Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER RP SD eR it a Bt IE SS AE ESTO 7 $ fey TMU CRANE UNITED STATES DEPARTLENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE eg News Lp Tp’ R PR FOR NOVEMBER 1940 ADMINISTRATION tuart Pinckney Dies John Stuart Pinckney, assistant entomologist, of the research staff, at the Carlisle, Pa., laboratory, died suddenly in that city on the after-— Hooton Decenoer te. Mr, Panckney wac-porn at Mb. pleasant, Ss. C.; on September 11, 1901, and was graduated from Clemson College in 1922. He was appointed to the entomological service on July 22 of that year and was assigned to the hessian fly investigations at Wichita, Kans., under J. R. Horton. He resigned from the service in November 1927 and was en- gaged in private business for a time, but was reinstated on January el, 1929, with the title of assistant entomologist, and was detailed to the hessian fly investigations at Carlisle, under C, C, Hill. After the intro- duced pest Bruchus brachnialis Fahr. became troublesome in the Carolinas in 1944, Mr. Pinckney was assigned to the investigation of this insect. He had made excellent progress with this problem but was still engaged on it at the time of his death. Stuart Pinckney was a valuable, energetic research worker and a man of fine character who will be greatly missed in the service. He held a captain's commission in the infantry of the United States Reserve Corps and was deeply interested in military affairs. He was a descendant of Governor Charles Pinckney, of South Carolina,of Revolutionary War fame. He is survived by his wife, his parents, and one sister. FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Causes of injury to peacn trees.——-A 1,500-mile-.trip taken in October DmeOiiwers i. onapp, of toe Hort Valley, Ga. ,; Laboratory, through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, to in- vestigate injury to peach trees revealed that winter injury, rather than he ethylene dichloride emulsion treatment for borer control, had probably- been responsible for the condition of the trees in most of the orchards _visited in which there were injured trees. Tho use of 85—percent stock emulsion of ethylene dichlorice instead of the recommended 20—percent Seceneth had definitely contributed to scrious injury in 1 orchard. In 5 of the 50 orchards visited, improper manner of applicetion of- ethylene di- chloride emulsion or failure to regulate the dosage may have causcd injury Or contributed to a condition initiated by winter injury. Ayes Le ies Miscible ethylene dichloride unsatisfactory for peach borer con— trol.--Mr. Snapp has reported on tests conducted this fall at Fort Valley with miscible ethylene dichloride, a commercially manufactured substitute for ethylene dichloride emulsion that recently appeared on the market. When diluted to application strength, the mixture was unstable, and layered very rapidly. Although the miscible ethylene dichloride gave very good con=— trol of the peach borer, it caused some injury to the trees. This may have been due to the repid settling of the diluted material, which caused the last of the dose poured to de stronger than the first portion poured. The injury in most cases was to tne outside bark layers, especially where there was an opening in the bark, and to crovm gelis. The miscible material caused very little cambium injury and, of 23 6 tress of various ages treated with misciole ethylene dichloride, only a stunted 53-year-old tres growing beside o hedgerow was injured sufficiently to cause death. migoticon of raisins in rolled paper trays.—-Sxperimental fumiga-— tions = raisins in rolled paper trays, desizned to kill infestations of the raisin moth (Ephestia figulilella Greg.) before larval feeding had caused much ae fe, were carricd out by Georges H. Kaloostian, of the Fresno, Calif., laborstory. in former years raisins were dricd on wooden trays. This r ) i method is. still. used extensively, esp Muscat grapes, but probably /5 percent o eading veriety, Thompson Seedless (Sultenina), is dried on trays ft DaPer..2 Dias. fee uy ume sue. Asem the raisins have been dried for 10 or more davs the trays are rolled into bundles by folding the long edges of the paper toverd the middle and then rolling the tray the long way to form 4 “biscuit roll." Whe rolls re- Maan. im, tae partial. shade of the vines while further drying takes place. There are from 6s ¢t 0) 1s pounds Of raisins on each tray. Both methyl br mide (2 cc. per tray) 2nd grenular paradichlorobenzene (10 g. per le greatly reduced the Scout an im Zante raisins (ourrants' de The reduction was apparently aided by 4 days of Poe be exposure to the heat of the. sun. More successful were applications of about 2 cc. per tray of dichlorethyl ether aosorded in white cornmeal, oi sian to Thompson Seedless raisins. Treated and control rolls wers left in the vineyard ey { dsys. Samples taken at the end cf the test indicated that living infestation in the treated rolls was zero, whereas the untreated controls averaged (2,000 per ton. cially tor, drying, Pate=na tones h al MHXICAN FRUITFLY CONTROL Only one larval infestation found.—-One:larval infestation was found 2 a een nr Rene ETNIES ITE Ca Ct ocn Gn Se bat . : = in the Edinburg district on Novemver 14, In this infestation 11 foie were las found on or under { trees. larval infestations in the fall of the ye are somewnat rare, although in a few other seasons infested fruit has been ae As vety few fruitflies have been trapped this fall, and as none of the previcus fall infestaticns have ever been widespreed, it is not believed thet this one instance presages a general heavy infestation for this season. Fruit shipments for November totaled 4,325.7 equivalent ca rlots. The total Shipment for.tne scason, as of Terre ZO,.anounted to. [, 092. e. Cars.c, Mua amount. is 774.7 equivalent carlots more than was shipped at the same date last season. Cold weather in the eS Ric Grande Valley, as well as im the winter- i areas,.2ided the Naturity of citrus PruLt Dut. was, Ganesan sce tender vegetables. The Wenother Bureau thermometer at Brownsville recorded a dion - 38°, put unofficial thermometers at Hdinburg and other places in 7 —j- the western end of the valley rocorded 28° for short periods of time on Noxrember 15. Rainfall for the month amcuntod to 2.3! inches. Although the rains were general and précipitation wes recorded on 13 days, there was not sufficient rainfall in parts of the area for the growers. to dispense entirely with irrigation.. CEREAL AND FORAGE INSHCT INVESTIGATIONS Mormon cricket in Big Horn Mountains requires 2 years for develop~ ment.--J. R. Parker, Bozoman, Mont. , states that Cat had reached the Bozeman laboratory since 1955 to the effeet that Mormon crickets in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming exhibited a biennial Life tycle snd consequently becane abundant only every other year. F. JT. Cowan, woon investigation, found that in collections of ezes from thig Vocality, made an the fall of 1939 and at intervals during the following summer, the contained embryos re— quired more than 1 year to attain maturity. - The experinental evidence at hand failed to indicate that temperature alone was responsible for this re- tardation of development. Carbon disulfide ax Cre Young, iimoreenh ke has 190, IM GUL) ah eree la) cle ive soil Dunigant for white—-fringed beetle.—— s that tests conducted during April and May on disulfide as a soil funizant for the white-fringed veetle, ie on Giirective kill of the insect. This fumigant ap=— plied at a dosage of pounecs to 100 square feet of surface produced a G@eastic reduction jm population but failed to effect Be 102 tall tye eine injection of the entire cosas a2 deptil or 2 inenes was as effective as t~ aN we a (@) Gir os) Se al 4 e Ree aes the dose was injected at 2 ae ae the rH eas at a depth of $6 inches. No apparent advantage resulted when arcas that had been treated were covered with tarred building paper aft er TULL eabLon OCcurmed. Newly hatched larvac of weite-fringed beetle descend rapidly in soil.s<- Mr. Youngs also states that recent studics have Shown that the newly hatched larvae of the white-fringed bectle descend in the soil at a rapid rate. On tne Sixth day after hatching they were found at a depth of 4 inches; at 21 days they hac reached a J-inch depth, and by 457 days they were 11 inches deep times Sait, The morta cae Chime hatencd Larvae as) econt one teached) 70 pereent curing the first week after hatching. Effect of low moisture content in grain on certain insect species.—— Eecorenmaao he T Cotton, Maniattan, Kans. exert ments to a@eternine the ef- feet of low moisture content in stored wheat and corn on various species of IMSeCts contained in it showed that, although some species succumbed rathe promptiy, others survived for long periods under such conditions. The rice Weevil, the flat grain beetle, and the lesser grain borer Tailed to reproduce ieerewd Lavine a Moisture Eh a ae Of erOMm Ap Oo pereentreane c rec am a, Short titles On tne other hand, the black carpet beetle and the confused flour Heeulc lived for lone periocs in such Zrain, but vere unable to breed frooly cL cae 5 lyzus. bugs in alfalfa yicld to comwnity control action in Arizona,—- wie eiccreain and hy he Strtt, Tosoc) Ariz.) report that sericus reduction miytelds OF eltalva sced, caused by fecding of Lyeus bugs, in the Mohawk and AateLope Valleys of southwestern Arizona, led in “1939 to the adoption of a es community control progran which has preved highly successful. This was arranged through the No pee eee of the local alfalfa-seed growers, the Burcau of Entonology and Plant Quarantine, end the Extensien Boies or the Arizona State Exnerinent Steticn. In accordance with an outline pre— pared by Messrs. Wildermuth and Stiti and C. 3B. ‘Blackledge; county-agent of Yury County, the growers agreed to adopt uniform cultural action throughout the year, aimed at greatly reducing the numbers of Lygus bugs early in the sea— son, and later exposing them to maximum solar heat and starvation during harvest of the hay crop preceding the seed crop. This program consisted in a comdination of clean—culture, pasturing, and irrigation schedules, to-— gether with uniform harvesting schedules so timed as to expose the bugs to Maximum summer temmeratures. In a seed—procucing arsa of 4.600 aeres the growers cooperated practically 100 percent in adopting this outline during the seasons of 1939 ane 1940, with the result that bug populations were greatly reduced and falfa-seed production rose from an average of 174 pounds per acre in 1938, to 314 pounds in 1940. Some fields, having un— usually excellent stanés, produced from 400 to 600 pounés per acre. A check on these results was afforded by the isu infested wut untreated south Gila seed-—growing area, located some 29 miles distant. This produced 1 1940 only 171 pounds of seed per acre and a a bug population per acre about five times as great as that present in the Mohawk area. : Many species of Phyllophaga captured in Japanese beetle traps.——Philip Luginbdill, pono ind., states that through the cooperation of H. €, Brewer, of tne Tape snese Deetlo Sent 1 project, tne trapped specimens of Colcoptera other than Japanese bectle were scnt to Latayottc for stags total of 7,103 specimens of Phy Te aoe, taken from 75 points located in 28 States, were receivod in 1940. These comprised 58 species and 3 varicties, Cc which was 14 species and 2 varictics more than were reeoived in 1959. ‘The collections in 1940 came from 10 more States than in the vious year. Through this excellent cocperation many valuavle specimens ae distribution records heave Deen accumulated for inclusicn in a pub ce ‘tion on the taxcnony ‘s 3 + of Phyllophage, which is in preparation. In addition to Phyllophaga, repre— sentatives cf 24 othcsr gonera of the Scarebdaeidae were included in this na— (oaee eet rearing OF a ttle-kmown blind beetle.--August Balzer, Beaumont, Een. 5 CLepOrus eee successful rearing of a little-knorvm, blind and wingless pdeetle, Thaunop hodtne karanisensi isdell, from egg to pupal stage. This was acc soit ished by Pare ae oe oes in petri dishes on mixtures of eom, wheat, and rice ect was originally described from na terial collected in an Da ation ton aa its habits were previously unknown. ag ‘Dus sting witn rotenone for control of vetch bruchid.——Acccrding to J. 0» Pinckney, Carlisle, Pa., dusting experinents with rotenone an -Oyaq percent strongth at the rate of 2O pounds per acre, for centrol of veteh bruchid, shortly aftor oviposition began in June and July 1940, at Arendts— ville, Pa., gave enccuraging results. In the plats receiving one applica— tion 82.6-percent mortality resulted. Those that received six applications showed 89. k—percent 1 ortaelity. This work vas done under rather unfavorable conditions, rain having SET the applications this year until after ovi- position had begun. . —5- Cadelle in stored CS TCS Sage YS ee Bien Balzer, Beaumont, Bez oe reports thot in the fumigation of a rice mill and warehouse, contain- ing 693,500 cubic fect of space, and a load of 5,500,000 pounds of clean, brewer's rice in 100=pound sacks, 525 pounds of liquid HCN was applicd. This application re ssulted in LOO-—percent mortality of rice weevil adults, and 100 percent of their immature forms, but of thé eadelles only $4 percont succumbed. The gas in this experiment was not artificially vaporized or cir-— culated. In another experinent a concrete warchouse having a content of 94,200 cubic feet, and also a load of 3,989,000 pounds of clenn rice , approxinately nine-tenths of which was in burlap sacks and the remainder in cellopnane-wrapped cartons in cases, was fumigated with nothyl bronide. The ae Was 2 ounces Of Tne tumreany, Fo) T.OO0' pounds or mice, at oro Een abt Besmltce am killing 100 percent of the rice weevils) and’ flour Deethes ain pur= ap Dacs but only GY percent of the cadelles. An unsatisfactory kill of all insects was cbtained in the rice packed in cartons. JAPANESE BEETLE CONTROL Perennials fumigated for Japanese beetle in Ohio and plontcd in Florida.--During November arrangements were made for the fumigation at one Of the large Mentor, Ohio, nurseries of approximately 10,000 perennials of all varieties and the transportation of these fumigated plants to. the Bureau's PHL MaAbosaLOny au sanrOonc,. Las, Lon planting enc observation as.to the tolerance of the different species to nfersiayab bromide fumigation. The Di- Vision of Comtred Investigations arranged for the Vand at Sanford, and ‘as-— Siened Randall Latta to cooperate witn pigeciees Jonnson, of the Division's treat— img section, in conducting the tests. On November 18 about 490 varieties were fumigated, 6 DLAMTS Om wea VoErLenives | SCCeuse! jib Was (Gulia cunt Gorxcem cat x7 Gheck plants for movement into Florida, it was decided to fumigste all 6 ond ‘have a larger number fumigated to compensate for the lack of check plants. he plants were packed for shipment on tne 19th, left Mentor on the 20th, and Derive@ ah sonrorcon cue e406) Mr Latta Dad the Land prepared) for’ plantains 26th. There was sone loat _Grop and the plants were set in on the EU and from foliatec plants, owing to sweating in transit, This lot was’ fumigated Bee DUC to 54° Me temperature range, 2s pounds of methyl bromide oa 1,000 > cubic feet, wWita a thour exoosure. “A secone lot of plants, consisting of about 430 varieties, was dug on November 27 snd brought into the ooiler room for preheating. They were fumigated the following day and arrived in Sanford om December 3, whore they were plantcd tne next day. In general, this lot azrived in better condition aa the MIS Ghuckdloady AG tie Gine Or. Cae oes Of the second Load, tho. first Lot was showing strong growth, fron mcs to leaves 3 or 4 inches ie Nursorynan employs variety of Gaemical Ueatnenvs. 105 Japanese boctle control.—--Nunerous trestmonts with carbon Gisulfide emulsion snd paracichloro-— Denzene anc funigations with methyl bromice were perforned oat a large Mary- Hand mursery. At this establishment carbon cisulfidce and paracichlorobenzone treatments have proyed more satisfactory than funigation. Part of the treated nuURSery StOcK was used to fill present orders anc the remainger was’ heeled in Mc Gembitiod plot, tor ores future orders this nursery has installed ney power pump and pressure. hose for use in washing nursery stock and 2 oe wnich must be shipped scil-— be Thais iS a nore satisfactory and efricient netnod than hand washing. D> where they are growing thousands of azaleas. le control programs at isolated infestations.—-Soil treat— ment with lead arsenate for Japanese beetle control was isd on in 20 cities in 7 States during November, with a total of e+ acres covered, Treating in Chicago was concluded on. Nevember 5, a total of { acres hav-—- ing been treated since work began in that city on August 29. Work in Indi- anapolis, Ind., where 3.2 acres have thus far been treated, will be resumed next spring. The soil-treatnment programs in Logansport and Richmond, Ind., were finishéd in November. Trenting activities were also completed in De- r=) z 4 O ‘troit and Melvindale, Mich.; Newark, N. Y,$3 Durham, Elizabeth City, Golds— boro, High-Point, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, and Salisbury, N.-C.; Ashtabula, Belpre, Gallipolis, and Marietta, Ohio; and Danville, Va. There still re- Mains additional acreage to be covered in Winston-Salem, N. C. Fair grouncs.—--Cold enc rain hampered ca ~ ee Ty CLE) rpm : = 5 : fal i o the treatment # arpon disulfide emulsion of 200 Taxus that formed a D hedge et the former Glass Center, on the New York World's Feir grounds. Two weeks were x r application of the emulsicn to the entire lot. The work was finally completed and. 3 large trailer trucks tronsvorted the certified stock to a nonquarontined State. ery anc greenhouse inspection eactivities.—-In the Baltinore, Md., area only 1 greenhouse vill handle certified Christmas stock. This firm will benefit by higher prices for this certified material, since other establishments must confine their purcheses of stock to be taken ial at classified e into their houses to certifidd material. inspection of chrysanthemum and gladiolus shipments, in accordance with State European corn borer quaran— tines, was.continuecd at the Baltimore wholesale houses. Some shipments had as many as 50 dogen blooms exch. A large hydrangea grower in the Maryland district required the services of an inspector throughout most of the month. Over 12,500 hydrangeas in 4~inch to 8-inch pots vere funigated with methyl bromide, 2 carloads of which were shipped to Canada and 1 to Chicago. ‘Two , groenhousenen in the Baltimore area completed new concrete soil—trentment bins, and ancther expects to start a methyl bromide fumigation chamber in December. Im the Norfclky Va. arce eas and.certification of nursery and greenhousc stock incrcased greatly during Novenber. Tvo treatments of eanellias vere made with paradichlorobenzene. e sp nox os to they finding of a large number of gypsy moth eggs clusters on spr es Tots Wh the lishtly in— festead aren of western Massachusetts and southern Vee it Was necessary to meke actual piece-by—piece inspection of more then 160 tons of boughs. These were shipped under certificstion in 100—pound beles. Their principa use is for covering cemetery lots and perennial beds or for decorative pur- poses. No infestation vas found in any of the beughs examined... Many New inglond nurserics are now manufacturing wrenths, sprays, and Ganterpuse e from nursery—grom trees that are not fit for Ss -2 sale. In this way they are ze sone. Money fren their oversized stock. One nursery in ce G tral Connecticut is. cutting anc selling thousands of Ae ee oe spruce as Christmas trees. This serves to thin out their plots to allow for increased growth of the renaining trees. . Christmas tree operators reoort a scarcity Of f0cd, Salable spruce.or balsam trees in the lightly infested gypsy moth areas cf Maine,-New Hampshire, and V Bee dOnt tS ie types, belsam is preferrec because it does not shed the spilis when placed in hented rooms. Accitionel inspectors added to sypsy motn force.—-Tyenty—nine temporary inspecters were employed in the New Engiand States during November to assist Wien the Seasonal rush in connection with the inspection and. certification ef evergrecn products. For tne inspecticn cf Christmas trees and greenery, § inspectors were employed in Maine, 1 in. New Earpshire, le in Vernont, on 2 in Massachusetts. . Two inspectcrs were added in Connecticut for the in- Spection cf nursery; stock and nursery—grotwm Christmas trecs. To take care Of JASpechi0n- 01 lumber-in corload lots,.,.1 Ragawet was added in Maine, 1 in teers. and 2 in Nev Hampshire. oa in syesy Hoth; inspection.——Fron ub infested Shipnents submitted for gypsy moth inspe etion and certification, 286 ess clusters were removed. In ee a 353 eSS masses vere removed from material inspected prior to its manufacture and shipment to various points outside the infested areas State Highway departments cooperate in eradication of Dutch elm sease.—--A recent commmication from the State Highway Commissioner of Con- - nec Saree outlined the precautions thet Department is talcine to cooperat Dutch elm disease eradication work. "All of my specifications for road con- struction," the letter Shates » Vere now cerrring in their 'Special AOL sions! the following note “YAi1-elm wood to be cut as a result.of t tractor's operations Sale, be confiscated by the United States Department of Agriculture or burned by the contractor at the Cirection of said Department. The contractor is warned that no portion of any elm tree shall be sold or renoved from the ae eee Arrangenents have eiee been made with the State Highway Commissioner of New Jersey for similar disposal of elm wood Cub as a result of ee operations in the § e any eae 0) Acditional Dutch elm disease infections in isolated areas.——Four diseased elms were discovered in the Rte re. areas in November-——-one each in Kirktiood Totmshin, Broome County, N. Y., and in the towms of Canaan, Dover and Lodi, Athens County, Ohio. Since the discovery of first-—-recoréd cases n Canaan and Dover on August 7 and 13, 19}0, resvectively, a total of three infected trees has been found in each locality. Observations by scouts amount of beetle matcrial was picked wo curing the course of scouting in the West Virginia area during Fovemver. Treetops and snall broken trees left by timber cutters comprise:a large portion of the naterial. Most of these trees were cut durinzs August and Sentember and are now suitable for beetle entrance. A few of the trees sneered were infested with larvae of Scolvtus nultistriatus Marsh, An unusual case of Magdalis infestation was found in the Preston, New London County, Conn., area. A 5-inch hanger was so heavily aaeeced that the larvae were only about 1/8 inch apart. A 3= inch hanger that had dropped to the ground was equally as bad. Woodpéckers hac worked the entire length of tne 5-inch linb that was still attached to the tree but had not “attacked the lind on “the -sround Bots of these auresics were caused by the hurricane in September 1938. In Maryland, scouting for beetle material was mainly confined to the Town Creek Valley. This is a new area for systematic scouting and a larse SURE of beetle materiel was care The heaviest bark—beetle infestation in the Marvland work area exists in this section, and it is oelieved that the unexpected ee OF Se aude atus collected in the northeastern section of the regula ary- land work area was due to veetles being "fed" from this vicinity. surveying Tor beetle-infested elms.—-A large Cc Workers trained to recognize bark—bdeetle infested matsrial. wie ————————eeerehwrowrlrOwOwOwrll8 Of Scout an@ sanitation crews tm the identifaesat Sie 6) fe) at with bark bDeetle ikely to furnish breeding places for vectors of n ) |] the Dutch elm disease een vas started late in November and will be con— tinued throughout Decenoer. ast yeer a uniform training program vas de- veloped for the entire pr cess involving principally removal crews. This year each State supervisor has developed his om progran. In this way, scout crews that are still in the ficld tagging bdeetle-infested or potential beetles material can be trained, as well as crevs that will remove the tageée Material. Reports from the several States indicate that without exception the W. P. A. forenen and scouts are © oonly 3 nterested in such studies and are unusually anxious to learn mors ebout their work. The quality 6f scout— ing for beetle material has improved considerably as a result. During the { course of these studies in New Jersey it was found that a larse percentage cr rt at of the materiel previously regarded as potential beetle wood in slippery eln was actually beyond the stage suitable for beetle attack. This condi- tion seemed to indicate that the dark of slippery 1 rots much faster than does that of the American eln Much of the naterial tageed in the course of qj Si Fae — ie a ee a ; s L = he specia study in New York was slash and woodpiles; how-— ever, & in aStii es were noted. One such tree vas 100~percent -Gead end wes infested throughout. The Ls in the tree appeared to have been neavily parasitized, with a mortalit 5 nt of the fully fe ara E 50> perch grown larvae. Several of tne larvae in the top of the tree showed bubble- like protuberances. few cr oO Ow D 2 cr 2 Hea] F 09 ‘ct KH Mi ey es See a eee c + il suc— BES imy Grron Divi- i2ncrople s = VA ale is become Tiss Git oranc 5 ioer has von rec Ofi at W cas mea i Dp On S Sen ul DS be ns oar L a 516 us Cs oa 5 a —— n> Ae + So EAR — rl Ltt : a U ‘ eod nen nt yn 7 a t i) rh Sch ah I amor fe) and 3 O i 4 & and K Wbalousa & sé on in 1) Set attacked nme in S$ mak 5 <=) an Ure 5 ‘én ed vu <> a tA re a S e V . ~ 5 006,000 -to 400,00 undant Vv 2 ce iv Ne sterm ere o 0) y ab c read WM n DV W Aa he nat ran er Pears iatel 5 af x Dy t ro! es a apla an COCCOES olga been only 1i;. 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Si cy! iG) (Oy rth ey ony Om © KAO $4 42> a) oe $4 491-49 o10 © gd OrPY GF OG FIG OV ay Qed O-eAlLO £ ri] &0 BM PIG OF & yo oO fi O}eri OY -+>)|/42 © Pou a--~ o OJ A A © O)u oO ® s{p Mal WY a ro) fH i) WY Ww 742 2 dP Oo ®8]@® & Om nm wil Ded SION eat CPG) ahi) co) fa ty Go WOW S sq ou) WO 4 = el Oro) -@) Ber) ae ae "Ned d ]4 4d ©} (SD) ay can ibs Fell ey Ol aie Gy ee) OS Fy On & YP go 4p HAD mit oct aby teal 1 e 0 © OSH @ nO Bo A Si eet © fl - PIO @ wm 4 % WO ¢ Py @ Bae a0 A Ad ed PO OOH OO 2 HA O 1 & ert (co) etoy ey (Oya sy (a9) . ) 5 Gf Pei a wm fy ie} HOP 5S Ow Po Ley CO heer W}4? ot per Ao OF O ny gdp on 5 @ O - al tO © 8 O in Vel oO eS aS i de Bo &p SD) oie tee) ae) HeaPeH GF OD OO rd oe ta oO BH DH ls pea Spe ASH eye (2) sa, Ont PPP Nol EE © fH Ss) (OG Y LE 7 a] NCs n October 1940 ys measured into 2—foot ne al rears : lee Ven EOas G 2 = . ne se) ec ann cle mort ars ing brane! ort vee th + TT a ad c on all cde ane ri BO: sections, the circumference of each section taken, and a record made of the various insect galleries found. Highty-five percent of the total n per of sections examined were in the diameter classes of 2 inches and rene while 69 percent were in the l-inch and 1-1/2-inch diameter classes. There was a total of 343 square feet of bars on use Sections. Online hOmny rutipes galleries were noted. These were all in a 3g-inch diameter section. The number of S. multistriatus, Magdalis, cerambycid, end ouprestid galleries per square foot of bark area averaged 1.28, 0.30, 0.30, and O.1e, e spectively. In the case of H. rufipes and S. multistriatus the tern "zal— lery"as used here included the ege gallery and the larval tunnels radiat-— ing from it, while of the other insects it refers to the tunnel mace oy one larva only. When the number of &. multistriatus galleries in sections trom breneches that had been broken by the wind or by other causes wes come pared es the number in sections from "natural Gie-back" bran i was found tiet the wind-broken branches were much preferred for oviposition eS by the beetles. In the wind-broken branches the avorage number of S. mil- Cistetapus, Galleries per square | LOO om) back was 14.88, whereas in hele "natural die-back" branches it was. only 0.2/7. Concentrated sprays effsctive against Cylindrocopturus weevil.--C. B. Eaton, Berkeley, Calif., reports that concentrated sprays, oie hove proved to be effective against the white pine weevil in tho Ton heast, will pro- e vb ‘ees from attack by the weevil Cy-— tect young ponderosa and Jeffrey pine tr lindrccopturus sp. In experinental tests with potted BOS Manes at the Hat Creek laboratory, and with 5-and 6+year-old planted stock in the Big springs brusn ficld, Lassen National Forest, a lead arsenate spray ef- fectively prevented demage to trees exposed to abicaleis by the weevil. The Spray consisted, by vwelght, of Lipart acid leac arsenate, O.2c5 part summe Vaporol, 0.04 part Vatsol OS, and 10 parts water. It was applied at the rate of approximately 1/10 pint per tree, using 2 paint spray gun operated iV COnreenwon Wallin (ey wheelbarrow-type power compressor. Unsprayeds cheex trees Pee ee tne injuries ceused by the weevil in nearly every case. ts attributable to the chemical were evident on the ec eeueioa trees 5 emus after the spray was applied. Large-scale tests are necessary before accurate costs for this method of control can be deter= mined. Field work on forest insect hazard inventory commleted.--P. C. Johnson, Ceo reports that with the completion an September 1940 of field work on the Tahoe National Forest, the Berkeley forest-—insect lLab— Oretory is rapidly bringing ‘to a close one ef the sare ond most compre— hensive survey studies ever ee in California fine fonesh Ameer . ne nm initiel measure in a eons in the ponderosa= nia his region furnishes hazard tnventory was begun in 1937 a termined effort to subdue ae (OLY =I9 Jeffrey pine region of ou tales iS S annually about 630 million dos ine senor and is the chief source of box shook for the nay thousands of fruit grovers in the State. In ad@ition; the forost drain from insects in northeastern California has averaged nearly half this sani during the last few years, or over 300 pa million board feet annually. This has not only been a tremendous loss to . the lumbor industry, tut threatens to become a continuing source of forest id depletion end nonetary loss unless some drastic mensures are soon taken. i Direct-control moasures in the cast-side pine strnds of northeastern Cali— | fornia have not boen successful in stemming the beetle infestations and =i recently the western forest-insect laboratories have advocated neasures to salvage the timber values before they are destroyed and to further reduce the bectle populations by removing the fovored host, i. e., those trees which, by reason of their low vigor ccndition, are most likely to be at- tacked by the beetles. These susceptible, or high-risk trees, can now be recognized with a marked degree of certainty by symptoms which even the lay- man soon recogmizes. The hazard inventory has made available the inforna— tion most needed by both private anda Redes ot tinber agencics interested in this logging method of insect control. Sore 2$ million acres of pine tin- ber have aoa covered by a Q. 6-percent volume cruise which necessitated running sapproxinately 1,900 miles of strip through the fore tion work which will soon be completed will show for this entire area (1) maps of the distribution of the-area according to inse ms hazard, conplete statistics, by small units, of timber resource ee, speci es, cur- Lavimeereseet, Loss sam the wast, Wh years, and the ee of the cxist- 7 ing pine stand now made up of high-risk trees. This material is béing re- @€eived witm interest by the pinc industry and has already been the basis of several logging studies to test ee effectiveness and practicability of this method of control. The Forest Service has also incorporated hazard inventory results on some areas into new fore st-nanagement plans now being Cor aple ted. Beetle epidenic in San Bernardino Mountains has been checked.--s. T, Carlson, ,) Berk celey, has recently completed the rall survey of the San Bernar— cino National Forest and reports that the control work carried on last winter and spring nas successfully checked an aggressive bark-—beetle envidemic. The control area included 12,000 acres of intensively used recreational forest lands in the Lake Arrowhead and Crestline districts in San Bernardino County. During the summer of 1939, the pine cover on some 40,000 individual summer-— home lots was threatened by a grouping infestation of Ips and western pine beetle (Dendroctonus brevicomis neee aun Dine private ovmers financed control work through an assessmont Die bey Zones > RiloodwComtrod asic. Oi oan Bernarcine County, which is eee to conduct various ojects involving Thue pro watershed protection. Work on the National Forest lends was carricd out by tne ©. ©. ©. organization. During the 1939 season bark bectles killed popsat -Of-1250 trees, of which S00 were treated during the win aber control campaign. For the season of 1940, the total loss is estimated at less than 5O trees, and only a small miount of maintenance work will be necessary for the coming winter. Abnornal season comp pilica “eaves! Deeblevconpnol.—-Vestern pine. beetle con= trol projects now oy being conducted y the Fremont National Forest and Klamath Forest Protective Association are experiencing some difficulty in locating the proper: trees for treatment because of the unusually wide range in foliage face on trees containing overwintering broods. According to W. D. Bedard, Of the Portland, Orez., laboratory, broods can be found in trees with tops & 3 he base but contain abundant broods above. These peculiar foliage conditions resulted from an unusually carly spring in the Klamath Basin, which caused an abnormally early attack by the beetle and permitted three broods to develop during the 1940 Season, instead of the usuel two broods for this region. The donger of missing green—topped trees uncer these unusual conditions has necessitated slowing the rate cf spotting in order to make a more thorough examina tion of the area. It was also found a u ing from green to sorrel, while some slightly faded trees have been aed at t An necessary to mark meny doubtful trees sc tmt they could be felled end ex- t55)- res anined by the treating crews to ascertain whether beetle broods are p ix, the + ne tODe First bark—bestle control project .on Malheur National Fors st.