Geological  Survey,  recommends  that 
there  should  be  3  square  feet  of  cross-section  area  in  the  sluices  for 
every  100  acres  to  be  drained.  In  our  experience  we  have  found 
this  figure  to  be  about  right. 

The  area  of  salt  marsh  drained  by  Red  Root  Creek,  west  of  the 
Bloomfield  Railroad  and  within  the  reservation,  is  about  800  or 
900  acres.  But  there  are  between  300  and  400  acres  more  of  marsh 
which  drain  into  this  part  of  the  creek,  so  that  provisions  must 
be  made  for  the  drainage  of  approximately  1200  acres.  (It  is  not 
necessary  to  consider  the  upland  contiguous  to  the  marsh  since 
it  is  the  intention  of  the  Ordnance  Depot  authorities  to  drain  this 
by  a  band  ditch  into  Red  Root  Creek  east  of  the  Bloomfield  Rail- 
road.) To  drain  this  1200  acres  satisfactorily  would  require  sluices 
or  culverts  with  a  cross-section  area  of  about  36  square  feet.  Five 
3-foot  pipes,  properly  provided  with  flappers  or  tide-gates  on  the 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  265 

outside  (down  stream)  ends,  instead  of  the  three  pipes  called  for 
in  the  plans,  theoretically  should  thus  be  used. 

These  pipes  should  be  set  low  enough  to  drain  Red  Root  Creek 
to  the  bottom.  If  iron  pipes  are  to  be  used  (as  we  have  been 
informed)  bulkheads  will  not  be  needed.  In  this  connection  it 
should  be  pointed  out,  however,  that  the  acid  pollution  of  Red 
Root  Creek  must  be  stopped  or  the  pipes  will  suffer  from  cor- 
rosion. 

If  these  five  3-foot  pip^s  and  tide-gates  are  installed  and  the 
railroad  embankment  adjacent  thereto  rendered  tight  by  suitable 
filling  there  should  be  no  further  danger  of  mosquito  breeding  on 
the  Depot  marsh,  provided  the  ditching  system  is  properly  main- 
tained. Long  continued  wet  weather  and  the  occasional  extra  high 
tide  which  would  flood  the  meadow  from  the  Raritan  River  side 
wouW  no  longer  be  a  source  of  danger.  By  the  action  of  the  tide- 
gates  the  water-table  of  the  meadow  would  be  so  lowered,  and  the 
meadow  surface  kept  so  dry,  that  a  reservoir  sufficient  to  absorb 
all  storm  and  extra  high  tide-water  would  be  created. 

In  installing  the  tide-gates,  however,  one  of  the  fundamental 
principles  of  salt-marsh  mosquito  control  must  not  be  overlooked. 
The  principle,  referred  to  before,  is  that  any  stagnant  water  in 
surface  pool,  creek  or  ditch  is  a  potential  mosquito  breeder.  Be- 
cause of  the  action  of  the  tide-gates  some  of  the  ditches  will  at 
times  run  practically  dry.  Stagnant  water  breeding  mosquitoes 
will  remain  in  low  spots  in  such  ditches.  To  provide  for  flushinc: 
the  latter,  and  to  secure  a  circulation  of  water,  the  ditches  now 
draining  into  the  Raritan  River  should  be  connected  with  Red  Root 
Creek.  Indeed  it  might  be  well  to  cut  a  ditch  30  inches  deep  bv 
from  20  to  30  inches  wide  just  inside  of  the  west  end  of  the  prop- 
erty from  the  river  to  Red  Root  Creek  and  thus  insure  a  circula- 
tion from  the  head  of  the  creek.  This  ciculation  is  already  partU' 
provided  for  by  the  ditching  system  west  of  the  Nixon  Railroad. 


Salt  Marsh  East  of  Bloomfield  Railroad 

The  reservation  marsh  east  of  the  Bloomfield  Railroad  consists 
of  some  300  or  400  acres.  This  part  of  the  meadow  will  not  be 
shut  off  by  sluice  and  tide-gate  from  tidal  action.  The  Middlesex 
County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  and  tKe  State  Experi 
ment  Station  have  already  cut  here  (as  indicated  on  the  map)  ap- 
proximately 20,506  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching,  or  its 
equivalent.  The  control  measures  recommended  for  the  western 
or  semi-enclosed  part  of  the  reservation  marsh  apply  well  on  this 
more  open  area.  The  present  ditching  system  must  be  maintained ; 
and  all  trenches  kept  at  their  original  depths  and  free  from  block- 
age.      The  regular  patrol  and  periodic  inspection  of  the  meadov/ 


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266      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL    COLLEGE 

will  reveal  the  necessity,  if  any  exists,  for  new  ditching,  shallow 
spurring  to  pools  of  storm  water  and  oiling.  It  may  be  pointed 
out  here  that  there  is  more  danger  from  storm  water  on  an  open 
meadow  than  one  protected  by  tide-gates. 

The  water  table  of  a  meadow  drained  by  an  open-ditch  system  is 
not  lowered  enough  to  create  a  reservoir  which  will  absorb  storm 
water  as  quickly  as  it  is  taken  up  by  the  enclosed  meadow.  Hence, 
there  is  need  of  a  careful  inspection  for  wrigglers  after  wet  weather 
and  extra  high  tides.  The  waters  and  any  portion  of  the  meadow 
receiving  the  effluent  from  the  National  Synthetic  Works  on  the 
eastern  side  of  this  marsh  should  be  carefully  watched  for  breeding. 

The  Raritan  Ordnance  Depot  agreed  to  carry  out  the  measures 
recommended  above  to  control  mosquito  breeding  on  the  1,200 
acres  of  the  North  Raritan  Salt  Marsh  within  its  property,  and 
the  Middlesex  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  under- 
took to  control  the  breeding  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  on  the  ap- 
proximately 1,000  acres  of  this  marsh  outside  the  reservation.  On 
this  latter  area  the  Commission  and  the  State  Agricultural  Experi- 
ment Station  have  already  cut  289,559  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch 
ditching,  or  its  equivalent. 

East  Shore  of  Delaware  River  from  Camden  to  Penns  Grove 

The  plan  for  protecting  the  International  Shipbuilding  Corpora- 
tion plant  at  Hog  Island  and  the  Westinghouse  plant  at  Essington 
required  a  knowledge  of  the  mosquito-breeding  conditions  on  the 
New  Jersey  side  of  the  Delaware  River.  Accordingly,  an  investi- 
gation was  made  by  Mr.  Mitchel  Carroll,  and  the  results  are  set 
forth  by  him  in  the  following  report : 

report  of  mosquito  conditions  on  the  east  side  of  the  delaware 
river  from  cooper  river  to  penn^s  grove 

Mitchel  Carroll 

Within  this  district  are  located  the  following  plants  concerned  in 
the  manufacture  of  ships  or  munitions  of  war:  New  York  Ship- 
building Company,  Pennsylvania  Shipbuilding  Company,  New  Jei- 
sey  Shipbuilding  Company,  Vacuum  Oil  Company,  Gibbstown  Plant 
of  the  du  Pont  de  Nemours  Powder  Company ;  and,  at  the  southern 
end,  the  Carney's  Point  Plant  of  the  du  Pont  Powder  Company. 

The  names  of  streams,  towns,  etc.,  as  given  in  this  report,  are 
those  used  on  the  maps  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey. 

The  area  covered  by  this  inspection  is  some  29  miles  in  length  by 
from  3  to  6  miles  wide.  It  contains,  according  to  planimeter 
measurements  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey  map,  approxi- 
mately 9,500  acres  of  swamp  or  marsh.    Some  1,800  acres  of  this 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  267 

marsh  consists  of  flats  overflowed  freely  by  every  high  tide,  and  this 
area  is  consequently  probably  free  from  breeding.  Another  3,000 
acres  is  more  or  less  subject  to  tidal  overflow  but  contains  so  much 
tussock,  alder,  and  cat-tail  swamp,  especially  along  the  smaller 
streams,  that  much  breeding  undoubtedly  takes  place.  Of  the  re- 
mainder, possibly  800  acres  is  cedar  swamp  and  hence  need  not  be 
considered.  About  4,400  acres  of  tussock,  cat-tail,  and  alder  swamp 
is  free  from  tidal  action,  and  seems  like  ideal  breeding  grounds  for 
sylvestris  and  perturbans. 

In  addition  to  the  above  areas  there  are  many  acres  where  exten- 
sive  breeding  undoubtedly  occurs,  but  which  are  not  indicated  in  the 
Geological  Survey  maps.  Throughout  this  region  are  patches  of 
woodland  containing  small  swamps  and  pools.  These  can  probably 
be  neglected, .  as  the  woodland  species  which  breed  there  are  not 
known  to  migrate  far.  More  serious  conditions  are  found  in  many 
places  behind  the  20  miles  of  dike  along  the  Delaware  and  the  30 
or  40  miles  of  dike  along  the  creeks  tributary  to  that  river.  There 
must  be  about  5,000  acres  of  land  behind  the  dikes  along  Wood- 
bury, Mantua,  Raccoon,  Repaupo,  Oldman's  Creeks,  and  the  Dela- 
ware River,  where  the  old  drainage  systems  need  repairing  and 
extension.  This  would  involve  the  putting  in  of  a  ntunber  of  new 
sluices  and  tide-gates,  and  perhaps  also  the  installation  of  pumping 
stations  at  several  places.  But  these  matters  could  be  determined 
only  by  means  of  careful  surveys. 

There  is  probably  in  the  region  under  discussion  a  grand  total 
of  at  least  12,000  acres  to  be  drained  in  order  to  control  mosquito 
breeding. 

The  residents  throughout  the  area  under  discussion  report  mos- 
quitoes very  troublesome  in  the  early  evenings  and  at  night.  Except 
in  the  marshes  themselves  they  are  not  troubled  by  mosquitoes 
during  the  day  unless  the  weather  is  damp  and  cloudy.  In  the 
latter  case,  especially  if  the  wind  is  from  the  direction  of  large 
swamps,  mosquitoes  are  reported  often  present  in  large  numbers  at 
some  places,  even  during  the  day.  In  South  Camden,  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  New  York  Shipbuilding  Company's  plant,  and  in  Gloucester. 
Ciilex  pipiens  Linn,  and  Aedes  sylvestris  Theob,  appear  to  be  the 
dominant  species.  From  Gloucester  to  Penns  Grove  sylvestris  seems 
to  be  the  prevailing  species.  Residents  everywhere  in  this  district 
describe  the  common  mosquito  as  a  small  species  with  white  spot? 
on  its  back.  At  intervals  most  places  in  this  region  are  subject  also 
to  invasions  from  a  large  brown  mosquito.  The  latter  is  usually  de- 
scribed as  a  fierce  biter  leaving  a  much  larger  swelling  about  the 
wound  than  the  smaller  species.  It  is  possible  that  this  large  mos- 
quito may  be  in  some  cases  Mansonia  pertubans  Wlk.,  and  in  others 
Aedes  subcantans  Felt.  And  in  the  southern  part  of  the  region 
under  discussion  Aedes  sollicitans  Wlk.  and  Aedes  cantcUor  Coq. 
may  occur  as  migrants  from  marshes  down  the  bay. 


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268      NEW   JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

It  does  not  seem  probable  that  any  salt-marsh  species  breed  in 
the  above  area,  as  the  salinity  of  the  river  water  at  Chester  Island 
(in  March)  was  only  about  3  per  cent.  Nor  could  any  reliable  re- 
ports of  the  presence  of  Anophelines  be  obtained.  At  the  Gibbs- 
town  plant  of  the  du  Pont  Powder  Company  four  or  five  cases 
of  malaria  appeared  last  summer,  but  only  two  of  these  showed 
the  parasite  in  the  blood  and  all  had  come  from  the  tropics.  Le«» 
lie  (Report  of  former  Camden  County  Mosquito  Commission), 
however,  reports  Anophelines  breeding  in  marshes  along  Cooper 
Creek. 

Psorophora  ciliata  Fabr.  occurs  at  several  places  along  the  Dela- 
ware. The  mosquito  described  by  employees  of  New  Jersey  Ship- 
building Company  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Timber  Creek,  and  by  a 
fisherman  at  the  mouth  of  Mantua  Creek,  was  evidently  this  specie?. 

Camden  County 

In  Camden  County,  within  5  miles  of  the  Delaware  River  an^ 
the  plants  of  the  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  Jersey  Ship- 
building Corporations,  there  are  approximately  2,000  acres  of  fresh- 
water marsh  along  Cooper,  Newton,  Little  Timber,  and  Big  Tim- 
ber Creeks. 

Probably  no  breeding  occurs  on  150  or  200  acres  of  the  Cooper 
Creek  marshes,  because  of  the  fact  that  they  are  overflowed  by 
the  tide.  Much  of  the  remainder  is  somewhat  subject  to  tidal 
action,  but  in  these  places  breeding  undoubtedly  occurs  in  pockets, 
and  in  the  tussock  and  elder  swamps  around  the  edges  of  the 
marshes.  There  are  at  least  275  acres  of  marsh  along  this  creek 
which  would  have  to  be  drained  or  otherwise  treated  to  stop  breed- 
ing. If  it  is  decided  to  draw  up  a  plan  of  mosquito  control  only  to 
protect  the  shipbuilding  industries  along  the  Delaware,  the  Cooper 
Creek  marshes  might  be  neglected  for  the  present,  as  it  is  not 
likely  that  mosquitoes  breeding  there  would  migrate  past  the  denser 
populations  of  suburban  Camden  to  reach  that  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  shipbuilding  plants. 

The  30  acres  of  marsh  along  Newton  Creek  and  its  branches, 
however,  can  not  be  neglected.  For  a  distance  of  one  mile  back 
from  the  river  the  main  part  of  this  marsh  is  overflowed  at  high 
tide  and  would  need  no.  treatment.  But  even  in  this  area, 
there  are  many  pockets  of  cat-tail  and  much  stagnant  water  en- 
closed by  road  and  railroad  embankments  which  need  attention. 
Here  old  ditches  would  have  to  be  cleaned  and  extended  and  new 
ones  dug.  There  a  number  of  old  sluices  and  tide-gates  which 
would  have  to  be  repaired  and  it  would  probably  be  found  neces- 
sary to  install  some  new  culverts,  sluices  and  tide-gates. 

One  and  three-quarter  miles  back  from  tlie  river  the  Main 
Branch  and  Peter  Creek  have  been  dammed  by  the  Woodl>Tine- 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  269 

Mount  Ephraim  road  and  now  form  two  long  ponds.  The  borders 
of  these  ponds  would  require  constant  inspection  during  the  breed- 
ing season  and  their  banks  would  have  to  be  kept  clean.  There  is 
a  rise  and  fall  of  the  tide  for  i}i  miles  up  the  North  Branch  but 
the  areas  of  tussock,  alder  and  cat-tail  swamps  along  it  would  re- 
quire constant  inspection  and  treatment.  Much  of  it  could  pos- 
sibly be  drained  by  ditching.  Similar  conditions  prevail  for  2}4 
miles  along  the  South  Branch. 

There  are  thus  possibly  350  acres  of  the  Newton  Creek  marshes 
requiring  drainage  or  other  treatment. 

In  addition  to  the  Newton  Creek  marshes  there  are  a  number 
of  breeding  places  on  vacant  city  lots  within  a  few  city  blocks  of  the 
New  York  Shipbuilding  Company^s  plant  in  South  Camden.  These 
consist  of  pools  of  stagnant  water  and  ^mall  patches  of  cat-tail. 

In  the  City  of  Gloucester,  within  two  city  squares  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Shipbuilding  Company,  is  an  old  cat-tail  swamp  occupying 
nearly  a  square.  This  is  below  the  level  of,  and  enclosed  by,  paved 
streets.  Near  here  there  are  several  other  smaller  bodies  of  stag- 
nant water  and  cat-tail  in  similar  locations.  To  control  the  breed- 
ing, these  would  have  to  be  treated  by  frequent  oiling,  or  else 
filled  or  drained.  Possibly  these  areas  could  be  drained  into 
sewers  if  there  are  any  of  the  latter  nearby.  On  the  eastern  side 
of  Gloucester,  within  94  "lile  of  the  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania 
Shipbuilding  Companys'  plants,  are  some  old  gravel  or  sand  pits, 
about  three  city  squares  in  extent.  These  contain  much  stag- 
nant water,  algae  and  some  cat-tail.  Periodic  oiling  would  seem  to 
be  the  only  remedy  here,  as  the  pits  lie  too  low  to  drain. 

In  addition  to  the  above  areas  there  are  many  smaller  breeding 
places  in  and  around  Gloucester,  such  as  road  ditches,  excavations 
for  cellars  over  which  houses  have  not  been  built,  receptacles  in 
factory  yards,  ash-dumps,  sewer  catch^basins,  etc.,  which  would  re- 
quire frequent  inspection  and  treatment.  It  may  be  said,  indeed, 
that,  if  Newton 'and  Timber  Creek  marshes  did  not  exist,  there 
are  probably  enough  breeding  places  suitable  for  pipiens  and  sylves-- 
tris,  in  and  around  Gloucester  to  make  the  evenings  uncomfortable 
for  the  residents  of  that  city  and  the  employees  of  the  shipbuilding 
companies.  Leslie,  indeed,  in  his  1914  report  (Camden  County 
Commission)  reports  very  little  breeding  in  the  tidal  swamps  of 
Newton  Creek  and  says  there  are  sufficient  breeding  in  the  ash 
dumps  along  Sixth  Street  to  account  for  much  of  the  Gloucester 
mosquito  trouble. 

Along  Little  Timber  Creek  there  are  190  acres  of  fresh  marsh. 
Behind  the  dikes,  near  the  junction  with  Big  Timber  Creek,  are 
two  small  cat-tail  swamps.  One  of  these  is  drained,  apparently 
insufficiently,  by  a  sluice  and  tide-gate  into  Little  Timber;  the 
other  does  not  seem  to  have  an  outlet.  Both  are  on  property 
owned  or  controlled,  I  believe,  by  the  New  Jersey  Shipbuilding 


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270      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Company.  A  large  part  of  the  Little  Timber  marsh  is  probably 
kept  fairly  free  from  breeding  by  tidal  overflow,  as  there  is  a  rise 
and  fall  of  the  tide  for  at  least  2j4  miles  up  this  Creek.  But 
around  the  -borders  of  the  marsh,  which  in  many  places  are  wooded, 
the  tussock  and  alder  swamps  would  have  to  be  frequently  inspected 
during  the  season.  And  no  doubt  much  drainage  work  would  have 
to  be  done. 

On  Big  Timber  Creek  and  its  tributaries  there  are  745  areas  of 
marsh,  half  of  it  in  Camden  County  and  half  in  Gloucester  County. 
For  five  miles  up  from  the  junction  of  this  creek  with  the  Delaware 
there  is  tidal  action.  Yet  it  is  possible  that  breeding  occurs  more  or 
less  over  some  400  or  500  acres  of  this  marsh.  For  the  most  part 
it  consists  of  open  tussock  swamp  with  adlers  around  the  borders, 
and  woodland  swamps  along  the  smaller  tributaries.  Most  of  this 
would  have  to  be  drained  without  the  use  of  tide-gates,  as  the  latter 
would  interfere  with  navigation.  This  makes  drainage  in  some 
places  a  difficult  problem  on  account  of  lack  of  grade.  Behind  the 
dikes  near  the  mouth  the  ditches  would  also  have  to  be  watched 
for  breeding  and  perhaps  some  additional  drainage  put  it. 

The  Big  and  Little  Timber  Creek  marshes,  then,  in  need  of  treat- 
ment to  stop  mosquito  breeding  amount  to  about  500  acres. 

In  Camden  County,  in  a  single  strip  of  territory  5  miles  wide  ex- 
tending along  the  Delaware  River  from  Cooper  Creek  to  Big  Tindier 
Creek,  inclusive,  there  are  thus  about  1,000  acres  of  fresh-water 
marsh  requiring  drainage  or  other  treatment  in  order  to  control  mos- 
quito breeding.  The  marsh  is  of  such  a  character  that  machines  like 
tfie  Eaton  ditcher  could  hardly  be  used.  Ditching  would  have  to  be 
done  by  hand.  In  addition  to  these  large  marshes  there  are  the 
smaller  breeding  places  in  South  Camd^en  and  Gloucester  mentioned 
above. 

Some  of  the  latter  could  be  eliminated ;  others  would  require  fre- 
quent periodic  inspection  and  oiling. 

Gloucester  County 

Gloucester  County  extends  along  the  Delaware  River  from  Big 
Timber  Creek  to  Oldman's  Creek,  a  distance  of  19  miles.  Including 
only  the  territory  extending  back  4j/^  miles  from  the  river,  there  are 
in  this  region,  according  to  the  United  States  Geological  Survey 
maps,  along  Big  Timber,  Woodbury,  Mantua,  Clonmell,  Nehonsey, 
Repaupo,  Little  Timber  (not  the  Little  Timber  Creek  of  Camden 
County),  Raccoon  and  Oldman's  Creeks,  and  the  Delaware  River, 
some  8,169  acres  of  marsh.  In  addition  to  this  there  are  in  the 
neighborhood  of  3,000  to  4,000  acres  of  other  low-lying  land  behind 
river  and  creek  dikes,  which  lack  adequate  drainage  from  a  mosquito 
control  standpoint. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  271 

The  Big  Timber  Creek  Marsh  has  already  been  considered. 
On  the  southwest  of  Westville  there  is  an  unnamed  brook  which 
runs  through  about  70  acres  of  marsh.  Part  of  this  is  woodland  and 
tusssock  and  is  no  doubt  infested  with  sylvestris  and  the  less  im- 
portant woodland  species.  One-third  or  one-half  is  flushed  by  the 
tide  and  therefore  can  be  neglected;  the  remainder  would  require 
drainage  or  oiling. 

The  United  States  Government  owns  or  has  leased,  I  believe,  all 
the  land  (about  1,800  acres)  along  the  Delaware  from  Westville 
to  Red  Bank.  The  western  part  of  this  strip  lies  directly  opposite 
League  Island.  Just  west  of  Westville  there  two  or  three  small 
cat-tail  potholes  which  could  be  drained  by  short  ditches  into  the 
river.  The  greater  part  of  this  property,  known  as  the  Campbell 
Farm,  lies  between  the  lighthouses  and  Red  Bank.  On  the  Geological 
Survey  map  there  are  indicated  95  acres  of  marsh  on  the  eastern 
end  of  the  Campbell  Farm.  This  marsh  has  been  filled  and  no 
longer  exists.  West  of  this  filled-in  marsh  there  are  about  500 
acres  of  drained  land.  The  system  of  ditches  discharged  into  a 
large  (15  or  20- ft.)  main  drainage  canal.  The  latter  discharges 
through  sluice  and  tide-gate  into  the  river.  .There  is  provision  for 
flooding  both  the  land  and  part  of  the  canal.  The  above  ditches 
should  be  carefully  inspected  for  larva  as  the  water  in  some  is 
apparently  stagnant.  Besides  cleaning  these  ditches  and  perhaps 
altering  the  grades  of  some,  there  are  a  number  of  cat-tail  swamps 
on  this  farm  still  in  need  of  drainage.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
say,  without  making  surveys,  how  much  ditching  is  needed  here 
to  eliminate  breeding.  But  probably  not  over  160  acres  are  still 
in  need  of  drainage. 

There  is  a  marshy  stream  with  some  over-hanging  privies  on 
the  eastern  side  of  Red  Bank,  in  part  of  which  breeding  undoubt- 
edly occurs.  There  is  also  a  small  swamp  behind  the  boat-houses 
on  the  beach  toward  the  western  end  of  Red  Bank. 

About  J^  mile  south  of  the  Battle  Monument  at  Red  Bank  there 
is  an  open  field  marsh  of  perhaps  20  acres.  This  would  have  to 
be  drained  into  the  low-lying  land  behind  the  dikes  along  Woodburv 
Creek. 

Woodbury  Creek  joins  the  Delaware  opposite  Hog  Island.  The 
land  behind  the  dikes  on  either  side  of  this  creek,  and  extending 
back  lyi  miles  from  the  river,  is  badly  in  need  of  an  adequate 
drainage  system.  There  must  be  500  acres  of  this  low-lying  land, 
much  of  it  near  the  mouth  of  the  creek  being  marsSi.  Everywhere 
there  are  old  drainage  ditches,  but  for  many  of  these  no  outlet 
could  be  found,  and  in  most  the  water  appeared  stagnant.  Many 
of  the  ditches  in  the  marshier  area  near  the  river  were  more  or 
less  choked  with  algae.  Without  taking  levels  it  would  be  impossible 
to  say  whether  this  area  could  be  drained  without  pumping.  Some 
of  it  seems  to  be  below  tide-water. 


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2-72      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

Further  up  the  creek  some  488  acres  of  marsh  are  indicated  on 
the  geograi^ical  map.  About  200  acres  of  this  are  behind  the  dike 
and  similar  to  the  area  referred  to  in  the  preceding  paragp^ph.  The 
remaining  288  acres  are  tussock  and  alder  swamp;  140  acres  are 
along  a  tributary  which  discharges  by  sluice  and  tide-gate  into  the 
main  stream.  Inspections  for  larvae  might  reveal  the  need  of 
ditching.  The  other  140  acres  are  more  or  less  subject  to  tidal 
action  but  are  along  small  tributaries  in  part  wooded.  They  should 
be  inspected  for  breeding,  if  it  is  desired  to  protect  the  people  of 
Woodbury.  The  war  industries  on  the  river  would  scarcely  be 
troubled  by  mosquitoes  from  here. 

Between  Woodbury  and  Mantua  Creeks  are  two  small  streams 
which  discharge  under  the  Delaware  dike  by  sluices  and  tide-gates. 
With  their  systems  of  ditches  they  drain  the  land  through  which 
they  flow,  but  there  are  10  or  20  acres  of  open  tussock  swamps 
here  which  need  inspection  and  probably  further  drainage. 

Conditions  along  Mantua  Creek,  which  also  lies  opposite  Hog 
Island,  are  very  similar  to  those  just  described  for  Woo(tt)ury 
Creek.  As  in  the  case  of  the  latter  stream,  the  land  contiguous 
to  this  creek  for  some  distance  (2j4  miles)  back  from  the  river 
appears  dry  on  the  Geological  Survey  maps.  But  in  fact,  there  is 
much  stagnant  water  in  old  drainage  ditches  and  considerable 
marshes  behind  the  dike.  At  the  mouth,  on  the  right  bank,  mud 
dredged  from  Hog  Island  Channel  is  being  used  to  fill  a  low-lying 
area.  On  the  left  bank  there  are  some  cat-tail  swamps  adjoining 
the  fertilizer  plant  there.  From  here  to  Berekley  (2j^  miles  from 
the  mouth)  there  must  be  600  acres  behind  the  dikes  more  or  less 
in  need  of  drainage  to  stop  mosquito  breeding.  Just  how  much 
ditching  and  how  many  new  sluices  and  tide-gates  it  would  be 
necessary  to  put  in  could  be  determined  only  after  a  careful  in- 
spection of  the  ditches  and  swamps  for  larvae  and  the  taking  of 
levels.  In  the  neighborhood  of  Berekley  and  Mount  Royal  (3  or 
iYi  miles  from  the  river)  there  are  some  160  acres  of  marsh  in- 
dicated on  the  map.  Part  of  this  is  behind  the  dikes  and  part  is 
subject  to  flushing  by  the  tide.  There  are,  then,  on  Mantua  Creek, 
about  680  acres  of  marsh  of  low-lying  land  which  need  careful 
inspection  for  breeding  and  on  which,  where  breeding  is  found, 
surveys  would  have  to  be  made  to  locate  drainage  ditches  and  tide- 
gates. 

The  marsh  through  which  Clonmell  Creek  flows  is  about  130 
acres  in  extent.  It  is  an  <^)en  field  swamp,  and,  while  seen  only 
from  the  train,  did  not  appear  difficult  to  drain  by  ditching. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Gibbstown  (5  miles  distant  from  Hog  Island 
and  10  from  Gloucester)  occurs  the  largest  single  area  of  marsh 
in  either  Camden  or  Gloucester  counties.  It  is  likewise  the  one 
where  the  most  extensive  breeding  probably  occurs  and  will  be 
the  most  difficult  to  drain.    There  can  scarcely  be  less  than  2,000 


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EXPERIMENT  •  STATION    REPORT.  271 

acres  of  swamp  here.  The  marshy  area  is  larger  than  ai^ars  on 
the  map,  for  there  is  much  swamp  in  the  Thomson  Point  neigh- 
borhood which  is  dry  according  to  the  Geological  Survey  sheet. 

This  Gibbstown  swamp  consists  for  the  most  part  of  open  tussock 
and  cat-tail.  It  is  traversed  or  drained  by  Repaupo  Creek,  the 
Sand  Ditch,  Pargey,  London,  Still  and  Nehonsey  brooks  and  nu- 
merous ditches.  This  drainage  system  discharges  eventually  by 
sluices  and  tide-gates  under  the  Delaware  River  dikes.  Most  of  this 
area  lies  very  low  and  to  drain  it  sufficiently  to  stop  mosquito 
breeding  would  doubtless  require  pumping.  Mr.  Thomas,  chief 
of  safety  and  sanitation  for  the  Gibbstown  plant  of  the  du  Pont 
Powder  Company,  who  went  over  with  the  writer  the  part  of  this 
area  (about  1,500  acres)  belonging  to  the  latter  company,  is  author- 
ity for  the  statement  that  it  is  impossible  to  drain  the  Thomson 
Point  property  by  gravity. 

The  140  acres  of  marshy  foreshore  outside  the  dike  east  of 
Thomson  Point,  indicated  on  the  map,  is  nearly  all  flushed  by  the 
tide.  Breeding  could  occur  only  in  pockets  among  some  timber 
at  one  or  two  places. 

Chester  and  Monds  Islands  He  in  the  Delaware  between  Chester,* 
Pennsylvania  and  the  Thomson  Point  or  Gibbstown  property  of 
the  du  Pont  de  Nemours  Powder  Company  in  Gloucester  County. 
They  are  about  4^  miles  distant  from  Hog  Island.  Each  island 
is  a  huge  cat-tail  swamp.  On  Chester  Island  there  are  340  acres 
of  this  character,  and  on  Monds  Island  280  acres.  About  one- 
third  of  Monds  Island  and  one-fourth  of  Chester  Island  were 
formerly  enclosed  by  banks  and  drained.  The  old  dikes,  however, 
have  disintegrated  to  such  an  extent  that  in  some  places  they  can 
no  longer  be  traced.  The  area  behind  the  lines  of  the  old  dikeb 
is  now  no  different  from  the- land  outside.  The  old  drainage  ditches, 
too,  have  largely  or  wholly  disappeared.  The  surface  soil  on  these 
islands  is  a  soft  brown  muck,  consisting  chiefly  of  organic  matter. 
This  is  nearly  everywhere  well  saturated  with  water  and  in  moving 
about  over  it  one  sinks  in  to  a  depth  of  from  3  to  5  inches.  Much 
of  the  surface,  perhaps  one-fifth,  is  overflowed  by  the  average  flood 
tide.  The  remainder  lies  a  few  inches  too  high  to  be  reached  by 
the  daily  flood  tides,  but,  according  to  local  fishermen  and  musk- 
rat  hunters,  is  generally  pretty  well  covered  by  extra  high  storm 
tides.  It  is  this  area  above  the  reach  of  ordinary  tides  that  is 
dangerous  from  a  mosquito-control  viewpoint.  There  is  evidently 
water  standing  about  the  bases  of  the  cat-tails  over  much  of  this 
area  for  long  periods  at  a  time,  and  according  to  residents  of  the 
neighborhood  mosquitoes  breed  here  in  countless  numbers.  The 
remedy  would  seem  to  be  ditching.  All  the  lower-lying  parts  could 
be  opened  to  the  action  of  the  tide  and  the  higher  land  drained. 
This  ditching,  on  account  of  the  soft  nature  of  the  ground,  would 
be  more  expensive  to  install  and  maintain  than  the  typical  salt- 


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274      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

marsh  drainage.  But  the  basis  for  a  drainage  system  is  present  in 
the  form  of  natural  water-ways  which  penetrate  the  island  at  various 
places. 

More  than  half  of  the  1,260  acres  of  marsh  indicated  on  Little 
Timber  Creek  (do  not  confuse  with  the  Little  Timber  Creek  of 
Camden  County)  consist  of  woodland;  and  much  of  the  latter 
is  cedar  swamp.  But  around  the  borders  of  the  cedar  swamp,  and 
continuous  with  it,  are  areas  of  open  tussock  and  cat-tail,  with  some 
alder  and  maple  swamp.  In  the  opinion  of  the  writer,  it  would 
be  an  exceedingly  expensive  proposition  to  attempt  to  drain  the 
Little  Timber  swamp.  It  is  an  engineering  problem  of  some  mag- 
nitude and  the  cost  could  be  estimated  only  after  a  careful  survey. 

Southwest  of  the  Little  Timber  marsh  is  an  open  field  swamp  of 
124  acres,  which  was  seen  only  from  a  distance,  but  appeared  partly 
drained. 

Most  of  the  400  acres  of  marsh  indicated  in  the  vicinity  of  Rac- 
coon Island  are  not  dangerous  from  a  mosquito  standpoint.  Much 
of  the  foreshore  marsh  is  flushed  by  the  tide  and  the  part  of  ir 
lying  behind  the  island  has  been  drained.  The  problem  here  is 
chiefly  one  of  ditch  inspection  and  putting  in  some  additional  spur 
ditches. 

As  is  the  case  along  all  the  Gloucester  County  creeks,  there  are 
ditches  and  small  marshes  behind  the  dikes  at  various  places  along 
Raccoon  Creek  which  need  attention  from  the  mosquito  exter- 
minator. Across  the  creek  from  Bridgeport  there  are  180  acres  of 
tussock  and  cat-tail  which  lack  adequate  drainage.  More  or  less 
continuous  with  this  are  about  95  acres  of  maple  and  alder  swamp. 

Between  the  last  mentioned  marsh  and  Oldman's  Creek  are  260 
acres  more  of  mixed  open  field,  maple  and  alder  swamp. 

The  dikes  on  Oldman's  Creek,  the  southwestern  boundary  of 
Gloucester  County,  were  found  broken  in  many  places.  Conse- 
quently, much  of  the  low-lying  land  on  the  left  bank  from  the  river 
to  Pedricktown  was  flooded.  The  300-acre  marsh  on  the  right  bank 
at  Pedricktown  also  was  flooded.  The  road  which  crosses  the  creek 
at  this  point  was  under  a  foot  or  two  of  water,  as  was  also  the  road 
which  crosses  the  creek  near  the  river. 

Besides  the  marsh  already  described  the  low-lying  land  behind 
the  15  or  18  miles  of  the  Delaware  River  dike  in  Gloucester  County 
needs  frequent  inspection  for  breeding  during  the  mosquito  season. 
This  land  is  traversed  by  numerous  drainage  ditches,  in  many  of 
which  the  water  is  stagnant.  At  a  few  places,  as  within  a  mile 
of  Oldman's  Creek,  land  once  drained  has  again  grown  up  with 
cat-tail  on  account  of  breaks  in  the  dike  or  through  other  causes. 
At  many  places  it  may  be  found  necessary  to  repair  dikes  or  put 
in  additional  ditches,  sluices  and  tide-gates. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


275 


Thus  in  Gloucester  County  a  mosquito-extermination  campaign 
would  involve  the  drainage  of  approximately  10,700  acres  of  marsh 
or  low-lying  land.  It  would  require  the  repairing  of  dikes,  old 
sluices  and  tide-gates,  and  the  putting  in  of  a  number  of  new 
tide-gates.  At  least  in  two  places,  Woodbury  Creek  and  the  Gibbs- 
town  marsh,  pumping  systems  might  have  to  be  installed. 


Salem  Cotuitj 

The  northern  comer  of  Salem  County  was  traversed  as  far  as 
Penils  Grove.    There  is  very  little  marsh  here. 


Tabular  Estimate  of  Areas  in  Camden  and  Gloucester  Counties, 

Within  6  Miles  of  the  Delaware  River,  Between  Cooper 

Creek  and  Oldman's  Creek,  Requiring  Drainage 

in  Order  to   Control  Mosquito  Breeding 


Camden  Cotmty 


Location 

Character 

Acres 

Cooper  Creek   

Newton  Creek 

Tussock  and  alder  swamp  

275 

Tussock,  alder  and  cat-tail  swamp  . . . 

350 

Little  Timber  Creek  . . 

Tussock,  alder  and  woodland  swamp  . . 

90 

Big  Timber  Creek  . . . 

Tussock  and  alder  swamp  

200 

Isolated  small  swamps 

100 

Total  for  Camden  County 1,015  acres 


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276      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


Gloucester  County 


Location 


Big  Timber  Creek  . . . 

Campbell    Farm,    east 
of  Red  Bank 

Red  Bank 

Woo<S)ury  Creek 

Mantua  Creek 

Clonmell  Creek 

Gibbstown    

Monds  Island 

Chester  Island   

Little  Timber  Creek.. 

Southwest     of     Little 
Timber  Marsh 


Character 


Tussock,  alder  and  woodland  swamp  . . 


Cat-tail  swamp  / . . 

Tussock,  alder  and  woodland  swamp  . . 

Low-lying  land  behind  dikes,  tussock  and 
tussock  and  alder  swamp   

Low-lying  land  behind  dikes,  cat*tai 
alder  swamp   

Open  field  (some  tussock  swamp)    . . . 

Open  tussock  and  cat-tail  

Cat-tail  swamp  

Cat-tail  swamp  


Cedar,    maple,    tussock    and    cat -tail 
swamp   (more  or  less  continuous). 


Open  field 


Oldman's  Creek 


Bridgeport    and    Rac- 
coon CJreek Maple,     tussock,     alder     and     cat-tail 

swamp 

Partly  tussock   flooded   at  present  by 

breaks  in  dike 

Wet  meadow,  stagnant  water  in  old 
ditches.  Some  cat-tail  and  tussock 
swamp    


Behind  Delaware  River 
dikes  and  isolated 
small  swamps 


Acres 


250 

150 
75 

670 

680 
130 

2,000 

280 

340 

1,260 
124 

300 
500 

4,000 


Total  for  Gloucester  County  10,759 


acres 


Grand  Total    11,774 


acres 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  2yy 


Atlantic  Loading  Company  and  Bethlehem  Steel  Company  Test- 
ing Plants  at  Ellwood  and  May's  Landing 

At  the  request  of  Mr.  E.  C.  WhitconA  and  Mr.  A.  J.  Kingsbury, 
of  the  Atlantic  Loading  Co.,  at  Ellwood,  N.  J.,  and  Mr.  William  H. 
Knnis  of  the  Bethlehem  St^el  Co.,  of  May's  Landing,  plans  for 
protecting  these  concerns  were  prepared  by  Mr.  Mitchel  Carroll, 
assistant  to  the  entomologist,  and  Mr.  Fred  A  Reiley,  chief  in- 
spector of  the  Atlantic  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commis- 
sion.   The  plan  follows. 

Plans,  Spedfieations  and  Estimates  for  Relieving  the  Ellwood,  N.  J. 

Plant  of  the  Atlantic  Loading  Co.  and  the  May's  Landing, 

N.  J.,  Plant  of  the  Bethlehem  Steel  Co. 

MiTCHEL  Carroll 

and 
Fred  A.  Reiley 

These  plans,  specifications  and  estimates  have  been  prepared 
after  carefully  considering  the  sources  from  which  the  mosquitoes 
troubling  these  plants  come.  Without  doubt,  not  much  less  than 
99  per  cent,  of  the  specimens  giving  trouble  at  these  points  are 
mosquitoes  which  breed  on  the  salt  marshes  and  fly,  or  are  wind- 
carried,  to  the  areas  where  these  plants  are  located. 

By  reference  to  the  map  it  will  be  seen  that  the  salt  marshes 
within  a  distance  of  thirty  miles  of  these  points  lie  to  the  soutn- 
west,  south  and  southeast,  east  and  slightly  northeast.  In  view 
of  the  fact  that  the  species  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  concerned 
only  rarely  exceed  thirty  miles  in  the  course  of  migration,  it  is 
obvious  that  such  specimens  as  reach  these  plants  must  come  from 
the  directions  specified. 

Careful  study  of  the  problem  has  served  to  show  that  the  species 
of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  concerned  travel  on  winds  of  low  velocity 
(lo  miles  an  hour  or  less),  of  high  humidity  (70  per  cent,  or  more), 
and  of  high  temperature  (about  80  degrees  F.). 

Examination  of  wind  direction  and  speed  for  the  months  of 
May,  June,  July,  August  and  September  in  the  years  1914,  1915, 
19 1 6  and  19 17,  will  serve  to  show  that  the  prevailing  winds 
during  the  months  mentioned,  especially  during  July  and  Au- 
gust, come  from  the  south  and  southwest.  They  will  also  serve 
to  show  that  the  winds  from  the  east  and  from  the  northeast, 
especially,  are  relatively  rare,  with  the  exception  of  during  the 
year  1916,  when  all  but  one  emergence  was  followed  by  easterly 


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278      NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

winds  (these  flights  covered  Egg  Harbor,  Ellwood,  Hammonton, 
a  very  few  reaching  May's  Landing).  They  further  serve  to  show 
that  favorable  wind  velocities  occur  during  the  latter  part  of  June, 
July,  August  and  the  forepart  of  September.  It  may  be  assumed 
safely  that  winds  from  the  south,  southeast,  east  and  northeast, 
by  reason  of  the  fact  that  they  come  off  large  bodies  of  water,  are 
heavily  charged  with  moisture.  It  may  also  be  safely  assumed 
that  winds  from  the  southwest,  when  they  leave  Delaware  Bay, 
are  heavily  charged  with  moisture.  During  the  latter  half  of  June. 
July,  August  and  the  forepart  of  September,  the  temperature  is 
normally  high  enough  to  favor  mosquito  flights. 

It  thus  appears  that  from  the  standpoint  of  wind  direction,  wind 
speed,  humidity  and  temperature,  salt-marsh  mosquito  flights  may 
readily  take  place  during  the  latter  part  of  June,  July,  August  and 
the  forepart  of  September  from  the  salt  marshes  before  mentioned 
to  the  regions  in  which  these  plants  are  located.  It  therefore  seems 
necessary,  in  outlining  a  plan  for  the  protection  of  these  plants, 
to  include  the  completion  of  the  drainage  of  the  marshes  which 
lie  to  the  northeast,  east,  southeast,  south  and  southwest. 

Inasmuch  as  this  involves  a  tremendous  area  of  marsh  and  con- 
templates a  large  expenditure  of  money  it  has  been  deemed  wise 
to  present  three  different  plans  of  procedure:  first,  a  plan  which 
contemplates  the  completion  of  the  drainage  of  the  salt  marshes 
included  in  the  Mullica  River,  Great  Egg  Harbor  River  and  Tucka- 
hoe  River  valleys  and  likely  to  result  in  comparative  freedom  from 
the  pest ;  second,  a  plan  which  contemplates  the  completion  of  the 
drainage  of  all  salt  marshes  lying  within  a  radius  of  twenty  miles 
of  these  plants  and  promises  practical  freedom  from  the  pest; 
third,  a  plan  which  contemplates  the  completion  of  the  drainage 
of  all  salt  marshes  which  He  within  a  radius  of  thirty  miles  of  these 
plants  and  promises  absolute  freedom  from  this  pest  insofar  as 
such  a  thing  may  be  had. 

Detailed  sp)ecifications  are  given  under  each  of  these  plans,  which 
will  now  follow  in  this  report  in  regular  order. 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT. 


279 


Table   i 

Plan  for  Comparative  Freedom  Involving  the  Completion  of 
Drainage  of  the  Salt-Marsh  Basins  of  Mullica,  Great 
Egg  Harbor  and  Tuckahoe  Rivers 


6 

I 

< 

Acreage 

No.  of  feet  of  10x30 
Inch     ditching,     or 
Its   equivalent,    re- 
quired. 

Cost    to    complete 
drainage  in  160  days 

Cost    to    complete 
drainage  in  one  year 

-3 

I 

% 

n 
IS 

COUNTY 

Cutting 
ditches   at 
214    cents 
per  foot 

goo 

Cutting 
ditches    at 
2  cents  per 
foot 

Overhead  at 
16  H    cents 
per  acre 

Atlantic    

Burlington 

Ocean    

Cape  May   ... 

7,375 
10,893 
9.717 
4.020 
6.3M 

7.375| 
5,165 
9,717 
1.712 
4,377 

2.360,000 
1.652.800 
8,109.440 
647.840 
1,400.640 

$53,100.00 
37.188.00 
69.962.40 
12.326.40 
31.514.40 

$1,216.87 

862.22 

1,603.30 

282.48 

722.20 

$47,200.00 
38.066.00 
62,188.80 
10.956.80 
28.012.80 

$1,216.87 

862.22 

1.603.30 

282.48 

722.20 

Totals     

87.869  1  28.346 

1               1 

9.070,720 

$204,091.20    $4,677.07 

$181,414.40 

$4,677.07 

Cost  cA  completing  above   drainage  in  100   daya 

Cutting    ditches    $204,091.20 

Overhead     4,677.07 

Total     $208,768.27 

Cost  of  completing  above  drainage  in  one  year. 

Cutting    ditches    $181,414.40 

Overhead     4.677.07 

Total     $186,091.47 


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28o      x\EW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


Table  2 

Plan  for  Practical  Freedom  Involving  the  Completion  of  Drain- 
age of  All  Salt  Marshes  Within  20-mile  Radius  of  Plants 


d 

I 

Acreage 

No.  of  feet  of  10x3( 
Inch     ditching,     or 
Its   equivalent,    re- 
quired. 

Cost    to     complete 
drainage  in  160  days 

Cost     to 
drainage  in 

complete 
one  year 

"3 
I 

o 
1^ 

COUNTY 

Cutting 
ditches   at 
2U    cents 
per  foot 

Cutting 
ditches  at 
2  cents  per 
«oot 

lit 

<a  se  o 

Atlantic    

Burlington   . . 

Ocean    

Cape   May    . .  j 

1 

• 
9 

7,375 
31,720 
10,893 
9.717 
4,020 
5.364 
2,375 
8.178 

1     7,375       2.360.000 

8561         273,920 

5,165|      1.652,8001 

1      9,717       3.109.440 

1                1 

1      1.712i         547.840 

1                1 

'      4.3771      1.400.640, 

$53,100.00 
6,163.20 
37,188.00 
69.962.40 
12.326.40 
31.514.40 

$1,216.87 
141.24 
852.22 
1.603.30 
282.48 
722.20 

•$47,200.00 
6,478.40 
33.056.00 
62.188.80 
10,956.80 
28,012.80 

$1,216.87 
141.24 
853.22 
1,603.30 
282.48 
722.20 

1      6,5431      2.093.760 
1                1 

47,109.60 

1,079.59 

41,876.20 

1,079.59 

1 
Totals    1      • 

79,643     35,746     11.438,400 

1 

1 
$257,364.00    $5,897.90 

$228,769.00 

$5,897.90 

Cost   of   completing   above   drainage   In    160   days. 

Cutting    ditches    $257,364.00 

Overhead     5,897.90 

Total     $263,261.90 

Cost   of   completing   above   drainage   in   one   year. 

Cutting    ditches    $228,768.00 

Overhead     5,897.90 

Total     $234,666.90 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


281 


Table  3 

Plan  for  Absolute  Freedom  (as  Nearly  as  Such  a  Thing  Can  Be 

Had)  Involving  the  Completion  of  Drainage  of  All  Salt- 

Marsh  Areas  Within  a  30-mile  Radius  of  Plants. 


Area 
No. 

Acreage 

No.  of  feet  of 

lOxSO-lnch 

ditching,  or 

its  equivalent 

required 

Cost  to  complete 
drainage  in  2  years 

COUNTY 

Total 

Amount  to 
be  drained 

■  tutting 

ditches  at 

2M    cents 

per  foot 

Overhead 

at    16% 

cents   per 

acre 

Atlantic 1     1         7.375 

7,376 
866 
5,166 
9.717 
1.712 
13.922 
4,377 

2,360,000 
273,920 
1.652,800 
3.109,440 
547.840 
4.455.040 
1,400,640 

$63,100.00 

6,163.20 

37,188.00 

69.962.40 

12.326.40 

100.238.40 
31,614.40 

16 

31,720 

10,893 
9,717 
4,020 

24,403 
5.364 
2.375 
8.179 
7.077 

14.579 

975 

925 

950 

9.330 

1.102 

4.379 

16.739 
1.292 
1.710 
2,242 
4,104 
4,503 

Surlingrton 

Ocean   

Oape  May 

6,543 

6,661 

11,663 

975 

925 

950 

9,330 

1,102 

4,379 

13,391 

1,292 

1,710 

1,793 

8.283 

3,602 

109,723 

2,093,760 

1,811,520 

3,732,160 

312.000 

296.000 

304.000 

2.985.^00 

352,640 

1.401.280 

4.285,120 

413.440 

547.200 

573.760 

1.050.560 

1.152.640 

35.111.360 

47.109.60.. 

40.769.20 

83.973.60 

7.020.00 

6,660.00 

6,840.00 

€7,176.00 

7,934.40 

31,528.80 

96,415.20 

9,302.40 

12.312.00 

12.909.60 

23.637.60 

25.934.40 

$790,005.60 

Cumberland  .... 

17 

18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 

Totals 

173.923 

$18,104.29 

Cost  of  completing  the  above  drainage  in  2  years. 

Cutting  ditches $790,006.60 

Overhead 18.104.29 

ToUl $808,109.89 


Location 

Area 
No. 

1  Atlantic  County, South  side  of  Mullica  River  above  Leeds 

Point. 

2  Atlantic  County, Great  Bay  to  Great  Egg  Harbor  Bay,  Ocean 

to  Mainland. 

3  Atlantic  County, Both  sides  of  Great  Egg  Harbor  River  to 

north  side  of  Tuckahoe  River. 

4  Burlington  County,  ....North  side  of  Mullica  River. 


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282      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

5  Ocean  County, From  Ballinger  Creek  on  the  west  side  to 

1  mile  east  of  Willis  Thoroughfare. 

6  Ocean  County, ...Great  Bay  east  of  No.  5  to  north  end  of 

Stafford  Township. 

7  Cape  May  County, South  side  of  Tuckahoe  River. 

8  Cape  May  County, Peck's  Bay  to  34th  Street  Boulevard. 

9  Cape  May  County, 34th  Street  Boulevard  to  Ludlam  Bay. 

10  Cape  May  County, Ludlam  Bay  to  Tatham  L.  S.  Station. 

11  Cape  May  County, Stites  Sound  to  Anglesea. 

12  Cape'  May  County, Fishing  Creek  Marsh,  Delaware  Bay 

13  Cape  May  County, Green  Creek. 

14  Cape  May  County, Dias  Creek. 

15  Cape  May  County, West    Creek,    Dennis    Creek    and    Croi^en 

Creek,  Delaware  Bay. 

16  Cumberland  County,  . . .  Mauricetown  Marsh. 

17  Cumberland  County,  ...West  Creek  Riggen  Ditch. 

18  Cumberland  County,  . .  ^  Maurice  River  Neck  to  Beadon  Point. 

19  Cumberland  County,  . . .  Mainice  River  south  of  Haleyville. 

20  Cumberland  County,  . . .  Dividing  Creek  Marsh. 

21  Cumberland  County,  ...The  Glades. 

22  Cumberland  County,  ...Fortesque  Neck  to  Nantuxent  Creek. 

23  Cumberland  County,  . . .  Cedar  Creek  to  Nantuxent  Creek. 

Throughout  90  per  cent,  of  the  salt-marsh  drainage  (acreage 
basis)  which  has  already  been  put  into  the  salt  meadows  of  the 
state  and  throughout  the  work  comprehended  in  the  preceding 
plans,  runs  the  idea  that  the  control  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquito- 
species  may  be  effected  by  so  trenching  the  marsh  that  all  water 
upon  it  will  rise  and  fall  with  the  tide  and  that  the  killifish  or  salt 
minnows,  with  which  the  creeks  of  the  marshes  are  filled,  may 
penetrate  all  parts  of  the  marsh  and  consume  the  wrigglers  (im- 
mature forms  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquitoes)  as  fast  as  they  hatch 
from  the  eggs  and  reach  a  size  sufficient  to  be  detected.  The  unit 
which  has  been  developed  for  this  purpose,  through  an  experience 
of  about  twelve  years^  is  a  ditch  approximately  10  inches  wide  and 
30  inches  deep  with  perfectly  perpendicular  smooth  sides,  adequately 
outletted  to  tidal  water.  These  ditch  units  are  arranged  in  a  parallel 
system  with  due  regard  to  the  use  of  the  creeks,  which  meander 
through  the  meadows,  as  outlets.  Approximately  14,000,000  feet 
of  this  sort  of  ditching  has  already  been  established  in  the  marshes 
of  the  state. 

Plan  No.  I  contemplates  the  drainage  of  the  salt  marshes  in  the 
basins  of  the  Mullica,  Great  Egg  Hartor  and  Tuckahoe  rivers,  and 
involves  the  cutting  of  9,070,720  linear  feet  of  ditching  10  inches 
wide  and  30  inches  deep,  or  its  equivalent.  On  a  short-time  basis 
(150  days)  it  is  estimated  that  the  actual  contract  cost  would  be 
$204,091.20  and  that  the  overhead  charge  (laying  out  and  testing) 
would  involve  a  further  expenditure  of  $4,677.07.  On  a  long-time 
basis,  or  a  period  of  one  year  from  the  time  of  starting,  we  estimate 
that  the  cost  would  be  $181414.40  and  that  the  overhead  charges 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  283 

would  be  practically  $4,677.07.  With  this  plan  carried  out  the  plant 
located  at  Ellwood,  N.  J.,  would  rarely  be  visited  by  mosquitoes, 
but  the  plant  located  at  May's  Landing  would,  in  all  probability, 
have  visitations  several  times  during  the  season.  These  visitations 
would,  however,  be  of  short  duration  and  greatly  reduced  in  severity. 
Plan  No.  2  contemplates  the  completion  of  the  drainage  of  all 
salt  marshes  within  a  radius  of  20  miles  of  these  plants.  We 
estimate  that  this  involves  the  establishment  of  11438,400  linear 
feet  of  ditching  10  inches  wide  and  30  inches  deep,  or  its  equi- 
valent.  We  estimate  that  the  cutting  of  these  ditches  on  a  short- 
time  basis  (150  to  200  days)  would  involve  the  expenditure,  under 
present  conditions,  of  $257,364.00  for  actual  contract  work  and  an 
overhead  charge  of  $5,897.90.  On  a  long-time  basis  we  estimate 
that  this  work  would  cost  $228,738.00,  with  an  overhead  charge 
of  $5,897.90.  The  work  comprehended  in  this  plan  would  give 
to  the  plant  at  Ellwood  as  nearly  complete  freedom  from  mosquitoes 
as  an  operation  of  this  kind  could  possibly  do.  This  means  that 
salt-marsh  mosquitoes  at  Ellwood  would  be  rare  indeed.  This 
also  means  that  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  at  May's  Landing  would 
occur  very  infrequently  and  then  only  in  small  numbers. 

Plan  No.  3  contemplates  the  completion  of  all  the  salt-marsh 
areas  within  a  radius  of  30  miles  of  these  plants  and  involves  the 
cutting  of  35,111,360  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching,  or  its 
equivalent,  costing  on  a  two-year  basis  $790,005.60,  with  an  over- 
head charge  of  $18,104.29.  The  freedom  given  to  the  Ellwood 
plant  by  the  carrying  out  of  this  plan  would  probably  be  no  greater 
than  that  obtained  by  carrying  out  plan  No.  2 ;  but  the  freedom  at 
the  May's  Landing  plant  would  under  this  plan  be  about  the  same 
as  that  obtained  at  the  Ellwood  plant  under  plan  No.  2. 

We  have  based  our  estimates  of  time  on  the  known  performance 
of  special  salt-marsh  trenching  machinery.  A  single  well-conducted 
machine  of  this  type  can  average  5,000  feet  a  day.  There  are  at 
least  ten  of  these  machines  on  the  salt  marshes  of  New  Jersey 
and  New  York  states. 

There  exist  in  the  state  of  New  Jersey  two  types  of  legal  organ- 
ization working  for  the  elimination  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquitoes. 
The  first  is  the  State  Experiment  Station,  operating  under  an  act 
passed  in  1906,  and  the  second  is  the  County  Mosquito  Extermina- 
tion Commission,  operating  under  an  act  passed  in  the  year  191 2. 
The  first  organization  is  the  authorized  agency  for  the  expenditure 
of  state  funds.  The  work  of  one  county  commission  is  correlated 
with  that  of  other  county  commissions  and  with  that  of  State  Ex- 
periment Station  by  the  fact  that  the  Director  of  the  New  Jersey 
Experiment  Stations  is  ex-officio  member  of  every  county  com- 
mission and  by  the  further  fact  that  it  is  his  duty  to  pass  upon  plans 
and  moneys  according  to  which  and  with  which  the  county  mos- 
quito extermination  commission  does  its  work. 


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2^      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

With  the  completion  of  the  initial  drainage,  maintenance  has 
been,  and  in  all  probability  will  continue  to  be,  made  a  charge  upon 
local  county  funds. 

Camden  and  Gloucester  Shipbuilding  Plants,  Camden  and 
Gloucester  City,  N.  J. 

Col  Philip  S.  Doane,  chief  of  sanitation  and  health  for  the 
Emergency  Fleet  Corporation  of  the  United  States  Shipping  Board, 
requested  the  entomologist  for  a  plan  of  protecting  the  New  York 
Shipbuilding  Corporation  and  the  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey 
Shipbuilding  Corporations  of  Gloucester  City  from^  the  mosquito 
pest.  Mr.  Mitchel  Carroll  made  the  necessary  study  and  prepared 
the  following  plan : 

Report  on  a  Plan  to  Protect  the  Shipbuilding  Companies 
IN  Camden  and  Gloucester  from  the  Mosquito  Pest 

Mitchel  Carroll 

Location  of  the  Shipbuilding  Plants 

The  New  York  Shipbuilding  Company  is  located  in  Camden 
County  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Delaware  River  and  the  north  and 
south  banks  of  Newton  Creek.  The  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey 
Shipbuilding  Companies  are  in  Camden  County  on  the  Delaware 
River  north  of  Big  Timber  Creek. 

Species  of  Mosquitoes 

In  this  region  the  dominant  species  of  mosquitoes  are  Culex  pi- 
,fiens  Linn.,  and  cedes  sylve^tri  Theob.  In  considering  a  plan  to 
protect  the  above  companies,  it  must  be  remembered  that  where 
there  is  heavy  breeding  over  extensive  areas  Culex  pipiens  has  been 
^hown  to  migrate  2j^  miles  and  (pdes  sylvestris  lo  miles. 

Territory  in  Which  Breeding  Must  Be  Controlled 

Any  plan  to  protect  the  employees  of  these  companies  from  the 
mosquito  pest  must  be  designed  to  control  the  breeding  in  an  area 
at  least  15  square  miles  in  extent.  This  area  should  include  a  strip 
of  territory  in  Camden  and  Gloucester  counties  along  the  Delaware 
River,  5  miles  long  by  from  2  to  4  miles  wide.  The  northern  boundary 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  285 

should  be  a  line  drawn  eastward  2  miles  from  a  point  on  the  Dela- 
ware River,  i  mile  north  of  the  New  York  Shipbuilding  Company's 
plant.  The  southern  boundary  should  be  a  line  drawn  southeast- 
>vard  4  miles  from  Eagle  Point  on  the  Delaware  River.  The  western 
boundary  would  be  the  Delaware  River,  and  the  eastern  an  irregular 
line  from  north  to  south  drawn  so  as  to  include  all  the  dangerous 
breeding  places. 


Large  Breeding  Areas  Near  the  Propoeed  Protected  District 

The  writer  is  aware  that  there  are  extensive  mosquito-breeding 
areas  outside  the  district  in  which  it  is  pro|X)sed  to  control  breeding, 
and  yet  within  flight  distance  of  the  shipbuilding  companies. 

To  the  north  and  northeast,  there  are  some  478  acres  of  marsh 
along  Cooper  Creek.  At  least  half  of  this,  however,  is  flushed  daily 
by  the  tide,  and  hence  is  not  dangerous  from  a  mosquito  standpoint. 
Moreover  the  winds  on  which  mosquitoes  migrate  do  not  come  from 
this  direction,  and  the  insects  would  have  to  pass  some  rather  dense 
population  to  reach  the  shipbuilding  plants. 

On  the  Pennsylvania  side  of  the  Delaware,  within  10  miles  of 
Gloucester,  there  are  approximately  9,000  acres  of  marsh  of  low- 
lying  land  in  which  mosquitoes  breed.  The  amount  of  money  which 
is  being  spent  ($200,000),  and  the  measures  which  are  being  taken 
to  control  breeding  in  this  area  during  the  present  season,  should 
eliminate  this  source  of  danger. 

Southwest  -of  the  proposed  protected  district,  and  within  a  10- 
mile  radius  of  the  shipbuilding  companies,  are  the  marshes  behind 
the  dikes  of  Woodbury  and  Mantua  creeks.  Along  each  of  these 
creeks  there  are  approximately  650  acres  (making  1,300  acres  in 
all)  of  low-lying  land,  tussock,  alder  or  cat-tail  swamp,  which  are 
capable  of  breeding  mosquitoes.  It  is  possible  that  migrations  from 
these  two  sources  reach  Gloucester  at  times.  The  force  of  inspectors, 
which  it  is  proposed  to  employ,  should  be  able  to  trace  such  invasions. 
If  they  are  found  serious,  the  swamps  along  these  creeks  will,  of 
course,  have  to  be  treated  by  oiling  or  draining. 


Mosquito-Breeding  Places  Within  the  District  Where  Breeding  Must  Be 
Controlled  and  Methods  of  Control 

In  considering  the  possible  sources  of  the  mosquitoes  within  the 
proposed  protected  district  the  following  facts  should  be  kept  in 
mind :  (i)  any  stagnant  water  devoid  of  small  fish  is  a  potential  mos- 
quito breeder;  (2)  stream  or  ditch  badly  polluted  with  sewage  or 
acid  waste  from  factories  is  a  source  of  danger;  fish  are  very  sensi- 


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286      NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

tive  to  acid  and  will  not  live  in  water  containing  a  small  per  cent  of 
acid,  but  mosquito  larvae  will;  (3)  in  warm  weather  the  life-cycle 
of  a  mosquito,  from  egg  to  adult,  is  often  completed  in  two  weeks 
or  less. 

The  best  method  of  preventing  breeding  in  pools  of  stagnant 
water  or  swamps  is  draining  or  filling.  If  these  are  not  practicable 
the  surface  of  the  water  may  be  covered  with  a  film  of  kerosene 
or  fuel  oil  to  prevent  the  larvae  from  obtaining  air.  Mosquito 
larvae  may  also  be  killed  by  means  of  larvicides,  such  as  nitre  cake, 
which  are  miscible  with  water.  But  those  have  the  disadvantage 
of  also  killing  all  other  vegetable  and  animal  life  in  the  pool  or 
swamp.  Mosquito  larvae  can  be  exterminated  in  large  ponds  by 
cleaning  and  deepening  the  edges  so  that  small  fish  or  minnows, 
which  consume  the  larvae,  can  penetrate  to  all  parts  of  the  border. 
Ornamental  ponds  can  be  kept  free  of  larvae  by  stocking  with  min- 
nows and  keeping  a  suflFicient  depth  at  the  borders. 

The  district  in  which  breeding  must  be  controlled  and  which  has 
been  outlined  above  includes,  then,  all  the  extensive  breeding  areas 
on  the  New  Jersey  side  of  the  Delaware  River  from  which  mos- 
quitoes would  ordinarily  reach  the  shipbuilding  plants.  These  breed- 
ing places  may  be  divided  into  three  classes:  (i)  woodland  pools; 
(2)  open  swamps;  (3)  urban  breeding  places. 

Woodland  Pools 

The  woodland  pools  can  be  neglected,  since  the  woodland  species 
are  not  known  to  migrate. 

Open.  Swamps 

The  far-flying  sylvestris  breeds  in  the  open  swamps.  Hence  those 
areas,  although  expensive  propositions,  must  be  treated  if  the  ship- 
building plants  in  the  vicinity  of  Gloucester  are  to  be  protected. 

There  are  approximately  830  acres  of  marsh  along  Newton  Creek 
and  its  branches.  For  a  distance  of  i  mile  back  from  the  river 
the  main  part  of  this  marsh  is  overflowed  at  high  tide  and  would 
need  no  treatment.  But  even  in  this  area  there  are  many  pockets 
of  cat-tail  and  much  stagnant  water  enclosed  by  road  and  railroad 
embankments  which  would  need  attention.  Here  old  ditches  must 
be  cleaned  and  extended  and  new  ones  dug.  There  are  a  number 
of  old  sluice  and  tide-gates  which  would  have  to  be  repaired,  and 
it  would  probably  be  found  necessary  to  install  some  new  culverts, 
sluices  and  tide-gates. 

One  and  three-quarter  miles  back  from  the  river  the  Main  Branch 
and   Peter   Creek  have  been   dammed  by  the  Woodlynne-Mount 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  287 

Ephraim  Road  and  now  form  two  long  ponds.  The  borders  of 
these  ponds  require  inspection  during  the  breeding  season  and 
their  banks  would  have  to  be  kept  clean.  There  is  a  rise  and  fall 
of  the  tide  for  i}^  miles  up  the  North  Branch  but  the  areas  of 
tussock,  alder  and  cat-tail  swamps  along  it  would  require  constant 
inspection  and  treatment.  Much  of  it  could  possibly  either  be 
drained  or  opened  to  the  tide  by  ditching.  The  upper  portion  by 
means  of  a  small  dam  across  the  culvert  under  the  Woodlynne- 
Mount  Ephraim  Road  could  easily  be  made  into  a  pond.  But  if  this 
is  done  provision  should  be  made  for  raising  or  lowering  the  water 
when  necessary  to  destroy  breeding  around  the  e'dges.  There  i<? 
a  concrete  dam  across  the  culvert  where  the  Main  Branch  and 
Peter  Creek  pass  under  the  road  and  the  water  level  cannot  be 
changed  at  will.  The  conditions  which  prevail  for  2  J4  miles  along 
the  South  Branch  are  similar  to  those  on  the  North  Branch. 

About  two  city  blocks  east  of  the  New  York  Shipbuilding  Com- 
pany, a  sewer  discharges  into  a  small  tributary  of  Newton  Creek. 
The  marsh  at  this  point  should  be  watched  for  breeding. 

There  are  thus  possibly  350  acres  of  the  Newton  Creek  marshes 
requiring  drainage  or  other  treatment. 

Along  Little  Timber  Creek  there  are  190  acres  of  marsh.  Behind 
the  dikes,  near  the  junction  with  Big  Timber  Creek,  are  two  small 
cat-tail  swamps.  One  of  these  is  drained,  apparently  insufficiently, 
by  a  sluice  and  tide-gate  into  Little  Timber;  the  other  does  not 
seem  to  have  an  outlet.  Both  are  on  property  owned  or  controlled, 
r  believe,  by  the  New  Jersey  Shipbuilding  Company.  A  large  part 
of  the  Little  Timber  marsh  is  probably  kept  fairly  free  from  breed- 
ing by  tidal  overflow,  as  there  is  a  rise  and  fall  of  the  tide  for  at 
least  2y2  miles  up  this  creek.  But  around  the  borders  of  the  marsh, 
which  in  some  places  are  wooded,  the  tussock  and  alder  swamps 
need  frequent  inspection  during  the  season.  No  doubt  much  ditch- 
ing would  have  to  be  done.  It  is  not  likely,  however,  that  more 
than  90  acres  of  these  marshes  are  dangerous. 

In  Big  Timber  Creek  and  its  tributaries  there  are  745  acres  of 
marsh,  half  of  it  in  Camden  County  and  half  in  Gloucester  County. 
For  5  miles  up  from  the  junction  of  this  creek  with  the  Delaware 
there  is  tidal  action.  Yet  it  is  possible  that  breeding  occurs  more  or 
less  over  some  400  or  500  acres  of  these  marshes.  For  the  most  part 
they  consist  of  open  tussock  swamp  with  .alders  around  the  borders, 
and  woodland  swamps  along  the  smaller  tributaries.  Some  sections 
might  be  made  into  artificial  lakes  by  means  of  dams.  This  could 
be  done  very  cheaply  by  utilizing  the  road  embankment  about  yi 
mile  below  the  junction  of  the  North  and  South  Branches,  for  the 
marsh  above  this  point.  At  other  points  drainage  might  be  possible 
if  tide-gates  were  permitted.  But  it  is  doubtful  if  either  dams 
or  tide-gates  would  be  permitted  on  account  of  interference  with 
navigation.    Possibly  many  of  the  dangerous  places  could  be  opened 


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288      NEW   JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL-  COLLEGE 

to  the  tide  by  ditching.  Behind  the  dike  near  the  mouth  the  ditches 
need  watching  for  breeding,  and  perhaps  additional  ditches  woiiJd 
be  found  necessary  to  improve  the  drainage. 

On  the  southwest  of  Westville  there  is  an  unnamed  brook  which 
runs  through  about  70  acres  of  marsh.  Part  of  this  is  woodland 
and  tussock  and  is  no  doubt  infested  with  sylvestris  and  the  less 
important  woodland  species.  One-third  or  one-half  is  flushed  by 
the  tide  and  therefore  can  be  neglected;  the  remainder  would 
require  ditching  or  oiling. 

The  United  States  Government  owns  or  has  leased  all  the  land 
(about  1,800  acres)  along  the  Delaware  from  Westville  to  Red  Bank. 
Just  west  of  Westville  there  are  two  or  three  small  cat-tail  patches 
which  could  be  drained  by  short  ditches  into  the  river.  The  grater 
part  of  this  property,  known  as  the  Campbell  Farm,  lies  between 
the  lighthouse  and  Red  Bank.  On  the  United  States  Geological 
Survey  map  there  are  indicated  95  acres  of  marsh  on  the  eastern 
end  of  the  Campbell  Farm.  This  marsh  has  been  filled  and  no 
longer  exists.  West  of  this  filled-in  marsh  there  are  about  500 
acres  of  drained  land.  The  system  of  ditches  discharges  into  a 
large  (15  or  20  feet)  main  drainage  canal.  The  latter  discharges 
through  sluice  and  tide-gate  into  the  river.  There  is  provision  for 
flooding  both  the  land  and  part  of  the  canal.  The  above  ditches 
should  be  inspected  for  larvae,  as  the  water  in  some  is  apparently 
stagnant  and  fish  are  scarce.  Some  of  these  ditches  require  clean- 
ing, and  the  grades  of  some  perhaps  need  to  be  changed.  There 
are,  too,  a  number  of  cat-tail  swamps  on  this  farm  still  in  need  of 
drainage.  It  would  be  difficult  to  say,  without  making  surveys, 
how  much  ditching  is  needed  here  to  eliminate  breeding.  But 
probably  not  over  160  acres  are  still  in  need  of  draining. 

There  are  thus  approximately  1075  acres  of  mosquito-breeding 
marsh  so  located  as  to  require  treatment  to  protect  the  shipbuilding 
companies.  The  necessary  ditching  in  the  marsh  land  would  be 
somewhat  difficult  and  expensive  on  account  of  the  soft  character 
of  the  soil.  Ditching  machines  such  as  are  used  in  mosquito  control 
work  on  the  salt  marshes  of  the  state  could  not  be  used.  All  trench- 
ing must  be  done  by  hand. 

The  dangerous  swamp  areas  discussed  above  may  be  tabulated 
as  follows: 


Location 

Character 

Acres 

Newton  Creek 

Little  Timber  Creek. . 

Big  Timber  Creek 

Westville         .       ... 

Tussock,  alder  and  cat-tail  &wamp 

Tussock,  alder  and  woodland  swamp . . 
Tussock  and  alder  swamp 

350 

90 

450 

Woodland  and  tussoftk  swamn 

35 

Campbell  Farm Cal^tail   swamp 

150 

Total 1075 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  289 

Urban  Breeding  Places 

A  large  proportion  of  the  mosquitoes  found  above  the  shipbuild- 
ing plants  undoubtedly  came  from  urban  breeding  places  in  South 
Camden  and  Gloucester. 

On  vacant  city  lots  within  a  few  squares  of  the  New  York 
Shipbuilding  Company's  plant  there  are  often  to  be  found  pools 
of  stagnant  water.  In  some  of  these  patches  of  cat-tails  occur. 
These  are  most  excellent  breeding  places  for  pipiens  and  sylvestris 
and  must  be  oiled  regularly  at  lo-day  intervals  during  the  season ; 
or  better,  the  low  spots  in  which  they  occur  could  easily  be  filled 
with  ashes. 

In  the  city  of  Gtoucester,  within  two  city  squares  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Shipbuilding  Company,  is  an  old  cat-tail  swamp  occupy- 
ing nearly  a  square.  This  is  below  the  level  of,  and  enclosed  by, 
paved  streets.  Near  here  there  are  several  other  smaller  bodies 
of  stagnant  water  and  cat-tail  in  similar  locations.  To  control 
the  breeding,  these  would  have  to  be  treated  by  frequent  oiling, 
r  else  filled  or  drained.  Possibly  these  areas  could  be  drained 
into  sewers,  if  there  are  any  of  the  latter  nearby.  On  the  eastern 
side  of  Gloucester,  within  ^  miles  of  the  New  Jersey  and  Penn- 
sylvania companies,  are  some  old  gravel  or  sand  pits,  about  three 
city  squares  in  extent.  These  contain  much  stagnant  water,  algae, 
and  some  cat-tail.  Periodic  oiling  would  seem  to  be  the  only  remedy 
here,  as  the  pits  lie  too  low  to  drain  by  gravity. 

In  addition  to  the  above  areas  there  are  many  smaller  breeding 
places  in  and  around  Gloucester  and  South  Camden,  such  as  road 
ditches;  excavations  for  cellars  over  which  houses  have  not  been 
built,  receptacles  in  factory  yards,  ash-dumps,  sewer  catch-basins, 
etc.,  which  need  frequent  inspection  and  treatment.  It  may  be  said, 
indeed,  that,  if*  the  large  marshes  discussed  above  did  not  exist, 
there  are  probably  enough  breeding  places  suitable  for  pipiens  and 
sylvestris  in  ancL  around  Gloucester  to  make  the  evenings  uncom- 
fortable for  the  residents  of  that  city  and  the  employees  of  the 
shipbuilding  companies. 

The  only  way  to  control  breeding  in  this  urban  region  is  to  inspect 
all  premises  at  intervals  of  not  more  than  2  weeks  throughout  the 
season.  All  sewer  catch-basins  and  bodies  of  stagnant  water  which 
cannot  be  gotten  rid  of  must  be  oiled  regularly  at  lO-day  or  2-week 
intervals.  Barrels  and  other  receptacles  which  catch  and  hold 
rain-water  must,  of  course,  be  overturned  whenever  found. 

Organization  of  a  Mosqaito-Control  Force 

To  carry  out  a  mosquito-control  campaign  to  protect  the  ship- 
building companies  for  the  present  season,  it  is  recommended  that 


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290      NEW   JERSEY  •AGRICULTURAL  UOLLEGE 

the  work  be  put  in  charge  of  a  chief  inspector.  This  chief  inspector 
should  be  authorized  to  employ  4  sub-inspectors,  2  foremen,  and 
25  laborers.  This  is  the  minimum  force  with  which  a  mosquito 
campaign  can  be  inaugurated  in  this  region.  It  is  scarcely  necessary 
to  say  that  the  chief  inspector,  and  if  possible  the  assistant  inspcc* 
tors,  should  be  men  who  have  had  some  previous  eaqperience  in 
mosquito  work. 

It  is  designed  that  the  mosquito  squad  should  be  a  mobile  one» 
the  inspectors  must  be  able  to  cover  thoroughly  within  a  loday 
period  the  districts  assigned  them.  They  must  be  ready  to  trace 
at  once  all  broods  invading  the  ship)rards  to  their  point  of  origin. 
The  gangs  of  laborers  with  their  tools  and'  equipment  are  to  be 
moved  from  place  to  place  as  rapidly  as  the  breeding  areas  causing 
trouble  are  discovered  by  the  inspectors. 

Fortunately  much  of  the  transportation  needed  can  be  purchased 
cheaply  from  the  electric  and  steam  railroads  of  the  neighborhood. 
To  enable  the  chief  inspector  to  cover  rapidly  the  whole  territory, 
and  for  carrying  men  to  isolated  spots,  it  will  be  necessary,  however, 
and  for  the  transportation  of  ditching  tools,  spray  pumps,  oil,  etc., 
to  have  one  Ford  or  other  auto  truck.  For  the  use  of  the  assistant 
inspectors,  four  bicycles  will  be  needed. 

The  chief  inspector  should,  of  course,  be  responsible  to  some  agent 
of  the  contributing  companies  for  the  proper  expenditure  of  the 
money  alloted.  It  is  suggested  that  he  be  required  to  submit  fort- 
nightly reports  of  work  accomplished  and  money  spent,  and  plans 
of  the  work  with  estimates  of  cost  for  the  succeeding  period. 

The  assistant  inspectors  and  foremen  should  be  solely  responsible 
to  the  chief  inspector  for  the  proper  performance  of  their  duties. 


The  Cost 

An  estimate  of  the  cost  of  this  season's  work,  based  upon  the  cost 
of  similar  work  in  other  parts  of  New  Jersey,  is  given  herewith. 


Labor 

1  Chief  inspector  for  4  months  at  $120  per  month $480.00 

4  Assistant  inspectors  at  $100  per  montn  each  for  4  months 1600.00 

2  Foremen  at  $5.00  pei-  day  each  for  100  days 1000.00 

25  Laborers  at  $3.50  per  day  each  for  100  days 8750.00 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  291 


Automobile — 

1  Ford  trudc $450.00 

Gasoline  and  oil. .- , 150.00 

Tires  ^ 120.00 

Repairj „ 100.00 

License  and  insurance ^ 26.00 

Storage „ ^ 40.00 

$885.00 

4  bicycles  at  |25.00 100.00 

Tools  (spades,  drags,  etc.) 150.00 

Boots 165.00 

Office  expense 100.00 

Fuel  oil  (use  only  paraffin  base  oil) 675.00 

10  knapsack  sprayers  at  $15.00 .*. 150.00 

Miscellaneous 945.00 

Total $15,000.00 


Conclusion 

The  above  seems  to  be  the  only  feasible  plan  to  protect  the  indus- 
tries mentioned  from  the  mosquito  pest  during  the  present  season. 
It  should,  if  an  experienced,  energetic  chief  inspector  is  employed, 
insure  South  Camden  and  Gloucester  comparative  freedom  from 
the  pest.  Practical  freedom  cannot  be  guaranteed  for  such  a 
sum.  But  in  the  absence  of  any  previous  experience  in  control 
work,  records  of  breeding,  flights  and  imig^ations .  in  this  region, 
it  would  be  difficult  to  draw  up  a  plan  to  insure  absolute  freedom. 

The  idea  back  of  the  present  plan  is  that  capable  and  energetic 
inspectors  will  be  employed.  These  will  cover  the  territory  outlined 
and  discover  where  extensive  breeding  is  occurring.  Plans  will 
immediately  be  formulated  to  stop  it,  and  a  force  of  laborers  with 
the  proper  equipment  moved  to  the  locality  in  question  at  once.  If, 
in  spite  of  such  measures,  there  are  heavy  migrations  of  mosquitoes 
into  the  protected  district,  it  is  expected  the  force  of  inspectors, 
by  flight  studies,  will  immediately  locate  the  source  from  which  the 
invasion  comes.  This  source  can  then  be  attacked  even  if  outside 
the  district  delimited. 


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292      NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 


Plans  far  Controlling  Mosquitoes  at  the  Plant  of  the  Interna- 
tional Shipbuilding  Corporation 

At  the  request  of  Col.  Philip  S.  Doane,  chief  of  sanitation  and 
health  for  the  Emergency  Fleet  Corporation,  the  entomologist  lui- 
dertook  a  study  of  the  problem  of  protecting  the  employees  of  the 
International  Shipbuilding  Corporation  from  the  mosquito  pest. 
A  careful  examination  of  th^  areas  convinced  him  that  adequate 
protection  could  not  be  had  without  covering  the  entire  lowland 
..rea  lying  in  the  southern  end  of  Philadelphia  and  southward  and 
westward  to  the  high  ground,  involving  a  surface  of  about  9,100 
acres. 

Practically  all  this  area  had  been  put  under  dike  many  years  ago 
for  agricultural  purposes  and  the  most  of  it  is  still  thus  protected. 
As  is  usually  the  case,  shrinkage  followed  until  at  present  the  lower 
parts  are  30  inches  below  mean  high  tide.  Wherever  the  dikes 
have  been  broken  the  marsh  area  is  covered  at  every  high  tide. 
An  .old  drainage  system  of  main  ditches  and  tide-gated  outlets  had 
been  installed  and  some  parts  of  this  system  were  still  in  working 
order.  Over  the  larger  part,  however,  the  drainage  systems  had 
been  neglected  until  tihe  drainage  obtained  was  entirely  inadequate, 
the  soil  was  full  of  water  and  in  many  places  completely  hidden  by 
sheets  of  water. 

The  first  problem  was  to  get  a  reasonably  accurate  survey  made. 
In  the  course  of  a  meeting  held  at  Hog  Island  in  the  quarters  of 
Mr.  George  W.  Roddy,  director  of  sanitation,  which  was  attended 
by  Dr.  John  Reilly,  chief  surgeon  of  the  International  Shipbuilding: 
Corporation,  Mr.  George  W.  Roddy,  director  of  sanitation.  Dr.  B. 
F.  Royer,  of  the  Pennsylvania  'State  Department  of  Health,  and 
Mr.  J.  H.  Neeson,  assistant  engineer,  Department  of  Public  Works, 
of  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  the  entomologist  suggested:  (i)  that 
the  whole  area  of  lowland  should  be  handled  as  a  unit;  (2)  that 
for  purposes  of  survey,  it  should  be  arbitrarily  divided  into  four 
parts — one  of  which  should  be  assigned  to  the  Westinghouse  Com- 
pany, one  to  the  Pennsylvania  State  Department  of  Health,  one 
to  the  City  of  Philadelphia  and  one  to  the  International  Shipbuild- 
ing Corporation;  (3)  that  each  group  for  the  area  assigned  to  it 
should  lay  out  a  system  of  drainage  which  would  remove  the  sur- 
face water  and  keep  it  off  even  under  conditions  of  heavy  rainfall 
or  tidal  inundation;  (4)  that  after  this  was  completed,  the  plans 
should  be  assembled  in  a  meeting  of  the  representatives  of  the 
groups  concerned;  (5)  that  these  plans  including  estimates 
should  then  be  unified  and  correlated  by  the  Pennsylvania  State 


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EXPERIMENT    STATION    REPORT.  293 

Department  of  Health;  (6)  that  a  meeting  of  the  fiscal  represen- 
tatives of  all  the  parties  concerned  should  then  be  called  and  an 
eflfort  be  made  to  raise  the  necessary  funds  to  carry  out  the  project. 
These  suggestions  were  accepted  at  this  meeting  as  a  satisfactory 
basis  for  procedure  and  were  duly  carried  out.  The  plans  when 
completed  involved  the  expenditure  for  permanent  and  temporary 
work  for  the  first  year  of  $215,000.  At  the  meeting  of  the  fiscal 
agents  most  of  this  money  was  pledged  and  the  work  started.  It 
was  agreed  that  the  work  should  be  carried  on  under  the  direction 
and  supervision  of  the  Pennsylvania  Department  of  Health  as 
represented  by  Mr.  C.  A.  Emerson,  Jr.,  chief  engineer  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Department  of  Health.  Mr.  W.  V.  Becker,  chief  inspector 
of  the  Nassau  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  of  Long 
Island,  New  York,  was  employed  to  take  immediate  charge  and  the 
work  is  now  going  forward. 

Wilmington  Shipyards 

At  the  request  of  Col.  Philip  S.  Doane,  chief  of  sanitation  and 
health  of  the  Emergency  Fleet  Corporation,  and  with  the  consent 
of  his  superiors,  the  entomologist  made  a  study  of  the  mosquito 
problem  about  the  shipyards  at  Wilmington,  North  Carolina.  He 
found  three  yards  either  In  process  of  construction  or  already  at 
work;  one  for  the  construction  of  fabricated  steel  ships,  one  for 
the  construction  of  concrete  ships  and  one  for  the  building  of 
wooden  ships.  The  problem  at  this  point  appeared  to  be  concerned 
with  the  control  of  the  breeding  of  malarial  mosquitoes,  house 
mosquitoes,  fresh-water  swamp  mosquitoes,  yellow-fever  mos- 
quitoes and  salt-marsh  mosquitoes. 

The  city  of  Wilmington,  with  about  30,000  people,  presented  the 
usual  back-yard  problems.  Within  easy  flight  range  of  the  yards 
and  of  the  city,  there  are  some  cypress  swamps  in  which  behind 
screening  plants  and  in  old  cypress  stumps  the  malarial  species  can 
breed.  Just  across  the  river  from  the  city  of  Wilmington  and  the 
yards,  and  within  easy  flight  range,  lay  11,000  acres  of  old  rice  land, 
the  protecting  dikes  and  drainage  ditches  of  which  have  been 
neglected  until  they  serve  rather  to  create  than  to  eliminate  mosquito- 
breeding  places.  Scarcely  an  acre  of  this  entire  body  of  land  is 
under  cultivation  and  was,  at  the  time  of  the  visit,  overgrown  with 
rank  grasses  and  weeds.  Within  easy  flight  range  of  the  city  and 
yards  lay  10,000  acres  of  salt  marsh. 

It  was  proposed  that  an  organization  for  fighting  the  mosquiro 
pest  be  created  and  that  the  work  begin  in  the  shipyards  and  the 
city,  and  work- outward  as  fast  as  time  and  funds  would  permit. 

In  cooperation  with  Mr.  Le  Prince  and  Mr.  Harold  I.  Eaton,  of 
Public  Health  Service,  the  entomologist  presented  the  nature  of 
the  problem  to  a  large  group  of  business  men  in  the  city  of  Wil- 


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294      NEW  JERSEY   AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGE 

mington,  and  advised  the  raising  of  $30,000  of  local  money  to  start 
the  work.  At  this  meeting  this  sum  of  money  was  raised  and  pro- 
visions made  whereby  an  organization  could  be  created.  It  was 
decided  to  place  the  conduct  of  the  work  under  the  general  direction 
of  the  health  oflficer  of  the  city  of  Wihnington.  The  organization 
has  now  been  created  and  the  work  is  going  forward. 

Other  Services  Rendered  to  the  Emergency  Fleet  Corporation 

With  the  consent  of  his  superiors,  the  entomologist  has  been 
made  Consulting  Mosquito  Expert  for  the  Emergency  Fleet  Cor- 
poration attached  to  the  office  of  Sanitation  and  Health  of  that 
government  organization,  and  is  at  the  call  of  the  chief,  Col.  Philip 
S.  Doane. 

Mosquitoes  of  the  Year 

In  early  May  the  usual  brood  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  emerged 
from  the  undrained  and  incompletely-drained  marshes.  This  brood 
was  unusually  large  and  troublesome.  The  only  part  in  the  drained 
area  in  which  a  brood  of  any  size  appeared  was  a  small  portion  of 
the  Union  meadows,  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Hudson  County 
meadows  lying  west  of  the  Hackensacl^  River  and  north  of  the 
Harrison  Turnpike  and  from  certain  wooded  areas  from  the  Bergen 
marsh.  This  emergence  was  sufficient  to  carry  salt-marsh  mos- 
quitoes into  Montclair  and  Paterson.  Fortunately,  the  weather  was 
cool  and  the  mosquitoes  were  relatively  inactive. 

A  second  brood  emerged  mainly  from  the  Hudson  areas  in  June 
and  reached  northern  Essex  and  Passaic.  As  has  been  the  exper- 
ience in  the  past,  practically  no  sollicitans  appeared  in  the  first 
brood  in  the  northern  half  of  the  state  and  the  species  concerned 
was  cantator.  In  the  south,  the  brood  was  composed  mainly  of 
coHtaior  but  showed  a  considerable  percentage  of  sollicitans.  Tlie 
second  brood  in  the  south  was  largely  sollicitans  and  in  the  north 
showed  a  small  percentage  of  sollicitans.  The  rest  of  the  brood 
was  composed  of  cantator. 

Sylvestris  was  rather  slow  in  getting  started  during  the  present 
season  and  did  not  appear  in  considerable  numbers  up  to  the  close 
of  the  present  fiscal  year.  To  the  close  of  the  present  fiscal  year, 
pipiens  was  entirely  negligible. 


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Financial  Statement 

Appropriation    $15,000.00 

Salt-mitrsh  ditching $9,600.00 

Advertising  for  proposals 34.44 

Photographic  supfplies  and  blue-prints 106.25 

Repairs    to  motorcycle 59.76 

Telephone  and  telegraph , 9.00 

Postage 40.00 

Salaries    and    wages    of    regular    and    temporary 

employees 2,582.20 

Travelling  expenses  572.56 

Reverting  to  the  state  treasury  as  the  result  of  short- 
ening of  the  year  by  reason  of  legal  change  in 
the  fiscal  year 1,995.79  $15,000.00 


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IVlAtt    O       W^ 


REPORT  OF  THE  DEPARTMENT 
OF  ENTOMOLOGY 


(375) 


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Department  of  Entomology 


Thomas  J.  Headlee,  Ph.D.,  Eniomologut, 
♦Charles  8.  Beckwith,  B.Sc,  AssiBtant  Entomologist. 
♦Mitchell  Cabboll,  B-Sc*  ABsiatant  EntomologUt. 

Alvah  Petebson,  Ph.D.,  A$iistant  Entomologist. 

AuouBTA  E.  Meske,  Stenographer  and  Clerk. 


♦On  State  Station. 

contents 

Introduction    377 

Correspondence  377 

Insects  of  the  Year 392 

Investigations   396 

Orchard  Insect  Investigations 396 

Vegetable  Insect  Investigations 433 

Climate  and  Insect  Investigations 442 

Sewage  Filter  Fly 444 

Sewage  Investigations   444 

Cranberry  Investigations  447 

Eeport  of  Mosquito  Work 460 

Introduction    460 

Salt-Marsh  Drainage  Work 460 

Mosquito-Control  Work  in  Camden  and  Gloucester.  .  470 

County  Mosquito  Commission  Work 474 

Hudson  County 475 

Bergen  County  479 

Passaic  County 488 

Essex  County 490 

Union  County  494 

^Middlesex  County   498 

Monmouth  County 502 

Ocean  County  504 

Atlantic  County   505 

Cape  May   507 

New  Jersey  Mosquito  Extermination  Association...  510 

Mosquitoes  of  the  Year 515 

A  Brief  Analyses  of  the  Xew  Jersey  Mosquito  Prob- 
lem     516 

(376) 


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Report  of  the  Department  of  Entomology 


Thomas  J.  Headlee 
INTRODUCTION 

Ab  in  previous  years  the  attention  of  the  entomologist  and  his  staff 
hag  been  given  to:  (1)  the  furnishing  of  information  concerning  the 
nature  and  control  of  injurious  and  beneficial  insects  in  response  to 
direct  request  by  the  citizens  of  the  state;  (2)  the  preparation  of 
bulletins  and  circulars  setting  forth  the  results'  of  investigations  of 
insects  injurious  and  beneficial  to  the  agricultural  and  urban  life  of 
the  state:  (3)  to  the  investigation  of  insects  injurious  to  agricul- 
tural, industrial  and  urban  life;  (4)  to  the  prosecution  of  studies 
relative  to  the  growing  of  cranberries;  (5)  studies  on  the  proper  dis- 
posal of  human  sewage  and  (6)  to  the  control  of  the  mosquito  pest. 

Miss  Augusta  Meske,  assisted  by  Miss  Margaret  V.  Fross,  has  con- 
ducted the  clerical  work  of  the  ofiice;  Dr.  Alvah  Peterson  has  de- 
wted  hie  attention  to  the  investigation  of  orchard  plant  lice,  peach 
borer,  the  oriental  peach  moth,  the  rose  typophorus  and  the  surface 
tension  of  spraying  liquids;  Dr.  Mitchell  Carroll  has  devoted  his  at- 
tention to  the  question  of  mosquito  control  and  Charles  S.  Beckwith 
has  divided  his  time' between  mosquito  control  problems  and  cranberry 
culture.  This  year  J.  W.  Thomson  became  a  fellow  in  the  depart- 
ment and  devoted  his  attention  to  certain  problems  in  connection 
with  the  biology  of  sewage  disposal. 


CORRESPONDENCE 

The  correspondence  this  year  has  required  the  preparation  of  about 
6,000  letters.  Inquiries  concerning  159  different  species  of  insects 
have  been  received  and  attended  to. 

(377) 


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392     NEW-  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


INSECTS  OF  THE  YEAR 

To  a  certain  extent  the  list  of  correspondence  indicates  the  relative 
abundance  of  the  species  of  insects  with' which  the  department  came 
in  contact  during  the  year,  but  certain  species  were  of  sufficiently 
great  importance  to  justify  especial  mention. 


Orchard  Plant  Lice 

The  orchard  plant  lice  this  year  were  more  abundant  than  at  any 
time  during  the  past  five  or  six  years.  Fortunately,  by  far  the  largest 
portion  of  the  orchard  plant  lice  were  the  oat  aphis,  which  disappear 
shortly  after  the  young  apples  have  set,  and  the.  damage  resulting  was 
not  in  proportion  to  that  which  one  would  expect  to  occur  from  the 
immense  numbers  of  aphis  eggs  everywhere  present.  There  were,  how- 
ever, enough  of  tlie  rosy  aphis  to  do  a  considerable  amount  of  harm 
and  only  where  the  spraying  was  very  thoroughly  done  was  the  aphi? 
trouble  reduced  to  a  negligible  factor.  The  green  aphis,  which  re- 
mained on  the  trees  throughout  the  season,  reappeared  in  considerable 
i..:::il,ei\>  toward  the  end  of  June,  infesting  the  water  sprouts  and  the 
new  growth  of  the  trees.  However,  no  considerable  amount  of  damage 
was  done,  although  the  species  was  present  at  practically  all  points  in 
the  state. 

The  spraying  for  apple  aphis  this  year  was  perhaps  better  done  than 
it  has  ever  been  in  the  past,  because  the  knowledge  of  the  procedure 
was  much  more  widespread.  The  fact  remains,  however,  that  the 
spraying,  in  most  cases,  was  not  sufficiently  good  to  effect  complete 
control.  Careful  observations  in  various  orchards  in  the  state  by  the 
entomologipt  served  to  show  that  while  the  upper  surfaces  of  the  twigs 
and  branche?  of  the  tree  were  quite  thoroughly  coated  with  the  recom- 
mended mixture,  in  many  cases  the  under-sides  were  not  touched,  and 
the  entomologist  believes  that  the  failure  to  effect  control,  where  such 
failure  occurred,  was  due  primarily  to  this  caus^.  The  mixture  used 
was  composed  of  1  part  of  40  per  cent  nicotine  to  500  parts  of  winter- 
strength  commercial  lime-sulfur.  The  winter-strength  commercial 
lime-sulfur  meant  1  gallon  of  the  standard  liquid  lime-sulfur  con- 
centrate to  9  gallons  of  water..  The  spray  was  applied  between  the 
time  the  buds  showed  silvery  and  the  time  when  the  little  leaves  pro- 
jected from  them  like  tiny  squirrel  ears. 

The  entomologist  is  convinced  from  observations  that  he  has  been 
able  to  make  in  orchards  during  the  past  year  that  thoroughly  satis- 
factory control  of  apple  aphis  involves  more  careful  spraying.  Either 
a  satisfactory  spreader  will  have  to  be  found,  which  can  be  mixed  with 
the  lime-sulfur  and  nicotine,  "or  the  orchardist  will  have  to  spray  both 
from  the  tower  and  from  the  ground,  thus  insuring  that  the  tree  is 
completely  coated. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  393 

Vegetable  Plant  Lice 

During  the  latter  part  of  last  summer  vegetable  plant  lice  were  verv 
abundant  and  did  a  large  amount  of  injury.  Among  them  especially 
worthy  of  notice  is  the  pink  and  green  aphis  of  the  potato  and  tomato 
{Macrosiphum  solanifolii  Ashm.)-  About  the  time  the  potatoes  had 
met  in  the  row  and  rendered  further  spraying  rather  diflBcult  this 
plant  louse  made  its  appearance  in  immense  numbers  and  sapped  the 
plants  of  their  vitality.  About  tlje  time  that  the  tomatoes  were  18 
inches  high  the  same  species  appeared  on  them  in  enormous  numbers 
and  did  a  large  amount  of  damage. 

During  the  forepart  of  the  present. season  the  same  species  made  its 
appearance  on  potatoes,  and  at  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year  it  looked 
very  much  as  if  the  damage  of  last  year  on  potatoes  would,  easily  be 
duplicated. 

During  the  latter  part  of  last  year  plant  lice  were  very  abundant  on 
melons,  cabbage,  cauliflower  and  spinach.  A  good  deal  of  attention 
was  given  to  this  subject  and  the  results  have  been  drawn  together  and 
published  in  Circular  107  of  the  station.  f 

The  outlook  for  the  other  species  of  vegetable  plant  lice  during  the 
present  season  is  about  equal  to  the  outlook  of  iJist  season,  and  the 
close  of  the  present  season  may  show  that  almost  as  large  an  amount 
of  harm  has  been  done  as  was  accomplished  by  them  last  year. 

Growers  fail  to  control  vegetable  plant  lice  primarily  because  they 
fail  to  recognize  them  when  they  first  appear  and  allow  their  plants 
to  become  so  lousy  that  the  damage  is  practically  three-fourths  done 
*  before  tliey  realize  the  necessity  for  action.  Usually  when  they  do 
recognize  that  measures  should  be  taken  against  them  the  plants  have 
reached  so  great  a  size  tliat  the  destruction  of  the  lice  involves  a  good 
deal  of  injur}'  to  the  plants  themselves.  The  entomologist  can  only 
urge  upon  the  grower  that  he  keep  a  closer  watch  on  his  vegetables 
and  kill  his  plant  lice  before  they  have  had  a  chance  to  do  the  damage 
which  they  normally  do.  The  mixture  recommended  is  composed  of 
1  part  of  40  per  cent  nicotine  to  500  parts  of  water  to  which  soap  is 
added  at  the  rate  of  2  pounds  to  each  50  gallons  when  the  water  is  soft 
and  4  or  5  pounds  when  the  water  is  hard.  Tlie  entomologist  has 
found  that  the  mixture  of  nicotine,  soap  and  water  gives  belter  results 
than  can  be  obtained  by  adding  tire  nicotine  to  some  other  spray. 
Pressure  has  proven  to  be  an  important  consideration,  because  the  lice, 
being  sucking  insects,  must  be  killed  by  contact  and  it  is  only  where 
strong  pressures  are  u«ed  that  the  material  is  distributed  with  suffi- 
cient completeness  to  effect  a  conlrol. 


Rose  Bu^s 

The  rose  bug?  made  their  appearance  as  usual,  and  wherever  they 
hecame  troublesome  on  orchard  and  vine  fruits  their  work  was 
promptly  stopped  by  the  application  of  self-boiled  lime-sulfur. 


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394     NEW  JERSEY  AGBICULTUEAL  COLLEGE 


Plmn  Cvrculio 

The  plum  curculio  during  the  forepart  of  the  present  season  ap- 
peared in  about  the  same  numbers  as  last  year  and  where  applet 
peaches  and  pears  were  not  kept  coated  with  the  spraying  mixtures 
large  damage  occurred.  The  secret  of  controlling  the  plum  curculio 
appears  to  he  in  keeping  the  fruit  thoroughly  coated  with  the  spraying 
mixtures  from  the  timfe  it  sets  throughout  the  period  of  the  insecf? 
activity,  which  covers  about  four  or  five  weeks. 


Codling  Moth 

For  a  period  of  several  years  the  codling  moth  has  been  increasing 
in  numbers,  and  the  damage  which  it  does  is  diflScult  to  meet  by  ordi- 
nary spraying  methods.  It  has  been  found  that  the  first  brood  comes 
out  over  a  longer  period  than  was  previously  thought  and  that  the 
worms  of  the  first  brood  which  attempt  to  enter  the  sides  of  the  ap{^ 
cannot  be  controlled  except  as  the  fruit  is  kept  thoroughly  coated  with 
the  spraying  mixtures.  Li  orchards  where  the  codling  moth  has  beei 
kept  under  control  it  seems  possible  to  obtain  satisfactory  protection 
by  spraying  the  trees  from  a  tower,  and  in  orchards  where  the  insect 
has  been  allowed  to  run  riot  control  cannot  be  obtained  in  this  way. 
The  apples  must  be  sprayed  both  from  above  and  below  to  insure  that 
the  coating  is  complete.  The  coating  must  apparently  be  maintained 
through  the  first  week  in  July. 

During  the  latter  part  of  last  season  a  large  amount  of  side  wormi- 
ness  appeared  on  the  late  fruit  in  orchards  where  the  codling  moth 
had  not  in  previous  years  been  satisfactorily  controlled.  The  mUh 
mologist  believes  that  this  damage  is  due  to  the  second  brood  of  ibe 
codling  moth,  and  that  it  must  be  met  by  keeping  the  apples  coated 
during  the  period  when  the  damage  occurs.  The  exact  limits  of  that 
period  have  not  as  yet  been  determined,  but  are  under  investigation. 

The  side-worm  damage  to  early  apples  has  this  year  been  definitely 
shown  to  be  due  to  first-brood  worms,  while  the  side-worm  damage  to 
the  late  apples  occurring  after  July  15,  seems  likely  to  be  the  work 
of  second-brood  worms. 

Spraying  practice  for  the  control  of  codling  moth  in  orchards  where 
it  has  not  been  under  control  must  be  more  intensive  and  more  exten- 
sive than  it  has  been  hitherto.  After  the  moth  has  once  been  brought 
under  control  in  an  orchard  it  seems  likely  that  the  present  spraying 
schedule,  or  one  which  closely  approximates  it,  will  be  satisfactory. 


H^Mian  Fly  and  Joint  Worm 

The  Hessian  fly  and  the  joint  worm  have  appeared  in  considerable 
numbers  in  the  wheat  fields  of  the  state  this  year  and  a  considerable 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  BEPOHT.  395 

amotiiit  of  damage  has  been  done.  This  is  qnite  unusual  for  New 
Jersey  and  may  indicate  that  the  growers  will  have  to  give  attention 
to  these  insects  for  the  next  year  or  two. 


Wira-Wornu  and  WhiU  Grdbe 

• 

Where  land  has  been  recently  plowed  out  of  grass  and  planted  in 
com  a  considerable  amount  of  injury  has  been  done  by  wire-worms  and 
white  grubs.  This  jnjury  is  much  larger  during  the  present  year  than 
it  has  been  in  past  years,  because  under  the  urgency  of  greater  food 
production  incident  to  the  war  a  large  acreage  of  grass  was  plowed  up 
and  planted  to  grains  and  vegetables.  Injuries  by  these  insects  could 
hardly,  under  these  conditions,  be  prevented,  and  the  entomologist  was 
unable  to  recommend  any  really  satisfactory  measures  for  meeting  the 
situation.  Soil  fumigation,  either  with  carbon  bisulfide  or  sodium 
cyanide,  was  too  expensive  to  be  practicable,  and  some  treatment  of 
that  kind  seemed  to  be  necessary  if  the  people  complaining  were  to  be 
relieved. 

Ptmr  Psylla 

The  experience  of  the  past  year  seems  to  indicate  that  the  pear 
psylla  is  on  the  increase  and  the  amount  of  damage  done  by  it  is  very 
great — much  greater  than  is  usually  recognized.  Everywhere  through 
the  state  during  the  latter  part  of  last  season  the  pear  orchards  were 
weakened.  The  fruit,  foliage  and  twigs  were  stained  and  the  strength 
of  the  buds  for  the  coming  fruit  crop  materially  reduced.  In  fact,  in 
many  instances  the  entomologist  observed  the  ground  covered  with  a 
premature  fall  of  the  leaves,  which  could  be  charged  only  to  the  work 
of  the  pear  psylla.  Methods  for  the  control  of  this  insect  appear  not 
to  be  sufficiently  well  undersitood  and  there  was  a  general  failure  to 
bring  the  insect  under  control. 


Unosval  Crop-Infestiii^  Insects 

This  year  has  brought  forward  some  unusual  types  of  insect  injury. 

"Where  grass  was  plowed  late  in  the  spring  and  the  ground  planted 
in  com  the  lined  corned  borer  {Hadena  fraciilinea  Grofe),  which  is 
normally  a  grass-feeding  insect,  attacked  the  plants  and  in  some  cases 
did  a  large  amount  of  harm.  This  insect  is  light  green  in  color  with 
a  distinct  black  line  down  each  side.  It  is  not  spotted  and  it  is  about 
an  inch  long  when  full  grown. 

It  damages  the  com  by  boring  into  the  young  stalk,  starting  at  the 
curl  and  destroying  the  growing  shoot.  There  were  some  instances  in 
which  this  insect  entered  the  young  com  stalk  at  the  junction  of  one 
of  the  lower  leaves  and  the  stem.  The  injury  was  limited  almost  en- 
tirely to  com  a  few  inches  high. 


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396  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

In  one  instance  where  an  old  weed  field  had  been  plowed  rather 
late  in  the  season  and  the  soil  planted  to  com  a  very  small  web  worm, 
hitherto  not  recognized  as  an  insect  injurious  to  agriculture,  made  its 
appearance  and  destroyed  the  planting.  This  small  web  worm  has 
not  been  determined,  but  is,  undoubtedly,  normally  a  feeder  on  grass 
and  possibly  on  weeds.  It  is  very  much  smaller  than  the  ordinary 
web  worm,  but  works  in  about  the  same  way. 

In  some  instances,  a  case-bearing  insect,  which  thus  far  we  have 
not  been  able  to  identify  except  to  determine  that  it  is  normally  a 
grass  feeder,  has  made  its  appearance  on  young  corn  and  accom- 
plished some  harm.  This  insect  has  a  gray  case  about  three-fourths 
of  an  inch  long  and  the  insect  contained  in  the  case  attacks  and  con- 
sumes the  foliage  of  the  corn  plant. 


INVESTIGATIONS 

Orchard  Insect  Investigations 

Pear  Psylla 

This  is  the  fifth  year  during  which  tlie  pear  psylla  has  been  un- 
der investigation  and  the  study  has  been  largely  limited  to  the  ques- 
tion of  proper  spraying  for  its  control.  As  indicated  in  past  report^ 
the  psylla  may  be  reached  in  four  ways:  (1)  scraping  the  rough  bark 
from  the  trees  in  late  fall  or  early  winter;  (2)  thorough  spraying  of 
the  trees  during  the  dormant  season  for  the  destruction  of  adul; 
psylla;  (3)  thorough  spraying  with  winter-strength  (1  to  9)  lime- 
sulfur  just  as  the  flower  buds  begin  to  open;  (4)  treatment  of  the 
infested  orchard  during  the  growing  season  when  the  psylla  appear? 
in  suflQcient  num])ers  to  threaten  serious  injury. 

Scraping 

The  evidence  this  year  as  in  previous  years,  indicates  that  this 
measure  is  probably  the  least  important  of  all  and  there  is  a  question 
in  the  mind  of  the  entomologist  whether  it  is  really  worth  while  or 
not.  As  far  as  he  can  see  the  control  obtained  by  the  faithful  prac- 
tice of  the  other  measures  without  the  scraping  is  almost  the  same 
as  that  which  is  obtained  with  the  scraping. 

Dormant  Season  Treatment 

The  evidence  this  year  indicates,  as  in  the  past,  that  the  dormant- 
season  treatment  for  the  destruction  of  adult  psylla  is  one  of  the 
most  important  of  the  spraying  methods  for  its  control. 

The  time  of  application  is  extremely  important  and  depends  en- 
tirely on  the  activity  of  the  insect.    There  is  a  time  both  in  the  fall 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  397 

and  in  theJ  spring,  when  the  adult  psylla  are  not  in  the  bark  at  all 
and  found  scarcely  at  all  on  the  trunk.  At  this  time  they  are  found 
hanging  from  the  twigs  and  branches,  too  stiff  to  move  at  all  readily. 
At  this  timel  they  can  be  very  easily  hit  and  killed  by  a  thoroughly 
complete  application  of  soluble  oil,  such  as  "Scalecide/*  and  at  the 
same  time  the  San  Jos6  Scale  can  be  checked.  The  entomologist 
feels  that  he  cannot  emphasize  too  strongly  the  importance  of  malang 
the  dormant  application  at  the  time  that  the  psylla  are  found  hanging 
from  the  twigs  and  branches  too  stiff  to  move.  The  material  should 
be  applied  at  winter-strength  and  the  treatment  must  be  complete,  or 
the  results  will  be  unsatisfactory.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  spray 
the  tree  from  both  the  tower  and  the  ground.  One  must  not  neglect 
the  trunk  of  the  tree  for  some  of  the  psylla  may  be  found  there.  It 
seems  to  the  entomologist  that  it  would  be  well  to  start  the  dormant 
treatment  for  psylla  when  this  period  arrives  in  the  fall.  Do  as  much 
of  the  work  before  the  peylla  migrate  into  the  bark  as  is  possible  and 
complete  the  job  the  following  spring.  He  does  not  believe  that  a  tree 
treated  in  the  fall  needs  to  be  retreated  with  dormant-season  treats 
ment  in  the  spring;  but  believes  that  the  whole  orchard  should  be 
covered  during  the  period  that  the  psylla  is  hanging  to  the  twigs  and 
branches  too  stiff  to  move  and  escape  the  materials.  He  does  not  be- 
lieve that  spraying  from  one  side  is  satisfactory,  because  it  is  quite  pos- 
sible that  before  the  wind  changes  ihe  oil  may  dry  off  suflBciently  for 
the  psylla  to  migrate  to  the  sprayed  side  of  the  tree.  He  believes  that 
the  whole  tree  should  be  sprayed  at  once,  regardless  of  the  difficulty  of 
the  operation. 

Sprayim  mth  Winter^strength  Lime-sulfur  (1  to  9)  Just  as  the 
FIouTer  Buds  Begin  to  Open 

This  spray  is  intended  to  destroy  the  eggs  and  it  is  delayed  as  late 
as  possible,  in  order  that  the  maximum  number  of  eggs  may  have  been 
laid.  It  is  not  anticipated  that  all  of  the  eggs  will  have  been  laid  by 
this  time,  but  it  is  expected  that  the  vast  majority  of  them  will  have 
been  deposited.  Completeness  of  coating  is  the  key  to  success  in  using 
this  treatment.  The  eggs  are  laid  all  over  the  twigs  and  branches  and 
any  eggs  which  are  not  covered  with  the  material  are  likely  to  hatch 
and  sen-e  as  infestation  centers.  It  is  necessaiy  to  spray,  in  this  in- 
stance, from  both  above  and  below  in  order  that  the  coating  may  be 
complete.  The  lime-sulfur  spreads  less  than  the  oil  and  it  is  therefore 
doubly  important  that  the  application  be  made  from  more  than  one 
direction.  It  is  practicable  to  spray  one  side  at  one  time  and  the  other 
side  at  another  time,  because  the  eggs  do  not  move  from  the  points 
where  they  have  been  deposited.  However,  it  seems  best,  where  prac- 
ticable, to  spray  all  sides  at  once,  because  it  frequently  happens  that 
the  side  which  has  been  left  is  never  later  reached. 

The  orchardist  need  not  fear  any  serious  hartri  to  his  foliage  or  fruit 
buds  from  the  application  of  this  material.    To  the  unitiated  the  use 


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398  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

of  winter-strength  lime-sulfur  seems  to  invite  disaster,  but  experience 
with  it  during  the  last*  four  years  indicates  that  serious  harm  is  prac- 
tically ijever  done. 

Summer  Treatment  for  Psylla 

Two  materials  have  proven  rather  effective  against  the  psylla  during 
the  growing  season.  It  is  not  expected  that  the  application  during  the 
summer  will  destroy  the  adult  psylla.  The  object  of  the  summer 
application  is  to  destroy  the  immature  forms  which  at  that  time  are 
covered  with  little  globules  of  honey  dew.  The  summer  strength  lime- 
sulfur  (1  to  40),  wherever  it  strikes  the  globules  of  honey  dew,  turns 
them  white  and  dries  them  up,  killing  the  immature  form  and  admin- 
istering a  decided  check  to  the  devdopment  of  the  psylla  in  the  or- 
chard which  is  treated. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  summer-strength  lime-sulfur  russets  and 
under  very  high  temperatures  bums  fruit  and  foliage  savagely,  an  at- 
tempt was  made  this  year  to  substitute  self-boiled  lime-surfur  for  it 
It  was  found  that  the  self-boiled  lime-sulfur,  when  applied  with  ex- 
treme care  and  thoroughness,  administered  a  very  satisfactory  check 
to  the  psylla.  It  was  also  found  that  the  work  with  the  seff -boiled 
lime-sulfur  must  be  more  thoroughly  done  to  obtain  the  results  nor- 
mally obtained  with  the  summer-strength  liquid  lime-sulfur  concen- 
trate. The  difference  seemed  largely  to  be  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
lime-sulfur  concentrate  spreads  better  than  the  self -boiled  lime-sulfur. 
The  present  summer's  experience  indicates  rather  clearly  that  where 
the  standard  liquid  lime-sulfur  concentrate  may  be  used  without  seri- 
ous injury  to  fruit  and  foliage  it  should  be  applied  as  the  sununer 
spray  for  cheeking  the  psylla ;  but  that  when  damage  or  serious  dam- 
age by  it  is  to  be  anticipated  the  self-boiled  lime-sulfur  should  be  sub- 
stituted for  it. 

It  seems  very  likely  to  the  entomologist  that  some  of  the  ordinary 
summer  applications  intended  for  the  control  of  codling  moth  and 
pear  diseases  might  be  made  to  do  double  duty  and  administer  a  check 
to  the  psylla  as  well.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  while  the 
ordinary  spray  for  codling  moth  and  diseases  is  applied  primarily 
from  above  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  psylla  control  that  the  ma- 
terial be  applied  in  such  a  way  as  to  cover  the  under-sides  of  the  leaves 
where  the  psylla  is  always  found  if  present  at  all. 


Direct  Experimental  Work 

It  seems  likely  that  a  more  or  less  detailed  account  of  the  experi- 
ments carried  on  during  the  past  year  may  be  of  value  to  persons  who 
are  vitally  interested  in  the  question  of  psylla  control.  These  experi- 
ments were  carried  on  in  the  orchard  of  Lester  Collins,  near  Merchant- 
ville,  N.  J.    The  materials  were  applied  by  Mr.  Collins'  organization 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPOHT.  399 

and  the  following  blocks  were  treated.  Block  1  was  treated  with 
**Scalecide,"  1  to  15,  in  the  fall  when  the  paylla  were  hanging  to  the 
twigs  and  branches  so  stiflf  with  cold  they  could  hardly  move.  Block 
2  was  treated  with  "Scalecide"  in  the  sjHing  at  the  time  when  the 
psylla  were  hanging  to  the  twigs  and  branches  so  stiflf  with  cold  they 
could  hardly  move.  Block  3  was  treated  both  in  the  fall  and  in  the 
spring  with  "Scalecide"  at  the  periods  mentioned  for  blocks  1  and  2. 
Block  4  was  treated  with  a  modified  form  of  Mechling's  "Scaleoil," 
winter-strength,  in  the  spring  at  the  time  that  the  psylla  were  hang- 
ing on  the  twigs  and  branches  so  stiflf  with  cold  they  could  hardly 
move.  Block  5  was  treated  with  "Scalecide"  in  the  fall  and  in  the 
spring  at  the  time  the  psylla  were  present  on  the  twigs  and  branches 
in  a  stiflfened  condition,  and  later,  before  the  buds  opened,  were  again 
treated  with  a  mixture  of  40  per  cent  nicotine  (1  part)  water  (500 
parts)  and  soap  (2  to  3  poimds  to  50  gallons  of  the  mixture).  Blocks 
1  to  5,  inclusive,  were,  without  exception,  treated  just  before  the  blos- 
soms opened,  with  standard  liquid  lime-sulfur  concentrate,  1  gallon 
to  nine  gallons  of  water.  Block  6  received  no  dormant  treatment 
whatever,  but  was  given  a  thorough  treatment  with  standard  liquid 
lime-sulf6r  concentrate,  1  gallon  to  9  gallons  of  water,  just  before  the 
flower  buds  opened.  Block  7  received  no  dormant  treatment  what- 
ever and  was  not  given  the  winter-strength  lime-sulfur  treatment  at 
the  opening  of  the  buds.  After  the  bloom  had  fallen  and  the  first 
brood  of  nymphs  was  well  developed  this  block  was  thoroughly  treated 
with  standard  liquid  lime-sulfur  concentrate,  1  gallon  to  40  gallons  of 
water.  All  blocks  were  given  as  thorough  a  spraying  as  the  organiza- 
tion could  bring  about.  The  treatments,  with  the  exception  of  the 
spray  just  previous  to  the  opening  of  the  petals,  were  given  from  all 
sides,  at  one  time  and  were  administered  by  nozzlemen  from  both 
above  and  below. 

About  May  3  specimens  of  twigs  and  branches  were  collected  from 
each  6f  the  blocks  in  question  and  carefully  examined  with  the  micro- 
scope for  psylla. 

Results  of  Experiments  on  Control  of  Pear  Psylla 

From  these  examinations  it  was  evident  that  on  May  3  no  psylla 
whatever  could  be  found  in  the  blocks  which  had  received  a  thorough 
winter  treatment  with  oil  and  the  pre-blossora  spray  with  standard 
liquid  lime-sulfur  concentrate,  1  gallon  in  9  gallons  of  water.  The 
examinations  also  showed  that  where  the  winter  treatment  with  oil 
was  omitted  psylla  could  be  found  in  small  numbers,  and  where 
neither  oil  nor  lime-sulfur  was  given  previous  to  the  openinsr  of  the 
flower  buds,  a  considerable  numl)er  of  psylla  were  present.  This  may 
be  taken  to  indicate  the  importance  of  the  winter  treatments. 