—--The Bear Valley control pro Seere against tne western pine beetle in ponderosa pine stands of the Malheur National Forest, in eastern regon, got under way on November 5. This is the first pine-—beetle control project to be attempted OM Tus LOLeSita a oe tie to W. J. Buckhorn, of the Portland forest—insect laboratory, who handled the training of spotting and treating crews for this work. The area of infestation covers approximately 56 sections, consisting of equal portions of virgin stands and cut-over stands from which approxi- nately 0 percent of the volume was removed by selective logging, The in- festation ranges from 40 to 90 trees ‘per section, which is considered as a moderate epidemic. Treating of the infested trees will be carried on jointly by the Forest Service and the Edward fae Lunbder Company of Burns, Oreg All infested trees accessible to logging are to be salvaged by the company. Inaccessidle trees are odeing treates vy C. C. CO. labor using the fell—peel— burn method of control. Western pine beetles found in Douglas fir region.--An infestation of bark beetles in a native grove of ponderosa pines along gravel flats of the Willanette River near Corvallis, Oreg., Wes called to the attention of #, P. Keen, of the Portland forest—insect NSE EU by W. F. -MceCulloenh, assistant professor of forestry at Orezon ate College. Cn visiting the area, infestocd bark containing western pine ‘beetles and the usual assort— nent of associated species was collected. Many pines had been killed and Some younser trees had been killed by Ips confusus the. It is of interest to find these insects following their host tree, even though isolated hy 70 miles of Douglas fir forests fron their typical habitat in ponderosa pine forests cast of the Cascade Mountain Racge. Ble leaf beetle paresites liberatcd in Portland.--The Park Bureau of the eity of Portland, Oreg., has been interested in getting the nelp f Deneficial insects in the control: of ae elm leaf veatle, against waieh the city wag an intensive spray program each year. Through the coopera— RES a tion OL olan , Of the California Catrus Experinent Station's division of benericial insect ce ee eee two soecies of elm leaf beetle -parasites have now Deen introduced into Portland. The hymenopterous larval and pupal parasite, tetrastichus ey: Gahan, was first received at the Portland forest-insect leboratory and liberated on September 11, 1940. More recently a shipment of the tachinid parasite, apo nitide R. D., was received as overwintering larvee within host adults. These will be libera- ted after colonization in the laboratory. GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL Brush burnec in unfavorable scouting weather.—--Scouting conditions were generally unfavoradle over the entire region where gypsy moth work is performed during much of November. However, the rain and snow removed the fire hazard from the forests, and large quantities of brush and debris, ' accumulated in the course of selective thinning and cleaning operations, were destroyed by burning. TtnaorerOre. 2s much of this work Piles asi tales eae were Sarsored in Fee Pre etc. and Pennsyl- _vania where. ery nat scouting work ae ve done during the Hunting sea- sons without the danger of workers being struck by stray bullets. During these periods work Fai be. done in sa se areaS or in open country where the tree growth is sparse and scattered. The men will not be permitted:to work in woodlancs, except in areas nese ‘ise as game sanctuaries or on private properties which are adequately patrolled during the hunting sea- SONS. Varying degrees of infestation in Vermont.—-The discovery of num— us scattered gypsy moth infestations continued in the townships of. O istuleton and Hubbardton, Rutland County, Vt. All of these: infestations 6 small, most of them consisting of Single egg clusters. Intensive ~~ --- s.> seouting recently completed in the vicinity of the single-egz—-cluster infestation found sevsral wecks ezo in the southern the tovnship failed to disclose further evidence of the presence of the gypsy moth, eal- though another Le eae infestation was found about lis miles away. Several days’ close scouting of tne vicinity of produced negative results. Crews working in Ede gressed slowly while working under especially er LeuLt conditions im the course of examining larze bog and swamp areas where scrubby growths of spruce occur in alnost impenetrable thi ickets. Only one single-egs-cluster infestation has been found in Eden as the present work. hate in Noven— per scouting work was started in the townships of Fair Heaven, Pittsford, Poultney, and Sudbury, Rutland Soe sue in Shaftsbury, Bennington County. Two gypsy moth egg clusters were found in Pittsford Township, which was infested in 1927. — Ve Weakueds Sate eR OM also LY bs n, Lamoills County, pro- fayts- JG a8 1er Numerous scattered infestetions found in Chester ae motn scouts working in the tovmshio of Ches as er, Hampden. County, ie » have found num— erous scattered infestations, ana m 5 ich intensive scouting is needed in that area, The progress of the work was materially an because of the ne- cessity of closely examining stone walls that extend long distances through bic a@ueeosted areca. These walls furnish excellent concealment for gypsy moth egg clusters, and they cannot be readily inspectcd during the winter. as possible was accomplished while the weather conditions were favorable, scouting of spruce wood lots completed.--The scouting of areas in the tovmships of Becket and Washington, n, Bor rksnire-County, Mass., where spruce boughs are to de cut during the coming holiday season, was comploted during the latter pert of November. Hight wood lots, aggregating about 250 acres, were carefully scoutod and resulted in the discovory of two Sypsy MoLbh ese clusters in one; of the lots. in Weshington, anc three ess et. Spruce growth com— clusters at one locstion and four at another in Beck prised 50 to. 90 percent of the growth in these stands. Hundreds of tons of boughs are cut, daled, and shipped annually from Berkshire County towns to New York City and other large contcrs for usc during the Christmas seca- Son. Brush—disposal macnine uscd in State Forest Resorvation.—-Rain and Snow prevented substantial accomplishments by gypsy moth scouts in Massa-— chusetts during the first 2 weeks in November. Light conditions were unsatisfactory for the examination of tree grovth during much of the time when scouting work could be yerformed, cept in isolated spots where the graven was low. Hovever, the conditions were fovoreble for burnings accumu— lated brush and debris, and progress “was good sood in this type 02 werk. jhe LULy vas used in a State Forest vy, where a small gypsy noth in— y lignt thinning vork vas necassary the dead and defective trees and condition for ccumpiated during € e hazard. Th his brush to sawcéust and stall cS fa ions were possible curing November. (GU eet brush—disposal machine owne ReservaGlOme MOA al Gus hele festation vas found earl tO see this once vty eens future snes ee ne Work. Hugin this work could not ve burned immediats brush-dispoal machine ccnverted uuch of cnips during the limited tine when oper a oO oO a \) S U oO io) th v Fh ( O ti ati a Gypsv motn work at heavily infested site.—-Intensive scouting ha aL ae oeen. oompale ted in the center of the gypsy moth infestation in Southbury, Nev Haven County, ¢ nn., wnere several thousand new ese clusters were found fo) A Ny : — OC u last year. No new ege clusters were found during the current cxamination, although about 430 olé egg clusters were discovered in hidden locations. The absence or living infestation clearly indicates the effectiveness of the various types of treatment that have dcen@plied since the evpsy noth was discovered in Southbury, and it now ssems rsasonadle to expect that any living infestati that May exist Mer ace imams ately sur? i tni IWAN, ing ares avions vas Maw (eselSi, We we awed. TAS aeonie aN Sit IPrOuUnG INE ALS formerly heavily infested lecation will be exterminated during the present fiscal vear. Progress mace : icult labor situation, The a1 os DETR ces > S mea oh BSC Sn Se Renee Rn + =. unsettled weather prevalent ver interfered to some ex— S one S aqacht , FW99 aeymo SS) aS! ~ = h @ypsy mot: t, but provided excellent z r re waste wood, and other trash Woich had accummlated at various were burned. An increase demanc for white or paber bDirchywo as and noveltics by Now York City markets hes acded to the On work in Connecter. MUG O= TALS WOOR LS) Oucaimed by, cd it must ve icamemaeny examined detore shipment from “vi LE On, HOSt Of. the Vom ars shipped in 4-foot lengths. a provlconm Cf maintaining @ Tull Torte) OF ease moth workers is becoming incre we; as production in Angusipera centers is speeded up to nect National Defense prograne It is especially Gifficult to mon capable cf directing crews aré in cenand in manufacturing plant ecidedly better wazes than they could receive as W. P. A. workers. Several foremen resigned recently because they had obtainec other employuent, and vorkers in lower classifi- CalLmouc ane, Sco mest 211s EnOi le Sasiel meaconlr Gypsy itoth WW Teather and unsatisfactory Pichi) COME GLarS ian e eS -yosy moth scouting work in Pennsylvania during much of Novemser, but the elimination of the fire hazard by snow permitted the DOES Cry é es Hy enploynent situati i as the number of meer a sigi rice ] > muriber of resignations.of W. P. ri age s. Although there has been no approciable in- ercase in business activity in. the area. where gypsy noth work is conducted, there has heen a Cefinite movement of workers to inéustrial centers in other oO eS be cel }- ty t td i) 3 2 2 A 2s sty v +2 {4 ay) e | I Yn a Oo a) = a ms I+) @) rf » ) 1) UW |< bs] i Oo 4 ( 4 F) iy) oO 1H oA A e Gre a) arse accunulations OF plu aL 9) a te ! ' ' ba ‘ mn () (dP |e ® in the eg ah ay - 5 parts of the State that have bcon more affected by the Nationel Defense program and this has caused a heavy turn-over, which still continues, in gypsy moto personnel. Coe noth oxtermination work in Lackavanna and Lu—- merme \ountLesS done by the Nw. Y. A. under the supervision of this Bureau increased greatly during November. Arrangements were recently made to in- erease the mumber of enrollees available for gypsy moth work, and the nen were broken up into smaller, more efficient crews, many of which were di- rected by experienced W. P. A. forenen, wee the anovnt of work accon— plished by W. a A. workers is less than Wa s expected, owing to absences of workers, the men have given atisfactory service, and their eimloynent | has melLeased more notive and. (Ip erlenced men TOn work (in outlying territory. The cutting and baling of evergreen boughs increased oe tly in the gypsy noth quarantined area of Pennsvlvania, particularly in the ee Mountain region where spruce is most abundant, and it was necessary to. detail ad- ditional inspectors to examine the shipments so there vould be no eet ey of the gypsy moth from that source, €. C.:C. Gypsy Moth Work During Noveriber 1.--During Novenber 5,490 6—hour man—days were used on gypsy moth work b Dy he CG. 0. C., as compared with 6,452 man—days used in Octobor. Although the amount of work accomplished was less during, Novenbor, the re- euctLon was Nol.as erent asthe facumes would, indicate, as. worl was: per— TOumMed: Crime. 5 weeks im October ond. On tae only 4 weeks in Novenocr. The metual reduction in work wes caused oy a lack of sufficient man power, on ing to unfilled quotas at the carps, Lo. Do one ae ae Bont; ane to Bows Od NemMn SnOwralls. he treathent, COmsasted) on selective thinning) of favored food plants, ‘ourning acewmlatod hore Ae fores at debris, and scout ing, with more tenis placed on scouting than was the case earlier in the Eason. Inspections of areas treated before the hurricane to recuce the anount of favorcd food plants oe the gypsy moth have shovm generally light ana seabtered infestations, and many cases were noted where the reproduction Of ome YesiStant species of trees in trentec areas is resulting in notabiec Laprovenent in the stands from the gypsy moth control point of view. Clear cutting has been cone on some State properties where the State foresters plan to follow the work with the planting of trees unfavorable to gypsy moth development, and similar work has also been Cone on some private properties wnere the owners agreed to replant with sypsy moth resistant growth. Sev— Genera Sut eral cases were observed where the owners of private woodlands were follow- ine the methods of treatment used by the C. C. C. Vermont.—-Gypsy moth scouts continue to find severe infestations in the eastern part of Vermont. The cost of treatment work is running higher than normal in some areas that were badly damaged by the 1938 hurricane and Where no clean—up work has been cone. The se is so tnick and tangled that it is impossible to do selective thinning or cleaning work in some of these areas until the fallen trees have 8 n renoved. Massachnusetts.--Gypsy moth infestation in Massachusetts is scattered ANG without pockets of heavy concentration except in an arca in “esthampton,,. Hampshire County, where the ege clusters are somewhat more aoundant than in other sections that have been scouted this fall. The extent of this heavicr infestation has not yet Deen detsermincd, but rapid scouting showed approxi- mately 400 egg paaeone Dee acre. This is a much lighter infestation than. was present in this area 2 or 3 years azo, but the infestation is heavier than those now present in the surrounding sreas. Areas of heavier infesta— tion, such es that in Westhampton, are marked for further trestment, par— ticularly the reduction of favored gyvosy moth food plants by selective thinning of the forest growth. Connecticut.--Gypsy moth conditions in-Connecticut are similar to those in Massachusetts, scattered infestations -with no heavy concentrations u of infestation. C.:-0,. C. 2ypsy moth work in this State is closely coordi— nated with thet of the State Zypsy moth organization. The €. C, C. work is dons in towns Dorcering the barrier zone, while the State work is done in areas that cannot be reached by the C.C. C. aa cooperation between the two organizations permits the attainment of maximum benefits from the work of both, and is of erent advent j age to the oe moth project os a whole. . PLANT DISEASE CONTROL Chemical tests on Ribes bushes.-——H. ae Yost, in. charee of pilasieec rust control work in Maryland, reports that tests to determine the sbility of different svostances to kill the root hae his of decapitated Rides bushes were Made in Garrett oe Ma., in 1940 on the west slope of Meadow Moun- 1GA tam, at an “elevation om aoproximately ic ,600 feet, wath northwest eusoceee and open hardwood type. The busnes were not measured but an attempt was mace to poreee old plants, 5 or more years of ages “and from 2 to 4 i height. The vushes were cut off with a pocketknife at or just ab erown. Six Naat We Wore used-—borax, soGium cnlorete, diescl oil, salt, used crank—case oil, anc ammonium thiocyanate. Two dosages of each chemical wore applied to 11 bushes, and there were 11 checks in which no treatment was 2poplicd excopt EECUP ELON A totel of 143 bushes were trented and staked on July 25, 1940. ‘Thess bushcs were cheeZed on October 7. The re— Steps analeaie that a misshiiee Obj pambs Of DOrsed Ll part of sodium chlo- 3 to rf rate, es well as diesel oil anc ammonium thiocyanate, killed the root sys— tems, no regrovth having been observed in any dDush so treated. Coarse salt, wnen applied at aoproximtely ey “ounces per crown, resulted in no regrowth, bie and d branchlets. In closcly stocked stands and, in general, in younger a7e classes Little or’ novettiect is AG Now, aAporosmetely 2 years erter the injury occurred. Where areas coast line wore completely Submerged in sclt water, the trees were completel ly killed. This condi tion is different, however, from the salt-spraj aa where comolete kill-— te warely Goccurced, anc then only. in cas the trees had apparently been Veakened by other cnuses, such as aofolic cane by the gyosy moth. tS es c+ He) OC) fap) py 1G) ect Th <1 <4) faye CD t+ Rye Strew usea im manufacture of stravboard.-—The control of black stem rust is of interest to companies engaged in the manufacture of strawboard if toe acrecent vet ter’ iron hs at Accord ie Straw y ryr AS nS View UL aa iba Ors 5 100 mp aoe es a er z is hat u straw d tp] ' SUCH raee R ATAIADGe A bd <7 wc a MSU . en tb = ona area) tp Oa tan WO) Ais U = PY 52) a) V7 v HLaMmSic > ral ire rig co O Cc u cc J > nN Y —mont: ete a a it t Nay toes a WHOL ak ra (49) & ct! Q) | U2 m9) wt] @ eth SH O}4° ad : Mee a} Set eet ae cl eo | 4 oO $2) @ (D)} | Gliees) M!1o her) — Sins MH Ory f = q bo ta ad} © m! a) Sy Py} Oo ey e| 1 Ee] 1 pe ro] @}] @ hy OH] 2) 8 Te 4 one) oh 4d) a to 1 mr ran a) H PQ a peri unaer = fora naa T ress were Leclanau, Tai Va wat ays SENG 5 77 ty e, 1 vegun ties. Was Se en— ar v oun VU nt uU sta ‘iis ond cas Wixon i a Qyaed tH Ww => oO Sagi oT ynayP a report of includes = Lec uO Ht = 4 sptemb } cd S. pericd ve aT} (GES nved qcPeales —s TN aS of as Loved s GL : : : sey. Men employed = oe « Area : Properties: Bushes $ December 1 ey : covered : cleared :déstroyed: F. aA. a SLE : ue Newer. i Gike. 26 TS DrOseeu, Sy peo jeGE :Square miles:Number:Number: Numoer : Number :; Number Bulcalo=—— == ; 7 SEA EEE Sie Ors 65 * a fogs am Columbta-+—-—* ue Br. seen oi aaa Cie (1) Crawford—————— : 22 te SOLIS O: 6 3 — 8 5 Ngiéaseseae se : 31 PASM WRT Ae sy LOBE he (ig), as (1) fp (esses 55= : 105 ae ee 93 Ths (2): (2) to : 57 BeeOSas Doe HE Conk ee -- Hau Claire----: Yt : ier Coes fons ib -- Fone du Lac=--: 2 BF io AE ge Yes aes $2). (2) Green Lake----: at : OPN as Ole: Ors —— 3 ay ie (Crosse=—--— : 7 NE. Asie gh Doss BuO 3 Gi hes (1) Poreaces=—-==— : 4 REALS (6 Mier 29 3 ne 20 Shebo yZan—---- : 56 Sg MRIEMRCS YEG Wp ee 21 Winnebago————- : 104 ey meee eee BEES 272 3 C2)anexe Gey Manitowoc----- = O : Ge Gs igs O xs — 3 5 Total------: ny ras er LOS. 3 +,354 3 ay. oie (2 i} Work suspended. Scape oe f fem Fie aa $45 h re 4 : According to Tom Van Zanden, leader: in charge, State W a > — ai e ats) 7 nt — Via : — TD oath ~ 7 are now operating in Crawfor 2 Nanitowoc, Portage, and Sheboy— 2) cc 7 3 Ss Son OOUMmELeS.- .bt LS CxS (2) (@) Ss Hau Claire and Dunn Counties shortly =p Bi tna [HI be leayy WD on @0) (4 fa] He) ws S tty Correction.——In the Novembder 1, 1940, issue of the News Letter Pei No, Lisson, 1/06) a brief Stmaary cr a reporti oy Ry U. (Cotter, Of Ene wecereal rust laporatcry, St. Paul, Minn., concerning the results Gu TUS TOCHLITlcabions Was incorrectly quotec as stating that Race’ b7 of Puecinie sraminis tritici is one of the few races which has, under cer— tain Conditions, caused some infection on Thatcher wheat. Race 1/ has bsen comparatively rare until recent years end its potentialities are — 6 ‘ common Kheats e 7s 3 rec mee fully know. It attacks nost ; se sc <4 from Kanred, among which is Wal tei the axceDtLon A ATO Tice Wel UES GACY UL Wi Var C. U ‘avavonl WW eam AiTWCmT OA MT ANTS COTTON INSECT? INVEST PIONS m Li LIN VOL EAL LU JAN Nobiks)- Of “the Presveio, quarter July 1 to Septenbvor 30, uu A Pink bollworm p fem Laooratory, report 1940, 90,500 Chelonus blackburni Cameron, or (Ephostina kuehniolla Zell.), were released in the Presidio Valley and 30,000 in the lower Rio Grande Valley near Browmsville.. Pink bollvorm fe) i i host larvae, which are necessary for rearing the other species of parasites = on hand, were not available unt ment of 1,974 Microbracon k september 23 and was: rele 2,000 adults of Microbracon nigrorufum Cush. Valley on September 19. The ao 2 Th = = i) s5- — Ce er ~ val in the stored material wa Y S r eptember. One ship t to Brownsville on olony consisting of 7as released in the Presidio a stored since last fall. ercent. The remainder e laborstory. Taree eived from Japan through oduction. Dwenty— LENE SUE V. rash. were r i 40 (a); {@) 1 4.0 2 fas i 1 © Gin fer fay tng i Gr \) (ybi (2) t b (a9) : ac jw fe ip) Omics (Sy a x - in ollworm and the Med Lour moth, with suce leaky Vey tdpy sy 1G) 19) o@ Bollworm control in field=plot tests.—-According to K. P. Hwins and Re W. Moreland, 136 small plots (1/18 acre in size) were utilized at Waco, Tex., during 1940 in testing various insecticides against the bollworn, There were lt randomized—block experiments, 2:of & and 2 of 9 treatments, each treatment replicated 4 times in each experiment, started during the latter part.of July. The treated plots in all “} tests received. 3 appisca— tions of insecticide but 2 cf the experiments were discontinued on August 1, cwing to lack of en injurious infestation. ‘The remaining 2 experiments, Wiich were duplicates of these discardec, were carried through to comole— tion. In the experiment where all the treatments were dusts, lead ar-— senate, cryclites conteining 94.6 percent and 87.9 percent sodium fluo- aluminate, respectively, and basic copper arsenate, in the order named, gave the best results with gains over the checks of 208.8, 179.4, 163.1, nd 155.0 pounds per acre, respectively. These are fair gains for 4 appli= cations, considering that most of the worms were over half grown when dust— ing operations were begun anc that the first applicaticn wes made under con= ditions very unfavorable for dusting. Gains from the other treatments were : 14.4 pounds from calcium arsenate, 123.6 pounds from cryolite containing 65 percent NazAl¥e , enc 50.0 pounds from cryolite containing 50 percent Na iR¢. The pollworm injury and increases in yields were in direct pro-— ia jb } cir 3) eel {dp < _ —j 4 ish) cng (te) (48) el i i o Jk sodium fluoaluminate in the Sue portion to the amcunt of i iy tae higher percentages, but the cryolite containing orly.50 percent NazAl¥F gZave very poor control. In the other completed bollworm experiment 4 sprays and 4} dusts were applied at approximately the seme number of pounds per acre. The lead arsenate spray gave a slightly higher gain than any of the other treatments. The gains from the treatménts were: 125 pounds: from lead arsenate spray; 110 pounds from lead arsenate dust; 121.9 pounds from calcium arscnate dust; 61.2 pounds from calcium ersenate.spray; 49.4 pounds from regular barium fluosilicate cust; 54.9 pounds from micronized bariua fluosilicate dust; 27.5 pounds from micronized barium fluosilicate spray; ané 17.4 pounds from cryolite spray (87.9 percent NazAlF¢). Calcium ar-— senate, lead arsenate, and micronized barium fluosilicate, applied as both dusts and sprays, produced an average gain of 95.2 pounds when applied as dusts and {1.2 pounds of seed cotton per acre when applied as sprays. Insecticide tests. for pi secticidal control of the Presidio, Tex., laboratory, by W. the tests because of the light and weven pink b ry F 0 mM H < (ometo) 5.8 a) o ed ) Hy fe) Ky s and gD —_— “loa Cc the presence of bollworms, leaf worms, stink bugs, and Texas root rot in the cotton used for the tests. In view of the fact that previous investi- gations had shown that ee eg not very effective against the pink bollworm more attention was gZivez ine insecticides and various ovie cides. The results in the wide a ests with insecticides were based m the percentage of reduction in 1 1@ per boll.’ In the laboratory tests with ovicides, the resuits were based on the Pel envaise OF TECUGtLon! wayne number of hatchable eggs. In a Latin square with 1/16-—acre plots, comparing eryolite dusts composed of different particle sizes but avproxinately the same (85-93 %) sodium fluoaluminate content, micronized cryolite (Kryocide) caused a reduction of 55.5 percent in numoer of larvae per boll over the ompared with 46.7 percent for Sular particle size (Alorcc) ent for coarse particles (Alorco Precipitate 562). The coarse- perticle aterial was distinctly inrerio other and Ro ientt-y clogged the hand dust guns. } Alorco cryolite dus t. containing 34 percent NazAlP eo pe reent, and ui. S—percent reductions in 1 a small seriss of cage test pink bollworn moths wv used $1.4-perc Hi ay cr WwW 5 19) 9) fe) co Be 3 }> fr © M O OW I Q (@) lee | 3 ' Ss sy (ab) <@) ¢ (Sir Ite Q 0) 2 Grooms) Ww: V5 %) ' rb iT Qn (ete) tt e oO fC rf) teS} a) 3 (oh) He) font "o) ry } GO) [= @) Ee Ps (@) (@) MO ctr N ay le Q -! Qu (@) lt ©) iS} ~~ Q Gs re e) on = m m 1 chk OM ct Eir te Q jab) cer US percent, cryolit eryolite—oil spray Cent reduction. i bined in various » the laboratory a of tne tests the bracts: 0 back to exoose t é S) the paper or were Lieron. 6 renain undisturoed on the bol tk 1 e x |S | 0) (RP © 2 © b= 03) ON ee 45) Oy) Ss 1 « Q (oe) ey I {te ‘ ¢ O@ Zag ctlho (lh Os G ap) Fy re} @)) by w ct i} = 1) SS) “a a 3 pe re rv (oy oO | ke Oo Oy e) ty tock oS @) n cr tH © be) tg ie) iy cr Hither the ovi- Gide Was applied as a sprey or the pol the nicotine sulfa hatching but in al e the older eggs were more susceptiole to eges;, especially in cases where nicot Gi Tecuet1om 11 by @) fp) ©) “@) Oni Gin oO QO } 4 Ou © @O (op) ct - =) 5 cine 1) D mp) FH @O Q HE) [a Sc = a) fH. fu J is ct is v2 1 hateh dus to treatici ranged from /.6 to 9/7 Ss composed of two s of 4U0-percent nicct Miscible oil (Vaporol) end 50 gallons of wat - ing in that a high pe S i = cr ie?) @) ©) ar td) (4) ct ct fu Oo pte +f Nonlin) CI | ©) Gr ee @), te) cs ee ta KH o Ou ct tre ~ Vv were encourag— > however, it ns incemplete ficiency Of the Dy PS) Be! 6) 7 (@) a ca Ge should be borne in m coverage end other fac ion.--lt is necessary to make annual inspections of gin tton—growing areas ci the United States sach season in order e knowledge relative to the status of pink Pe infesta- n-trasn inspection is slso concucted at opportune seasons in conmMareas,: as a result on the Control prezran bake the is trash ay all co to have definits tion. Some gi the various Mexi Teau i10n Was con=- Ss car T nk bollwo pi iE S] Lal B= Of ¥ thi ae uv inspect ray > tQ a8) fa “> i ct Mi n 2 Green i C + Gland, -+) Ve : = cA U moat =2-5 n- re Ia a ; ‘ in as ag rom f alee? AKL + u z ~ 3 (Pa) eat ile po WO ve at A () o C 9) -+- ea (ni) tan) Cc Taal © 4p) 4 a fa W I i a) () ° a) a ret mt 2 © Co orl (@) 49 | SS q) Q oO 0) Lal te 2) fy 2) Cu =| i) Ps 1» CS Sq QO a) ct el ia] | lab) ee] oO GQ a ay ' ' i D “c f| 0 , ne { a) ty (} e1 oO pls Hea | ap C3 > ft 4 12 ccd cl 4 eet ‘ Ta el 0) ord b Uu) acl cl rea 42 (ec) fs cf rf 4° i> GO s e| (on) eal ep) fy q) 5 i ie) wy ; re c} C q) br (co) is) (| Seq © as sh vi VU visit 4) a CG :S) = ee ~ @) C CiGL ene C <| S i d+» (2} i) Gu [ee Wi CLib O eats = +t OTEcu thnrousherut —--s ~— Se Lev i S Dac hw ~~ —Uti-+ —rKH4 ele enrnn MoU ith a lat Y sate a3 k iad a APR 20 LeGeor fe u - amet OOD. o As, en nO Vv ase D vat oa = Vv a —orT—% t ai r & ie ts | FA ~~ — fer ‘anata ae oS Ww alee > | =a (QT be = replowed. mor complete host-free period for the pink bollworm, had not been realized, as in sone areas a limited quantity of fruiting cotton- still renained. Pate ccondub1on is attributed, principally to.the fact that Ubeas prout— destruction work was hindered to a considereble extent throu aT Novenber on account of execssive rains, preventing farmers and eruobine crews fron ‘reworking the fields. The amount of sprout cotton in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Mexico was reduced considerably during the last part of November, and at the enc of the period there was.very little acreage on which thers were any fruiting plants. In all of this lower valley.area, on both the Mexicon and Americes af of the Rio Granace, there is much less sprout cotten than ever befor this tine of the year. New growth will,.of .course, continue t ; and all Of this area must de continually watehed threveshout the Scason in or@er to maintain a starvation peried for the pink pollworn until the fruiting of the 1941 crop. Only sbout 3% weeks are re~ Guamec trom the tims some sprouts first appear until fruit is formed. Stalk destruction.--Zxcessive rain during October preventec the com- pletion of the original stalk-—destruction program in the Coastal Bend dis- trict, and on account of intermittent rains and misty weather throughout most of November, approximately 600 acres of cotton stalks remained stand— ing at the close of the period: alsa, some sprout plants and seedlings have developed. Most of the farmers — tugs: area are anxious to complete the stalk—-destruction work and replow their land in order to conserve the moisture and destroy any sprout or beiaiaae plants. Consequently, it is expected that field clean-up in that area will be completed as soon as weather conditions will permit. ; Wild-cotton eradication.——Pink bollworm infestation was found in do- mestic cotton plantings in POmt ous Florida in 1932. Following the deter- Mination that the source of this destructive. cotton insect was infested wilé cotton plants growing in southern Florida and on adjacent keys, a cam~ paign was begun to eradicate the pink bollwornm by destroying its host plant. This underteking has becr Soneraed to the present time with outstanding re- a7 1D sults. Twelve W. P. A. crews, agercgating an See of 90 workers, were engaged throughout November in wild-cotton-eradicetion work. Two Bursa crews , consisting es § men, started eradication work around the middle of November. These crews live on houseboats and work in remote areas. In the Bradenton—Fort nore subdistrict first cleanings of the scason were conm— pletea during the month in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatce, and Sarasota Counties. In acdition to the destruction of oll wild cotton plants, the erews have been engaged -in clearing vegetation from wild-cotton colonies in this’ area] in order to stimulate the germination of wild cottonseed. The first cleaning of the Key Largo, Matecunbe, and Long Key sections was con- pleted the ether part of November. ORR in these areas was accelerated during the first cleaning of this s 1, Owing to the presence 1 nunerous work— and turn-trails which were complet ad last season. In other sections of the Bradentcon—-Ffort Myers and Keys subdistricts first cleanings of the season were still in progress. The 2 ee crews are operating on the Dade County mainland inmmediately.to the east and to the vest of the main Cape Sable area. Considerably fewer wild-cotton plants are being found. in most of these eress than were present last season. In oll of the above area only 249) Tepe with me ane bolls were found in Novenber. A total of 91,100 seedling anc 127 sprout plants vere destroyed. —ct 6 tc cl - Pol ° s| Oo oO (e) 1 on 0) OO OPn & Pi Sr HO fy Ht taby teh 65) fy ppl eka a (rae SPECI eh) fe) Oo 144 & oO O oo | un OY Opp Yo) tp (o>) OY OU py PPHHd oO A, ol jo (Oo) _ (90) ro? iw 1c ° ° si is . ° ° Od 2) © aay Weed) Ove Ome co (¢) O aed — K(@y [gy wo — tht O fj Ti + oO PPO Wd rt Fi et $4 | EH SH) 1) 1) Gli anG oF val tee Pt © 4 fa ol Ord SH Mitel peel Gj Gereaa] BO co acl 45 QO, A SH 49 -) Qd We Mert 4 ; Spon, 0) 4 O Oe & ve Qo © O re Ord Yn er res @ PP Oo | 90 @8 @v) 0e@ e8 #0 +2 #0 ee 90 28 #8 #8 #8 #6 #6@ #@ ©8 #8 #6 of ©: CO) 7S): ett ' 5 (Dy fe) (40) Oo & 1 Se Q 4 oO 0 re 10) > ol Pg i 2S & rm 10 Hu Ou GS & Ard ge yc Pm @ @ rt YO - 0 @ ee Oo ow “A O oH 4 © 4% oa 2) AQ W GP er +42 fy] 4 f'$¥ OD Py Pp © i ma wo Ps SP) mr @ a] <4 sh OQ O KF (eo) OP © © Sed Py a Pm al @ po) no (2) (ov me rq Ovo ) © ici be I 4 0% Pp ct fi] o . © ee . * ° OO St 8 E4 Word + 4 OME wu fy OT fy my (ve) mery LOY .O h— Wo) [@) fe} 2G: 1S! iG 1G) Ga a c) 49 49 G) 42 oe 42 5 45] @) fay Jah BLO rr rey AIO (ay AE) (5) () IS fel cw ort ce) Pa orl ca + oO Lap} si CQ) Oy Ay cy 4 | G4 ard 41 a) fh er te ab. (oo) ro! [= W q) S414 ( © ic ©, a fs ery het Gb} a} lieea U2 ei tf @ cl} © ~ ) On) OP we fy (3) be I rei w J “ete posi ieee Da) Ss yea) 3 KH i (one) ! eo rs fy Chey ay IG ok ad ojm S - a fore fm O ire) m~ 4 @ Ces} () Leo) & : 42 P Ort = 0 oO Pa Oy co) Ge rl Cy © as Ay ce Mm ~~ Ost O fi 3 SA 0 ; QO Io Oo ore fo ©, of; 1 42 @O SD | 4 5 (ip) (0) ba ( ¢ (x 4170 : gO 49, 64 ¢ Cc) Oy) ert CU aA Od w) : . We ila rt oO fy an fo Sai Oia Py O () ~— ie) eel Oo (OH he OQ yer n tea P 2, + =) fi @ Dare G4 a) OQ ~ Q is Space ea OLS co a ome) oO - ©) A Se) 4 mM)? @ Sy Cet Ceo} th As : 45 | £ mc O {cy (3) <4) lo) 0) 1&4 i ba} (ec OuG+ O fi f4 4 Ora © © oO 4-2 ro is Gq. + : 5 oo 8S OS oO] We © 4 el ro) i) ry 5 ro) D>) rl 41> OO SI) Soc cH S — oN ly Ls) I cl c WM or (tthe SDN tel fap (eb Co) 0) oO I i oO Pad? Ord Fl P 4 Oo Ff, vn a py to) ‘1 © (e) (e) ab) D) Gy et} ao © oO mf @ + n 42 49 4 49 ” fy] fy Of Bio Sa @ © 4 o) re o) OW -S Qrl 1 O 49 49 Sf ert aq 6p] ie ) cd (@) | ieee @ FNS (apy (vali tea (2) (ea (S]_ fe] +2) 1 th 4> n Eat ctor i Si Ea fo 0) OM wale o @ 3) Oy 3) @ Ga @ ft *S& © ® O10 Ord fa tl er eh toy jy v0) fq HA OO FP] 2, © P oO ao 3 ro) - HPP BIO OQ, 0 0) '4 42S} asi Py rm @ a) eO W BRIO Oo D My oy (a) fal) i” mOo8 F#m +- Oo oO FI rd] OS 00 & Se eater Dp over =D a ed rT ta) Ome U > iP al baina an = . - on ha meee: & EEGSoS Was a MA season Ka is t oO VY recAl lare. cs c sai 5 thet the ose t Ly t 7 sfomat for FL an real fe Gt y th rr Shed foal _) Le ioe al o st w g ae 7 uUTtner oa © nro to YVY--oe UY erred t , a 2. i ots VA ai pl over t Lb = UNe sy ONS.vO 4 L by 28.9 feet, end comprised 7 rows of & plants each, the distance between rows and hills being he inches. Ingredients of "dynamite" spray. less effective than complete mixture against narcissus bulb b fly.