While  on  May  3  psylla  could  be  found  in  considerable  numbers  on 
the  trees  which  had  not  received  any  treatment  whatever,  it  was  not 
until  June  24  that  a  general  infestation  made  its  appearance  in  the 


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400  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COU.EGE 

orchard.  On  that  date  the  entomologist's  notes  are  as  follows : 
"Psylla  has  appeared  in  all  parts  of  the  orchard.  It  is  hard  to  find 
in  the  blocks  where  the  previous  records  show  none,  but  rather  plen- 
tiful where  they  had  indicated  the  existence  of  a  small  number. 
The  trees  located  in  the  brush  pile,  which  had  received  no  treat- 
ments until  after  the  blossoms  fell  and  where  a  heavy  dose  of  com- 
mercial liquid  lime-sulfur  concentrate,  1  to  40,  had  been  administered 
badly  burning  the  foliage,  showed  only  a  very  few  specimens." 

One  June  24  one  of  the  large  sprayers  was  in  operation  against 
the  psylla  and  careful  observations  showed  that  every  psylla  spot  hit 
turhed  white  and  promptly  began  to  dry  up.  On  this  date  the  ento- 
mologist asked  Mr.  Collins  to  make  and  apply  a  tank  of  self-boiled 
lime-sulfur,  agreeing  to  return  the  following  day  to  determine  the 
effect  of  the  same.  On  June  25  the  entomologist  examined  the  block 
treated  with  self-boiled  lime-sulfur  and  found  that  this  spray  had 
killed  the  psylla  wherever  it  was  well  hit  He  found,  however,  that 
a  light  touch  of  the  material  was  not  nearly  as  effective  as  a  light 
touch  of  the  standard  liquid  lime-sulfur  concentrate.  He  found  also 
that  the  self-boiled  lime-sulfur  spreads  less  well  than  the  commercial 
concentrate. 

Conclusions 

From  this  and  previous  years'  work  it  seems  that  proper  dormant- 
season  treatment  will  relieve  a  badly  infested  orchard  from  psylla 
attack  until  about  the  latter  part  of  June,  when  the  psylla  reappears  in 
numbers  sufficient  to  accomplish  harm,  unless  it  is  checked.  By  this 
time  the  second  brood  of  psylla  seems  to  have  made  its  appearance 
and  the  multiplication  has  been  sufficiently  rapid  that  evidences  of  it 
appear  here  and  there  through  the  orchard.  The  normally  recom- 
mended spray  for  codling  moth  would  come  between  the  twentieth 
and  thirtieth  of  June,  and  inasmuch  as  this  date  seems  to  coincide 
with  the  appearance  of  the  second  brood  of  psylla  it  is  quite  possible 
that  a  combined  treatment  could  be  made  in  which  the  mixture  would 
be  applied  from  both  above  and  below.  Where  the  trees  are  small 
it  is  possible  that  the  application  can  be  made  entirely  from  below, 
coating  both  the  pear  fruit  and  the  under-sides  of  the  pear  foliage. 
It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  if  the  weatlier  is  hot,  or  tiie 
owner  of  the  orchard  is  afraid  of  russet,  the  self-boiled  lirtie-sulfur 
may  be  substituted  for  the  standard  liquid  lime-sulfur  concentrate. 
There  seems  to  be  no  evidence  that  the  addition  of  the  necessary 
arsenate  of  lead  to  either  of  the  lime-sulfurs  in  any  wav  seriously 
interferes  with  the  effectiveness  of  the  substances  for  psylla. 

Judging  from  the  experience  of  the  latter  part  of  last  summer  it 
seems  that  the  necessary  check  can  be  administered  to  each  brood  by 
the  application  of  one  of  the  lime-sulfurs  whenever  the  nymphs  hare 
developed  a  crop  of  honey-dew  on  the  under-sides  of  the  leaves.  One 
should  not  wait  until  enough  honey  has  been  developed  to  encour- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPOBT.  401 

ag€j  a  growth  of  the  black  fungus  or  to  mark  the  upper  surfaces  of 
the  leaves  with  a  sweetish  sticky  liquid,  but  should  make  the  appli- 
cation before  the  psylla  has  had  time  to  do  that  type  of  injury. 

CodUBf  Motb 

For  a  period  of  several  years  the  apple  orchardists  of  New  Jersey, 
particularly  some  of  those  located  in  the  southern  half  of  the  state, 
have  been  complaining  of  side-worm  injury.  This  year  it  was  de- 
termined that  a  brood  study  of  the  codling  moth  should  be  under- 
taken for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  the  underlying  cause  of  this 
trouble,  in  the  hope  that  some  means  of  correcting  it  might  be  de- 
veloped. Accordingly,  the  entomologist  induced  Lester  Collins,  of 
Moorestown,  and  C.  Fleming  Stanger,  of  Glassboro,  to  have  gathered 
for  him  about  one  hundred  of  the  over-wintering  codling  moth  worms. 
These  worms  were  placed  in  homeopathic  vials  and  the  vials  were  put 
into  a  box,  which  was  protected  from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun,  but 
open  in  such  a  way  that  the  temperature,  moisture  and  wind  condi- 
tions of  the  orchard  could  affect  them  to  about  the  same  extent  as 
they  Would  have  been  if  they  had  remained  in  the  bark  of  the  apple 
tree  trunks.  The  transformation  and  emergence 'of  these  codling 
moths  were  carefully  observed. 

At  Maple  Shade,  near  Moorestown,  the  first  emergence  came  May 
3  and  the  moths  continued  to  come  out  in  increasing  numbers  until 
early  June.  By  the  ninth  of  June  more  than  half  the  total  number 
had  emerged.  The  remaining  moths  came  out  slowly,,  one  or  two  per 
day,  until  the  emergence  ceased.  Approximately  25  per  cent  of  the 
total  number  of  worms,  which  were  thus  collected  and  introduced 
into  the  bottles,  transformed  to  pupae  but  did  not  emerge  and  at  the 
end  of  the  year  had  not  done  so. 

At  Glassboro  on  the  sixth  of  June  the  entomolgist  found  that  19 
moths  had  emerged  and  on  the  twenty-third  he  found  only  three 
additional  moths  out.  After  that  date  no  more  emerged.  In  this 
case  not  quite  half  the  total  number  reached  the  adult  stage.  Ob- 
viously the  bulk  of  those  that  did  emerge  had  done)  so  by  the  ninth 
or  tenth  of  June. 

It  seems,  therefore,  that  the  emergence  of  the  first  brood  codling 
moth  was  practically  complete  by  the  tenth  of  June.  Side-wormi- 
ness  made  its  appearance  on  the  apples  in  large  amounts  by  the  fif- 
teenth of  June  and  began  considerably  earlier  than  this.  The  side- 
worminess  continued  to  increase  until  the  first  week  in  July.  In 
the  central  section  of  the  state,  in  the  region  of  New  Brunswick, 
side-worminess  began  to  make  its  appearance  toward  the  end  of  June 
and  continued  on  the  increase  at  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year.  It  seems 
therefore  likely  that  the  development  of  the  codling  moth  in  the 
southern  section  of  the  state  is  ten  days  or  two  weeks  ahead  of  it  in 
the  central  section, 
20 


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40•^  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Xo  one  can  say  whether  the  pupee  of  the  first  brood  that  failed  to 
emerge  at  the  normal  time  will  later  emerge  or  not.  Only  the  close 
of  the  season  will  indicate  the  real  condition.  Obviously  there  are  two 
periods  of  the  year  when  side-worm  injury  becomes  pronounced. 
The  first  appears  to  begin  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state  about  the 
middle  of  June  and  in  the  central  part  of  the  state  about  the  «id 
of  that  month.  ' 

Blossom-end  worniiness  was  exceedingly  scarce  with  all  sprayed 
orchards  and  side-worminess  was  1  per  cent  or  less  in  orchards  where 
the  spraying  schedule  as  outlined  in  Circular  93  had  been  faithfully 
practiced  for  a  period  of  years.  Side-worminess  was  present  up  to 
10  })er  cent  or  more  of  the  crop  (in  some  cases  reaching  50  per  cent) 
in  orchards  where  the  schedule  had  been  only  indifferently  prac- 
ticed in  past  years,  but  this  year  had  been  faithfully  followed. 

These  results  seem  to  indicate  that  in  orchards  where  the  spray- 
ing schedule  has  been  only  indifferently  practiced  in  past  years  and 
the  codling  moth  is  consequently  rampant,  the  present  spraying 
schedule  will  not  serve,  even  when  faithfully  carried  out,  to  protect 
adequately  the  fruit  from  side-worminess  of  the  first  brood.  In  fact, 
the  entomologist  believes  that  under  these  conditions  adequate  pro- 
tection can  be  obtained  only  by  maintaining  the  coating  of  poisonou? 
material  upon  the  fruit  and  foliage  from  the  time  the  blossoms  fall 
until  the  end  of  the  first  week  in  July. 


BESPONSE  OF  THE  LABTAE  OF  THE  PEACH  TBEE  BOBEB  (Sai- 

nlDoldeft  exltlosa  Say)  TO  TABIOUS  MEASUBES  FOB 

CONTBOL,  AND  ADDITIONAL  NOTES 

Alvah  Peterson 

The  author's  study  of  the  peach  tree  borer  which  was  started  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1917  at  J.  B.  Moon's  orchard  near  Clemen  ton,  X. 
J.,  was  continued  during  the  past  year.  Some  additional  notes  on  the 
behavior  of  the  adults  and  the  eggs  were  obtained,  but  particular 
attention  was  given  to  the  behavior  and  response  of  the  larvae,  espe- 
cially the  first  larval  instar  to  various  measures  for  control. 

Adults 

During  the  past  season,  1918,  the  first  empty  pupa  of  a  peach  tree 
borer  was  observed  on  June  10,  in  a  heavily  infested  orchard.  Some 
200  trees  were  examined  on  June  14  in  the  same  orchard  and  no 
further  indications  of  adults  were  seen.  The  first  adults  were  seen 
in  the  orchards  on  July  6  and  the  greatest  number  occurred  about 
the  first  week  in  August  or  somewhat  later.  The  last  female  seen 
depositing  eggs  for  the  season  of  1918  was  observed  on  September  6. 
One  female  emerged  on  September  22  and  she  was  placed  in  the 
orchard  for  copulation  under  conditions  similar  to  those  of  former 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  403 

experiments,  but  she  was  unable  to  attract  any  males  even  though  she 
attempted  to  so  do  at  various  intervals  for  two  days. 

A  number  of  adults  were  carefully  watched  in  various  orchards 
and  the  behavior  of  the  females  when!  depositing  their  eggs  was  ob- 
served. A  description  of  the  behavior  of  one  or  two  females  will  be 
sufiBbcient  to  give  a  clear  idea  of  the  habits  of  the  female  adults  in 
general.  On  July  29,  1918,  one  newly  emerged  female  was  seen  rest- 
ing near  an  empty  pupal  skin  adjacent  to  the  base  of  a  large  peach 
tree.  This  female  undoubtedly  emerged  from  the  empty  pupa,  for  it 
had  a  fresh  appearance  and  the  empty  pupal  skin  was  the  only  one 
locatedi  at  the  base  of  this  pari:icular  tree  and  several  nearby  trees. 
The  female  was  not  disturbed  by  the  writer^s  movements  at  first,  but 
in  ten  minutes  or  more  she  flew  to  an  adjacent  com  field  (15  to  20 
feet)  and  came  to  rest  on  a  com  leaf.  After  remaining  quiet  for 
a  few  minutes  she  elevated  the  tip  end  of  her  abdomen  and  projected 
the  genital  organ.  Within  five  minutes  two  males  appeared  and  one 
of  them  after  several  trials  succeeded  in  clasping.  Copulation  started 
at  9 :45  a.  m.  and  continued  for  one  hour.  During  this  period  the 
pair  did  not  move  except  for  a  brief  moment  at  10:15  a.  m.  when 
the  female  crawled  about  the  leaf  for  a  short  distance.  After  the 
male  completed  copulating  the  female  did  not  move  for  five  minutes 
or  more.  She  then  flew  a  short  distance  and  came  to  rest  on  a  green 
leaf  of  a  smart-weed  plant.  She  did  not  rest  long,  but  continued  to 
fly  short  distances  among  the  plants  of  smart-weed,  watermelons  and 
other  green  vegetation.  In  about  10  minutes  she  gave  forth  from  the 
posterior  end  of  her  abdomen  two  small  drops,  milky  in  color,  upon 
the  leaf  of  a  smart- weed.  Approximately  one-half  hour  after  the 
male  ceased  copulating  the  female  deposited  3  eggs  on  the  under- 
side of  a  smart-weed  leaf  some  15  feet  or  more  from  a  peach  tree. 
She  then  flew  away  for  a  short  distance  to  another  smart-weed 
plant  and  deposited  one  more  egg  on  a  leaf.  This  was  repeated  sev- 
eral times. 

The  writer  then  placed  a  fresh  peach  twig  in  front  of  her  on  the 
smart-weed  plant.  She  immediately  deposited  8  eggs  on  the 
smart-weed  leaf.  After  this  she  flew  to  another  smart-weed  and  de- 
posited several  eggs.  The  peach  twig  was  again  placed  in  front  of 
her  and  she  crawled  upon  it.  The  writer  then  proceeded  carefully 
to  transfer  her  to  a  nearby  peach  tree.  When  she  was  within  3  feet 
of  a  5-year-old  tree  she  took  flight  and  came  to  rest  on  the  trunk  of 
the  tree.  She  moved  about  the  tree  and  deposited  28  eggs  in  the 
cracks  and  crevices  and  some  on  the  smooth  bark.  Another  peach 
twig  was  placed  near  her  and  she  inmiediately  flew  into  the  upper 
portion  of  the  same  tree  and  came  to  rest  on  a  peach  leaf.  Here  she 
deposited  5  eggs  on  the  leaf  and  8  on  the  bark  of  a  small  twig.  The 
hour  was  12:15  p.  m.,  and  a  thunder-shower  occurred  at  this  time. 
The  female  sought  protection  from  the  same  by  resting  on  the  oppo- 
site side  of  a  large  branch  from  which  the  rain  came.  After  the 
shower  was  over  (1  p.  m.)  the  female  took  flight  and  came  to  Vest  in 


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404     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTUKAL  COLLEGE 

the  upper  portion  of  a  nearby  peach  tree.  She  deposited  3  eggs  on  a 
small  branch  and  2  on  the  imder-surface  of  a  peach  leaf.  She  again 
took  flight  and  at  this  time  was  lost  sight  of. 

A  number  of  other  females  were  seen  depositing  eggs  in  various 
orchards  during  the  summer.  On  August  19  at  11  a.  m.  a  female 
was  seen  flying  among  various  weeds  at  the  base  of  a  large  peach 
tree.  She  was  watched  for  15  minutes  or  more.  During  this  time 
she  deposited  10  to  12  eggs  and  all  of  these  were  placed  on  various 
objects  near  the  peach  trees  butj  none  on  the  tree  itself.  Two  were 
placed  on  the  under-surface  of  a  piece  of  clay,  2  on  a  dead  leaf,  1  on 
the  leaf  of  a  rag  weed,  another  on  a  dead  twig,  etc. 

The  above  observations  and  others  show  the  hit-and-miss  habit  of 
the  female  in  depositing  eggs.  This  habit  undoubtedly  brings  about 
a  very  large  mortality  of  the  first  instar  of  the  larvae.  It  is  believed 
that  few  if  any  larvae  emerging  from  eggs  deposited  on  objects  other 
than  the  peach  trees  themselves  ever  enter  peach  trees. 

During  the  past  season  th^  males  and  females  were  induced  to 
copulate  by  employing  the  same  methods  used  in  1917  (see  Annual 
Report  for  1917).  To  obtain  the  greatest  number  of  eggs  from  fer- 
tilized females  they  were  placed,  individually,  into  distended  3-pound 
paper  bags.  A  few  pieces  of  fresh  peach  tree  bark  were  placed  in 
each  sack  and  the  bags  were  sprinkled  with  a  small  amount  of  water 
each  day  as  long  as  the  female  continued  to  live.  When  a  few  drops 
were  placed  within  the  bag  the  females  usually  placed  the  tip  ends 
of  their  maxillae  into  the  water  and  so  far  as  one  could  obseive  they 
drank  the  water.  This  drinking  of  water  by  the  female  has  been 
recorded  by  several  workers.  Females  placed  in  bags  under  the  above 
conditions  lived  four  or  five  days,  an  average  of  one  to  two  days' 
longer  than  when  kept  in  screen  cages  without  water.  Some  of  the 
eggs  were  deposited  on  the  enclosed  pieces  of  bark  but  the  majority 
were  deposited  on  the  paper  bag.  The  greatest  number  deposited  by 
one  female  was  693  and  upon  dissecting  the  abdomen  of  this  female 
37  normal  appearing  eggs  were  found,  making  a  total  of  730  eggs. 
The  above  method  of  obtaining  eggs  in  paper  bags  was  suggested  to 
the  writer  by  J.  L.  King. 

Eggs  And  First  Larval  Instar 

The  eg<rs  of  the  peach  tree  borer  hatch  in  nine  or  ten  days  under 
warm  summer  conditions.  When  the  nights  are  cold,  which  is  the  usual 
condition  early  in  September,  it  may  take  14  days  or  more  for  eggs 
to  hatch.  On  September  3  a  large  number  of  eggs  were  deposited  by 
one  female  and  these  started  to  hatch  on  September  17.  Eggs  usually 
hatch  some  time  during  the  night  or  in  the  early  morning  hours. 
This  is  undoubtedly  advantageous  to  the  young  larvae.  The  larv^se  are 
very  small  and  delicate  in  appearance  and  it  is  probable  that  they  are 
susceptible  to  high  evaporating  factors,  consequently  they  would  be 
readily  killed  by  the  sun  and  heat  if  they  emerged  during  the  day. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  405 

It  was  observed  that  newly-hatched  larvae  died  and  ?hriveled  rapidly 
when  placed  in  small  tin  boxes  unless  some  moisture  was  included. 
When  newly-hatched  larvae  were  wanted  for  experimental  purposes 
the  eggs  were  placed  in  a  small  tin  box  and  the  newly-emerged  larvte 
were  kept  alive  by  introducing  into  the  box  small  pieces  of  fresh  bark, 
peach  tree  gum  or  moist  paper. 

A  large  number  of  newly-hatched  larvae  were  secured  and  their  be- 
havior watched  under  various  conditions.  All  of  the  young  larvae  ob- 
served showed  a  natural  tendency  to  crawl  downward  when  placed  on 
any  object.  They  may  wander  about  for  a  brief  period  when  first 
placed  on  an  object  but  they  soon  crawl  downward.  Xewly-hatched 
larvae  were  placed  on  all  parts  of  a  peach  tree  and  in  every  case  when 
last  seen  they  were  always  at  a  point  somewhat  or  considerably  lower 
than  the  starting  point.  Larvae  placed  on  the  outer  drooping  branches 
of  the  tree  worked  tlieir  way  out  toward  the  tip  end  of  the  branch  or 
the  distant  end  of  a  drooping  leaf.  This  habit  of  the  larvae  to  crawl 
downward  is  disadvantageous  to  the  larvae  hatching  from  eggs  placed 
on  twigs  or  leaves  that  droop  toward  the  ground  or  when  deposited 
at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  trunk  of  the  tree.  It  is  believed 
that  the  vast  majority  of  the  larvae  hatching  from  eggs  placed  on  the 
twigs  and  leaves  at  considerable  distances  from  the  ground  never  enter 
the  tree  adjacent  to  the  soil.  This  belief  is  based  on  obsenations 
made  on  25  to  30!  larvae,  all  of  which  were  placed  on  the  outer  and 
smaller  branches  of  the  trees.  In  no  case  did  these  larvae  make  any 
definite  progress  toward  the  main  portion  of  the  tree. 

The  larvae  were  experimented  with  at  all  hours  of  the  day  except 
during  darkness.  They  lived  the  longest  and  were  apparently  most 
successful  in  getting  about  on  cloudy  days,  on  the  shaded  side  of  the 
tree  or  in  the  early  morning  or  late  evening  hours.  During  mid-day 
the  larvae  usually  were  not  successful  in  crawling  or  clinging  to  the 
surface  of  the  trees  for  more  than  one  hour.  The  maximum  number 
of  hours  a  larva  may  live  or  crawl  over  the  trunk  of  a  tree  under  vari- 
ous environmental  conditions  was  not  determined.  It  is  probable  that 
larvae  emerging  during  the  night  may  crawl  over  the  surface  of  tlie 
tree  for  a  number  of  hours  before  entering.  The  majority  of  the 
larvae  emerge  at  night  and  this  gives  them  a  longer  time  to  find  a 
suitable  entrance. 

The  young  larva  in  crawling  over  the  surface  of  any  object  gives 
forth  a  fine  silken  thread  which  apparently  comes  from  the  spinnerets 
on  it§  head.  This  thread  is  laid  down  on  the  surface  over  which  it 
crawls.  The  larva  touches  the  ventral  portion  of  its  head  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  object  over  which  it  is  crawling  each  time  after  it  moves 
forward,  and  the  silken  tliread  is  thus  stuck  to  the  object.  The  larva 
may  lose  its  foothold  quite  often  when  crawling  over  any  object,  par- 
ticularly over  a  smooth  surface^  or  if  the  wind  is  blowing.  The  true 
legs  and  prolegs  fail  to  cling  to  the  surface  of  the  object  and  if  the 
larva  is  crawling  downward  when  it  falls  the  posterior  portion  of  the 
bodv  falls  forward.    When  it  loses  its  foothold,  the  silken  thread  and 


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406     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

probably  in  some  instances  the  mandibles  keep  the  larva  attached  to  the 
object  over  which  it  is  crawling.  The  dislocated  larva  may  be  sus- 
pended in  the  air  on  a  silken  thread  Yq  to- 14  ^^^  ^  length  for  several 
minutes  before  it  regains  its  position  on  the  object.  By  twisting  and 
vigorous  distortions  the  larva  usually  regains  its  location  and  immedi- 
ately proceeds  to  crawl  over  the  surface  again.  The  average  speed  of 
the  larva  over  bark  of  a  comparatively  smooth  trunk  of  a  peach  tree  is 
10  to  15  inches  per  hour.  The  smoothness  of  the  surface  over  which 
the  larva  is  crawling  largely  determines  the  frequency  and  the  number 
of  times  a  larva  will  loose  its  foothold.  When  larvae  were  placed  on 
the  smooth  bark  of  twigs  or  the  surface  of  peach  leaves  they  had  con- 
siderable difficulty  in  making  progress.  Larvae  under  these  condition^ 
usually  did  not  maintain  their  position  on  the  tree  for  over  one  hour 
before  they  were  blown  off  or  apparently  became  too  weak  to  continue 
their  journey.  It  was  also  noted  that  larvae  had  considerable  diflBculty 
in  making  progress  when  the  wind  was  high.  The  difficulties  whicn 
the  larva  must  overcome  in  crawling  down  the  tree  undoubtedly  cause 
many  to  be  killed,  especially  if  the  journey  is  a  long  one. 

Numerous  newly-hatched  larvae  were  placed  on  the  trunks  of  peach 
trees  of  various  sizes  and  in  all  instances  the  larvae  crawled  down  the 
trunk  and  the  majority  proceeded  to  enter  the  tree  adjacent  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  soil  or  just  below  the  surface.  In  most  cases  the  bark  of 
the  tree  above  ground  was  apparently  too  hard  for  the  larvae  to  enter 
successfully.  Almost  every  larva  in  its  downward  journey  on  the  tree 
entered  and  examined  the  small  crevices  in  its  coursa  In  a  few  in- 
stances the  larvae  did  enter  the  tree  several  inches  above  ground.  A 
very  small  percentage  of  larvae  may  be  found  in  the  tree  above  ground 
when  one  examines  the  trees  in  October  or  November.  During  the 
past  season  a  number  of  trees  showed  a  number  of  larval  channels 
several  inches  above  ground  in  the  trunk  of  the  tree  and  in  one  case 
in  a  large  branch.  Only  a  few  of  these  channels  possessed  living 
larvae.  The  most  of  them  were  abandoned  or  possessed  small  dead 
larvae.  The  cavities  above  ground  are  probably  made  when  the  bark 
is  soft.  The  bark  of  a  tree  is  softer  during  a  period  of  wet  weatiier 
than  during  dry  weather.  When  the  bark  is  dry  it  seems  to  be  more 
difficult  for  the  larvae  to  enter,  and  also  a  dry  hard  bark  seems  to  make 
it  more  diflBcult  for  the  larvae  that  entered  under  wet  conditions  to 
continue  to  exist.  The  exposure  of  the  small  larvae  in  cavities 
above  ground  to  the  heat  and  dry  conditions  of  the  summer  and  the 
cold  of  the  winter  probably  kills  a  large  percentage  of  larvae  under 
these  conditions,  or  it  compels  them  to  seek  a  more  suitable  location 
lower  down.  In  the  spring  of  the  year  few  if  any  small  larvae  are 
found  in  the  tree  above  ground. 

The  majority  of  the  young  larvae  enter  the  tree  just  below  the  point 
where  the  soil  is  adjacent  to  the  tree.  Among  small  trees  the  point  of 
contact  of  the  tree  with  the  soil  may  be  several  inches  below  the  gen- 
eral level  of  the  ground,  because  of  the  fact  that  small  trees  are 
whipped  about  by  the  wind  and  deep  holes  are  formed  about  the  trunk. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  407 

The  first  cavity  formed  hy  the  young  larva  is  usually  very  shallow  and 
on  the  outside  of  the  trunk.  Occasionally  these  shallow  cavities  just 
below  the  point  of  contact  of  the  tree  with  the  soil  were  empty  when 
examined  in  October.  Generally  speaking,  whenever  an  empty  cavity 
was  seen  there  usually  occurred  a  larger  occupied  cavity  one  to  three 
inches  directly  below.  It  is  probable  that  the  smaller  empty  cavities 
were  abandoned  by  the  larvae  for  more  suitable  locations  lower  down 
on  the  tree. 

Paper  Collars 

rhiring  the  summer  of  1918  tarred  paper  collars  (5  to  6  inches  wide 
from  tree  to  outer  margin)  were  experimented  with  again  as  in  1917 
at  J.  B.  Moon's  orchard  of  9  to  10-year-old  peach  trees  near  Clemen- 
ton,  N.  J.  (tables  1  and  2).    On  June  14  and  15  about  75  collars  were 
replaced  on  the  trees  experimented  with  in  1917  in  various  parts  of 
the  orchard.    We  were  unable  to  purchase  the  tarred  protectors  for  our 
experiments  in  1918,  consequently  we  made  them  from  a  medium- 
weight  of  roofing  paper,  and  these  proved  to  be  as  satisfactory  as  the 
manufactured  product.    The  protectors  were  similar  in  structure  and 
fastened  about  the  larval-free  trees  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  de- 
scribed in  1917  (see  Annual  Report  of  the  Department  of  Entomology, 
^New  Jersey  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  November  1,  1917,  to 
'June  31,  1918).    They  were  held  in  place  by  a  strong  paper  clip  on 
the  margin  where  the  edges  overlapped  and  sealed  to  the  tree  by  a  con- 
densed coal  tar  product  called  "Liquid  Sap  Cement"  (Barber  Asphalt 
Paving  Co.,  Maurer,  N.  J.).    The  seal  of  each  protector  was  exam- 
ined at  intervals  of  10  to  20  days  (June  26,  July  22,  August  8,  Au- 
gust 20,  August  29,  September  23).     Comparatively  few  holes  ap- 
peared during  the  entire  season.    Whenever  small  holes  did  appear  in 
the  sealing  material,  which  were  seldom  over  l^  inch  in  diameter,  they 
were  immediately  plugged  with  a  small  portion  of  the  asphaltum  taken 
from  the  excess  dripping  found  on  the  paper  collar.    In  no  case  did  a 
second  hole  reappear  in  the  mended  spot.    An  account  was  kept  of  the 
number,  size  and  time  of  appearance  of  the  holes  in  the  seal  for  the 
entire  summer  (June  15  to  September  23)  and  33  per  cent  of  the  pro- 
tectors showed  no  break  in  the  seal,  28  per  cent  showed  1  small  hole, 
11  per  cent  2  holes,  14  per  cent  3  holes,  4  per  cent  4  holes,  4  per  cent 
5  holes  and  3  per  cent  6  holes.     In  most  eases  only  1  hole  was  found 
during  one  examination.    The  largest  number  of  holes  to  appear  in  one 
seal  at  one  time  was  3.    All  told  the  seals  on  all  the  protectors  were 
aa  near  perfect  for  the  entire  season  as  could  be  expected.    If  the  pro- 
tectors had  not  been  carefully  examined  at  short  intervals  the  seals 
probably  would  have  been  in  poor  condition  on  a  number  of  the  pro- 
tectors. 


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408 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


TABLE  1 

Number  and  size  of  larve  remoyed  from  each  peach  tree  with  atid  witbont 
tarred  paper  collars  about  them,  after  two  seasons,  at  Mr.  Moon*s  orchard. 
Glementon,  N.  J. 

The  larv»,  after  the  second  season,  were  removed  during  October,  1918.  and 
May,  1919 ;  trees  1  to  28  in  southeast  section,  trees  29  to  72  in  southwest  sec- 
tion and  trees  73  to  105  in  northeast  section  of  the  oreharVi.  (p= protector, 
ch= check.) 


Experiment  Number  ; 

a 
*^ 

I 

;:^ 

> 

us 
a 

1 

1 

SB 

► 

2. 

.1 

fl 

M 

.a 

fl  ^ 

li 

•si 
h5 

Total  Hatched 

Eggs.  1018                   1 

00 

a 

1 

a 

ma 

si 

II 

II 

1-P    

0 

3 

0 

0 

3 

23 

0 

1 

2-P    

0 

3 

0 

0 

3 

30 

0 

0 

3-p    

0 

0 

0 

2 

2 

25 

0 

0 

4-P    

0 

0 

0 

4 

4 

19 

0 

0 

5-P    

0 

2 

0 

0 

2 

26 

2 

0 

C-P    

0 

3 

1 

0 

4 

2^ 

2 

0 

7-P    

Tree 

dead 

8-p    

0 

1 

3 

0 

4 

25 

3 

0 

9-P    

1 

2 

0 

0 

2 

23 

3 

1 

10-p    

0 

2 

0 

0 

2 

35 

4 

0 

11-P    

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

23 

1 

0 

12-P    

0 

9 

1 

0 

10 

21 

1 

0 

13-p    

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

16 

4 

0 

14-p    

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

26 

2 

0 

15-P    

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

24 

1 

0 

16-p    

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

28 

2 

6 

17-P    

0 

4 

0 

0 

4 

25 

1 

0 

18-p    

0 

2 

1 

0 

3 

21 

1 

0 

Total 

0 

1-^ 

34 
0 

6 
0 

6 
0 

46 

1 

s 

19-ch,    

29 

3 

20-ch    

2—0 

3-0 

1—0 

0 

6 

22 

4 

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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 

TABLE  1— (Continued) 


409 


ac 

Ji 

.c 

3 

a 

C^ 

¥^ 

^^ 

JS 

I 

1 

a 
•-* 

;:j^ 

# 

JS« 

fi 

8b 

% 

> 

> 

> 

fa. 

t. 

^ 

^ 

•^ 

^ 

0 

1 

0 

a-0 

1-0 

0 

a  11 


2-B 


1  = 


-2 


00 

m 

a 


o 


a  1-4 


21-ch    

22-ch    

23-ch    

24-ch    

25-rh    

26-ch    

27-ch    

28-ch    

Total 

29-p    

30-p    

31-p    

32-p    

33-p     

34-p    

35-p    

36-p    

37p    

38-p    

39-p    

40.p    

41-p    

42-p    

43-p   

44-p   

Total 


!     2—0  I     3—0 


0 
0 
4-0 
2 
0 


12—2 
1—0 

3—0 
2—0 


1 

5 

4—0 

6 


f 


11—15 
0—2  I 
1—3 
0—1 
3—2 


2—0  I  4—0 

6—0  I  0—0 

I 

1—0  1  1—1 


Dead 
1—0 
1-0 


tree 
0-0 
1—1 


1—0  I     3—1 


1—0 
1-0 
5—0  i     0—3 


1—2 


4—0       0-^ 
5—0       1—1 


42—0     17—21 


0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


1 

0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
2—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 

0--2 
0—0 
0—0 
0—1 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 

o-o 


0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


2—S 


0 
1—0 
0—0 
0-0 

fr-0  f 

I 

2—0  i 
0—0 
2—0  I 

0—0 
2—0 
2—0 
0—0 
3—0 
0—0 
0—0 
1-0 


1 
4 
5 
1 
5 
8 
8 
2 


41 
4 

12 
4 

17 
S 

a 


21—0 


106 


20 
26 
23 
29 
22 
26 
23 
24 


22 

4 

25 

25 

18 
28 
22 
28 


22 

0 

27 

5 

26 

0 

24 

2 

20 

1 

25 

4 

17 

3 

,!tized  by  VjU, 


1 

5 
3 
3 

5 
4 
1 
7 
36 
2 
7 
0 
1 
2 
6 
0 

0 
4 
0 
0 
0 
1 


W^ 


410 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 
TABLE  1 — (Continued) 


a 

s 

a 

1 

s 

1 

£ 

> 

3 

1 

1 

1 

3 

a 

1 

m 

g 

a 

¥^ 

S 

II 

•s 
Is 

II 

00 

1 

i 

•31 

II 

45-p    

46-p    

47.p    

48-p    

49.p    

50-p    

51-p    

52-p    

53-p    

54-p    

55-p    

56-p    

57-p    

58-p    

59-p    

3-0 

o-o 

1—0 
0-0 
.1-0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-0 
0—0 
Dead 
0-0 
0—2 
2-0 
4—0 

0—1 
1—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-0 
0—0 
0-0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 

0—0 
0—1 
1—0 
0—0 

<^ 

2—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—1 

0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-0 

0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
2—0 
0-0 
0-0 
0-0 
2-0 
0—0 
2—0 

•o^ 

4—0 
1—0 
0—0 

4 
3 

1 

2 
1 
0 
0 
2 
0 
3 

0 

0 

1 

....... 

0 
3 
4 
2 

1 
0 
0 

1 
1 

2 
6 
1 
6 

0 

0 

0 

0 
o 

1 

o 

3 

2 
0 

1 
0 

1 

Total 

11—2 
2—0 

Dead 
4—0 
6—1 

12—0 
7—0 
4-0 
7—0 
2-0 

2—2 
3-0 

2—1 

6—3 

2—10 

2—3 

3—0 

0-0 

0—0 

2—1 
0—2 

2—0 
1—1 
3-0 
0-0 
1—0 
2-0 
0-0 

11—0 
0-0 

0—0 
0—0 
2—0 

0^-o 

0-0 
0—0 
2-0 

31 

9 
18 
29 
12 

9 

4 

13 

60-ch    

61-ch    

62-ch    

63-ch    

64-ch    

65-ch    

e6-ch    

67-ch    

68^h    

12 

20 
27 
26 
24 
30 
23 
23 

7 
9 
11 
6 
6 
5 
2 
3 
5 

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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 
TABLE  1-— (Continaed) 


411 


1 

a 

9 

•*^ 
O 

1 

H 

H 

1 

I 

s 

-g 

a 

1 
1 

Larvie  %  Inch  Plus 

00 

1 

i 

'goo 

u 

^1 

1 
Total  Hatched 
Eggs.  1918 

1 

IS 

fi 

60-ch    

70-ch    

71-ch    

0-0 
3—0 
2-0 
l-O 

0-0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-1 

0-1 
1—0 
0-0 
0—1 

3—0 
0—0 
0—0 
1—0 

4 
4 
2 
4 

26 
24 

3 
3 
3 

72-ch    

•     2 

Total 

50-1 
0—0 
4—0 
1-0 
2—0 
0—0 
0—0 
1--0 
2-0 
2—0 
1—0 
4—0 

18—18 
0-0 
0—3 
1—0 
1—1 
3-1 
0—0 
0—0 
0—1 
0—1 
0-1 
0—0 

10-5 
0-0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-0 
0—0 
0-0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-1 

8—0 
0-0 

4r-0 

2-0 
5-0 
1—0 
1—0 
0—0 
0-0 
2—0 
3—0 
2—0 

110 
0 

11 

4 
9 
5 
1 
1 
3 
5 
5 
7 

66 

73-p    

74-P    

75-p    

76-p    

77.p    

78-p   : 

70-p    

80-p    

81-p    

82.p    ...... 

83-p    

26 
24 
24 
23 
25 
21 
9 
27 
23 
28 
30 

2 
3 
0 

1 
0 
5 
0 
1 
1 
3 

0 

2 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

Total .... 

17-  O 
0-0 
0—0 
0-^ 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-0 

5—8 
0—0 

o-o 

0-0 
0-0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-0 

0—1 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 

o-o 

0—0 
0-0 
0—0 

20—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0-0 
0-0 
1—0 
2—0 
0-0 

51 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
2 
0 

3 

84-p    

85-p    

86-p    

87-p    

88-p    

89-p    

90-p    

1 
0 
0 
3 
0 
0 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

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412  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

TABLE  1— (CoDtinavd) 


B 

3 

1 
1 

•g 

a 

2 

-g 

fl 

;^ 

I 

1    • 

00 

3 

s 

1 

2 

o 

1 

1 

ma 

*»  a 

91-p    

0-0 

0—0 

0--0 

0-0 

0 

3 

0 

92.p    

0—0 

0—0 

0—0 

0—0 

0 

0 

1 

1 

93-p    

0-0 

0—0 

0--0 

0—0 

0 

0 

0 

94-p    

1—0 

0-0 

0--0 

0—0 

1 



3 

0 

95-p    

0-0 

0-0 

0—0 

1—0 

1 

1 

0 

96-p    

0-0 

.0—0 

0—0 

0—0 

0 

0 

0 

Total .... 

1—0 
4—0 

0—0 

1—1 

0—0 
.  0—0 

4—0 
2-0 

5 

8 

4 

97-ch    

18 

3 

98-ch    

2—0 

0—1 

0—0 

2—0 

5 

19 

2 

99-ch    

4-0 

1—3 

0—1 

5—0 

14 

20 

1 

100-ch    

7—0 

(^2 

0^ 

2—0 

11 

22 

3 

Total .... 

17-0 
1-0 
2—0 
0—0 

3-1  1 

2—7 
3—0 
0—0 
0—1 
0—1 

0—1 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 
0—0 

11—0 
0—0 
0—0 
2—0 
0-0 

38 
4 
2 
3 
5 

13 

101-ch    

2 

102-ch    

2 

103-ch    

1 

104-ch    ^ 

0 

f 

Total 

6—1 

3—2 

0—0 

2—0 

14 

5 

1 

Note. — Where  two  fif^ures  are  present  in  one  column,  the  left-hand  figure 
indicates  the  number  of  larvae  observed  in  October,  1918,  and  the  right-hand 
figure  the  number  of  larvsp  present  in  May,  1919.  If  only  one  figure  occurs 
under  the  larval  columns  this  indicates  the  larvae  present  in  May,  1919. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


413 


TABLE  2 

Average  number  of  larvte  per  treated  and  check  tree  in  the  various  sections 
of  Mr.  Moon's  orchard. 

Observe  the  increase  in  the  infestation  wliere  eggs  were  placed  on  the  trees 
in  1918.     This  table  is  condensed  information  taken  from  table  1. 


TREATMENT 

Larv»  Per  Tree  in 
Southeast  Section 

a  0 

it 

7.0 

2.4 

10.4 

3.0 

a  ^ 

si 

Jl 

2% 

Protectors  about  trees  with  eggs 

Protectors  about  trees  without  eggs. . . . 

2.7 

4.6 
0.3 
9.5 
3.5 

4.7 
1  3 

Check   trees  with   einrs. 

4.1 

7.6 

Check  trees  without  eggs 

3.3 

It  is  believed  that  few  if  any  larvas  entered  the  trees  through  the 
small  and  few  holes  occurring  in  the  seal  of  the  protector.  In  one 
ease  only  was  there  any  evidence  that  a  larva  had  entered  the  tree 
through  a  break  in  the  sealing  material.  In  this  particular  instance 
small  bits  of  chewed  wood  were  seen  about  the  hole  indicating  the  en- 
trance of  the  larva  at  this  point.  The  results  of  the  experiments  for 
1917  with  tarred  paper  collars  showed  a  very  decided  reduction  in  the 
infestation  where  trees  were  protected  by  the  collars.  The  chief  ob- 
jection to  these  results  was  the  fact  that  the  infestation  was  very  light 
as  indicated  in  the  check  trees,  and  also  the  fact  that  a  few  larvae  were 
in  the  trees  from  the  previous  year.  During  the  past  season  25  to  30 
eggs  were  placed  on  a  majority  of  the  treated  and  check  trees.  This 
insured  a  moderate  infestation.  The  author  had  intended  to  put  50 
more  eggs  on  all  experimental  trees,  but  was  unable  to  obtain  a  suffi- 
cient supply.  Table  1  indicates  the  number  of  hatched  eggs  occurring 
on  the  various  trees.  Where  ^gs  were  placed  on  the  trees  there  is  a 
decided  increa^  in  the  infestation.  Table  2  shows  the  average 
number  of  larvae  per  treated  or  check  tree  in  each  of  the  three  sec- 
tions of  the  orchard  where  eggs  were  placed  on  the  trees  and  where  a 
natural  infestation  was  relied  upon.  One  cannot  rely  upon  a  natural 
infestation 'and  be  sure  of  definite  results  in  one  season  while  the  use 
of  a  number  of  eggs  (25  to  100)  on  each  tree  increases  the  certainty 
of.  the  infestation. 

Comparing  the  number  of  larvae  per  tree  among  trees  with  pro- 
tectors about  them  with  the  check  trees,  it  will  be  noted  that  there  is 
approximately  a  50  per  cent  reduction  where  the  protector  is  used. 


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414     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

This  is  by  no  means  a  sufficient  protection  to  warrant  their  use.  The 
larvae  are  not  kept  out  by  the  card  even  though  the  seal  is  kept  per- 
fect about  the  tree  for  the  entire  season.  A  number  of  observations 
were  made  on  the  response  of  newly-hatched  larvas  to  the  tarred  paper 
collars.  The  larvae  were  placed  on  the  trunk  of  the  tree  several  indies 
above  the  seal  and  the  majority  of  them  proceeded  at  once  to  crawl 
down  the  trunk,  over  the  seal,  and  out  upon  the  card  to  its  margin. 
On  reaching  the  outer  margin  they  would  never  venture  out  upon  the 
soil  but  proceeded  to  crawl  along  tlie  outer  margin  until  they  finally 
found  an  entrance  between  the  card  and  the  soil.  They  would  then 
crawl  on  the  under-side  of  the  card  toward  the  tree.  Needless  to  say 
the  opening  between  the  protector  and  the  soil  does  not  need  to  be 
large,  for  the  larvae  are  extremely  small.  After  the  larvae  disap- 
peared under  the  card  it  was  no  longer  possible  to  watch  their  move- 
ments ;  however,  at  intervals  of  15  to  30  minutes  the  cards  were  lifted 
enough  to  make  observations;,  and  it  was  observed  that  some  of  the 
larvae  nearly  reached  the  tree  before  they  were  accidentally  lost  sight 
of.  These  observations,  along  with  the  fact  that  the  majority  of  the 
email  larvae  found  in  the  trees  with  protectors  on  them  were  located 
directly  beneath  the  place  where  the  tarred  card  was  sealed  to  the  tree, 
shows  that  the  larvae  are  able  to  crawl  on  the  under-«ide  of  the  card 
and  many  of  them  may  reach  their  goal.  When  the  trees  were 
^Vormed'^  in  October  the  location  of  many  of  the  small  larvae  directly 
beneath  the  place  where  the  card  was  sealed  to  the  tree  gave  no  indi- 
cation (one  exception)  that  the  larvae  had  bored  into  the  tree  above 
the  seal  and  thwi  tunneled  under  the  seal.  The  above  facts  diow  the 
ineflSciency  of  the  tarred  paper  collar  when  placed  on  the  tree  as  de- 
scribed. 

To  increase  the  efficiency  of  a  protector  similar  to  the  above,  ap- 
parently it  will  be  necessary  to  have  the  margin  of  the  protector  buried 
in  the  soil,  thus  preventing  the  larva  from  crawling  to  the  under-side 
of  the  protector.  In  a  few  cases  the  margin  of  the  protector  used  in 
the  experiment  was  buried  in  the  soil,  and  in  all  these  cases  it  was  im- 
possible to  keep  a  good  seal,  due  to  the  fact  that  the  tree  was  swayed 
by  the  wind  and  this  motion  broke  the  seal  of  the  protector.  Some 
flexible  material  might  give  better  satisfaction  than  a  stiff  tarred 
paper.  Further  experiments  are  being  conducted  with  various  modi- 
fications in  the  protector,  and  these  will  be  reported  upon  at  some 
future  time. 

In  the  foregoing  discussion  the  fact  was  mentioned  that  newly- 
hatched  larvae  do  not  venture  out  upon  the  soil.  It  was  repeatedly 
noted  that  the  newly-hatched  larvae  experienced  considerable  difficul^r 
in  making  progress  over  wet  or  dry  soil.  They  become  entangled  with 
the  small  particles  of  soil.  A  number  of  newly-emerged  larvae  were 
placed  an  inch  or  so  from  the  base  of  the  trees  (dry  sandy  soil),  and 
after  several  hours  they  were  found  in  approximately  the  same  loca- 
tion, having  made  little  or  no  progress  through  the  soil.  Further  ob- 
servations on  the  behavior  of  the  larvae  in  the  soil  will  be  neciessaiy 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPOBT.  415 

emerged  larvae  to  variouB  type  of  soil.  In  addition  to  the  experi- 
before  definite  statements  can  be  made  on  the  response  of  newly- 
ments  with  large  tarred  paper  collars,  13  young  (3  to  4  years  old) 
trees  had  smaller  paper  collars  placed  about  their  base  adjacent  to  the 
soil.  These  were  1,  2  and  3  inches  in  width  from  the  inner  circle  to 
the  outer  margin.  Pour  had  1-inch  collars,  four  had  2-inch  collars 
and  five  had  3  to  4-inch  collars  and  six  trees  were  reserved  for  check. 
They  were  held  in  position  and  sealed  to  the  larvae-free  trees  by  a 
paper  clip  and  paraffine  during  the  last  week  in  August.  Twenty-five 
to  thirty  eggs  were  placed  on  each  tree.  When  the  trees  were  examined 
for  larvae  on  October  18  no  larvae  larger  than  %  inch  long  were 
counted  in  the  results.  All  the  check  trees  showed  conclusively  that 
larvae  hatchingfrom  eggs  early  in  September  may  be  %  inch  or  larger 
by  October  15.  The  trees  with  a  1-inch  paper  collar  about  them  aver- 
aged 4  larvae  per  tree ;  trees  with  a  2-inch  collar  about  them  averaged 
3.2  larvae  per  tree,  while  the  trees  with  a  3  to  4-inch  collar  about  them 
averaged  4.5  larvae  per  tree.  The  check  trees  averaged  4.1  larvae  per 
tree.  The  above  shows  the  ineffectiveness  of  a  harrow  collar.  So  far 
as  observed  no  larva  bored  through  the  parafiBne  or  tunneled  under- 
neath the  same  in  order  to  enter  the  tree.  The  majority  of  the  larvae 
were  found  in  the  tree  ju?t  below  the  point  where  the  protector  was 
sealed  to  the  tree.  This  indicates  that  the  larvae  attained  this  posi- 
tion by  crawling  to  the  outer  margin  of  the  protector  and  then  back  to 
the  tree  on  the  under-side  of  the  protector. 

Paraffine  proved  to  be  a  satisfactory  seal  for  small  protectors.  It 
might  not  be  as  good  for  large  protectors.  A  number  of  protectors 
were  sealed  to  several  trees  (6  to  8  years  old)  on  August  8,  1918,  and 
then  a  narrow  tin  strip  was  placed  over  that  portion  of  the  protector 
which  is  adjacent  to  the  tree.  This  tin  strip  was  narrow  at  one  end 
and  had  a  small  hole  in  the  opposite  end.  The  narrow  end  was  pushed 
through  the  hole  at  the  opposite  end  and  then  the  strip  was  firmly 
clamped  into  position.  In  about  thirty  days  the  majority  of  the  tin 
strips  had  slipped  because  of  the  growth  of  the  tree,  and  they  were  no 
longer  satisfactory  in  keeping  the  protector  in  position. 


Coatings 

Several  substances  were  coated  on  the  trunks  of  peach  trees  of 
various  sizes  for  the  purpose  of  repelling  or  killing  the  young  larva  as 
it  tries  to  enter  the  tree.  The  substances  used  were  paraffine  ("Paro- 
wax,"  manufactured  by  the  Standard  Oil  Company) ;  **Tree  Tangle- 
foot," a  sticky  substance  (manufactured  by  0.  W.  Thimib  Co.,  Grand 
Rapids,  Mich.),  and  an  asphaltum  compound  called  the  "Gipsy  Moth 
Banding  Material"  (secured  from  Mr.  A.  F.  Burgess,  Melrose  High- 
lands, Mass.).  The  above  substances  were  applied  in  various  amounts 
and  ways.  Before  coating  any  tree  all  the  larvae  were  removed,  the 
bark  thoroughly  cleaned  an(J  allowed  to  dry. 


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NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Para/fine.  Ten  trees,  free  of  larvae,  (15  years  old)  were  coated  with 
"Parowax"  4  inches  above  ground  and  6  inches  below  on  June  26  at 
Farmingdale.  Ten  trees  (8  years  old)  were  coated  with  "Parowax'"  6 
inches  above  ground  and  8  to  10  inches  below  ground  at  Clementon, 
on  July  9.  The  trees  at  Clementon  had  been  used  the  previous  year 
in  experiments  with  nicotine  resinate  and  they  were  free  of  larvae. 
Twenty-five  to  thirty  eggs  were  placed  on  the  trees  at  Clementon  on 
August  22,  and  on  September  3,  25  to  30  eggs  were  placed  on  tree? 
1  to  5. 

TABLE  3 

Number  of  larva?  per  treated  and  check  tree  at  Farmin^rdale  and  Clementoo. 
where  trees  were  coated  with  paraffine  above  and  below  ground. 


Location   of  Trees 
and  Number 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

G 

7 

8 

9 

10 

1 
Total 

Fafrmingdale —    ' 
15-year-old   trees. . . 
**Parowax" 

0 

2 

0 

2 

2 

3 

1 

7 

4 

3 

24 

Clementon* — 

8-year-old    trees 

"Parowax" 

1 

3 

1 

1 

2 

0 

2 

0 

1 

1 

12 

Farmingdale — 
15-year-old   trees, . . 
Check 

3 

2 

3 

0 

0 

2 

3 

0 

2 

4 

19 

Clementon* — 

8-year-old    trees 

Check 

7 

9 

18 

29 

12 

8 

9 

4 

4 

4 

104 

*25  to  30  eggs  or  more  placed  on  each,  tree  about  September  1.  1918. 

The  "Parowax"  was  melted  over  a  kerosene  burner  and  then  ap- 
plied with  a  2-inch  paint  brush.  It  is  most  easily  applied  to  a  clean 
dry  surface  and  gives  the  best  and  safest  coating  when  the  tempera- 
ture is  only  a  few  degrees  above  melting  point  (120  to  125°  F.).  The 
above  trees  and  others  coated  with  "Parowax"  were  inspected  at  in- 
tervals of  10  to  20  days  during  the  entire  summer  and  the  coating 
proved  to  be  very  satisfactory,  particularly  on  young  trees.  Occa- 
sionally the  paraffine  would  break  where  gum  was  exuding.  Only  a 
few  cracks  developed  in  the  coating  above  ground  and  none  below 
ground.  Apparently  the  summer  temperature  is  sufficiently  warm  to 
make  the  paraffine  plastic  and  this  allows  for  the  expansion  of  the 
tree  during  the.  growing  period.  During  the  winter  the  paraflSne 
above  ground  came  off  in  flakes.  WTiere  the  trunk  of  the  tree  was 
exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of  the  hot  sun  during  a  few  extremely  liot 
days  in  summer,  the  "Parowax"  melted  sufficiently  to  run  down  the 
tree,  thus  leaving  a  very  thin  coat  on  the  southwest  side  of  the  trunk. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPOBT.  417 

When  the  coating  was  shaded  by  the  branches  and  leaves  the  "Paro- 
wax"  did  not  melt.  To  insure  against  this  melting  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  use  a  paraffine  with  a  higher  melting  point  (130-140**  F.). 

So  far  as  observed  the  "Parowax'^  does  not  injure  peach  trees  (one 
year's  experience).  Where  the  "Parowax"  was  applied  to  dead  wood 
on  the  trunk  it  soaked  into  the  tree  and  produced  an  oily  appearance. 

Table  3  shows  the  results  of  experiments  with  *Tarowax.'*  "Paro- 
wax,"  thoroughly  coated  on  the  trunk  of  the  tree  above  and  below 
ground,  will  not  keep  out  all  young  larvae,  but,  apparently,  it  will 
bring  about  a  moderate  reduction  when  the  infestation  is  severe. 

A  number  of  newly-hatched  larvae  were  placed  on  the  coated  trees 
and  observed  under  a  binocular  microscope.  Newly-hatched  larvae 
experience  some  difficulty  in  crawling  over  a  smooth  paraffine  coating 
for  they  lose  their  foothold  quite  often.  Ordinarily  a  larva  crawling 
over  thie  surface  of  the  coating  inay  find  a  depression  in  the  paraffine 
and  it  proceeds  to  eat  its  way  into  the  tree.  The  larvae  will  bite  out 
small  pieces  of  the  paraffine  and  attempt  to  shove  them  to  one  side. 
They  experience  considerable  difficulty  in  doing  this  because  the 
small  pellets  of  paraffine  persist  in  clinging  to  the  head  and  to  each 
other.  The  larva  usually  continues  this  operation  for  a  short  time  at 
one  place  and  then  proceeds  to  another  until  it  finally  reaches  the 
soil  where  in  most  cases  it  continues  down  the  trunk  of  the  tree  to 
the  wood  which  was  not  coated  with  paraffine.  In  other  words,  the 
majority  of  the  larvae  do  not  enter  the  tree  l)y  eating  their  way 
through  the  paraffine  adjacent  to  the  surface  of  the  soil  but  enter  the 
tree  below  the  lower  margin  of  the  coating  even  though  this  may  be 
10  to  12  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  soil.  The  majority  of  the 
larvae  apparently  do  not  care  to  dig  their  way  through  paraffine. 

A  number  of  2-year-old  nursery  trees  at  the  laboratory  were  coated 
with  paraffine  above  and  below  ground  and  in  all  cases  the  larvae  pro- 
ceeded to  enter  the  tree  just  below  the  lower  margin  of  the  paraffine 
coating,  adjacent  to  the  large  root«,  instead  of  entering  in  the  usual 
area  adjacent  to  the  surface  of  the  soil,  which  was  characteristic  of 
the  infestation  on  all  check  trees. 

Twelve  trees  of  various  ages  (2  to  8  years  old)  were  coated  above 
and  below  ground  with  *Tafowax"  with  the  addition  of  arsenate  of 
lead  in  the  paraffine  (approximately  1  ounce  of  arsenate  of  lead  to  1 
quart  of  paraffine).  Newly-hatched  larvae  and  eggs  were  placed  on 
these  trees  and  so  far  as  observed  the  larva^  were  not  killed  in  trying 
to  eat  their  way  through  the  poisoned  coating.  Since  the  particles 
removed  by  the  larva  in  eating  its  way  through  the  paraffine  are  dis- 
carded there  is  no  reason  why  the  poisoned  coating  should  act  as  a 
stomach  poison.  The  degree  of  infestation  among  the  trees  coated 
with  "Parowax"  and  arsenate  of  lead  was  approximately  the  same 
as  among  trees  coated  with  ^Tarowax'-  alone. 

"Tanglefoot''  and  **Gii>sy  Moth  Banding  Material/'  If  paraffine  is 
non-injurious  to  peach  trees  it  is  probable  that  some  substances  in- 
jurious to  fruit  trees  yet  posse«sing  qualitie-^  that  act  as  a  repellant 
or  killing  a^'ciit  for  larva*  of  the  peath  tree  horer  might  be  placed 


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418 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


on  the  tree,  provided  a  thorough  coating  of  paraflRne  is  applied  first 
With  this  in  mind  a  number  of  trees  on  July  2,  1918,  were  coated 
with  "Parowax"  above  and  below  ground  and  some  above  ground 
alone  and  bands  of  **Tanglefoot"  or  "Gipsy  Moth  Banding  MateriaF 
were  placed  over  the  paraffine  surface. 

TABLE  4 

Nuraber  of  la r vie  per  tree  where  trees  were  coated  in  various  ways  with  **Twe 
Tanglefoot**  and  **Gip87  Moth  Banding  Materiar* 


Ti'catment  and  Number 

1 

2 

? 

4 

5 

Total 

**Tan2lrfoot*'  2  inches  above  and  4  inches  below 
ground     

0 
3 

0 

0 

1 
0 

0 
4 

0 
1 

1 

•*Tanglpfoot"    (3-inch   band)    on    top   of  G-inch 
coatinjc  of  parafllne  above  ground  only.... 

8 

**Tanplef<H>t'*  coating  on  top  of  paraffine  coating 
4  inches  above  and  (J  inches  below  ground. . 

0 

3 

2 

3 

3 

11 

**Gi')sy    Moth    Banding    Material"    4-inch    strip 
feelow   and   4   inches   above   ground 

5 

0 

3 

0 

0 

8 

"Gipsy   Moth    Banding    Material"   4-inch   strip 
above   ground    only    

1 

0 

0 

1 

0 

2 

"Gipsy  Moth  Banding  Material"   (4-inch  strip) 
on    t(M>   of   f»-inch    band    of    par^iffine    above 
grouud     

0 

1 

0 

1 

0 

0 

1 

"Gipsv  Moth  Banding  Material"  coated  on  top 
of   paraflSne   4   inches   above   ground   and   C 
inches   below    

1 

1 

! 

7 

0 

0 

0 

t 

Check    

1   2 

3 

0 

2 

4 

1 

!       11 

1   ' 

Note. — Only  those  larva*  were  counted  which  were  small  enough  to  indicate 
that  they  had  entered  the  tree  after  the  appUcaUons  were  made. 

*^ree  Tanglefoot'*  is  a  brown  sticky  subFtance  which  is  often  ap- 
plied as  bands  about  the  main  trunk  of  various  shade  trees.  This 
substance  has  been  known  to  kill  peach  trees  when  applied  directly 
to  the  trunk  of  the  tree  below  ground  (Report  of  the  Department  of 
Entoinol<)fr>%  Xew  Jer?ey  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  1913).  It 
has  also  been  shown  to  be  very  efficient  as  a  protector  a;[^nst  the 
peach  tree  borer.  During  the  past  season  it  was  applied  on  a  num- 
ber of  ir)->ear-old  trees  at  Farmingdale  in  an  abandoned  peach 
orchard.  It  was  used  in  various  ways  as  indicated  in  table  4.  The 
trees  have  been  examined  several  times  during  May  and  June,  1919, 
and  so  far  no  injury  has  resulted  from  the  use  of  "Tree  Tanglefoot." 
The  number  of  larvip  to  enter  a  tree  after  the  "Tree  Tanglefoot" 


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PLATE  1 


B 


C  D 

ILLUSTRATIONS  OF  EXPERIMENTAL  WORK  WITH  PEAOH  BORER 

A.  A  newly  applied  card  protector. 

B.  Card  protector  after  11  months. 

C.  A   coatiuR  of  paraffine    ("Parowax")    on    trunk   of   tree   above   and   below 

ground. 