—-Ralph SClaoyoye) 5) JE Ml Hi@ey Gnehay’s)/ Bonn, of) the Sumner, Wash., laboratory, conducted 2 series of tests on small replicated plots of narcissus to determine the effectiveness of the various ingredi- ents of the "dynamite" spray in preventing infestation of narcissus bulbs by Merodon equestris (Cia Siem ea ey report ne although the various ingredients or tnis treatment have some effectiveness, none was so effective as the com plete spray formula. "Dynamite" is an , emulsion-in-water spray to which lead arsenate has been added at the rate of 6 pounds to 100 gallons of finished spray. The stock emulsion, by volume, consists of 76 percent light summer oil, 18.76 percent water, 3.8 percent oleic acid, and 1.444 percent imaotanalamnines and the finished spray contains 5,000 ec., or 1.5e gallons, of tne emulsion to each 100 gallons of water. In these tests the ingredi- ents of the "dynamite" spray were tested singly and in various combinations at the seme concentrations as used in the complete formula, with the follow- ing results. Treatment jo) = Bulbs) Reduce On OL sintestedsinfested bulods Seeies Ts > Number; Percent Complete dynamite spreay—---------------------------- ° ne Wee With lead arsenate omitted—----------~-------------- : Seu DU 5) VEMEIN OIL RL OMe ROG CSS ee ee ee Se oleate A 22.9 With oleic acid and tricthanalamine omitted-------- ° SQHKS Pilato Untreated-----------~-----~-~---------~----~--------~---- : Ie Obes -———- series ITI: : ; Complete dynomite sproy-----------4----------------: SS ss 56.0 spray Containing mineral oil onl ma : INO) eae 9 2540) Spey COmualtmins Oleic acid and triethanalanine only /2 -: WO spray containing lead arsenate Onis ee eee Te $ QOS hn ns Tela) Untreated—------------~----------------------~-~----- 3 el 38 HHH imuLSsified by nixing LOO gm. of a sodium salt of alkyl ester of Senosmecimle jacid form cach di, 520) ec. om Baw oll. Taese data show that. infestation of narcissus bulbs by the narcissus bulb fly was less when the complete "dynamite": spray mixture was used than when the individual ingredients of the mixture were used or when the ingredi- ents were used in various combinations. ihe trentments of each series were peas in.2 localities on a rendomized—block arrangenent. of plots, there beame 5 replications of each treatment at each locality.. A vnlot consisted of a 200—foot—-long row of bulbs. There was aay lL application of cach treat— ee Hace with a power sprayer at a rate of 45 gallons of spray to 1,000 feet Of row. Application of all treatr nents was made during the poriod May 3 to (, and the counts of infested bulos were mace when the bulbs were dug in Petra. The mimbers of mercissus bulos infested by the marcissus bulb fly were determined at digging time by examining 4 samples of 100 bulbs in each plot, 1 sample dug from the middle and 1 toward each end of the plote 2396 e. Natural mortality of young wireworm larva.--K. EZ. Gibson, of the Walla Walla, Wash., [avers cory. from quantitative samling of the soil de— Signed to determine the amount of natural recuction in infestation of wire— worm larvae, principally Limonius canus L., reports that natural mortality was very high under field concitions during the first few months after hatch a ins. he reduction varied greatly in soil pvlenteda to different crops. “The Bt ia of reduction in numbers of the young, living larvae, dering a S—month period for various cro ps were: Lima beans, 100; carrots, 843 pota— toes, 74s CEOWEE 72: onions, 6&8: sugar beets », 54: corn, 45; fallow, 593 alfalfa, 423 and wheat, "Li. These Boe ceenoees were ootained by comparing he infest I of L 5 - VAseyne A450 pe OS rn 5 a) young larvae soon after hatching, carly in July, with TP c for each sampling period consisted of 20 units.of soil 1/16 square foot in area and 12 inches deep, the numoers of young wirevorm larvae in eech being determined by'means of a soil-sample wesner. At Walla Walla there were 4§ plot replicates of each of the 10 crop conditions, while at Prosser thene were 6 plot replicates of alfalfa, corn, potatoes, sugar beets, and wheat, making a total of (0 plots. a a ee “a 19) 4 fe (49) wa O to and p TL Ne ) QO fe) Q fan O 1 ¥ a | © } wp ts fo i?) @)) a a i D Qf Sct ck OFS e yy Fy h3 G oO a Lor (20 leh ¢ ea} (4p) (6D) fu @M ch ¢ ey t (a0) ) D psyllid (Paratrio Z period July 1 to Anzuss 16 a total of 1o tomato: and 10 potato plants vere exposed individually in in door cages for periods of 4 tc § days. In each cage there were fron 300 to YOO. adults of the potatoe psvllid. Aftcr exposure the plants were removed, half of them thorovughly.custed with sulfur, and all were set outside for further observation. No symotons of psyllid yvellows developed on those plants which, after oveing fed woon by the edult psyllics, had ocen dusted with sulfur; but slight symptoms csveloped on the untreated plants that had een fed upon by the adult psvllids anc later by nymphs, whicn had developed from eZ2zs iene See the acults. teavlon Cf Cenoveaste aphid oe) iL 2 ab ag Cie at u ices = Rane mines AT] Seo Paes = 3 = SRO SESS . aye fo = neribwar, Codat wo ol ry, recently reported an unusual intestavion ws bd $ 2 eberatcry if Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), observed during the last summer on cabbage near pan Juan Capistrano, Calit,. Althcugh it was en extremely heavy intestausoa, the outward anpesrance of the cabbage was very good. The aphids were established not only on the heads but alse undernesth several layers of the White, tightly fitting leaves of the “cabbage heads. The-entire surface ot ne head between these two or three layers cf leaves was a mass of the aphids. In an attempt to control the aphids, the grower had stripped back the in= fested layers and applied a spray; however, the infestation was so far within the heads that poor control was obtained and most of the heads were not marketable. Four dust applications had been made during the growing period - ee but, because of winds blowing nost of the time, they hac not been sufficrently Bub 2Oes > consequently, the aphids w int heads, where j sprays nor dusts could reach SS (49) I ol ct bay (9) By Toxicity of insecticide to pepper veevil.--Mr. Campoell has reported the results of small-scale toxicity tests in which a large number of materials Bl were used as dusts against Anthonomus eugenii Cano. on ceged pepper plants in — Oe the field. Of the dusts tested none proved so effective as calcium ar- senate and cryolite. From a large numoer of replicaticns the percentages of weevil mortality resulting fron treatmont with calcium arsenate, fron eryolite containing /0 percent sodium fluoaluninate, and ecryolite contain- ing 50 percent sodiun fluoaluninate vere 90, 87, and 80, respectively. Of the other dusts used in these tests the only one showing much promise was one of the coded materials, which gave /{/ percent of weevil nortality. Using a precision duster 1 gran of insecticide was applied to each pepper plant, which during application was covered with a large cone to confine the dust to a single plant. After a fev minutes the cone was removed, a screen cage placed over the plant, and 10 living weevils per cage were ee troduced. The soil at the base of each plant was covered with cloth to pr vent the escape of test insects and to aid in their recovery. Parasite of asparagus beetle abundant.--C. W. Getzendaner and R. 8S. Wright, of the Puyallup, Wash., laboratory, report that the parasite Tetra- stichus asparagi C f. was very abundent late in Aucust end early in Septene ber in fields infested with Crioceris asparagi (L.). This parasite, which was first released near Puyallup in 1940, has becone estadlished and appears to oe generally distributed throughout es ee ae district. About Ie OL ACER ES Om TAG parasite Were colceted Prom Wa Tielld on, Ausust. 22> in ne 34 hours. In this field ee considerable new grovth of young isparagus and the asparagus. beetles were congregating on it and ovipositing. ihe patastves wonewpRescnt ain eyeater munbers andivyere (dex stroying the beetle esas aS fast as they appeared.. No ficlds were found where the beetle larvae were sufficiently abundent for rearing the parasite where ie. ‘parse vas knowm to be present. The low host infestation during much of the season ap- Peaus tombe idue an a arse part, to the efriciency on tke paras ara A survey of asparagus fields outside of the Puysllup-Sumner district in which para- Sites were released in 1959 showed them to be present at Kent and Orting. INSHOTS AFFECTING MAN AND ANIMALS small yellow jacket feeding on stableflies.--W. H. Dove and his associates at the Panama City, Fla., laboratory, report that Vespula squa- nosa Drury has been feeding on dog flies (stableflies) about cattle. As many as 15 to 20 were noted hovering about a srovp of 4 animals. There has been a noticeable decrease in the stablefly population about these aninals and, accorcing to Mr. Dove, part of this is undoubtedly due to feces predatorSe Staoleflies in South Carolina.—-Mr. Dove and 5. W. Simmons visited Several points along the South Carolina coast in the vicinities of Charles-— ton anc Georzotowm, where en outbreak of dog fli was roported last season. Pac giarine Srasses commonly found in the eee OL Panans. Cata4ai di aaos SOGEurai no tnis area. It is evident that the cog fly provles in this area is entirely different from that cncovntered on the west coast of Florida. Aceorcing to Mr. Dove, the indications sugsest that the moist areas which receive seepages of salt water Curing high tides nay be concerned in the pro= auction. of the Carolina outbreaks. Stableflies alonz Florida coast line.-—During the first week in Noven-— Pe eee Oe OE paca oe ee ee ber Mr.. Simmons nade a survey of the littoral territory along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida. The purpose was to cetermine the limits of the Bes area infested by dog flies, the extent of breeding, the materials in which breeding occurs, and the factors responsible for greater or lesser fly out— breaks. It was found that dog fly outbreaks occur along the Florida Gulf coast as far south as Homosassa. With this point as the eastward Dimit, and Mobile, Ala., as the westward limit, there is an infested area Along the Gulf coast of about 400 miles. ‘The greatest breeding is found along the 200—-mile shore line between Pensacola and Carabelle, Fla. South of Homosassa dog flies present no problem. According to Mr. Simmons, the prin- cipal linitation to dog fly breeding along the southwestern Gulf coast and the Atlantic coast of Florida is the lack of suitable bay beaches for tade— drift deposits of bay grasses. Mosquito survey of naval air base at Cocoa, Fla.--At the request of Commander Teollerson, of the Naval Aus Base at ( Cocoa, Fla., Mr. Dove and W. V. King met with the naval authorities at the Base early in November for the purpose of discussing mosquito control at that point. Mosquito conference at New Smyrna, Fla.—-At the request of Mr. Dove, the following personnel met at the New Smyrna Beach laboratory, where a 2- day conference was held on problems of mosquito biology: W. V. King, G ibperevelLiontary lee Win. alieranialiss a csi Il Simons, Jig Se Hua and 20.) he oo aenenemor hods for odtaining samples of marsh soil for flooding samples to obtain Hate in 2 of eggs were demonstrated to the group by G. H. Bradley and B. VY. Trevis. Arrangements wore made for Mr, Travis to introduce this method in Dade County so that neeced surveys can de made by the county mosquito— GeiaysOley OF tl Cake, Mansonia mosouitoes in South Carolina.—-In answor to requests, W. V. King, of the Orlando, rae laboratory, “visited health officials in South Carolina during the week beginning Novemver 25 to locate the breeding places of Mansonia mosquitoes. Concentrated breeding was found in a small lake. As control measures, Mr. King advised the cutting of certain types of vege-— tation beneath the surface of the water anc an application of an oil during the period when the mosquitoes were emerging, incidence of screwworms in Florida.--According to Mr. W. HE. Dove, there were only a few cases in the western and northern counties of Florida auring September. In corresponcence directed to Mr. Dove, the county agents agreed that the incidence of screwworms was lower than at any time Since this pest established itself in the Southeast. New larvicicde for control of goat lice.--O. G. Babcock, Roy Melvin, and ©. ls. Smith, of the Menard, Tex. , Lavoratory, ceport that Tesulte teen recent experiments indicate a new, practical dip mney soon be developed which will kill 100 percent of. the lice within a few hours, and all cggs with one treatment. Ranch managenent in screwworm—prevention ion progran.--3. Ge Custis: Menard, rcports that the ranch-—nenagement program is well undex that four district meetings of ae agents were held at Uva tel oe) Boerne, and Gonzales, Tox., on November 12, 13, 14, and 15, respectively. The proposed plan and its purpose were explained by Messrs. Cu ishing. and. + J. W. L. Barrett, Jr. The meetings were well attended, and in addition to the county agents, a nuriber of leading ranchmen and others were present. here =29— R were enough immature stages of the fly in the ground during December to @evelop a rather severe outbreak of the fly over the entire OU a at ane area should there be a considereble period of warm weather during the month of January. The essential recommendations included in the ae include avoiding all wounds and Gropping no young fron October 1 to January 413 perform surgical operations, drop young, anc shear as soon as possible after HPebruary Tirst, when flies are few in number; avoid all wounds and arep no young during May, June, and July; and fall shear and emergency operations only in August and September. The peak of fly abundance is reached lates in December in the overwintering area, If there ere no wounds Guring this period the largest crop of flies of the year will die without @ suiteole place for oviposition. is @) {Oy ter iolog ACs SbUdlesoOn horn tl Less-—Nceordins. togW.,G. Srvc. so" tae — Tex) waboravorny, adult horn flies emerged from infested droppings placed in overwintering cages on October 7, 14, and 18, but none emerged Since November 21.. Records of 475 pupac, kept at a constant temperature Poa ta ce 2 a ShoOwes. the pupal period to be 2/7 hours, sotreet. within 1 hours An elephant dropping was inf ith 100 newly emerged horn fly racyoac alidawas. kept in a room at, 65 2°, but no flies emerged. PL aL ested Ww fe} hf I+ ANT QUARANTINGS , hore Insects in crating.—-Live scolytid larvee were found in elm wood used in open structure crates for earthenware arrivins ain, New VOri=, quae mm: arveae were determined oy W. H, Anderson HAs MEG Tom: Darter OGbONCr., Line 1 as probably Scolytus scolytus F,, based on determinations of associated adults meade by M, A gt a Ceranbycid larvac, cetermined by Mr. Ander— som as Clytus arictus L., we ILSOMEPOVENGL a PLAS MSOSCLOS LS RSCOr “ded oy sorauer as feeding oO (halen paloma ial E and Srapevines in southern rea rvne Of Dark doctles (Scolytidae) in fiz trees Lane. geuvoul os. Bee a invercentions oF interest. walls epee adults of the Slr US GUUS Hani. -wene mnvercey led au New Ormrcans.on Sea ee 1 in ace = mea Seeas in mail’ Prom Portuzal. Two liviane Vervac of the melonrly (Dacus enctbesaltn (Coa,.))) were taken at San Diego, Calir., on Novemoer 5 in string 1 Deans in Stomes from Hawai. A Vivine "aqui on cme scolytid Gnathotrichus consentaneus n1ara. was round at Hl Paso, Tex., on Octover 23 with sour limes in cargo from Mexico. Seven living iene SMO, the celery fly (Philo ophyl Ta heraclei (i. )), were found st New York on Octo— ber 1 in celery in stores from England. Ten living larvae of the Mediter— ranean fruitvrly Wer tis Capitata Wied.) were taken at San Pedro, Galif., Gi octooer 9 i Corres Derries in bagezazge from Hawaii. A livine adult of ike cewCUe VOL. ee bisignatus Boh. was tazen at New Orleans on Octo-— em 50. On Wanena Jn carco from Mexico. One livinz adult ‘cach of 2 es coreids Agonosona flavolineata (Hams) and + Euunonti porosus Stal was intercepted at Hoboken, N. J., on October 29 in bromelied leaves in ba asgage from Brazil. A living adult of the lygzaeid Acroleucus es (Stal) wes intercepted at fe. Laredo, Tex., on October 28 on gardenia ia in cargo from Hoes co. Living and (ea) mB oi Py) deac Specimens of the olethreutid Lbaspeyresia spledash ana (Hbn.) were talen ee from Spain. 7 at Philadelphia on November 14 in a bag of f chestnuts in em] i ce) Cy) I « 3 ; a 3G . oP) 42 YM f4 Siro ow O @M-n a so) Sal EO WO ed] ee Py OP o (3) ® fd Qo ® ae 0 On/P a we Oo rt Bp 2 dO ort POM Ot O Be Oe} QO, IP Be Od Bae rl tel oO OS & Ff] Oe “A 1} Oo Oo] @ ey OTST ME eh het 2) ela Mw E ® DS eet] fy Or ey ey ey (el MI tds) AES O FY a me | aR i Pp OM o Bes ey oe me eto a fs eI Oo 4 - | Woo 5 alereniet Ss) ce ra|'o o of ct cy) ene Oo do oy Biro 4 Hl @ ° poplar Ed a Py 19 (3 re) oO n Alec @ odic oe q) iy} oO @ Saeed) Me teeth ich) oO] fa MO tlor o eae es Po ot mila oS Ped ed ©, ILC art ft Py | » ) tai) (e) fp ed dl ered PpPPwd B/G ee oO BJO] a a OP PK. 3 Q, mn MoM PID a ct Sey. fet ml Sei Wr Oo Mo he Gi» wo h1) Ol wm oO r4 8 ort wo oO eo oO ® ad ao wo o as PIO Sio OC] er & WO SO H%.0 4 Orlert GlAcd Oa 4 F Alaja Olet nlo P o MINA H Py (dp) AO tel IN) ed Pp oO Hale Oo]a@ o;O-u © » Gy fl a8) hy 3 > (2) Ole} OD Oller Ofer SI Mord (% S ect (0) bec 42 @ o O}] e @ edo 42 rf ® clo wih &F Oro Onin & 4 dp) wo Oy QM Net 2 qlolo Sin oO]0O o FM fH a OO} fF © EA ToS | @ Sec (Sia OO OU} fF oO GH © ert] fy 42 rn aodn| hh PS oO { ct) o| Cy my bey a Pmlo G <1 (4) ®M fFaKO 5 orn Ww Ilwgd ap) 4 eM O WO -rl (x f4 TO 4 © 4 fi p-] 0 Doe) Se GoD rel ase ntl © @ 42 | 6 ao O A> | S| ra {2 ay FS fal Cel faa) @b) Hp] m wo f=) Ge} Gy oe! mille) — eon iO oO - a G4 W@ 2) ‘J Ss 0 (Sig Om Fae o nr al op) am) o 8H - Fa Qy Qf A Om ey ict ‘ll oO EA MO 8 Wl 7 fy edt KP a OW: Gert peat Ui On, CLiUCE sana Cote aus TH s, howev i OT Pars = ree PQ U r ? nt a7 = ae - enEen arAT A an Denver on Dr ral a = ~ OT st ATM: erm ( t arcae A uu on erat n ‘ DS value ro gen held i n a or Commissioners of agriculture, directors of extension, State leaders, and representativ ves of the Hxtession staff from Washineton. ~The confer— ence heard discussions of recent research in grasshopper control and a historical, resume "Ae grasshopper outbreaks. A suggested outline of pro- Secure and plan of operation) dor hopper, and cricket control for) the crop us gn year 1941 was presented for discussion and met with approval. EM aba Oly CMa NSC Mw teOm O indicates a general r 1941. The serious massnopper 7 ane Mormon cricket yesaysunvey.—-Into ees surveys for both these pests in the ce 194 aownward treng in the probabilities of in ighy att erasshopper outbreak af 1939 was ma 2a Feebl cn in 1940 and the work of th ~~ esponding reduction both as to areas and Lntensit ta a ane Fall inspections of peach trees.--In cooperstion with the States con- cerned, the predefoliation in iG SMSC T LO Vals! weloeibalicevel ae the provisions ox the standard State quarsiitines -on account of the peach mesaic*:was completed early in the month. Mosaic-infected yeach trees were ee in this in- spection in New HENS Oklahona and. MexaS a the ReGen of at 1d in co- HoenaL Lon ayn vas Mou Tomas haute Otten a eri Ie had not been inspected in the spring for the phony peach cis im che fall, and with one exception we 1 ~ - L is) SSH 42 Mw (1) Qine rl +2 wa & od ony. op) 3 E aos = tuation si er Joveno Tt on to i] era Ous eyreqs — C— Gai u 6 COLmi = 7 eee —groving ided to start coo dude Oo venoer NOAT J vr ? ADS 2 Drofr - So+ c recently found in as ntercenvted =< 2x3} dk Aamr «+ ALTPRENS ne.—--Transit a aa nt of ne COO; an t ssi an inspector a Vv ~ i 5 whic and th hee ie Q nspection ee 7 f a oT Sulliva beetle diss =) TONS 7 VESTIGA N It aa) ONTRO nN uU wT i 1 ratio are m tb) » nan { cA jer = ILS he i 1es stud been skhorm bd So icin. cat — ie. =~ 8 3 Ww ev NAS 7 It -~ +e tion Ween me De ull Ss of dispersed sts toxicity te of. an ONE YEN go 7 nalen he} Uft ri pas p co c n tly inc a VC. is ption occurs sor ey rm ce It held in an effective form for a longer veriod. The presence of the inert particles changes the character of the denosit. Tne rate of crystalliza-— tion is greatly retarded and the size of the crystal is reduced. Instead ef the most of the naphthalene collecting on the floor, it was more uni-= formly deposited on all surfaces regarcle postion. Punt treatments with methyl bromide solution against Japanese grubs.--H. ©. Denohos, White Horse, Oe diy aes vts on the a Io a sprinkling of Comes bromide and alcohol (either methyl or ethyl) in agueous soluti te lawn. turf for.the control of Japansse bectle grubs. Mr. Donohoe was en by G Ff. Kerbey and oH. A. Messersmith, of the Division of Japanese Beetle Control. Greatest survival was found in the tonjinehy of 4soll. 'Mortal»ty was @rester jin mars water covor than without this cover where used Ss is of 0,15 per cent methyl bromide or over, and was lower with ‘solutions cf 0.10 ane, fe) a at ment than where none .was ad imal: dosafes OU OMENS by a 405 or Less) fodilowe e pplemen ec soos: temperatures ranged from 53° ‘to Soc We) cate bucatment.applicatden. + Mortality within a schedule was generally less at nigher than at lower temperatures where any differsnee occurred. At comparable schedules mortality was less e ToOams < be Le) in tight sandy soil than in heav INSECTICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Dihydrorotenone.—--Anong the numerous derivatives of rotenone thus far SEWeLecs” Chili; Fc Tae ene Hebains the high insecticidal action of the parent compound. The apparently gren Shrpolle sui Babiraie von sierasiey (eyesculyitomnmhaigey avaits ae Sos J y (Sys a led to its commercial production. Catalytic hydrogenation of rotenone pro- dguces, in addition to cihydrorotenone, the nontoxic nycrogenation products—— rotenonic acid, dihydrorotenonic acid, and dihydrore venol, To develop a method for the determination of Gdinydcrorotenone in the mixture of hydrogena-— PEO OLOG : = : = Las ST Vay cuiay S os 0 aon Al Taveras 3 ee By SE DEOGCUCTS, SOMe Of the physical anc chemical *propertices.of these com— 4 Vv pounds were exanined. L bo} © by 3 by c YY KH ct © (WN G e ir O ie e a} Q uy p ° ty ® 09 hy t \ ct + He) dp} G. oa o> Y e r gram oy the 1lo-1 cn © Um} wa e 5 (@) oy’ e) im rE © 0 Oy e re) eA = ) uw Q {-4 i) 1? QO Hy ct pty og } ke A e) ++ O 2 ive) > fu LS Nymnaay ON } @4) 43) ky (@) > fay er t fon ' ’ i) (ar 16?) Home-made beeswax candles.—-A revival of the art of meking beeswa cancles at home in old—rashioned molds is evidenced, as these nand-nolded a 2 a candles are in demand among persons intere in antiques. Beeswax is ens a es zt t also extensively used in high-grade commercial cancles. Such candles have sufficient rigidity to stand up well in the heat of summer, a quality not possessed by ordinary genes mode of parawsex. Beeswax candles are nede commercially by dinping, rolling, or pouring. The bdDecswax must be very clean and quite clear, when in the liquic phase, to de satisfactory for candle making. Mr. Vansell, of ie Pacific States Bee Culture Field Labora— tery, has studied candle making anc has foune that careful ot tentisn must be given to temperature control when molding beeswax candles. The tempera=— ture of the liquid wax shoulé not execed 155° F. when placed in’ the noid. cesvwax is achesive and must be very slowly cooled to prevent it from stick ing too tightly, or from cracking through snrinkage. When candles are only slightly stuck to the nold they may be satisfactorily renoved efter tharough 1 2 water applied along the metal tube wall. Con-— eee a a dash cf boiling 2 Cial wicks are recommended. —45-. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASS CATION OF INSECTS Ac exambyelG CeSstrovmns joriciivpean jn Colomado.——speciriens Of 2 i beetle, identified by W. S. Fisher as Moneilema annulatunm Say, ently received from the Colorado ce Colleze acconpaniod oy the PeMoOguUsan Dats Insect 1s) commletoela, Warps jolt a AUCs) Cab) jOngal@Lell ygaverswe alia pastuce land a the yicinity of Fountain, Collo. Cactus stands in other pases Of the State, however, appear not to be as attacked. A Suropean moth in North America join the course on making identimica= tions of moths associated with studies on the Dutch elm @iseas se, the apparent similarity between English specimens of Oecophora UE ES) (Haworth) and a series of two males and three females from the State of Washington was noted. Further investigation and a comparison of the male genitalia of these with the English specimens and other Huropean material proved them to be identi- cal. The Washington specimens were collected at Bonneville and Vancouver, Clark County, from June 26. 0 Ube Ti, TUS Aik oy tay did Who” Gawes Olek g) Ue) als possible that tnis species has been present in the vicinity of Vancouver Since early in the days of the settlement of the English on the Columbia Ravicre -ioparciyly this is the first secord of this species im North America, Probably the insect is of no economic importance, for, like several related forns, its hatval stage feeds under hoose bark, presumably as a scavenger. —--000--- i Aa ‘psi Aetna pee i i r shee UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE <4 BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER = mane ore A ey TO. GAANIE TVA ‘7 Re ete g ae ro ma eure oe | gece ETO Oee nem = UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT: QUARANTINE gH sS cyt) Dalya. FOR DECEMBER 1940 em ee ee a ae ee ee ee ae a a ae ee a rl oi etiietientintientinntancinientinntinstietinedtionsl ADMINISTRATION F, A, Johnston Dies Frederick Andrew Johnston, plant quarantine inspector of the Division of Foreign Plant Quarantines, passed away in a hospital in Mayaguez, P. R., at 2:30 p. m. on January 22, 1941, following a brief illness. Mr, Johnston, the son of Andrew and Lydia A. (McCorkle) Johnston, was born at Westford, Mass., on May 25, 1887. He attended gremmar school and academy at Hos ttonel and in 1908 graduated from the Massachusetts Agricul- trad: College at Amherst with a degree of Bachelor of Science, having majored in entomology. He did postgraduate work at the same institution - from 1908 to March 1910. During these years he served 2s Chara icy State nurs- ery inspector of Massachusetts. He was appointed to the Bureau of Entomology on March 1, 1910, as agent and expert and later as an entomological assistant with the Division of Truck Crop and Stored—product Insects. On October 16, 1920, he was transferred to the Federal Horticultural Zoard as plant quar-ntine inspec- tor, with headquarters at Nogales, Ariz., where he served in various ca- pacities, On Ausust 1, 1926, he was called to Washi ington to assist the entomologist and executive officer of the Federal Horticultural Board in the administration of the work of the Mexican Border Iusoection Service. Following a reorganization, on October 1, 1928, he was placed in charge of the Port and Mexican Border Inspection Service. On March 21, 1940, he was transferred to Puerto Rico as Inspector in Chsrge at San Juan, with the direction of 211 the Federal plant quarsntine activities on the Islend. During his carser as research entomologist Mr. Johnston published the following: Arsenite of Lead and Lead Chromate as Remedies against the Colorado Potato Beetle (Bul. 109, Part V); The Life History of Tetrastichus asparagi Crewf. (Journ. Econ. Ent. v. 5); Feeding Habits of Pimmla (Ito- plectis) conquisitor,.Say with H. M, Russell (Journ, Econ, Ent. v. 6); Asparagus Beetle Egg Parasite (Journ, Agr. Research, v. 4). Mr, Johnston is survived by his wife Cornelia G, (Hevens) Johnston, whom he married in 1915, and two children, Doris H. (ees W. C, Clark of Buffalo) and Frederick A, Jr., who is now with the Federal PULSE of Plant Industry at Gainesville, Fla. ae Bi. 1942 Budget Estimates for Appropriations to Bureau The regular Budget estimates for appropriations for the fiscal year 1942 recently submitted to Congress include the following changes in amounts appropriated to the Bureau for the current fiscal year: Increases Mexican Fruitfly -Control=---------------------------- So 7 OG) uae Barberry Hradication------------~-------------------- gi 210) W(O1C (0) ae Insecticide and Fungicide Investigations-—----------- 5, 000 Foreign Plant Quarantines-—-~------------------------- 20, 000 Decreases Citrus Canker Eradication (item eliminated)--------- $13,485 Dutch Hlm Disease Eradication---------------------- 100, 000 Di To conform with general authorizing legislation apyroved April, 26, 1940, the Bureau's appropriation item for Blister Rust Control is trans- ferred to and made a part of a special new appropriation which relates specifically to White-Pine Blister Rust Control and provides appropria- tions for the Bureau of Entomology and:Plent Quarantine and the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture and for land-managing agencies in the Interior Department. The amount estimated for work to be carried on under the direction of the Bureau is increased by $100, 000 in the combined estimate. EDITORIAL OFFICE Preparation of Manuscripts The work of the Editorial Office would be greatly expedited if authors would follow the instructions available to them for the preparation of manuscripts. For practically all tyves of manuscripts to be published by the Department the instructions given on the inside of the back cover of each issue of the Journal of Agricultural Research may be followed. Similar instructions may be found in the same place in the Journal of Economic Ento-— mology.. For papers intended for publicatim in other outside journals the style for the particular journal should be followed, so far as that can be ee rennee, but in the absence of such specific information the approved style of the Denartment of Agriculture should be used. If such specific policy has been followed, a SNS ate a GOL vinkaeyis effect should be made. in the letter of submitval. Miscellaneous Publication 337, entitled’ "Abbreviations Used in the ~ Department of Agriculmre for Titles of Publicatims," should be followed in citing literature in Devartment publications and also in papers for outside publications, unless the spvecific style used in the outside journal can be ascertained. : Another (unnumbered) publication of the Department, "Citations to Literature in the Journal of Agricultural Research, Technical Bulletins, Circulars, and Miscellaneous Publications (Other than Bibliographies), " com- piled by Carolyn Whitlock, gives further directions for citing literature in the Department publications, -3- FRUIT INSZCT INVESTIGATIONS More on ethylene dichloride Petco eeetess peach borer.--Oliver I, Snapp, of the Fort Valley, Ga., laboratory, revorts that while at Belts- ville, Md., eerly in the fall he had an opportunity to make observations on the results obtained by F. P.-Cullinan and D, F. Scott, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, from treating l-year-old peach trees in a variety plant- ing at the United States Horticultural Station with ethylene dichloride emulsion for control of the peach borer (Conopia exitiosa (Say)). Hach tree in this planting hed been treated with 2 liquid ounces of 7S$-percent emulsion 6 days prior to these observations. Not a single live borer was found, althoush the trees had been unusually heavily infested with the in- sect, There was no tree injury whatever from the treatment, which was of the strength and quantity of ethylene dichloride emulsion recommended for the control of the Beeos borer in l-vear-old peach trees, Feeding injury on Muscat raisins.--Data concerning feeding injury by larvae of fhe raisin moth (Ephestia figulilella Greg.) on raisins of the Muscet variety have been obtained by George H, Kaloostian, of the Fresno, Calif., laboretory. At the end of the period of sun-drying on wooden trays, some of the raisins were placed in paper bags and fumigated (with incomplete suecess) while the infestation in the unfumigated lots wes allowed to develop unchecked. Part of the unfumigated raisins were enclosed in paper begs at the end of sun-drying and the rest were exnosed to further infesta- tion during shade-drying on stacked trays. In the examination of samples for feeding injury all of the unfumigated raisins: were grouped tozether, After the samples had been held for 38 days, 1,000 raisins from the fumi- gated lots and the same number from the unfumigated ssamoles were examined under a microscope. The results were as follows. Pos sts : >; Canstem: : :Capstem : and } SsuGtace: 3 Total ; alone .i-surface: alone : ‘Percent :Percent : Percent : Percent Fumigated----' 15.6 ¢* 1.0 -* 1.1 : ey Si : OY. Unfumigated--? 39.6 yun Ze Ye : 78 —---: The data indicste thnat the grestsr part of the feeding wes in the pulp around the capstem, snd that bagging end fumigation at the end of sun- drying considerably reduced feeding injury. MEXICAN FRUITFLY. CONTROL Conditions and trappins results in December.--In December, 12 Anastrepha ludens Loew were traoned on 11 premises in 6 districts in the regulated area. In addition to these flies there were traoned 304 specimens embracing § other species in the family Trypetidae. This list includes specimens of A. sernentina Wied., A. distincta Greene, A. mombinpraeoptans Sein, A. chiclayae Greene, A. sp. Wy Anastrepha sp., A. pallens Coq., and TZ. curvicauda Gerst, On the Mexican side of the river 22 A. ludens were alp.. trapped in Nuevo Laredo and 2% at Matamoros. Very beneficial heavy rains fell in December. A total of 6.95 inches was recorded at Brownsville throughout the month, but amounts considerably in excess of this figure were unofficially recorded at various points in the valley. The rains oc- curred over a veriod of several days and fell so slowly as to permit the soil to absorb most of it. High winds on December 26 and 27 reached a recorded velocity of 3 miles an hovr at Brownsville. — These winds continued for such a long period and at such a high rate that they caused an estimated 25 vercent of the remaining grapefruit crop to fall, Much of the fruit re- maining on the trees was severely damaged and a considerable portion of this is expected to fall in the near future. At the close of December 12,064.6 ecuivalent carlots of fruit had been moved from the regulated area. This amount is 652 equivalent carlots in excess of the movement for December 1939, CEREAL AND FORAGH INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Methyl bromide unsuccessful as grain fumizant in elevator bins.-- R. T. Cotton, “Geo, Bl Wagner, end-T3l?.oWinburn. “Manhattan. Kens 7) report thet the fumigation of stored grain in elevator bins with methy] bromide has not proved successful, although several methods of applying the fumigant have been tested. . One method of application consis ted of introducing the liguid through a 4-inch metal pipe running from top to bottom in the center of a bin 80 feet deen, supplied with openings at every 10 feet of depth, A second metnod consisted of applying the entire dosage at the top of the bin ‘but just below the surface of the grain. The third method consisted of in- troducing the fumigant.in l-pound cans thnrt were tossed into the grain stream as the bin was being filled. Although dosages up to 3 pounds per 1,900 bushels of grain were applied, the kill of insects was incomplete in all cases, In order to overcome difficulties of distribution due to the low boil-— ing point of methyl bromide, srrangements were made to obtain a 15-percent mixture of methyl bromide in the commonly used ethylene dichloride-carbon tetrachloride mixture. Preliminary tests made with this mixture in bins of shelled corn containing 2,000 bushels indicated that a dosage of 14 gallons per 1,000 bushels applied to the surface gave excellent results. Malti-walled paper bags vulnerable to stored grain insects.—-—Messrs. Cotton and Wagner also révort that in an extensive test of milti-wall paper bags for protecting flour from insects it was found that, although the paper acts as an efficient barrier against flour-infesting insects with the ex- ception of the cadelle, the prevailing method of closing the bottom of these bags defeats the purpose of their multi-walls. The bottoms of most of these bags are closed by stitching, and the newly hatcned larvae of flour-infesting insects were obgerved to enter the bags through the small holes made by the needle, An additional avenue of entry was afforded when the top of the bag was closed by sewing. Covering the sewed strip at top and bottom of the bag with a gum-latex tane eliminated this point of entry. Chloroethyl formate-as 3 stored-grain fumigant.—-Mr. Cotton and Jd. CG, ‘Frankenfeld, Manhattan, stste that preliminary tests with chloroethyl formate indicate that this fumizant has good insecticidal properties and may prove useful in connection with stored-grain fumigation, Germination tests with | wheat of 1l2-percent moisture content showed that no injury to germination re- sulted from dosages recuired to kill stored-grein insects. This material has a boiling range of 127° to 140° C. and a flash voint of 61° C, ; a a a i ee ee Ohio, reports that data on midsummer pupation, indicative of a second generation of the European corn borer, were obtained during the fall infestation survey in August and September 1940 in 35 counties of Indiana and 43 counties of Ohio. Live or emerged pupae were found in 32, or 91.4 vercent,. of the Indiana counties and in 30, or 69.8 percent, of the Ohio counties, In Indiana in 1940, among 7,255 specimens of the borer observed, the- pupation was 7.2 percent, which was significantly higher than that of 2.6 and 0.6 percent in 1939 and 1938, respec-— tively, in the same group of counties. In Ohio in 1940, pupation averaged 6.44 percent among 2,207 individuals examined, being most pronounced in 8 counties in the southwestern corner of Ohio, where 29.6 percent of- 152 specimens were found as live or emerged pupae in the fall, Field status of European corn borer parasites in Lake States.—--W. G. Brad- ley, Toledo, Ohio, reports on surveys * made in October to obtain data rele- tive to the status of parasites in the Lake Stetes arca at the close of the 1941 active season, Collections of ectophagous parasites and the puparial remains of those which issued from their host prior to the time of collection, together with living borers which might harbor ectopnhagous forms were collected at 6 points in the area, The total parasitization obtained at these points will not be determined until development is completed in the spring; however, from a cursory examination of the field-collected material, it seems evident that para- sitization by the tachinid Lydella stabulans var, grisescens R. D, shows a tend- ency towsrd an increase at the 2 points where observetions have been made annu- ally to determine its status. At each of these points parasitization by the fall-emerging individuals wes higher than by the total nunber of parasites at the close of 1939. In Perkins Township, Erie County, Ohio, the average para- sitization within ae radius of 15 miles of the release point was 40.7 percent and 2 of the collections showed over 70-percent parasitization, The total number of borers observed at the 6 points was 2,648, In addition to the collec- tions at release points, observations to obtain date on the dispersion of the exotic chalcid Hulovnhus viridulus Thoms. were made in the following 6 counties in-Ohio: Sandusky, Seneca, Hardin, Auglaize, Logan, and Allen. Only 1 observa- tion per township was made and only a few townshins in some of the counties were included; however, E, viridulus was recovered ot 1 or more points in each of the counties. Because of the method utilized in making this study, the chief ob~ jective of which was to check dispersion over as great an area as nossible, no accurate data on the abundance of Bulophus were obtained, but it was indicated that at some points this parasite may be present in encouraging numbers. One colony was found over 50 niles from the nearest release point. The farthest limits of dispersion were not defined by this survey. Severe tests imposed on hessian fly resistant wheats under greenhouse con- ditions.—W, B, Cartwright, D. W. LaHue, and C, Benton report that mass produc- tion of hessian flies in the greenhouses at Lafayette, Ind., has made practic-— able extended and critical tests on wheat varieties and strains not attainable in the field, Daily production of flies for experiments hag often exceeded 5,000 adults which were confined in oviposition cages for infesting wheats. Under severe tests, individual wrieties sre infested with from several hundred to 1,000 or more fly eggs per plant and then subjected to contrasting environ- mental conditions with respect to termerature, light, end other factors, Under adverse conditions in the tests to date, several curum varieties and strains -6- retain a resistance that anproaches immunity. Most common wheats have not re— tained this high rete of resistance, The variability of results in the tests with common wheats has not-been definitely « aoe eipeced to any single factor or combination of factors but more extensive studies are now being made which in- clude those of inheritence, environmental modifications, and variability of the fly populations, Included in the varietal tests, exclusivé of hybrid lines, have been highly resistant plant selections fron fae durum varieties, as Branco, Aza de Corvo> Cascalvo, Monjil No. .2, Durazio rijo, Tremez pvreto, Trenez rijo, Tremez molle, and a few unnamed strains; and fron the common wheats as Java, Dixon, Illinois No. 1-W38, Marvel, Beirao, Portugez, Ribeiro, Trijo roji, Rafael Triunfo, and several unnamec strains including. some especially promising. winter wheets from Turkey. Fly-resistant wheat makes good showing in field test.—-W. B, Noble, Sacra— nent9, Calif., reports that in 1940 about 30 acres of Big Club 38 (Dawson X Big Club’) fly-resistant wheat was grown for field test in Solano County, Calif, This wheat showed a 96—-percent reduction of nlant infestation and 2 30—nercent increase of needs as co:mpared with adjacent regular Big Club variety Insecticidal control of chinch bugs on corn.-—E, V, Welter end -Curtis Benton, Lafayette, Ind., state that numerous tests made during the summers of 1938-40 indicste that chinch bugs can be sefely and effectively controlled on corn at a cost of approximately $2.50 ner acre for materials, by means of a spray consisting of an emulsion of highly refined white mineral oil fortified with a small amount of either nicotine sulfate or cerris extract. Such a uspram is too exnensive for use on corn grown for feec but is cheap cnough for use on snecialized crops, such as inbred or hybridc seed and market sweet corn, The spray is not recommenced as a substitute for the creosote berrier but rether to kill any chinch bugs that nay reach the corn, despite the barricr or before it is. constructed, The oils used in these tests were highly refined water white mineral oils having an unsulfonatable residue of et least 96 percent and ranged in viscosity botween 85 and 210 seconds Saybolt at 100° F. No difference in effectiveness was observed between the different oils used, owing to viscosit? Since the lighter oils are cheaper they are recomended for this purpose. An emulsion was easily »renpared by adding 1 gallon of oil to 1 pound of potash laundry soan uppotwe ir 4 gallon of hot weter, and agitating until enulsifica= tion was complete. Ready—-prepared emulsions oe found effective but: higher in cost. The cheanest mixture that gave satisfactory. results containe® 2 percen oil and 1/8 ounce of “0—nercent nicotine sulfate, or derris extract containing 5 percent rotenone, per gallon. Oil emulsions of this type were. found safe for use on corn 12 inches ané nore in height at nuch.greater than the recommended strength, Occasional injury was observed on. very small.corn, especially when the spray was allowed to collect in the tons of the plents. Serious injury has becn observed where commercial miscible or summer-—spray oils. were substitute for the nineral-oil emulsion. A man using a knapsack type sprayer can sp ray eins less than 1 acre of corn in an S—hour Cay. JAPANESE BEETLE CONTROL Oven weather pernits lonser sees season,--Mild weather curing Decenber pernitted many nurseries in central and southern New Jersey to clean and obtain certification for dormant stock to be placed in storage for early spring ship- nent. Quantitics of azalens were treated with nethyl bromide and varadichloro= ale benzene and were shipped under certification for forcing for the Easter trade. Certification of pansy plants indicates that an excellent market for these plants has opened un in the Southern States, Two central Jersey establishments found it difficult to keep up with their orders for pansies. Increasing demanc for azaleas resulted in 1 New Jersey establishnent equivnping a senarate building for treating plants. Controlled ventilation and acequate heating facilities were installed... Another establishment in the Stete is planning a special room for naradichlorobenzene treatments throughout the winter months. A series of electric heating cables will be evenly spaced on a concrete floor and covered with cinders. The treatment of the plants will be performed on the surface of the cinders. The temperature is not expected to vary more than 1° during the entire treatment. Another grower has decided to discontinue methyl bronice fumigation of azaleas, except those of the variety Hinodigiri, Treatment with paradichlorobenzene will be substituted, At another nlant in the State 14 nethy? bromide fumigations were made during the month, involving a total of 7,000 nlants mostly azaleas. Shipments of dahlias to foreign ports still continues from Long Island, N.Y. Inquiries. are also being reccived from foreign countries on these items. Two of the biggest growers in the Fhidiadelonina erea (claim that in 1940 they experienced their best and largest shinpinaz season in years. ‘The largest pensy Grower in this area claims that business during 1940 was the best he had ever had. = Nurserynen anc. greenhousenen found 1940 a good year.--During December a large Marvlond grower of hydrangeas treated with nethyl bromide 12,016 hydranzeas for shinnent to nonquarantined States, Clessified nurserymen in the vicinity on Miashington, ©. C,, had a very good fall business. Judging from certificates issued, shipments of fruit trees fron the E-stern Shore of Mervlanc, esnecially to North Caroling end South Ceroline, sre much heevier then usual. New nackins sheds to speed Jananese beetle certification work.—--fn east— ern Maryland nursery engacsed-in: the large-scale production of strawberry plants has just completed the erection of a vackinz shed to be used for the cleaning, washing, Counting, and packing of strawberry plants. . The shed is of frame con- Struction with cement floorine. It has good light to fecilitate the inspection QHemarurOns anc TS “equip ed with a larec heater. This bullding will enable the nursery to ship prectically all of its strawberry plants directly from the farm where they are srown and will permit the nursery to set out its shipments irresvective of outside woather conditions, Owing to heavy receint of orders for spring shinments, it is anticipated that under favorable weather con- ditions spring insnection work on ‘the Fastern Shore of Maryland md Virginia will be very heavy. nother Maryland nursery hes started the erection of a new and improved packing shed with fecilities for grading, storing, treating, and washing plants and nursery stock, One room #f this shed will be set aside exclusively for chemical-treating murnoses, Present plens enll for the instal lation of a néw nethvl bronide funigation chamber larzer than the one now in use. The new -ad@ition will be completed and ready for use before the spring shipping season Opens. I Exnerinental funization of perennials continucd.--Perennials representing 186 varieties were fumigated experimentally at the Division's fistrict office at White Horse, N.°J., on December 27. These plants had been donated by three New Jersey growers. The materiel was taken. to Sanforc, Fla., by sovernment truek ond arrived in so0d condition, Harly observations of the growth made by Be: these fumigated perennials will be made long before spring shipments are started in the North. Severely injured varieties will be omitted from com “mercial fumigations this spring. As was the case with the other two lots of plents taken to Florida during November, the plant-growing and injury check will be performed by members of the staff of the Division of Control Investigations. All potting soil in a class III establishment ‘to be treated for ‘Japanese beetle.—-A greenhouseman in the New York City area, who has been obliged to treat with carbon disulfide potted soil to be used in producing certified plants, has been so pleased with results that he has extended this practice to all potting soil used throughout both his certified and un- certified greenhouses. At this establishment 2% cubic yards of potting soil were recently fumigated under the supervision of an inspector. The owner ‘claims that: the soil is not only freed from all insect life but that the treatment apparently stimulates plant growth. Grower to force azaleas to disprove alleged fumizetion injury.——A grower in the New York City area had some potted azaleas returned because of alleged injury from fumigation with methyl bromide and treatment with paradichlorobenzene. These plants were checked in by an inspector for forc- ing in a certified greenhouse, as the shipper is convinced that the apparent injury is not due to the fumigation. The plants will be reghipped as soon as thev bloom, as evidence that they would have responded to proper growing methods. seasonal gypsy moth certification activities.—-Inspection and certifi- cation of evergreen boughs, the cutting of which was confined to the lightly infested ares of southern Vermont and western Massachusetts, amounted to over 900 tons. Work was completed on December 23. Because of increased syosy moth infestation it was necessary in some localities to abandon the “method of bougsh-lot inspection and resort to actual piece—by—piece examina-— tion, Increased gypsy ~oth infestation in the lightly infested area of Vermont resulted in the finding of 7 gypsy moth egg clusters on Christmas trees inspected there during December, District inspectors engaged in routine inspection activities curing December were responsible for the re- moval of 502 ege masses. Of this number, 20 were taken from forest products, nursery stock, and evergreen material inspected for immediate movement to nonregulated points. An adcitional 262 ese clusters were re- moved from materials inspected prior to their manufacture into novelties anc subseauent shipment to outside points, Elms killed by changing water level are heavily infested with bark beetles,—-In a swamp area in New Milford Township, Litchfield County, Conn., avery heavy infestation of Hylurgopinus rufipes Eich. and Scolytus multi- striatus Marsh, has been found in nbdout 500 elms. It appesrs th=t the principal reason for the creation of this situation is the conperatively sudden chenze in water level caused by beavers constructing a dam in the swamp. Apnvosrently this abundance of suitable beetle material resulted in such an increase in beetle populatim as to force beetles into living trees. There are now numerous trees with ciameters of 4, 5, and 6 inches with dried foliage of this past senson indicating that the trees were recently alive. These trees now show woodpecker injury from the base of the tree -9- through every part of it to the l-inch material. This extensive wood- pecker work has resulted in a-pile of bark approximately 2 inches deep accumulating at the base of the tree, The woodpeckers apparently attacked the thousands of beetles attempting to enter and prepare galleries in this living wood. .In practically all cases only a contact with the wood was made. In numerous instances, however, zalleries fron a to 4 inch have been tunneled in the live wood. Scouting for beetle material in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., area.--Systematic scoitine for potential beetle material in the circle within a 5-mile radius of the center of Wilkes-Barre has been completed. Within a 2-mile circle all the elms have been top sampled for discoloration as well as in- spected for beetle infestation or the. presence of potential beetle wood, This coverage has been thorough and will be of material aid in controlling the disease in this district. Many elms have been tagged as Dutch elm disease suspects and many tagzed as containing beetle wood. There have been no cases noted of Hylurgopinus infestation, and only a few instances where old galleries of this species have been observed. Of the numerous trees tagged as suspects in the 5-mile- circle, eight of them have been con- firmed as infected with the fungus causing the Dutch elm disease. Permission reguired for Dutch elm disease scouting in restricted areéas,--Before scouting may be performed in areas where firms are engaged in the manufacture of materials for National Defense, special permission must be obtained and arrangements made with the authorities concerned for entrance on their properties, By cooperating with the manufacturers, very little time is lost or additional work involved. Prior to the entrance of scout crews on United States Army reservations, it is necessary to contact the range officer. This is necessary as rifle and gun ranges are located at varizwis points on the reservations and in some locations the danger of accidental shooting is great. Bark-beetle observations in New York,--Ixceptionally heevy beetle in- festations were recently discovered in two swanp areas in Dutchess County, N.Y, The trees in both locations had died as a result of changing water level, One locstion is in the northeastern corner of the county, within approximately 1 mile of the Massachusetts line. .The other is in the south— ern part of the county in the town of Hast Fishkill, At the time the first survey was made. for beetle-infested material, the water was too deep to permit examination of the trees, Since the swamps have frozen over it has been found that a major portion of the trees are very heavily infested with both Hylursovinus and Scolytus beetles, Inspection of dead and dying trees, as well as healthy trees, in the Binghamton, N, Y., area has shown liter- ally thousands of adult H, rufipes hibernating in the outer bark of many elms, This condition is most common in areas where there is considerable old beetle wood. Trees of this type in the vicinity of Dutch elm disease locations will be removed as part of the sanitation program. Factors in the development of bark-beetle infestations,--On the basis af field reports and general observations, it is believed that a high per- centage of the current selective work on Dutch elm disease eradication, especially the pruning now under way, involves the removal of beetle ma- terial created by the heavy ice storm in March 1940, Some of the work in Connecticut can still be associated with the severe hurricane of September Eom 1938. Considerable of the remainder of the work is the result of beaver dams or of road-building operations. Once an area is rid of dead and dying elms the develonment of beetle material would be alnost negligible were it not for the above situations. Inasmuch as the extent, intensity, and time of such damage is unpredictable, it is frequently necessary to make drastic revisions in work plans and to introduce into the field work as much flexibility as vossiplle. Logging operations in Morris County, N. J.--During scouting in Morris County considerable beetle material was found that had resulted from logging operations. A logging firm had been operating in the area and had cut a number of large elms, using only the butt pieces, leaving the re- mainder scattered over the area. Upon inspection it was found that most of the wood on the ground was beetle-infested, An investigation is being made to. determine the points to which the butt pieces have been shipped. FOREST INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Powder—post beetle damages stored apple wood.--Apple wood stored for fuel and home wood—working purposes in the basement of a residence at Burley, Idaho, was found by J. ¥. Evenden, of the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, laboratory, to be severely infested with the southern lyctus (Lyctus plani- colic bee.).. Mais infestation, which had reduced many of the larger sec-— tions to a mass of powder, is believed to have been in the material at the time of its storage. Although one could not be sure that the under side of the hardwood floors of the residence had not been attacked, no evidence of such injury was observed and it is thought that damage had been confined to the apnle wood. It was recommended that this material be removed from | the residence and destroved. Douelas fir beetle infest Neeordins Go Dy WA ec hor.) om | bial tation of Dendroctonus pseudotsusae Hook., which has been present for nearly 10 years in scenic Cody Canyon near the.east entrance to Yellow- stone National Perk has at last yielded to control. :Hfforts at control ing this outbreek have been cormlicated by an outbreak of the spruce bud— worm (Archips fumiferana Clem.) running concurrently with that of the Douglas fir beetle. Defoliation by the budworm weakened the trees, caus- ing them to be more susceptiblé to bark—beetle attack. With a decline in budworm population brought about by natural control factors and a conse- quent improvement in tree growth, it has been possible through direct con- trol to reduce the Douglas fir beetle infestation to a point where control is no. longer necessary. Current infestation on 12,000 acres, surveyed in the fall of 1940, is estimated at 400 trees, or approximately 21 trees per section, . Beetle-infested ponderosa pines salvaged.—--Salvage logging operations on the Bear Valley pine beetle control project on the Malheur National Forest, Oreg., were begun during the second week of December, according to Wed. Buckhorn, of the Portland, Ores., laboratery.| The work,1s) seme ; done. by & lumber company in cooperation with the Forest. Service, .In ad- dition to salvaging beetle-infested trees, abandoned trees of high quality and a few green trees of very poor thrift are also being removed from the —ll|- stand. This operation is being carried on in ponderosa pine stands se- lectively logged 3 years ago under a system whereby HO percent of the volume was nen eee from: the stand. #6 Low winter. temperature field study continued.~-J. M. Whiteside, Portland, reports thet during the last three winters really low tempera- tures in Oregon and Washington--those lethal to overwintering western pine beetles (Dendroctonus brevicomis Lec. )--have been absent. However, in the hope that-.the law of averages will shortly apply and that the current winter will be a cold one, minimum recording thermometers have again been distributed over a wide area in the ponderosa pine region of eastern and central Oregon, These thermometers have been placed on many pine—deetle—survey plots in order to obtain a simple correlation between minimum forest—-air temperatures and ynine-beetle mortality and losses. Direct-current voltage gradients an index to physiological condi- tion cf tree.--T., J. Parr, of the New Haven, Conn., laboratory, reports as follows concerning investigetions on direct-current voltage gradients: "From the first of June, when the portable vacuum tube direct-current voltage gradient equipment was completed, readings were taken on a con- siderable number of trees at intervels of a few days up to October ply In general, healthy conifers showed a hizher gradient esrly in June than was the case at the end of the See the trend being downward as growth activity became slower. There was a sli ae rise in gradient when secondary growth occurred. In Gee pee in the spring and early sum- mer the gradient in the cambial region was oe d with the top of the tree positive to the base. This condition 2 ecame reversed in August. One physiological activity of the trees with whee oun reversal of gradient Was correlated was that of fat storage in trees that were going into a winter condition, With the electrodes placed longitudinally on-the trunks in the cambial region, and the distance between them standardized Bye il inch, there was little d = eviation in voltagzs gradient between individual ‘trees. Where subnormal trees were concerned, conditions were entirely agifferent. if the voltage gradient in the spring was oriented in the Same direction as that in normal trees, it was much lower in magnitude and fell rapidly until it became oriented in the opposite direction, i.€., with the base positive to the top. The gradient on subnormal trees remained oriented in that direction until August, when it reversed again as the gradient in normal trees was reversing. Thus the gradient in suk- normal trees was ovpositely oriented to the gradient in normal trees over most of the year. Ordinarily, normal trees had approximately the same gradient on ell sides. .On an exoerimental plot near Alfred, Maine, read- ings were taken on white pines that had been exposed to full sunlight in sunscald exneriments conducted by personnel of the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. Gradients on the shaded side of the trees were normal, “but on the exoosed side were oriented in the ovposite direction. . Spruce trees in southern Vermont, which had been heavily defoliated by the European svruce sawfly, showed voltage gradients on September 26 and 27 which were, if not opoositely oriented, entirely different from those of undefoliated trees, Voltage gradients on less -heavily defolie ted trees approached the normal; that_is, varied with degree of defoliation,” | =i... GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL Weather conditions hamper gypsy moth work,--The progress of gypsy moth work was generally satisfactory during December, slthough some re—- arrangement of plans was necessary in many ssctions because of freauent unfavorable weather conditions. Snowstorms rendered secondary roads tem- porarily impassable in many arees, and blocked wood roads used to transport the men as cl@ as possible to the scenes of their labor, Sleet storms slowed transvortation at times by coating the rosds with ice, necessitated the withdrewal of workers from rugged elevations to relatively level coun- try at lower. elevations as a precaution against injury. by falls, and ham— pered scouting operations by covering the trees with ice, ; New brush-disposal machine ready for fisld tests.--The c tion of a new brush-disposal machine hss been completed at the gypsy = storehouse in Greenfield, Mass. The new machine is generally simi to the machine which has been demonstrating. the usefulness of this oe of ; -disvosal in the field for a considerable period of time, but embodies sev-— eral refinements, such as the lowering of the feeding mechanism in order that the brush can be more easily inserted. The new machine is now ready for field tests, after which it will be put into regular service. This type of brush-dispvosal work is especially valuable at locations where burning would injure living trees or where it is inadvisable for other reasons, and at all locations when ground conditions are such that the burning of the brush * piles would be dangerous. Scattered -small gyosy moth infestations found in Vermont.-—-Several of the gypsy moth crews, which were withdrawn from the forests during the deer—-huntins season in Vermont, were assigned to scouting work in the resi- dential section of Rutland, Rutland County. These men found and destroyed numerous scattered ege clusters on fruit and. shade trees. The distribution of the colonies indicated that the primary cause of -the infestation was the wind spread of small caterpillars from other infestations. Rutland has been free of the gypsy moth for several years, the last infestations recorded having been found during the fiscal year 1927. -A gyosy moth infestation consisting of four ege clusters was discovered in-a woodland block contain— ing anoroximately 400 acres in Manchester, Bennington County, Two of the ege clusters were located iar ere arace to each otier on one side of the wood lot, while: the other two clusters were about + mile distant. The western half of Manchester is mountainous, hesvily wooded, and.traversed only by a few scarcely discernible logeing-roeds. Gypsy moth colony in-hawthorn brush difficult to clean up,--Three gypsy moth infestations wers located, late in December, in Lanesboro Town- ship, Berkshire County, Mass. One of the infestations centers in a thicket of wild scrub apvle trees. and hawthorns,. all of which must. be chopped out and burned. The workers handle the hawthorn brush with long—handled forks for protection against injury from the long. sharp thorns, the points. of which are brittle, frequently break off after penetrating the flesh, and are painful t. remove Small infestations found on Mount Greylock.--A crew 2f gypsy moth scouts working on the west slope of Mount Greylock, which lies aes = in New Ashford Township, Berkshire County, Mass., recently located several small —13- infestations of widely scattered eze ‘clusters, all of which were immedi- ately destroyed by cressoting. ‘The lower: slopes of Mount Greylock are heavily wooded and support a substantial percentage of trees favored as -- food by the gypsy moth. onsiderable thinnins end cleaning work is neces- “sery in the vicinity 2f zyosy moth infestations in this region. “ Birch logs inspected-before movement to mills.--A crew detailed to conduct special scoutinge work in a white birch timber lot through which the New York-Massachusetts State line vasses, in the vicinity of Williamstown, Berkshire County, Mass., found and destroyed several gyvsy moth egg clus- ters, Logs cut from this wood lot are transported over the road to wood- working mills in Berlin, N. Y., and Bennington, Vt. Wood lots examined before movement of Christmas greenery,--Harly in December large quantities of Christmas trees and greenery began to move daily from various points in the Massachusetts section of the barrier zone. The points of origin of practically all of this material had been examined eerlier in the season to insure against the transportation of gyvnsy moth egs clusters, Gypsy moth work in Connecticut,--Scouting work was recently com- pleted in several areas in Connecticut, which were found ‘to be infested by the gypsy moth last year and wnich received treatment work, including spray- ing, The sbsence of new egg clusters at the sites of these old infestations is indicative of the thorough work done lest year. A small infestation was found in the northern part of Canaan Township, and a small number of scattered egg clusters were found and creosoted in a heavily wooded section in the northeastern corner of the adjoining town of Salisbury. Four small infestations were discovered in Washington Township, none of them near any of. the infestations discovered and treated last year. All three of the above towns are in Litchfield County. Chopping work continued at infested locations, and ideal burning conditions permitted the destruction of con- siderable quantities of accumulated brush and waste wood. The recent shift-— ing of livestock from pastures to winter quarters removed the necessity of fencing the sections where gyosy moth soraying work was done last season, and a large amount of government-owned barbwire was removed during December. This work was completed late in the month in the northwestern section of Litchfield County and is progressing rapidly in other sections, Late Christmas-tree insvection in Connecticut.--It was necessary to continue the examinetion of Christmas trees cut from a spruce plantation in Litchfield- Township, Litchfield County, Conn., until the morning of Decem- ber 24, Although most of the trees were cut for local-use, the presence of &Sypsy moth infestations in nearby wood lots made it advisable to inspect all of the trees removed so there would be no possibility of transporting gypsy moth ege clusters to uninfested areas. No egg clusters were found on the trees inspected. : ee Few eynosy moth infestations found in-residential sections of Pennsyl- vania,--All sypsy moth workers were transferred from wooded areas in Pennsyl- Vania during the deer-hunting season, which comprised the first 2 weeks in _ December, in order to avoid the possibility of injury by stray bullets. An unusually large number of hunters were in the woods this year, and State ale game wardens estimated that no fewer than 1,000 cars were parked along a 10-mile stretch of road traversing a heavily wooded section in the moun— tains east of Wilkes-Barre where ae moth work is ordinarily cmducted. The men were assigned to scoutin esidential and open sections and to burn- ing orush during the danger BE cee The results of the residential scouting indicate that many gypsy moth infestations have been eliminated from sec— tions of Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties that were formerly heavily infested and where intensive extermination work has been conducted annually since the eypsy moth was first discovered in Pennsylvania. A few small infestations were found in the residential sections of Kingston and Wilkes-Barre, luzerne Sounty. Report of C. C. C. gypsy moth work for first half of fiscal year 1941, --There was a substantial increase in the amount of time used by the C53. Ge, on gvosy moth work east of the barrier zone during the first hslf of the present fiscal vear, as compared with the similar veriod of the fis-— cal year 1940. Approximately 36,000 6—hour man-days were used in the 1941. period, while only about 25,000 man-days were available in the corresponding period in 1940. This large increase was due to the return to gypsy moth work of crews that had been engaged in fire-hazard-reduction work since the hurricane of 1938. Work was performed on a total of 40,/0/7 acres; however, it was necessary to cover 669 of these acres twice as additional treatment work was necessary, leaving a net total of 40,038 acres treated. Gypsy moth thinning work was done on 162 acres o£ woodland, and sprouts of favorable gypsy moth food plants were removed from an additional 1,517 acres that had previously been thinned in order thet gvosy moth resistant sprouts would have a better opportunity to develop. All of this work resulted in the de— struction of 135,819 new gvosy moth egg clusters. . Seasonal burlapping work, begun toward the end of the fiscal year 1940 and extended into the 1941 fis- cal year, resulted in the destruction of 294,435 additional gynsy moth cater— pillars and pupae. Spraying work, which was also done in parts of the two fiscal years, resulted in the coverage of 2,816 acres. 