D.  A  coating  of  paraffine   ("Parowax")   on  trunk  of  tree  above  ground  and  a 

narrow    band   of   "Gypsy    Moth    Banding   Material"    placed    on    top    of 
paraffine. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  BEPORT.  419 

has  been  applied  is  very  small  but  in  all  the  series  some  small  larvae 
were  found  in  the  tree  below  the  lower  margin  of  the  coating.  No 
larva  was  seen  in  the  tree  directly  beneath  the  coating  of  "Tangle- 
foot/* Unfortunately  the  writer  was  unable  to  place  26  or  more  eggs 
on  all  of  the  treated  and  check  trees.  A  natural  infestation  was  re- 
lied upon. 

Where  "Tree  Tanglefoot"  is  exposed  to  the  weather  and  loose 
particles  of  dirt  adjacent  to  the  soil,  its  surface  soon  hardens  enough 
(10  to  14  days)  for  a  larva  of  a  peach  tree  borer  to  cross  without 
much  diflBculty.  Newly-hatched  larvae  were  observed  to  cross  a  3- 
inch  "Tanglefoot"  band  on  the  tree  adjacent  to  the  ground  some  10 
days  after  the  material  was  applied.  The  band  was  decidedly  sticky 
to  touch  with  one's  fingers.  After  crossing  the  band  the  larvae  ap- 
peared to  be  normal  and  proceeded  to  bore  into  the  tree  directly  be- 
low the  lower  margin  of  the  'Tree  Tanglefoot"  strip.  If  a  band  of 
"Tanglefoot"  will  not  prevent  larvae  from  crossing  after  10  days, 
then  it  should  be  considered  as  useless  any  time  after  this.  The  sur- 
face of  the  band  became  very  firm  before  the  season  was  completed. 

A  similar  lot  of  trees  were  banded  above  and  also  below  ground 
with  an  asphaltum  compound  called  "Gipsy  Moth  Banding  Ma- 
terial." This  substance  is  almost  black,  has  a  tar  odor  and  its  tex- 
ture is  greasy.  In  some  respects  it  resembles  lard.  The  method  of  ap- 
plication and  also  the  number  of  larvae  within  the  tree  are  shown 
in  table  4.  In  these  series,  as  with  the  "Tanglefoot"  series,  no  larva 
observed  in  October,  1918,  or  May,  1919,  was  counted  as  having  en- 
tered the  tree  after  the  treatment  was  made  if  it  was  too  large.  In 
October  no  larva  over  V^-inch  in  length  was  counted  while  in  May 
no  larva  over  %  to  %-inch  was  taken  into  consideration.  The  "Gipsy 
Moth  Banding  Material"  undoubtedly  cuts  down  the  percentage  of 
infestation,  but  is  not  a  complete  control  on  the  basis  of  the  few  ex- 
periments performed.  So  far  as  observed  (one  year  of  experience) 
no  decided  injury  to  peach  trees  was  caused  by  this  material. 

The  "Gipsy  Moth  Banding  Material,"  placed  on  the  tree  adjacent 
to  the  ground,  hardens  sufficiently  in  about  30  days  to  permit  newly- 
hatched  larvae  to  cro'ss  with  little  or  no  difficulty.  A  number  of 
larvae  were  experimented  with  some  10  to  14  days  after  the  material 
was  applied,  and  all  the  larvae  became  submerged  in  the  coal-tar 
product  and  were  killed  before  they  could  cross  the  band.  At  the  end 
of  the  season  the  surface  of  the  bands  was  quite  firm  and  granular  in 
appearance.  Rain,  dust,  and  particles  of  sand  splashed  against  the 
surface  of  the  band  and  hardened  it. 

The  results  of  the  few  experiments  with  "Tanglefoot"  and  "Gipsy 
Moth  Banding  Material"  indicate  that  the  use  of  these  substances 
will  not  insure  complete  control.  Also,  there  may  be  some  injury  to 
the  tree  even  though  it  does  not  show  up  the  first  year  after  treatment. 

The  above  studies  have  not  developed  as  yet  a  good  control  mea- 
sure for  the  peach-tree  borer.  A  number  of  suggestions  have  been 
received  from  this  study  which  may  prove  to  be  of  decided  value  in 
our  future  work  on  this  problem. 


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420     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

RESPONSE  OF  THE  E^OS  OF  AYIS  AYENAE  FAB.  AlfD  APHIS  POII 

DeO  TO  CONCENTRATED  LIQUID  LDfE-SULFUR*  SUR- 

STITUTES  FOR  LIME-SULFUR  AND  OTHER 

SPRATS,  If  IS-lf  If 

AxvAH  Peterson 

During  the  past  season  (1918-19)  the  eggs  of  A.  averuB  and  i. 
pomi  were  exceedingly  abundant  in  many  orchards  throughout  the 
state.  When  material  was  needed  for*  the  spraying  experiments  the 
eggs  of  each  species  were  collected  from  orchards  where  the  respective 
species  was  the  only  one  present  (or  almost  the  only  one).  From 
200  to  300  eggs  of  A,  avence  and  300  to  500  eggs  of  A,  pomi  were 
used  in  each  individual  test.  The  same  out-of-door  laboratory  method 
was  employed  as  described  in  Bulletin  332  of  the  New  Jersey  Agricul- 
tural .Experiment  Station.  The  following  substances  in  varying 
strengths  and  combinations  were  applied  at  intervals  from  December, 
1918,  to  March  21,  1919:  concentrated  liquid  lime-sulfur  (Mechling 
Bros.,  Camden,  N.  J.),  dry  lime-sulfur  (Sherwin-Williams  Co.,  New- 
ark, X.  J.)  ;  barium  sulfur  ("B.  T.  S.,"  General  Chemical  Co.,  N.  Y. 
C.) ;  sodium  sulfur  ("Soluble  Sulfur,"  Niagara  Sprayer  Co.,  Middle- 
port,  N.  Y.) ;  hvdrated  lime,  miscible  oil  ("Scalecide,"  B.  G.  Pratt 
Co.,  N.  Y.  C.)r  nicotine  ("Black  leaf  40,"  The  Kentucky  Tobacco 
Products  Co.,  I^uisville,  Ky.) ;  fish-oil  soap  (paste  form),  crude  car- 
bolic acid,  linseed  oil  and  cottonseed  oil.  The  results  of  some  other 
materials  used  are  not  included  in  the  charts,  but  may  be  foimd  in  a 
paper  entitled,  "Response  of  the  Eggs  of  Aphis  avence  Fab.,  and 
Aphis  pomi  DeG.,  to  Various  Sprays,  particularly  Lime-Sulfur  and 
Substitutes — Seai^on  1918-19,"  published  in  the  Journal  of  Economic 
Entomology,  1919. 

Figures  1  to  o  sliow  the  more  important*  results  of  the  spraying  ex- 
periments. Each  spray  at  a  given  strength  has  been  given  a  definite 
letter.  The  key  on  page  422  shows  what  each  letter  represents.  The 
dates  of  application  may  be  found  on  the  top  line  of  each  chart  and 
the  approximate  percentage  of  eggs  with  a  split  outer  shell  (on  the 
date  when  each  application  was  made)  on  the  bottom  line.  The 
column  of  figures  to  the  left  indicates  the  percentage  of  ^hatch  and  the 
figure?  to  the  right  (vice  versa)  the  percentage  of  kill.  The  points  of 
intersection  of  the  plotted  lines  with  the  perpendicular  lines  (dates 
of  applicationii)  show  the  percentage  of  hatched  eggs  if  one  observes 
the  figures  to  the  left  and  the  percentage  of  dead  eggs  if  the  right-hand 
column  of  figures  is  examined. 

Tlie  majority  of  the  series  of  experiments  (the  same  spray  applied 
at  intervals)  show  a  gradual  increase  in  the  effectiveness  of  the  various 
sprays  from  the  time  the  first  application  is  made  (in  December,  Jan- 
uary or  Februar}^  until  the  last  (on  March  21).  Briefly  stated,  the 
egg-?  are  most  susceptible  when  the  greatest  number  show  a  ^lit  outer 
shell.  This  condition  exists  at  the  time  when  the  eggs  commence  to 
hatch  rapidly  (March  21,  1919,  for  A.  ai^ena). 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  BEPOBT.  421 

The  charts  show  the  results  obtained  with  the  various  sprays,  con- 
sequently it  will  not  be  necessary  to  discuss  these  at  length.  Concen- 
trated liquid  lime-sulfur  at  the  recommended  winter-strength  1  to  9 
(or  1  to  6)  is  superior  to  all  other  sprays  (when  used  alone  and  at 
their  respective  recommended  dormant  strengths)  in  killing  the  eggs 
of  A,  avencB  and  A,  pomi.  This  fact  is  best  shown  in  figure  2.  Lime- 
sulfur  in  a  dry  state  or  substitutes,  such  as  barium-sulfur  (B.  T. 
S.)  and  sodium  sulfur  ("Soluble  Sidfur^'),  at  the  rate  of  15  pounds 
to  50  gallons  of  water  will  not  bring  about  as  great  a  kill  as  concen- 
trated liquid  lime-sulfur.  Dry  lime-sulfur,  coarse  form,  made  the 
poorest  showing  of  all  substitutes.  This  in  part  is  probably  due 
to  the  fact-  that  it  is  partially  insoluble.  Casein-lime  added  to  liquid 
lime-sulfur  increases  its  efficiency  somewhat.  This  may  be  due  to  the 
fact  that  the  high  surface  tension  of  the  spray  is  lowered,  thus  l)ring- 
ing  about  a  better  distribution  when  applied  as  a  contact  spray.  It  is 
believed  that  the  effectiveness  of  lime-sulfur  sprays  would  be  materi- 
ally increased  if  some  substance  could  be  added  which  would  make  its 
high  surface  tension  equivalent  to  that  of  a  soap  solution  which  has  a 
low  surface  tension. 

Nicotine  (1  to  500)  added  to  any  of  the  sprays  increases  their  effi- 
ciency as  killing  agents  for  eggs  of  A.  arerup  or  A.  pomi.  This 
is  best  illustrated  in  figure  3  where  nicotine  is  added  to  lime- 
sulfur  and  substitutes  for  lime-sulfur.  Figure  4  shows  the  eiTective- 
nes?  of  various  sprays,  some  of  which  have  been  recommended  for  kill- 
ing the  eggs  of  apple  plant  lice.  No  spray  represented  on  this  ciiart  is 
satisfactory  for  orchard  spraying  to  control  aphids  in  the  ^gf^  stage. 
A  few  of  tliem  show  a  high  percentage  of  kill  when  the  material  is 
applied  just  a^^  tlie  eggs  are  starting  to  hatch  rapidly.  Figure  5  shows 
the  results  of  various  sprays  on  the  eggs  of  A.  pomi.  The  killing  effi- 
ciency of  the  different  sprays  on  the  eggs  of  this  species  is  similar  to 
that  of  the  eggs  of  A.  avenw.  Here  again  concentrated  liquid  lime- 
sulfur  gave  the  best  results  of  any  one  spray  by  itself,  and  lime-sulfur, 
1  to  9,  combined  with  nicotine,  1  to  500,  proved  to  be  the  best  and 
most  practical. 


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422     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Key  to  plotted  experiments  on  charts.     Similar  treatment  repre- 
Letters  sented  by  same  letter  in  all  charts.    AU  1918-19  experiments 

m  Charts  except  figure  1  (1917-18). 

a  Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  9 

b  Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  6 

c  Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  9  plus  casein-lime,  1  gm.  to  100  cc 

d  Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  6  plus  casein-lime,  1  gm.  to  100  cc. 

e  Dry  lime-sulfur   (S-W),  15  lbs.  to  50  gal. 

f  Dry  lime-sulfur  (S-W),  20  lbs.  to  50  gal. 

g  Dry  (dust  form)  lime-sulfur  (S-W),  15  lbs.  to  50  gaL 

h  "B.  T.  S.,"  15  lbs.  to  50  gaL 

I  "Soluble  Sulfur,"  16  lbs.  to  50  gal. 

j  Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  9  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500 

k  Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  6  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500 

1  Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  9  plus  casein-lime,  1  gm.  to  100  cc,  plus 

nicotine,  1  to  500 
m  Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  6  plus  casein-lime,  1  gm.  to  100  cc,  plus 

nicotine,  1  to  500 
n  Dry  lime-sulfur  (S-W),  15  lbs.  to  50  gal.,  plus  nicotine.  1  to  500 

o  Dry   (dust   form)    lime-sulfur    (S-W),   15   lbs.    to   50  gal.,   plus 

nicotine,  1  to  500 
p  "B.  T.  S.,'*  15  lbs.  to  50  gaL,  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500 

q  "Soluble  sulfur,"  15  lbs.  to  50  gaL,  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500 

r  Hydrated  lime,  1.75  gm.  to  50  cc. 

8  Hydrated  lime,  3.5  gm.  to  50  cc.,  plus  casein-lime  0.5  gm.  to  50  ee. 

t  "Scalecide,"  1  to  15 

u  Fish-oil  soap,  1  gm.  to    50  cc. 

V  Fish-oil  soap,  1  gm.  to    50  cc.,  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500 

w  Fish-oil  soap,  1  gm.  to  100  cc,  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500 

X  Fish-oil  soap,  1  gm.  to    50  cc,  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500 

y  Fish-oil  soap,  1  gm.  to    50  cc,  plus  crude  carbolic  acid,  2  cc  to 

98  cc. 

2  Linseed  oil,  8  cc.  to  92  cc,  plus  laundry  soap,  1  gm.  to  100  cc 
2/2         Cottonseed  .oil,  8  cc.  to  92  cc,  plus  laundry  soap,  1  gm.  to  100  cc 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


423 


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eggs  of  A.  avencp  for  tl^e  season  of  1017-1018;  these  sprays  are  similar  to 
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424 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Fig.  2.  Plotted  lines  showing  superiority  of  conceiitrated  liquid  lime-sulfur. 
1  to  9  and  1  to  (5,  over  dry  substitutes,  15  pounds  to  50  gallons  of  water  (dry 
lime-sulfur  (S-W),  *'B.  T.  S."  and  "Soluble  sulfur"),  in  killing  the  eggs  of 
A,  avencp,  1918-1919. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


425 


Fig.  3.  Plotted  lines  showing  results  of  experiments  similar  to  those  in 
figure  2  (same  sprays  and  same  strength)  except  for  the  addition  of  nicotine, 
1  to  500  to  each  spray ;  observe  the  decided  increase  in  kill  of  the  eggs  of  A. 
avence,  97  to  100  per  cent,  when  the  various  combined  sprays  were  applied 
daring  March,  1019. 


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Fltr.  4.  Plotted  lines  showing  the  superiority  of  pecommended  liquid  Hme- 
sulfur.  1  to  0,  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500,  spray  over  other  sprays  ("Scalecide," 
hydrated  lime,  fish-oil  soap,  fish-oil  soap  combined  with  nicotine,  and  with 
crude  carbolic  acid,  linseed  oil  emulsion  and  cottonseed  oil  emulsion)  in  kill- 
ing the  eggs  of  A.  avenw;  observe  the  decided  increase  in  the  killing  effect  of 
each  spray  when  applied  nearer  the  hatching  period  (or  as  the  susceptibility 
of  the  eggs  incteases),  1918-19. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


427. 


Fig.  5.     Plotted  lines  fiftiowing  the  ovacidal  value  of  several  sprays  on  the 
eggs  of  A.  pomi,  1918-19. 


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428     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

SOME  NOTES  ON  THE  SPR^ADIlfG  QUALITY   OF   TABIOUS 
CONTACT   SPBATS 

Alvah  Peterson 

In  connection  with  the  investigation  of  sprays  for  the  control  of 
aphides  on  apple  trees  in  the  egg  stage  a  large  number  of  tests  weiv 
made  on  the  spreading  quality  of  various  contact  sprays.  The  author 
is  of  the  opinion  that  the  spreading  quality  of  a  spray  is  decidedlv 
important  in  orchard  spraying  when  one  tries  to  coat  thoroughly 
every  egg  found  in  the  cracks,  crevices,  and  under  the  buds  on  ail 
branches  of  a  large  apple  tree.  The  present  recommended  combine<l 
spray  of  concentrated  lime-sulfur,  1  to  9,  plus  nicotine,  1  to  500, 
is  very  efficient  in  killing  all  eggs  that  are  coated,  but  unfort\matel\ 
this  spray  is  a  poor  spreader.  This  fact  makes  it  difficult  or  next  to 
impossible  to  coat  every  egg  under  orchard  conditions.  The  e^'^ 
that  are  in  or  almost  in  direct  line  with  the  full  force  of  the  sprav 
will  be  coated,  but  the  eggs  otherwise  located  may  or  may  not  be  cov- 
ered. If  the  spreading  quality  of  lime-sulfur  could  be  made  equiva- 
lent to  that  of  a  soap  solution  (2  pounds  to  60  gallons  of  water)  it  i? 
highly  probable  that  orchard  spraying  with  a  combined  spray  of  lime- 
sulfur  and  nicotine  for  the  control  of  aphides  in  the  egg  stage  would 
be  more  effective,  and  also  the  amount  of  spray  necessary  to  cover  a 
given  area  would  be  materially  reduced. 

Various  tests  have  been  conducted  to  determine  in  a  quantitative 
manner  the  spreading  quality  of  any  spray.  Mature  rose  leaves  of 
one  variety  were  dipped  in  various  sprays  and  the  character  of  the 
remaining  film  was  noted.  Given  amounts  of  spray  were  placed  oi: 
clean  glass  slides  and  the  extent  and  nature  of  the  spread  observed 
The  above  methods  and  others  were  given  a  thorough  trial,  but  all  of 
them  were  open  to  serious  objections.  The  author  finally  resorted 
to  weigliing  and  measuring  the  size  of  drops  as  they  fell  from  the 
tip  end  of  a  clean  4-mm.  glass  tul)e,  and  thus  determining  the  sur- 
face tension  of  the  various  liquids.  The  results  of  Fome  of  these 
measurement?  may  be  seen  in  tables  1  and  2. 

A  detailed  analysis  of  the  surface  tension  of  any  liquid  is  a  com- 
plex problem  involving  a  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  laws  of 
physical  chemistry.  In  a  general  way  it  can  be  said  that  the  spread- 
ing quality  of  any  spray  is  closely  related  to  the  surface  tension  of 
the  material.  In  other  words,  liquids  with  a  low  surface  tension,  ?aeli 
as  soap  solutions,  spread  better  over  ma«?t  surfaces  than  liquids  with 
a  high  surface  tension,  such  its  water.  A  survey  of  the  literature  for 
a  suitable  method  to  measure  surface  tension  shows  that,  so  far  as 
is  known,  there  is  no  serious  objection  to  the  use  of  drop-weights  or 
the  drop-measure  methods.  Of  the  two  the  drop-weight  is  probably 
the  more  accurate.  Both  methods  have  been  used  by  the  author  and 
each  has  given  approximately  the  same  results.  The  figures  in  the 
tables  are  obtained  by  measuring  the  amount  of  liquid  in  50  drops. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  429 

The  drops  permitted  to  fall  at  a  constant  rate  of  l^/^  seconds  per  drop 
from  a  clean  4-mm.  glass  tube  cut  off  squarely  at  the  end.  The  same 
gla8s  tip  was  uFed  in  all  the  experiments.  Whenever  a  series  of  tests 
were  to  be  conducted  the  tip  was  carefully  adjusted  to  the  lower  end 
of  a  burette  by  means  of  a  small  piece  of  rubber  tubing. 

The  rate  of  flow  of  the  liquid  from  the  burette  makes  a  decided 
difference  in  results,  particularly  if  the  surface  tension  of  the  liquid 
is  high.  The  best  rate  of  flow  for  all  solutions  proved  to  be  50  drops 
in  75  seconds,  or  li^  seconds  per  drop.  Some  solutions  (particu- 
larly concentrated  solutions)  cannot  be  made  to  flow  at  a  constant 
rate  for  50  drops.  With  the  most  difficult  cases  the  flow  was  started 
at  1  second  per  drop  and  by  the  time  50  drops  had  fallen  the  rate  of 
flow  was  equivalent  to  2  seconds  per  drop.  Numerous  measurements 
were  made  of  all  the  liquids  at  varying  rates  of  flow,  especially  at 
rates  equivalent  to  3  to  5  seconds,  l^^  seconds  and  i^  second  per 
drop  and  these  all  showed  that  a  rapid  flow  gives  the  largest  mea- 
surement and  a  slow  flow  the  minimum  measurement.  In  rapid 
flows  the  liquid  coming  out  the  end  of  the  tip  is  forced  into  the 
forming  drop,  and  an  extra  quantity  gets  in  before  the  drop  breaks 
awav  from  the  tip.  The  temperature  of  all  the  solutions  tested  reg- 
istered 65°  to  70°  F. 

The  figures  in  tables  1  and  2  are  the  average  of  three  readings  at 
the  same  rate  of  flow  taken  vrith  each  liquid  indicated  on  the  right. 
In  most  cases  the  three  readings  were  identical.  When  variations 
did  occur  in  the  different  readings  the  difference  was  seldom  over  0.1 
cc.  above  or  below  the  average.  Liquids  with  a  high  surface  tension 
naturally  permit  large  drops  to  form  before  the  drop  has  sufficient 
weight  to  break  away  from  the  tip.  Therefore,  the  sprays  in  the  table 
which  show  a  large  amount  of  liquid  (3+c.c.)  in  50  drops  have  a 
high  surface  tension.  The  spreading  quality  of  these  Uquids  is 
usually  very  poor.  Tap  water  was  used  in  all  the  experiments  unless 
otherwise  designated. 

Lime-sulfur  and  closely  related  substitutes  ("B.  T.  S.,"  "Soluble 
Sulfur''  and  hydrated  lime)  in  table  1  show  a  high  surface  tension 
(3.00-t-cc.)  and  we  also  know  that  they  are  poor  spreaders.  This  is 
shown  by  various  tests  and  in  field  practice.  The  surface  tension  of 
these  substances,  particularly  those  possessing  sulfur,  can  be  lowered 
by  adding  soap,  but  in  so  doing  a  heavy  precipitate  is  formed  (laun- 
dry soap  in  small  quantities  does  not  make  a  heavy  precipitate  with 
"Soluble  Sulfur")  which  is  generally  considered  detrimental  to 
foliage  and  difficult  to  apply. 

Casein-Ume  added  to  concentrated  lime-sulfur,  1  to  9  or  1  to  6, 
apparently  increases  the  efficiency  of  the  spray  in  killing  aphid  eggs. 
The  casein-Ume  was  made  by  thoroughly  mixing  together  25  gm.  of 
finely  divided  casein  (lactic)  and  25  gm.  of  lime.  If  the  increase  in 
kill  of  the  eggs  is  due  to  the  lowering  of  the  surface  tension  (or  in- 
creasing the  spreading  value)  of  the  lime-sulfur  then  one  might  ex- 
pect a  greater  increase  in  the  killing  efficiency  of  lime-sulfur  if  its 


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430 


NEW  JEfiSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


TABLE  1 

Amotmt  of  spray  in  50  drops  falling  at  the  rate  of  1^  seconds  per  drop  from 

a  standard  glass  tip 


9   H 


1 

2 
8 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 

9 
10 
11 
12 
13 

14 

15 
16 
17 

18 

19 
20 


LIQUID 


S^^ 

t   ^ 

s  ■* 

SS-S 

'   S  £&• 

,5fi- 

laSl 

•o      z 

3  i;  « 

O^K 

Distilled  water    

Tap  water    

Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  9  

Liquid  lime-sulfur,  1  to  9,  plus  casein-lime,  1  gm.  to  100  cc 

Dry  (dust  form)  lime-sulfur,  15  lbs.  to  50  gal 

Barium  sulfur  ("B.  T.  S.") ,  15  lbs.  to  50  gal 

Sodium  sulfur   ("Soluble  Sulfur*'),  15  lbs.  to  50  gal 

Sodium  sulfur,  15  lbs.  to  50  gal.,  plus  laundry  soap.  1  gm.  to 
200  cc 


Sodium  sulfo-carbonate,  1  to  9  

Nicotine  ("Black  leaf-40"),  1  to  500,  of  Up  watex: 

Nicotine  resinate,  1  to  500  of  tap  water 

Nicotine  resinate,  1  to  1000  of  tap  water 


Hydra  ted  lime,  2  gm.  to  100  cc.   (solution  after  standing  two 
minutes)    


Hydrated  lime,  1.75  gm.  to  100  cc,  plus  casein-lime,  25  gm.  to 
100  cc 


"Scalecide,"  1  to  15 
"Scalecide,"  1  to  25 
"Scalecide,"  1  to  40 


"Scalecide,"  1  to  15,  1  to  25,  and  1  to  40  each,  plus  laundry 
soap,  1  gm.  to  100  cc 


"Mechling's  Scale  Oil,"  1  to  15 
Crude  carbolic  acid,  1  to  99  . . . 


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431 


TABLd  l--( Continued) 

Amount  of  spray  in  60  drops  falling  at  the  rate  of  1%  seconds  per  drop  from 

a  standard  glass  tip 


21 
22 
23 
24 
26 
26 
27 

28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 


Crude  carbolic  acid,  1  to  00,  plus  fish  oil  soap  1  gm.  to  100  cc. 

Cresol,  U.  S.  P..  1  cc.  to  00  cc 

Cresol,  U.  S.  P.,  1  to  00,  plus  fish-oil  soap,  1  gm.  to  100  cc.. . 

Fish-oil  soap,  1  gm.  to  200  cc 

"Fels  Naptha"  soap,  1  gm,  to  200  cc 

"Ivory"  soap,  1  gm.  to  200  cc 


Sage  tea  leaves,  boiled,  25  gm.  in  500  cc.  tap  water  for  one 
hour ;  liltered  


Linseed  oil,  8  cc.  to  02  cc.,  plus  taundry  soap,  1  gm.  to  200  cc./ . 
Cottonseed  oil,  8  cc.  to  02  cc.  plus  laundry  soap,  1  gm.  to  200  co.| 


Corn-starch,   2  gm.   to  100  cc.    

Sodium  hydroxide,  1  gm.  to  100  cc. 
Ethyl  alcohol,  5  per  cent  solution  . 
Ethyl  alcohol,  50  per  cent  solution  . 
Ethyl  alcohol,  05  per  cent  solution  . 


cc. 
1.23 

2.23 

1.30 

1.20 

1.30 

1.20 

2.30 

1.25 

1.25 

3.1 

3.23 

2.65 

1.35 

1.20 


surface  tension  was  lowered  still  more.  Several  products  may  be 
added  to  lime-sulfur  that  will  lower  the  surface  tension,  but  as  3'et 
nothing  has  been  found  which  is  practical  for  orchard  spraying. 

"Scalecide,"  a  miscible  oil,  has  a  better  spreading  quality  than 
lime-sulfur  and  its  surface  tension  is  considerably  lower,  as  is  shown 
in  the  table.  However,  its  spreading  quality  can  be  materially  in- 
creased by  adding  soap  (Expt.  15,  16,  17  and  18,  table  1).  Yet  this 
increase,  apparently,  does  not  increase  the  efficiency  of  ^^Scalecide" 
in  killing  aphid  eggs. 

Soap  added  to  Podium  sulfo-carbonate  in  small  quantities  does 
not  produce  a  precipitate.     The  addition  of  laundry  .-oaj)  does  not 


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432 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


materially  increase  the  eflBcieney  of  the  spray  in  killing  aphid  eggs 
on  apple  trees,  while  fish-oil  soap'  apparently  decreases  its  efficiency 
somewhat. 

One  per  cent  solutions  of  crude  carbolic  acid  or  cresol,  U.  S.  P., 
have  a  surface  tension  much  less  than  that  of  water,  still  their  sur- 
face tension  can  be  lowered  by  the  addition  of  soap  (Expt.  20,  23, 
table  1). 

Nicotine  ("Black  leaf  40"),  1  to  500,  in  water  has  a  surface  ten- 
sion equivalent  to  that  of  water,  while  nicotine  resinate,  1  to  500  or 
1  to  1000,  has  considerably  less,  as  we  would  expect.  When  nicotine, 
1  to  500,  is  added  to  lime-sulfur  sprays  and  similar  substitutes  there 
is  no  material  change  in  the  surface  tension.  Nicotine,  1  to  500, 
added  to  soap  takes  on  a  surface  tension  equivalent  to  that  of  the 
soap  solution  by  itself. 

TABLE  2 

Amount  of  soap  solution  in  50  drops  faUing  at  the  rate  of  l^^  seconds  per  drop 
from  a  standard  glass  tip 


STRENGTH 


*FelB  Naptha" 
Soap 


Fish-oil    Soap 


*Ivory''  Soap 


1  gm.  to  1600  cc, 

1  gm.  to  800  cc. 

1  gm.  to  600  cc. 

1  gm.  to  400  cc. 

1  gm.  to  200  cc. 

1  gm.  to  100  cc. 

1  gm.  to  50  cc. 


cc. 
1.50 

1.30 

1.25 

1.20 

1.20 

1.25 

1.25 


Extracted  material  from  dry  sage  tea  leaves  Artemisia  iridentaia 
Mutt  (furnished  by  Mr.  A.  L.  Lovett,  of  the  Oregon  Agricultural 
Experiment  Station)  showed  some  reduction  (2.3  cc.)  in  the  surface 
tension  when  compared  with  water.  This  extract  was  made  by  boil- 
ing 25  gm.  of  dry  leaves  for  1  hour  in  500  cc.  of  water,  and  then 
filtering  and  testing  the  filtrate.  This  filtrate  may  be  added  to  lime- 
sulfur  with  no  apparent  chemical  change  taking  place,  and  the  sur- 
face tension  is  somewhat  reduced.  Sage  tea  extract  at  the  above 
strength  is  somewhat  better  than  casein-lime,  1  gra.  to  100  cc. 

Table  2  gives  a  series  of  tests  on  the  surface  tension  of  three  dif- 
ferent soaps  ("Fels  Naptha,"  fish  oil  and  "Ivory"  soap)  at  strengths 
varying  from  1  gm.  to  1600  cc,  to  1  gm.  to  50  cc.  The  tests  show 
that  the  lowest  surface  tension  for  all  the  soaps  occurs  somewhere 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  433 

between  1  gm.  to  400  cc.  and  1  gm.  to  100  cc.  In  all  strengths 
greater  or  less  than  this  the  surface  tension  is  always  higher.  For 
all  three  soaps  the  lowest  surface  tension  occurs  at  the  rate  of  1  gm. 
to  2O0  cc,  (2  pounds  to  60  gallons).  Whenever  soap  was  added  to 
any  spray  the  surface  tension  of  the  combined  spray  was  generally 
equal  to  the  surface  tension  of  the  soap  solution  by  itself  (Expt.  8, 
18,  21,  23,  29,  28,  etc.,  table  1). 

Vegetable  Insect  Investigatioas 
Horse-Radista  Flee>Beeile 

For  a  period  of  several  years  the  horse-radish  flea-beetle  has  been 
giving  the  growers  at  Brookdale,  N.  J.,  a  great  deal  of  trouble.  Its 
attack  seemed  to  be  most  serious  just  as  the  young  sprouts  were  com- 
ing above  the  ground.  At  this  time  the  beetles  ate  off  these  sprouts 
and  greatly  delayed  and  in  some  cases  absolutely  ruined  the  crop.  In 
the  Annual  Report  of  this  office  for  1918  an  account  was  given  of  an 
effort  to  destroy  these  beetles  by  treating  pieces  of  horse-radish  root 
with  Paris  green  and  scattering  them  about  the  fields.  Large  numbers 
of  the  beetles  were  killed  in  this  way.  A  further  effoft  was  made  to 
prevent  these  insects  from  destroying  the  new  shoots  by  coating  the 
tips  with  sulfur  in  one  oase^  with  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur,  1  to  5, 
in  another  case  and  with  hydrated  lime  in  still  another  case.  The  mix- 
ture of  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur  seemed  at  that  time  to 
give  the  best  protection,  but  the  plants  treated  with  lime  were  not 
seriously  troubled.  Blowing  machinery  was  provided  to  carry  on  more 
extended  experiments  against  this  insect  as  the  plants  grew;  but  the 
•horse-radish  fields  started  off  quickly  and  soon  outgrew  the  injury  to 
such  an  extent  that  there  was  no  opportunity  to  carry  on  the  pro- 
jected tests. 

This  yeaXj  at  the  urgent  request  of  H.  E.  Wettyen,  county  agent  of 
Passaic,  a  new  set  of  experiments  was  outlined  and  undertaken  in  co- 
operation with  Mr.  Wettyen. 

Seven  plots,  each  5  rows  wide  extending  entirely  across  the  field, 
were  selected  on  the  farm  of  A.  Fisher  at  Brookdale.  Plot  1  was 
dusted  with  a  mixture  of  powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur,  1  to  1. 
Plot  2  was  treated  with  Bordeaux  mixture  of  the  5-5-50  formula. 
Plot  3  was  loft  untreated  as  a  check.  Plot  4  was  treated  with  Bor- 
deaux mixture  of  the  5-5-50  formula,  plus  1^4  pounds  of  powdered 
arsenate  of  lead.  Plot  5  was  treated  with  powdered  arsenate  of  lead 
made  up  at  the  rate  of  IV2  pounds  to  50  gallons  of  water.  Plot  6  was 
left  untreated  as  a  check.  Plot  7  was  treated  with  Bordeaux  mixture 
of  the  5-5-50  formula,  to  which  1  pound  of  Paris  green  was  added  to 
each  60  gallons  of  material. 

The  treatments  were  started  just  a«!  the  sprouts  got  well  above  the 
ground  with  the  intention  of  keeping  the  plants  coated  during  the 
first-brood  attack.     Because  of  extraordinarily  frequent  rains  the  ap- 
plications had  to  be  repeated,  making  in  all  three  treatments. 
28 


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434     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Both  the  Bordeaux  and  the  dust  repelled  the  beetles  markedly ;  but 
the  arsenate  of  lead  alone  seemed  ineffective.  The  Bordeaux  seemM 
to  stunt  the  plants. 

On  June  14,  when  the  plants  were  12  to  16  inches  high,  an  examina- 
tion of  the  results  was  made  and  it  was  found  that  the  set  of  plants  on 
all  blocks  was  apparently  equal.  It  was  observed,  however,  that  the 
plants  on  plot  1,  which  had  been  treated  with  the  sulfur-lead  arsenate 
dust,  were  decidedly  larger  than  those  on  any  other  plot,  or  for  that 
matter  than  those  elsewhere  in  the  field  in  general.  Plot  2,  which 
had  been  treated  with  Bordeaux  mixture,  showed  plants  that  were 
markedly  smaller  than  those  in  the  checks.  In  fact,  the  plants  on 
plot  4  and  plot  7,  which  were  treated  with  Bordeaux  mixture,  were 
likewise  smaller  than  those  on  the  untreated  plots.  The  plants  on 
plot  5,  whicli  were  treated  with  arsenate  of  lead  suspended  in  water, 
were  approximately  the  same  in  size  as  those  on  the  untreated  plots. 

The  conclusions  to  be  drawn  from  this  set  of  experiments  are:  (1) 
the  beetles  were  not  sufficiently  abundant  to  prevent  the  plants  from 
making  a  successful  start;  (2)  the  treatment  with  the  mixture  of 
powdered  arsenate  of  lead  and  sulfur  controlled  the  attack  of  the 
beetles  to  such  an  extent  that  the  plants  were  able  to  make  a  better 
growth  than  occurred  on  any  other  portions  of  the  field;  (3)  the  Bor- 
deaux mixture  either  with  or  without  an  arsenical  administered  a  de- 
cided check  to  the  plants,  and  this  check  waa  evidently  sufficiently 
great  more  than  to  compensate  for  the  protection  from  the  beetles 
which  the  mixture  gave  them;  (4)  the  arsenate  of  lead  susp^ided  in 
water  failed  to  give  the  plants  sufficient  protection  to  enable  them  to 
make  any  better  growth  than  they  were  able  to  make  on  the  un- 
treated plots. 

Onion  Maggot 

Following  the  work  on  this  insect  by  H.  P.  H.  and  H.  C.  Severin* 
the  use  of  poisoned  bait  for  tjie  control  of  this  insect  was  practiced  in 
New  Jersey  as  a  demonstration  matter.  In  most  cases  excellent  re- 
sults in  the  way  of  control  seemed  to  be  obtained,  but  in  one  case 
especially — onions  grown  upon  the  farm  of  Howard  M.  Sheppard,  in 
Sayre's  Neck,  Cumberland  County — the  onion  maggot  did  serious 
harm  for  the  seasons  of  1917  and  1918  in  spite  of  the  most  careful 
practice  of  the  method  outlined  by  Mr.  Sanders. 

It  was  therefore  determined  that  the  entomologist  should  look  into 
this  CB^e  and  try  some  experimental  work  against  the  insect.  Accord- 
ingly, Mr.  Sheppard's  farm  was  visited  and  an  agreement  reached  by 
means  of  which  certain  blocks  of  seed  onions  in  which  the  damage 
usually  occurs  could  be  treated  with  poisoned  bait  in  different  ways. 

It  seemed  that  the  first  point  to  determine  was  the  time  when  the 
flies  emerged.  Three  screen  wire  cages  were  made  and  set  over  areas 
which  last  year  were  heavily  infested  with  onion  maggots.  Mr.  Shep- 
pard was  requested  to  collect  twice  a  week  such  flies  as  emerged  in 
these  cages.    In  the  meantime  he  was  also  requested  to  make  a  test  of 


•Jour.  Bcon.  Ent.,  v.  8.  p.  ^42-360. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  435 

the  poBsible  carriers  of  the  poisoned  bait  and  determine  the  density 
of  the  mixture  which  would  best  stand  weather  conditions.  Common 
substances  were  to  be  used  as  carriers. 

A  yery  common  large  hoUow-stemed  grass,  growing  commonly  on 
the  edges  of  the  salt  marsh,  salt  hay  and  common  clam  shells  were  the 
materials  selected  for  a  test  of  carriers  of  the  poisoned  bait.  It  should 
be  understood  that  carriers  were  necessary,  because  at  the  time  the 
flies  would  normally  make  their  first  appearance  the  seed  onions  would 
either  not  yet  have  come  up,  or  have  just  gotten  above  the  surface. 
Thinking  that  there  might  be  a  difference  in  the  persistence  of  the 
bait  on  the  carrier  if  the  carrier  were  soaked  in  it,  arrangements  were 
made  to  test  this  point  with  both  the  grass  and  tiie  hay.  On  March 
18  Mr.  Sheppard  reported  that  the  material  remained  in  a  liquid  state 
attractive  to  flies  longer  on  the  salt  hay  than  on  the  grass,  and  that 
there  seemed  to  be  no  diflPerence  in  the  persistence  of  the  bait  on  the 
grass  or  hay  which  could  be  charged  to  the  soaking  or  dipping.  It 
was  therefore  decided  to  use  the  salt  hay  and  the  clam  shells  as  the 
bait  carriers. 

On  April  3  Mr.  Sheppard  reported  the  results  of  his  tests  on  the 
density  of  the  solutions  as  follows :  *The  mixture  containing  1  pint 
and  the  mixture  containing  1  quart  of  molasses  per  gallon  dried  up  at 
the  same  time  and  did  it  within  a  little  less  than  48  hours.  The 
weather  was  very  windy  and,  of  course,  made  the  drying  materially 
quicker  than  would  otherwise  have  been  the  case.  The  material  con- 
taining 2  quarts  of  molasses  to  the  gallon  remained  sticky  and  attrac- 
tive to  the  flies  for  more  than  a  week."  It  was  therefore  decided  that 
the  material  should  be  made  up  at  the  rate  of  2  quarts  of  molasses  to  a 
gallon  of  water.  It  was  decided  to  leave  the  sodium  arsenite  at  the 
rate  of  1  ounce  to  the  gallon. 

It  was  agreed  that  two  series  of  experiments  should  be  undertaken ; 
the  first  with  the  bait  located  in  clam  shells  and  the  second  with  the 
bait  on  salt  hay.  The  first  series  was  placed  in  a  field  at  one  end  of 
the  farm  and  the  second  series  in  a  field  at  the  other  end  of  the  farm. 
These  fields  were  planted  with  seed  onions.  In  the  first  series  there 
were  three  blocks,  each  block  containing  at  least  10,000  square  feet. 
Block  1  was  surrounded  by  a  row  of  clam  shells  set  at  25-foot  intervals. 
Block  2  was  fitted  with  clam-shell  containers  at  the  comers  of  25-foot 
squares  throughout.  Block  3  was  fitted  with  clam-shell  containers  at 
the  comers  of  each  60-foot  square. 

In  the  second  series  there  were  3  blocks,  each  containing  at  least 
10,000  square  feet.  Block  1  in  this  series  was  entirely  surrounded  by 
a  row  of  bunches  of  salt  hay  set  at  25-foot  intervals.  Block  2  was 
furnished  with  a  bxmch  of  salt  hay  at  the  comers  of  25-foot  squares. 
Block  3  was  furnished  with  a  bimch  of  salt  hay  at  the  comers  of  50- 
foot  squares.  It  was  planned  to  start  moistening  the  hay  and  filling 
the  clam  shells  as  soon  as  the  first  flies  appeared  and  keep  them  in 
that  condition  throughout  the  season  during  which  injury  normally 
occurs. 


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436     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  flies  b^^  emerging  early  in  April  before  the  young  onions 
had  gotten  above  the  ground,  and  the  experiments  were  set  as  soon  as 
they  made  their  appearance.  These  experiments  continued  throogh 
the  last  half  of  April  and  May.  On  May  twenty-first  Mr.  Sheppard 
reported  a  small  amount  of  injury  in  the  plot  surrounded  by  the  dam 
shells  and  none  particularly  noticeable  in  the  other  climi-shell  plots 
and  in  the  field  protected  by  bunches  of  hay.  On  June  6  the  entomolo- 
gist visited  the  experiments  and  found  on  the  clam-shell  plot,  which 
had  the  treatment  around  its  outside  only,  a  little  less  than  5  per 
cent  of  injury  and  a  still  smaller  percentage  on  the  plots  wh«*e  the 
clam  shells  were  placed  at  the  comers  of  25  and  50-foot  squares. 
There  seemed  to  be  no  difference  in  the  injury  on  the  plots  with  the 
clam  shells  at  the  wmers  of  50-foot  squares  and  the  plot  with  the  clam 
shells  at  the  corners  of  25-foot  squares.  A  slightly  higher  degree  of 
injury  was  visible  in  the  plots  protected  by  the  salt  hay;  but  even  here 
the  injury  in  any  ca^e  would  not  exceed  10  per  cent  No  differeaee? 
could  be  disooveied  between  the  plots  protected  by  the  salt  marsh  bay. 

In  a  field  of  seed  onions  located  about  300  feet  from  the  hay- treated 
plots  not  less  than  50  per  cent  of  the  plants  had  been  destroyed  by  the 
mairsrot.    Xo  injury  whatever  was  observed  <m  onions  grown  from  sets. 

On  June  20  Mr.  Sheppard  reported  that  he  found  puparia  of  the 
onion  maggot  in  the  ground  and  that  some  of  these  puparia  were 
empty,  indicating  that  the  second  brood  had  begun  its  emergence.  By 
this  time  the  onions  had  reached  a  size  which  would  put  them  beyond 
danger  of  serious  injury. 

Observations  throughout  the  experimaits  indicated  very  clearly 
tliat  while  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  maintain  the  bait  in  an  attractive 
condition  in  the  clam  shells,  it  was  very  difficult  to  maintain  it  in  a 
satisfactory  condition  on  the  salt  hay.  The  rain  washed  the  material 
off  the  salt  hay  and  the  winds  quickly  dried  it  up. 

It  seems  that  the  clam  shells  are  the  best  carriers  and  that  the  best 
mixture  to  use  in  them  consists  of  2  quarts  of  molasses  to  a  gallon  of 
water  in  which  1  ounce  of  sodium  arsenite  has  been  dissolved,  and  that 
the  clam-shell  ccmtainers  should  not  be  placed  farther  apart  than  the 
comers  of  50-foot  squares.  Where  the  infestation  is  likely  to  be 
serious  the  clam-shell  containers  should  be  placed  on  the  comers  of  25- 
foot  squares. 

Examination  of  table  2  shows  that  the  seed  treatment,  with  the  ex- 
ce[)tion  of  sprouting,  effected  material  reduction  in  the  infestation, 
amounting  in  some  cases  to  as  much  as  two-thirds.  There  is  no  evi- 
dence to  indicate  that  the  planting  in  ridge,  furrow  or  hill  made  any 
particular  difference  in  the  results.  Sprouting  the  seed  is  evidwitly 
bad  practice.  A  study  of  the  percentage  of  plants  under  treated  and 
untreated  conditions,  which  got  above  the  ground,  seems  to  indicate 
that  treatment  slightly  reduces  the  germinating  power  of  the  plant 
Nevertheless,  it  seems  that  the  reduction  is  small.  Sprouting  evi- 
dently greatly  reduces  the  ability  of  the  seed  to  produce  a  plant. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  437 

In  the  surface  treatments^  17  blocks  were  employed;  the  Ist,  2nd, 
5th  and  6th  of  which  were  treated  with  a  coating  of  lime.  The  9th  re- 
ceived lime-sulfur;  the  10th  finely  divided  sulfur;  the  11th,  12th  and 
13th  tobacco  dust;  the  14th  and  15th  tarred  paper;  the  16th  finely 
divided  sulfur  and  the  17th  tobacco.  Plots  3,  4,  7  and  8  were  un- 
treated. The  results  of  these  treatments  are  outlined  in  table  3  where 
^rmination  determinations  alone  were  made. 

Lima  Bean  Maggot 

The  lima  been  maggot  is  otherwise  known  as  the  seed  corn  mag- 
got, Pkorbia  fusciceps  Zett.  In  the  annual  report  of  the  New  Jersey 
Agrienltural  Experiment  Station  for  the  year  1917  (page  466),  it 
was  shown  that  a  considerable  reduction  in  injury  could  be  obtained 
by  the  placing  of  tarred  paper  cards  over  the  hills  as  soon  as  the  lima 
beans  were  planted.  In  the  spring  of  1918  a  more  extensive  study  of 
this  problem  was  undertaken  in  cooperation  with  Mr.  David  Fink, 
of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Entomology,  and  the  following  series 
of  plots  laid  out.  Each  plot  was  125  feet  long  and  contained  2  rows 
of  beans.  Plot  1  had  the  surface  of  each  row  covered  with  a  sand  and 
^as-tar  mixture  similar  to  that  which  was  applied  the  year  before. 
Plot  2  was  untreated.  Plot  3  was  treated  with  sand  and  gas  tar  the 
same  at  plot  1,  and  plot  4  received  a  similar  treatment.  Plot  5  was 
treated  with  tarred  paper  strij)fi,  each  about  10  inches  wide  and  laid 
over  the  row-  on  the  surface  of  the  ground.  The  edges  of  these  strips 
were  covered  with  soil.  Plot  6  was  untreated.  Plot  7  was  treated 
with  tarred  paper  strips,  the  same  as  No.  5.  Plot  8  wa^?  treated  for 
half  the  length  of  the  rows  with  tarred  paper  strips  as  in  plots  5  and 
7,  and  the  balance  was  treated  with  tarred  sand  as  in  plots  1,  3  and 
4.  Plot  9  was  untreated.  Plot  10  was  treated  with  powdered  sulfur. 
Plots  11  and  13  were  untreated.  Plot*?  12  and  14  were  treated  with 
tobacco  dust.  Plot  15  was  treated  with  tobacco  dust  and  sulfur,  half 
and  half.  Plot  16  was  treated  with  powdered  s^ulfur.  Plot  17  was 
treated  with  fish-oil  soap,  2  pounds  to  5  gallons  of  water,  and  plot 
18  was  untreated. 

The  tarred  sand  was  made  by  stirring  good  clean,  rather  coarse, 
sand  with  a  stick  which  was  dipped  from  time  to  time  into  a  bucket 
of  gas  tar.  The  stirring  was  continued  until  every  particle  of  sand 
had  its  coating  of  gas  tar.  The  mixed  material  was  then  ay)plied 
by  means  of  a  galvanized  iron  drum  resembling  in  its  construction 
and  use  very  much  the  metal  drums  used  for  marking  tennis  courts. 
The  holes  for  the  delivery  of  the  tarred  sand  were  very  much  larger 
than  those  in  the  tennis  marker. 

The  tarred  paper  was  cut  into  10-inch  strips  and  the  edges  were 
covered  with  soil  in  such  a  way  as  to  leave  approximately  6  inches 
of  the  paper  exposed. 

The  sulfur  and  tobacco  dusts  were  applied  by  means  of  the  drum 
^bove  mentioned.    The  fish-oil  soap  was  applied  by  dissolving  it  in 


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438     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

cold  water  and  delivering  it  from  a  sprinkling  can  with  a  wide  spout 
at  the  rate  of  5  gallons  of  liquid  to  126  feet  directly  on  the  row  where 
the  beans  were  planted.  All  treatments  were  applied  on  April  18, 
just  after  the  beans  had  been  planted.  On  April  24  examinations 
showed  that  the  tarred  sand,  in  spite  of  the  occurrence  of  several  rains 
in  the  interim,  was  still  in  good  condition.  The  sulfur  and  tobacco 
dusts  had  been  washed  away^  but  there  was  still  enough  left  to  indi- 
cate the  places  where  it  had  been  applied.  The  tarred  paper  seemed 
to  stand  the  water  very  well. 

The  treatments  failed  ta  give  any  definite  protection,  and  naturally 
other  studies  were  looked  to  to  explain  this  situation.  On  April  17, 
when  preparations  were  being  made  to  set  the  experiments  just  re- 
counted, Mr.  Fink  made  some  examination  of  beans  which  had  been 
planted  April  9.  He  found  the  planting  infested  with  maggots  about 
two-thirds  grown.  This  would  seem  to  indicate  that  the  ^gs  from 
which  these  maggots  came  had  been  laid  in  the  soil  before  even  Uie 
planting  of  April  9  had  been  made.  Naturally,  if  this  indication 
may  be  taken  as  an  index  to  what  actually  occurred,  the  application 
of  the  material  recounted  in  the  preceding  experiment  could  be  ex- 
pected to  have  little  effect.  The  success^  of  the  previous  year  can  be 
readily  explained  only  on  the  ground  that  the  plantings  were  made 
earlier  in  proportion  to  the  egg  laying  of  the  flies  than  those  of  the 
year  1918. 

Realizing  that  beans  which  germinate  promptly  suffer  only  slightly 
from  the  work  of  this  maggot,  an  effort  was  made  to  determine  what 
could  be  done  to  expedite  germination,  and  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that 
nothing  was  found  which  seemed  to  make  a  material  difference. 

This  being  the  condition  at  the  close  of  1918,  it  was  decided  to 
carry  out  a  still  more  extensive  study  of  this  insect  in  the  year  1919, 
especial  attention  being  given  to  determining  whether  the  infestation 
is  already  in  the  soil  when  the  beans  are  planted,  the  balance  of  the 
effort  being  placed  on  the  testing  of  treatments  for  the  seed  itself, 
which  might  prevent  rot  and  entrance  of  the  maggot  into  the  bean. 
The  work  in  1919  was  done  again  in  cooperation  with  Mr.  Fink. 

Rectangular  cages  were  placed  over  bean  plantings  immediately  after 
they  had  been  made.  The  period  of  time  which  elapsed  between  the 
planting  of  the  beans  and  the  placing  of  the  cages  was  very  small 
indeed,  the  soil  being  no  sooner  satisfactorily  drawn  over  the  beans 
than  the  cages  were  put  in  place.  Long  before  the  plantings  were 
made  and  the  cages  placed  the  first  brood  of  flies  were  on  the  wing. 
In  nearly  all  of  these^  cages  the  beans  showed  a  certain  percentage  of 
maggots,  and  adult  flies,  apparently  of  the  second  generation,  emerged, 
proving  rather  conclusively  that  the  infestation  was  in  the  soil  at  the 
time  of  the  planting,  either  as  an  egg  or  as  larva  or  as  both. 

An  extensive  series  of  experiments  with  treated  seed  in  cages  was 
undertaken.  The  treated  seed  was  placed  in  the  soil  and  maggots 
were  introduced.    The  results  are  set  forth  in  table  1. 


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439 


TABLE  1 

Cage  BxperimenU  With  Treated  Seed 

Maggoty     Rotted 

Sprouted  I 

1 

Treatment* 

*^ 

1 
^   t                 Remarks 

u 

a 

u 

e 

u 

a    \ 

o 

£ 

6 

£ 

a* 

£ 

a* 

s 

t 

1 

a 

U 

5S 

04 

^ 

&I 

>: 

e.  1 

1 

Untreated  ... 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

50    1  maggot  found  in  soil 

2 

Untreated  ... 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

3 

C.  T.  Soot  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

50    1  maggot  found  in  soil 

4 

C.  T.  Soot  . . 

1 

50 

0 

0 

1 

50  il  pupa 

5 

C.  T.  Ash.  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

100   1  pupa 

6 

C.  T.  Ash.  . . 

0 

0 

1 

50 

1 

50    1  pupa,  1  maggot 

7 

C.  T.  Tob.  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

60  !1  pupa,  1  maggot 

8 

C.  T.  Tob.  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

100  i2  pupa 

9 

Untreated  .. . 

1 

50 

0 

0 

2 

100  j2  pupa,  cotyledon   eaten? 

10 

Untreated  ... 

1 

50 

0 

0 

0 

0  11  pupa 

11 

C.  T.  Lime.. 

0 

0 

0 

50 

1 

50  |1  maggot 

12 

C.  T.  Lime.. 

1? 

50? 

1 

50 

1 

50  11  maggot 

13 

C.  T.  Soot  . . 

0 

0 

1 

50 

0 

0   2  pup:e 

. 

14  IC.  T.  Soot  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

50 

i  pupa* 

15   C.  T.  Alone. . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1  pupa 

16 

C.  T.  Alone.. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

100 

1  pupa 

17 

Untreated  .. . 

2 

100 

0 

0 

1 

50 

Boring  side  of  cotyledon 

18 

Untreated  ... 

1? 

50 

1 

50 

1 

50    -  pupa,   looks  attacked 

19 

C.  T.  I^ad.. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0    1  pupa,  looks  injured 

20 

C.  T.  Lead.. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0    Magsot  dead,  side  of  bean 

21 

C.  T.  Lead.. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0  j2  maggots  alive 

22 

C.  T.  Cal.   . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0    Looks  injured 

23 

C.  T.  Cal.  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0  ,  Looks  injured 

24 

C.  T.  Cal.   . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0    Iwooks  injured 

25 

Untreated  .. . 

0 

0 

2 

100 

1 

50  ,1  P"pa,  1st  stape  of  decay 

26 

Untreated  .. . 

0 

0 

•> 

100 

0 

0  ]1  pupa,  1st  stage  of  decay 

27 

C.  T.  Soot  . . 

1 

50 

2 

100 

1 

50  list  stage  of  decay 

28  jC.  T.  Soot  . . 

0 

0 

2 

lOf) 

2 

100    1st  stage  of  de<'ay 

29  iC.  T.  Ash.  . . 

0 

0 

1 

50 

1 

50 

30 

C.  T.  Ash.  . . 

0 

0 

1 

50 

1 

50    1  pupa 

:a 

Untreated  ..  . 

1? 

50 

0 

0 

2 

100    1  pupa 

32 

Untreated  ... 

0 

0 

1 

50 

•> 

100    1   pupa 

33 

C.  T.  Lead.. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0    Looks  injured 

34 

C.  T.  Lead.. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0    I-K>oks  injured 

35 

C.  T.  Cal.   . . 

0 

0 

1 

50 

0 

0    Looks  injured 

36 

C.  T.  Cal.  . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0    Looks  injured 

37 

C.  T.  Lime.. 

0 

0      0 

0 

1 

50 

38 

C.  T.  Lime.. 

0 

0  •  0 

0 

1 

50  , 

39  IC.  T.  Tob.   . . 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0  ! 

40 

C.  T.  Tob.   . . 

0 

0 

1 

50 

1 

50 

41 

T'ntreated  .. . 

1  I 

50 

0 

0 

2 

100    Side  cotyledon 

42 

Untreated  .. . 

0 : 

0 

1 

50 

2 

100  1 

43 

Untreated  .. . 

0 

0  '  1 

50 

1 

50 

*C.  T. — Coal  Tar.    Ash. — ^.\slies.    Tob.— Tobacco.     r>ead.— Arsenate  of  Lead. 
Cal. — Oak-ium  Arsenate. 


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440 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


It  thus  appears  that  the  seed  treatments  reduced  the  infestation 
and  did  not  much  affect  the  rotting  in  the  field. 

One  series  of  17  blocks  was  laid  out  for  seed  treatment  and  another 
series  of  17  blocks  was  laid  out  for  soil  surface  treatment  after  the 
seed  was  planted.  Block  1  consisted  of  two  rows  planted  on  ridges 
and  the  seed  was  treated  with  coal  tar  and  ashes.    Block  2  consisted 

TABLE  2 
Maggoty  and  Rotted  Beans 


First  Quarter 


I 


Treatment* 


Maggoty 


a 


Rotted 


^ 


Second  Quarter 


Maggoty  I    Rotted 


I 


Third  Quarter 


Maggoty  1    Rotted 


1       1 
1 

fl 

'   h 

2  i 

B    ' 

u 

4> 

1   3 

ft. 

1  =^ 

1|C.  T.  Aah.  . 

2|C.  T.  Ash.  . 

3|C.  T.  Tob.  . 

4  C.  T.  Tob.  . 

5lC.  T.  Ash.  . 

()!C.  T.  Ash.  . 

Tie.  T.  Tob.  . 

S'C.  T.  Lime. 

9'Untreated  .. 
H  lO'Untreated  .. 
H  11  i Untreated  .. 
K  12| Sprouted  .. 
R  131  Untreated  .. 
K  14  C.  T.  Lime. 
F  15]C.  T.  Lime. 
F  3  ()|  Untreated  .. 
F  17  Untreated  .. 