6. C. C. gypsy moth work reduced during December.--A total of 4,650 6-hour man-days were used on C, C. C. gyosy moth work during December. From 1,400 to 1,533 man-days per weex were used during the first part of the month, but the time dropped to a low of 193 man-days used during the week ended December 28. This extreme reduction was due to storms, to two holi- days during the week, and to the ending of an enrollment period. The amount of work accomplished each week was less than had been anticipated, as the quotas of the camps were considerably below the maximum during the entire period. While C., C. ©. gypsy moth work consisted principally of selective thinning work during the first 4 months of the present fiscal year, more emphasis has been pleced:on scouting work since the dropping of the foliage in order to determine infestation conditions and to locate the sites of heaviest infestation so that further thinning and intensive work can be done at the most advantageous locations. It was necessary to interrupt the scout— ing work for short periods during the deer—-hunting seasons and also on days when conditions were unfavorable for scouting, and to assign the men to thinning and burning operations. Economy. stressed in C. C. C. gypsy noth work.--Gypsy moth foremen . have been instructed to conduct the thinning work as economically as possible, ~15- consistent with obtaining the desired results. One method of reducing the cost of operations is to scatter the cut brush so that it will rot and disintegrate rather than to assemble and burn the debris. The use of this method where conditions are favorable has resulted in a gradual reduction in the cost per acre and has permitted the treatment of a larger acreage with the man-power available. This type of work has been considerably more costly in Vermont than in Massachusetts and Connecticut, as large areas in Vermont have not been cleaned up since the hurricane and are ~ covered with a tangle of blown-down trees which must be treated. Infestation conditions east of barrier zone.--C. C. C. gyvsy moth scouting work east of the barrier zone in Massachusetts and Connecticut indicates that the egg depositions are not ss heavy as they have been dur- ing the last few years, but that a generally scattered infestation is present. The situation is different in certain parts of Vermont, where very heavy infestations have been found in Westminster, Rockingham, and Springfield, and scattered but annually increasing colonies exist in the towns of Chester, Ludlow, Grefton, and Plymouth, Property owners apply approved gypsy moth methods to woodlands.--Prop- erty owners are showing an increasing interest in 0, C. C. gyosy moth work, Many of them have consulted C. C. C. gypsy moth foremen regarding proper methods for treating their properties, and have treated their woodland blocks in accordance with good gypsy moth prnctice. Some have followed up their thinning and cleaning work with the planting of species of trees ‘resistant to gypsy moth. Similar cooperation has also po found in the- treatment of some public lands. The superintendent of a large water bard property in Massachusetts has agreed to follow the Cc, C. C. thinnine work with the removal of large white oaks, thereby improving the work and shar- ing in the cost. Such cooperation results in improvements in the stands of - the property owners and is of great assistance to the gypsy moth work as a whole. PLANT DISEASE CONTROL Barberry bushes destroyed on 31 properties in Ohio in December.-—- Crews working in Ashtabula, Champaign, Columbiana, Fulton, Lorain, and Muskingum Counties covered areas totaling 115 square miles during the month, and 608 barberry bushes were destroyed on 31 properties, 10 ony which were new locations, The crews assigned to Fulton County conducted some resurvey in adjoining townships in Henry County, and 145 barberry bushes were found and destroyed on 6 of 127 old properties visited. Henry County was given an intensive survey in 1936 and no clean-up work has been done since. The results of this resurvey, therefore, indicate that sub- stantial ECS TOSI has been made toward vutting this county ona maintenance basis. Eleven million barberry bushes destroyed in Pennsylvania since 1935.-- In 1939 Pennsylvania produced more than 50 million bushels of wheat, oats, barley, and rye. The State ranks about ninth in the production of winter wheat, with an average yield of 21 bushels per acre. Prior to 1935 re- peated crop failures resulting from black stem rust had forced many farmers to abandon the growing of smAll grain crops in localities heavily infested with barberry bushes. Farm operators were compelled to buy feed which -16- ordinarily would have been produced on their own farms, were it not for the rust hazard. Since 1935 more then 1] million berberry bushes have been destroyed on 7,590 different properties distributed throughout 17 counties. It is estimated that initial control work has been accomplished in areas totaling approximately 17 vercent of the State. Benefits from control work in Pennsylvania,—-Since completing the initial survey in Lackawanna and Susquehanna Counties in 1935 and 1936, there has been an increase in the production of small grains in these coun- ties amounting to 430.7 and 433.3 percent, respectively. Similar increases in production are recorded in other counti2s where barberry bushes have been removed, while in counties where no control work has been done there was no appreciable increase in either acreage or production. Based on 5 years of observations, L. K. Wright, in charge of control work in Pennsylvania, es- timates that losses from stem rust in that State have been reduced by 90 percent where barberry bushes were eliminated. Grain growers are advised, however, that their crops will escape damage from rust only if surrounding woods and fence rows are kept free from barberry bushes, In many con- munities organized grouvs of farmers are making annual inspections of their -own farms and destroying bushes that develop from seed. There are, however, .- >. extensive wooded areas where one or more systematic resurveys will be needed ‘before maintenance work can be turned over to local groups. Scanty Ribes regeneration around white nine shelterbelts in Iowa.--In Blackhawk County, Iowa, Ribes eradication was performed in 1940 for the second time around 45 shelterbelts initially worked in 193i, An interest- ing and encouraging comparison in numbers of Ribes (peo in each of the se workings, 6 years apart, follows: WAeas sRibes per area: Ribes destroved: Total bushes found Pigneul :Wild :Cultivated: Wild :Cultivated: Wild : Cultivated ‘Number: Number Number: Number :;:Percent : Percent Mitten Og ae Wir lhe eats 720,356' 563 OAR em BO dae) = second. MO4O-=——+ Gs Ont Gren 7/ CU oy) hye © 2.9 An "area" in this table relates to a single shelterbelt snd the pro- tective zone of about 80 acres surrounding it, The wild Ribes pulled were almost entirely Ribes missouriense growing.in and near shelterbelts. Red currants and gooseberries made un the cultivated Ribes destroyed. Labor in .193L4 was. employed on N, R. A. funds, and in 1940 on W, P. A. funds under an efficient foreman, It will be noted that in 1940 the proportion of total bushes found was only 8,4 percent for wild Ribes and 2.9 percent for culti- vated -Ribes. These findings are most encouraging as an indication of the effectiveness of eradicative measures in suppressing Ribes. It is equally encouraging to analyze the number of jobs from the standpoint of: the . -presence or absence of Ribes at each eradication, as follows: (1) Wala Ribes present first eradication, present second eradication, 22 jobs; present first eradication, absent second eradication, 11 jobs; absent first eradica- . tion, present .second eradication, 7 jobs; absent first: eradication, absent second eradication, 5 jobs; total, 45 jobs. (2) Cultivated Ribes présent first eradication, present second eradication, no jobs; present first eradi- cation, absent second eradication, 22 JOS] sense first ie ey present mala second eradication, 5 jobs; absent first eradication, absent second eradication, 18 jobs; total, 45 jobs. It appears from this record that one-third of the 33 areas on which wild Ribes were found in 1934 were suc- cessfully and completely freed from them at that time, but thet Ribes were either overlooked on 7 of the 12 areas reported as Ribes-free in 193u or have since developed there from seed brought in by birds. Considering cul- tivated Ribes, none of the 22 areas where bushes were found and destroyed in 1934 showed any Ribes in 1940, This is largely due to the low regenera- tive ability of cultivated bushes. On 5 of the areas cultivated bushes had either been planted between 1934 and 1940, or the workers overlooked them in 1934, On a fairly substantial basis of 45 areas, all of these data show decidedly encouraging results in the establishment of control around Towa shelterbelts,. Cultivated Ribes in Tennessee.--R, D, Tanksley, in charge of blister rust control work in Tennessee, reoorts that 255,622 cultivated Ribes were removed from 1,601 loc=tions during the period 1934 to 1940, inclusive,angt’ that 17,116 cultivated bushes are still growing at 991 locetions. Of 20 counties known to be growing white pine, cultivated bushes have been dis- covered in 15 counties, The total number of recorded cultivated Ribes in the State, including those destroyed and tose still living, amounts to 2/2,/358 bushes. Of this number, over 93 percent already have been destroyed. The work in Tennessee has been based on education and persuasion, rather than on law enforcement, Spread of white vine blister rust in 1940, summery.--During the cal- endar year 1910, blister rust was found for the first time on either white pine or Ribes in 16 counties of the Eastern States and 1 county in the West. Ten of these counties are in the North Central region, 6 in the Southern Aopalachian region, and 1 in the sugar pine region. In 2 counties, namely, Jackson County, Mich., and Hampshire County, W. Va., infection was found for the first time on both Ribes and pine; while, of the remaining 15 coun- ties, infection was found on Ribes in 9 counties, and on pine in 6 counties. The rust is generally distributed throughout the Northeastern States on both host plants and in many sections danage to large pines is becoming in- creasingly noticeable in unprotected areas. Observations show that the disease continues to spread unchecked in areas where Ribes are present and that effective control has been accomplished on those tracts from which these bushes have been removed. In the western white pine region of eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana, the known infected area remains the seme as at the end of the calendar year 1939. With vine infec- tion scattered over all of the white nine belt of the Inland Empire, infec- tion may be found on Ribes each year in all parts of this area where these bushes occur in any number. Consequently, the rust is intensifying to some extent in those parts of the white vine type from which the Ribes have not yet been removec, and at a grently increased rate in those unprotected drainages where the disease has been present for several years, varticularly in the younger stands, Scouting on the Gallatin Nationel Forest at a point 19 miles from Yellowstone National Park, where Rives infection was found in 1937, revealed negative results on both the Ribes and the limber pines. Additional scouting in and adjacent to both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks also failed to show any evidence of blister rust, In the Bugar pine region an importent develovment in the spread of the rust was the =~1S— discovery of 2 infected sugar pines in California, slomg Bailey Creek near Viola (Shasta County), on the Lassen National flpgasia i in the general vi- cinity of Ribes infections found there in 1938. This infection places the known southern limits of pine infection in California about 10/7 miles south of the Oregon border end is the first record on pine in Shasta County. Scouting in the Shasta and Klamath Netionel Forests in Califmwnia from late in August throuzh Sentember was directed primerily toward determining the extent to which infection hed become established on pines as a result of previous yeers' spread of the rust $9 Ribes, especially from the wave of. Ribes infection which blanketed the Klamath National Forest and extended more lightly over th Shasta National Forest in 1937. . Results on the Shasta National Forest wers negative. Over the moister regions of the Klamath National Forest, however, it was found that a widespread return of infection to sugar pines which were situated near Ribes that were infected in 1937 had taken place. The negative results obtained in scouting for the rust on Ribes in California in 1940 indicates that this year, like last, was un-__ favorable for long-distance spread of the rust from the pine infection cen- ters in the north to Ribes in that State. Ribes eracication 20 years ago still controls blister rust,—--N. H,. Harpo reports that Ribes were destroved on severel thousand acres of forest land in Warren County, N. Y., in 1918 and 1919 in the towns of Caldwell and Chester, When compared with unworked areas ‘in the same localities, the effectiveness of the early Ribes-eradicstion work is readily ot ae In the town of Caldwell, situated alonz Lake George between Lake George Village and Bolton landing, many acres of white pine are practically free from rust infection, except for very old cankers. In the town of Chester, nesr Chester- town and Loon Lake, the area on the east side of Hiehway No. 9, which was worked in 1918, shows little or no infection, while on the west side of this highway in the vicinity of Igerna, where no Hibes-eradication work was . done prior to 1936, infection on vine is very heavy. A l-acre plot was examined in this unprotected section in October 1940, and it showed that 4O percent of all trees over 6 inches in diameter breastheight were dead or will die from stem cankers established before 1936, During tie fall of 1940 a study of 26 unprotected plots in Warren and Hssex Counties, N. Y., showed infection ranging from 30 to 70 percent. All diseased trees inspected were 6 inches d.b.h, or larger and had stem cankers, No Ribes eradication was done on any of the areas on which these plots were located in the early years of the control program. On those that have been worked in recent years, very little new infection has taken place, In the town of Lewis, Essex County, the Ribes were removed from about 400 acres in 1919, 1920, end 1921. In different locations on these areas, the trees with old can- kers originating in 1919 or earlier range from 30 to U5 percent. In the town of Elizabethtown, Essex County, 100 acres were worked in 1924, and here in places 70 percent of the vines show infection that took place be-. fore Ribes eradication, while very little infection originating since 1924 can be found. On and near the areas which were worked some years ago pro- lific white pine reproduction practically free from infection is very noticeable. The destruction of some 12,900,009 Ribes in Warren and Essex Counties since the beginning of control work has brought about this marked improvement over early rust infection conditions. -19- COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Harly freezes cause high mortality of-pink bollworm.-—-A. J, Chapman, of the Presidio, Tex., laboratory, reports that the first freezing tem- peratures in the Big Bend caused a high mortality of pink bollworms in green bolls, Temperatures of 30°, 2°, ale, 29°, and 33° F. were recorded for November 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, respectively. At the beginning of the cold spell cotton w=s growing. Examination on November 18 of 200 green bolls that. had been killed by the freeze showed that of the 273 pink boll- worms found in this environment, 11 were alive and 262 were dead, or a mor- tality of 95.97 percent caused by the cold weather. The pink bollworms in the succulent bolls were the only ones affected by the low temperatures, as no mort-lity was found to occur among larvze in open bolis, -in cocoons in surface trash, or in the soil. According to the lest seversl years! records, overwintering larvae in the last. three environments would not be affected by the temperatures listed above, Small and lerge boll weevil control plots compared.--During 1940 boll weevils caused serious damage in the Waco, Tex., area. Studies conducted by K. +. Hwing and associates in fields and large plots snowed considerable geins in yield of dusted over undusted cotton, whereas in the small plots differences between cotton yields from tresxted and untreated plots were much less marked. Control experiments were conducted on 36 plots of 1/18 acre each, in a compact 2-acre area within a 2f-acre field. The. cotton. within the experimental area and throughout the entire field was unusually uniform and, exclusive of the fact of boll weévil control, it was believed that the potential production was oractically the seme in any part of the field. Large plots of 1 acre or more were used in connor eee le nc in 5 other fields in the Waco area. Yveid@ of je Sevaerdot io >: dusted cotton : undusted cotton : Pounds Pounds fic or en 2 ig ce? BGO Generel yield, : : (same field as above)-3 ee : 582 - Large (average,5 other $ : fields)--------------- : BuO : 382 It will be observed th=t untreated small plots vielded much nearer the level of tre=ted cotton than did large vlots or fields. While some of this apparent gain may be due to random variation or insecticidel action of drifted dust, it is believed that most of it is due to decrease of weevil povulation in the compact plot area. Thomas and Reinhard (Tex, Bul. 475, 1933) heve shown thet weevils are very migratory, and it is probable that many weevils from the small check plwts get into dusted plots and are killed. Infeststion records in general agree with yield records and support this belief... In the chec< plots within the 2-acre ex- perimental area the peak infestation was 32.1 percent, while the “pee in- sage eon in the rest of the field rea ones 90 percent. f=20- Effects of calcium arsenate on reproduction of cotton anhid.--The effects of calcium arsenate on the reproduction of the cotton aphid was studied by EB, W.. Dunnam and J. C. Clark at Stoneville, Miss. Plots of the same variety of cotton were dusted during the period July 18 to August 19 with 9 applications of § pounds per acre of calcium arsenate containing 13.9 percent and 0.7 vercent water-soluble arsenic, respective- ly, by the Geneva method, Colonies of aphids occurring naturally on the plots receiving the high and low water-soluble calcium arsenate and the un- treated checks were encaged in organdy bags and left undisturbed for le ‘days to note the reproduction, Sixty-one aphids in 5 colonies were used for each treatment. One series of each treatment was Started before the date of the last application of calcium arsenate, 1 series was started 10 days after the last apolication, and 1 series 20 days after the last appli- cation, In each series the rate of reproduction was higher on the plants dusted with high water-soluble calcium arsenate than on the plants dusted with the low water-soluble calcium arsenate or the checks. The number of young produced in the 3 series were 1,620, 1,367, and 1,029, respectively, on the plants dusted with high water-soluble, low water-soluble, calcium arsenate , and-untre-ted. Another series of tests was started on Septem— ner 18, or 30 days after dusting was discontinued, by placing 10 newly born aphids in individual organdy bags on the fourth leaf from the tops of plants receiving the different treatments. In another plot dusted with the low water-soluble calcium arsenste, 11 of the fruitine forms were removed at weekly intervals through Ausust le and newly born aphids were caged individ— vally as above, In all tests the young aphids were removed daily after -re- production started. The average reproduction and longevity is shown in the following table. All squares were removed through Ausust le. : Aversge days t:Avhids born: Totel aphids:Average longevity Calcium Sire Crs Owe imsayes | akin Ee RE Wlelsaa, al MNG) oe of anhids arsenate : period : days : days 5 : Number Vlumnber®), a) Mambo 7% Days High AsoOg--- 1 Wa | RCTS Simian dala >) ageise 25.3 Low As.0g ----! 5.2 6 Fo BD 32.6 Wonca toe A 6.9 No ; 27) : 22.6 Low AsO, === : Be iy te aliens Jie: : 20.5 None--~~-~---- 6.8 es Seok ; nos val On the normal plants, where the squares were not removed, the average prereproductive period wes. shorter and revroductio was fester during the first week on the plants dusted with calcium arsenate containing high water- soluble arsenic than on those dusted with low water-soluble calcium ar- senate, or on the checks, After the first week there was little difference in the rate, but reproduction continued longer and the total number of young was greater on the plants dusted with low water-soluble calcium arsenate than on the high water-soluble calcium arsenate or the checks. The average longevity was also greater. On the nlants where squares were removed. the prereproductive neriod was $ day longer on the plants dusted with low water- soluble calcium arsenate than on plants. receiving similar treatment with the squares not removed. However, on plants where the squares had besn removed, pie the total reproduction and longevity was greater in the checks than on the plants dusted with low water-soluble calcium arsenate, which is a reversal of conditions on the normal plants. The prereproductive period in the untreated checks was prectically the same for the two series, but in both cases was longer than where calcium arsenate had been applied. With the influence of parasites and predators eliminated by the organdy bags, these data offer strong evidence that nine applications of calcium arsenate af- fected the food value of the cell sap and accelerated aphid maturity and reproduction, PINK BOLLWORM AND THURBERIA WEEVIL CONTROL Inspection, --Gin-trash aE ACOm of the 1940 cotton crop was con- cluded about December 15. At.the time inspection was bee Dates machines. were opereting in the Arizona district and in Mexico at Mexicali, Baja California, For the season a total of 136 pink pollworms were found in Maricopa County, Ariz., most of these coming from the Glendale. area, where infestation existed last year. None were found in the Gilbert area, which was infested last season, Two specimens were found at Coolidge, in Pinal County, the same number found in that county lest yesr. Large volumes of trash were inspected in the cotton-growing areas of Pima County, with negative results for the season. Last season 2 specimens of the pink boll- worm were found in that county. During December, 3% Thurberia weevils were taken through the inspection of gin trash in Pima County. Results of all inspection in the Mexicali area of Mexico were negative. Field inspection of cotton forms found on random plants in the lower Rin Grande Valley dis- trict, incidental to grubbing operations for the purpose of creating a host- ee period during the fall and winter months, was continued through- out December, A total of 225 green bolls found and inspected during the period yielded 13 specimens of the pink bollworm, 12 of which came from Cameron County and 1 from Hidalgo County. Destruction of sprout : nd volunteer cotton.--One of the principal con- trol measures for the suppression of the pink bollworm in the lower Rio Grande Valley calls for the es truction of all live cotton plants immedi= ately after the harvesting of the crop and not later than October 1, each season, However, on account of very favorable soil and climatic conditions in that region it is necessary to carry on.during the fall and winter months ~ en intensive campaign against ee cuave sprout cotton in the fields and random plants growing in out-of-the-way places to prevent fruiting of these plants end the consequent scales ef infestation to attack the spring crop. The campaign for the creation of a host-free period in the lower valley area was continued during December, with 35 grubbing crews operating throughout the greater part of the period. Although this campaign has been prosecuted vigorously since the completion of the main stalk—destruction. program, it is not believed that a complete host-free veriod was established until the latter part of December. Farmer cooverstion in the accomplishment of a ho t—-free condition has been very satisfactory, and it is believed that there was less fruiting cotton after October 1 this season than at any other comparative. period since control measures have been in effect in that area. Field clean-up in Presidi2a area f Bi iz Bend.--Since a special control program was put into effect in the Eee Sidio area of the Big Bend of Texas in the fall of 1938 the heavy pink noes damage to. the cotton crop in that Eom area has been reduced to a negligible degree. One of the principal con- trol measures followed in that area calls for the cutting, piling, and burning of stalks immediately after the cotton crop is nicked out. Cléan— up for the present season got well under way around December-1, and was nearing completion at the end of the month. ‘Diring the last two seasons it has been necessary to resort to hand—picking of cotton debris in many of the henvily infested fields in an effort to further reduce the winter carryover but, owing to the present light infestation, it has been neces— sary to hand—-pick only e compar-tively few fields this season. Through the cooperation of the Yotton Insects Division, fields have been located showing sufficient surface and soil population to justify winter cultural practices, consisting of plowing followed by irrigation. With the in- centive of further reducing the pink bollworm infestation for the 1941 crop, all farmers have evinced considerable interest in such cultural practices, and at the end of December plowing and irrigation were under way in a number of fields where the degree of infestation warranted such meas— ures, and plans were being made by other farmers to start such work. Other control measures for this section restrain farmers from planting cotton prior to. April 20, and no sprout cotton is allowed to fruit prior to the fruiting of the spring crop. The manipulation of the planting date in re— letion to spring moth emergence results in most of the overwintering pink bollworms. emerging as moths in the spring and dying before the cotton comes into fruit, The effects of the complete control program for the pink boll- worm carried out on both sides of the river were reflected in cotton pro- duction. Production of cotton in Presidio County in 193% was $22 bales; in 1939, 1,466 bales; and in 1940, 1,948 bales. The greater part of this increase in production is undoupeoniy due to the control of the pink boll- worm: however, some 200 or 300 bales were destroyed in 1958 by 2 tiloode "Control measures in lower end of Juarez Valley, Mexico,--The plies and United Sta.es Depe Depsrtiments of Agr iculture mae insvections annuelly on both sides of the boundary, There is a place in Mexico in the vicinity of Vado de Cedillas considered ss part of the Juarez Valley, but which is really the uoper end of the Big Bend area, and-its climatic conditions more .nearly resemble those prevailing in the Big Bend. On account of the isolation of this area, and its being attached to the Juarez Valley dis- trict, the control measures heretofore applied in the Big Bend area were not applied; conseauently, the pink bollworm increased here enormously. One samole of trash from seed cotton originating in thst locality revealed a. total of some 10,900 nink bollworms in the fall of 1940. The control program of the Big Bend is being cerried 2ut here. By the end of December it was estimated that 75 percent of the fields had been cleaned and plow- ing was well uncer way. The delay in planting will be earried into effect in that region for.the year 1941: therefore, we can expect a substantial reduction in the infestation in this area in 1941. ee See eradication,--For years efforts have been under way to eradicate the pink bollworm from southern Flrida and adjacent keys by de- stroying one of its principal hosts, the wild-cotton plant. This action ‘was considered necessary when it was found that the pink bollworm was spreading from this area northward to domestic cotton plantings. From the beginning of the present season up to tie middle of December, W. P. A. crews “have handled all of the wild-cotton-eradication work, except that being done by 2 Bureeu crews operating from house boats. At the beginning of December —23- the W. P, A, quota of 90 workers was increased to 102. As a result of previous arrangements made by this Department with Army and Forest Service officials, a C, C. C. Camp was established at Cape Sable during the first half of December to aid the Buresu in the 4radicntion of, wild-cotton plants from that region. Enrollees of this camp, approximately 180, reported for duty with this Bureau around December 16. ‘At the end of the period the Bureau W, P, A, and ©, C, C, work had become well coordinated, and. good progress was being made in all areas. During the month a total of 4,261 acres was recleaned, from which were removed 3,267 plants with mn ture bolls, 166, 332 seedlings, and 289 sprout plants. TRUCK CROP AND GARDEN INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Tests of hornworm insecticides.--An experiment conducted by L. B, Scott and Joe Milam, of the Clarksville, Tenn., laboratory, during .the. sum- mer of 1940 on replicated small plots of dark fire-cured tobacco showed that cryolite was more effective szainst larvae of the hornworms Protonarce sexta (Johan, ) and P, quinguemaculata (Haw.) than was paris green at. the. di- lutions and rates of application compared. Following are the results obd- tained. ARES Dy : WWopliieation ti. Reductionsin——.. DOME srate per acre:48 hours:72 hours Spray mixture: ‘ sPercent tPercent Cryolite and water (6 1b.-50 gal.)-' FOwecalice BSUS att gO Dusts: saeaiil : He : Cryolite undiluted—----------------: 21D I=, Bis Os \ onSal Paris sEeee end hydrated.lime : : : (Tig 5 TSF gS) eee : (elie ane, Uses vam dales : -ll Tie ees Wietene yee = ee 2 oe ee eee : aa The date show. that the cryolite spray was considerebly more effective than the eryolite dust and that both were more effective then the paris green- . lime dust mixture at the rates of application used, Each treatment was revlicated on 4 plots of tobacco conteining 100 plants each, the 16 LOGS being arranzed in a Latin square. Design of jLeee eee ene and technique.--William Robinson, Belts-— ville, Md., reports thet in his search for the enzyme urease in various organs of aaa screwworm larvae, his associate, ©. S. Wilson, has designed micro-apparatus and technique so that determinations have been made from tissues ranging from 15,0 to 0.3 cubic millimeters:in size. It is believed that this is the first time such minute amounts of material have been isoleted and analyzed. Breeding place of stablefly larvae.--In his revort for the last quarter of 1940, W. E, Dove, Panama City, Fla., tells of the discovery of infestations of "dog fly" (Stomoxys calcitrans L.) larvae and nupae in pea- nut litter in the fields throughout the principal peanut-growing section of northwestern Florida, southeastern Alabama, and southwestern Georgia. The breeding occurred in fermenting waste, leaves, and stems left in the field where peanut vines were baled for hay. After fall rains the infestations ~were found in every pile of litter examined. The piles, about 25 x 30 feet, and ranging from 4 inches deep on the edge to 3 feet deep in the center, were found at the rate of sbout 1 to each 19 acres of harvested peanuts. “In 10 counties of western Florida, 9 counties of southern Alabama, and 33 counties of southeastern Georgia it is estimated that 1,000,000 acres of peanuts were harvested.in 1940, and that these resulted in about 100,000 piles of litter which are breeding, or are cavable of breeding, outbreak numbers of dog flies in that area. Mr. Dove states that in fevorite loca- tions there may be more then 100 larvae and pupae oer square foot of litter, Another and a different dog fly breeding problem exists in drifts of marine grasses washed ashore on beaches of bays and sounds. The latter breeding occurs in different areas and at times when one would exovect the breeding in peanut litter-to be at a low peint, In general, the months of July, Ausust, and Sentenber are the dangerous months for breeding of dog flies in marine grasses, whereas breeding occurs in the wet peanut litter a month or two later. New compound toxic to mosauito larvae,--W, V. Kine and R.:C. Bushland, of the Orlando, Fla,, laboratory, have found a new compound which has shown cutstending toxicity to larvae of the southern house mosquito (Culex quinguefasciatus Say). In preliminary. laboratory tests 1.0°p. p. m. of the compound killed.about the same percentage of test larvae as did pheno- thiazine (in 48 hours) and seemed more toxic than 4+(p—bromophenylazo)—m- cresol, Mixtures of the new compound with phenothiazine and with (p= bromonhenylazo)-m—cresol were not as effective as equal dosages of the com- ponents, The tests indicated a minimum lethal concentration of about 1.5 Desalter OL ey: material for satisfactory kills. Age of OR UaES larvae and saeale andes to insecticides.