0 
0 
5 
0 
0 
0 
5 
5 
16 


5 

27 

2 

11 

10 

55 

2 

11 

0 

0 

1 

5 

1 

5 

1 

.5 

0 
0 

1 

0 
0 
0 
2 

3 
4 
3 
2 
0 
3 
2 

3 
4 

!  3 


0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

5 

5 

1 

5 

1 

5 

0 

0 

0 

5 

27 

0 

0 

0 

6 

33 

0 

0 

0 

2 

1 

11 

0 

0 

3 

16 

16 

0 

0 

3 

16 

22 

3 

16 

2 

11 

16 

4 

22 

2 

11 

11 

1 

5 

7 

38 

45 

9 

50 

9 

50 

16 

6 

33 

3 

16 

11 

1 

5 

2 

11 

16 

0 

0 

0 

11 

32 

4 

22 

1 

5 

16 

5 

2T 

2 

11 

0 

0 

0 

5 

0 

0 

0 

5 

5 
11 
11 
50 
16 

0  ' 

"i\ 

51 


11 
11 
16 
50 
11 
33 
27 
11 
16 
27 
11 
50 
33 


♦C.  T.— Coal  Tar.     Ash.— Asl.cs.     Tob.— Tobacco. 

of  two  rows  planted  in  furrows  and  the  seed  was  treated  with  coal 
tar  and  aslies.  Block  3  consisted  of  two  rows  planted  on  ridges  and 
the  seed  was  treated  with  coal  tar  and  tobacco.  Block  4  consisted 
of  two  rows  planted  on  rid^i^es  and  the  seed  was  treated  with  coal  tar 
and  tobacco.  Block  5  consisted  of  two  rows  planted  on  ridge?  and 
the  seed  was  treated  with  coal  tar  and  ashes.  Block  6  consisted  of 
two  rows  planted  in  furrows  and  the  seed  was  treated  w^ith  coal  tar 
and  ashes.  Block  7  consisted  of  two  rows  planted  on  ridges  and  the 
seed  was  treated  with  coal  tar  and  tobacco.  Block  8  consisted  of  two 
rows  planted  on  ridges  and  the  seed  was  treated  with  coal  tar  and 
lime.  Block  9  consisted  of  two  rows  planted  on  ridges  and  the  se^d 
was  untreated.     Block  10  consisted  of  two  rows  planted  in  hills  and 


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441 


the  seed  was  untreated.  Block  11  consisted  of  two  rowi4  planted  in 
hills  and  the  seed  was  untreated.  Block  12  consisted  of  two  rows 
planted  on  ridges  and  the  seed  was  sprouted.  Block  13  consisted  of 
two  rows  planted  on  ridges  and  the  seed  was  untreated.  Block  14 
consisted  of  two  rows  planted  on  ridges  and  the  seed  was  treated 
with  coal  tar  and  lime.  Block  15  consisted  of  two  rows  planted  in 
furrows  and  the  seed  was  treated  with  coal  tar  and  lime.  Block  16 
consisted  of  two  rows  planted  in  furrows  and  the  seed  was  untreated. 
Block  17  consisted  of  two  rows  planted  in  furrows  and  the  seed  was 
untreated. 

TABLE  3 

Germination  as  influenced  by  surface  treatments 


Hills 

HilU 

Hills 

With 

With 

Missing 

1  Plant 

2PUnte 

■w 

a 

u 

o 

%- 

a 

s 

3 

0, 

^ 

Ol 

;2 

:u 

y. 

Cli 

Hills 
Missing 


1  Lime    I  15 

2  JLime    '  12 

5  ;Lime    (  25 

6  tLirae    ]  11 

9  ILime  sulfur. . .  16 

10  Sulfur    '  10 

11  iTobaoco    t  53 

12  ITobacco    I  48 

13  |Tobacro     32 

14  'Tarred  paper..'  18 

15  iTarred  paper..'  22 

in  'Sulfur   I  44 

17  iTobacf'o    |  20 


28 

20 

38 

17 

34 

21 

22 

30 

22 

39 

45 

25 

45 

5 

10 

19 

26 

46 

10 

35 

22 

29 

39 

29 

30 

2.S 

39 

59 

8 

13 

.")(> 

40 

38 

12 

12 

44 

45 

41 

16 

15 

40 

38 

48 

9 

12 

78 

4 

17 

1 

5 

68 

8 

^ 

2 

7 

51 

31 

36 

11 

13 

48 

20 

37 

8 

15 

20 
13 
38 
19 


37 
24 
66 
38 


Hills  Hills 

With         With 

1  Plant  I  2  Plants 


21 
24 
15 
25 


39 
44 
26 
51 


12 

17 

4 

10 


32 

8 

11 


Note. — -I^ast  5  columns  to  the  right  repre^ent  the  results  on  plots  3.  4,  7  and 
S,  respectively. 

After  the  plants  were  well  above  the  fi^round  a  study  of  the  ma^rirot 
infestation  was  made  and  only  one  of  the  different  t^'pes  of  planting 
in  each  block  was  considered.  The  blocks  were  divided  cross-wise 
into  four  parts,  designated  as  first  quarter,  second  quarter,  third 
quarter,  etc.  Table  2  gives  the  results.  "R"  before  the  numl)er  of 
the  block  represents  the  planting  on  a  ridge;  "F"  represents  the 
planting  in  a  furrow,  and  "IF'  represents  the  planting  in  hills. 

The  purpose  of  using  these  different  tvi)es  of  ])lanting  was  to  de- 
termine whether  they  had  any  relationship  to  maggot  infestation  and 
incidentally  to  the  rotting  of  the  seed.  The  fourth  quarter  was  not 
considered,  because  there  seemed  not  to  be  sufficient  uniformity  to 
render  the  results  definite  and  clear. 

From  this  table  there  ^eems  to  be  no  reason  to  conclude  that  these 
surface  treatments  in  any  way  materially  influenced  the  rate  of  gei- 
mination. 


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442     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

*  Conclusions 

The  work  of  1919  seems  to  have  demonstrated  that  the  infestatioD 
-  is,  at  least  in  some  years,  in  the  soil  before  the  beans  are  planted,  that 
seed  treatments  materially  reduced  the  damage  and  but  slightly  inter- 
fered with  the  germination,  and  that  the  speed  of  germination  does 
not  seem  to  be  influenced  by  such  methods  of  planting  or  by  such  sur- 
face coatings  as  were  tried. 

Next  year  an  attempt  will  be  made  to  eliminate  the  infestation  in 
the  soil  before  the  seed  is  put  into  the  ground,  and  to  get  still  furth» 
ftnd  more  accurate  data  on  the  effect  of  seed  treatments.* 


CHmate  and  Insect  Investigations 

With  the  close  of  repeated  tests  on  the  effect  of  atmospheric  mois- 
ture on  the  rate  of  development  of  the  bean  weevil,  in  course  of  which 
we  were  unable  to  run  more  than  four  different  degrees  of  moisture, 
it  became  evident  that  unless  a  greater  number  of  percentages  could 
be  arranged  and  run  there  was  little  chance  of  determining  the  ratio 
that  is  thought  to  exist  between  increases  in  atmospheric  moisture  and 
increases  in  the  rate  of  metabolism.  Accordingly,  we  set  out  to  find 
a  practicable  way  of  conditioning  moisture  content  of  the  air  in  such 
a  way  as  to  give  streams  at  approximately  10  per  cent  intervals  from 
1  to  100  per  cent.  The  cost  of  apparatus  seemed  to  forbid  an  attempt 
to  condition  by  means  of  temperature,  which  it  seems  to  the  entomolo- 
^st  should  be  the  ideal  method.  The  next  best  plan  seemed  to  be  to 
take  advantage  of  the  well-known  vapor  tension  of  different  salt  solu- 
tions and  pick  out  a  series  which,  held  at  a  constant  temperature  of 
80°  F.  when  dry  air  is  drawn  through,  will  give  off  the  different  per- 
centages of  atmospheric  moisture  required  in  the  series. 

The  apparent  difficulty  of  maintaining  the  solutions  in  question  at 
a  specified  strength  led  to  the  decision  to  use  exclusively  solutions 
saturated  to  a  point  where  a  considerable  amount  of  the  undissolved 
salt  rested  on  the  bottom  of  the  flask.  When  we  made  an  attempt  to 
find  published  information  on  the  amount  of  water  a  saturated  solu- 
tion of  various  salts  would  give  off  to  streams  of  dry  air  passing 
through  tliem,  we  were  unable  to  secure  anything  of. the  sort,  and  were 
compelled  to  undertake  determinations  ourselves.  A  competent 
chemist  was  finally  employed  to  make  the  tests.     Each  salt  solution 

*Tl'<'  method  of  treating  the  seed  with  coal  tar  is  very  similar  to  that  de- 
scribed by  Theo.  H.  Scheffer  in  Kansas  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  Bul- 
letin 108.  Briefly,  it  consists  of  placing  the  beans  in  a  receptacle,  sufficiently 
small  to  be  shaken  vigorously  by  hand ;  scattering  a  few  drops  of  water  upon 
the  beans,  shaking  them  until  they  each  have  received  a  thin  coating  of  moist- 
ure ;  dropping  a  few  drops  of  coal  tar  upon  them  and  then  shaking  them  until 
each  is  coated  well  with  it.  Mr.  Fink  sprinkled  ashes,  tobacco  dust,  lime,  soot 
and  such  substances  upon  them.  After  the  beans  were  shaken  for  a  short  time 
in  these  powders  they  became  completely  coated  and  could  be  handled  withoat 
encountering  any  serious  degree  of  stickiness. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


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444  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

was  set  up  and  tested  in  comparison  with  distilled  water.  One 
stream  of  dry  air  was  drawn  through  the  salt  solution  and  at  the 
same  time  another  stream  was  drawn  through  a  flask  of  distilled 
water.  The  streams  ran  at  the  same  rate  and  each  passed  through  a 
separate  tube  of  calcium  chloride  which  was  later  weighed  to  deter- 
mine the  amount  of  water. 

The  results  of  these  tests  are  set  forth  in  table  1. 

From  this  table  the  following  series  was  selected  for  work  on 
insects : 

Sulfuric  Acid   (HjSO*)  ;  sp.  gr.  1.84;  moisture  given  off  1%  or  less 

Lithium  Chloride   (LiCl,)  ;  moisture  7.1(54% 

Calcium*  Chloride   (CaCl,)  ;  moisture  25.94% 

Sodium  Hydroxide  (NaOH)  ;  moisture  30.72% 

Aluminum  Chloride    (AICI2)  ;  moisture  37.01% 

Copper  Nitrate   (Cu(NO,),)  ;  moisture  45.71% 

Sodium  Bromide   (NaBr)  ;.  moisture  5(5.18% 

Sodium  Chloride   (NaCl)  ;  moisture  73.424% 

Sodium  Nitrate   (NaNO,)  ;  moisture  80.035% 

Potassium  Sulfate   (K5SO4)  ;  moisture  89.78% 

Distilled  Water    (HaO)  ;  moisture  100.00% 

The  second  Pot  of  experiments  with'  the  effect  of  atmospheric  air 
conditioned  in  this  way,  is  now  nearly  complete.  The  air  streams 
from  all  except  copper  nitrate  and  sodium  bromide  seem  to  work  well, 
but  the  air  from  these  exceptions  apparently  both  retards  and  destroys. 


Sewage  Filter  Fly 

At  the  sprinkling  sewage  filter  of  Plainfield,  North  Plainfield  and 
Dunellen  tlie  control  of  the  sewage  filter  fly  by  means  of  flooding  with 
ordinary  sewage  ha^  been  continued  during  the  present  season.  The 
flies  have  been  satisfactorily  controlled  and  there  has  been  no  appare^it 
damage  done  to  the  activity  of  the  filter  itself. 


Sewage  Investigations 

.Introduetfon 

The  investigation  of  the  problem  of  controlling  the  sprinkling 
sewage  filter  fly,  which  was  described  in  last  year's  annual  report,  com- 
pelled us  to  make  an  examination  of  the  literature  relating  to  the 
animal  and  plant  life  on  this  tyi^e  of  filter  and  to  familiarize  ourselves 
more  or  less  with  the  working  of  various  kinds  of  sewage  disposal 
plants.  In  the  course  of  these  investigations  the  entomologist  was 
much  impressed  with  the  lack  of  a  fundamental  knowledge  of  the 
living  machine,  which  was  being  employed  to  do  the  work  of  sewage 
purification  and  the  evident  room  for  improvement  in  the  building 
and  operation  of  sewage  disposal  plants. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPOKT.  445 

Accordingly,  an  effort  wag  made  to  start  a  study  of  the  biology  of 
the  sprinkling  sewage  filter  because  of  all  the  forms  seen  that  seemed 
the  most  promising.  The  first  plan  was  with  a  small  sum  to  finance 
on  part  time  a  small  group  of  specialists.  This  plan  had  to  be  given 
up  because  adequately  prepared  men  to  cover  the  entire  field  could 
not  be  secured  with  the  means  at  hand. 

Arrangements  were  made  during  the  late  fall  of  1918  to  finance  a 
fellowship  for  this  work,  and  J.  W.  Thomson  was  secured  to  undertake 
the  work.  His  report  which  follows  will  serve  to  explain  the  present 
status  of  the  work. 

Sewage  mvegtlgtttlon 

•     J.  W.  TnoMSox 

After  a  thorough  examination  of  the  available  literature  on  the 
biology  of  sewage  purification,  it  has  been  decided  to  devote  attention 
to  the  activities  occurring  on  the  sprinkling  sewage  filter  for  the  fol- 
lowing reasons:  (1)  loss  seems  to  be  known  about  this  phase  of  sew- 
age purification;  (2)  the  end-product  of  this  activity  is  apparently 
available  for  fertilizer;  (3)  the  activity  of  the  filter  gives  off  less  ob- 
jectionable odors  than  that  of  other  methods;  and  (4)  the  sprinkling 
filter  appears  to  offer  the  highest  purification  on  the  snmllest  area. 

In  this  study  it  is  proposed  to  consider: 

(1)  The  chemical  changes  which  occur  in  the  sewage  during  its 
passage  through  the  filter. 

(2)  The  identity  and  activity  of  the  organisms  working  in  it. 

(3)  The  availability  of  the  end-products  for  fertilizers. 

Each  of  these  lines  of  investigations  will  be  considered  under  its 
separate  heading. 

r.  The  Chemical  Changes  Occurring  on  the  Sprinkling 
Sewage  Filter 

Through  the  work  of  previous  investigators  and  the  records  of 
various  disposal  plants,  considerable  is  known  of  what  chemical 
changes  occur  on  the  filter,  that  is  what  changes  the  sewage  has  under- 
gone while  passing  through  the  filter.  .  However,  very  little  is  known 
concerning  the  various  stages  of  these  changes  or  how' they  are  brought 
about. 

It  is  known  that  the  tank  effluent  flowing  on  the  filters  is  very  high 
in  ammonia  nitrogen,  usually  averaging  over  20  parts  per  million  of 
nitrogen  as  ammonia,  0.2  parts  per  million  of  nitrites  and  0.5  parts 
per  million  nitrates.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  found  that  in  the 
effluent  the  ammonia  content  drops  to  an  average  of  about  5  parts  per 
million,  very  little  change  can  be  found  in  the  final  nitrite  content, 
while  the  nitrate  content  rises  to  as  high  as  15  to  20-  parts  per  mil- 
lion, depending  on  the  original  ammonia  content.     This  proves  that 


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146     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

a  very  rapid  oxidation  process  takes  place  in  the  filter,  since  the  entire 
dosage  requires  but  3  to  5  minutes  to  pass  through  the  filter  and  out 
into  the  effluent  galleries.  It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  in  no  stage  of 
the  process  does  the  nitrite  nitrogen  ever  reach  a  very  high  content, 
showing  that  the  oxidation  processes  occur  so  rapidly  tiiat  the  nitrites 
are  oxidized  into  nitrates  almost  as  rapidly  as  the  nitrites  are  produced 
from  the  ammonia. 

In  this  investigation  a  series  of  determinati(His  are  to  be  conducted 
on  the  sewage  influent^  the  sewage  at  various  levels  in  the  filter  and  the 
final  effluent  from  the  filter,  as  follows: 

(1)  Ammonia  nitrogen 

(2)  Organic  nitrogen 

(3)  Nitrite  nitrogen 

(4)  Nitrate  nitrogen 

(5)  Total  nitrogen 

(6)  Hydrogen  sulfide 
(6)  Oxygen  consumption 

(8)  Hydrogen-ion  concentration 

These  analyses  are  to  be  made  to  determine  in  what  levels  of  the 
filter  these  changes  occur  and  also  for  an  index  of  the  activities  of 
organisms  at  these  various  levels. 


II.  The  IdetUity  and  Activity  of  the  OrgatUsms  Working  in  the  FUter 

What  has  already  been  accomplished  in  tiie  identification  of  organ- 
isms occurring  in  sewage  and  polluted  waters  in  general  has  been  sum- 
marized by  J.  W.  H.  Johnson  in  his  work  published  in  the  Journal  of 
Economic  Biology,  vol.  9  and.  10  (1914-15).  He  there  divides  the 
organisms  so  far  identified  into  three  distinct  groups,  arranged  ac- 
cording to  the  d^ree  of  pollution  in  which  they  occur;  namely,  f>oly- 
saprobes,  mesosaprobes,  and  ogliosaprobes.  As  we  could  rightfully 
expect,  it  has  been  found  that  organisms  from  all  three  of  these  groups 
are  present  in  the  film  on  the  stones  of  the  filter.  According  to  John- 
son the  basis  of  this  film,  or  at  least  two  of  the  principal  organians 
forming  this  base  or  matrix,  are  Zoogloea  ramigera  and  Sphcerotales 
natans.  These  organisms,  because  of  their  gelatinous  properties,  act 
as  a  carrying  agent  for  the  multitudinous  organisms  which  inhabit 
the  film. 

In  this  present  study  of  the  organisms  in  the  film  special  emphasis 
is  to  be  placed  on  the  determination  and  identification  of  those  organ- 
isms, both  macroscopic  and  microscopic,  which  predominate  to  a  sufil- 
cient  degree  to  have  any  possible  influence  in  the  changes  occurring. 

Prom  the  work  already  accomplished  it  might  be  said  that  among 
the  larger  forms  of  organisms  those  which  seem  to  predominate  are, 
Podura,  Chironomida,  the  larvae  of  Psychoda  and  certain  species  of 
large  limibricus  worms.    In  addition  to  these  larger  forms  of  animal 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  BEPOBT.  447 

lL6e,  amoeba,  infusoria  (paramecium,  vorticella),  rotifers  and  unseg- 
mented  worms  also  abound  in  great  numbers.  Although  conditions 
are  not  entirely  favorable  for  the  development  of  algae  deep  in  the 
filter,  nevertheless  there  seems  to  be  a  considerable  appearance  of  cer- 
tain small  diatoms  in  the  upper  layer  of  the  filters. 

The  studies  of  the  activities  of  the  organisms  will  be  covered  some- 
what by  the  studies  under  the  chemical  changes  and  also  by  the  de- 
termination and  study  of  the  enzymes  present  in  the  sewage  and  also 
in  the  film  itself.  This  work  vnll  also  include  the  cultural  studies 
of  the  bacteria,  fungi,  etc.  In  the  study  of  enzymes  determinations 
are  to  be  made  to  prove  the  presence  or  absence  of  the  enz3mies  destroy- 
ing the  following  compound? : 

Gellnloee  Amygdaline 

IduUd  Ethyl  alcohol 

Starch  Olive  oil 

Saccharose  Ethyl  butyrate 

Lactose  Proteins 

Maltose  ^  Amines  and  an  ides 

Glucose  '  Oxidizable  compounds 

The  methods  here  employed  are  summarized  from  those  of  P.  M. 
Scales  and  R.  H.  A.  Plimmer. 


III.  The  Availability  of  the  End-Products  for  Fertiliiers 

Very  little  has  thus  far  been  accomplisl^ed  in  the  study  of  the  availa- 
bility of  the  end-products  from  the  filter  for  fertilizer.  It  has  been 
determined,  however,  that  the  sludge  from  the  final  settling  tank  fol- 
lowing the  filter  is  valuable  as  a  fertilizer,  but  no  data  are  available 
as  to  the  relative  amounts  of  nitrates  present  in  this  sludge. 

There  are,  as  we  know,  considerable  amounts  of  nitrates  fiowing 
over  in  the  final  effluent  from  the  filter;  however,  they  are  in  such 
high  dilution  that  as  yet  there  has  been  no  practical  way  to  recover 
them.  For  example,  an  effluent  containing  20  parts  per  million  of 
nitrates  would  contain  162  pounds  of  nitrogen  as  nitrates  per  million 
gallons. 

Cranberry  Investigatioiia 

Charles  S.  Beckwith  has  been  continued  in  immediate  charge  of 
these  investigations  and  a  laboratory  has  been  equipped  at  Whitesbog 
for  his  use.    The  report  which  follows  has  been  prepared  by  him. 

The  cranberr}'  investigations  have  been  divided  into  four  lines  of 
study — plant-food  investigations,  soil  acidity  investigations,  soil-water 
investigations  and  insect  investigations  (special  reference  to  the  girdle 
worm).  Each  line  of  investigation  will  be  discussed  under  its  own 
heading. 


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448     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

FlaBt-Food  iBTestjgAtlOB 

Charles  S.  Beck  with 

The  detaik  of  the  original  plan  of  the  plant-food  investigation  may 
be  found  in  the  annual  report  for  this  station  for  1913,  and  the  modifi- 
cations of  the  plan  in  the  report  for  1916.  A  brief  outline  of  the  plan 
is  sufficient  for  this  paper. 

The  investigation  was  designed  to  show: 

1.  What  kinds  of  plant-food  could  profitably  be  added  to  the  three 
types  of  cranberry  soil — ^savannah  bottom,  mud  bottom,  and  iron  ore 
bottom. 

2.  The  best  sources  from  which  these  plant^foods  could  be  derived. 

3.  The  combinations  of  the  different  plant-foods  that  amid  profit- 
ably be  used. 

Five  series  of  42  plots  each- — the  first  on  Savannah  bottom,  the 
second  on  mud  bottom,  the  third  on  iron  ore  bottom,  the  fourth  and 
fifth  on  mud  bottoms  of  different  localities — have  been  employed  as  a 
means  of  determining  the  above  points.  Each 'series  of  42  plot^  con- 
sisted of  21  treated  plots  alternating  with  untreated  or  check  plot?. 
Eleven  of  the  treated  plots  have  been  devoted  to  a  test  of  uncombined 
plant-food  and  10  to  combined  plant-foods.  Throughout  the  entire 
series,  nitrogen  has  been  applied  at  the  rate  of  40  pounds  to  the  acre, 
phosphoric  acid  at  the  rate  of  80  pounds  to  the  acre,  and  potash  at  the 
rate  of  100  poimds  to  the  acre.  Treatments  were  made  in  1913,  1914, 
and  1915,  and  they  were  discontinued  in  1916  and  1917.  The  effect 
of  the  treatments  was  measured  in  the  form  of  crop  yields  which  were 
taken  every  year  and  the  yield  of  the  treated  plot  was  compared  with 
the  yield  of  the  adjacent  untreated  plots. 

Crop  Record,  W17 

The  crop  record  for  1917  was  taken  by  J.  R.  Neller,  who,  shortlv 
aftenvard,  was  selected  for  military  service,  and  the  data  were  mis- 
placed so  it  could  not  be  included  in  the  report  for  last  year.  Some 
time  afterward  the  report  was  found  and  it  i«?  included  in.  this  paper. 

Series  A  (plots  on  Savannah  bottom),  series  B  (plots  on  mud  bot- 
tom), and  series  C  (plots  on  iron  ore  bottom)  located  at  Whitesbo|r 
were  harvested  under  Mr.  Xeller^s  supervision ;  series  D  (plots  on 
mud  bottom)  located  at  Jamesburg  was  discontinued  and  the  crop  on 
series  E  (plots  on  mud  bottom)  located  at  Belle  Plain  was  entirely 
ruined  by  frost.  The  results  for  series  A,  series  B  and  series  C  are 
given  in  table  1. 

On  series  A  the  be«t  yield  was  on  plot  21  which  received  ground 
rock  phosphate.  The  best  plot  receiving  a  nitrogen  carrier  was  A7. 
wliich  was  treated  with  cottonseed  meal.  In  this  series  all  treated 
plot?  showed  a  gain  over  untreated  plots  except  plots  1,  3,  11,  25,  27, 
29,  35,  and  37.  J^lot  1  had  been  treated  with  sodium  nitrate  onlv,  and 
it  is  possible  that  the  enormous  yields  of  1914,  1915,  and  1916  have 
used  up  the  otlier  plant-foods  so  that  nitrogen  is  no  longer  a  limiting 

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EXPEEIMENT  STATION  EEPOET. 


449 


TABLE  1 
Field  Weight  of  Three  Series  and  Per  Cent  Gain  Over  Checks,  1917 


TREATMENT 
1913,  1914,  1915 


14  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda 

Nothing    

10  lbs.  ammoniura  sulfate   . 

Notlung    

20  lbs.  dried  blood 

Notliing    

30  lbs.  cottonseed  meal  . . . 
Nothing    

14  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda 

10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash . . 
25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   .... 

Nothing    

10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate. . 
10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash. . 
25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   .... 

Notl jng    

20  lbs.  dried  blood    

10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash . . 

25  lbs.  acid  phosphate 

Nothing    

30  lbs.  cottonseed  meal  . . . 
10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash.. 
25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   .... 

Nothing    

25  lbs.  acid  phosphate 

Nothing    

25  lbs.  basic  slag 

Notliing    

15  lbs.  rock  phosphate    . . . 

Nothing    ; . . . 

15  lbs.  steamed  bone 

Nothing    

30  lbs.  bone  meal    

10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash. . 
10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate.. 

Nothing    

25  lbs.  basic   slag    ^ 

10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash. .  [ 
14  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda | 

~29 


Series  A 

Savannah 

Bottom 


c 

"3 


Series  B 

Mud 
Bottom 


-45 


lbs.  I  %  ! 
122.91  —8 
133.5} 
73.3 
133.4 
lti8.7 
140.3 
213.7 
153.6 


+  23 
+40 


+21 


—3 


+  16 


207.8 
190.9 
187.8 
197.3 
230.1 
198.3 
203.1 


199.0 

229.0 

196.0 

215.6 

174.9 

259.0 

200.0 

234. Oi   +17 

148.6! I 


+2 


+  15 
+  16 

+38 


lbs. 

89.4 

94.6 

113.4 

95.7 

144.6 

124.6 

160.2 

108.2 

146.6 

134.2 

112.3 

101.9 

78.0 
109.2 

74.6 

109.2 

117.5 

95.7 

as. 4 

100.0 
134.2 

m5.o 

92.6 
113.4 


ja 
O 


.9 
'5 

o 


133.71  —19 
179.61 


167.8 
185.9 
143. 2(  —12;  133.1 


I 


—9 


—16 
+3i 

+38 


+  16 


—26 


Series  C 
Iron  Ore 
Bottom** 


lbs, 

362.6 

490.0 

283.2 

284.8 

402.4 

269.0 

435.6 

309.6 

462.6 

559.8 

420.2 

371.2 

350.8 

322.2 


—32    374.0 


370.0 
282.8 
290.0 
313.6 
313.6 
294.0 
327.0 
183.6 
221.4 


+23 
—16 
+  31 
—19 


I 


-10 


—56 


230.4 

284.0 
178.2 


ja 


08 


% 


-26 


—27 

"+7 


+12 
—17 


+  14 


+1 


+  8 


—2 

■■+4 
'—8 
—33 


—19 


—37 


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450 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


TABLE  1— (Continued) 
Field  Weight  of  Three  Series  and  Per  Cent  Gain  Over  Check*,  1917 


s 
7: 


TREATMENT 
1913,  1914,  1915 


Series  A 

Savannah 

Bottom 


^ 
? 


1^ 


5 

a 


Series  B 

Mud 
Bottom 


2 


> 
O 


Series  C 
Iron  Ore 
Bottom** 


2 


> 

o 


28 

29 

30 

31 

32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 

39 

40 

41 

42 


NotUng    

15  lbs.  phosphate  rock  .... 
10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash.. 
10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate . . 

NotLing    

15  lbs.  steamed  bone    

10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash. . 
10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate. . 

Nothing 

10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash   . . 

Notliing 

10  lbs.  sulfate  of  potash   ... 

Nothing    

42  lbs.  kainit   

Nothing    

10  lbs.  sulfate  of  potash...  "] 
25  lbs.  acid  phosphate  . . . .  [ 
10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate . .  J 

Nothing    

42  lbs.  kainit   

25  lbs.  acid  phosphate  . . . 
10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate. 
Nothing    


lbs. 
1«2.4 

115.5 

222.8 

206.0 

155.3 
220.2 
254.0 
115.0 
110.0 
98.0 
117.0 

130.0 

130.0 

126.0 

108.0 


-48 


+9 


-h8 
—14 


+5 


+6 


lbs. 
260.4 

232.6 

228.7 

214.3 

215.9 
202.5 
234.0 
221.6 
212.1 
232.1 
207.9 

265.2 

219.4 

197.6 

147.7 


% 


+0 
+10 


+25 


+0 


lbs. 
281.2 


—49 


174.0 

393.6 

278.21  —47 

240.2 

291.2 

307.8 

388.0      +0 

417.8 

452.8 

373.8 


294.4 
274.4 
290.0 
271.0 


+3 


—21 


—10 


•Per  cent  gain  over  checks  is  computed  by  taking  the  average  yield  of  the 
two  contiguous  untreated  plots  and  comparing  it  with  the  yield  of  the  treated 
plots.     In  case  there  is  but  one  contiguous  plot,  it  is  compared  directly. 

♦♦In  series  C  the  plots  are  Uo  acre  in  size  and  the  writer  doubled  the  treat- 
ment and  the  yield  so  that  they  may  be  compared  with  the  yields  on  A  and 
B,  which  are  W)  acre  in  size. 

factor.  Plots  3  and  11  received  ammonium  sulfate,  the  former  un- 
combined  and  the  latter  in  combination  with  other  foods.  Plots  25, 
27,  and  29,  received  complete  fertilizer,  but  their  abundant  vine 
^owth  had  invited  an  attack  from  cranb^ry  girdler,  which  had  cut 
down  the  vitality  of  these  plots  and  had  entirely  killed  the  vines  in 
spots.  Plots  35  and  37  received  potash  only,  and  this  treatment,  es- 
pecially where  kainit  is  used  as  a  carrier,  seems  to  be  of  doubtful  value 
throughout  this  study. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  451 

The  treated  plots  on  series  B  showed  little  advantage  over  the  un- 
treated, with  the  exception  of  the  plot  receiving  dried  blood  alone  and 
the  plot  receiving  rock  phosphate.  The  lack  of  response  to  these  treat- 
ments was  due  to  the  overdose  of  fertilizers  applied  in  1913,  1914, 
1915,  and  to  the  unsatisfactory  drainage  on  this  series. 

Series  C  was  still  suffering  from  an  overdose  of  fertilizer  and  no 
discussion  of  the  results  seemed  to  be  practical. 

An.  inspection  of  the  plots  on  Savannah  bottom  in  the  spring  of 
1918  indicated  that  the  residual  plant-food  of  the  old  treatments  was 
ineflfective  and  that  the  plots  were  back  into  nearly  normal  condition. 
New  treatments,  as  far  as  possible  within  the  needs  of  the  cranberry 
plant,  were  thought  desirable.  In  general,  the  amount  of  nitrogen  and 
phosphoric  acid  used  in  the  former  treatment  was  reduced  50  per  cent 
and  the  potash  was  eliminated  entirely. 

On  mud  and  iron  ore  bottoms  the  residual  plant-food  in  the  treated 
plots  was  too  great  to  allow  thought  of  new  treatment.  Accordingly, 
they  were  allowed  to  go  untreated  another  year. 

The  treatments  made  on  Savannah  bottom  during  1918  are  given 
in  table  2. 

TABLE  2 

Treatments  on  Savannah  Bottom   (Series  A),  1018 


Plot     1. 

7  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda. 

Plot    2. 

Nothing. 

Plot    3. 

5  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate. 

Plot    4. 

Nothing. 

Plot    5. 

10  lbs.  dried  blood. 

Plot    6. 

Nothing. 

Plot    7. 

15  lbs.  cottonseed  meal. 

Plot    8. 

Nothing. 

Plot    9. 

7  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda.  121^  Iba.  acid  phosphate. 

Plot  10. 

Nothing. 

Plot  11. 

5  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate,  12^  lbs.  acid  phosphate. 

Plot  12. 

Nothing. 

Plot  13. 

10  lbs.  dried  blood,  12%  lbs.  acid  phosphate. 

Plot  14. 

Nothing. 

Plot  15 

15  lbs.  cottonseed  meal,  12%  lbs.  acid  phospITate. 

Plot  16. 

Nothing. 

Plot  17. 

12%  lbs.  acid  phosphate. 

Plot  18. 

Nothing. 

Plot  19. 

12%  lbs.  basic  slag. 

Plot  20. 

Nothing. 

Plot  21. 

7%  lbs.  rock  phosphate. 

Plot  22. 

Nothing. 

Plot  23. 

7%  lbs.  steamed  bone. 

Plot  24. 

Nothing. 

Plot  25. 

15  lbs.  bone  meal    (2-30).  5  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate. 

Plot  26. 

Nothing. 

Plot  27. 

12%  lbs.  basic  slag,  7  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda. 

Plot  28. 

Nothing. 

Plot  29. 

7%  lbs.  phosphate  rock,  5  lbs.  ammonium  snlfate. 

Plot  80. 

Nothing. 

PJot  31. 

7%  lbs.  phosphate  rock,  5  lbs.  ammonium  8ulfat«». 

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452     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Plot  32. 

Nothing. 

Plot  33. 

Nothing. 

Plot  34. 

Nothing. 

Plot  35. 

Nothing. 

Plot  36. 

Nothing. 

Plot  37. 

Nothing. 

Plot  3a 

Nothing. 

Plot  39. 

7  lbs.  sodium  nitrate,  12^^  lbs.  acid  phosphate. 

Plot  40. 

Nothing. 

Plot  41. 

7  lbs.  sodium  nitrate,  12%  lbs.  acid  phosphate. 

Plot  42. 

Nothing. 

The  crop  on  series  A,  B  afid  C,  located  at  Whitesbog,  was  harvested 
under  the  writer^s  direction  and  the  berries  weighed  in  the  field. 
Series  E,  located  at  Belle  Plain,  was  harvested  and  weighed  by  Mr. 
Durell,  who  kindly  sent  the  figures  to  the  writer.  The  results  are 
given  in  table  3. 

The  total  yield  on  series  A  was  much  lower  in  1918  than  usual. 
The  weather,  probably  through  dryness,  has  cut  the  crop  on  all  the 
high-lying  Savannah  bogs  in  this  section,  and  this  series  has  suffered 
a  deficit  on  this  account.  The  treatments  were  applied  on  June  18 
and  19,  which  is  somewhat  late  for  the  full  benefit  to  affect  the  crop 
of  1918.  The  cranberry  girdler  was  more  serious  this  year  than  last, 
its  effect  showing  on  plots  25,  27,  29,  and  31.  On  the  other  plots  the 
difference  in  yield  seems  to  have  been  caused  by  a  difference  in  plant- 
food. 

The  increased  total  yield  on  series  B  was  due  to  the  diminishing  of 
the  plant-food  excess  and  to  the  improving  of  the  drainage  on  this  part 
of  the  bog. 

Series  C  was  recovering  from  an  overdose  of  fertilizer  applied  in 
1913,  1914  and  1915,  and  it  produced  a  fair  crop,  especially  on  the 
treated  plots. 

Six  Years  of  Treatments  on  Savannah  Bottom 

The  clear  way  in  which  to  show  the  best  source  of  plant-food  is  to 
bring  together  the  results  of  treating  the  same  plots  for  the  period  of 
years  that  it  has  been  under  cultivation.  The  series  on  Savannah 
bottom  has  responded  so  regularly  to  treatments  that  it  is  of  value  for 
this  study.  The  percentage  of  gain  of  the  plots  treated  with  nitrogen 
carriers  over  contiguous  untreated  plots  is  brought  together  in  table 
4.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  treatments  were  of  a  size  to  make 
40  pounds  of  nitrogen  to  the  acre  in  1913,  1914  and  1915,  and  20 
pounds  to  the  acre  in  1918. 

This  table  shows  that  dried  blood  and  cottonseed  meal  are  excellent 
carriers  of  nitrogen.  Nitrate  of  soda  seems  to  have  invigorated  the 
plants  so  that  they  have  used  up  the  other  plant-foods,  leaving  nitro- 
gen no  longer  a  limiting  factor.  Ammonium  sulfate,  when  used  alone, 
has  certainly  proved  useless  as  a  fertilizer  on  the  Savannah  bottom 
cranberry  bog. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


453 


TABLE  3 
Yields  of  Plots  in  1918 


FERTILIZER  TREATMJ3NT 
1913,  1914.  1915 


Series  A 

Savannah 

Bottom 


lbs. 
53.5 
74 
47 

58 

82 

01.5 

70.5 

53 


14  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda 

!     Notb,in8;    

j     10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate   . 

NotliinR    

I     20  lbs.  dried  blood 

i     Nothinsj    

;     30  lbs.  cottonseed   meal    . . . 

j     Notliiusf    

f  14  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda 

10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash . . 

25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   

Nothinp    i  105 

10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate.  .  1 
10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash . .  [ 

I  [  25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   J 

Nothing    

i  r  20  lbs.  dried   blood    1 

\\  10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash..  > 

i  [  25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   J 

Nothing    

I  r  30  lbs.  cottonseed   meal    ...  1 

I  \  10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash. .  j^ 

I  [  25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   J 

1     Nothing    

I     25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   

Nothing    

•     25  lbs.  basic  slag 

'     Nothing    

'     15  lbs.   rock  phosphate    

I     Nothing    i     JJl 

15  lbs.  steamed  bone   7(5 

'     Nothing    

{30  lbs.  bone  meal  
10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash . . 
10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate.. 

I     Nothing    

I  r  25  lbs.  basic  slag    

I  \  10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash.  . 
I  [  14  lbs.  nitrate  of  soda   .... 


% 
—28 

^29 

+  37 

4^33 


101     1+28 
I 


75.51—15 


Series  B 

Mud 
Bottom 


O 

> 

o 

a 
'5 
O 

% 

259.51  —7 
279 
242 
198 
249 
212 
315 
292 


2 
'Z 

lbs. 


Series  D 

Iron  Ore 

Bottom 


ja 

hi 

o 

o 
'3 

O 


Series  E 

Mud 
Bottom 


2 


+  1 

'+21 

I.... 
'+25 


o 

g 
*5 

O 


lbs.      %    ;    lbs.        % 
347    +27    74.75    +54 

273 48.5 

271    -^2fi    39.251  —18 

1591 44       ' 

470|+185j  60       \      +^ 
171! 73       I 


325 

2851 . 


-421  77.251 

...|  77       !• 


+3 


378!    +01105       I     — G 


I 


343.5+10 

301     1 i  234 '145.75' 

i         i  ■   I           ■             i 

357      4-2(t'  370    +951  59.751  —48 


3     ! !  2(U 


1(;5 


.    83.751 

II  =         '         I  I     ■         I 

78. .-I   +11  300.51+371  3«>0!+140l  89.75'  290* 


82. 


I 


305 


131  . 


23       |. 


40.;V— 30  .304.5 +20'  395    +25'  C2.5  '  — >35 

i     I       I     '     '      :       I 

70.5' I  315.5' I  497 '140       I 

57     |„20'  459.5  +301  392!  —21    03.75    — 4>0 

71.5' I  352.5' !  497 140       I 

59.5'   +51  311.5—111  031     +301153.751  —11 

42  ' !  372.5! 430 19$   ' 

no. 5  +101  412  '  +  13  307!  -12307.75'  +45 

.1  .350  I 400 '21H.75I 


'+20 


431. 5' +411  417    +181255.25       +1 
250     1 I  300' 213.50 


72.51-^38    153.5—2.3'  241'  —20  397.5  I    -^20 


49.5'....'  199 


. ..;  301' 118.75 


G8.5I— 54|  220.5+571  43^1   +37'113.75    +02 

I     I       !     I     ;      I       i 


♦Series  B.  plot  13,  is  contiguous  to  and  compared  with  14  only. 


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454 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTUBAL  COLLEGE 


TABLE  a— (Gontinaed) 
Yields  of  Plots  in  1918 


FERTILIZER  TREATMENT 
1913.  1914.  1915 

Series  A 

Savannah 

Bottom 

Series  B 

Mud 
Bottom 

Series  D 

Iron  Ore 

Bottom 

Series  E 

Mod 
Bottom 

1 

% 

E 

(0 

1 

o 

1 

a 

s 

1 

I 

a 
O 

1 

BO 

1 

.1 

a 

•a 

c 

no 

B 
M 

u 
> 

c 

a 
O 

28 

NothinflT 

lbs. 
148 

39 

112.5 

60 

105 
86 

70.5 
65 

67.5 
57.5 
79 

145 

68.5 

64.5 

64 

% 
—42 

'—2 

+4 

—22 

+96 
—3 

lbs. 
8.5 

170 

303.3 

327.5 

216 

257.5 

265 

253 

317.5 

336.5 

292.5 

366 

218 

388 

215.5 

% 
—11 

+26 

'+7 
—13 
+10 

+43 
+14 

lbs. 
342 

372 

413 

450 

164 
286 
327 
383 
402 
387 
381 

424 

510 

528 

193 

% 
— 1 

+66 
'^ 

'lis 

—9 
+50 

lbs. 
22 

84 

159.5 

209 

208.25 

308.25 

354.75 

290.5 

291 

% 

29 
30 

r  15  lbs.  rock  phosphate  ....  1 
10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash..  V 

[  10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate . .  J 
Nothing 

— j 

31 

32 

r  15  lbs.  steamed  bone    ' 

•  10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash.. 
1  10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate.. 
Nothdnir    

^( 

33 
84 

10  lbs.  muriate  of  potash  ... 
NothinflT 

+: 

35 
36 

10  lbs.  sulfate  of  potash   .... 
Nothing   

-11 

37 

42  lbs.  kainit   

215.75    -i-S 

38 

Notbine 

137.251 

39 
40 

r  10  lbs.  sulfate  of  potash. . . 
•  25  lbs.  acid  phosphate   ....    - 
[  10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate. .  J 
Nothing 

194.25 
156 

-x 

41 
42 

[42  lbs.  kainit   ] 

•  25  lbs.  acid  phosphate  ....!• 
10  lbs.  ammonium  sulfate. .  J 
Nothing   

131.75 
181.5  ' 

-ir 

TABLE  4 
Percentage  Gain  of  Plots  Treated  with  Nitrogen  on  Savannah  Bottom 


YEAR 

Nitrate   of 
Soda 

Ammonium 
Sulfate 

Dried 
Blood 

Cottonseed 
Meal 

1013    

per  cent 
+24 
—8 
-^lOO 
+  13 
—8 
—28 
+  17 

per  cent 

+5 
—18 
+  31 

+  1 
-45 
—29 

—9 

per  cent 

—5 

+2 

+108 

+27 

+23 

+37 

+32 

per  cent 
+10 

1914    

1915    

—6 

+84 

191G    

+18 

1917    

+^ 

1918    

+83 

Average    .... 

+30 

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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


455 


Table  5  is  a  parallel  study  showing  the  percentage  gain  of  the  plots 
treated  with  phosphoric  add  carriers  over  contiguous  untreated  plots. 
Treatments  of  80  pounds  of  phosphoric  acid  to  the  acre  were  made  in 
1913,  1914,  and  1915,  and  40  pounds  to  the  acre  in  1918. 

TABLE  5 
Percentage  Gain  of  Plots  Treated  with  Phosphoric  Acid  on  Savannah  Bottom 


YEAR 

Acid 
Phosphate 

Basic 

Slag 

Rock 
Phosphate 

Steamed  • 
Bone 

1913    

per  cent 
+1 
.        +10 
+56 
+  82 
+  15 
—20 
+24 

per  cent 
+14    • 
+16 

+46 
+  14 
+16 
+5 
+  18% 

per  cent 
—5 
+36 
+96 
+59 
+38 
+  16 
+40 

per  cent    • 
+35 
+50 
+48 
+95 
+17 

1914    

1915    

1916    

1917    

1918    

+20 

Average    

+44 

This  table  shows  steamed  bone  and  rock  phosphate  to  be  the  most 
satisfactory  sources  of  phosphoric  acid  for  use  on  Savannah  cran- 
berry bogs. 

The  potash  carriers  show  little  gain  in  the  treated  plots  and  a  table 
comparing  them  would  be  of  no  value. 


General  Conclusions  of  the  Plant-Food  Study 
■* 
The  following  definite  lessons  may  be  learned  from  the  results  of 
our  study  and  an  inspection  of  the  plots : 

1.  Nitrogen  and  phosphoric  acid,  either  alone  or  combined,  give 
worth-while  results  on  Savannah  bottom. 

2.  Sulfate  of  ammonia  used  alone  is  an  unsatisfactory  source  of 
nitrogen. 

3.  Phosphoric  acid  gave  worth-while  results  on  mud  and  iron  ore 
bottom. 

4.  Nitrogen  derived  from  nitrate  of  soda  gives  immediate  results, 
but  the  material  seems  to  be  used  up  in  a  few  weeks  in  a  luxuriant 
vine  growth,  while  nitrogen  derived  from  dried  blood  or  cottonseed 
meal  gives  somewhat  slower  results,  but  the  effect  seems  to  be  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  season. 

5.  Annual  applications  of  40  pounds  of  nitrogen  to  the  acre  result 
in  too  much  vine  growth. 

Soil-Acidity  Investigatioii 

The  optimum  soil  acidity  was  brought  into  question  in  1914  when 
John  H.  Voorhees,  then  in  immediate  charge  of  the  cranberry  work. 


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456    NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


TABLE  6 

Yields  on  Plots  Treated  with  Lime,  Copper  Sulfate,  Manganese  Sulfate  and 

Sulfur 


8AVANNAU   BOTFOM 


B 

o 

£ 


1       Field 
Weight 
in  Pounds 


Treatment 


1917    1918 


1  Nothing    

2  0.125  lbs.  copper  sul- 
fate     

3  Nothing   

4  0.25   lbs.   copper   sul- 
I     fate    

5  'Nothing   

c;    I). 5    lbs.    copper    sul- 

I     fate    

7  0.5     lbs.     magnesium 
I     sulfate 

8  1.0     lbs.     magnesium 

i     sulfate   1 

9  Nothing ' 

10  Nothing   

11  2  lbs.  magnesium  sul- 
!     fate    

12  4  lbs.  magnesium  sul- 
I     fate    

l.*^  10.5  lbs.  sulfur 

14  |l.O  lbs.  sulfur 

15  I  Nothing   

V\    Nothing   

17    2.0  lbs.  sulfur 

IS    4.0  lbs.  sulfur 

19  !5.0  lbs.   ground  lime- 
I     stone    

20  10.0  lbs.  ground  lime- 
'     stone    

21  Nothing   

22  Nothing   

23  ',20    lbs.    ground    lime- 

I     stone    I 

24  40    lbs.    ground    lime- 
I     stone    I 

25  2.5    lbs.    burned    lime 
2(>  '5.0   lbs.    burned    lime' 

27  'Nothing   ! 

28  'Nothing   i 

29  10.0  lbs.  burned  limej 
HO  '20.0  lbs.  burned  lime 


9.9 


2.o; 


1.15 

2.75 
2.00 

3.15 
0.50 


MUD  BOTTOM 


Treatment 


0.125  lbs.  copper  sul- 
fate     

0.25  lbs.  copper  sul- 
fate     

0.5  lbs,  copper  sul- 
fate     

NotlJng   

Nothing   

0.15    lbs.    magnesium 


Field 

Weight 

in  Pounds 


1917  1 191S 


10.3 

8.0 


7.1 


2.1|. 

1 
2 .  8| . 
7.7'. 
5.11 


2.50     9 


4.0'  2.75; 


5.3 
10.2 

7.2 

8.7 
12.9 

1.7 
00.0 

15.7 

10.01 

9.2| 
10.2] 


2.oo; 


1  sulfate 
Jl.O  lbs. 
.sulfate 
I2-.0  lbs, 
I  sulfate 
:4.0     lbs. 

I     sulfate 

INothing 

'5.0  lbs.  ground   lime- 


magnesium 


magnesiumi 


magnesium 


13 
14 


I     stone    

0.2.5   12  110. 0  lbs.  ground  lime- 

I     stone    

!20.0  lbs.  ground  lime-| 

stone    ' 

'40.0  lbs.  ground  lime-l 

I     stone    ' 

15  10.5  lbs.  sulfur : 

10    1.0  lbs.  sulfur 

17  Nothing  

18  12.0  lbs.  sulfur 

19  |4.0  lbs.  sulfur 

20  INothing   


4!75 
5.25| 
1.15' 
0.00 
i 
5.25: 

4.15 
2.00 
7.50 


I 


12.3    9.50 

8.21  0.50! 
14.0'  9.00; 
lO.O'lO.O 
13.1*  7.501 
22.2'  7.50! 
15.011.25 
11.010..')0i 


17.5 

14.5 

10.5 
5.2    10.5 
12.5   25.5 

9.11  27.5 

I 

5.9'  22.5 

f 

2.9   20.0 

12. li  29.5 
12.5   35.5 

8.5I  32.5 

I 
7.0!  29.5 

1 

10.01  35.0 

i 

12.5  49.5 

10.0  2S.0 
0.3'  13.5 

10.8  18.5 

13.71  21.0 

7.01  19.5 

15.01  22.0 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  457 

treated  plots  to  vary  the  acidity,  and  the  yield  of  the  treated  plots  has 
been  taken  Bince  that  time.  Applications  of  burned  lime  and  pulver- 
ized limestone  were  used  to  decrease  the  acidity  and  applications  of 
sulfur  were  used  to  increase  the  acidity.  Some  plots  in  the  same  series 
were  treated  with  copper  sulfate  and  some  with  manganese  sulfate; 
the  former  was  thought  to  act  as  a  stimulant  and  the  latter  as  a  plant- 
food.  Each  of  the  plots  receiving  the  treatment  was  1/200  acre  in 
area. 

The  crop  results  for  1917  and  1918  are  given  in  table  6. 

The  results  during  the  two  years  covered  by  the  table  are  practically 
the  same  as  wa?  recorded  for  the  years  1915  and  1916.  It  appears 
from  this  test  not  only  that  increasing  the  acidity  by  means  of  sulfur 
is  undesirable,  but  also  that  decreasing  it  by  means  of  lime  is  bene- 
ficial. The  plots  are  so  small  that  plant- food  is  hardly  the  only  limit- 
ing factor  and  larger  plots  were  thought  advisable. 

During  1918,  three  series  of  plots  1/20  acre  in  size,  one  on  Savan- 
nah, one  on  mud  bottom  and  one  on  iron-ore  bottom  were  laid  out  and 
treated  as  follows : 

Plot  ]— Nothing. 

Plot  2 — 1000  lbs.  ground  non-magnesium  limestone  to  the  acre. 

Plot  S — 1000  lbs.  ground  magnesium  limestone  to  the  aore. 

Plot  4 — -Nothing. 

Plot  5 — 2000  lbs.  ground  non-magnesium  limestone  to  the  acre. 

Plot  6 — 2000  lbs.  ground  magnesium  limestone  to  the  acre. 

Plot  7— Nothing. 

Plot  8 — 4000  lbs.  ground  non-magnesium  limestone  to  the  a<Te. 

Plot  0 — 4000  lbs.  ground  magnesium  limestone  to  the  acre.  . 

Plot  10— Nothing. 

The  lime  was  applied  in  the  middle  of  the  summer  and,  judging 
from  its  action  on  the  small  jAois,  we  would  expect  no  crop  difference 
until  the  second  year.  For  this  pea?on,  the  1918  crop  records  of  the 
first  year  would  ho  of  no  value  and  arc  not  included  with  tliis  paper. 


Soll-Molsture  Investigation 

The  soil-moisture  investigation  was  desi,£^ed  to  show  the  optimum 
height  of  the  water  table  in  the  cranberry  hog  in  relation  to  the  char- 
acter of  this  soil  concerned. 

The  method  is  as  follows:  By  means  of  three  rows  of  observation 
wells  extending  across  a  mud  and  Savannah  bog,  a  close  record  is  kept 
of  the  water  table,  together  with  its  weekly  variations.  The  moisture 
content  of  the  soil  at  inch  intervals  between  the  water-table  and  the 
surface  is  determined.  The  resnlt  is  recorded  on  weekly  graplis  of  tlie 
water  conditions  along  each  row  of  wells  and  it  is  correlated  with  the 
vigor  of  the  cranberry  plants  on  the  surface. 

A  large  amount  of  data  has  been  collected  during  the  past  year,  and 
as  soon  as  the  study  reaches  completion  the  results  will  be  published 
together  with  a  complete  discussion  of  them. 


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458 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Cranb€fi7  Glrdler  Control 

The  cranberry  girdler,  from  the  standpoint  of  control,  is  now  prob- 
ably the  most  serious  insect  attacking  the  cranberry  vine.  This  pest 
scarcely  if  ever  attacks  an  entire  cranberry  bog,  but  is  found  in  par- 
ticular spots  on  nearly  every  bog.  At  pres«it,  there  are  two  ways  of 
controlling  the  girdler,  one,  by  flooding,  either  holding  the  winter 
flowage  until  the  twentieth  of  July,  with  the  loss  of  the  year's  crop,  or 
harvesting  the  crop  early  and  flooding  the  bog  during  the  last  week 
in  September — the  other  by  sanding,  which  benefits  the  bog  by  cover- 
ing the  injured  runners,  giving  an  opportunity  for  new  roots,  and  if 
the  sand  is  deep  enough,  by  killing  the  girdler  before  it  is  able  to  get 
away  from  its  cocoon. 

The  control  method  in  use  gives  excellent  results  when  the  larger 
part  of  the  bog  is  infested  and  when  the  water  is  to  be  had.  However, 
it  would  be  well  worth  while  to  find  a  satisfactory  local  treatment  with 
which  we  could  kill  the  girdlers  as  soon  as  their  work  is  found,  and  it 
was  to  this  end  that  the  investigation  was  started. 

Local  treatment  of  sodium  cyanide  in  weak  solution  made  directly 
upon  the  infested  spots  was  one  method  suggested  by  Dr.  T.  J.  Head- 
lee  as  a  possible  method  of  combating  the  larvae. 

During  the  fall  of  1918,  this  larvacide  was  tested  on  small  plots, 
each  containing  25  square  feet.  The  treatments  and  the  results  are 
given  in  table  7. 

TABLE  7  ^ 

Treatments  of  Sodium  Cyanide  and  Results  on  Cranberry  Girdler 


Plot 
Number 


Treatment 


Result 


7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 


2  ounces  NaCN  diluted  in  50  gallons  of  water. . . 

1  ounce  NaCN  diluted  in  25  gallons  of  water. . . . 

%  ounce  CaCN  diluted  in  18%  gallons  of  water.. 

^  ounce  NaCN  diluted  in  12%  gallons  of  water -[ 
14  ounce  NaCN  diluted  in  3%  gallons  of  water. 


Nothing 


%  ounce  NaCN  diluted  in  3%  gallons  of  water. . . 
Nothing     : . . 

1  ounce  NaCN  diluted  in  50  gallons  of  water. . . . 

1  ounce  NaCN  diluted  in  18%  gallons  of  water. . 

1  ounce  NaCN  diluted  in  12%  gallons  of  water-! 
1  ounce  NaCN  diluted  in  0^4  gallons  of  water. .. 


0  lary»  found 

0  larve  found 

1  larva  dead 
live  larva 
live  cocoon 
dead  larva 
live  larre 
live  cocoons 
dead   larva 
live  larve 
live  cocoons 
larvsB 
cocoon 
larv© 
dead  larva 
live  larvs 
larvn  dead 
live   larva 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  459 

The  treatment  was  put  on  so  late  that  some  of  the  larvae  had  made 
cocoons  and  of  course  the  treatments  did  not  aflfect  them.  However, 
the  results  show  that  there  were  no  live  larvas  found  on  plots  receiv- 
ing %  ounce  of  sodium  cyanide  diluted  in  18%  gallons  of  water  or 
any  larger  dose. 

The  effect  of  the  cyanide  solution  on  the  cranberry  plant  was  tested 
in  another  portion  of  the  same  bog.  The  same  treatments  that  were 
applied  were  repeated  during  the  fall,  and  this  spring  the  vines  on  the 
treated  plots  were  even  more  vigorous  than  the  untreated  portions. 
This  may  be  due  either  to  the  added  stimulus  caused  by  killing  some 
pest,  or  it  may  be  due  to  some  of  the  nitrogen  in  the  cyanide  changing 
from  the  gas  form  over  into  a  form  that  could  be  used  by  the  plant. 

The  preliminary  work  relating  to  this  method  has  been  so  successful 
that  larger  plots  will  be  tried  in  1919,  and  it  is  hoped  that  practical 
methods  of  application  will  be  worked  out  by  that  time. 


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REPORT  OF  MOSQUITO  WORK 

Thomas  J.  Headleb 

MiTCHEL  CaBROLL 

INTRODUCTION 

The  attention  of  the  entomologist  and  executive  oflSeer  and  staff  has 
been  devoted  £o :  ( 1 )  ditching  salt  marsh  through  the  medium  of  con- 
tracts up  to  the  limit  of  funds  available  under  terms  of  Chapter  134, 
Laws  of.  1906;  (2)  the  study  or  survey  of  salt  marshes  with  a  view 
to  later  work;  (3)  the  furnishing  of  plans  and  giving  information  re- 
quested by  boards  of  health,  mosquito  commissions,  and  other  organi- 
zations and  individuals.  In  this  work  he  has  been  assisted  as  set  forth 
in  the  beginning  of  this  annual  report. 


SALT-MARSH  DRAINAGE  WORK 
Station's  Ditching 

During  the  year  ending  July  31,  1918,  one  contract  for  275,862 
feet  (100,000  feet  of  ditches  10  inches  wide  by  15  inches  deep  and 
175,862  feet  of  ditches  10  inches  wide  and  26  inches  deep)  let  in  the 
fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1918.  to  the  United  States  Drainage  and 
Ini<^ation  Company  at  $9,600,  was  completed.  The  high  price,  com- 
pared witli  previous  years,  was  due  to  the  increased  cost  of  labor  and 
materials  caused  by  the  war. 

Two  areas  to  he  drained  were  included  in  this  contract.  One  eom- 
])rised  the  mosquito-breeding  salt  marshes  on  Long  Beach,  in  Ocean 
County,  between  Bamegat  Inlet  on  the  north  and  Surf  City  on  the 
south.  In  this  area  there  were  cut  100,000  linear  feet  of  ditches  10 
inches  v.ide  by  3  5  inches  d^^ep,  or  their  equivalent,  and  37,931  linear 
feet  of  ditches  10  inclios  wide  and  26  inches  deep,  or  their  equivalent. 
This  work  was  completed  almiit  Aiii]^ust  1,  1918.  The  area  proved  a 
(liRictilt  one  to  drain  properly.  Much  of  the  breeding  territory  is  com- 
posed of  «mall  marshes,  known  locally  as  "glades,"  located  among  the 
«^and  liills.  As  the  sod  is  only  from  10  to  15  inche^^  deep  over  much 
of  the  area,  the  drains  had  to  be  paced  closer  together  than  is  custo- 
mary on  the  typical  salt  marsh  with  a  25  or  30-inch  sod.  This  fact, 
together  with  the  necessity  of  cutting  through  low  sand  ridges,  used 
up  more  footajxe  than  was  anticipated.  Another  circumstance  which 
makes  this  ])each  a  dilTicult  and  expi^'nsive  drainage  proposition  is  the 
impossibility  of  finding  good  outlets  for  the  ditches.  The  bay  shore 
is  almost  everywhere  very  ^hallow  and  outlets  fill  up  quickly  with 
sand  and  seaweed.  It  is  estimated  that  about  100,000  linear  feet  of 
ditching  is  still  necessary  to  eliminate  mosquito  breeding  on  this  beach 
and  adjacent  islands. 

(460) 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  461 

The  second  area  included  in  the  above  contract  was  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Beesley^s  Point,  in  Cape  May  County.  The  area  drained 
lies  between  Schooner  Creek  and  Willis  Thorofare,  and  between  the 
Tuckahoe  River  and  the  upland.  This  is  typical  salt  marsh  with  a 
sod  30  inches  thick.  In  many  places,  particularly  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  two  so-called  islands,  it  was  full  of  salt  holes  in  which  larvae 
swarmed.  The  marshes  were  considerably  cut  up,  too,  by  old  farmers' 
ditches  which  it  was  found  necessary  to  recut.  Work  was  started  on 
this  marsh  about  August  1,  1918,  and  was  completed  toward  the 
latter  part  of  September,  1918.  In  this  area,  137,931  linear  feet  of 
ditches  10  inches  wide  and  30  inches  deep,  or  their  equivalent,  were 
dug. 

It  should  be  noted  that  this  work  began  at  the  point  where  the 
previous  year's  work  ended.  Schooner  Creek.  It  is  another  step 
toward  the  completion  of  the  drainage  of  the  extensive  marshes  along 
the  south  side  of  the  Tuckahoe  River.  From  this  area  broods  are 
thrown  off  which  migrate  far  inland  to  the  west,  and  "which  some- 
times invade  Ocean  City  and  Atlantic  City  to  the  east  and  northeast. 

At  the  request  of  the  Ocean  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Com- 
mission, which  promised  to  take  over  and  complete  the  drainage  sys- 
the  summer  of  1918,  and  as  a  result  of  the  demands  of  residents  of 
Seaside  Park,  it  was  decided  to  imdertake  the  drainage  of  the  mos- 
quito-breeding marshes  on  Island  Beach,  in  Ocean  County,  north  of 
Bamegat  Inlet.  On  June  17,  1919,  a  contract  for  74,074  feet  was 
let  to  Eaton,  Brown  and  Simpson,  Inc.  It  is  hoped  that  the  lower 
unit  cost  of  this  ditching,  as  compared  with  that  done  in  1918,  is  an 
indication  of  a  return  to  normal  conditions  after  the  high  prices  paid 
for  this  kind  of  work  during  the  war. 

Work  on  this  contract  started  the  tenth  of  the  present  month 
(July,  1919).  This  area,  hke  that  on  Long  Beach  to  the  south,  con- 
sists for  the  most  part  of  marshes  (many  surrounded  by  sand  hills) 
on  which  the  sod  is  not  more  than  10  or  15  inches  deep.  On  these 
tern  installed  by  the  station  on  the  north  end  of  Long  Beach  during 
parallel  ditches  will  be  run  at  75-foot  intervals.  The  question  of 
outlets,  as  on  most  of  the  beach  bordering  Bamegat  Bay,  is  here  a 
serious  one.  To  reduce  the  cost  of  maintenance,  as  few  outlets  as 
possible  will  be  used. 

It  was  unfortunate  that  the  ditching  on  Island  Beach  could  not 
be  completed  in  time  to  prevent  the  emergence  of  a  considerable  brood 
of  mosquitoes  about  July  12. 

Present  Status  of  Salt-Marsh  Drainage 

On  October  31,  1918  (when  the  last  county  reports  were  received), 
the  condition  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquito  control  work  throughout 
the  state  could  have  been  summarized  as  follows :  Mosquito  breeding 
had  been  eliminated,  subject  to  upkeep  of  ditches,  dikes,  tide-gates, 
and  pumps,  on  some  96,000  acres  of  salt  marsh.     To  drain  these 


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462     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


TABLB  1 
Status  of  SaU-Marsh  Drainage  in  New  Jersey,  January  1.  1010 


COUNTY 

Total  Area 

Drained  or  Not 

in  Need  of 

Draining 

Undrained 

Hudson 

Acres 

11.468 

8,378 

4,631 

4,413 

8,190 

3,378 

40,400 

53,325 

53,638 

52,661 

Per  cent 
62 
70 
100 
02 
54 
07 
68 
61 
38 
4 

Per  cent 
38 

Bergen 

30 

Essex 

Union 

8 

Middlesex 

46 

Monmouth 

3 

Ocean 

32 

Atlantic 

39 

Cape  May 

62 

Cumberland 

06 

TABLB  2 
Salt-Marsh  Ditching  in  New  Jersey  for  the  Year  Ending  October  31.  1918 


County  Commission 
Ditching 

Expenment  Station 
Ditching 

COUNTY 

Number  of 
Feet  Cut 

Number  of 

Feet 

Cleaned 

Number  of 
Feet  Cut 

Number  of 

Feet 

Cleaned 

Hudson 

9,665 

22,500 

10,005 

1,500 

35.051 

7,000 

360,007 

305,003 

161,470 

74,605 

8,957 

475,737 

425,000 

335,000 

696,789 

1,606,520 

5,500,000 

977,562 

Bergen 

Essex 

Union 

1  • 

Middlesex* 

Monmouth 

Ocean 

137,931 

Atlantic 

CaDe  MaT 

137.931 

Total 

912.390 

10.099,170 

275.862 

Experiment    Station    Ditching    275.862  ft. 

County  Commission  Ditching   912,390  ft 

Total    I.:l88,252  ft 


♦(In  addition  to  th^e  above  various  corporations,  in  cooperation  with  the 
Middlesex  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission,  installed  10,000  feet 
of  new  salt-marsh  ditching  and  cleaned  252.500  feet  of  old  ditching  on  the 
Middlesex  County  Marshes.) 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPOBT. 


463 


96,000  acres  suflSciently  to  prevent  breeding  there  had  been  cut 
13,037,975  linear  feet  of  ditches  10  inches  wide  and  30  inches  deep, 
or  their  equivalent;  182  miles  of  dike,  and  81  sluices  and  tide-gates 
had  been  built,  and  one  4,  one  6  and  one  12-inch  ceiitrifugal  pump 
had  been  installed.  Since  January  1,  1919,  three  more  sluices  and 
tide-gates  have  been  completed,  making  the  total  number  of  gates  80, 
with  altogether  932  square  feet  of  cross-section  outlet. 

TABLE  3 

Statement  of  Salt-Marsh  Drainage  from  the  Beginning  to  and  Including  the 

Year  1918  to  October  31 


PERIOD 


o 
< 


1 
s 


I 


Cost  to  the  State 


a 


'5  9 

U 


Administration 


5  3 

to 


Up    to 

ported 
In  1907, 
In  1908, 
In  1909, 
In  1910. 
In  1911, 
In  1912. 
In  1913, 
In  1914, 
In  1915. 
In  1916, 
In  1917. 
In  1918, 


1907,    as    re- 


as  reported. . 
as  reported. . 
as  reported . . 
as  repprted . . 
as  reported . . 
as  reported . . 
as  measured, 
as  measured, 
as  measured, 
as  measured, 
as  measured, 
as  measured, 


15.851 
10,951 
6,069 
2.672 
4,650 
8.528 
6,195 
7,174 


2,215,524 

1,505,524 

888.650 

365,800 

350,000 

712.000 

1,000,180 

1,564,842 

1,293,840 

2.685,071 

2,543.713 

2,397,869 

1,1.S8.2.>2 


$19,400.00 

15,758.00 

9,917.00 

4.471.00 

19,650.00 

21,650.00 

21,580.00 

7.533.86 

13,425.25 


$11 


,000.00 

5^.66 


4,900.00 
9,600.00 


$4,100.00 
4,242.00 
4,543.00 
2,528.00 
5,350.00 
3,350.00 
4,026.70 
5,213.65 
4,085.40 
2.378.86 
2,772.00 
9,600.00 


$4,393.30 
2,224.09 
1,500.00 
1,800.00 
2,295.81 
3,4<H.2l 


Sawmill  Creek  Tide-Gates 


Conditions  existing  for  several  years  past  in  that  area  of  the  Hack- 
ensack  V'alley  marshes  lying  between  the  l^ew  York  and  Greenwood 
Lake  Railroad  on  the  south,  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  on  the  north,  Arlington  and  North 
Arlington  on  the  west,  and  the  Hackensack  River  on  the  east,  made  it 
evident  that  this  marsh,  shut  in  as  it  is  by  dikes  and  railroad  embank- 
ments, could  not  be  sufficiently  unwatered  effectively  to  control  mos- 
quito breeding  except  by  the  construction  of  new  tide-gates  at  the 
mouth  of  Sawmill  Creek.  The  old  gates  installed  by  the  Newark 
Meadows  Improvement  Co.,  some  thirty-five  or  forty  years  age,  had 
disintegrated  to  such  an  extent  as  to  be  practically  functionless  and 
beyond  repair. 


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464 


NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


TABLE  4 

Statement  of  the  Salt-Marsh  Drainage  Work  Don«  by  the  State  Experiment 
Station  and  the  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commissions  to  October 
81,  1918 


DATE 


Experiment  Station 
Ditching 


Number  of 
Feet  Cut 


Number  of 

Feet 

Cleaned 


County  Commission 
Ditching 


Number  of 
B'eet  Cut 


Number  of 

Feet 

Cleaned 


1912. 
1913. 

1914. 
1915. 
1916. 
1917. 
1918. 


Totals. 


1,036,180*;, 
689,842 

321.601 
713,823  I 
None 
221,492 

275,862 


Minimum 
amount 
None 
None ' 
None 
None 
None 


3.258,800   9,779,175 


239,800 

870.365 
1,057.167 
1,971.248*» 
2.542.713 
2.176.492 

912,390 


470,000 

1300.000 
919,000 


10,099.170 


I 


Total  Experiment  Station  Ditching   3,258,800  ft 

Total  County  Commission  Ditching   9,779,175  ft 


Grand  Total   13,037.975  ft 


^Maximum  figures,  probably  25  per  cent  too  high. 
♦♦In  1916  the  practice  of  going  over  every  foot  of  the  entire  system  obtained. 

As  Sawmill  Creek  forms  the  boundary  between  Bergen  and  Hudson 
counties,  the  cbnstruction  of  the  new  gates  necessarily  had  to  be  a 
joint  project  of  the  mosquito  commissions  of  these  counties.  Since 
the  waste  from  the  Arlington  works  of  E.  I.  Du  Pont  de  Xemours  and 
Company  is  run  oflf  into  Sawmill  Creek  it  was  thought  proper  to  ask 
this  company  to  bear  part  of  the  expense  of  installing  the  sluices  and 
gates.  Accordingly,  Mr.  Wm.  Delaney,  superintendent  of  the  Hudson 
County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission,  and  the  entomologist 
met  with  representatives  of  the  above  company  and  explained  to  them 
the  necessity  for  the  improvement.  After  the  plans  and  specifications 
prepared  by  Charles  S.  Beckwith  had  been  approved  by  its  engineers, 
the  Du  Pont  Company  agreed  to  subscribe  one-half  the  cost  of  the 
sluices  and  gates  up  to  the  amount  of  $1,500  One-fourth  of  the  cost 
was  to  be  borne  by  the  Bergen  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Com- 
mission and  one- fourth  by  the  Hudson  County  Mosquito  Extermina- 
tion Commission.  This  department  agreed  to  furnish  the  necessary 
supervision.    It  was  estimated  the  project  would  cost  about  $3,000. 

Charles  S.  Beckwith  was  placed  in  charge.  He  began  work  January 
14,  1910,  and  completed  the  installation  of  tlie  gates  about  the  middle 
of  April  for  a  little  over  $2,900.  The  lowest  figure  bid  by  contractors 
was  in  the  neighborhood  of  $5,000.  Mr.  Beckwith's  report  is  given 
below : 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  465 

CoBBtractloii  of  the  SawmHl  Creek  Sluices  and  Tide  Gates 

Chables  S.  Beckwith 

During  August,  1918,  at  the  request  of  Dr.  Headlee,  the  writer  pre- 
pared plans  and  specifications  of  automatic  sluice  gates  for  the  mouth 
of  Sawmill  Creek.  The  proposed  work  was  to  supersede  an  old  gate 
located  near  the  same  place,  but  out  of  repair  and  too  small  properly 
to  drain  the  area  served.  The  purpose  of  the  work  Was  further  to  im- 
j)rc>ve  the  sanitary  conditions  on  the  "Kingsland  Area"  by  removing 
water  in  which  mosquitoes  might  breed. 

In  planning  tidal  marsh  drainage  by  automatic  sluice  gates,  there 
are  three  points  that  must  be  determined:  first,  the  cross  section 
necessary  to  carry  the  water;  second,  the  location  of  the  proposed 
structure,  and  third,  the  height  of  the  sluice  floor  with  reference  to 
local  tides.     Each  discussed  below. 

Cross  Section 

In  designing  sluices,  it  is  necessary  to  know  how  much  water  must 
he  removed  and  at  what  rate.  Fortunately,  we  have  a  large  amount 
of  data  already  collected  relating  to  this  particular  area.  C.  C.  Ver- 
meule,  after  working  on  plans  for  agricultural  improvement,  published 
a  report  entitled  "The  Drainage  of  the  Hackensack  and  Newark  Tide- 
nnarshes,"  which  appeared  in  the  annual  report  of  the  state  geologist 
for  the  year  1896. 

The  author  brings  out  three  points  of  interest  at  present: 

1.  One  square  foot  of  orifice  should  be  provided  for  every  26  acres 
drained,  including  upland  draining  into  the  embanked  area,  if  the 
water  of  the  protected  marsh  is  never  allowed  to  rise  above  mean  sea 
level. 

2.  The  result  of  an  old  attempt  to  drain  the  Kingsland  Area  has 
been  a  drying  and  shrinking  of  the  marsh  so  that  it  is  3  feet  lower 
than  normal  at  the  upland.  The  level  of  this  point  of  the  marsh  at 
present  is  practically  at  mean  sea  level. 

3.  The  daily  amount  of  drainage  is  also  given  during  each  month 
of  the  average  year,  to  which  has  been  added  a  column  showing  the 
length  of  the  mosquito  larval  period  during  each  month  of  the  average 
year: 

Average  Amount 

of  Drainaj^e  Average   Length 

Gallons  Per  of  larval  Life 

Acre  Daily  in  Day3 

January    2,580  No  larva  present 

February    2,590  No  larvae   present 

March    2,110  No  larva*  present 

30 


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466     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

April   2,110  30 

Mav    1,730  15 

June    1,200  10 

July     770  8 

August    690  8 

September 730  9 

October    850  15 

November  1,440  25 

December    2,210              No   larvs  present 

For  tlie  purpope  of  mosquito  extermination,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
maintain  the  water-table  constantly  below  the  marsh  surface,  but  it 
is  imperative  that  the  marsh  be  dried  at  least  once  during  the  time  re- 
quired for  the  development  of  each  brood  of  the  mosquito  larvae.  As 
there  are  no  mosquito  larvae  present  during  the  winter  months,  the 
large  amount  of  precipitation  during  December,  January,  February 
and  Mai  eh  i«  not  of  pressing  importance.  The  marsh  should  be  dry 
by  the  last  of  April  and  then  be  dry  either  continuously  or  at  least  once 
a  week  from  then  on  until  the  end  of  November. 

If  one  square  foot  of  orifice  will  keep  the  water  from  26  acres  below 
mean  tide  all  the  time,  we  may  safely  assume  that  one  square  foot  of 
orifice  will  keep  the  water  from  forty  acres  below  mean  tide  at  least 
once  a  week  during  the  mosquito-breeding  season.  The  water^s  drop- 
ping below  mean  tide  will  dry  the  Kingsland  Area  to  its  lowest  parts, 
that  portion  adjacent  to  the  upland-  The  figure  given  has  a  large 
margin  of  safety,  so  that  the  marsh  will  be  dry  practically  all  the 
time,  but  this  explanation  is  given  so  that  undue  criticism  may  not 
be  made  of  the  tide-gates  if  the  water  stands  on  the  surface  for  a 
short  period. 

Included  in  the  Kingsland  Area  (that  land  draining  into  the  Hack- 
ensack  River  from  the  west  between  the  Boonton  Branch  of  the  Dela- 
ware, Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  and  the  New  York  and 
Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie  Railroad),  there  are  2,500  acres 
of  marsh  land  and  600  acres  of  upland.  In  addition  to  the  above,  ii 
is  safe  to  allow  500  acres  for  the  sewage  and  trade  waste  that  may  be 
run  on  this  area.  The  total  is  3,600  acres.  At  the  rate  of  one  square 
foot  to  every  40  acres,  this  would  require  90  square  feet  of  orifiee. 

In  1915,  two  gates  having  a  total  orifice  of  36  square  feet  were  in- 
stalled in  this  area  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kingsland  Area.  This  amount 
may  be  subtracted  from  the  total  of  90  feet,  which  would  leave  54 
square  feet  of  orifice  for  the  Sawmill  Creek  gates. 


Location  of  the  Sluice  Gaie 

The  soundings  through  the  mud  at  the  mouth  of  Sawmill  Creek 
show  a  peculiar  condition.  Blue  clay  was  found  in  an  even  layer  at 
the  depth  of  10  feet  for  a  distance  of  28  feet  north  of  the  old  unused 
sluice  box,  and  then  just  beyond  a  turn,  in  the  dike  the  blue  chiy  be- 
came too  low  for  the  length  of  the  sounding  rod.    Old  residents  say 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  4«7 

that  the  mouth  of  the  creek  was  located  at  this  northerly  point  before 
the  dike  was  built>  and  that  the  sluice  boxes  were  built  in  a  dry  hole 
south  of  the  original  outlet.  As  the  sluice  boxes  were  opened,  the  old 
outlet  was  blocked  off  and  the  front  naturally  filled  with  silt,  leaving 
the  present  condition. 

The  28  feet  intervening  between  the  old  sluice  and  the  turn  in  the 
dike  furnishes  an  excellent  location  for  the  new  structure.  The  mud 
at  the  surface  has  been  replaced  largely  by  the  clay  of  the  dike,  while 
the  natural  strata  below  are  very  firm.  The  hard  clay  is  one  of  the 
best  materials  for  holding  sheet  piling. 

As  a  result  of  the  soundings,  the  new  tide-gate  was  planned  for  the 
place  just  north  of  the  unused  sluice  at  the  mouth  of  Sawmill  Creek. 


Height  of  the  Sluice  Floor 

The  correct  height  of  the  sluice  floor  is  of  obvious  importance.  The 
watf^r  on  tho  embanked  area  can  drop  no  lower  than  the  floor  of  the 
sluice,  and  when  it  is  placed  too  high,  it  acts  as  a  dam,  holding  in  the 
water  which  should  be  running  out. 

There  are  two  advantages  in  placing  the  sluice  floor  relatively  high 
(floor  at  mean  low  tide) — (1)  the  sluices  are  cheaper  to  install,  and 
(2)  they  are  cheaper  to  repair.  These  two  points  need  no  other  dis- 
cussion than  to  remind  one  that  the  tide  often  drops  below  mean  low 
tide  and  stays  there  as  long  as  two  hours.  By  carefully  studying  the 
weather,  one  may  plan  repairs  to  come  at  such  a  time  and  get  along 
without  the  use  of  a  cofferdam. 

There  are  two  advantages  in  placing  the  sluices  relatively  low  (floor 
one  or  more  feet  below  mean  low  tide) — (1)  they  deliver  more  water 
for  a  given  orifice,  and  (2)  they  suffer  less  from  ice  injury. 

When  the  tide  drops  below  mean  low  tide,  both  the  cross-section 
and  the  head  of  the  stream  is  greater  as  the  floor  is  lower.  The  ca- 
pacity estimates  given  above  anticipate  a  gate  constructed  with  a  low 
sluice  floor. 

Ice  injury  may  be  serious  in  the  case  of  a  high  sluice,  but  in  this 
climate  there  is  no  chance  for  ice  to  form  in  sluices  so  low  that  tliey 
are  submerged  at  least  once  a  day. 

The  advantages  favor  the  lower  sluice.  The  set  at  Sawmill  Creek 
was  planned  for  18  inches  below  local  mean  low  tide,  which  is  about 
4  inches  below  the  lowest  observed  tide. 

The  plans  and  specifications,  drawn  up  with  special  reference  to  the 
above-mentioned  points,  are  appended. 


SpecificcUions 

1.  All  sluices  must  have  an  inside  measurement  of  6  by  3  feet  and 
shall  be  built  of  3-inch  tongued-and-grooved  North  Carolina  pine,  free 
from  knots  or  serious  blemish;  they  shall  not  be  shorter  than  17^  feet 


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468     NEW  JEBSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

and  shall  extend  from  the  outside  of  the  dike  facing  back  under  the 
dike.  These  boxes  shall  be  stiffened  with  4  by  4:-inch  ribs  on  side  and 
4  by  6-inch  on  top  and  bottom  bolted  at  each  comer  with  a  %-inch 
bolt  properly  wa&hered  and  drawn  up  with  a  satisfactory  nut.  These 
ribs  shall  be  placed  around  the  outside  of  the  box,  fitting  it  closely  at 
distance?  of  2  feet  apart.  The  first  and  last  shall  be  made  flush  with 
the  ends  of  the  box.  The  planking  shall  be  firmly  spiked  to  these  ribs 
with  6-inch  galvanized  spikes. 

2.  The  dike  shall  be  faced  on  the  river  side  with  plank  piling  for 
36  feet  at  the  mouth  of  Sawmill  Creek.  This  facing  shall  consist  of 
a  row  of  3-inch  N"orth  Carolina  pine  planking,  free  frora  knots  and 
serious  blemish,  not  less  than  20  feet  long  driven  in  until  the  top 
shall  be  one  foot  below  the  level  given  for  the  top  of  the  dike.  If  the 
tops  of  the  piles  are  splintered,  split  or  broomed  by  driving,  they  shall 
be  cut  off  below  the  lowest  point  of  injury.  In  any  case  the  cut-off 
eiHl»  kiij^ll  not  be  such  as  to  make  the  length  of  pile  less  than  that  pro- 
vided. The  top  of  the  piling  shall  be  even  and  hound  together  by  run- 
ning a  3  by  6-inch  stringer  along  the  outside  and  inside  surfaces. 

Each  pile  shall  be  bound  to  this  stringer  by  a  %-inch  belt  w.iich 
shall  be  furnished  with  large  washers  and  a  suitable  nut.  The  opf:n- 
ing  foi  the  sluice  boxes  slall  be  made  closely  to  fit  the  box.  The* cut 
ends  of  the  piling  above  and  below  the  box  shall  be  bound  together 
by  3  by  6-inch  stringers  on  the  outside  and  2  by  8-inch  stringers  on 
the  inside  which  shall  extend  one  on  the  inside  and  one  on  the  out- 
side from  a  point  4  feet  beyond  one  edge  of  the  opening  to  a  point 
4  feet  beyond  the  opposite  edge  of  the  opening.  These  stringers  shall 
be  set  flush  with  the  cut  ends  of  the  piling  and  each  pile  which  they 
cover  shall  be  bound  to  them  by  a  %-inch  bolt  properly  washered 
and  fitted  with  a  nut.  The  cut  ends  of  the  piling  below  the  box  shall 
be  bound  together  in  the  fashion  above  described. 

3.  All  sluice  boxes  shall  be  laid  on  2  extra  rows  of  sheet  piling 
composed  of  3-inch  North  Carolina  pine  closely  set  together.  The 
planking  shall  be  8  feet  long  and  driven  in  until  the  top  shall  be  21 
inches  below  mean  low  tide.  The  above  provision  regarding  injury 
due  to  driving  and  its  correction  shall  be  observed  here.  Each  row 
of  this  sheet  piling  shall  extend  4  feet  each  side  of  the  sluice  boxes. 
Each  row  shall  be  bound  together  at  the  top  in  a  fashion  similar  to 
that  provided  for  the  dike  facing,  and  the  piling  at  the  sides  of  the 
boxes  shall  extend  up  through  the  stringers  one  foot  and  the  rec- 
tangle thus  formed  shall  be  made  closely  to  fit  the  boxes. 

4.  At  the  sluice  boxes  the  inner  side  of  the  dike  shall  be  protecied 
by  sheet  piling  wing-walls  made  of  3-inch  North  Carolina  pine  with- 
out serious  blemish,  20  feet  in  length  driven  in  until  the  top  is  oin- 
foot  below  the  level  of  the  dike.  The  above  provision  regarding  in- 
jury- due  to  driving  and  its  correction  shall  be  observed  here.  Tlie? 
shall  be  bound  together  at  the  top  in  the  same  fashion  as  the  dike 
facing  and  shall  extend  5  feet  each  si^e  of  the  sluice  boxes. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  469 

5.  The  river-side  of  each  sluice  box  shall  be  furnished  with  a  7  by 
4-foot  gate  made  of  tongued-and-grooved  North  Caroline  pine.  It 
shall  be  composed  of  two  layers,  the  inside  one  being  made  of  3-inch 
7-foot-long  planking  and  the  outside  one  of  2-inch  4-foot-long  plank- 
ing laid  at  right  angles  to  one  another  and  firmly  spiked  together. 
The  gate  shall  be  hung  in  front  of  the  opening  with  a  suitable  link 
hinge  bo  that  it  will  readily  open  with  the  falling  tide  and  readily 
close  with  the  rising  tide. 

6.  At  intervals  of  9  feet,  front  and  rear  rows  of  sheet  piling  shall 
be  held  in  place  with  a  wooden  beam  extending  through  the  dike  and 
bolted  on  the  outward  side  of  the  rows  of  piling.  Tliese  beams  shall 
be  3  by  6-inch  North  Carolina  pine. 


Actual  Construction 

Contractors'  bids  on  this  work  did  not  come  within  the  amount 
available  so  it  was  decided  to  do  the  work  directly.  On  January  11, 
the  writer  was  appointed  engineer  in  charge  of  construction  and 
authorized  to  employ  labor  and  buy  necessary  material.  Operations 
were  to  commence  immediately. 

Construction  started  on  January  14  with  the  driving  of  sheet  piling 
of  the  front  and  rear  bulkheads.  No  difficulty  was  met  in  this  work 
and  it  proceeded  without  interruption  until  the  last  pile  was^  in  place. 
No  pains  were  spared  in  getting  the  alignment  correct  and  the  piles 
close  together  as  well  as  in  putting  them  to  proper  depth.  A  home- 
made hand  pile-driver  was  used  for  this  work.  The  hammer  weighed 
125  pounds,  and  160  to  250  blows  (hammer  falling  4  feet)  were 
needed  to  put  a  pile  in  place. 

Next,  a  clay  cofferdam  was  built  entirely  around  the  site  of  the 
gate.  A  gasoline  power  pump  with  a  capacity  of  350  gallons  per 
minute  was  installed  to  keep  the  water  out  of  the  hole  formed  by 
the  cofferdam. 

The  clay  between  the  two  bulkheads  was  removed  to  a  depth  below 
that  set  for  the  sluice  floor  and  then  the  two  extra  rows  (foundation 
piling  parallel  to  the  bulkhead)  of  piling  were  driven.  The  sluices 
as  shown  in  the  plans  were  fitted  in  on  top  of  the  foundation  and 
between  the  bulkheads.  The  doors  were  hung  by  means  of  specially 
designed  hinges  on  the  river-side  of  the  sluices. 

Before  the  clay  was  packed  in  around  the  sluice  boxes,  two  extra 
rows  of  sheet  piling  (not  called  for  in  the  plans)  wore  driven,  con- 
necting the  front  and  rear  bulkheads.  The  object  of  this  was  to  pro- 
vent  burrowing  animals  from  digging  beneath  the  boxes  and  furnish- 
ing a  place  for  a  cross-current  to  undermine  the  structure.  Tlie  olav 
was  then  carefully  tamped  in  and  the  top  of  the  front  bulkhead  firmly 
bolted  to  the  rear. 

Another  addition  to  the  plans  was  the  placing  of  a  platform  •Si'^ 
feet  wide  on  the  river-side  of  the  front  bulkhead,  just  beneath  tfe 


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470     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

lower  stringer.  This  will  prevent  excess  washing  of  the  clay  from 
beneath  the  gates  and  eliminate  the  danger  of  undermining  from  that 
source. 

The  last  operation,  that  of  removing  the  cofferdam,  was  more  diflS- 
cult  than  anticipated.  The  weather-man  who  had  favored  ns  by 
sending  a  mild  winter  now  turned  and  sent  abnormally  high  tid^ 
when  we  had  no  protecting  cofferdam.  The  laborers  could  work  but 
about  two  hours  on  the  lowest  of  tides  and  during  that  time 
they  were  up  to  their  knees  in  water.  They  worked  for  a  week  in 
this  manner  and  then  had  to  quit  and  come  back  a  week  later  and 
complete  the  work.  Removing  the  cofferdam  and  digging  the  outlet 
was  a  four-hundred-dollar  operation. 

The  writer  is  indebted  to  the  Hudson  County  Mosquito  Commis- 
sion and  to  the  Bergen  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Conunission 
for  labor  used  in  removing  part  of  the  cofferdam,  to  the  Essex  County 
Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  for  the  use  of  their  gasoline 
power  pump  and  to  the  warden  of  the  Hudson  County  Penitentiary 
for  the  use  of  his  property  to  store  supplies  until  they  were  needed 
at  the  gate. 

The  cost  of  the  gate  is  as  follows: 

Material — 

Lumber    $906.38 

Hardware    174.41 

$1080.79 

Labor 1631,97 

Incidentals — 

Workmen's  Insurance    68. 85 

Boots  for   Laborers    42.00 

Cartage  of  Materials^ 

91.60 


Gas  and  Oil 
Boat   Hire 


202.45 


Total    $2915.21 

MOSOUITO-CONTROL  WORK  IN  CAMDEN  AND 
GLOUCESTER 

During  the  spring  of  1918  the  United  States  Shipping  Board, 
Emergency  Fleet  Corporation,  through  its  department  of  health  and 
sanitation,  called  in  the  entomologist  to  see  what  eonld  be  done 
toward  protecting  the  shipyards  and  other  war  industries  on  the  New 
Jersey  side  of  the  Delaw\re  River  from  the  mosquito  pest.  After  an 
inspection  of  the  district  along  the  river  by  one  of  the  department's 
assistants  and  as  a  result  of  conferences  between  representatives  of 
the  United  States  Shipping  Board,  the  interested  war  industries  and 
the  ontomoloo^st,  it  was  agreed  that  a  mosquito-control  campai^ 
should  be  undertaken  during  the  summer  of  1918  in  South  Camden 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  471 

and  Gloucester.  The  money  to  carry  on  the  work  was  to  be  sub- 
scribed by  the  plants  it  was  designed  to  protect,  expert  supervision 
being  furnished  by  this  department. 

The  department  was  fortunate  in  securing  the  services  of  George 
J.  H.  Gushing,  of  the  Ocean  Gounty  Mosquito  Extermination  Gom- 
mission,  as  temporary  assistant  to  take  charge  of  this  work.  Mr. 
Gushing's  report  follows : 


Tke  Joint  Project  for  Mosquito  Control  in  Camden  and  Glouces- 
ter, UiMlertaken  to  Protect  the  War  Workers  at  the 
New    York    Shipyards,    the    Pennsylvania   and 
New  Jersey  Shipyards  and  Cunden  Forge 

George  J.  H.  Gushing,  Field  Assistant  in  Gharge 

The  moequito-eontrol  campaign  to  protect  the  war  industries  in 
the  vicinity  of  South  Gamden  and  Gloucester  was  to  be  carried  on 
under  a  fund  to  be  subscribed  by  the  New  York  Shipbuilding  Gor- 
poration,  the  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  Shipyards,  the  Gamden 
Forge  Gompany,  and  the- Woodbury  Bag  Loading  Plant.  The  whole 
project  was  to  be  under  the  direction  of  the  New  Jersey  Agricultural 
Experiment  Station,  and  the  fund  to  be  administered  and  underwrit- 
ten by  the  United  States  Shipping  Board,  Emergency  Fleet  Gorpora- 
tion,  through  its  department  of  health  and  sanitation.  The  New 
York  Shipbuilding  Gompany  promptly  subscribed  $5,000  and  the 
Camden  Forge  Gompany  $500,  but  on  account  of  rather  complicated 
relations  existing  between  the  Fnited  States  Ordnance  Department 
and  the  contractors,  the  Bag  Loading  Plant  was  unable  to  partici- 
pate in  the  fund,  so  their  section  of  the  territory  to  be  protected  was 
eliminated.  The  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  Yards  failed  to  make 
their  subscription,  but  the  Fleet  Gorporation  took  over  their  share 
to  the  extent  of  $5,000,  thus  giving  a  fund  of  $10,500  to  carry  on  the 
work. 

Late  in  July,  when  the  writer  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  cfim- 
paign,  the  night  work,  that  was  so  absolutely  essential  to  the  success 
of  all  the  war  industries,  was  carried  on  under  difficulty.  The  night 
shifts  were  suflfering  severely  from  the  mosquito  pest.  The  superin- 
tendents of  the  various  plants  were  insistent  that  relief  be  given  at 
once. 

With  the  help  of  Lt.  Gol.  Pliilip  S.  Doane,  director  of  the  bealtli 
and  sanitation  department  of  the  Emergency  Fleet  Gorporation,  tlie 
writer  was  able  to  proceed  actively  witli  the  work  witliin  one  we^^k 
after  taking  charge.  Gol.  Doane  was  absolutely  in  sympatliv  with 
the  work  and  gave  unstintingly  of  his  time  and  enersfv  to  Fniooth  out 
difficulties,  untangle  knots  and  cut  departmental  red  tape. 


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472     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  territory  to  be  covered  extended  from  the  Delaware  River  east- 
wardly  about  2i/^  miles  and  from  Kaighn  Avenue,  Camden,  on  the 
north,  to  a  point  about  1  mile  south  of  the  mouth  of  Timber  Creek 
(the  southern  boundary  of  Gloucester  City),  a  territory  about  4V^ 
miles  long  by  214  miles  wide,  taking  in  many  acres  of  low-lying  land 
and  swamps  and  numerous  streams  and  creeks.  After  considerable 
difficulty  fairly  good  maps  of  the  district  to  be  covered  were  secured. 
These  maps  were  divided  into  districts  which  were  subdivided  into 
sections,  each  section  constituting  a  good  day's  work  for  the  inspec- 
tors. The  inspectors,  of  whom  there  were  four,  covered  these  sec- 
tions on  an  average  of  once  a  week,  making  daily  reports  of  the 
various  breeding  places  and  the  condition  of  each,  with  suggestions 
as  to  how  each  place  should  be  handled.  These  reports  were  turned 
over  to  the  working  gangs  and  the  breeding  places  eliminated  if  pos- 
sible by  ditching,  straightening  edges  of  creeks,  etc.,  and  if  they  did 
not  admit  of  this  treatment,  controlled  by  the  use  of  oil  and  larva- 
cidee. 

Outside  of  the  rain  and  fire  barrels,  swamps,  creeks,  etc.,  where 
breeding  was  naturally  looked  for,  two  instances  of  bad  breeding 
stand  out:  one  in  the  cellars  of  the  housing  development  of  tl^e 
New  York  Shipbuilding  plant,  about  a  mile  east  of  the  yard  and  on 
ti.e  banks  of  Newton  Creek,  and  the  other  in  the  basement  of  tlie 
buildings  liousing  the  hospital  and  sanitation  department  of  the  New 
Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  plants  at  Gloucester.  The  New  York  Ship 
housing  proposition,  a  development  of  some  two  thousand  houses, 
was  being  built  on  low  and  filled-in  ground,  and  with  each  rain  or 
high  tide,  the  water  backed  up  in  the  cellars  and  remained  there  to 
a  depth  of  from  1  inch  to  4  feet,  and  until  the  cellars  were  under- 
drained  and  water-proofed  they  afforded  a  most  prolific  breeding  place. 
The  contractors  for  the  work  objected  to  the  use  of  oil,  as  it  marked 
the  walls  and  floors,  but  the  situation  was  rea^dily  handled  by  the  use 
of  the  larvaeide,  made  especially  for  the  writer  by  the  West  Disinfect- 
ing Company.  In  the  case  of  the  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania 
building,  conditions  were  practically  the  Fame,  but  here  we  were  able 
to  use  oil  and  ])y  that  method  succeeded  in  controlling  the  breedin:^. 
It  is  understood  that  at  this  place  the  water  has  since  l>een  done  away 
with  by  the  use  of  a  well  and  pump. 

The  meadows  adjoining  the  Little  Timber  Creek  on  the  north  and 
immediately  adjacent  to  the  Pusey  and  Jones  yards,  which  at  first 
looked  like  a  hard  proposition,  were  readily  handled  by  the  openins^ 
of  old  ditches,  the  addition  of  some  new  ones  and  the  repair  of  the 
sluice  gate  leading  into  the  creek. 

Night  collections  were  made  with  a  view  to  density  and  flight,  but 
because  of  the  short  time  in  which  we  had  to  work  and  the  speed 
at  which  the  work  was  done,  no  attempt  was  made  to  identify  species, 
etc.  The  collections  were  either  for  10  or  15  minutes'  duration  and 
ranged  from  15  on  August  15  to  none  on  September  12  and  from  tliat 
date  on,  none.    The  collections  were  all  made  at  regular  stations. 

A  summary  of  the  work  shows: 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  473 

197  breeding  places,  such   as  small  pools,  ditches,  gutters  and  sewer  inlets 
were  oiled  and  regularly  inspected. 
(>S  rain  barrels,  boats ,  and   other   receptacles,   overturned   or  desti*oyed   and 
the  places  regularly  inspected. 
200  fire  barrels.  New  Jersey  and  Pt-uusylvania  yards,  salted  and  'cppt  under 
observation. 
30  fire  barrels.  New  York  yard,  salted  and  kept  under  observation. 
4500  lineal  feet  of  ditching.  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania  meadows. 
2500  lineal  feet  of  ditching,  Second  Street  and  Ferry  Avenue,  Camden. 
4000  lineal  feet  of  ditching,  abandoned  railroad  and  Market  Street.  Gloucester, 

cut  and  oiled. 
3500  lineal   feet  ditches,  Mt.   Ephraim   Pike  and   Reading   Railroad,  Camden, 
cut  and  oiled. 
475  lineal  feet  ditches.  Park  Avenue  and  White  Horse  Pike,  Woodlyne,  cut 

and  oiled. 
500  lineal  feet  of  ditch.  City  Line  and  Ferry  Avenue,  Camden,  cut  and  oiled. 
1000  lineal  feet  ditches,  Pennsylvania  Railroad  below  Fairriew  Station,  Cam- 
den, cut  and  oiled. 
7800  feet  of  ditches  and  creeks  cleaned  from  head  of  Haddon  Heights  Lake  to 
King's  Highway.  Mt  Ephraim,  opening  same  to   Newton  Creek   and 
tide  water. 

The  cost  of  operation   was — 

Ford   touring   car    $450.00 

Ford-Dearborne   truck    675.00 

Oil  sprayers,  rubber  boots,  tools  and  oflUce  furnishings 339.15 

Garage,  gas  and  oil,  tires,  repairs,  etc 338.25 

Oil    for    ai>raying    158.06 

Larvacide    *. 70.72 

Salt    67. 6o 

OflBce   supplies    24.35 

Expenses,  carfare  of  employees,  rent,  telephone,  etc 103 .  67 

Wages,  inspectors  and  labor    2500 .  00 

Total    $4816.85 

The  writer  was  enabled  to  make  an  arrangement  with  the  New 
York  Shipbuihling  Corporation  to  take  over  the  equipment  used,  at 
a  price  of  $1,200^  and  this  salvage  brought  the  cost  of  the  work  for 
the  three  months  to  $3,616.85.  The  Fleet  Corporation  was  thus  able 
to  return  to  the  New  York  Shipbuilding  Corporation  and  the  Cam- 
den Forge  Company  nearly  50  per  cent  of  their  original  subscription. 

On  the  completion  of  the  season's  work,  letters  were  received  from 
the  various  interests  in  the  territory  testifying  to  the  efficiency  of 
the  work,  and  the  relief  given,  and  it  was  pleasing  to  note  the  intelli- 
gent interest  taken  in  the  work  by  the  residents  and  by  the  employee?; 
of  the  various  plants,  an  indication  that  the  efforts  of  those  seeking 
to  control  and  eliminate  the  mosquito  pest  are  being  taken  seriously 
and  as  a  necessary  precaution  for  the  protection  of  public  health. 
The  writer  would  also  like  to  say  that  he  feels  sure  the  success  of  tliis 
work,  and  it  was  successful,  was  due  to  the  efficient  and  intelligent 
interest  taken  in  their  work  by  his  splendid  corps  of  co-workers. 


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474     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Mosqpnto  Control  Work  in  Camden  and  Gloucester  in  1919 

After  further  conferences  between  representatives  of  the  United 
States  Shipping  Board,  the  Camden  and  Gloucester  shipyards  and 
the  entoniologist,  it  was  agreed,  in  order  that  the  mosquito  pest  might 
not  prove  an  obstacle  to  the  completion  of  the  government's  ship- 
building plans,  that  the  mosquito-control  campaign  to  protect  the 
above  shipyards  should  be  continued  during  the  present  summer 
(1919).  The  money  to  carry  on  the  work  has  been  subscribed  by  the 
Emergency  Fleet  Corporation  and  the  local  shipyards  aa  during  the 
summer  of  1918,  this  department,  as  before,  furnishing  the  expert 
supervision.  As  Mr.  Cushing  could  not  afford  to  take  up  the  work 
again,  John  L.  Bennett  was  placed  in  charge.  Mr.  Bennett,  however, 
soon  resigned.  Hugh  E.  Thomson,  formerly  an  inspector  for  the 
Union  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Conmiission,  then  took  charge 
of  the  project  as  a  temporary  assistant.  It  is  hoped  that  the  work 
will  be  fuUy  as  successful  in  eliminating  the  mosquito  pest  during 
the  summer  of  1919  as  it  was  during  the  summer  of  1918. 


Financial  Statement  of  State  Experiment  Station's  Mosquito 

Work 

Total  appropriation    $10,000.00 

Salt-marsh  ditcliing    $2,200.00 

Advertising    for   proposals    26.52 

Blue  prints,  photographic  supplies   55.00 

Telepliione   and    telegraph    0.40 

Postage    ' (iS.OO 

Repairs  tt»  motorcycle   99.80 

Office  and  field  equipment   136.21 

Salaries  of  regular  and  temporary  employees   4,778.86 

Traveling  expenses   1,541.38 

Labor  and  technical  assistance   749.00 

Reverting  to  state  treasury    340.83 

$10,000.00 

COUNTY  MOSQUITO  COMMISSION  WORK 

The  following  counties  now  have  commissions  actively  engaged  in 
niosqui to-con troi  work  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Chapter 
104,  Laws  of  1912,  and  of  Chapter  123,  Laws  of  1919:  Hudson, 
Bergen,  Passaic,  Morris,  Essex,  Union,  Middlesex,  Monmouth,  Ocean, 
Atlantic  and  Cape  May.  Hudson,  Bergen,  Essex,  Union  and  Atlantic 
counties  are  making  satisfactory  progress  in  their  efforts  to  control 
all  species  of  mosquitoes  which  breed  within  their  limits.  In  Passaic 
County  where  only  fresh-water  species  breed,  the  Conmiission  has  n« 
usual  limited  its  control  work  to  the  southern,  more  densely  popu- 
lated half  of  the  county.  In  Monmouth  nearly  all,  and  in  Middlesex, 
Ocean  and  Cape  May  counties  all,  available  funds  are  spent  in  con- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  475 

trolling  the  ealt-marsh  species.  In  Morris  County  a  complete 
survey  has  been  made,  under  the  direction  of  the  commission,  of  the 
very  extensive  fresh-water  swamps  and  other  breeding  places,  and 
it  is  hoped  that  active  control  measures  will  be  undertaken  on  a  broad 
Bcale  in  the  near  future. 

Hmboii  County 

It  should  be  remerabeped  when  considering  the  anti-mosquito  work 
in  Hudson  County  that :  (1)  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  Hudson  County 
consists  of  two  high  ridges  with  a  flat  wide  valley  between  which  is 
made  up  almost  entirely  of  marsh  land,  the  house  mosquito,  the  salt- 
marsh  mosquitoes  and  a  small  amount  of  malarial  species  constitute 
the  problem;  (2)  more  than  half  a  million  people  have  their  homes 
on  the  two  ridges  and  certain  enormous  breeding  places  are  located 
in  the  southern  end  of  this  marshy  land;  (3)  almost  the  entire  ten 
thousand  acres  of  marsh  is  potential  breeding  ground  for  the  salt- 
marsh  species,  and  certain  large  portions  of  it  by  reason  of  sewage 
pollution  are  potential  breeders  of  the  house  mosquito;  (4)  the  ridges 
are  high  and  well  drained  for  the  most  part  but  the  house  mosquito 
breeds  in  certain  of  the  streams  in  sewers,  catch-basins,  cesspools, 
rainpools  and  dumps,  and  in  a  few  instances  on  the  marsh:  (5)  the 
problem  of  mosquito  control  in  Hudson  County  involves  the  elimi- 
nation of  breeding  on  the  ten  thousand  acres  of  salt  marsh  and  the 
draining  of  the  upland  ridges. 

Salt-Marsh  Work 

For  the  purpose  of  discussion  we  must  divide  the  salt  marsh  of 
Hudson  County  into  two  parts.  The  first  is  that  section  which  lies 
east  of  the  Hackensack  River,  and  the  second  is  that  section  which 
lies  west  of  the  Hackensack  River. 

The  eastern  section  may  again  be  divided  for  purpose  of  discussion 
into  three  portions  on  the  basis  of  tlie  sort  of  drainage  that  has  been 
employed.  Tlie  first  section  begins  at  Newark  Bay  and  extends 
northward  between  tlie  higliland  and  the  river  to  Snake  Hill.  The 
eastern  boundary  of  tin's  section  leaves  the  highland  with  the  appear- 
ance of  the  Erie  Railroad  tracks  and  follows  them  northward  to 
Snake  Hill.  This  area  has  been  drained  by  the  usual  open-marsh 
ditching  and  the  systems  established  appear  to  work  very  satisfac- 
torily indeed. 

The  second  section  begins  with  the  Erie  Railroad  tracks  and  ex- 
tends northward  between  the  Secaucus  highland  and  the  Jersey  City 
ridge  to  the  Paterson  Plank  Road.  This  area  of  marsh  is  known  as 
the  Penhom  section.  It  is  entirely  enclosed,  inadequatelv  outletted 
under  the  Erie  tracks  at  one  end  and  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  at  the 
other  and  is  highly  polluted  with  sewage.  A  great  deal  of  the  open 
type  of  ditching  has  been  put  in  this  section,  but  has  never  worked 


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476     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

satisfactorily,  because  the  outlets  are  entirely  inadequate.  Nothing 
has  been  done  of  an  effective  character  to  relieve  the  conditions  on 
this  marsh  during  the  year  just  closed.  It  remains  for  future  en- 
deavor. 

Section  3  begins  at  the  Paterson  Plank  Road  and  extends  north- 
ward west  of  the  ridge  to  the  northern  boundary  of  the  county  and 
southward  between  the  Hackensack  River  and  the  Secaucus  highland 
to  Snake  Hill.  This  area  in  previous  years  was  drained  by  the  open 
system  of  salt-marsh  ditcliing  with  apparently  pretty  satisfactory 
results.  No  new  work  has  been  installed  on  tliis  meadow  during  the 
year  just  closed. 

That  portion  of  the  salt  marsh  on  west  side  of  the  Hackensack 
River  is  divided  into  a  great  many  different  areas  by  railroads  and 
roadways  and  has  been  shut  off  from  the  tides  by  dikes  and  fills.  In 
considering  anti-mosquito  work  on  this  section  of  the  Hudson  marsh 
it  is  necessary  to  consider  each  area  separately.  A  beginning  will  be 
made  at  the  southern  end  on  the  shores  of  Newark  Bay. 

The  first  section  of  marsh  begins  on  Newark  Bay  and  extends 
northward  between  the  Hackensack  and  Passaic  rivers  to  the  Lincoln 
Highway.  This  section  has  now  been  almost  entirely  removed  from 
the  salt-marsh  column  by  industrial  fills  and  can  no  longer  be  con- 
sidered a  salt-marsh  mosquito-breeding  territory. 

The  second  section  begins  at  the  Lincoln  Highway  and  extends 
northward  to  the  downtown  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  A 
very  large  portion  of  this  area  has  been  filled,  but  the  northeastern 
portion  is  still  salt  marsh  and  such  breeding  as  occurs  on  it  must, 
under  present  conditions,  be  taken  care  of  by  the  use  of  oil.  It  i? 
probable  that  this  method  will  be  used  until  the  area  is  completelv 
filled. 

The  third  area  begins  with  the  downtown  line  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  and  extends  northward  between  the  highlands  of  Harrison 
and  the  downtown  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  to  the  Harrison 
turnpike.  This  area  is  drained  by  a  system  of  ditches.  On  the  west 
side  of  Frank  Creek  the  ditches  lead  directly  into  the  creek  itself  and 
deliver  by  gravity.  On  the  east  side  of  Frank  Creek,  which  is  very 
much  larger,  the  ditches  are  led  to  a  4-inch  centrifugal  pump  located 
on  the  east  side  of  Frank  Creek,  where  the  water  is  elevated  into  the 
creek.  It  is  true  that  the  southeastern  ^nd  of  this  area  lias  enousrh 
outlet;  but  apparently  it  is  not  an  effective  factor  in  the  drainage  of 
this  section  of  the  marsh. 

The  fourth  area  begins  at  the  Harrison  Turnpike  and  extends 
northward  between  the  highlands  of  Harrison  and  Kearny  on  the 
west  and  the  downtown  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  and  the 
Belleville  Turnpike  on  the  east,  to  the  Greenwood  branch  of  the  Erie 
Railroad  on  the  north.  This  is  an  immense  area  divided  into  two 
parts  by  Frank  Creek.  The  portion  on  the  east  side  of  Frank  Creek 
is  very  large  and  previous  to  November  1,  1918,  had  been  furnished 
with  a  minimum  amount  of  ditching  which  led  the  water  in  two 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  477 

directions,  the  bulk  of  the  water  being  led  to  a  12-inch  centrifugal 
pnmp  to  the  east  bank  of  Frank  Creek,  where  it  was  elevated  into 
the  creek  itself.  On  the  eastern  side  of  this  area  an  outlet  under  the 
downtown  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  has  been  provided  which 
helps  materially  to  reduce  the  water  level  on  the  eastern  section  of 
this  marsh. 

During  the  year  just  closed  the  ditching  on  the  east  side  of  Frank 
Creek  has  been  widened,  deepened  and  extended  and  the  passage  be- 
neath the  railroad  running  through  this  area  has  been  lowered  so 
that  the  efficiency  of  the  drainage  system  has  been  greatly  increased. 
In  the  judgment  of  the  department,  however,  while  the  drainage 
thus  established  is  materially  better  than  it  has  been  in  the  past  and 
is  adequate  to  meet  the  situation  when  weather  conditions  are  nor- 
mal, more  drainage  will  be  found  necessary  to  meet  the  situation 
when  the  weather  conditions  are  extremely  wet. 

That  portion  of  the  area  which  lies  west  of  Frank  Creek  has  for 
years  been  a  sewage-charged  salt  marsh  and  has  proven  a  very  serious 
breeder  not  only  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  but  of  the  house  mosquito 
as  well.  Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  eliminate  breeding  by 
drainage  systems  during  the  year  just  closed.  The  Hudson  County 
Commission  has  put  in  and  almost  completed  what  appears  to  be  a 
very  satisfactory  system  of  drainage  in  which  the  water  is  led  to  a 
pumping  plant  located  on  the  west  side  of  Frank  Creek.  Here  a  6- 
inch  centrifugal  pump  elevates  the  water  and  sewage  into  Frank 
Creek  itself.  Furthermore,  Frank  Creek  and  the  sewers  that  con- 
tribute thereto  have  been  thoroughly  cleaned  and  put  in  good  work- 
ing shape.  The  town  of  Kearny  has  extended  the  Frank  Creek  sewer 
by  means  of  a  concrete  conduit  extending  from  the  end  of  the  original 
sewer  out  into  the  marsh  and  around  the  bend,  in  such  a  fashion  that 
the  volume  of  sewage  and  water  is  delivered  directly  into  the  creek. 
This  concrete  conduit  was  installed  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the 
storm  water  and  sewage  from  breaking  the  banks  of  the  creek  and 
polluting  the  adjacent  marsh. 

The  fifth  area  begins  at  the  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the  Erie 
and  extends  northward  between  the  highland  to  the  west  to  the  Belle- 
ville Turnpike.  Into  this  area  is  turned  the  waste  water  of  the  North 
Arlington  Plant  of  the  E.  I.  Du  Pont  de  Nemours  and  Company. 
Previous  to  November  1,  1918,  an  immense  system  of  ditching  was 
installed  and  has  never  worked  satisfactorily,  because  the  outlet  is 
inadequate.  Improvement  of  this  area  awaits  future  work.  It  is  a 
bad  breeder  of  the  house  mosquito,  of  the  fresh-water  swamp  mos- 
quito and  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquito. 

The  sixth  area  begins  at  the  Belleville  Turnpike  and  extends  north- 
ward to  Sawmill  Creek  and  eastward  to  the  Hackensack  River.  Pre- 
vious to  November,  1918,  an  immense  amount  of  ditching  had  been 
installed  in  this  area.  This  system  worked  with  only  partial  success, 
because  the  outlet  known  as  Sawmill  Creek  was  inadequate.  During 
the  year  just  closed  a  new  tide-gate,  elsewhere  described  under  the 


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478     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

head  of  Sawmill  tide-gate^  was  installed  at  the  mouth  of  Sawmill 
Creek,  and  54  square  feet  of  cross-section  outlet  provided.  Before 
anything  like  the  full  effect  of  this  new  outlet  can  be  felt  the  channel 
of  Sawmill  in  its  upper  course  will  have  to  be  cleaned.  The  cleaning 
of  this  channel  of  Sawmill  will  afford  an  outlet  to  the  water  in  the 
fifth  section  and  thus  improve  that  section  as  well. 

The  seventh  section  begins  with  the  Greenwood  Lake  branch  of  the 
Erie  and  extends  south  between  the  Belleville  Turnpike  and  the  river 
to  the  uptown  line  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad.  A  very  inadequate 
amount  of  ditching  has  been  installed  in  this  area,  and  cmly  in  the 
eastern  section,  where  the  outlets  are  pretty  good,  has  the  drainage 
system  been  really  effective.  A  considerable  amount  of  new  drainage 
has  been  installed,  but  its  effectiveness  depends  upon  the  outlets 
provided. 

The  eighth  area  begins  with  the  uptown  line  of  the  P^insylvania 
Railroad  and  extends  southward  between  the  river  and  the  said  line  of 
the  railroad  to  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad. 
This  area  consists  of  three  different  bodies  of  marsh,  all  dependent  on 
the  same  general  outlet,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  portion  near 
the  river  just  north  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Rail- 
road and  the  outlet.  The  outlet  is  known  as  Dead  Horse  Credc,  and 
this  creek,  in  addition  to  serving  as  an  outlet  for  these  areas,  serves 
also  as  an  outlet  for  the  eastern  end  of  the  fourth  section,  and  to  a 
limited  extent  as  an  outlet  for  the  sixth  section.  The  drainage  sys- 
tems established  here  are  only  reasonably  satisfactory  for  two  reasons 
— the  outlet  is  hardly  large  enough  for  all  weather  conditions  and  the 
amount  of  drainage  installed  is  not  adequate  for  all  weather  condi- 
tions. 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  while  a  large  amount  of  drainage  has  been  in- 
stalled in  the  salt  marsh  of  Hudson  County,  and  while  some  areas  are 
adequately  drained,  there  is  still  a  large  amount  of  drainage  to  be 
done. 

Upland  Yfotk 

The  upland  work  has  consisted  in  inspections  and  treatment  of 
breeding  wherever  it  could  be  found,  and  this  work  seems  to  have  been 
very  effective. 

Effect  of  Mosquifto  Control 

The  Hudson  County  Commission  reports : 

Freedom  from  mosquitoes  was  CDJoyed  by  the  people  of  Hudson  County  until 
the  early  part  of  July  and  at  no  time  durlnir  the  entire  season  were  mosquitoeB 
present  in  such  numbers  as  to  prove  especially  troublesom*^,  and  they  were  not 
noticed  at  all  after  the  first  of  September.  They  were  found  at  intervals  in 
widely  separated  sections  of  the  county  and  in  each  instance  the  area  in  whidi 
they  were  felt  was  found  to  be  very  small.     Some  of  both  the  salt-water  and 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  479 

the  fresh-water  species  were  found.  In  Jersey  City  and  Hoboken  they  did 
not  appear  until  the  last  week  in  July  and  then  only  in  isolated  sections, 
some  parts  of  the  two  cities  being  entirely  free  from  mosquitoes  throughout 
the  season.  The  speeies  troublesome  was  pipieng — practically  no  salt-marsh 
mosquitoes  being  found  therein.  A  few  of  the  salt-marsh  variety  appeared 
early  in  July  in  Bayonne  along  the  shore  of  Newark  Bay,  but  were  present 
for  a  very  short  time,  and  all  were  found  to  be  Bollicitana.  The  trouble  in 
Bayonne,  however,  was  sl¥>rt-lived,  and  the  city  was  comparatively  free  from 
mosquitoes  during  the  entire  season.  In  North  Hudson  they  were  present 
daring  parts  of  July  and  August.  8nake  HilU  in  the  midst  of  the  salt-marsh 
meadows,  was  especially  free  from  mosqukoes  during  the  entire  season. 
Special  efforts  were  devoted  to  that  territory  on  account  of  the  very  large 
population  of  the  county  wards  and  for  the  protection  also  of  the  United 
States  Government  base  hospital  established  there.  In  Arlington,  however, 
the  insects  appeared  early  and  were  decidedly  troublesome  at  intervals  during 
June,  July  and  August  This  trouble  is  attributed  to  the  difficult  problems 
which  confronted  the  commission  in  the  Frank  Creek  section,  where  condi- 
tions have  been  improved  during  the  past  season,  and  it  is  confidently  be- 
lieved there  will  be  practical  freedom  from  trouble  in  that  area  in  the  future. 
Complaint  was  received  early  in  July  of  the  presence  of  mosquitoes  at  the 
shipbuilding  plant  at  Port  Kearny,  situated  between  the  Hackensack  and 
Passaic  Rivers,  south  of  tlwe  Lincoln  Highway.  Upon  careful  inspection  of 
the  territory  surrounding  this  plant,  conditions  were  found  to  be  in  excellent 
shape,  no  breeding  being  found.  On  account  of  the  dose  proximity  of  Union 
and  Essex  counties,  it  would  appear  conclusively  that  the  trouble  was  en- 
tirely due  to  migratory  mosquitoes.  All  insects  taken  in  that  vicinity  were 
found  to  be  the  salt-marsh  variety,  solUcitans  largely  dominant.  Large  areas 
of  marsh  land  were  added  to  the  several  thousands  of  acres  rendered  dry  by 
the  successful  operation  of  our  drainage  systems.  The  operation  of  the  new 
pump  installed  on  the  west  side  of  Frank  Creek  will,  it  is  believed,  almost 
if  not  ehtirely,  place  that  very  troublesome  area  under  control.  The  cleaning, 
widening  and  repairing  of  the  ditches  forming  a  part  of  the  drainage  system 
connected  with  the  pump  located  on  the  east  side  of  Frank  Creek  and  extend- 
ing through  the  extensive  area  lying  between  the  pump,  the  Belleville  Turn- 
pike and  the  Pennsylvania  Electric  Line,  will  provide  a  very  large  degree  of 
safety  in  that  vast  troublesome  territory. 