--Mr. King also reports that tests on Culex larvae at ages of Bet 3, dis and 6 days indicated thet as the larvae mature they beceme more resistant to insectisides. Ditching reduces breeding of salt-marsh mosquitoes.--G, H, Bradley end B, V. Travis, of the New Smyrna, Fla., laboratory, state that during 1940 ditchin- reduced mosquito-lsrval density 100 percent on Batis marshes, 99 percent on bunchgrass marshes, 99 nercent on Juncus marshes, 75 vercent pee on Distichlis morshes, and 67 percent.on Salicornia marshes. Where Sali- cornia and. Batis combined were dominant, a decreased larval population of only 63 vercent occurred, whereas on areas, where Selicornia and Distichlis combined made up the dominant flora, a decrease of only 2% percent -wes ob- served. Messrs. Bradley and Travis conclude that it is important to de- vise special control measures for various marshes or sections of marshes based on their special requirements, to which the vegetative cover is an index. ‘ Ditch spacing a factor in reduction of mosquito larvae.-—From data ob- tained on field studies: conducted south of New Smyrna, Fla., by Messrs. Bradley and Travis, it was shown that ditches spaced at 75-foot intervals reduced breeding 91 percent; 150-foot spacings gave reductions of 87 per- cent and 18 percent, respectively, for two sections; and no reduction was noted where ditches were spaced at 4300-foot intervals. This experiment further demonstrates the necessity of devising control procedure based on the special requirements of an area, Examination of turkeys for Leucocytozoon smithi.--During the last quarter of 1940, Mr. Travis examined 61 turkeys from 15 flocks in Volusia County and 7 turkeys from 2 floeks in Gilchrist County, Fla., to determine the incidence and distribution of the turkey parasite L. smithi. Of the 88 turkeys examined, only 6 birds fron 2 flocks showed no parasites in the blood. Mr. Travis! survey showed all birds examined from rural locations to be infected and birds from urban locations to be free of parasites, In all flocks where birds were heevily infected the growers indicated losses of young birds. Soil sampling for marsh mosquito surveys demonstrated in Dade and Broward Counties, Fla.--At the request of Fred Stutz, mosquito control director of the Mosquito Abatement District of Dade and Broward Counties, Messrs. Travis and Bradley demonstrated the soil-sampling method for marsh- mosquito surveys in Mr. Stutz's district early in December, Hatching of both Aedes taeniorhynchus (Wied.) and Psorovhora columbise D. & K. was ob- tained from semoles of soil teken on ditch and furrow sides, hummocks, and pona rims. No hatching was obteined from extensive unditched, flat marl marshes, _ ee ; Relation of malaria control to wildlife conservation,—-A joint. meet— ing of the Technical and Policy Committees of the Tennessee Vallev Authority, held in Knoxville, Tenn., on December 6, was attended by F. C. Bishopp and W. V. King, At this meeting consideration was gZiven to the results ob- tained curing the last 2 years and approval was given for the publication of some of the completed work, As the final. action of the meeting a motion was passed to discontinue the present cooperative organization, but pro- Vision was mace.for continuation of the projects %n a less formal basis. Combinetion screwworm larvicides and wound protectors.--Roy Melvin, H. BE, Parish, and C. L. Smith, of the Menard, Tex., laboratory, have sum- marized a study of approximately 100 mixtures .of larvicides and organic’: chemical wound protectors. Of these, 12 smears have been developed and are now reacy. for large-scale field tests. These 12 compounds, in experi ments on large, bloody cattle wounds, have, on the average, given not less than 3 days' initial protection and not less than a 10-day interval of pro- tection between reinfestations, and have required not more than 4 treat- ments to heal the wound, 20n dance of cattle grubs.——-A cross-sect < abun Seasonal appearance and W. Laake and W. G, * was vey su re) | ce) pei e) a Oo” oa wy A oo o rd Bs wo = rol ay i) clooh (ao) 07) bey a wo @ WY fe 18) Fs Te + Cee is) i | ort =) ° i 109) D rl +2 42 @ 4 cs (s) © 1 py ay eon bs fH Oo oO ~ £| Q ort fa oh 14p 2 a om rl fy Lav) Ww ag w raorel rl Ww 40 re ws i.) 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Py «rt fl a Helis oO a OS] ort OM ell) bt +e fa oO Stet ter- in yas wo vf | ry | wm 8p ho oO a fa by © red “dt bed oO ¢ ® Ri OD a =a rel c¢ 8) « i 5 i 4 ort vie =| Eas 42 OO MO © fi mo =) Oo w c} - rcs oO a) fy Q) ert Oo Wf feu MD Sey 4 opm Ct rt q) Clr OQ Mo Ww ph 49 ” oO Ww be oO pes CT | ai | com ' wo 6 el fy OO mM coo a = w w Oo 3} © 3° - 0 + orl ®@ <} r= i . . LO) =f on) o ret ee ow oO be emp (cb, MU oO 1s) bi @ A 0 Br ® b o O ma x Et ¢] (oy @| A - « O M4 Oo w Cc +e | - @ oO -, uv) a wo Ay < 2 el fa © 12 AN ood | os oO co ‘ as a =< a= 6 Bo po} (@ fa Get lee as) (a) if?) Q0 O wo <4 at) Oh @ Ww cI oT ed At Nogales, ety ie Schae 11%s arvico Huphrytus p — —s == taken from -mastard greens arriving in baggage teen Mexico. H. S. Barber states that this chrysomelid is new to the Museum's-.collection, On Noven- per 16 at New York an inspection of: ship's.stores revealed apvles f Portugal infested with live larvae-of Cer —— cavitata (Wied.), A live adult of Chelymorphe pubescens Boh. was intercepted on bananas from Me which arrived at New Vrleans on ae ae A. live adult of the lygaei Exptochiomera fuscicornis (Stal) was found at Brownsville on November 2 on cockscomb flowers from Mexico. Live larvae of the pink bollworm (Pec- tinophora sossypiella (Saund.)) were intercepted from okra carried n ship's stores which arrived at Boston, Mass., on November 30. langerine fruit infested with one live larva of the Mediterranean fruitfly (Gerati- tis cepitata (Wied.)) was intercepted at New York on December 4 in bag-— re found gace from Portugal. Two living larvae of Heilipus lauri (Boh.) we in avocado seed in baggage arriving at Laredo, Tex., on December 1 from Mexico. From grepefruit in stores livins puvae-and larvae of Anas fraterculus (Wa. ) were intercepted at Boston on December 16. originated in Argentina, Living and dead adults of Bruchidius inc faba heans arriving from Egypt (Boh. ) were found at New York in Vicia fa yi n stores on October 19,. Mr. Bridwell States thet. this bruchid does serious e injury to broadbeans in Egypt. Pathological intercentions of interest.--A Cercospora intercepted zinnitas from Mexico on.October 11 and again on December 7, 1940, at Browns- ville has been determined as C, zinniae E, &} 21tl the spores are rella citrullina ie: larger than had been reported for the species, sae sphae (Sm i th) Gross. was found on November 22 at New ee on mu s in stores from Japan, Nectria sp. was intercepted November 2 at Brownsville ona gardenia twig from Mexico, the tropical end subtropical ae of the fungus being -so Seo fepeeel > worked up that determination to species would be a difficult task, recuirins ample good material. Septoria musiva Bike. was intercepted-on October 31 at El Paso-on cottonwood leaves in baggage from Mexico. A group of protuberances making a gall-like growth several millimeters in diameter was intercepted on November 11 on stems mixed with grass packing from Mexico. in a shipment entering at Nos sales. Preliminary examination showed that the protuberances were filled with smut spores and the specialist renorts that it appears to. be Thecavnhora pustulata Clinton, heretofore known only from two Puerto Rican collections on Bidens sp. DOMESTIC PLANT: QUARANTINES Grasshovver bait used last year.—-According to reports made by the State leaders in grasshopper control for. the year 1949, more than 91,000 farmers used bait in 22 States, the poe number of farmers participat— ing in the States of. Minnesota, Nebraska; North Dakota, South Dakota, Mon- tans, end Kansa There were 63 673 — tons of bait distributed by volun-— teer and paid =e in 19h 0, the lk of which was distributed in Montane, Minnesots, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Colorado, and California, in the order named.,. Field headquarter each projects and citrus canker combined.—- The consolidation of th h mosaic, phony peach, end citrus canker proj- ects has been effected with headouarters at 561 Federal Building, San Antonio, Tex, A, HE -Cavanagh, formerly in charge of control ectivities relating to by’ a D Ke) (a0) i) =30- peach diseases, with headquarters at Little Rock, Ark,, is now in charge of the consolidated project. RK. N. Dooson, who has been in charge of citrus canker eradication, will continue to direct the field work of that project under Mr. Cavanagh's supervision, and will also act ina similar capacity in peach mosaic and phony peach activities in Texas and nearby States. The office at Houston, Tex., formerly the headquarters for the citrus canker project, will be maintained as a suboffice for that work in Texas and Louisiana. Tree removal work for peach disease control.——During the month of December the destruction of abandoned, e€scaped, and disessed peach trees went forward in Arizona, California, Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas. In California all mosaic-infected trees have now been removed, with the ex- ception of 359 trees on 4 properties. In Georgia more than 9,000 phony trees were removed by the property owners during the month. Chinch bug outlook,--Preliminary estimates’ of the chinch bug situation as determined from the survey completed in December, indicate that infes- tations in Iowa and Nebraska next year will be lighter and more spotted than in 1940, and that the center of the infestation has moved to the north and west, where winter mortality will probably be heavier. In Kansas and Oklahoma, surveys indicate that the infestation will cover larger areas than last year and may be more intense. In Illinois and Indiana the situ-— ation has not changed appreciably from that indicated by last year's survey and it is not believed that there will be any serious outbreaks in Ohio. Chinch bug infestations of a moderate intensity were also found in a small area in the southeastern corner of South Dakota, involving approximately four counties. With weather conditions and population develooments compa- rable to those of 194), it is estimated that avvroximately 350,000,000 gallons of creosote oil will be needed next year. This figure may be more than doubled or drastically reduced by weather conditions during the spring months. Survey for Parlatoria chinensis (Marl.).--Inspections in the city of St. Louis during December, by 8 Bureau inspectors in cooperation with in- spectors of the Missouri State Department of Agriculture, disclosed a heavily infested area of approximately 94 city blocks in the immediate vicinity of the Missouri Botanical Garden and Tower Grove Park, Findings indicated that the infestation is centered in or near the botanical garden and diminishes or disappears within a distance of approximately 6 blocks. Insvections of isolated points throughout the city, perticularly of those places to which plants from the infested areas have been moved, or are suspected of having been moved, such as cemeteries, other parks, and nur- series, have disclosed no additional infestations, with the exception of 1 infestation immediately north of Forest Park. The scale has been taken from a number of different plants, including althea, lilac, euonymus, privet, purple lesf plum, rose, sumac, peach, flowering currant, apvle, and willow. Collections do not indicate any particular plant as a favored host. Mole cricket control.--The distribution of bait for the control of mole crickets in 11 counties in Florida was discontinued on December 14, as it was felt by all concerned that the best interest of the growers had been =31— served, Mixers were dismantled and stored and surplus bait materials were also stored. During the 12 weeks of operation of the project, September 25 to December 14, over 2,500,000 pounds of mixed bait was distributed from four mixing stations located at Plant City, Lakeland, Wauchula, and | Palatka, Fla. Growers and county and Stste authorities were unanimous in their exoression of apprecistion for the assistance rendered in controlling the seriqs outbreaks of mole crickets during the fell months, Without such assistance, it is indicated that many plantings of vegetables and straw- berries would have been either completely destroyed or very severely damaged. White-fringed beetle control.--A few adult beetles of Pantomorus eu coloma Boh. and P. peregrinus Buch, were reported still active in the field at the close of December. Clearing work, with the assistance of W. P. A, crews, went forward in various infested areas in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi. Over 800 acres was cleared for control operations in the month of December, Sweetpotato weevil eradication.--Summing up the situatton at the close of 1910, it is found that considerable progress had been made in the eradi- cation of the sweetpotato weevil infestations since the project was begun in July 1937, jointly with the States, in designated commercial areas of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas, es shown by the following table. : Infested properties, 1937-0 Shei sLocated :Released from quarantine : Number : Number Alabama------ he eGer i 399 Georgia------? 75 3 69 Mississipoi--' 530 * Xen Texas-------- : SHE ce 58 Talisi2. Of the total of 1,218 infested properties located in the last 35° years, 1,141, or 93.6 vercent, have been released from quavenuene as ap- perently free from the weevils. Transit inspection.-—-Seven additional inspectors were assdSigned to the Northeastern States region to assist in the inspection of Christmas greens moving from the gypsy moth and brown-tail moth infested aréa during December. As a result of the sugmentation of the regular force by these inspectors, 315 apnarent violations of quarantine 45 were reported by -the inspectors in this region during December. The inspection covered not © Only the mail, express, and freight, but the movement of. Christmas greenery into the New York City markets by trucks and boats.. Several mislabeled and misrepresented parcels were noted as containing material in violation of quarantine 45, Some outstanding examples were a shioment marked "ar- tificial flowers," which was found to contain hemlock and white pine branches with cones; another labeled "cut flowers" contained holly branches, wreaths, and evergreen corsages; frém a florist came a boxwood wreath which bore the statement "no inspectizn necessary." One case of boughs was -way- billed as "case of ferns." A consignment labeled "rush, perishable fruit" contained apples and oranges attached to a balsam wreath, One carton covered with stickers reading "glass" and "fragile" was found to contain -32— balsem wreaths. The inspectors from all regions reported a decided in- crease in the movement of mail and express during the last year, with the 1940 Christmas rush showing from 12- to 25-percent increase over previous years. Additional inspectors were assigned to sever®=l points in the Southern States, and a very thorough check was maintained on shipments of peach end plum nursery stock moving from the areas infected with phony peach and peach mosaic. This spécial inspection was discontinued on De- cember 21. Citrus canker recurs in Texas.~--Citrus canker was found early in De- cember in the outskirts of Alta Loma, Galveston County, on a small Citrus trifoliate seedling. It hss been nearly 6 years since the premises. were first found infected, and since that time the disease has not besn found there, although the place has been intensively worked each vear. The cur-— rent infection was located some 300 yards from the snot where ‘the diseased tree of 1935 stood. A photograph of the old tree shows that there was a bird's nest in it and most of the canker found in the tree that year was about the nest. It seems possible that the birds might have spread the infection. All the inspectors were pronptly assigned to reinspect and re- check the entire town of Alta Loma, and the ", P, A. laborers to clean vacant lots, ditch bank and fence lines in order to expose any other small seedlings LL deuee Sex of cockroach influences resis tance. to pyrethrins.--The toxicity to adult American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana L.) of pyrethrins dissolved in refined kerosene was investigated by E, R. McGovran and HB, L. Mayer and they report that the female roacnes were more resistant to the pyrethrins than were the males. The kerosene solution of pyrethrins, which was prepared by the Division of Insecticide Investigations, was ap- plied with a micropipette to the dorsal integument of the thorax between the bases of the wings, which were spread apart during the application. To each female roach 0.006 milliliter of kerosene containing the pyrethrins was applied end 0.9045 milliliter to each male, The average body weight of the females was 1.208 grams and of the males 0.913 gram. It can readily be seen from these figures that the volume of kerosene and the amount of pyrethrins applied was proportional. to the body weight of each sex and at approximately the rate of 0.005 milliliter of solution ver gram of body weight of the insects. When a kerosene solution of Byaraeaee containing approxinetely equal amounts of pyrethrins I and II, «nd 0.5 milligram of total pyrethrins per milliliter of refined Per oneas was used, 61 percent of the male roaches treated were killed, as compared with 53 percent of the females. Refined kerosene that contained no pyrethrins when applied to the reaches at the same rate caused no mortality of the meles and 7 percent mortality of the females. When 2 solutim containing 1.0 milligram of total pyrethrins per milliliter was applied, it caused $3 percent mortelity of females and 100 percent mortality of males. At this 8l- to 83-percent level of mortality, which was caused by 0.5 milligram per milliliter of pyrethrins on male roaches, and 1.0 milligram per milliliter on-female roaches, it is evident thet the female roaches were twice as-resistant as the male roaches to the nyrethrins in the refined kerosene. When 0.75 milligram per milliliter of total pyrethrins was used on the males and 1.5 Nn. G —34— milligrams per milliliter was used on the females, mortalities of 92 per- cent and 96 percent were caused. At this high level of mortality the fe- males appeared approximately, or possibly slightly less than,twice as resistant as the males. At a lower level of mortality, where 5% -percent of the females and 67 Ten Cone of the males wers killed by 0.5 milligram per milliliter and 0.25, milligram per milliliter of total pyrethrins, re- spectively, the lower mortality of the females at double the concentra-— (ba Sau (oud | Fepmagle wlaneabratsys AS compared ‘with that of the male roaches, indicates that the females were more than twice as resistant to the eye ciaas as the males. INSECTICIDE INVEST! CATIONS McIndoo anpointed bibliographer Pom WRIA Rin = See? Ot Tissmwaae scientific training, coupled with his successful. research experience of many years, N, EH, McIndoo he's been transferred to this Division forthe PuEvAse Of DUrSUInNe library nesearch on ansecticides ae related subjects. Until this transfer on December 1, 1940, Mr. McIndoo had been connected with the Division of Control Investigations. In his new ee oe ae will be engaged in the writing of critical reviews and the compilation of bibliographies of insecticides and allied subject matter, such as-attrac— tants and repellents. In this capacity he will abstract and digest the information on these materials found in the entomological,. chemical, medical, and agricultural journals. As is well known, the published re- ports of tests of insecticides end their physiological effects upon in- sects, as they appesr in their original journal articles, are published in many languages end are inade eauately treated in the abstract journals, and it will be necessary for Mr. MeIndoo to make a wide search of the literature, On thé basis of.the classified abstracts so prepared, he will publish critical.reviews on the insecticidal uses of inorganic and organic materials of both plant and synthetic origin, in an-effort to euide the research endeavors of the Bureau's chemists end entomologists who are.striving to develop new insecticides and to improve those in cur- rent use. a Work on test at ales en new insecticides on goldfish schineemnes to Di- Vision of Control Inv restigations.--The toxicity tests, employing the gold- fish as the test animal, of various insecticidal compounds developed by the: chemists of this. Division are ‘now being conducted in the Division of “Control Investigations, wheré similer’ studies are being made except that in that Division insects have always: been used. for the tests. W. A. Gers— dortf, who was in charg ge of these: toxicity, te sts while they came witnin the jurisdiction of. the Divisi on of: Insecticide Investisations, was trans- ferred an December 1, 1940, to the Division of Control Investivations, where he will continue ‘his studies elong baits Line. BEE CULTURE Initiation of brood rearines probably not a. temperature response.-—— Warren Whitcomb, Jr., of University, La.,-repvorts: “Brood rearing of bees in Lovisiana follows rather closely the seme trends as in mote ‘northern lo- calities and is ordinarily chnracterized by a. broodless period during Decem- ber and January. Colonies which aré abnormal in some respect may continue, or initiate, brood rearing during such normally broodless periods. Feeding —34— tests now in progress indicate that this broodless period can be changed by prover feeding and that brood rearing may be continuous. Evidently the initiation, or cessation, of brood rearing is a food, and not a ten- perature response." | IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS Wild hosts of sweetpotato weevil.--A long series of the sveetnotato weevil (Cylas formicarius (fF , from Sunset, La., wes recently received from K, L. Cockerham, of the Division of Truck Crop and Garden Insect In- vestigations, for verification of name. . The lot is of unusual interest in that it includes specimens reared from five wild host plants, namely, Ipomoea hederacea, I. trichocarpa, I. pandurata, I. barbigera, and 1. qua- moclit. Although the National Collection contains a good series of the awestpotato weevil, nearly all the specimens are either unlabeled as to host or are stated to be from sweetnoteto,. The need of full and accurate data on the native or wild hosts of economic insects, and the practical utility of such information in relation to control measures, is apparent, but such records are also of much value in the taxonomic study of insect groups. . Aoparent extension of range of an introduced Zuropean weevil.-——The Huropean barine curculionid, Cosmobsris scalopacea (Germ.), has been known from the Northeastern States for at least 40 years, and more recently has been reported from Illinois, Michigan, and lowa. During May 1939, FP. C. Ting collected two specimens of this species near Tracy, Calif., about 50 miles east of San Francisco, on cattails (Typha). The species has been reared from the stems of Chenopodium at Hvattsville, Md., by W. H. Ander-— son, end has been taken from stems of Chenopodium at Huntington, WN. Y., by J. C, Bridwell. in Europe it hes been reported from several other genera of Chenopodiaceae, including Salsola, Corispermum, Salicornia, Suaeda, and Atriplex. Uncommon grasshopoers occasionally found in sabundance.--During the summer of 1940, J. #. G. Clarke, of this Division, made a collection of Orthoptera, in the course of general collecting in the State of Washington, which is very helpful. Numerous species are included, but especially good series of the relatively uncommon Eremiacris pallida (Bruner), Bradynotes caurus Scudd., and Assmoplus rainierensis Caud. Among the more desirable Orthoptera occurring in partially wooded or alpine areas are wingless or short-winged grasshoppers, which are sometimes found literally swarming. As many of them are poorly represented in most collections and some are significant in the classification of more economically important species, it is advisable to take advantage of opportunities when these usually rare grasshopners may be collected in abundance. Large series, consisting of 100 specimens or more per species, for instance, are desired in studying variation. The quill-infesting chigzer of chickens.--Sylvio Torres, eminent Brazilian parasitologist, now touring in the United States, visited the Division of Insect Identification and left severel sa-ples of the South American quill-infesting chigger (Apolonia tigipidensis Tor, & Braga) for the National collection. This chigger enters the young quill before the -35- terminal opening closes and continues to feed long after the feather de- velops, causing the latter to break off near its base. After the feather is gone, a tumor develops about the quill base, becoming very conspicuous on the deplumed area about it. Two hemipterous predators upon the corn ear worm,—-Specimens of two species of the hemipterous family Anthocoridae were recently received for identification through the Division of Cotton Insect Investigations, with the report that thev had been collected on cotton in the Canete Valley, Peru, in December by B. R. Coad. A note by Mr. Coad accompanying the ma- terial stated that these insects are remarkably effective as predators up- on the eges and newly hatcned larvae of Heliothis. Observations indicated that fully 95 percent of the eges had been destroyed and that, although there had been heavy egg deposition, it was almost impossible to locate Heliothis larvae. These predators have been identified by H. G. Barber as Cardiastethus assimilis (Reut.) and Paratriphleps leeviuseulus Champ. The former was originally described from Texas, the latter from Panama, ra coreid bug.—--James Zetek, of the Division of Food—plant record f $ ntlv submitted for determinsation a number of Fruitfly Investigation ently specimens of the large coreid bug, Pachylis pharaonis Herbst, which he states is very abundant on Bougainvillea zlebra Choisy in the Canal Zone. Apparently this is the first record of the food plant of Pachylis pharaonis. ---900--- fs Senet x AF cer G Hoe: t rs pes hat ra) rp | past { - 7 Vt es vile hae aly ot ¥ ya OAS 9 oe - } ES eee UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTING NEWS LETTER FOR JANUARY 191 a em en em ee a ig ee ce ee ms ee ee a ee ee eee ADMINISTRATION T, H, Jones Dies Thomas Henry Jones, senior entomologist of the Division of Forest Insect Investigations, died suddenly in Morristown, N, J,, on Saturday morning, February 22. Mr, Jones was the son of Robert P, Jones and Bertha A, (Tiepke) Jones. He was born at Pawtucket, R, I., on September 25, 1885, attended the Haston, Mass,, public schools, and graduated from the Massachusetts State College in 1998 with the degree of Bachelor of Science. In 1929 he married Katherine H, Alyward, He was appointed to the Bureau of Entomology on May 26, 1909, with the Division of Truck Crops and Stored Products Insect Investigations. In 1911 he resigned from the Bureau to accept a position with the Puerto Rico Sugar Planters! Association and during the next 4 years he pub- lished seven important pavers, as follows: "Zxperiment with Fumigant at a High Temperature," "Some Notes on Laphygma frugiperda S, & A, in Porto Rico," "Some Notes on Life History and Habits of Lauron vicosa Drury, " "Additional Notes on Porto Rican Sugarcane Insects," "Aphides or Plant lice Attacking Sugarcane in Porto Rico," "The Sugarcane Moth Stalk Borer," "The Sugarcane Weevil Root Borer," "Report of Ports Rican Board of Com missioners of Agriculture for 1914," "Egeeplant Tortoise Beetle," "Sweet- potato Leaf Folder," "Notes on Anasa andresii Guer., an Enemy of Cucurbits, " and "A List of Coccidae of Porto Rico." In 1914 he was reappointed to the Division of Truck Crop Insect In- vestigations and assigned to work in Louisiana. In 1920 he again resigned from the Bureau, this time to accept the position of entomologist for the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station at Baton Rouge. After ll years in this capacity he returned to the Bureau in January 1924 to carry on in- vestigational work on introduced parasites of the gypsy moth at Melrose Highlands, Mass. He continued in this capacity until 1935, when he was assigned to research work on the beetle vectors of Dutch elm disease. At the time of his death he was assistant to the entomolocist in charge of the research laboratory carrying on these investigations, Mr, Jones is survived by his wife, his mother, and a brother. ~l- Bee EDITORIAL OFFICE ener arenn No. tn fabs rations Illustrations, as used in Department of Agriculture publications, are distinctly functionals; they must justify their presence by serving a useful purpose, although some of them are also decorative. Therefore, in selecting illustrations for use in a new bulletin or other publication .. the first point to decide is whether the photograph, drawing, map, or chart will helo to convey the message to the reader. Most of our illustrations are printed from either line etchings or halftone pletes. A few, such as the covers for Farmers! Bulletins and Leaflets, may involve a combination of both kinds. Line etchings reproduce the illustrations very much as they aree They are used for printing drawings, maps, and charts, which consist of black lines on white backgrounds. The etching is usually made on zinc, but if a drawing contains very fine lines that must be brought out clean ath, the etching may be nade on copper. Halftone plates are used for printing reproductions of photographs, wash drawings, and other pictures that contain broad monotone area Ss and gra Re ons (or halftones) between’ white and black. The process involves the use of a screen, which breaks up the continuous surfaces into small dots on the plate. The screen is a plate of fine glass which has very fine lines across it in two directions. The fineness of the screen may range from 60 lines per inch for rather coarse work to 200 or-more lines per inch for superfine work. Halftone plates are SP ar adh made .on coppere As the halftone reproduction of a photograph is generally a little less clear than the original, care shoulc be taken to select i Vest print available. -A contrasty print is better than a hazy one and, as a rule, a print on glossy peper is preferanle to one on matte paper. If the print is not particularly good, it is advisable to submit the nega- tive also, or to make sure ‘that it will be available if needed. Some- times an expert can mate an acceptable pr int from a weak negative by us- _ i 3 ng special paper and ee Prints should not be mounted by pasting. They moy be submitted loose, in which case each print should be identified by marking it on the back with a pencil, very lightly, so that the marks will not show through.: The use of paper clips should be avoided, since they are likely to danage. the prints. Perhaps the best way to submit a print is to attach it to a sheet of paper by inserting its corners into diagonal slits cut.in the paper. If some part of a print is to be omitted, it need not ve trimmed off; the part to be left out may be indicated by a novation on the paper. A copy of the legend should appear below the print. When photographs for reproduction in a publication are being taken, especially in the case of indoor Views of pieces of eo ieeee the tech-— nigue of a portrait photographer can well ve foilowed. ) Sheets of paper on which the drawings or photesrap phs for the illus-— trations of a manuscript are nounted, or to which they are attached, should not be numoered as folios of the nanuscript and all should be placed to- gether at the end of the manuscript. ' - - ~ figure-is.to. be printed fron.a cut used ion of the Department, the picture may be cut.out of the ation ané pasted on a sheet of paper. This. should contain the legend, and also a notation showing the old figure number. anc the pub— lication fron which it is to be lifted, The she et cen then be inserted in its proper place in the manuscript. In the case of a figure in some old publication that should not be cut, the figure may be ide ntified by means of a photographic print of the original, or even a print of the figure as published. | a printing sone BB me our publications the on iglate!! is poled to an illustretion that. is printed separately and inserted in the publication afterward. Usually the plate is a halftone, of rather fine sereen, printed on calen— a dered (or coate ed) book paper. The legend for a plate shovld accompany the photograph, but it should not be inserted in the manuscript, since the — plate legend is not set in type until after the engrever's proof of the plate has deen anproved. FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Local differences in fig spoilage.—Perez Simaons, of the Fresno, Calif., laboratory, reports that figs of the Adriatic. varicty, which do not require caprification, are subject to in festation by the dried fruit beetle (Carpophilus hemipterus (LD); to souring, which appears to be pre- dominantly the result of inoculation by insects, ch viefly the dried fruit. beetle; and to other defects, usually of lesser importance. During the — harvest of 1940 two adjacent blocks in a large planting near Fresno showed —5- marked differences in spoilage. and, as both blocks appeared to. be equally exposed to invasion by the dried fruit beetle, a survey was made from Ausust 30 to November 4 in an attempt ta exolain the conditions. The work was done by Dwight F. Barnes and George H, Kaloostian, Traps baited with fermenting dried peaches took 30 beetles per trap per day in block A and 167 per trap per day (54 times as many) in block B, .Samoles of fallen figs from block B, examined during harvest, contained 7 times as many figs infested by \enwae anil SsLELes oe Ee lenEel Seevles eau 32 times as many sour figs as did samples from block A. General observations have: indicated that fig trees which are supplied with abundant soil moisture produce long annual growth of branches, heavy dark-green foliage, and succulent fruit which is likely to become infested and sour in years when dried fruit bee- tles are plentiful. In contrast with the fruit on less favored trees, the figs on such trees appear to mature more slowly and therefore remain for a longer period in a condition favorable for infestation and souring, kx- amples of these contrasting conditions were found in block A, where the trees were in average condition, and in block B, where most of the trees were more thrifty and where the spoilage was greater. MEXICAN FRUITFLY CONTROL No larval infestations found in January.--Adult Mexican fruitflies (Anastrevha ludens Loew) were trapped on 192 premises in the regulated area in January, At this season of the year it is not unusual for fruitflies to be taken throughout the area, even though no larval infestations are known to exist. Many hours of intensive grove inspection in each of the several districts of this area failed to uncover any infested fruit in th groves. For the second consecutive month excessive rainfall occurred over most of the area, On Janusry 27 rainfall ranging from 4 to 9 inches was recorded in the lower valley. Frosts occurred.on two mornings and severely damaged tender vegetables but did no material harm to citrus. More fruit was certified for shipment from the regulated area in January than in any other month this season. Shipments for the month amounted to 5,268.4 equivalent carlots and for the season heve reached the all-time high for this date of 17, 330.0 equivelent carlots. CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Baits for Mormon cricket.--J. R, Parker, Bozeman, Mont., reports that during the season of 1940 this Division corser seed with the Division of Domestic Plant Quarantines in conducting tests of the folipwing Mormon cricket baits in Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon: (1) Straight bran bait, as compared with a mixture of 1 volume of millrun bran and 3 volumes of saw- dust; (2) baits containing water versus baits in which oil was substituted for water; (3) strip baiting, against complete bait coverage. According to Frank T, Cowan, Bozeman, straight bran bait gave better results than did a mixture of millrun and sawdust, particularly during early season bait- ing when conditions were not at the optimum for cricket feeding, An oil bait consisting of 100 pounds of standard bran, 4 pounds of sodium fluosili- cate, and 2 gallons of low-grade motor oil having a viscosity of S,A.H. 20 proved equally effective in preliminary plot and field tests as a similar bait in which 15 gallons of water was included instead of the oil, The motor oil cost 69 cents per gallon, making it too expensive for practical use. ie In later tests 1 gallon of. industrial lubricating oil costing 15 cents per gallon was used with equally good results. A total of approximately 800 acres was treated with the industrial oil bait, with resulting kills of 85 to 95 percent. Oil baits were spread satisfactorily by using power me- chanical bait spreaders and airplanes. Oil baits have several important advantages over wet baits, They can be mixed in advance at central mixing stations. and.can be held in storage without deterioration until needed, Mixing can also be done at points where water is not available, an impor- tant consideration in many western localities. Mixed oil bait can be trans-— ported at about half the cost of water bait and spreading machines and air- planes can operate for a longer period without refilline, Striv baiting of light and medium infestations was found as effective and more economical than comlete. bait coverage... In light infestatims of 3 or less crickets per square yard.a 30-foot strip was baited and a 90-foot strip between — strips was left unbaited. In medium infestations, of 4 to 10 crickets per square yard, a 30-foot strin was baited and 30 feet between strivs was left unbaited,. Complete coverage was found desirable for infestations of 10 or more crickets per square yard. Grasshonver outbreaks and development of control methods in last 100 years,--Mr, Parker also states that during the conference on grasshopper end Mormon cricket control held at Denver, Colo,, on November Ff and 8, he reviewed the history of grasshopper outbreaks and the development of con— | trol methods during the 100-year period 1841 to 1940, In the Great Plains, the Rocky. Mountain, and Plateau regions peaks of abundance have occurred at approximately 10-year intervals for the area as a whole, and with less regularity in individuel States. The most severe outbreak periods were from 1862-77, 1910-25, and 1930-40, Hach of these veriods include 2 fairly well defined peaks, with only a slight decline between them, In other ~ words, 2 of the more usual lO-vear: cycles mersed to form 1 lons, extended outbreak, States in which the greatest numbers of outbreaks occurred were: Montane 50, 25 severe, 25 less severe; Minnesota 50, 18 severe ye ie less - severe; Nebraska US, Ol severe, 27 less severe; Colorado Ly, 21 ‘severe, ace less severe; North Maleate 42, 18 severe, 24.less severe; South Dakota 441,’ 24 severe, 17 less severs; Uteh 1, 143 severe, 28 less severe; Kansas’ ho, 26 severe, ll! less severe, The Phage or. duration, and distribution of outbreaks is related to annual rainfall. Outbresaks-accurred more frequently and lasted longer during vears when precinitation was below normal and out- breaks were most.common in zones where the normal annual rainfall was 10-30 inches, Adjacent regions havinz:a normal precipvitation gte rtér than 30 inches exnerienced outbreaks during drought neriods when pre cipitation nae dronned below 39 inches for séeveral.yvears in succession, Important de- velonments in grasshonve er control took place during each: of the 3 major outbreak periods, Its first recognition as a National problem was in WT, . when. Congress created the United States Entomological Commission ' to study. the Rocky Mountain locust. Control measures developed at that time con- sisted mainly of plowing to destroy eggs and ‘the use-of hopper- dozers and catching machines against. nymphs and adults. During the outbreaks from 1910 to 1925, recognition by State governments of the need for county governmental action in grasshopver ‘control: was made in:a number of States which passed laws authorizing county authorities to ereate pest districts — and to appropriate money for the control of ‘grasshoppers and other insects. | Although poisoned-bran. bait was used in California in 1885, it was not used’ -7- successfully on a large scale until 191%, when Kansas entomologists organ- ized farmers in many counties and prevented serious crop losses through extensive baiting, Later in the same period, volunteer county and com- | munity organizations were developed in Montana for the application of bait purchased with county funds and operated very successfully for several : years, During this period, amyl acetate was substituted for the more ex- pensive citrus fruits used in the Kansas bait formula without loss of ef- fectiveness, and the importance of scattering bait when air temperatures were favorable for grasshopper feeding was discovered, Important advances made’ during the outbreak period which began in 1930, and is still in prog- ress include: Recognition by Congress of the need of Federal anpropriations in controlling regional grasshopper outbreaks; cooperation of State and Federal agencie€s in conducting control campaigns; more intensive educational and organization drives prior to actual control operations; development of survey methods to predict where outbreaks will occur and .to estimate the cost of control; further reduction in the cost of bait without loss of ef-— ficiency; and the grestly increased use of mechanized. devices for more rapid and effective mixing and spreading of. bait. Even though great ad- vances have been made in grasshopver control during the last 100 years, there has been no marked decrease in the frequency and duration of outbreaks, The millions of dollars spent for control have yielded extremely high re- .turns in crops saved, but in most instances have not terminated any out— break, The opinion is exnoressed that-present conditions are more favorable for grasshopner increase than in the early development of western agricul- ture, and that outbreaks may be exoected whenever climatic conditions are favorable. The high return on the money and effort invested in this work indicate the unquestionable desirability of continuing grasshopper control from a crop-protection standpoint, Although the complete prevention of out-— breaks seems hopeless, it is believed that serious effort should be con- tinued to prevent mass, movements of migratory svecies, . The great advance- ments made in control during the present outbreak encourage the belief that both of these objectives can be more completely obtained in the future. Most white grubs in Wisconsin are below plowing level for long periods.--T, R, Chamberlin and Lee Seaton, Madison, Wis., submit a table in which the percentages were obtained by summarizing data as to the depths at which white grubs were found during the veriod 1935 to 1940, inclusive. Grubs considered here were all those taken in diggings 20 inches deep, or more, The percentagzesof grubs in sod and above the 10-inch level from 1935- 4O in southern Wisconsin were as follows} Grubs above 10-inch Month . Grubs in sod ; : : level 8 Percent ° Percent Menon ; 0 ° 0 oe : yoy : 19.0 Ne ee : 43,3 : 61.6 June------------ : 59.9 : S326 Tudlyeeeat 2 S= : 92.9 ; 97.6 Ausust------ ----3 92.2 H 97.6 September-------! 76.6 : 89,4 October--------- a IO) : OR ‘November—------- : 4 : Taluee? December-------- : 17 : Side Bes These facts are of value in estimating the possible effects of plow- ing at various times of the year, It may be noted that the maximum pro- portion of grubs, about 92.5 percent, were located in the sod in July and August and that the maximum proportions were above the 10-inch level in June, July, August, and September. The actual proportion within reach of the log is intermediate between the two percentages given for each month, as plowing is usually about 6 inches deep. As the data indicate, all the grubs that ascended to the sod did not reach it until July and there was. some descent from the sod in September, although the descending grubs did not get below the 10-inch level in considerable numbers until October, It is known, however, that there is a difference in the time and rate at which grubs begin descent in different years and in different fields the same year, so that sometimes many grubs are out of reach of the plow by mid- September, Assuming that all grubs above plow level were killed by plow- ing, about 90 percent would be killed in July and. Avgust, with somewhat less in June and September. Control of grubs, however, does not depend solely on the grubs being within reach of the plow. It has been observed that when the soil is moist and cool, as is frequently the case in the spring and fall, grubs not crushed by the plow easily burrow into the moist soil and escape, but when the soil is hot and dry many uncrushed grubs die before or shortly after digging in,- : Introduced parasite of bruchids recovered in vear of release,--L, P, Rockwood, Forest Grove, Oreg., reportsthat Triaspis thoracicus Curtis, a Huropean hymenopterous parasite of various species of bruchids, which was imported from France and multiplied by breeding in the Division of Foreign Parasite Introduction, was released in considerable numbers in Oregon in the period May 29 to June 5. Approximately 3,600 females were released on plots of peas at Forest Grove, Samples of peas from these plots, taken in July and August, showed parasitization of the pea weevil by this species to be as high as 4 percent in some cases. Adults of qT, thoracicus emerged from this material from July 16 to October 16, but most of these emerged in July and August. Weevil larvae usually were killed early in stage 4, hence the cavity caused by the feeding of the bruchid was much smaller in peas from which Triaspis emerzed than was’ the case when the parasitization had been by Bruchobius mayri (Masi), which kills the bruchid in a later stage, | Whether of not T, thoracicus can survive the winter remains to be deter- mined, Tests of nozzle position: in row-crop equinment.--C, H, Batchelder, New Haven, Conn., says that in reviewing the data and analysis from experi- ments conducted during the season of 1940 to determine the most effective nozzle arrangements for duster and sprayer booms, several items of interest were found. These experiments were designed to determine. (1) whether gen- eral residue coverage on the plant was necessary, and (2) what restricted parts of the plant may be treated with an expectancy of maximum borer re- duction. Row-crop dusting and spray equipment is fitted with a boom which serves to hold nozzles in position for treating row-planted crops continu- ously and on the assumption that the nozzle discharge will deposit residues at the desired points on a majority’ of the plants, When general coverage is desired, this is accomplished by’simply directing the nozzle discharge downward in the direction of the row-planted crop, resulting in general en- veloping of the plants in a spray or dust fog. For the*purpose of restrict- ing insecticide deposit to the locality of the ear-shoot of corn, it is oe necessary to lower the nozzle to a point lateral to and just above the ear shoot. In this position the nozzle discharge is directed slightly downward at the car shoot and in the same plane that the shoot is pro- jected from its stalk, This is necessary in order to avoid: the Numbrel- la effect" of overhanging leaf blades, and the resulting deposit is laid in a "band" slong each side of the row, These two methods of nozzle ad- justment were-compared during the season of 1940 with: both duster and sprayer equipment, the exneriments being in repetition of-gimilar tests conducted during 1939, The experiments of 1939 and 1940 differed es- sentially in thet climatic effects on plant growth in 1940 resulted in so retarding development that only one, lateral, or ear=shoot application wes made, as compared with two in 1939, Whorl applications were directed straight cownward in both methods of trestment, Two standards of comari- son were employed in these tests, i.e., (1) no trestment and (2) hand- directed, single nozzles, The most effective adjustment of nozzles on the boom of mechanically operated-row-crop sprayers and dusters has been a subject-of special inquiry during the last 3 years. Information of this kind is.necessary to complete recommendations for RanasoecAile insecticide apolications, and no comparative tests had previously been made, Moreover, sone confusion hes prevailed as to which location on the corn plant leads to greatest effectiveness of insecticidal residues. On the theory thet migrating first-instar larvae are impeded mechanically by surface residues, some investigators have attempted "general covernee" of the plants and for this reason have adjusted nozzles to dischargze from above the plants. On the other hand, there apveared to be some logic in the assumption that only the points of borer entrance into the plant require protection, If such is the case, only "spot" applications are necessary. The results of these tests confirmed those obtained during the similar exoerinents of 1939 in that nozgle arrsengements providing lateral discharge at the ear shoots gave significantly better protection of the ears than when nozzles were ad- jJusted for overhead discharge and general cover-ge, In tests of spray- nozzle adjustment the use of two nozzles per row, placed “laterally, were found to provide as much protection as when.e third nozzle was added in an overhesd position, and both of these nozzle arrangements were found to be superior to an arrangement of three nozzles all placed.-above the plant (overhead position). Nozzle arrangenents supplying Lateral discharse were found to be as effective as “hand-directed apolications, Tests of duster-— nozzle arrangements were similar to’ those described above, except that two nozzles were used per row instead of three, The lateral position of the nozzles during ear-shoot apolic=tions was also found suverior to sn over- head arrangement. Further details in connection .with these experiments have been assembled for a special report. | , . ; Relative resistance to establishment of Euroveen corn borer larvae in sweet corn,—-—Morris Schlosberg, Toledo, Ohio, says thet in summarizing the results obteined in fron 4 to 6 years of testing (1935-39), at Toledo, Ohio, using composite samples of seed, the Bantam inbred strains Michizan 1828, Minnesota 26-2, Towa- 45, ana Thee Q showed respective larval popula- tions which were 41.90, 36.2, 26.9, and 4.4 percent lower then the avereges expected for their conditions of test; whereas the inbred strains Purdue 14, Purdue 39, and Purdue 51 showed respective larval populetions which were 0.5, 366, end 13.8 percent above their exected levels of population. This established-the former group as relatively resistant to the survival of the -10- larvae, and the latter grouv as of approximately average effect. Hybrid. combinations of the strains méntioned above were tested in 1940. Compar- ing the performance of the reletivel: resistant inbred strains Michigan 1828, Minnesota 26-34, Iowa 45, and Iowa 9, when commonly crossed on the inbred strains Purdue 14, Peas 39, and Purdue 51, the 4 respective groups of single-crosses showed averaze larval populations, which were 31.2, 35.0, 33.8, and 22.5 percent below the group averege for the 3 pos- sible hybrid combinations of the common inbred parents Purdue 14, 39, and 51, giving evidence that tne relative resistance inherent in the inbred lines considered was transmitted to the hybrid strains containing them, Com— psring the froup performance when the relatively resistant inbred strains Minnesota 26-34, Iowa U5, and Iowa 9, respectively, were crossed on the verage verforminge inbred strains Purdue 14, 39, and 51, and the relatively resistant inbred strain Michizan 1828, the group containing Michiean 1828 as a common parent showed 11.8, 28.6, and 15.1 percent fewer borers than the resvective groups containing ‘Purdue 14, 39, and’51 as common parents, showing thet the inclusion of 2 relatively resistant inbred parents in the comosition of the hybrid- tended further to increase its resistance to the survival of the lervee,” Summarizing these results, on an average basis, the hybrid combinations containing 2 relatively resistant inbred parents in their vedizree showed the lower levels < larval populations; those con- tainins a relatively resistant inbred parent and an inbred par erat of average performance in their composition shwed snvaeaaalee! levels cf larval popu- lations: whereas, those composed of 2 inbred parents of averace performance showed the hicher levels of larval population, clearly indicating the presence of the resistance trait in certain of the inbred lines, the ca— pability of its transmission ints hybrid combinations, and the accumulative character of its effect. As the results are only for a single reason, the relative desree of effect in hybrid combination are more quate tatiae than quantitative in their indication. Field status of varasites of summer sesemeaeee of HEuropean corn borer in southeastern Massachusetts and central Connecticut.--C,. A. Clark 2 and so. we ¢ t i, J., state thet-a corn-borer parasite sur-— vey was. conduc S oF , ais s ted at two biolosical-control-study localities (Taunton, Mass., and East Hartford, Conn.) yeseent the SETS af aes! The exotic parasites recore ¥ lata punctoria Roman, Lyi della erisescens “h. a adepence Siete Wesm., and Macrocentrus gifuensis Ashm. The REET 3 species were also recovered from central Connecticut. A total of 843 borers from southeastern Massa- chusetts were observed for parasitization. Of this number, 222, or 26.3 percent, were varasitized by the volyembryonic Macrocentrus Zifuensis, 66, or 7.8 vercent, by Lydella grisescens, 44, or 5.2 vercent, by Inareolata punctoria, and 5, or 0.0 percent, by Chelonus annulipes, Of the total num— ber of. borers in the collections,. 337, or LO percent, were parasitized by the introduced parasites named above, The total parasitization of the-- borers in the same locality on the sumner generation of 1939 was 20.1 ver- cent, In-céntral Connecticut the survey covered 63,6 square miles, and ' 35.6 percent of the borers observed were parasitized, By far the most in- portant varasite was Inareolata punetzria which aecsunted’ for 93.6 percent of the parasitization recorded for this-locality., L. grisescens has spread westward and was found principally 5n the west side of the Connécticut River. ané in a narrow strip on the east side of the river opvosite the City of Hartford, Parasitization of the borer by this techinid remains low, One SiS specimen of C. annulines was recovered from central Connecticut. This species was released here in the spring of 1939. Domestic collection of corn borer parasite material,--C. A. Clark, Moorestown, N, J., reports that during November 1940, N, J. Nerney col- lected overwintering corn borer larvae in southeastern Massachusetts from wnich to rear parasites. Collections were made in the area in which the four exotic parasites, M. gifuensis, L. grisescens, I, punctoria, and C. annulipes are well established, It is exmected that large numbers of the first parasite listed above and smaller numbers of the other 3 parasites will become available in 1941 as a result of these collections, Approxi- mately 18,900 overwintering corn borer larvae were collected, shipped to the Moorestown, N, J., corn borer laboratory, and placed in cold storage at 55° F, Similar collections of parasite material are in progress in central Connest: cut, where I. punctoria is particularly abundant, The tachinid L. grisescens will also be ppbea ned from this source. Dawson fly-resistance factors isolated,—-According to W, B, Noble, Sacramento, Calif., tests made at the Sacramento laboratory during 1940 indicate the successful isolation and differentiation of the two factors for fly resistance that occur in Dawson wheat. JAPANESE BEETLE CONTROL Results of fumigation tests reported to grower,.—-Reports from the Division of Control Investigations indicate thet aporoximately two-thirds of the varieties of perennial plants fumigated with methyl bromide at Mentor, Ohio, and transported to the Bureau's field laboratory at Senford, Fla,, for srowins on heve survived in such numbers as to indicate that their fumigation under commercial conditions is practicable, A conference was held by Randall Latta, of the Division of Control Investizations, and V, A. Johnson, of the Division's trenting section, with the grower who furnished the material, The grower seemed very optimistic about the re- sults, even though they were not as good as he had thought from his per- nal observations while on = visit to Florida, Six plants of each variety were tested and the observations bnsed solely on the number of plants that grew, All 6 plants of 437 varieties survived, or 47.9 percent of the total varieties tested. Four or 5 plants of an additional 179 varieties, or 19.6 percent, grew, These 2 groups, comprising 67.5 percent of the varieties tested, may be considered tolerent to the methyl bromide fumigation, A third group, in which only 1 to 3 plants survived, involved 159 varieties, or 17.4 percent. There was complete mortality among 137 varieties, or 15,1 percent, Thus, results were unsatisfactory with 296 varieties, or 42.5 percent, After checking over the individual varieties in the last 2 groups, the grower expressed the opinion that the majority of these suffered injury from causes other than methyl bromide. Additional tests with the plants in the last 2 groups will be made on the grower's premises sbout the first of April and the plants set out there for observa- tion. It is anticipated that many of these will be found tolerant to the fumigant when tested under more normal conditions, ) Growers cooperate in use of fumigation chambers.--A fumigation cham- ber owned by 2 South Jersey nurseryman was moved during the month into a greenhouse of another establishment, where azaleas had been heeled in for (ee the winter, A suitable temperature was maintained in this location for the fumigation of azaleas owned by 1 firm and spirea roots for the other. Fifteen hundred Azalea indica were fumigated in this box during the month, The superintendent of an estate on Long Island also utilized this method for obtaining certification of cineraria plants in bloom to” be shipped to the estate owners wintering in Florida, A large hvdrangea grower in the Merviand area treated 9,978 hydrangeas with methyl bromide for shipment to points outside the regulated aréa and also fumigated 8,350 miscellaneous nursery and greenhouse plants for 2 other Zrowers, both of whom report no bad effects from the treatment. These e growers expect to build their own fumigation chambers before spring, A farmer at Girdletree, Md., offered for inspection 7,200 listrus roots and 1,430 herd gip roots. After close examination it was found tht both tynes of roots were filled with cavi- ties, thus making inspection impossible from the standpoint of labor end time involved. These roots were fumigated with methyl bromide by a “nearby strawberry plant shipper. The fumigation charge was much less‘ than the cost. of hand cleaning and inspection, These roots were shipped to Florida for planting on a farm operated by the owner of -the roots. Piant shipments during January.--A total of 553,991 plants was shipped from the Delaware area during the month, a slight increase over the preceding month, This was due to the movement of roses from 1 large establishm-nt. Another establishment also shipned during the month, mostly boysenberry plants. This firm exnects to start shipping canna roots in Februsry. ‘Of this total, 10,350 plants were fumizated with methyl bromide. On the Hastern Shore of Maryland and Virginie practicelly all nurserymen dug stock for storage when weather permitted, The stock was ‘graded, clesned, and inspected orior to vlacing in certified storage rooms, A grower in the Philadelphia srea shipped pansy plants that were dug in| the fall before the ground froze. After most of the soil was removed, the plants were placed in trenches similnr to thase used in storing celery. ~ With heavy paper. and soil they were protected from ice and snow, Now they can be readily lifted for immediate shivment, This appears to be a satis- factory method since the plants show little injury, Substitutes for Dutch bulbs,--Nursery snd greenhouse inspectors re- port that azaleas are movinge exceptionally well, Growers of this plant report as high as 66 vercent increase in sales, owing to the fact that no bulbs can be imoorted from European countries, A recently classified es- teblishment in South Jersey, after tre-ting .the floor of their greenhouse with naphthalene and funisating their potting'soil, started 50,000 pe- tunins from seed, Approximately 25,000 of these were potted in 2 1/4-inch pots.for the Easter trade outside of the Javernese beetlé regulated area, This firm expects to.start shipping in February. A lsrge-scalé grower in the Philedelphia area is growing more lilies and hydrangeas, as well as azaleas, to make up for the shortage of foreign tulips a hyacinths. “Demonstration of fumisation chanber,~-The Division's portable methyl bromide fumigation chamber was taken to a large establishuent at New Bruns- wick, N, J,, for testine roses and a . few varieties of verennials,. Roses fumigated were mostly of the New Dawn variety, These were fumigated and put back in storate to be plantec out this soring for -observetion, EE the test is successful a further check run will be made this spring. Heretofore ie these roses have been meade eligible for certification by washing the soil from the roots, This has caused some injury, If the fumigated roses show no ill effects,. this firm will construct a gas chamber and fumigate all plants for.which they desire certification, ‘Lumber sales corvoration purchases hurricane lumber.--Word was recently received at the Waltham, Mass., gypsy moth headquarters that a lumber sales corporation, with headquarters in Boston, has purchased from the Government all of the softwood hurricane lumber in New England, The quantity involved is approximately 425,000,000 board feet, The company has set up seven assembling points for the milling and shipping of lumber, five of which are located in central and southern New Hampshire, one in southern Maine, and one in central Massachusetts. In addition to the above, there are two assembling points for the loading of rough lumber in central New Hampshire, Lumber is being hauled to these points from a radius of 60 to 100 miles, This corporation has not had an opportunity to arrange a storase point in the States of Connecticut and Rhode Island where there are 17,000,090 feet of hurricane lumber. No accurste figures are available as to the total amount of this lumber that will require actual piece-by-piece inspection, as this will depend on the tyne of mill- ing, length of storage, and exposure to gypsy moth infestation, It is probable that at least 40 percent of the lumber will require such inspec- tion. Shioment of the lumber from the storage points is to be spread over a period of 2 years. . Hurricane lumber inspected.—--One temporary inspector was employed during January for the vurvose of assisting with lumber insvection at Con- cord, N. H., where a lumber company has purchased approximately 4,000,000 board feet of hurricane lumber from the Government. This concern ships about four carloads, or 80,000 board feet, per day. As this lumber was cut more than’? years ago and was exposed to gypvsy moth infestation during the egg-laying season of 1940, each individual board must be examined prior to loading on the cars, The increased demand for lumber in the present emergency is shown by a comparison of shipments made in 1940 and 1941, In Januvery 1940, 5,083,625 board fect were inspected and certified for shipment from the gynsy moth regulated areas, In January of this year, 9,559,875 board feet, or an increase of nearly 100 percent, were inspected and certified. Berk-beetle distribution in eastern Pennsylvania,--Bark-beetle popu- lation appears to be heavy along the Delaware River lowlands in Pike County, but in other »nortions of the county thus far covered it is reported as light. In Monroe County Scolytus multistriatus Marsh, seems to be rare in the highlend, wth a light infestation of Hylurgopinus rufives Hich, oc- curring at noints approximately 5 miles west of the Delaware River in the mountainous section The »ortion of Northampton County which lies in the outer disease zone has a hesvy beetle population. Beetles are compara- tively scarce in Lehigh County, as a large portion of the county is con- sidered elm—froe, Bucks County has a heavy beetle population in the areas along the Delaware River as far south as Morrisville, where it begins to lighten considerably. Beetles are plentiful in Montgomery County along the creeks in the northwestern part of the county, with medium infestation throughout the remainder of the county. A light infestation has been Be las reported from the Roxborouzh section along the Schuylkill River, in Phila- delphia County. Medium infestations were found in the avproximate center of the work area in Chester County, with light infestations in the re--— mainder of the county. In Doita wees County infestation is medium in two areas in the center of the county and one area in the southern part, In the nortion of Berks County covered to date, a medium beetle population was found in four areas along ne Comme River »elow Reading. Two adjoining areas which lie along the Montgomery County line showed a very heavy infestation, owing to a number of fallen trees and hangers: caused by a local storm which struck this area last summer. An elm eradicated in the southwestern part of Hanover Township, Luzerne County, was found to contain galleries fron which H, rufipes had emerged, Signs of this beetle are very rare in this vicinity, and none has been found Bee: Elm eirdline handicans operations in Ohio,--Deliberate girdling of elms in the Athens, Ohio, detached Dutch elh disease area continues to harmer sanitation activities in that section, It is estimated that approximately 75 nercent of the work performed in the Athens area is due to. girdling by oa who know thet project workers will be obliged to revove girdled trees, Ten of the 16 infected elms disoovered in Athens County during. 1940 were girdled. Hach of 3 confirmed tress discovered in Lodi .Townshin of this county last December had been girdled by the property owners after the beetle-material scouts had completed tagcing trees in the area, In each instance the disease proved to be a 1940 in— fection, One tree was heavily infested with Scolytus multistriatus, with most of the beetles already emerged, No beetles of either species were found in the other two elms, as thev were still too green for suc-— cessful entrance. } LRSM Se ie ea a Survey ice-storm damage in New Jersey and Perinsylvania.