Bergen  County 

Nature  of  tiie  Problem 

The  eastern  and  western  ridges  of  highland  with  the  Hackensack 
Valley  between,  so  characteristic  of  Hudson,  continue  northeastward 
into  Bergen  County.  The  eastern  ridge  runs,  maintaining  its  rela- 
tionship to  the  Hudson  River,  to  the  northeastern  border.  The  west- 
ward and  continues  in  that  direction  until  it  finally  reaches  and  joins 
the  broad  highlands  that  extend  to  the  state  line.  The  Hackensack 
Valley  continues  northeastward  to  the  state  line,  forming  some 
swampy  lands  in  the  northern  part.  To  the  northwestward  of  this 
ridge  and  northeast,  east  and  southeast  of  Paterson  is  an  area  of  com- 
paratively low  elevation.  To  the  northwest  the  county  becomes 
rugged. 

Tliere  is  much  wooded  territory  and  many  woodland  pools — a  con- 
dition which  gives  to  Bergen  County  a  serious  woodland-pool  mosquito 
problem.  »       i  i 


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480     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Many  swamps  of  greater  or  less  size  exist,  some  of  which  undoubt- 
edly breed  the  swamp  species  of  mosquitoes  prolifically.  Bergen 
County  has  a  swamp-mosquito  problem  of  some  size.  The  bulk  of  the 
population  is  located  in  the  southern  part  of  the  county,  but  is  not 
greatly  concentrated.  The  water  pollution  is,  however,  suflRcient  when 
taken  with  the  usual  breeding  places  of  the  house  mosquito  to  furnish 
every  town  of  considerable  size  with  a  pest  of  that  species. 

At  some  points  in  the  county  there  are  undoubtedly  breeding  places 
of  the  malarial  species,  such  a»  appeared  in  the  area  where  Camp  Mer- 
ritt  is  located.    There  are  doubtless  others. 

The  mosquito  problem  of  Bergen  County,  therefore,  involves  the 
control  of  w^ood land-pool  species,  fresh-water  species,  house  mosqui- 
toes, malarial  mosquitoes  and  the  salt-marsh  species  of  mosquitoes. 

The  Commissioii'g  Policy 

The  commission  has  made  no  radical  change  in  policy,  but  is  still 
adhering  as  closely  as  working  conditions  will  allow,  to  the  platform 
to  which  it  committed  itself  upon  the  inception  of  its  task,  and  that 
is  a  steady  definite  attempt  to  eliminate  by  drainage  as  many  "per- 
manent^' breeding  places  each  season  as  funds  appropriated  will  ad- 
mit; to  maintain  previous  w^ork  done;  to  control  "temporary"  breed- 
ing by  the  use  of  oil.  The  word  "permanent,"  as  used  here,  is  con- 
strued to  mean  places  of  such  size  or  character  that  they  are  con- 
tinuous all-season  breeders  as  contrasted  with  temporary  breeders  or 
places  which  breed  only  during  the  early  spring  or  following  heavy 
rains.  The  commission  is  attempting,  so  far  as  possible,  to  eliminate 
by  permanent  drainage  the  breeding  of  all  kinds  of  mosquitoes  within 
the  county. 

The  budget  allotted  for  the  year's  work  was  $24,000,  the  increase 
of  $4,000  being  requested  and  granted  in  order  that  intensive  drain- 
age could  be  conducted  in  the  territory  immediately  adjacent  to  Camp 
Merritt.  The  United  States  Public  Health  Service  made  an  agree- 
ment to  spend  dollar  for  dollar  with  the  commission  in  anti-malarial 
work  in  this  section.  So,  by  taking  advantage  of  this  opportunity, 
Bergen  County  was  enabled  to  get  much  peimanent  work  done  at  a 
low  cost. 

Salt  Marsh 

North  Arlington  Meadow 

The  North  Arlington  Meadow  has  been  a  difficult  and  costly  propo- 
sition to  handle  from  the  start.  Before  being  ditched  it  was  under 
water  for  weeks  at  a  time,  and  unless  one  has  actually  seen  a  large 
meadow  tract  in  the  process  of  breeding  mosquitoes  it  is  impossible 
to  convey  a  fair  idea  of  the  amount  of  breeding  which  was  taking 
place  there.     To  say  there  were  millions  of  mosquito  larvae  is  hope- 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  481 

lessly  inadequate.  The  first  ditching  removed  a  large  part  of  the  sur- 
plus water  and  reduced  the  breeding  to  a  marked  degree,  but  it  still 
flooded  badly  on  abnormally  high  tides  and  after  heavy  storms.  To 
pixevent  this  a  dike  was  built  along  the  Hackensack  River  and  tide- 
gates  constructed  in'Kingsland  Creek.  With  these  in  operation  fur- 
ther flooding  did  not  occur,  but  it  was  found  that  the  circulation  of 
the  water  in  the  ditches  was  poor  and  much  ditch  breeding  occurred 
in  consequence.  This  was  due  partly  to  a  congestion  of  the  main 
outlet  streams — Kingsland  Creek,  Fox  Ditch  and  Sawmill  Creek,  and 
partly  to  the  fact  that  the  present  gates  in  Sawmill  Creek  were  an- 
tique and  did  not  function  properly.  The  proper  drainage  of  this 
meadow  depended  tlierefore:  (1)  on  the  building  of  substantial,  ade- 
quate gates  in  the  mouth,  of  Sawmill  Creek;  (2)  on  the  improvement 
ern  ridge  continues  almost  to  Cherry  Hill  where  it  bends  to  the  north- 
of  the  main  outlet  ditches;  (3)  on  the  connecting  up  of  the  present 
system  of  drains  to  secure  a  proper  circulation. 

Sawmill  Creek  is  the  dividing  line  between  Hudson  and  Bergen 
coTinties  and  it  affords  direct  outlet  for  the  waste  water  from  the 
Arlington  Company,  now  controlled  by  the  Du  Pont  concern.  There 
were,  therefore,  three  parties  to  be  directly  benefited  on  this  construc- 
tion work.  These  interests  were  brought  together,  a  practical  work- 
ing plan  agreed  upon  and  satisfactory  financial  arrangements  made 
for  tiie  carrying  out  of  these  plans.  The  work  is  now  completed  and 
it  is  hoped  that  the  other  steps  may  be  rapidly  taken  to  make  this 
meadow,  the  largest  and  at  one  time  the  worst  in  Bergen  County,  free 
from  mosquitoes. 

Lyndhnrst  Meadow 

The  Lyndhurst  Meadow,  just  north  of  the  Delaware,  Lackawanna 
and  Western  Railroad  tracks,  has  always  been  exceedingly  wet,  and 
the  fact  that  it  had  not  been  drained,  subjected  the  Bergen  Commis- 
sion to  much  adverse  criticism.  This  area  has  never  been  known  to 
breed  heavily  except  at  the  edge  of  the  upland  and  around  the  berry 
patches.  Nevertheless,  in  its  undrained  state,  it  formed  a  potential 
source  of  danger  from  which  a  tremendous  brood  might  emerge  should 
certain  conditions  obtain.  The  first  step  taken  to  bring  this  about 
was  the  placing  of  a  heavy  tide-gate  in  Stump  Creek.  Stump  Creek 
lies  at  the  southern  end  of  the  Rutherford  dike.  It  is  a  stream  some 
20  feet  in  width  and  carries  a  large  volume  of  water  back  upon  this 
meadow.  An  automatic  gate  of  the  open  sluice  type  was  used,  a 
cross-sectional  opening  of  36  square  feet  being  provided  for,  the  sluice 
and  bulkhead  were  built  of  3-inch  hemlock  planking,  6  by  8-inch  posts 
being  used  to  strengthen  the  construction  and  act  as  ice-breakers.  The 
flooring  of  the  sluice-way  was  laid  on  4  rows  of  slieeting  driven  solidly; 
the  space  between  these  rows  being  tamped  with  a  heavy  clay.  The 
bulkhead  extends  for  20  feet  on  either  side  of  the  gate  and  in  the  rekr 
the  sluice  is  protected  by  walls  of  the  dike.    The  gate  as  built  is  sub- 

81 


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482     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

stantial  and  should  prove  sufficient  to  regulate  the  flow  of  water  on 
the  area. 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  gate8,  the  dike  was  extended  on  a  line 
almost  due  ^outii  (a)  to  the  pipe-line  and  from  the  pipe-line  (b)  to 
tl:e  Delaware,  Lackawanna  and  Western  Railroad  tracks.  Section  {a) 
was  huilt  3  feet  high  with  a  5-foot  base  and  a  1  to  l^^  slope.  Section 
(b)  was  built  with  a  7-foot  base  3.4  feet  high,  1  to  1^4  slope.  Section 
(b)  was  made  of  heavier  construction  and  it  is  more  exposed  to  the 
river  tide?.  It  was  made  higher,  as  the  meadow  in  this  section  is 
somewhat  sunken.  In  both  sections  the  dike  was  built  with  a  heavy 
clay  core  and  nodded  sides,  the  core  being  used  where  it  proved  of 
advantage. 

A  gate  of  much  lighter  constmction  was  built  just  north  of  the  rail- 
road, and  a  start  made  on  the  widening  and  deepening  of  the  railroad 
ditch. 

Thi?  meadow  is  now  completely  shut  in  from  the  Delaware^  Lacka- 
wanna and  Westera  Railroad  to  the  Erie  Main  Line,  and  it  remains 
to  improve  the  existing  ditches  and  dig  new  ditches  in  order  to  obtain 
proper  circulation  of  the  water  in  this  area.  This  work  will  be  care- 
fully observed  and  the  new  ditching  planned  and  executed  after  suffi- 
cient time  has  elapsed  to  allow  the  commi«^sion  to  judge  accurately  of 
the  efficaciousness  of  the  new  tide-gates  and  dikes. 


East  Rutherford  Meadow 

The  drainage  system  on  the  East  Rutherford  Meadow  as  shown  bv 
the  analysis  of  the  last  report  had  two  serious  defects,  (a)  The 
sewage  water  from  the  borough  of  East  Rutherford,  instead  of  being 
carried  by  one  good  deep  ditch  to  Berry's  Creek,  was  brought  to  the 
edge  of  the  meadow  in  one  open  ditch  and  then  rail  through  a  series 
of  10-inch  drains  to  the  outlet  stream.  In  very  wet  weather  or  with 
adverse  tides,  these  10-inch  ditches  were  crowded  beyond  capacity 
and  overflowed.  This  caused  heavy  breeding  which  was  almost  im- 
possible to  control  with  oil.  All  these  10-inch  ditches  were  cleane<l 
early  in  the  spring  and  one  ditch  widened  to  20  inches.  This  was  a 
temporary  measure  and  it  was  intended  to  make  other  improvements 
later.  The  press  of  other  work  prevented,  however,  and  this  still 
remains  to  be  done,  (b)  Walden  Swamp,  a  large  cedar  swamp,  has 
always  been  a  source  of  much  discomfort  to  the  commission.  In  dry 
weather  it  is  apparently  safe,  but  following  a  continued  rainy  spell, 
it  is  responsible  for  tremendous  broods  of  mosquitoes,  its  very  size 
making  effective  oiling  out  of  the  question.  To  drain  this,  a  survey 
was  made  and  it  was  determined  to  run  a  series  of  4  parallel  east- 
and-west  ditches  through  the  swamp,  outletting  on  the  east  in  the 
Hackensack  River  and  on  the  west  in  Berry's  Creek,  provision  alpo 
being  made  for  an  additional  north  to  south  ditch  through  the  center 
of  the  swamp  and  a  fifth  parallel  ditch  along  the  Paterson  Plank 
Boad,  if  they  proved  necessary.    These  ditches  were  to  be  6  feet  wide 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  483 

and  3  feet  deep  with  small  tide-gates  at  either  end.  This  work  was 
started  in  the  fall.  Ditch  No.  1  was  completed  and  ditch  No.  2 
about  half  finished.  This  work  is  through  heavy  cedar  stump  growth. 
Experiments  were  made  to  determine  the  relative  cost  of  hand  ditch- 
ing and  ditching  done  by  dynamite,  and  it  was  found  that  ditching 
by  the  former  method  showed  a  considerable  saving.  It  was  also 
found  that  in  the  fall  when  the  foliage  and  underbrush  was  at  a 
minimum,  the  work  proceeded  more  ra'^idly  than  in  the  spring  of 
the  year.  This  ditching,  therefore,  will  be  carried  on  until  cold 
weather  makes  further  work  impractical.    . 


CarMadt  and  Little  Ferrj  Meadow 

This  meadow  is  well  drained  with  the  exception  of  Leive's  Woods 
and  the  Eckels  Creek  Meadow,  LeiveTs  Woods  presents  a  problem 
similar  to  Walden  Swamp,  only  on  a  much  smaller  scale.  A  survey 
will  be  made  this  winter  and  necessary  ditching  staked  out  to  be  cut 
.in  the  spring.  Eckels  Creek  Meadow  is  in  need  of  a  tide-gate.  Tliis 
has  been  carefully  considered  for  some  time  and  plans  and  estimates 
are  on  file  in  the  commission's  office,  but  each  year  something  arises 
which  seems  to  prevent  the  execution  of  this  work.  This  spring  the 
possibility  of  extensive  improvements  to  be  made  by  Teeter  Borough, 
caused  us  to  defer  this  work.  The  improvements  contemplated  would 
have  made  an  expensive  tide-gate  unnecessary  and  the  commission  did 
not  feel  in  the  face  of  these  facts  that  they  were  justified  in  authoriz- 
ing the  expenditure  of  funds  for  this  purpose  at  tliis  time.  These 
plans  have  not  materialized  as  yet,  and  unless  something  more  definite 
is  evolved  by  next  spring  it  is  expected  that  the  Eckels  Creek  gates  will 
be  built.  All  the  10-inch  drains  and  natural  orains  on  the  brick-yard 
section  of  this  meadow  were  cleaned  this  year.  This  helped  condi- 
tions greatly.  The  comparatively  dry  season,  also,  proved  of  advan- 
tage and  not  much  breeding  was  reported.  Nevertheless,  this  area  is 
in  such  a  position  that  without  tide-gates,  it  may  readily  become  a 
tremendous  breeder  hopelessly  beyond  control  by  oiling  methods. 


Inland  Work 

Last  summer,  with  the  start  of  the  construction  of  Camp  Merritt, 
drainage  for  mosquito  control  in  the  area  adjacent  to  the  camp  was  be- 
gun. The  drainage  done  followed  three  main  systems:  (a)  the  Du- 
mont  Brook,  (b)  the  Bergenfield  Brook  and  (c)  the  Hospital  Brook. 

The  benefit  of  the  preliminary  work  was  so  apparent  that  the  camp 
surgeon  urged  that  it  be  continued  and  extended.  Therefore,  as  soon 
as  weather  conditions  permitted,  mosquito-control  measures  were  re- 
sumed. Inside  the  camp  and  in  the  sections  adjoining  the  reserva- 
tion, the  ditching  and  oiling  was  done  by  details  of  enlisted  men 
from  the  Sanitary  Corps,  under  the  direction  of  Sgt.  1st  CI.  Miller 


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484     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

and  Sgt.  Kraft.  Li  the  areas  more  remote  from  camp,  but  still  near 
enough  so  that  mosquitoes  bred  there  could  easily  reach  the  men's 
barracks,  the  work  was  done  by  this  commission  and  the  United 
States  Public  Health  Service,  on  a  cooperative  basis.  The  entire  direc- 
tion of,  and  responsibility  for,  the  campaign  both  within  and  on  the 
outside  of  the  camp  was  placed  on  Capt.  J.  B.  Leslie,  assisted  by 
Lieut.  H.  G.  Payrow,  of  the  L'nited  States  Public  Health  Sernce. 

AU  the  ditching  done  in 'the  fall  was  carefully  and  thoroughly 
cleaned.  The  Tenafly  Drainage  Brook  from  its  source  in  Englewood 
to  the  Borough  Line  of  Harrington  Park,  was  cleaned  of  all  ob- 
structions and  the  banks  cut  sharp  and  clean.  Huyler's  Brook  and 
Davies  Brook  in  Demarest,  were  cleaned  and  graded,  and  the  edges 
of  Huyler's  Pond  and  Davies  Pond  freed  from  grass  and  other 
growths.  The  swamp  west  of  the  West  Shore  Railroad,  and  north  of 
New  Milford  Avenue,  Dumont,  was  drained.  Gilpin's  Pond  in  Du- 
mont  and  Bergman's  Pond  in  Bergenfield  were  cleaned  and  the 
brook  between  these  two  ponds  cleaned  and  graded.  The  upper  end 
of  the  Haworth  Golf  Club  Brook  was  cleaned  and  graded ;  the  ditch- 
ing near  Hardenburgh  Avenue,  Haworth,  cleaned  and  graded;  the 
big  swamps  in  Demarest  and  Cresskill  were  drained  and  ditches  cut 
to  relieve  the  many  small  swamps  found  on  either  side  of  the  Tena- 
fly Drainage  Brook.  Proper  drainage  was  afforded  for  all  and 
within  one  mile  of  the  outside  boundaries  of  the  reservation  and  all 
large  collections  of  stagnant  water  completely  removed  therefrom. 

The  results  attained  were  satisfactory  with  the  exception  of  the 
Tenafly  Drainage  Brook.  This  is  a  flat,  wide,  sluggish  stream  and 
breeding  was  found  along  the  edges  even  after  cleaning  had  been 
done,  so  that  it  was  necessary  to  oil  it  all  through  the  summer. 

In  the  camp  itself  an  unusual  freedom  from  mosquitoes  was  en- 
joyed, and  no  cases  of  malaria  attributable  to  conditions  at  Camp 
Merritt  were  reported  by  the  Base  Hospital.  In  fact  after  early 
spring,  but  few  Anopheles  mosquitoes  were  found  breeding  and  night 
collections  showed  a  catch  of  less  than  2  per  cent  of  adult  Anopheles. 


WdlUngton  and  East  Rutherford 

The  Wallington-Ea?t  Rutherford,  or  as  it  is  sometimes  called  the 
Plank  Road,  Swamp,  lies  either  side  of  the  Plank  Road  just  west  of 
Roehr^s  nursery.  Two  years  ago  the  commission  drained  this  swamp 
but  carelessness  on  the  part  of  borough  officials  in  allowing  ash  fillp 
to  be  made  regardless  of  drainage,  had  blocked  and  in  some  places 
completely  cut  off  the  outlet  for  this  swamp.  In  the  spriner,  it  was 
a  veritable  lake  and  heavy  sylvestris  breeding  was  found.  The  main 
drainage  ditch  through  this  swamp  swings  a  complete  semi-circle, 
outletting  on  the  south  in  the  Passaic  River  near  the  McKenzie  Com- 
pany reservoir  and  on  tlie  north  in  the  Passaic  River  at  Eighth  Street 
Bridge,  Wallington,  the  watershed  being  about  2,000  feet  south  of 
this  bridge.     This  main  ditch  and  the  culverts  under  CarlingtoD 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  485 

Avenue,  Elm  Street  and  Locu&t  Avenue,  were  tlioroughly  cleaned  and 
graded.  All  laterals  which  were  cut  two  years  ago  were  cleaned  and 
over  1,000  feet  of  new  ditching  dug.  The  cost  of  cleaning  the  Locust 
Avenue  Culvert  was  met  by  the  county  engineer,  and  Mr.  McKenzie 
gerterously  contributed  toward  the  cost  of  the  section  of  the  ditch  in 
East  Rutherford.  This  is  one  of  the  largest  swamps  in  this  part  of 
the  county.  It  is  a  notorious  breeding  place.  The  work  done  this 
summer  kept  it  well  under  control. 


Uackensack 

Important  drainage  work  was  done  in  Hackensack  at  Ross  Ave- 
nue, in  the  Pink  and  Huyler  Street  section,  and  in  the  Fairmount 
section.  The  large  swamps  along  Ross  Avenue  between  Grand  Ave- 
nue and  the  Hill,  have  always  been  a  source  of  much  annoyance  to 
that  residential  part  of  the  village.  Large  enough  to  breed  millions 
of  mosquitoes  and  close  enough  to  make  the  porches  of  many  homes 
almost  unbearable  after  the  first  of  June,  there  was  an  urgent  de- 
mand from  the  people  for  the  elimination  of  these  breeding  swamps. 
The  Hackensack  Board  of  Health  interested  itself  in  this  proposition 
and  agreed  to  pay  50  per  cent  of  the  cost  of  the  work.  Levels  were 
run,  and  it  was  determined  that  all  except  the  swamp  nearest  the 
highland  could  be  drained.  A  graded  ditch  over  two  miles  in  length 
was  dug;  198  feet  of  tile  laid  and  with  the  exception  noted  nbove, 
the  swampland  completely  drained. 

The  Green  Street,  Pink  Street,  and  Riser  Ditch  drainage  was  a 
further  development  of  the  work  done  last  year  along  tlie  Riser  Ditch 
to  Williams  Avenue,  Hasbrouck  Heights.  This  whole"  section  of  the 
county  from  Hackensack  south  is  flat  and  poorly  drained.  A  year 
ago,  drainage  ditches  were  dug  in  Woodridge,  Moonacliie  and  Has- 
brouck Heights.  This  year  this  ditching  was  carried  on  into  the 
lower  end  of  Hackensack.  The  fall  on  all  this  area  is  very  slight 
and  it  requires  careful  cleaning  and  exact  grading  to  remove  the 
water.  Ditches  are  already  there,  but  have  been  allowed  to  clog  up, 
thus  forming  bad  breeding  places  in  themselves.  In  this  area  11,579 
feet  of  old  ditching  was  taken  care  of.  A  substantial  contribution 
from  the  Hackensack  Board  of  Health  again  made  this  work  possible. 

In  the  Fairmount  section  the  place  complained  of  was  the  Camp- 
bell Ditch  and  the  land  adjoining  it.  Here,  as  in  the  Wallington 
Swamp,  the  main  ditch  had  a  double  outlet  on  the  lower  end  directly 
into  the  Hackensack  River  and  in  the  upper  end  into  Cole's  Brook. 
The  outlet  on  the  lower  end,  however,  was  not  being  taken  advantai^e 
of,  and  the  waste  water  from  the  Campbell  Wall  Paper  Company 
was  carried  to  the  edge  of  the  meadow  and  allowed  to  flood  over  the 
meadow  surface.  This  not  only  retarded  drainage  but  also  created 
a  sizable  breeding  place.  To  avoid  this  a  6-foot  ditch  was  dug  for 
1,850  feet  to  the  river  to  obtain  proper  outlet.    The  existing  system 


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486     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

was  then  thoroughly  cleaned  and  new  ditehea  cut  as  needed.  The 
work  on  the  ditch  below  the  Wall  Paper  Company  was  especial  diffi- 
cult, due  to  the  heavy  deposits  from  the  effluent  of  this  mill.  Be- 
sides the  1,850  feet  of  ditch  above  accounted  for,  4,328  feet  of  old 
ditching  was  cleaned  and  2,000  feet  of  new  ditches  dug,  and  1*,3TS 
feet  of  tile-pipe  and  culverts  cleaned.  Financial  assistance  was 
afforded  bv  the  Campbell  Wall  Paper  Company,  and  the  Hackensack 
Board  of  Health. 

Maywood 

The  benefit  of  the  work  done  at  Ross  Avenue,  Hackensack,  was  so 
apparent  to  the  people  of  the  nearby  Borough  of  Maywood  that  the 
board  of  health  of  that  town  reqi^ested  the  commission  to  consider 
for  them  drainage  of  the  Central  Avenue  Swamp.  The  commission 
informed  them  with  regret  that  their  labor  budget  for  the  present 
season  was  completed  and  that  no  funds  were  available.  The  Bor- 
ough of  Maywood  then  agreed  to  pay  the  entire  cost  of  the  labor  if 
the  commission  would  direct  and  supervise  it.  On  this  basis,  tlie 
work  was  done.  This  included  the  cleaning  of  2,965  feet  of  old  ditch- 
ing and  the  digging  of  3,128  feet  of  n^w  ditching.  On  its  comple- 
tion it  was  inspected  by  representatives  from  Maywood.  The  swamp- 
land was  found  almost  dry  and  the  water  in  the  ditches  rapidly  drain- 
ing out.  Mosquito-breeding  possibilities  were  eliminated.  The  only 
objection  made  was  that  the  bottom  of  the  culvert  under  the  New 
York,  Susquehaima  and  Western  Railroad  tracks  was  too  high  and 
seriously  retarded  prompt  drainage.  This  matter  has  been  taken  up 
with  the  engineering  section  of  the  Erie  Railroad,  and  action  re- 
quested before  next  spring. 

HasbroucJc  Heights 

Two  bad  mosquito-breeding  places  in  Hasbrouck  Heights  were 
done  away  with  by  drainage,  one  at  the  south  line  of  the  borough 
and  the  other  in  the  west  swale. 

At  the  south  line  an  old  ditch  running  from  the  edge  of  the  high- 
land to  Berry's  Creek  had  become  badly  congested.  Breeding  was 
found  in  the  ditch  itself  and  in  the  land  lying  along  either  side  of 
the  ditch.  This  main  ditch  was  cleaned  out  and  stagnant  water  re- 
leased. The  work  cost  the  commission  $15.00,  the  Borough  of  Has- 
brouck Heights  paying  the  balance  of  the  cost.  This  amount  was 
more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  money  saved  in  oil  and  cost  of 
oiling. 

The  condition  at  Hasbrouck  Heights  west  swale  was  brought  to 
the  attention  of  the  inspector  in  charge  by  Mr.  VanNote.  Mosqui- 
toes were  particularly  bad  in  this  section  of  the  town  and  an  inspec- 
tion showed  a  foul  condition  and  much  breeding  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  pig-pon  north  of  Terhune  Avenue.     One  thonsand  feet  of  new 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  EEPORT.  487 

ditching  was  found  necessary  for  drainage  in  addition  to  the  1,666 
feet  of  old  ditching  cleaned.  The  responsible  property  owners  paid 
for  the  work. 

Moonachie  and  Little  Ferry 

At  Moonachie,  an  outlet  ditch  was  dug  to  furnish  outlet  to  the 
swamp  near  Hemecek's  store.  This  place  is  a  heavy  breeder  and  its 
drainage  has  been  a  bone  of  contention  ever  since  the  drainage  in- 
stalled by  the  commission  in  1916  gave  a  solution  to  the  problem  by 
placing  a  culvert  under  Moonachie  Road.  The  commission  then  con- 
nected this  up  with  a  tributary  of  the  Hackensack  River  and  carried 
the  ditch  back  into  the  woods  a  sufficient  distance  to  prevent  further 
woodland  breeding.  The  Borough  of  Moonachie  paid  50  per  cent  of 
the  cost  of  this  labor. 

The  Little  Ferry  work  was  done  on  the  Chemical  Company  swamp 
and  on  the  schocd  swamp.  At  the  Chemical  Company  the  ditch  was 
opened  from  the  Hackensack  River  to  Washington  Avenue,  2,328  feet 
of  old  ditching  being  cleaned.  This  was  very  necessaiy,  as  mucli 
breeding  was  being  found. 

At  the  school  on  Liberty  Street,  a  short  outlet  ditch  was  dug  to 
relieve  the  stagnant  water  held  back  here.  This  work  will  be  ex- 
tended and  completed  when  the  drainage  of  the  Calicooneck  section 
is  finished. 

Rivervale 

The  Rivervale  work  was  done  late  in  the  season  after  the  labor  at 
Camp  Merritt  had  been  completed.  It  comprised  the  drainage  of 
the  Eisman  swamp.  This  is  a  large  swamp,  a  constant  breeder  and 
most  difficult  to  oil  both  because  of  its  distance  from  any  oiling  sta- 
tion, and  because  of  the  thick  underbrush  which  prevented  proper 
spreading  of  the  oil.  It  took  3,089  feet  of  new  ditching  and  5,023 
feet  of  cleaning  of  old  ditches  to  place  this  on  the  list  of  permanent 
breeding  places  drained.  The  cost  was  $116.00  and  $232.13  was 
paid  by  the  Township  of  Rivervale,  or  the  property  owners. 


River  Edge 

The  River  Edge  work  oansi?ted  of  the  drainage  of  the  Becker 
Brothers'  Swamp  nnd  the  cleaning  of  the  Midland  Avenue  Brook. 
The  first-named  place  war^  a  small  pocketed  swamp  which  ontlpted  into 
the  latter  brook.  A  deep  cut  was  neooFFary  to  remove  thi«  water  and 
this  was  tiled.  The  other  work,  that  at  Midland  Avenue,  has  been 
planned  for  ?ome  time  as  a  supplement  to  the  work  done  on  the  Con- 
tinental Avenue  Brook  two  summers  aero.  With  the  necessary  mainte- 
nance the?e  places  should  now  be  kept  free  from  breeding  and  River 
Edge  have  but  little  annoyance  from  mosquitoes. 


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488     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Calicooneclc  Drainage 

At  the  present  time,  the  commission's  laboring  force  is  busy  on  the 
Calicooneck  Drainage  contract.  This  calls  for^the  complete  cleaning 
of  the  Little  Riser  Ditch  from  Eckels  Creek  to  its  source.  This  ditch 
passes  through  Little  Ferry,  Moonachie  and  Lodi  Township  and  each 
of  the  municipalities  affected  is  paying  a  proportionate  share  of  the 
cost.  The  completion  of  this  work  means  the  adding  of  another  im- 
portant link  to  the  drainage  system  of  this  section.  It  will  serve  lo 
relieve  the  now  over-taxed  East  Risef  drainage,  and  also  take  much 
pressure  oflE  the  Huyler  Street  system.  With  these  three  ditches 
operating  properly  the  high  water  of  the  spring  should  be  removed 
rapidly,  and  this  tremendous  spring  breeder  be  brought  under  control. 


^Uflit  Collections 

Our  night  collections  this  summer  showed  that  salt-marsh  mosqui- 
toes were  quite  prevalent  in  the  lower  end  of  the  county  at  various 
times  during  the  summer.  Rutherford  experienced  a  particularly 
\  :\'.y  infestation  in  May.  With  the  exception  of  A,  Ccmtatcr,  collec- 
tions showed  no  unexpected  developments.  Sylvestris  remained  as  be- 
fore the  predominating  species,  and  were  generally  distributed  over 
the  county  as  a  whole.  Piinens  were  at  no  time  serious.  Anophefrs 
punctipennis  were  found  occasionally  in  Ridgewood,  Hohokus,  Park 
Ridge  and  Crepskili.  Anopholps  quadrim-ocvlMus  were  brought  in 
from  Park  Ridge,  Westwood  and  Oradell.  In  fact  almost  every  sta- 
tion taken  near  Brickel's  Sawmill,  in  Park  Ridge,  showed  at  least  one 
A.  quadrwiaculatus,  and  sometimes  three  or  four.  These  facts  were 
communicated  to  the  Park  Ridge  Board  of  Health.  A  few  sayi  svh- 
cantans,  canadensis  and  perturbans  were  caught. 


Passaic  County 

The  Nature  of  the  Problem 

Passaic  County  on  the  map  has  roughly  the  shape  of  an  hour  glas? 
with  the  small  end  to  the  southeast.  All  south  of  Pompton  I^Lke? 
forms  the  southern  division  and  aJl  north  the  northern  portion.  Con- 
siderably more  than  one-half  the  area  lies  in  the  northern  section,  but 
approximately  91  per  cent,  of  the  inhabitants  live  in  the  southern 
part. 

The  surface  from  Paterson  south,  while  rolling,  is  not  rugged,  hut 
from  Paterson  north  it  assumes  a  rather  rugged  character. 

The  hilly  portions  are  well  wooded  and  have  many  pools.  The 
woodland  pool  mosquitoes  must  form  a  serious  problem  in  the  roujg^her 
parts  of  the  county.  Xo  thorough  investigations  of  this  point  have 
been  made. 


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EXPERIMEIS^T  STATION  REPORT.  489 

A  very  considerable  number  of  small  swamps  exist  in  the  southern 
part  of  this  territory  and  the  Great  Piece  Meadows  are  only  a  few 
miles  a  way.  The  mosquitoes  taken  during  the  summer  in  the  City  of 
Passaic  and  elsewhere  in  the  county  have  shown  at  times  many  swamp 
species.  It  looks  as  if  the  swarap-mosquito  problem  may  be  a  very 
important  one. 

The  population  in  the  southern  end  of  the  county  is  rather  concen- 
trated and  the  usual  breeding  places  for  the  house  mosquito  are  abun- 
dant. In  addition  to  this  the  cities  of  Paterson  and  Passaic  have  a 
very  large  number  of  factories  in  which  numerous  water-holding  re- 
ceptacles are  kept.  The  soil  is  by  nature  fairly  well  drained,  but  is 
sufficiently  tight  to  hold  water  in  depressions  long  enough  for  mosqui- 
toes to  breed. 

The  mosquito  problem  is  thus  seen  to  involve  tlie  control  of  the 
woodland-pool  species,  the  fresh-water  swamp  species  and  the  house 
mosquito. 

The  work  of  1918 

The  work  of  mo?quito  control  in  Passaic  County,  as  heretofore,  was 
limited  to  the  cities  of  Paterson,  Passaic  and  Clifton,  the  boroughs  of 
Hawthorne,  Prospect  Park,  Haledon,  Totowa  and  West  Park.  These 
municipalities  cover  an  area  of  35  square  miles  and  contain  a  popula- 
tion of  211,000 — 91  per  cent  of  the  population  of  the  county. 

Since  there  is  no  salt  marsh  within  the  borders  of  this  county,  tlie 
commi'^^ion''^  efforts  were  confined  to  an  attempt  to  control  the  breed- 
ing of  fie^h-water  fpeeies. 

The  annual  appropriation?  in  the  past  four  years  have  not  been 
large  enough  to  warrant  the  undertaking  of  much  permanent  elimina- 
tion work,  sucli  as  tlie  drainage  of  large  pools  and  swamps.  But  satis- 
factory results  in  temporary  control  work  have  been  obtained.  It  is 
hoped,  in  the  future,  by  means  of  the  cooperation  of  municipalities,  or 
with  increased  appropriation?,  that  there  may  be  a  large  annual  re- 
duction in  the  number  of  permanent  breeding  places. 

During  the  summer  of  1918  there  wa?  an  unusual  infestation  of 
salt-marsh  mosquitoes  which  came  in  from  adjoining  counties.  This 
invasion  caused  much  annoyance  to  the  people  of  Paterson  and  Pas- 
saic. The  night  collections  show  tliat  in  Paterson  05  per  cent  of  the 
mosquitoes  infesting  the  city  during  the  summer  were  from  the  salt 
marsh  (Aedes  cantator)^  and  in  Passaic,  the  nearest  point  to  the  salt 
marsh,  75  per  cent.  In  addition  to  rantafor,  the  only  species  caught 
in  the  night  collections  in  appreciable  numbers  were  the  fresh-water 
swamp  mosquito  (AedCr^  sylvcstris-)  and  the  house  mosquito  (Culex 
pi  pi  ens) . 

On  the  first  of  !May  a  force  of  19  utility  men  and  laborers,  with  2 
men  for  the  oiling  truck,  was  organized.  This  force  was  kept  con- 
tinuously employed  making  inspections,  cutting  or  cleaning  ditches, 
oiling,  etc.,  until  September  30.  On  September  30  the  men  were  laid 
off  and  the  equipment  placed  in  storage  for  the  winter. 


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490     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

During  the  Fea«)n  night  collections  were  taken  on  18  diflferent  dates, 
210,448  hackyard  inspections  were  made,  1,350  linear  feet  of  ditching 
was  cut  or  cleaned  and  4,650  gallons  of  fuel  oil  were  spread. 

Prom  about  the  middle  of  June  until  August  14,  intensive  breeding 
of  pipi^ns  was  found  in  the  700  street  receiving  basins  in  the  cities  of 
Paterson,  Passaic  a*id  Clifton.  This,  however,  was  effectively  con- 
trolled by  spraying  the  basins  regularly  with  fuel  oil. 

A  much  more  serious  problem  was  the  pipiens  breeding  in  the  Pas- 
saic River.  Every  condition  favorable  to  intensive  mosquito  breeding 
is  present  in  this  stream,  which  for  much  of  its  length  is  little  more 
than  an  open  sewer.  Breeding  was  controlled  by  the  use  of  a  rowboat 
and  two  men  who  patrolled  the  river  and  sprayed  fuel  oil  wherever 
larvae  were  found. 

Essex  County 

Hsture  of  the  Problem 

The  physical  surface  of  Essex  County  begins  at  sea  level  as  a 
4,000-acre  salt  marsh  and  rises  to  the  height  of  600  or  more  feet. 
Until  the  northeastward  ranging  hills  are  reached  the  height  of  land 
rarely  exceeds  200  feet.  All  this  lower  level  of  land  is  cut  by  mean- 
dering streams  which  afford  the  somewhat  heavy  soil  pretty  fair 
drainage. 

The  hilly  sections  are  well  forested  and  have  many  pools  in  which 
the  woodland  species  of  mosquitoes  breed,  giving  to  this  county  an 
important  woodland-pool-mosquito  problem.  The  streams  that 
meander  through  both  the  hilly  and  the  lowland  sections  of  the  county 
in  some  cases  do  not  completely  drain  all  of  their  valleys,  thereby 
creating  a  considerable  number  of  swamps  from  which  the  swamp 
species  issue  in  sufficient  numbers  to  constitute  a  problem. 

The  streams  and  ponds  of  this  county  exhibit  a  heavy  growth  of 
graFs  along  their  edges,  and  some  of  the  latter,  when  the  dry  season 
has  lowered  the  level,  are  sufficiently  shallow  to  show  a  growth  of 
coarse  grass  over  much  of  their  bottoms.  In  the  water  behind  the 
screen  of  the  grass  the  malarial  mosquitoes  breed  and  issue  in  suffi- 
cient numbers  to  demand  attention. 

The  great  bulk  of  the  half -million  persons  living  within  the  limits 
of  the  county  is  gathered  on  the  lowland  in  and  adjacent  to  the  city 
of  Newark.  The  changes  incident  to  the  transformation  of  countr>' 
into  city  have  dammed  many  of  these  meandering  streams,  transform- 
ing tliem  into  virulent  breeding  places  for  the  house  mosquito.  These 
changes  have  polluted  a  large  part  of  the  streams,  ponds  and  pools 
and  rendered  them  bad  breeders  for  the  same  species.  The  presenct; 
of  so  many  people  has  meant  necessarily  the  multiplication  of  the 
ordinary  house  and  yard  breeding  places.  All  of  these  factors  have 
contributed  to  the  breeding  throughout  the  season  of  vast  numbers  of 
house  mosquitoes,  the  suppression  of  which  is  a  very  large  work. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  491 

The  4,000-acre  salt  marsh  has  been  crossed  and  criss-crossed  by 
railways  and  roadways,  and  all  drains  except  the  great  creeks,  utterly 
destroyed.  The  marsh  has  thus  been  broken  up  into  parts  of  various 
sizes,  all  furnished  with  insufficient  outlets.  To  inake  a  bad  matter 
worse  the  city  of  Newark  dumps  in  one  way  or  another  much  of  its 
raw  sewage  in  various  ones  of  these  divisions.  The  blocking  up  of 
the  drainage  insured  the  abundant  breeding  of  the  salt-marsh  mos- 
quitoes, and  polluting  the  water  with  sewage  made  certain  the  breed- 
ing of  enormous  numbers  of  house  mosquitoes.  It  is  from  these 
separate  portions  of  the  original  salt  marsh. that  most  of  Essex's 
intra-t^rritorial  mosquitoes  come. 

Unfortunately  Essex's  northern  border  is  close  enough  to  the 
swampy  places  on  the  Great  Piece  Meadows  to  be  visited  on  occasion 
by  species  bred  there. 

Thus  the  mosquito  problem  in  Essex  County  is  seen  to  involve  the 
control  of  the  salt-marsh  mosquitoes,  the  woodland-pool  species,  the 
fresh-water  swamp  species,  the  house  mosquito,  and  possibly  to  some 
extent  the  malarial  mosquitoes. 

The  geographical  location  of  Essex  County  is,  from  the  standpoint 
of  mosquito  control,  extremely  unfortunate  because  mosquitoes  bred 
in  the  salt  marshes  of  the  Hackensack  Valley  seem  under  the  influ- 
ence of  eastern  and  southeastern  winds  to  travel  from  their  places 
of  breeding  into  higher  limits;  furthermore,  mosquitoes  which  breed 
on  the  marshes  of  the  shores  of  Newark  Bay  under  southern  and 
southwestern  winds  likewise  travel  from  their  breeding  places  into 
limits  of  the  county.  In  other  words,  it  seems  that  the  salt  marshes 
are  so  located  with  regard  to  Essex  C^nnty  that  the  common  ordinary 
winds  of  spring  and  summer  blow  titoss  them  into  Essex  County  and 
bring  with  them  such  mosquitoes  i.s  they  breed  into  her  territory  to 
trouble  her  population.  This  probably  accounts  for  the  fact  that 
Essex  County  was  the  first  county  in  the  state  to  make  efforts  to  con- 
trol the  mosquito  pest. 

Essex  began  her  work  in  the  year  1912  with  larger  appropriations 
than  any  other  county  and  has  continued  to  spend  more  money.  Her 
marshes  are,  at  the  present  time,  the  best  drained,  probably,  of  any  of 
the  marshes  in  the  state.  Her  upland  has  received  a  larger  amount 
of  drainage  in  proportion  to  area  than  any  other  county.  Her  in- 
spection and  her  oiling  have  been  more  extensive  and  probably  in  most 
cases  more  complete.  Her  salt  marsh  has  been  drained  to  such  a  point 
that  the  problem  of  eliminating  mosquito  breeding  on  it  is  merely  a 
matter  of  maintenance  with  possibly  the  establishment  of  a  eir/?uiat- 
ing  system. 

The  Oommlsslon^s  Flan 

The  plan  of  the  Essex  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission 
has  been  in  the  first  place  by  means  of  temporary  measures  to  give 
the  population  the  largest  amount  of  immediate  protection  and  at  the 


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492     NEW  JERSEY  AGBICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

same  time  to  push  forward  as  rapidly  as  the  funds  would  permit, 
permanent  elimination  of  the  mosquito  breeding  places  within  the 
limits  of  the  county.  Recently  the  commission  divided  the  county 
into  a  salt-marsh  and  a  fresh-water  district,  placing  an  executive  in 
charge  of  each,  and  worked  out  ^ith  the  executive  in  question  the 
plans  for  the  work. 

Salt-Marsh  Work 

Reclamation  of  land  for  industrial  purposes  on  the  salt  marsh  was 
carried  on  this  season  to  an  extent  beyond  the  wildest  anticipations 
of  those  interested  in  meadow  development.  Reclamation  work  is 
obviously  of  the  greatest  value  to  mosquito  extermination  but  it  is 
an  improvement  creating  temporary  local  conditions  extremely  diflS- 
cult  in  mosquito  control.  By  arranging  for  information  of  antici- 
pated developments  the  commission  was  able  to  modify  its  plans  to 
keep  pace  with  the  changing  conditions,  but  frequently  calculations 
made  in  accordance  with  the  plans  of  these  large  projects,  go  wrong 
on  account  of  unexpected  delays  or  by  departure  from  announced 
plans. 

For  these  reasons  certain  broods  of  cantator  mosquitoes  escaped 
from  small  meadow  areas  in  May ;  at  all  other  times  salt-marsh  breed- 
ing was  practically  confined  to  ditches,  and  there  controlled  by  oiling. 
"With  the  exception  noted,  the  county  suffered  no  annoyance  from 
mosquitoes  bred  on  its  salt  marsh. 

Summary 

All  meadows  patrolled  for  'inspection  and  oiling  on  a  lO-day  scliedule. 

All  tide-gates  kept  in   thorough  repair. 

475,737  feet  of  ditches  cleaned. 

10,095  feet  of  new  ditches  installed. 

8,009  gallons  of  oil  spread. 

New  tide-gate  installed  in   Government  Dike  Ditch. 

New  tide-gate  installed  at  head  of  Peddie  Ditch. 

New  tide-gate  installed  in  Balback  Yard. 

Active  work  season.  Miarc^  IS  tx>  October  31,  191S. 

First  larvae  found  March  2G. 

Upland  Work 

The  policy  of  more  intensive  work  to  exterminate  the  upland  species 
of  moFquitoes  was  conimenced  this  season.  There  was  notable  falling 
oft  in  upland  breeding  this  year  as  compared  with  1917,  probably 
largely  because  of  favorable  weather  conditions. 

The  hou.^e  mosquito  appeared  in  smaller  numbers  but  was  still  the 
cause  of  annoyance  for  several  days,  principally  in  the  Belleville, 
Nutley  and  Bloomfield  sections  of  the  county. 


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The  district  was  divided  into  sections,  with  inspectors  and  assistants 
making  general  and  house-to-house  inspections,  followed  by  oiling 
crews  to  control  breeding. 

Summary 

339,000  feet  of  ditches  cleaned. 
152.000  feet  of  new  ditches  installed. 
8.541  gallons  of  oil  spread. 

New  tide-gate  installed  in  Belleville  on  Passaic  River. 

Sewer  catch-basins  throughout  county  oiled  from  j'uly  8  to  September  24, 
four  oilings  in  all. 

First  larvae  reported  March  22. 


New  Drainji^e  Work  in  Upland  Dnrlnir  li^lS 

Larj?e  pools  in  the  White  Oak  Ridge  Section  of  Millbum  Township. 

Watkin*8  Swamp  in  North  Caldwell  Township. 

Baldwin's  Swamp  in  North  Caldwell  Township. 

Pilgrim's  Swamp  in  North  Caldwell  Township. 

The*  Old  Erie  Railroad  cut  in  Verona. 

Drake's   Pond   in   Irvington. 

Swamps  north  of  South  Orange  Avenue  in  Livingston. 

Fairchild's  Swamp  in  Livingston. 

Buffalo   Swamp  in   Essex   Fells. 

Carp  Pond   in  Essex  Fells. 

Swamp  along  the  Rahway  River,  between  Northfield  Road  and  Eagle  Rock 
Avenue  in  West  Orange. 

The  Swamp  west  of  the  Morris  Canal  and 'north  of  the  Newark  Water  pipe 
line  in  Bloomfield. 

The  Swamp  along  the  Passaic  River  near  Little  Street  in  Belleville.  This 
included  the  installation  of  a  small  tide-gate. 

The  lowering  of  the  spillway  and  the  drainage  of  the  old  Hendrick's  head- 
race in  Belleville. 

iBspeetlons 

Reported  Breeding  Salt  Marsh  Upl/ind  Total 

Vats,  barrels  and  tubs 115 

Cisterns    

Cesspcfols    

Manure  pits 

Cellars 

Street  gutters    

Sewer  basins   

Brooks,  ditches  and  drains 

Ponds  and  pools  

Swamps   

Miscellaneous   82 

Number  of  yard  inspections 

Feet  of  ditch  cleaning    475,737 

Feet  of  ditch  digging 10,005 

Gallons  of  oil  used 8,009 


4.083 

4,198 

f52 

62 

64 

64 

167 

167 

173 

173 

152 

152 

227 

227 

1,043 

1,043 

1.580 

1.580 

338 

338 

1,535 

1,617 

225.006 

225,006 

339.000 

814.737 

152.000 

162.095 

8.541 

16,550 

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494     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


Klgkt  CoHeelioiig 

Weekly  night  collections  of  adult  mosquitoes  were  made  during  the 
active  season.  The  time  at  collection  stations  was  extended  to  20 
minutes,  which  change  from  the  1917  season  should  be  noted  in 
making  comparison  of  this  year's  statistics  with  those  of  last  year. 
The  1917  figures  show  results  for  10-minute  collections.  The  chart 
of  night  collections  for  the  season  indicated  these  conclusions : 

1.  There  were  f6ur  general  invasions. 

2.  The  first  invasion  reached  its  height  May  22  and  was  of  about 
50  per  cent  each,  ccarUator  and  subcarUans,  The  caaUator  were  from 
all  surrounding  salt  marsh,  including  Essex  County,  and  the  aub- 
cantans  were  largely  from  fresh-water  swamps  of  Essex  County  not 
yet  ditched. 

3.  The  second  invasion,  at  height  June  5,  was  caused  by  sylvestris. 
This  was  the  only  sylv&^ris  brood  of  any  size  appearing  in  th^  rountjr 
during  the  season.  It  originated  from  the  upland  swamp  section  be- 
fore referred  to. 

4.  The  third  invasion,  occurring  July  17,  was  due  solely  to  cantator 
coming  in  from  salt  marsh  east  of  tJie  northeastern  part  of  Essex 
County. 

5.  The  fourth  invasion  was  at  its  worst  August  21,  and  was  of  the 
same  species  and  from  the  same  origin  as  the  third  invasion. 


Union  County 

Katare  of  the  Problera 

The  physical  surface  of  Union  County  begins,  like  that  of  Essex, 
at  sea  level  with  a  salt  marsh  of  about  4,000  acres  (which,  however,  is 
divided  into  three  distinct  parts  and  rises  gently  to  the  northwest  to 
a  height  of  about  600  feet.  Prom  the  marsh  to  the  northeastward 
running  range  of  hills  (the  same  range  as  that  found  in  Essex)  the 
height  does  not  for  the  most  part  exceed  200  feet. 

Streams  meander  through  this  area  but  do  not  drain  it  so  efficiently 
as  Essex.  Swamps  are  larger  in  size  and  greater  in  number.  The 
swamp-mosquito  problem  is  correspondingly  more  difficult  than  in 
Essex. 

The  hilly  portions  of  Union  County  are  pretty  well  wooded  and  a 
conriderabie  number  of  woodland  pools  are  present.  While  the 
number  of  woodland-pool  mosquitoes  issuing  from  them  must  be 
reckoned  with,  the  problem  is  not  so  important  as  in  Essex. 

The  grassy  banks  of  streams  and  ponds  aflford  breeding  places  for  a 
considerable  number  of  the  malarial  mosquitoes,  rendering  them  a 
factor  to  be  reckoned  with. 

The  4,000-acre  salt  marsh  is  fortunately  far  less  cut  up  than  that 
of  Essex  and  has  comparatively  very  little  sewage  contamination. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  495 

The  problem  of  control  is,  therefore,  much  less  difficult.  The  cross- 
ing of  the  marshes  by  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jersey,  and  by 
spur  and  sidings  thereof,  has,  however,  materially  interfered  with  the 
original  drainage.  Small  creeks  have  been  filled  and  the  areas  they 
originally  drained  left  without  outlets. 

At  the  present  time  the  enfire  salt-marsh  area  has  been  ditched  and 
much  of  it  has  been  enclosed  by  dike  and  tide-gates.  But  from  time 
to  time,  on  account  of  industrial  developments,  or  in  order  to  secure 
a  circulation  of  water  which  will  flush  out  the  ditches  and  keep  them 
stocked  with  killifish,  it  will  be  necessary  to  install  additional 
drainage. 

Flan  of  Work 

The  whole  of  Union  County,  including  4,400  acres  of  salt  marsh 
and  many  large  upland  swamps,  was  regularly  examined  for  mosquito 
breeding  by  the  commission's  inspectors  during  the  1918  season. 
Wherever  possible,  and  so  far  as  funds  would  permit,  breeding  was 
eliminated  by  the  installation  of  permanent  drainage. 

During  19l8  automobiles  were  substituted  for  horse-drawn  vehicles 
in  the  transportation  of  men  and  materials.  As  a  result  it  was  found 
that  a  given  force  of  men  could  accomplish  a  much  greater  volume  of 
work.  In  other  years  many  pools  and  swamps  found  breeding  could 
not  be  reached  in  time  by  the  oil  wagon  on  account  of  its  slowness. 
During  1918  three  automobiles  covered  the  whole  county.  It  was 
found  that  even  as  far  as  from  Elizabeth  to  Cranford  pools  and 
swamps  could  be  oiled  with  regularity  and  on  time.  The  same  is  ap- 
plicable to  the  upper  section  of  the  county,  namely,  from  Summit  and 
Springfield,  through  Wostfield  to  Plainfield.  It  is  thought,  too,  that 
the  saving  in  oil  (60  barrels  in  1918  as  compared  with  150  barrels  in 
1917)  may  be  credited  to  the  automobile.  As  with  an  automobile  the 
ground  could  be  covered  much  more  rapidly  and  evenly  than  in  any 
other  way. 

Inspections 

Inspections  from  November  1,  1917,  to  October  31,  1918,  revealed 
the  following  breeding  places : 

393  vats,  barrels,  etc. 
71  wells  and  cesspools 
2  cellars 
37  street  gutters 
440  sewer  basins 
470  pools 
1987  ponds 
3599  stwamps 
33  brooks 
1  river 
2873  backyards 

60  miscellaneous  breeding  places 


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496     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 


lBlaii4  Ifotk 

The  inland  woodland  swamps  and  pools  were  found  breeding  dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  March  and  early  part  of  April.  The  breeding 
in  some  places  was  light  and  in  others  very  heavy,  but  in  most  places 
where  the  breeding  was  heavy  the  labor  force  was  so  distributed  as  to 
eliminate  this  breeding  before  it  could  get  on  the  wing.  During  the 
latter  part  of  April,  May  and  June  in  the  larger  woodland  swamps 
where  the  breeding  became  very  heavy,  the  inspectors  had  to  resort 
to  oiling  to  hold  these  broods  down  until  the  labor  force  could  reach 
these  particular  places. 

The  commission  in  its  latest  annual  report  cited  the  need  of  drain- 
ing the  fresh-water  marshes  along  the  upper  Elizabeth  River,  in 
Union  Township,  which  under  certain  conditions  throw  large  num- 
bers of  mosquitoes  into  thickly  settled  communities  nearby.  The 
commission  has  drained  off  a  large  part  of  these  fresh-water  swamps 
on  the  north  side  of  Morris  Avenue,  but  other  and  more  extensive 
work  at  the  Springfield  Pumping  Station  and  the  Stone  Swamp  just 
above  the  Hammocks  in  Union  Township,  required  immediate  atten- 
tion to  check  the  large  number  of  Aedss  sylvestris  (fresh-water  swamp 
mosquitoes)  that  threatened  to  escape  from  here,  and  hence  the  com- 
mission could  not  carry  on  their  work  iurther  in  the  aforesaid  swamps. 

The  completion  of  the  Railway  Valley  sewer  has  not  materialized  up 
to  the  present  time,  and  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  labor  and  the  high 
cost  of  material,  will  probably  not  be  put  through  for  the  next  two 
years.  In  the  meantime  the  commission  has  to  spend  a  great  deal  of 
time  in  cleaning  up  the  several  places,  such  as  Springfield,  western 
Union  Township,  Cranford,  Kenil  worth,  Garwood  and  Rah  way,  by 
cleaning  and  oiling  the  large  number  of  open^house  drains  so  as  to  re- 
duce the  amount  of  pollution  in  the  ditches  and  streams  in  these  areas 
as  much  as  possible,  and  prevent  mosquito  invasions.  The  same  is 
applicable  to  the  Roselle-Ianden  trunk  sewer.  The  Grovemment  con- 
tmually  asking  the  people  for  more  and  more  contributions  to  carry 
on  war  work  makes  it  well  nigh  impossible  to  complete  this  sewer 
within  the  coming  year  or  two,  but  it  is  hoped  that  shortly  after  the 
termination  of  the  present  war,  this  project  will  again  come  before  the 
people,  and  at  that  time  they  will  have  a  clearer  conception  of  the 
necessity  of  this  sewer  by  reason  of  the  constant  educational  work  that 
is  being  carried  on  among  them  by  the  commission's  employees. 

The  commission  has  seldom  had  sufficient  funds  to  pay  for  the  cost 
of  all  the  drainage  work  earned  on  inland,  and  this  year  has  made 
strenuous  efforts  to  have  the  property  owners,  in  so  far  as  possible, 
p^y  for  the  work  in  full.  During  the  first  six  months  of  the  year  the 
commission  meii  with  great  success  along  this  line,  but  the  constant 
drain  for  war  work  somewhat  retarded  this  progress  toward  the  latter 
part  of  the  season ;  however,  this  work  will  be  taken  up  on  a  much 
larger  scale  in  the  year  1919  and  will  be  pushed  more  vigorously.  In 
many  instances  the  commission  has  paid  from  one-third  to  one-half 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  497 

of  the  cost  of  cJeaning  up  some  of  the  larger  breeding  areas  in  the 
county;  as  the  funds  were  not  sufBcient  to  carry  this  on  in  all  the 
different  townships,  it  was  necessary  to  resort  to  oiling. 

Salt-Marsh  Ifotk 

On  April  11  the  tides  in  the  Newark  Bay  rose  to  a  height  of  almost 
7  feet — in  fact,  the  highest  tide  known  in  this  section  of  the  state  in 
forty  years.  This  not  only  prohibited  any  work  being  done  on  the 
meadow,  but  the  debris  washed  in  from  along  the  edges  of  the  shore 
entirely  filled  in  some  of  the  larger  outlet  drains,  particularly  the 
drain  east  of  the  Newark  and  Elizabeth  Railroad  from  Great  Ditch 
almost  to  Bound  Creek,  and  from  the  Newark  and  Elizabeth  Railroad, 
in  Great  Ditch,  to  the  bay,  requiring  the  force  of  20  laborers  two 
weeks  to  clean  this  out  so  as  to  take  the  water  off  the  meadow  in  this 
section.  West  of  the  Newark  tract  in  the  diked  portion  it  was  impos- 
sible for  the  men  to  get  on  the  meadow  until  May  8,  at  which  time 
a  very  heavy  brood  of  Aedes  cantator  larvae  was  discovered.  Laborers 
were  set  to  work  at  once  to  oil  out  this  brood,  and  probably  not  more 
than  5  to  10  per  cent  reached  the  adult  stage.  As  the  water  receded 
the  force  of  men  was  increased  here  and  the  entire  drainage  system 
was  gone  over  as  rapidly  as  possible,  so  that  by  June  1  this  meadow 
was  again  put  in  first-class  condition. 

The  work  of  dredging  out  Woodruff's  Oreek  was  started  near 
Glazer's  factory  about  June  1  and  continued  to  the  Central  Railroad 
spur,  when  the  house  was  removed  from  the  dredging  scow,  the  engine 
dismantled  and  the  scow  passed  underneath  the  railroad  at  this  point. 
Cofferdams  had  to  be  built  to  clean  out  the  creek  under  the  railroad 
where  the  dredge  could  not  operate.  The  dredge  was  then  assembled 
and  operations  continued,  deepening  and  straightening  Woodruff's 
Creek  for  a  distance  of  several  thousand  feet,  until  September  21. 
This  had  opened  a  clear  outlet  for  our  more  or  less  shut-in  meadow 
south  of  Great  Island. 

On  the  South  Elizabeth  meadow  from  time  to  time  small  broods  of 
Aedes  cantator  and  Aedes  sollicitans  were  picked  up  along  the  mar- 
gins of  the  northeasterly  and  northwesterly  sections.  This  breeding 
is  caused  chiefly  by  the  meadow  being  used  as  a  pasture  by  the  dairy- 
men in  this  section,  cows  constantly  tramping  down  the  edges  of  the 
ditches. 

On  May  4  a  gang  of  men  were  placed  on  this*  meadow  and  every 
ditch  was  thoroughly  cleaned  up  and  left  in  first-class  condition. 
Some  50,000  feet  of  salt-marsh  drains  were  thus  cleaned  and  1,500 
feet  of  new  ditching  was  cut.  The  meadows  were  oiled  as  often  as 
necessary  during  the  season  to  eliminate  ditch  breeding. 

On  the  Linden  Meadow  125,000  feet  of  drainage  was  gone  over  and 
thoroughly  cleaned  of  blockage  and  debris.  This  meadow  is  now  in 
good  condition,  with  the  exception  of  two  sections:  (1)  an  area  west 
of  the  Short  Line  Trolley  Company's  tracks  and  south  of  the  Standard 
Oil  Company's  property;  and  (2),  an  area  west  of  the  Grasseli 
32 


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498     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Chemical  Company's  property.  It  is  the  intention  of  the  commiseion 
to  clean  out  these  two  places  in  the  spring  of  1919  and  install  what- 
ever new  drainage  is  necessary. 

On  the  big,  or  Xorth  Elizabeth,  meadow  very  extensive  work  was 
carried  on ;  250,000  feet  of  small  drains  were  cleaned  by  hand,  as  np 
to  the  present  time  no  machinery  has  been  devised  that  can  suc- 
cessfully clean  these  drains  satisfactorily  or  at  a  less  cost  than  under 
the  present  method. 

The  operations  of  the  dredge  boat  in  cleaning  and  deepaiing  the 
creeks  and  large  ditches  during  the  year  1918  were  very  extensive  and 
very  successful,  and  have  relieved  the  Xorth  Elizabeth  meadow  of  its 
largest  source  of  both  house  mosquito  and  soUidtans  breeding  areas. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  continuation  of  this  dredge  boat  in  the  year  1919 
east  of  the  Central  Railroad  will  clean  out  another  large  area,  known 
as  the  Mud  Pond  and  Twin  Pond  sections,  further  reducing  the  mos- 
quitoes in  these  sections,  so  that  in  a  few  years  they  will  hardly  be 
noticeable. 

In  the  year  1917  on  this  meadow  more  than  50  barrels  of  oil  were 
necesv^^arv',  besides  all  the  draining  that  was  accompli^ed,  both  by 
hand  labor  and  by  the  dredge  boat,  while  in  the  year  1918  but  7 
barrels  of  oil  were  used  on  this  meadow;  this  shows  a  great  saving 
both  in  time,  expense  and  labor. 

A  monthly  inspection  was  made  of  the  Carteret  Meadow  south  of 
the  Rahway  River,  particularly  in  the  section  west  from  the  Mexican 
Oil  Company's  plant.  Considerable  breeding  was  found  going  on 
here  during  the  entire  summer,  part  of  which  escaped  and  recujhed 
the  lower  section  of  Linden  Township,  the  city  of  Rahway,  and  even 
as  far  as  Plainfield.  This  matter  was  taken  up  with  the  proper  au- 
thorities of  Middlesex  County,  and  assurance  has  been  given  that  work 
will  be  started  on  this  meadow  as  soon  as  labor  can  be  procured,  and 
this  meadow  will  be  put  in  first-class  condition.  This  is  probably 
going  on  now,  and  in  the  year  1919  great  relief  will  be  felt  from 
here. 

Nlgbt  Coilectloiis 

The  night  collections  showed  a  marked  decrease  in  the  number  of 
mosquitoes  caught  as  compared  with  1917.  Aedes  cantator  was  the 
dominant  species,  comprising  25  per  cent  of  those  taken  in  the  collec- 
tion. Other  species'  were  as  follows:  Aedes  soUicitane,  7  per  cent; 
Culex  pipiens,  21  per  cent;  Aedes  sylvesfris,  3^^  per  cent,  and  Aedes 
sayi,  1  per  cent. 

Middbsez  County 

The  Katiire  of  the  Problem 

Middlesex  County  begins  at  sea  level  and  stretches  westward  to  its 
boundary  lines.  The  elevation  above  the  sea  is  for  the  most  part  only 
100  feet  or  less,  although  in  some  cases  a  height  of  more.thiui  double 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  BEPORT.  4^9 

that  is  reached.  The  surface  of  the  land  is  rolling  rather  tlian  level. 
The  northern  part  of  the  county  lies  on  the  red  shale  and  to  the  south- 
westward  it  pas^s  over  into  a  gravelly  loam.  A  part  south  of  the 
Raritan  River  below  New  Brunswick  is  made  up  of  typical  South  Cen- 
tral Jersey  sand. 

Generally  speaking,  the  woodlands  are  not  very  extensive,  except 
in  the  sand  barren  region.  Woodland  pools  are  not  sufficiently  numer- 
ous to  produce  a  serious  pest  of  woodland-pool  mosquitoes. 

The  streams  which  meander  through  this  territory  in  many  cases 
do  not  drain  all  parts  of  their  valleys  and  a  considerable  number  of 
swamps  are  produced.  There  is  reason  to  anticipate  that  the  control 
of  the  swamp  species  will  prove  a  considerable  problem. 

In  much  of  this  territon\  especially  in  the  red  shale,  the  soil  is 
suflBciently  impervious  to  hold  water  long  enough  for  mosquitoes  to 
breed.  The  population  of  Middlesex  County  is  not  greatly  concen- 
trated, but  enough  water  pollution  e^dsts  when  taken  with  the  ordinary 
urban  breeding  places  of  the  house  mosquito  to  produce  a  pest  of  this 
species  in  every  town  of  considerable  size. 

Evidence  has  been  accumulated  to  show  that  a  considerable  pest  of 
malarial  mosquitoes  is  bred  along  the  grassy  banks  of  brooks,  swamps, 
ponds  and  pools. 

It  is,  however,  in  the  8,000  acres  of  salt-marsh  that  Middlesex  has 
its  great  mosquito  problem.  The  marsh  is  divided  in  many  parts  and 
scattered  in  smaller  or  larger  areas  along  the  coast  and  tributary 
streams  from  the  south  end  to  the  north  end.  In  the  spring  the  brown 
salt-marsh  mosquito  (A.  caniator),  and  during  the  summer  the  white- 
banded  salt-marsh  mosquito  {A.  sollidtans)  breeds  on  it. 

The  mosquito  problem  of  Middlesex  County  is  thus  seen  to  involve 
the  control  of  the  fresh-water  swamp  mosquito,  the  malarial  mosqui- 
toes, the  house  mosquito  and  the 'salt-marsh  mosquitoes. 


The  Yfotk  of  1918 

At  the  beginning  of  the  1918  season  for  mosquito-control  work,  the 
Middlesex  County  Mosquito  Extermination  Commission  was  con- 
fronted by  a  serious  problem.  The  912,000  feet  of  ditching  installed 
in  the  various  marshes  throughout  the  county  were  badly  blocked  by 
debris  from  the  winter  storm  tides  and  required  immediate  attention ; 
the  labor  question  was  a  more  serious  one  than  ever  before,  and  a  suffi- 
cient force  to  do  the  work  rapidly  practically  unobtainable;  and 
though  the  cost  of  labor  and  material  had  greatly  increased  since  the 
previous  year,  the  funds  available  for  mosquito-extermination  work 
had  remained  the  same. 

Policy 

On  account  of  these  conditions  it  was  decided  to  adopt  the  following 
policy : 


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500     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

1.  To  clean  out  all  the  ditches  already  installed,  placing  the  systems 
in  perfect  working  order; 

2.  To  install  as  much  permanent  work  as  the  funds  would  permit; 

3.  To  control  the  salt-marsh  breeding  wherever  necessary  by  the 
use  of  oil ; 

4.  To  solicit  assistance  from  the  large  war  industries  in  the  county 
w*hich  were  in  danger  of  salt-marsh  mosquito  infestation. 


Maintenance  Work 

On  the  second  of  April  maintenance  work  was  begun  on  the  Raritan 
marsh  with  a  force  of  5  laborers.  This  branch  of  the  work  was  con- 
tinued until  early  June,  when  all  the  marshes  under  the  direct  con- 
trol of  the  commission  had  been  covered,  blockages  and  debris  removed 
from  the  systems  and  the  ditches  cleaned  to  their  original  depth. 
During  this  period  335,000  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching,  or  its 
equivalent,  were  thoroughly  overhauled  and  put  in  good  working 
order. 

Too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  on  the  importance  of  the  mainte- 
nance work.  Prom  year  to  year,  as  the  amount  of  ditching  installed 
grows  greater,  this  work  necessarily  increases.  After  a  system  has 
been  completed,  it  is  absolutely  essential  that  the  ditches  be  kept  free 
from  blockages  of  any  sort^  If  not,  the;  water  will  be  retained  in  the 
ditches,  the  marsh  surface  and  the  shallow  pools  will  remain  wet, 
giving  mosquito  larvae  a  chance  to  develop,  and  the  ditches  themselves 
will  likely  become  virulent  breeders.  It  is  positively  essential  that  the 
ditches  be  cleaned  FIRST,  and  the  circulation  established  in  all  sys^ 
tems;   otherwise,  the  desired  results  cannot  be  obtained. 


Permaiieiit  Woi^ 

At  the  completion  of  the  maintenance  work,  the  balance  of  the 
season  was  spent  on  the  installation  of  new  ditching.  On  the  various 
marshes  35,051  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditches  were  dug,  as  fol- 
lows: Raritan,  14,513;  Woodbridge  Creek,  4,567;  Sewaren,  8,096: 
South  Amboy,  7,675;  Carteret,  200.  Two  of  these  marshes  were 
cleaned  up,  to  the  extent  that  they  can  be  termed  safe  territory, 
namely,  the  Raritan  Marsh  and  the  Woodbridge  Creek  Marsh.  After 
the  ditching  had  been  completed  in  these  sections  no  mosquito  larrse 
were  found  for  the  balance  of  the  season. 

The  most  economical  way  to  have  done  this  work  would  have  been 
with  the  power  ditcher,  owned  by  the  commission.  The  overhauling 
of  this  machine  began  early  in  the  spring,  but  serious  delays  were  ex- 
perienced in  obtaining  parts  for  the  engine  and  other  necessary  equip- 
ment. As  a  result,  the  machine  was  not  ready  for  operation  until 
July,  when  the  Sanitary  Corps  at  Camp  Raritan  reque^^d  the  use  of 
it  in  order  to  reconstruct  the  drainage  system  on  the  Government 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  501 

marshy  which  had  been  badly  blocked  by  the  installation  of  railroad 
spurs  and  by  various  building  operations.  This  request  being  granted, 
the  machine  was  turned  over  to  the  Sanitary  Corps  the  latter  part  of 
July.  Consequently,  the  permanent  work  installed  this  year  by  the 
^?ominission  was  done  by  hand,  a  much  slower  and  more  expensive 
process. 

Oiling 

On  four  different  occasions  during  the  season  of  191§  it  was  found 
necessary  to  control  maturing  broods  by  the  use  of  oil.  Before  the 
spur  ditching  installed  this  year  had  been  completed,  the  East  Rari- 
tan,  Woodbridge  Creek  and  Sewaren  marshes  contained  numerous  de- 
pressions which  were  filled  by  the  full-moon  tides  each  month.  As  the 
ditching  previously  installed  was  inadequate  to  drain  the  pools,  it  was 
necessary  to  resort  to  the  spreading  of  oil  until  additional  ditching 
could  be  dug  and  the  existing  conditions  relieved. 

The  first  part  of  April,  the  Sanitary  Corps  at  the  Raritan  Ord- 
nance Depot  relieved  the  commission  of  the  responsibility  of  caring 
for  that  section  of  the  Raritan  marsh  lying  between  the  Nixon  Rail- 
road, at  Millville,  and  the  railroad  of  the  New  Jersey  Clay  and  Brick 
Company  near  Keasby.  This  section  contains  approximately  1,400 
acres  of  the  most  dangerous  marsh  in  the  county.  A  force  of  8  to  30 
men  was  used  by  the  Sanitary  Corps  to  clean  the  200,000  feet  of 
ditches  already  in  the  marsh,  to  dig  emergency  ditches  wherever  neces- 
sary and  to  control  the  maturing  broods  of  mosquitoes  by  the  spread- 
ing of  oil,  this  work  being  under  the  supervision  and  direction  of  the 
county  commission.  A  regular  mspection  of  this  section  was  made 
throughout  the  season,  with  the  result  that  no  broods  escaped  from  the 
Raritan  meadows.  As  this  district  was  the  most  troublesome  one  in 
the  county  prior  to  this  past  season,  the  value  of  the  work  accom- 
plished by  the  Raritan  Ordnance  Depot  can  be  readily  appreciated. 

In  addition  to  this  work,  a  tide-gate  was  installed  at  the  point  where 
the  Bloomfield  Railroad  crosse?  the  Red  Root  Creek.  This  gate  caused 
the  water  level  of  the  Red  Root  Creek  to  become  so  low  that  the 
marsh  west  of  the  railroad  dried  out  even  in  the  undrained  sections 
and  no  difficulty  was  experienced  with  mosquito  breeding. 

During  July  additional  construction  work  was  started  on  this  marsh 
which  entirely  destroyed  the  effectiveness  of  the  drainage  system  al- 
ready installed.  To  overcome  this,  it  will  be  necessary  to  dig  ap- 
proximately 50,000  additional  feet  of  ditching.  The  commission 
agreed  to  loan  the  power  ditcher  to  the  Sanitary  Corps  for  this  work. 
This  machine  will  remain  at  the  Government  plant  until  the  comple- 
tion of  this  work. 

The  first  of  May,  1918,  the  T.  A.  Gillespie  Company,  at  Morgan 
Station,  under  the  supervision  of  tlie  county  commission,  began  the 
work  of  redigging  the  system  of  ditches  on  Cheesequake  Marsh  with 
a  force  of  14  men.  The«e  ditches  had  become  so  clogged  with  a  5- 
years'  collection  of  debris  that  they  were  in  a  very  bad  condition.    Th« 


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502     NEW  JERSEY  AGEICULTUEAL  COLLEGE 

men  continued  operations  until  the  first  of  September,  redigging  52,- 
500  feet  of  10  by  30-ineh  ditches  and  installing  approximately  10,000 
feet  of  10  by  30-inch  spur  ditches,  or  their  equivalent. 

The  result**  were  very  gratifying,  as  no  serious  broods  escaped  frcmi 
the  marsh.  This  is  an  important  fact  to  consider,  as  in  previous  years, 
Cheesequake  Marsh  was  one  of  the  worst  in  the  county.  Infestations 
from  this  area  have  proven  troublesome  as  far  as  South  River.  This 
condition  was  relieved  this  summer;  South  Amboy,  Sayreville,  Parlin 
and  South  Riyer  being  practically  free  from  salt-marsh  mosquitoes. 


Results  In  the  CoBtrol  of  Mos<|«itoes 

Because  of  the  ditching  installed,  and  the  prompt  application  of  oil 
whenever  a  brood  threatened  to  mature,  Middlesex  County  ha^  been 
more  free  from  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  this  past  season  than  ever  be- 
fore in  the  history  of  anti-mosquito  work.  Night  collections  have  been 
conducted  throughout  the  season,  with  the  result  that  never  have  the 
salt-marsh  forms  Aedes  cdntator  and  Aedes  sollicitane  been  found  in 
such  few  numbers.  With  the  exception  of  one  small  brood  about  the 
fifth  of  June,  no  broods  escaped  from  any  marsh  in  the  county  during 
the  entire  season. 

MomiMMitii  County 

Tlie  Kfttnre  of  tbe  Problem 

Physically,  Monmouth  County  rises  rapidly  from  a  rather  narrow 
sand  beach  into  high  lying  level  or  rolling  fertile  land.  A  range  of 
low  hills  begins  at  Atlantic  Highlands  and  extends  southwestward 
across  the  country  to  Mt.  Holly,  gradually  becoming  lost  in  the  gen- 
eral elevation.  To  the  north  of  this  range  the  land  rises  from  Karitan 
Bay  and  to  the  south  from  the  ocean.  Tbe  beaches  on  the  bay  are 
shallow  and  salt-marsh  areas  large  and  plentiful.  Along  the  ocean  the 
beach  runs  rapidly  into  deep  water  and  the  marshes  are  limited  to 
river  courses.  In  fact,  the  vast  acreage  of  the  salt  mardi  of  Mon- 
mouth. County  is  found  along  the  Shrewsbury  and  Navesink  Rivers 
and  Raritan  Bay.  Small  marshes  are  found  on  the  Shark  River  and 
larger  ones  along  the  Manasquan.  As  one  goes  southward  the  beach 
widens  and  shallows.  Back  of  the  immediate  sand  shore  area  tbe  soil 
runs  into  a  fertile  loam  which  is  thickly  settled  by  successful  farmers. 

The  limited  woodlands  and  the  porous  soil  jw^vent  the  woodland- 
pool,  and  to  very  large  extent  the  fresh-water  swamp  moequito 
problems.  The  streams  give  a  serious  malarial  mosquito  problem  in 
parts  of  the  county,  the  water-holding  receptacles  incidental  to  settle- 
ment of  the  land  by  people  give  rise  to  a  house-moequito  problem,  and 
the  salt  marsh  provides  a  salt-marsh  moequito  problem. 

It  does  not  seem  likely  that  the  house  or  malarial  mosquito  problem 
is  of  sufficient  importance  anywhere  except  in  the  towns  and  cities  to 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  BEPORT.  503 

render  county-wide  control  practicable.  It  seems,  therefore,  best  to 
undertake  the  control  of  the  salt-marsh  species,  which  fly  far  and  give 
trouble  over  a  wide  range,  with  county  funds,  and  to  let  the  munici- 
palities handle  the  fresh-water  species  in  their  own  funds,  as  a  local 
problem. 

The  Work  of  1918 

In  Monmouth  County  the  efforts  of  the  mosquito  commission  were 
confined  largely  to  controlling  the  breeding  on  the  county's  3,315 
acres  of  salt  marsh. 

Work  was  started  on  the  salt-marsh  areas  of  the  county  March  25, 
with  8  men;  4  in  the  Matawan  and  Belford  districts,  and  2  men  in 
Rumson,  and  2  men  in  Monmouth  Beach  districts.  During  the  month 
of  May  2  men  were  started  in  the  Manasquan  and  Belmar  districts. 

All  the  obstructions  in  the  ditches  on  the  salt-marsh  areas  in  the 
county  were  cleaned  out,  but  were  not  all  completed  until  late  in  the 
season.  The  worst-breeding  meadows  were  completed  first,  and  the 
meadows  where  drainage  was  not  so  completely  blocked  were  left  until 
the  last.  Laborers  in  this  district  bordering  along  the  Raritan  Bay 
shore  were  attracted  to  the  Morgan  ammunition  plant,  located  near 
South  Amboy,  which  paid  higher  wages  than  the  commission  could 
afford,  and  by  reason  of  this  difficulty  the  cleaning  of  all  the  ditches 
was  somewhat  delayed. 

Unusual  high  tides  in  May  and  the  first  part  of  June,  accompanied 
by  an  unusual  rainfall  and  cloudy  weather  causing  an  increasing 
amount  of  water  to  collect  in  many  places  that  did  not  drain  away  in 
time,  resulted  in  two  smaJl  broods  of  Aedes  cantator  and  Aedes  sollid' 
tans,  emerging  from  the  Belford  meadow  located  along  the  Raritan 
Bay  shore,  and  the  Manasquan  meadow  located  along  the  Manasquan 
River.  The  weather  being  cool  the  annoyance  from  these  broods  was 
slight.  The  salt-marsh  breeding  from  that  time  was  kept  down  by 
patrolling  the  meadows  and  oiling  all  places  where  breeding  was 
found. 

The  season's  work,  with  the  exception  of  the  shortage  of  labor  and 
the  wet  period  during  the  latter  part  of  May  and  the  first  part  of 
June,  produced  satisfactory'  results,  and  the  salt-marsh  species  were 
practically  absent  from  June  to  the  end  of  the  season. 

Through  its  activities  the  commission  has  been  abte  to  secure  the 
cooperation  of  the  boroughs  of  Rumson  and  Monmouth  Beach,  which 
have  employed  special  mosquito  inspectors  to  patrol  and  destroy  all 
breeding  places  where  found  within  their  borough  limits.  The  financ- 
ing of  the  work  in  these  districts  was  by  private  subscriptions,  and  a 
small  amount  was  also  appropriated  by  the  local  boards  of  health  of 
the  districts  to  carry  on  the  work.  Ira  Borrows,  president  of  the  com- 
mission, and  a  summer  resident  of  Rumson,  initiated  the  plan  of 
financing  the  work  for  the  two  boroughs.  A.  G.  Spalding  was  induced 
to  take  up  the  work  of  financing  the  Monmouth  Beach  borough,  which 
he  did  to  a  satisfactory  degree.    Such  good  results  have  been  accom- 


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604     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

plished  from  this  work  that  the  commission  hopes  that  many  more 
municipalities  in  the  county  will  follow  the  lead  of  Rumson  and  Mon- 
mouth Beach  boroughs  next  season. 

Tlie  fresh-water  districts  adjoining  the  salt-marsh  areas  were 
patrolled  by  the  laborers  when  time  would  permit,  and  breeding  was 
kept  down  to  a  large  extent. 

Ocean  County 

The  Nature  of  tbe  Problem 

Physically,  Ocean  County  rises  from  the  ocean  as  a  low,  narrow 
strip  of  saad  beach  behind  which  lies  Bam^at  Bay  with  salt  marshes 
bordering  both  sides.  Behind  the  bay  the  gently  rising  sand  land 
quickly  passes  into  the  pine  woods,  which  cover  almost  all  of  the  back- 
lying  portions.  To  the  northeast  the  county  runs  into  some  fertile 
loam,  where  the  business  of  farming  is  practiced  with  great  success. 
Scattered  through  the  pines  are  low-lying  water-filled  cedar  swamps, 
some  of  which  are  enormous  in  extent. 

The  porous  nature  of  the  soil  appears  to  prevent  the  woodland-pool 
mosquito  problem,  and  the  nature  of  the  cedar-swamp  water  appears 
to  be  hostile  to  the  larvae  of  all  important  species. 

The  mosquito  problem  of  Ocean  Count}'  is  thus  limited  to  the  house 
mosquito,  breeding  in  water-holding  receptacles  about  human  habita- 
tions or  in  streams  and  pools  polluted  with  human  waste  and  the  salt- 
marsh  species  bred  on  its  large  coastal  and  river  marshes. 

Tbe  Work  of  1918 

The  commission,  as  in  previous  years,  devoted  its  attention  almost 
entirely  to  salt-marsh  mosquito  control  work. 

During  1918,  1,605,520  linear  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching,  or  its 
equivalent,  was  gone  over  and  cleaned  wherever  necessary.  Some 
360,097  linear  feet  of  new  10  by  30-inch  ditching  were  cut  by  the  com- 
misision  and  137,931  foet  were  cut  by  the  state. 

The  first  mossquitoes  of  the  season  to  cause  any  annoyance  appeared 
at  Bay  Head  on  May  7.  These  proved  to  be  the  house  mosquito 
(Culex  plpi^ns)  and  came  from  a  flat  marsh  in  the  borough  which 
received  the  drainage  from  the  upland.  Part  of  this  brood  was  de- 
stroyed by  the  use  of  oil.  The  area  has  since  been  ditched  and  no 
further  breeding  has  been  reported. 

On  May  17  a  small  flight  of  cantator  invaded  Seaside  Park  and 
more  were  found  breeding  in  the  undrained  marshes  between  Seaside 
Park  and  Bamegat  Inlet.  On  May  20  a  small  flight  of  mosquitoes 
was  discovered  at  Forked  River.  These  were^ can^a/or  and  came  from 
an  area  close  to  the  upland  in  a  depression  not  quite  reached  by  some 
of  the  ditches.    This  has  since  been  corrected. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  505 

On  June  3  a  bad  flight  of  soUicitans  appeared  at  Beach  Haven. 
These  mosquitoes^  it  was  discovered,  came  from  the  marshes  and 
glades  on  the  beach  to  the  southward.  At  some  places  water  remained 
on  the  meadow  too  long  on  account  of  the  ditches  not  being  spaced 
closely  enough.  The  glades  between  the  county  road  and  the  sand 
hills  were  also  responsible  for  some  of  this  brood  and  the  subsequent 
one.  These  marFJiy  areas  had  been  drained  into  sink  holes  stocked 
with  fish.  In  many  of  these  sink  holes  the  fish  had  disappeared.  It 
was  found  that  by  placing  some  12-inch  terra  cotta  pipe  under  the 
road  at  several  places  and  connecting  them  with  ditches  from  the  bay, 
the  whole  area  could  be  drained.  Twelve  thousand  feet  of  ditches 
were  required  to  do  this  work.  The  water  not  only  runs  off  at  low 
tide,  but  what  is  just  as  important,  fish  are  brought  into  the  area  on 
high  tide. 

On  July  5  breeding  was  reported  on  the  marshes  at  Seaside  Heights. 
This  area  was  found  to  contain  insufficient  ditching  to  remove  sur- 
face-water promptly.  Ditching  was  inmiediately  commenced,  but 
many  mosquitoes  had  escaped  by  the  eighth. 

High  tides  started  breeding  on  the  undrained  meadows  near  Tuek- 
erton  about  August  15.  The  resulting  flight  was  bad  locally.  Tuck- 
erton  suffered  a  still  worse  invasion  from  these  same  meadows  on  Sep- 
tember 24.  But  this  flight,  like  the  previous  one,  was  local  in  extent, 
not  extending  beyond  Manahawkin. 

With  the  completion  of  the  ditching  between  Bamegat  Inlet  and 
Seaside  Park,  and  between  Bamegat  Inlet  and  Surf  City,  areas  now 
being  ditched  by  the  state,  the  salt  marshes  in  the  northern  half  of 
the  county  should  be  comparatively  free  from  mosquito  breeding,  if 
the  drainage  systems  are  properly  maintained. 


Atlantic  CcMinty 

The  Nature  of  the  Problem 

Physically,  Atlantic  County  begins  at  sea  level  as  a  low  strip  of  sand 
rising  from  the  ocean.  Behind  this  narrow  strip  lies  a  salt  marsh 
which  stands  but  slightly  above  mean  high  tide.  Back  of  this  stretch 
gently  rising  to  a  height  of  a  little  more  than  100  feet  and  nowhere 
really  hilly,  the  county  stretches  northwestward  to  its  limits.  Except 
where  it  has  been  cleared  for  agricultural  or  urban  purposes,  the 
whole  face  of  the  county  is  covered  with  scrubby  oak  and  pine. 

Except  in  cedar  swamps  and  occasional  holes  the  water  does  not  lie 
on  the  sandy  and  gravelly  surface  long  enough  for  mosquitoes  to 
breed.  The  woodland-pool  mosquito  problem  does  not  apparently 
exist. 

The  great  cedar  swamps  for  some  reason,  possibly  low  temperature 
or  lack  of  food  for  the  wrigglers,  do  not  breed  an  appreciable  number 
of  mosquitoes.  The  swamp-mosquito  problem  seems  to  be  limited  to  a 
few  M.  perturbans  and  an  occasional  .4.  sylvestris. 


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506     NEW  JERSEY  AGBICULTUBAL  COLLEGE 

Where  the  population  is  sufficiently  concentrated,  as  is  the  case  in 
the  cities  and  towns,  the  improper  disposal  of  human  waste  and  other 
operations  incidental  to  transforming  country  into  urhap.  property, 
create  breeding  places  for  the  house  mosquitoes.  Excavations  under 
houses,  cisterns,  cesspools,  open  privies,  garbage  dumps,  barrels,  tubs, 
buckets  and  pools  serve  this  purpose.  The  problem  of  controlling  the 
house  mosquito  is,  however,  not  difficult,  and  has  been  very  satisfac- 
torily handled  by  the  commission. 

It  is,  however,  in  the  salt  marsh  and  the  control  of  the  species  it 
breeds  that  Atlantic  County  has  its  great  problem.  Of  the  569  8quai« 
miles,  approximately  78  are  salt  marsh.  These  78  square  miles  divide 
the  coastal  strip  from  the  main  land  by  a  belt  of  marsh  and  water, 
ranging  from  2 14  miles  at  the  south^:Ti  end  to  6  at  the  northern  end. 
This  salt  marsh  extends  along  the  northeastern  border  of  the  county 
for  twelve  or  more  miles  and  for  a  somewhat  greater  distance  along 
the  southeastern  boundary.  Although  mosquitoes  breed  over  a  small 
proportion  of  this  total  area,  the  breeding  spots  are  scattered  through- 
out and  the  problem  of  eliminating  them  is  a  large  one. 


Tlie  Work  of  1918 

The  Atlantic  County  commission  devoted  most  of  its  funds  to  the 
suppression  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes.  But  the  breeding  of  fresh-water 
species  within  the  more  important  towns  and  cities  was  also  eon- 
trolled.  Areas  in  the  vicinity  of  towns  and  cities  and  all  drained  salt- 
marsh  areas  were  inspected  regularly  for  breeding  throughout  the 
season.  The  drainage  of  the  53,325  acres  of  salt  marsh  within  the 
county  is  being  completed  as  rapidly  as  funds  will  permit.  All  drain- 
age ditches  are  gone  over  each  season  and  cleaned  wherever  necessary. 

There  are  now  some  5X<2  million  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditching,  or 
its  equivalent,  on  the  salt  marshes  of  the  county.  This  trenching  was 
cleaned  in  1918  for  $4,199.51.  Over  1,000,000  feet  of  ditches  had 
been  cleaned  by  April  10,  at  which  time  one  of  the  highest  tides  re- 
corded in  30  years  covered  the  meadows.  This  moved  not  only  freshly 
cut  sods  but  those  that  had  been  cut  for  several  years  and  were  sup- 
posed to  have  grown  fast  to  the  meadow.  This  not  only  undid  the 
work  of  the  previous  month  but  made  worse  the  condition  of  ditches 
not  yet  cleaned.  As  a  consequence,  all  of  the  commission's  man- 
power spent  the  balance  of  spring  and  early  summer — and  a  portion 
of  the  gang  the  entire  summer — on  maintenance. 

One  ditching  machine  was  started  June  1  and  continued  throu^out 
the  summer  and  fall  installing  286,199  feet  of  10  by  30-inch  ditches 
on  the  meadows  south  of  Longport — Somers'  Point  Boulevard  and  be- 
tween the  Middle  and  Great  Egg  Harbor  rivers.  Also  37,608  feet  of 
7  by  20-inch  spur  ditching  was  installed  by  the  machine  gang.  The 
cost  for  this  new  work  was  $6,348.19. 

Salt-marsh  breeding  was  first  found  on  the  Great  Egg  Harbor  Biver 
meadows  early  in  March,  and  later  along  the  bottoms  adjacent  to  the 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  507 

Shore  Road.  Breeding  of  Aedes  soUicitams  was  found  on  the  wn- 
cleaned  ditched  meadows  in  May,  and  because  of  the  labor  shortage 
some  reached  the  wing  stage,  and  carried  by  varying  winds,  visited  all 
j>art8  of  the  county,  including  a  part  of  Atlantic  City.  The  next 
emergence  occurred  on  June  3;  it  was  not  very  large,  and,  like 
the  previous  one,  scattered  all  over  the  county.  A  small  brood  ^'s*' 
found  late  in  June,  but  it  was  so  small  that  it  was  not  troublesome 

The  next  emergence  did  not  occur  until  August  8.  This  brood  was 
the  largest  of  the  season,  and  the  majority  of  those  from  the  Tuckahoe 
River  marshes  were  carried  by  a  southwest  wind  to  Absecon  Island  and 
the  Shore  Road.  This  condition,  however,  lasted  but  one  night  when 
a  shift  of  wind  carried  them  to  the  inland  towns. 

This  was  the  first  time  Amatol  was  bothered  by  mosquitoes. 

The  Tuckahoe  River  meadows  again  brought  forth  a  brood  of  Aedes 
sollicitans  September  17,  which  was  comparatively  large,  but  fortu- 
nately did  not  trouble  any  one  part  of  the  county. 

As  in  the  past,  the  house  mosquito  (Culex  pipiens)  has  been  the 
only  fresh-water  mosquito  to  give  any  trouble.  Breeding  found  under 
houses,  and  especially  in  cellars  under  saloons  gave  a  great  deal  of 
trouble.  These  conditions  were  caused  by  leaky  water  pipes  that  could 
not  be  repaired  because  of  the  shortage  of  plumbers. 

Atlantic  County  has  within  its  borders  two  shell-loading  plants,  one 
at  May's  Landing  and  one  at  Elwood.  The  services  of  the  executive 
staflF  of  this  commission  were  offered  to  both  of  these  plants  and  ac- 
cepted by  the  one  at  Elwood.  This  company  placed  an  inspector  on 
the  ground  to  locate  and  oil  any  mosquito  breeding.  They  have  also 
drained  most  of  the  swamp  on  their  property  at  a  cost  of  about  $6,- 
000.  The  May's  Landing  plant  has  done  nothing.  Both  plants  have 
claimed  to  have  had  very  few  mosquitoes  this  season,  which  probably 
accounts  for  the  little  interest  shown  at  May's  Landing,  although  the 
oflRcer  in  charge  has  promised  to  start  work  about  January  1  to  pre- 
pare for  the  coming  season.     ■ 

Cape  May 

Previous  Work 

In  1916,  in  the  hope  and  the  expectation  of  giving  some  portion  of 
the  county  quick  relief,  drainage  work  was  started  at  Cape  May  City 
because  the  winds  which  normally  carry  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  can 
reach  it  only  after  passing  over  wide  waterways,  and  it  was  to  be  ex- 
pected that  when  the  adjacent  marshes  were  drained  it  would  be  free 
from  salt-marsh  mosquito  trouble. 

The  plan  adopted  by  the  mosquito  commission  of  devoting  prac- 
tically all  the  funds  at  its  disposal  to  salt-marsh  drainage  work  and 
of  beginning  the  work  at  the  south  end  of  the  county  and  working 
northward  has  been  continued  this  year.  It  is  the  plan  which  will  give 
noticeable  protection  in  the  shortest  space  of  time,  because  the  warm, 
moist,  slow-moving  winds  on  which  mosquitoes  love  to  travel  normally 


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508  NEW  JERSEY  AGKICULTIJBAL  COLLEGE 

come  from  the  southeast,  south,  southwest  and  west  As  the  marshes 
are  drained  mosquitoes  which  formerly  bred  there  and  were  carried 
by  the  wind  to  the  towns  lying  to  the  east,  northeast,  north  and  north- 
west will  not  come,  and  the  towns  will  be  relieved.  Only  rarely  will 
the  mosquitoes  which  breed  to  the  northwest,  north  and  northeast  be 
carried  in. 

As  the  towns  and  cities  are  relieved  from  the  salt-marsh  species 
the  house  moequito  becomes  troublesome,  not  because  of  greater 
abundance,  but  because  the  removal  of  the  greater  pest  affords  peofJe 
an  opportunity  to  take  note  of  the  lesser. 

The  ditching  necessary  in  the  Cape  Island  Creek  meadows,  the 
Spicer  Creek  Marsh,  the  meadows  along  the  sound  from  Schellenger's 
Landing  east  to  Jones'  Creek  near  Wilwood  road,  the  meadows  of 
Pond  Creek,  New  England  Creek  and  Cox  Hall  Creek  has  been  com- 
pleted. This  means  that  all  the  salt  marsh  from  the  southern  end  of 
the  Cape  May  Point  to  Jones'  meadows  along  the  Delaware  Bay  shore, 
a  distance  of  about  7  miles,  and  all  the  salt-marsh  along  the  Atlantic 
Ocean  side  from  the  Cape  May  t^oint  to  Turtle  Gut  Inlet,  a  distance 
of  8  miles,  has  had  the  necessary  initial  trenching  installed.  This  has 
involved  the  cutting  in  1916-17  of  633,702  linear  feet. 

The  shifting  sand  of  the  bay  shore  has  compelled  the  installation  of 
a  special  tide-gate  outlet  for  Pond  Creek,  and  it  now  seems  likely  that 
similar  outlets  will  for  the  same  reason  have  to  be  provided  for  both 
New  England  and  Cox  Hall  Creeks. 

The  South  Cape  May  marsh  lies  so  low  and  has  such  an  inadequate 
outlet  through  Cape  Island  Creek  that  the  installation  of  a  tide-gate 
to  prevent  overflow  at  extra  high  tides  seems  advisable. 

Ifotk  of  1918 

All  the  ditching  has  been  accurately  located,  measured  and  mapped 
— a  total  of  161,479  feet  has  been  dug  in  the  past  year.  During  the 
season,  as  the  weather  would  permit,  the  cleaning  of  the  old  ditSiing 
was  undertaken.  A  foreman  and  several  laborers  kept  at  this  work 
until  all  the  ditching,  which  was  found  to  be  in  excellent  condition, 
had  been  thoroughly  cleaned.  A  great  deal  of  time  and  attention  was 
given  to  keeping  the  outlets  of  the  meadows  free  and  imobstructed. 
The  shifting  sands  on  the  Delaware  Bay  shore  make  it  almost  impos- 
sible to  keep  the  larger  outlets  open.  The  only  way  this  can  be  satis- 
factorily and  permanently  overcome  is  by  placing  a  pipe  sufficiently 
large  to  carry  off  the  water  with  a  flood-gate  at  the  inner  end  of  the 
pipe  to  control  the  tide  waters.  Early  in  the  spring  arrangements 
were  made  with  the  officers  in  charge  of  sanitation  at  the  Naval 
Training  Camp,  Naval  Hospital,  Section  Base  and  the  Army  Hos- 
pital to  take  over  and  clean  all  ditches  in  their  sections;  this  they 
have  done. 

The  following  is  the  report  of  the  work  in  detail  during  the  past 
year : 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  509 

•  Two-Mile  Beach  Meadow 

Work  started  October  16,  1917  Completed  March  18,  1918 

Total  new  ditching   51,474  ft. 

Total  cost  of  ditching   $1,363.67 

Cost  per  foot   2.6  cents 

Totol  cost  of  cleaning   $35.00 

Arrangements  have  been  made  with  the  county  engineer  for  placing  culverts 
under  the  new  State  Road. 

Fishing  Creek 

Totol  new  ditching  to  October  31,  1918 68,775  ft. 

Total  cost  of  ditching    $2,086.87 

Cost  per  foot   3.2  cents 

It  has  been  found  necessary  to  open  the  outlet  about  three  times  a  month. 
The  men  are  still  working  in  this  section. 


Shawns  Meadow 

Totol  new  ditching   4,860  ft. 

Totol  cost  of  ditching    $183.47 

Cost  per  foot 2.6  cents 

The  ditching  in  these  meadows  has  been  completed,  and  125  feet  of  12-inch 
pipe  has  been  placed  to  connect  the  system  with  the  bay. 


Wildwood  Meadows 

Totol    new   ditching    6,123  ft. 

Totol  cost  of  ditching    $121.76 

Cost  per  foot    1.9  cents 


Sea  Isle  City 

Totol  new  ditching   13,280  ft. 

Total  cost  of  ditching   $470.14 

Cost  per  foot   3.5  cents 


West  Cape  May 

Totol  new  ditching   1,200  ft. 

Total  cost  of  ditching    $36.00 

Cost  per  foot   3  cents 

South  Cape  May 

Totol  new  ditching 400   ft. 

Totol  cost  of  ditching    $12.00 

Cost  per  foot   3  cents 


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510  NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

During  the  worst  northeast  storm  Cape  May  has  ever  experienced^  the  sand 
hills  along  the  South  Cape  May  Meadows  were  washed  away,  allowing  the 
ocean  to  flow  oyer  the  meadows.  This  condition  continued  until  late  in  the 
summer  and  resulted  in  a  large  amount  of  breeding  in  that  section.  The  matter 
was  taken  up  with  the  Federal  Government  through  the  naval  officers  of  this 
district,  and  it  is  expected  that  a  bulkhead  will  be  built  there  in  the  near 
future. 

Pond  Creek 

Total  new  ditching   , 15,370  ft 

Total  cost  of  ditching   $307.40 

Cost  per  foot    2  cents 

These  meadows  are  well  drained  and  free  of  breeding. 

Cape  Island  Creek  Meadotca 

No  ditching  was  done  in  this  section  during  the  past  year;  the  meadows 
were  free  from  breeding  throughout  the  summer. 

New  England  Creek  meadows.  Cox  Hall  meadows,  Sounds  meadows  and 
Spicers  Creek  marsh  were  regularly  inspected  during  the  summer  and  were 
found  to  be  in  very  good  condition. 

Total  sum  of  ditching  done  by  the  Commissioner's  laborers  in  all 

sections  from  November  1,  1917,  to  October  31,  198 161,479  ft. 

Total  cost    $4,581.31 

Total  cost  of  cleaning   $1,167.61 

Cost  per  foot  for  new  ditching 2.8  cents 


NEW  JERSEY  MOSQUITO  EXTERMINATION 
ASSOCIATION 

This  organization,  created  by  citizens  of  the  state  for  the  sole  pur- 
pose of  forwarding  the  work  of  mosquito  control  in  all  its  phases,  now 
has  a  membership  of  over  2,100,  holds  an  annual  meeting  for  the  dis- 
cussion of  mosquito-control  problems,  publishes  a  limited  number  of 
proceedings  of  each  meeting,  and  furthers  in  every  possible  way  the 
purpose  for  which  it  came  into  being. 

During  the  last  annual  meeting  "William  Delaney,  of  Hudson 
County,  offered  a  resolution  calling  for  the  data  on  the  present  status 
of  mosquito  control.  To  the  junior  author  was  given  th^  task  of 
securing  and  compiling  this  information.  The  facte  set  forth  in  the 
report  are  deemed  to  be  of  such  general  interest  to  the  people  of  the 
state  as  to  justify  their  printing  in  this  report.  They  are  given  in 
table  5. 

Without  doubt,  the  cost  of  mosquito  control  per  square,  mile  of  area 
increases  with  the  density  of  population,  because  every  family  creates, 
through  the  employment  of  water-holding  receptacles,  increases  both 
in  the  actual  water-breeding  surface  and  through  pollution,  the  ability 
of  a  given  amount  of  water  surface  to  produce  mosquitoes.  At  the 
same  time,  of  course,  natural  breeding  places  are  reduced  in  area 


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EXPEBIMENT  STATION  REPORT. 


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512     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

through  draining  and  filling  incident  to  agricultural,  industrial  and 
urban  development.  But  such  areas  as  are  left  are  rendered  more  pro- 
lific producers  through  pollution  with  human  and  animal  waste. 
Theoretically,  the  stage  should  be  reached  when  the  sanitary  arrange- 
ments incident  to  the  maintenance  of  the  health  of  extremely  dense 
populations  should  almost,  if  not  quite,  eliminate  all  breeding  places 
for  mosquitoes.  Nowhere  in  New  Jersey  has  this  stage  been  even 
approximated. 

From  this  table  it  is  evident  while  the  total  cost  per  square  mile 
increases  with  the  density  of  the  population,  the  per  capita  cost  and 
the  percentage  of  taxable  values  charge  decrease  as  the  population 
increases. 

The  geography  of  each  county  differs  to  such  an  extent  that  one 
cannot  compare  the  charges  for  the  work  in  one  county  with  those  in 
another  except  in  the  most  general  way. 

In  table  6  the  percentages  devoted  to  each  type  of  work  is  interest- 
ing. Of  course,  the  prime  object  in  every  county  is,  after  giving  the 
best  immediate  protection  possible,  to  accomplish  the  largest  possible 
amount  of  permanent  draining  and  filling.  In  counties  just  begin- 
ning, or  in  which  the  work  has  just  recently  begun,  the  percentage  of 
permanent  work  is  bound  to  be  high.  This  is  especially  true  in  coun- 
ties having  large  and  untreated  marshes,  because  there  is  no  hope  of 
affording  immediate  relief  in  any  other  way.  As  more  and  more  of 
the  permanent  drainage  work  is  done,  the  percentage  devoted  to  main- 
tenance is  bound  to  increase,  and,  as  the  opportunities  for  giving  im- 
mediate protection  to  larger  numbers  of  people  are  increased  through 
the  extension  of  permanent  work,  the  percentage  devoted  to  temporary 
elimination  will  increase  until  such  a  time  as  the  permanent  work  has 
covered  most  of  the^area. 

Here  again  it  should  be  pointed  out  that  the  geographical  features 
of  each  county  are  so  different  from  those  of  other  counties  that  only 
the  most  general  comparisons  are  justified. 

The  acre  cost  of  salt-marsh  drainage  and  the  acre  cost  of  mainte- 
nance in  table  7  are  particularly  interesting. 

Unfortunately,  it  has  not  been  practicable  from  the  data  to  de- 
termine the  number  of  feet  of  drainage  per  acre. 

Except  in  case  of  Middlesex,  where  private  and  government  funds 
were  used,  the  acre  cost  without  doubt  depends  primarily  upon  the 
footage  installed  and  the  differences  in  acre  cost  are  mainly  charge- 
able to  that  figure.  Experience  of  the  station  has  shown  the  average 
acre  cost  of  installing  300  linear  feet  of  open  salt  marsh  trenching 
reckoned  on  the  basis  of  a  ditch  approximately  10  inches  wide  by  30 
inches  deep,  is  $5.00. 

The  acre  cost  of  maintenance  depends,  in  open  meadows,  on  the 
number  of  linear  feet  per  acre.  On  enclosed  marshes  the  gain  in  the 
absence  of  blockage  by  floating  sod  and  rubbish  is  compensated  for 
by  lack  of  natural  cleaning  through  scouring  action  of  tidal  suck 
and  the  charges  for  dike  and  tide-gate  repairs  and  the  application 
of  oil  to  mosquito-breeding  in  ditches. 


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EXPBBIMENT  STATION  BEPOET. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  515 

Here  again  it  must  be  pointed  out  that  the  geography  of  salt 
marshes  varies  to  such  an  extent  in  different  counties  as  to  render 
only  the  most  general  comparisons  justifiable. 

Education  in  mosquito-control  matters  has  proceeded  from  the 
northern  end  of  the  coastal  zone  (an  area  extending  from  the  coast 
line  30  to  40  miles  inland)  southward.  Burlington  has  been  found 
to  be  particularly  difficult  to  interest  because  the  salt-marsh  end  of 
the  county  is  dominated  by  tKe  western  side  where  the  salt-marsh 
mosquitoes  do  not  reach.  Cumberland  and  Salem  will  naturally  be 
the  last  to  be  affected  by  the  natural  movement  of  this  educational 
work  because  the  information  passes  most  readily  from  the  county, 
in  which  work  is  going  on,  to  counties  adjacent. 

The  counties  lying  back  of  this  coastal  zone  will  be  still  more 
slow  to  take  up  the  work  because  that  great  persuader — the  salt- 
marsh  mosquito,  is  not  present. 


MOSQUITOES  OF  THE  YEAR 

July  and  August  of  1918  showed  the  usual  emergence  of  the  salt- 
marsh  mosquitoes.  In  the  south  the  broods  were  almost  entirely 
sollicitans,  while  in  the  north,  although  largely  sollicitans,  cantator 
also  was  present.  Emergences  from  the  territory  within  the  pro- 
tected zone,  extending  from  Toms  River  to  Jersey  City  and  above, 
were  few  and  in  most  cases  negligible.  Too  many,  however,  emerged 
from  certain  poorly  drained  areas  in  the  Hackensack  Valley.  In 
September  and  October  broods  of  mllicitans  emerged  from  the 
marshes  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  state  and  were  quite  severe 
where  the  territory  lay  within  reach  of  undrained  salt  marsh. 

The  fresh-water  swamp  mosquitoes  (sylvestris)  remained  very 
few  in  numbers  throughout  the  entire  season,  showing  that  the  re- 
duction in  that  npecies  noted  in  the  1918  report  held  true  through- 
out the  balance  of  1918. 

The  house  mosquito  (piptens)  was  abundant  and  severe  in  areas 
not  subject  to  protection^  but,  with  a  few  exceptions,  in  the  territory 
covered  by  the  mosquito-control  work,  it  was  held  to  a  satisfactory 
level.  The  exceptions  were  where  former  salt  marshes  had  been 
charged  with  sewage  or  pollution  of  some  kind  and  large  spaces  of 
poUuted-water-covered  marshes  were  present.  In  these  instances 
enormous  numbers  were  developed  and  winged  their  way  over  much 

In  the  season  of  1919  broods  of  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  emerged 
in  May  and  June.  In  the  south  as  usual  the  bulk  of  the  May  brood 
was  ccmtator  and  a  considerable  number  of  sollicitans  were  present. 
In  the  north  the  bulk  of  the  brood  was  cantator  with  few  or  no 
sollicitans.  In  June  the  proportion  of  sollicitans  increased.  With 
the  protected  territory  the  salt-marsh  broods  were  eliminated  very 
satisfactorily,  except  in  certain  poorly-drained  sections  of  the  Hack- 
ensack. Some  that  emerged  reached  as  far  as  Montclair  and  Paterson. 


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516     NEW  JERSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

The  fresh-water  swamp  mosquito  {sylvestris)  has  thus  far  in  1919 
been  conspicuous  mainly  by  its  absence.  The  house  mosquito 
(pipiens)  appeared  in  June  and  became  troublesome  in  areas  not 
subject  to  protection,  but  was  very  satisfactorily  held  down  in  the 
areas  where  anti-mosquito  work  was  carried  on. 

Early  in  the  season  the  Upper  Passaic  Valley  was  flooded  and  it 
looked  as  if  a  large  number  of  the  fresh-water  swamp  mosquito 
(sylvestris)  might  develop,  but  fortunately  the  weather  was  such  that 
the  water  drained  away  before  any  considerable  number  could  mature 
and  escape. 


A  BRIEF  ANALYSIS  OF  THE  NEW  JERSEY  MOSQUITO 

PROBLEM 

Geographical  and  Biological  Omditioiis 

The  first  phase  of  the  problem  of  mosquito  control  in  New  Jereev 
is  the  elimination  of  the  breeding  of  the  salt-marsh  forms.  The 
second  phase  is  the  elimination  of  the  breeding  of  the  fresh-water 
forms. 

From  the  standpoint  of  mosquito  control  the  area  of  the  state 
naturally  falls  into  two  main  divisions.  The  first  includes  the  coastal 
edge,  extending  from  thirty  to  forty  miles  back  from  the  coastline. 
The  second  includes  all  territory  of  the  stale  surface  back  of  this 
coastal  zone.  In  the  coastal  zone  the  preeminent  mosquito  problem 
is  the  salt-marsh  one ;  but  there  is  a  secondary  problem  which  is  con- 
cerned  with  the  elimination  of  the  species  of  mosquitoes  that  breed 
in  fresh  water  on  the  upland.  In  the  territory  which  lies  back  of  the 
coastal  zone  the  salt-marsh  mosquito  problem  does  not  exist,  and  the 
problem  of  mosquito  control  is  concerned  only  with  the  forms  which 
breed  in  fresh  water. 

Each  of  these  zones  may  in  turn  be  divided  into  two  natural  divis- 
ions. The  first  part  of  the  coastal  zone  lies  north  of  the  sandy  areas 
of  the  state,  begins  with  the  Raritan  River  and  extends  northward 
to  the  northern  end.  The  second  division  of  the  coastal  zone  begins 
at  the  Raritan  River  and  extends  southward  to  the  bay  coast  The 
fresh-water  swamp  and  the  malarial  mosquito  phases  are  present  in 
the  first  division,  but  almost,  if  not  entirely,  absent  throughout  the 
second  division.  The  house  mosquito  phase  is  present  throughout 
both.  The  salt-marsh  mosquito  phase  is  present  throughout  both. 
Consequently,  the  work  in  the  first  section,  which  may  be  called  the 
northern  end  of  the  coastal  zone,  must  be  much  more  extensive  on 
the  upland)  than  is  nece^^sary  in  the  second  division  or  the  southern 
portion  of  the  coastal  zone. 

In  the  territory  lying  back  of  the  coastal  zone  we  have  a  northern 
division  ending  with  the  appearance  of  light  sandy  soil  and  a  south- 
ern characterized  by  the  presence  of  a  light  sandy  soil.    In  the  north- 


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EXPEBIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  517 

em  division  we  have  the  fresh-water  swamp  (sylvestris)  and  malarial 
mosquito  phases  of  mosquito  control,  while  in  the  southern  division 
they  are  almost  entirely  absent.  The  house  mosquito  (pipiens)  phase 
of  the  problem  is  present  throughout. 

The  attitude  of  the  people  in  these  different  zones  is  markedly 
different.  Those  who  live  in  the  coastal  zone,  by  reason  of  the  tre- 
of  the  adjacent  territory. 

mendous  invasions  and  the  consequent  suffering  occasioned  by  the 
salt-marsh  mosquitoes,  are  much  more  favorably  inclined  toward  mos- 
quito work  and  are  much  more  willing  to  support  fairly  adequate 
appropriations  for  work  in  the  suppression  of  mosquitoes.  Further- 
more, the  coastal  zone  includes  by  far  the  great  proportion  of  the 
population  of  the  state  and  by  far  the  greatest  opportunities  for  de- 
velopment. The  people  in  the  territory  lying  back  of  the  coastal  zone 
are  subject  to  about  the  same  mosquito  annoyance  that  one  finds  in 
inland  states  of  the  northern  section  of  the  United  States.  With 
good  screening  and  fairly  early  habits  of  retiring  into  the  house,  the 
effects  of  the  mosquito  pest,  with  a  few  exceptions,  can  largely  be 
avoided.  The  exceptions  are  found  in  areas  where  large  swamps  are 
located  nearby,  or  where  the  malarial  species  breed  abundantly  and 
the  disease  of  malaria  is  prevalent.  In  this  territory  the  people  do 
not,  on  this  account,  readily  support  appropriations  of  adequate  size 
for  mosquito  control. 

The  Sak-Marsk  Mosquito  Preeminent 

Obviously  it  seems  that  anti-mosquito  work  should  be  pushed  where 
it  is  most  greatly  needed,  and  that  means  that  the  main  work  will  be 
done  within  the  coastal  zone.  Within  the  coastal  zone,  as  previously 
pointed  out,  the  principal  problem  is  the  control  of  the  salt-marsh 
mosquitoes.  For  a  number  of  years,  therefore,  the  principal  anti- 
mosquito  efforts  have  been  devoted  to  this  phase  of  the  mosquito 
problem. 

The  methods  of  handling  this  problem  on  the  salt  marshes  of  New 
Jersey,  amounting  to  more  than  296,000  acres,  are  well  developed 
and  have  been  set  forth  in  various  publications  of  the  station.  The 
work  of  treating  the  salt  marshes  for  mosquito  control  has  now  cov- 
ered more  or  less  completely  the  territory  from  the  northern  end  of 
the  state  as  far  south  as  lower  Barnegat  Bay.  In  addition  to  this 
the  whole  ocean  front  of  Atlantic  County  has  been  treated  and  the 
area  lying  about  Cape  May  City  and  northward  thereof  for  a  dis- 
tance of  several  miles  has  been  drained.  All  told,  there  yet  remains 
of  the  salt  marshes  to  be  treated  something  over  150,000  acres.  The 
vast  bulk  of  this  acreage  is  located  in  the  southern  counties  of  Ocean, 
Atlantic,  Cape  May,  Cumberland  and  Salem ;  but  some  remains  still 
to  be  done  in  certain  northern  counties,  notably  Middlesex,  Hudson 
and  Bergen. 


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518     NEW  JEKSEY  AGRICULTURAL  COLLEGE 

Experience  has  shown  that  the  eoet  of  this  operation  is  about 
$5.00  an  acre,  representing  a  total  expenditure,  if  pursued  on  a  large 
Hcale,  of  about  three-fourths  of  a  million  of  dollars. 


hegwl  Ori^anizatioiis  for  SuppreMing  Mo«qaitoes 

There  exist. in  the  state  today  two  very  efficient  agencies  created 
by  force  of  law  for  doing  this  work.  The  first  is  the  New  Jersey 
State  Experiment  Station  and  the  second  is  the  county  mosquito  ex- 
termination commission.  The  State  Experiment  Station  has  for  its 
phase  of  the  work  the  task  of  treating  the  salt  marshes  for  the  con- 
trol of  the  salt-marsh  mosquitoes  as  rapidly  as  the  funds  appropriated 
to  it  by  the  state  will  permit,  and  it  has  the  further  duty  of  furnish- 
ing information  and  plans  for  the  work  to  the  county  mosquito  ex- 
termination commission.  The  field  of  the  county  mosquito  extermi- 
nation commission  is  the  suppression  of  the  mosquitoes  which  breed 
within  'the  boundaries  of  the  county  which  it  serves.  So  far  as  legal 
enactment  goes  the  county  mosquito  extermination  commission  has 
reasonably  adequate  powers  to  meet  the  problem  within  its  own  county 
and  the  extent  of  its  operations  and  the  degree  of  protection  afforded 
to  the  people  therein  depend  upon  the  funds  which  it  can  obtain  from 
the  county  board  of  freeholders  to  carry  on  this  work. 


The  Salt-Marsh  Mosquito  Problem  too  Expensive  for  Counties, 
State  Should  be  More  Generous 

The  vast  bulk  of  the  still  untreated  marsh  is  located  within  the 
limits  of  counties  whose  taxable  values  are  such  that  the  sums  needed 
for  the  treatment  thereof  cannot  be  obtained,  except  as  spread  over 
a  long  period  of  years.  Nevertheless,  within  these  counties  there  are 
enormous  possibilities  of  agricultural  and  urban  development,  which 
await  the  suppression  of  the  sali>marsh  mosquitoes  for  their  realiza- 
tion. Once  the  marslies  in  question  have  been  treated,  the  funds 
which  the  county  mosquito  extermination  commission  can  obtain  to 
carry  on  their  work  will  be  adequate  to  maintain  the  ditching  sys- 
tems and  to  suppress  the  breeding  of  the  fresh-water  species. 

This  being  the  state  of  affairs,  it  is  obvious  that  if  prompt  relief 
is  to  be  obtained  and  a  beginning  on  the  realization  of  these  tremen- 
dous agricultural,  urban  and  possibly  industrial  developments  is  to 
be  made  within  a  reasonable  length  of  time,  funds  from  some  other 
source  than  the  individual  counties  must  be  obtained  In  view  of  the 
fact  that  the  benefits  from  such  development  are  certain  to  be  states 
wide  it  is  entirely  reasonable  and  proper  for  the  state  as  such  to  step 
in  and  make  the  necessary  appropriations  to  carry  out  and  complete 
the  initial  work  of  salt-marsh  treatment. 


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EXPERIMENT  STATION  REPORT.  519 

State  Should  Do  Initial  Drainage  for  Control  of  Salt-Marth 

Motquitoes;  Counties  can  Maintain  and  Attend  to 

Fresh-water  Species 

After  the  state  has  done  this  initial  work,  the  county  jmosquito  ex- 
termination commissions  will  take  over  the  maintenance  burden  at 
once,  will  continue  their  present  work  and  will  be  able  gradually,  as 
education  in  mosquito  control  matters  becomes  more  general,  to  take 
up  and  control  the  breeding  of  all  species  within  the  limits  of  the 
state  in  such  a  fashion  that  the  New  Jersey  people  will  not  be  aware 
that  mosquitoes  are  about. 


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