--A survey conducted throuchout the New Jersey and Pennsylvania work ar areas, to de- termine the extent of damage caused by ae) ice storm of January 16 and 17, showed very little breakage in elms, The damage observed was confined larsely to 1- to 3-inch branches, In New Jersey anoroximately 75 percent of the broken elm material was on the ground, This condition will reduce climbing considerably during senitation.operations, In Union County, N, J., storm damage is general, making it necessary to rescout the: entire county for potential beetle material. Beetle-material Lcauteite completed along’ Susquehanna. --Scouting for beetle-infested or potential ‘beetle material along both sides of the Susquehanna River from the Town of Falls to the City of Berwick was com- pleted in the Wilkes-Barre, Pa., detached area. This scouting has af- forded an accurate check on beetle conditions along the river for a dis- tance of approximately 30 miles below the city of Wilkes-Barre » and about e0 miles above the city. The number of elms found to be infested along the river was small, but a large amount of ootential beetle material Was vas den ee oee un eae measures in Binghamton, N, Le: area.—-An effort is being made to complete the removal of ‘all elm material c containing infes- tations of elm bark beetles, or likely to become so infested, along the banks of the major streams and rivers in the Binghamton area before these =15— streams.reach the flood stage in the spring, The »nurpose of this is to eliminate the possibility of this material being carried down stream and bark beetles from the infected zone emerging. in noninfected areas, FOREST INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Chemical—injection experiments with living elms.--R, R. Whitten, Morristown, N. J,, has summarized experiments conducted during the last 5 vears on the internal application of chemical. solutions to living elm trees. The vrincipal purpose of the tests was to develop an efficient and economical means of killing woodland elms without subsequent attack by bark beetles. An effective method of application has been developed and good results have been obtained with sodium arsenite, cupric chloride, cupric nitrate, ammonium bifluoride, and cupric sulfate. It was possible to get the allotted dossge into a tree during every month of the year, provided the solution did not.freeze. However, only in those months in which elms are in foliaze was it possible to obtain 200d distribution of the solution through the tree, During the dormant season some of the so- lutions moved into the stump and roots but did not rise more than 15 feet above the point of application, In tne first 2 weeks of the foliar seasm the movement was very rapid but for the most part upward, Such rapid up- ward movement often led to poor treatment of the stump and roots, and > when certain chemicals were used sprouting occurred below the point of treatment. During the latter part of the foliar season the solutions moved unward and downward satisfactorily. The distribution of the chemi- cal within the tree was determined in the case of trees into which cupric sulfate and sodium arsenite solutions were injected. This was accomplished by analyses of increment core samples, leaves, and small twigs, The out- standing results of these analyses were as follows: (1) There was no cor- relation between concentration of chemical and bark—beetle attack; (2) from 80 to 90 percent of the chemical was found in the outer’4 inch of a radial increment core, (3) during the first month after trestment an aversge-of 38 percent of the chemical was in the bark and l year after treatment this average had increased to 57 percent; and (4) a considerable portion of the chemical was lost in the falling folisge. In the case of trees treated with the heavier dosages of sodium arsenite solution there was enough of tne chemical in the falling leaves to kill the succulent undergrowth. Sodium arsenite was the most effective chemical used in the experiments. The minimum effective dosage of the commercial concentrate containing 6 pounds of arsenic trioxide and 2 pounds of sodium hydroxide was found to be 0,06 cc. per square foot of bark area: Une heif this dosage readily killed elm trees and reduced the subsequent bark—beetle de- velopment from 90 to 95 vercent over corresvonding cnecks, When applied in dosages of from 0.03 to 0.06 cc. per square foot of bark area the sodium arsenite concentrate did not anne=sr to be repellent to bark—beetle adults, as did the other effective chemicals used; however, it was toxic to the bark-beetle brood. The most objectionable quality of sodium ar- senite is its high toxicity to man and animals. Penetrating sorays in whitebark vine.--The nossibility of using pene- trating spravs as a means of controlling the mountain pine beetle in white- bark pine is reported by A. L,. Gibson, of the forest insect laboratory at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Althoush the effectiveness of these sprays against en the same insect in lodgevole pine has been demonstrated, it was not until last season that similar control was obtained from experiments conducted in whitebark pine. The results came as somewhat of a surprise, as the supposedly more resistant bark and the much cooler environment of white- bark pine were expected to present a more difficult control problem, How- ever, experiments with two formulae, conducted on Mt, Washburn, in Yellow- stone Netional Park, indicate satisfactory control even against brood in trees recently attacked, where bark bark that is still green or moist offers high resistance to penstration by the spray. GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL Satisfactory progress of gynsy moth work during January.--Gypsy moth. work progressed without interruption because of weather conditions: during the first half of January, with two exceptions. Most of the crews working in Vermont and Massachusetts preferred to work on January 7 because of the extremely low temperatures, and some crews in Connecticut and Pennsylvania also suspended work on thet date, Again, about the middle of the menth, subzero temveratures accompanied by high winds caused much discomfort. to the workers and the discontinuance of work in some sections, This was fol- lowed oquickly by moderating temperatures and a driving’ snow and sleet storm that coated trees and roads with ice, The storm was not sufficiently in-. tense to interfere seriously with thinning and brush-disposal work in the Vermont and Massachusetts sections of the barrier zone, but scouting was im mediately discontinued when the i¢e coating prevented the thorough examina- tion of trees and shrubs for egg clusters, end in Connecticut was so severe thet all field work was temporarily discontinued, Another severe storm near the end of the month resulted in a fall of dry snow ranging in depth. from 6 or 8 inches in northern Vermont to 14 inches in western Massachusetts and Connecticut. -This storm did not seriously hamper gypsy moth work, as it started on Friday after most of the crews had completed their work schedule for the week. : Netional Defense vrogram draws many gypsy moth workers.--It is becom-— ing increasingly difficult to obtain a sufficient number of W, P. A. workers to accomplish the gypsy moth work planned for the present. fiscal. year in many localities. The labor situation is especially serious in Con necticut, where increased activity in the manufacturing centers reouires increasing numbers of men; and also in Pennsylvania, where W,..P.-A, employ-— ment officials are continually transferring men to training vrojects con- nected with the National Defense progran. Results of gypsy moth scouting work in Vermont.—-Addison County: A special crew of agents working on summer-residence proverties bordering Lake Dunmore, in Salisbury Township, destroved several egs clusters while en- gaged in the disposal. of brush accumulated at the center of a small gypsy moth infestation discovered esrlier in the season, “Much of the growth around the shores of the lske, particularly in the infested area, includes a substantial percentage of trees favorable for gypsy moth development. Oaks and poplars, esvecially favored by the insect, are abundant and com- ‘prise some of.the best shade trees surrounding the cottages. - Several -scat- tered e22 clusters were elso found and creosoted in Bristol Township. Stay Bennington County; The crew scouting in Manchester Township | continued to find and creosote ege clusters senttered through the woodland on the northerly slope of Equinox Mountain. A few egz clusters were also found in the northern se¢tion of Shaftsbury, bordering the Arlington Town line and: only a few miles southwest of the infested area in Manchester. Several scattered egz clusters were also creosoted in Pownal Township, in the south- west corner of the county, Franklin County: Scouting was begun in Mont- gomery Township early in December, but no indications of gypsy moth infes- tation have been found. Lamoille County: No additional infestations have been found recently in Eden Township, Orleans County: No new infestations have recently been found in Lowell Township. Rutland County: Numerous widely scattered egg clusters were recently located in Brandon Township, one of the northernmost towns in Rutland County... Most of the egg clusters were found in the vicinity of small infestations discovered last year along the eastern border of the township. The control work at the Brandon infes- tation last year was confined to the ereosoting of eggz clusters and the ~ crushing of larvae and pupae found under burlap bands, as the necessity of spraying more important infestations with the limited equipment available prohibited the spraying of the Brandon colanies, Most of the new infesta— tions are located, as were the older colonies, on the precipitous and rocky slopes of a mountain ridge extending from the northern part of Rutland Coun- ty north across the entire aaa side of Addison County and into Chitten- den County, : * : Gypsy moth infestations reduced by unfavorable weather.--Scsuting crews working in the the Massachusetts section of the barrier zone continued to find numerous scattered gypsy'moth egg clusters, although in some lo- calities the number of new ege clusters “apoeared to be substantially de- creased from numbers.found last year, No svidence of new egs clusters could be found in several areas where old hatched egg clusters were in evi- dence, which indicates that the larval mortality was unusually high during the long period of unseasonably cold and wet weather late last spring and early in the summer, With few exceptions the new egz clusters found to date occur sinzly, and in many instances are widely separnted. A large num— ber of broken egg clusters was found as a result of .an ice storm during the week ended December vat and which was particularly severe throughout Berk- shire County, Mass,, and in the mountainous areas of northwestern Connecti- cut. Additional cee met be necessary to eliminate tne infestations where the broken egg clusters occur, as the severed portions and individual eggs fall to the ground and cannot be found in the forest debris,. Woodlots scouted in advance of losging operations.—-White birch is being cut on a timber lot consisting of severel hundred acres in Lanesboro Township, Berkshire County, Mass., and also from a lot of equal size in Florida Township, also in Berkshire County, ‘The timber is transported to wood—working mills in Bennington, Vt., and Berlin, N, Y, Gypsy moth scout— ing is done in both lots well in advance of the cutting operations, which will be conducted throughout the winter, so that all egz clusters may be destroyed by creosote before the los are heuled to the mills, thereby eliminating the possibility of spreading 2zvpsyv moth infestation to unin- fested localities, Several ege clusters have already been found scattered through the woodlots,. -~18- Gypsy moth work in progress in Pennsylvania,--By the middle of Janu- ary eypsy moth scouting work in the Pennsylvania area was being conducted in 14 townships, 7 of which are Located in Lackawanna County, 4 in Luzerne County, 2 in Monroe County, and 1 in Carbon County. Gypsy moth infestations have been found in each of the towns, many of them consisting %f only a ‘few ‘scattered exg clusters. Thinning work at infested locations was being done by 26 crews of laborers who. succeeded in disposing of large quantities of brush and other useless wood that had been gathered and. piled. for burning desvite considerable unfavorable weather. Gyosy moth scouting and thinning work was also done by 14 National Youth Administration crews and by 1 crew provided by the Department of Public Assistance. ee eters work done ne gypsy moth scouts, —-—-Two experienced reeular eynay moth employees were recently detailed to reexamine some of the wood- land. previously scouted by W. P. A, workers in the Pennsylvania area, as a check. on the efficiency of the crews.. It was found that most of the in- tensive scouting work was satisfactory. C. fC, C. syosy moth work during January,--A total of 6,320 6-hour ~ man-days was used by the C. C,. ©. on gypsy r moth work east of the barrier zone under the supervision of this Bureau in January. Only Bue man—day s were used during the week ended January 4, while 1,631 man-days were used during the week ended January 25. A new enrollment period began on January 1, and the recent enrollees go through an orientation course to ‘acquaint them with camp routine and also must. be given special training in gypsy moth work before being released for actual service. The amount of work: accom- plished is necessarily reduced during these training periods and increases as the new men are turned over for field work, A holiday, snowstorms, icy Toad conditions, an epidemic of colds, and unfilled quotas at some of the camps also contributed to the small amount of work done during the first — part of January. The work consisted of scouting, selective thinning Ofna favored food plants, and brush disposal. The brush is usually burned along the roadsides, but is often scattered and left to deteriorate in other sec- tions in order to reduce the cost of operations. No new heavy gypsy moth infestations were found during January. . Quarterly report and plans for future work distributed.--Copies of the report of C. 0, C, gyvosy moth work for the second quarter of the current fiscal year were distributed in January. . The date were given in the News Letter (v.VIIL, No, 2, p, 14, Feb, 1, 1941), The data are arranged by towns and camps, a report for each State is delivered to the State and Federal officials concerned, and sections pertaining to the various camps are sent to the camp superintendents and foremen, The latter sections are further broken down into colony records, which are of especial interest to the fore- men, - The maintainance of the detailed statistics necessary to provide these reports by colonies has proved useful in reducing the time consumed in ~ thinning, assembling, and burning work from 20.8 man-days ver acre for the last half of the fiscal year 1937 to 16.0 man-days per acre during the first half of the fiscal year asia» Unusually high costs at any. location is shown by the records, and corrective measures can be taken. Plans for C. C, G. eypsy moth work for the 17th and 18th periods, which begin on April 1, 1941, and end on March 31, 1942, were also distributed to the camp superintendents and State officials concerned. These plans are of assistance to the superin- tendents in planning the work for the entire camp, and the figures are often =e used without alteration, The amount of time »rovided for in the present set of plans will undoubtedly have to be revised, as information was re- cently received that the camp quotas are to be reduced from 206 to 167 en- rollees per camp, and all activities: will be reduced proportionally, Gyosy moth scouting to be done from camp in northern Vermont.--Arrange— ments have been meade to obtain C. ©. C. enrollee labor to do gyvnsy moth scouting work from a camp in northern Vermont. The men will be used to de-— termine the extent and density of gypsy moth infestation in the vicinity of the eamp, which is locsted north of the area where present gyosy moth work is conducted, and across the Connecticut River in New Hamoshire, Suver- vision will be nrovided by the transferral of experienced men from another Vermont camo where gypsy moth work is done, and the scouting program will be so arranged that it will not interfere with construction work now in progress at the camp. Gyosy_ moth control measures applied by private property owner.--Added evidence of the cordial relationships existing between. property owners and C, C, C, gyosy moth workers was reported by a gypsy moth foreman in a Ver- mont camp. The foreman examined a recently purchased tract of 150 acres of timberland with the new owner and recommended the measures best suited to control the gypsy moth in the stand. Since that time. the owner has employed several laborers to thin out the growth favorable for gynsy moth development, and he plans to follow this work with the planting of tree species resistant to gyosy noth. This will directly benefit both the property owner and the eypsy moth work as a whole, and demonstrates the oracticability of csonera- tive work. PLANT DISEASE CONTROL Barberry bushes found on 30 properties in Nebraska in 1941,--When field work was suspended in Nebraska about December 15 because of severe temperatures and considernble snow, areas comprising 14, 325 square miles had been covered with an intensive survey during 1940. Twenty-two new properties were found infested with barberry bushes and seedlings and es-— caped bushes were found on 8 of the 204 old properties reinspected, The following table shows the trend of survey and eradication in Nebraska dur- ing the 5-year period 1936-40, : : ? Time ised 3 : Area : Average Wear = wabor $ Area ; per :Properties !surveyed per:bushes per P wsed. ; surveyed :saquare miles found : PRONeT bya we PEOpen uy $ Hours :Square miles: Hours : Number :Squsre miles: Number Bees T7971: (7,930 SEG) | 30 SS ciel By, ill 1937----: 62,980! 7,639 ae |) 8 We — 106.00 : 6.87 19 38——---: 50,343: 6,379 Siew SO Ory ne 29 220K 00) : 2.65 1939----; 47,921: 13,705 po eierey 39 see © 2,82 194G----; 56,191: 14,325 i OO aS 30 4 0) : 2.10 Progress in barberry eradication in Illingis .1 1940.--Field activities for 1940 were confined to three areas that will be discussed separately. The methods of survey consisted of the same practices that had been used for 20 = several years on intensive survey. local workers were organized into crews of six to eight men eacn, under the direction of. a foreman. Two or more such crews were used in a county under the direction of one super- visor, One assistant State leader took charge of three or more county groups. All scouting was of the intensive type. One group of counties in eastern. Illinois was given the initial intensive survey. These included Champaign, Macon, Dovglas, Moultrie, Coles, Edgar, end Shelby, where a farmstead and city survey had been made in 1925, One group in western Illinois, including Pike, Brown, Hancock, and McDonough Counties, was given an intensive survey, These differ from the eastern counties in that they contain a. large amount of timbered land, Severel infested areas known to exist in these counties had been reinsnected once since the first farmstead survey in 1924-26. Because of the tovography and. the size of the timbered, areas,. progress there was much slover than in counties com- prising the first grouv. A tnird group in north-central Illinois, -repre- senting a region in which rather extensive areas of infestetion have existed and in which no work had been done for 5 to 7. years, demanded further attention, An intensive survey was conducted in the portions of the counties in which barberries had been numerous in the past, These counties are La Salle, Marshall, Putnam, and Rock Island. They had had an original farmstead survey in 1923-24 and a reinspection of escaped areas in 1927-28, The results of the intensive survey are indicated in the fol- lowing tables, piles Table 1.--Summary of survey activities for calendar vear 1940, by proverties $$ erer= “couse miles an——* New PEOpEBUBES : Old properties Counties, scentagerInitial: Sub- E eS rercentage SL et 2 7 ee ee in E of county: survey: sequent :Namber:Planted: aeoanee or:¥ruiting: Number : Barbe erries,: Seed~: Fruiting Illinois.; ‘scovered: =: _: survey :found : bushes! seedlines: bushes t:inspected:sll kinds slings: bushes GROUP I: : ; : : : ; : 3: Ce _ oxniign alae ‘ Eastern: : Sn ee gk 5 : : : ‘ a . Champatgn=-—-: 36 : 380. : : ie ise ee boat | 7 ARee oT ie : 2.8 62 ieee 16 ° F OW e AD 6 TOO mOm @) Be aa ; HO =a = —~ i= fe { 3 2 Ae oa tale HIG) : 0 6) @) a ~ LO OOO. OlOE© owe —~] ND 3} e oO (DhjWw) Do! LO cy fe] (0) GP No) Hidiaa p= ——=——— : fe % Or gi oar 2) : ik Macon-~------ me 4G. PF VLOGS s pl 07 ee NOR Oe ae elmer oes ait ONE: aT Moultrie-----: 100 :, 338: : Cie all : 8) ‘ WOO)! 8 : : ol > 5,2 eon ete Semi ———" eee es SS pin ree ee sda wii : @) : == ae SS Subtotal---—-: == ele IOS Ss we) aa xe) ~ OY SN = yi hn Av) = nN ass jn © i= = nN = < oo i a a ee er ee Se re ee enn ee oS ee ee SI eS GHOUP-II: °: : =~ mee one : ae : : cae : : : Western. 3 : Leh ne embers on So ee (aac schon ee : : 7 UI — WL pe) 2) a oO Lo ) ® © WI oO Ul Oo = CQ Ld re) | Hancock-—7--—2 {0 ‘ MeDonough-—--: yo: Ou. BOY OSS) oO Subtotal=-~-: CHSC 2 SU aaa a ea North-central: +. (racine (ono wanaracin 1 LaSalle------ : Dink Mar shal]—---—-— Putnam---=---: Rock Islend--; 6 ° * a » e ° OY ne) OO Oo © oO fe S) =f eee ae) 17) est —~J UI ~~ ey i cae se lee Subtotal———-— t----- TeLOY eee T 9°78 ©) I+ Tey 0g ang - Suche Aelia leet ue) OU in Oe tee Ga Om UO mee mee seen pets] yoo. Ott) * IIT Gaal 7 ea Tos sO te G6 ie ST ee a ey Se a Deer” eae eee =} ¢---~--Weu gag eit “O0c 4 CGiee eS eee aPeste S$ TSn “SOS Gr sa peUOk sami ro G2 3+ LL Cys Ley OG6‘T = B66 : Cem Ole soous ae oO 8° E216 SAgtae a #7°GG saeet Te i-—->-aT LUgey Speers! | : 3 ; : : : 5 f : ¢ #[b14Ues—Y4 2O}T . ; P r : * : ; , “ 2 2III qnow Boe ono te : : 6 3 - : : : Bh st - Te9.04.qQNg 3 : H 3 (G\om : oboe HL i ————— --eAT? Pais =) : fw aw FC SS : ea 0 $-—-Yotwouo4q ay] C) 2 Se lc ee EGS ee ait : $ a iech- = = Ee 3 3----oo0ouvy ©) a : : O* = Ors eee Ones QO > QO°OOT : T Saaremaa Ok 20 5 t : : H : : : 4 : H sULe4S OM : : : : ; 3 : : : + II anouwy OS Er ae oe: : : $-—Tt703.GNg CE ee ee ee ee ee 0 orp a AQTSUS ia : G ; ) : Q % Oeen ells I : (glee he Mop ioVeiEe = © @) : T soon e TL TOW Ce ee OG re 2 Ons = 0 2 = O-0CL- a a Ors 0; O0R 20, comma aaa nose Gh oe se OrOGeue = Oe VOLOG.s= 4O10G 2 —¢ Ones Omit FAO} ONS) G $e = de Oh : sie et} ; Oy S Omens Gh Ge 2 H°Gh +) 9°nG 2 7°Si7 ¢ Ue teeter oe SvTsno0g 210) : 1 ; 6) te Ole OPO (oes il > O°OR = QO > O°OOT * OT permease oe 1819 Gt = gee Oo ayes OG = VOSOL 2) 6749 3. “Od O's (8 “Gee. SoS rel 3 —-- ue Tedmeyg : : 3 : hae aes : : : $ 3 2UL84S vy H : : $ : : : 3 3 : : =I dhowd spunog + roqumjr : : : : 2 goqumny ¢ Z : 3 fequnit s psAo0r4s? Saysnqg sSsuT[s SOUSNQqssousng sSputy [[esseysngsscul[peds 3% 3 + STOUTTLI posn 73 -op Acres} Number :Man-days: } Number Northeastern----~----- ; fee O21? 10,930,821? 139,sho: pfie 5 Southern Appalachian-? Baar LP SH OME NOO Ws 2S .1 728 52.0 North Central-------- ee Se Oia Mi WOM as G1. SOOM uy OO Western white pine---; 115,608; 20,210,954: 144,090: 176.0 Sugar pine----------- cal tarda ne 18, ea a 158,984: 107. — otal CHL Relral GeNGl 7 yee 536.0208) 1). sce Includes large areas found to be Ribes—free. — Bushes found per acre on Ribes—bearing areas only. During the active season, from May to November, satisfactory progress was made on this project. in the western white pine region, Mr, Swanson reports that for the Inland Empire, exclusive of work on National Parks 34,743 acres were worked initially and £0,865 acres were reworked, making a total of 115,608 acres worked during 1940. This represents an increase of 12,226 acres over the 1939 accomplishments. UndvanasnOnesters Ce@onerete with Ay A, A. anvblister rust control.— Oscar J, Dowd, in charze 0f blister rust control work in Ohi> and Taaccaee attended a conference on white pine blister rust control in connection with the Indiana A, A, A. forestry program 9n February 7 at Indianapolis, Indi- ana foresters and representatives of the A, A. A, program in Indiana at- tended the conference. White nine is highly regarded as a reforestation tree in Indiana and discussion and questions from committeemen living in Various parts of the State brought out’ the fact that 7O percent of all trees used for reforestation in Indiana are conifers, Conifers are pre- ferred because exnerience has shown that ‘they will grow on eroded planting sites where hardwood plantings fail. 1t was stated by Paul Yost, associate forester of the Division of Conservation, that 60 percent of the conifers planted in the State are white pine. T. E. Shaw, extension forester of Purdue University, stressed the rapid growth rate of white vine, the fact that it is native in parts of the State, and that farmers want aD plant it for windbreaks and forest plantings. Wild Ribes are rare but not entirely absent south of Indianapolis and are fairly abundent in northern Indiana, excent in dry upland oak woods. Open weather in January aids Ribes eradication,—--Because of the open weather in January, it was vossible to continue Ribes eradication in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennesses, Virginia, and West Virginia, A total of 75,147 acres was worked during the month. This includes 5,000 acres of crew or scout workeand 70,147 acres of “binckout," or areas found to be free of Ribes. A total of 118,949 Ribes, both wild ond cultivated, were eradicated with an 2 expenditure of 12, 405 man-hours of lebor, In January 1940 only 11, 041 acres was worked and 58,4375 Ribes eradicated. COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATIONS The pink bollworm situation in the Big Bend.--The sensonal infesta- tion and popul>titn of pink bollworms entering hibernetion in the Big Bend of Texas during the 1940- UT season has contimed very low, At the last green—boll examinations made in the vicinity of Presidio during the latter part of October in 18 identical fields for which con arable records are available for 1939, an average -of 44 percent of the bolls were found t9 be infested, as compsred with 67 percent in 1939. However, more bolls per plent were present: at thet time than last season and the worm population per acre was estimated to be 30,657 in 1g9ho, or practically the seme as the 29,153 found in 1939. eS the upper end of the’ valley above the mouth of the Sonchos River there was a still greater reduction in population of een bolls, with an averege of 15,086 worms per acre this season, as com ared with 29,363 in 1939 in 7 identical fields, The importance »f these reductions is shown by compsrison with populations sf 150,000 to 200,900 lervae per acre during the heavy infestetions of 1935-37. The freeze that occurred during the middle of Novesaer 1940 killed approximately 95 percent of the worms in the succulent bolls and still further reduced the number of worms entering hibe nation. The fields were cleaned by the Division of Pink Bollworm and Thurberia Weevil-Control this fall, as part 2f the 2-year plan, by cutting and burning. the stalks in all-fields and hand-collecting the shattered bolls and squares in some of the more heavily infested fields. Examinations were made after the clean-up in representative fields by men- ers of the Presidio, Tex,, Inboratory, to determine the overwintering pink bollworm population remaining in the soil and in-the surface debris. A comparison of the overwintering worm population remaining after the clean- up iin different environments.in 27 representative fields »2f the Presidio Valley in 1940 with that of 1939 is shown in the following table. nada rs « a ie tAversge larvae per square yard in--: Larvae Sye :Surface trash: Soil 3: Total : per acre : Number :Nunber: Number : Number 19 39------- : 0,46 + 2,69! 3.15 = 15, 2k6 1940------- : 3 > 1,83 : 2,16 - 10,454 In examining the surface trash-this year a record was kept of the nunm- ber Of larvae found in bolls and locks of cotton and in the squares, blooms, and leaf trash, . Aoproximately 16 vercent of the larvae above ground were - found in the bolls and locks of cotton and 84 percent in the squares, blooms, and leaf trash. Examinetions made in 17 identical fields to determine the number of worms remaining in the bolls ané locks of cotton before and after the field were cleaned showed that aporoximetely 75 percent of the over-— wintering surface population had been destroyed in the clean-up. ~The clean- up did not reduce the number of -larvae hibernating in the soil, but growers were =ncrurazed to plow, irrigate, and plant winter crops on the most heavily infested fields. Investigations have shown that these cultural practices aa greatly increase the winter mortality, and a very 1 ght carry-over into next season is expected, Several factors s are aes ev reds to be responsible for the extrenely favorable si tuation in the Big Bene A very heavy infes- tation had built uz in 193/ enc, as the fields were ee cleaned that fall, over 300,000 larvae per acre were estimated as going into hi eae ent The expected hesvy carry-over did not develop in 1938,°as a coOnsiderahle acreage of cotton was flooded by overflows of the Rio Grande during July and Septem ber, killings a Jarze number. of worms anc permitting the crop to.he picked early and the fields cleaned early that fall. Asa result, the larval popu- lation remeining, in the fields was estimated at-10,112 ver acre. In 1939 Celeved. planting as a part of the elias plan was eaerd ed: cut for -the first pee. However, withholding of late irrigations,; a dry fall, and defoliation by cotton leaf worms. caused an early ie se of the crop,-ana. the number of hiberna tine larvae remaining in the fields after the clean-up was esti- nate a at 15, 2u6 per acres the infestation developed slowly in 1940, owing to the light carry-over and to a heavy rain and hail at the critical tine of spring moth emer sete in May. The planting of quick-maturing varieties, a dry season, and defoliation. ty. laaf worms again caused an early maturity of the crop,-.and a ae the clean-up the larval population remaining in the fielés was about the same as the low point reached in 1936, A new host.pleant of the. ata bollworn,--Two pink Dollworm moths emerged in November and December 1940 from flower buds and green seed cap- sules of the wild mallow. (Pseudabutilon lozani R, 4, Fries) which were col- lected and caged in Novenher 1940 by C. A, Richmond and yan Shiller, The A @ capsules collected in the vicinity of infested cottonfields at Ra on Noventer-1, and the second emerged from. 1,500 pain UES A sules collected at Monte Christo, Hidslgo County, end La Paloma and Ranger- ville, Cameron County, Tex., between November 1 and ae: The noths found in the cases were identified by Ienacio Moreno, of the Brownsville, Tex., lab- oratory, and verified by J. F. Gates Clerke, oe the Division of Insect Iden- I first moth emerged on November 19 from.50 flower buds ana ae ngzery DUES tification. It is thought that these are the irst records of vink boll- worm =ree@ding-in P. lozani under natural rai Under artificial con- Citions at the Presidio, Tex., laboratory the pare) pelea has: been found: to feed-on the seed capsules of P. lozani, -In-1l test -L,:W, Nohle placed. 2 e Dink hollworm ef2s 9n fs and later recovered 1 mature fourth— instar larva and 4 immature lary ae, In another test he release@ 45 pairs of moths in a field cage that had been-plsced over a-P, SSS es So On Novenner 4, 1940, 4S9 seed cansules-.were ee this -caze and‘in each of 3 pods pyeee was foune 1 third-instar. larva of the pink bollworm, The plants on which th vase tests were conéucted:. were grown from seed from. the lower Rio Grande Valley, as this plant. is not- known t9 oecur naturally in the Presidio Valley. In Hanson's "The Melvaceous Plents of Texas" (Tex. - Aor. fit, Sta, Cir. 22) this plent is recorded as Wissedula lozani (Rose) Fries anc the cistritwtion ziven ass. "Mesquite woods, southwestern Texas, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, Mission, Laredo, San Antonio, Uvalée," Per- sonnel of the Brownsville. laboratory have found it in Cameron, Willac; Kenedv, Hidalso, Nueces, Starr, Zapata, Uvalde, Duval, Webr,.and Maverick. Counties, Tex,, and in the State of Tanaulipas, » -Mexico, from near -the-mouth of the Rio Grande to a distance. of 125 miles west. P,-lozani is a perennial that grows rather abundantly in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas-and Mexico onp>rushlané, along fence rows and railroad traeks, anc on other waste 3 ~26~ land. Under favorable conditions it fruits throughout the year but more abundantly in the spring and fall. Its importance as a host of the pink bollworm has not been determined and it is not known whether the pink boll- worm would maintain itself on this plant in the absence of cotton. PINK BOLLWORM AND THURBERIA WEEVIL CONTROL Destruction of sprout and volunteer cotton.--Under the control pro- gram for the eradicetion of the pink bollworm in the lower Rio Grande Val-— . ley, cotton plants are destroved immediately after the cotton crop is har-~ vested, in an effort to create a starvation period for the pink bollworm. However,. climatic conditions in that region are so favorable to the growth of cotton that any lateral roots left in the ground after plowing will sprout and produce fruit throughout the year. This makes it imperative to carry on an intensive campaign for the destruction-‘of sprout cotton from fall until early spring, in order to vrevent the fruiting of sprouts and the consequent build-up of the pink bollworm prior to the fruiting of the spring crop. This activity was continued through January with good re- sults. Heavy frost end freezing temveratures on January 18, 19, and 20 killed anproximatelvy 90 pereent of the cotton sprouts over the lower Rio Grande Valley. So far as is known, all fruiting sprouts had been removed prior to this subnormal temperature, but the freeze undoubtedly killed back anv. plants that might have been overlooked and will prevent the fruiting of any plants within the near future. During the last few days in January heavy rains were received over most of ths lower valley, amounting almost to flood conditions in some sections; however, only a light precipitation ~ was received in the vicinity of Brownsville end in the Matamoros area of Mexico, which was the most heavily infested area in the valley in 1939, Control program in the Big Bend,--Field clean-up is conducted each ~ year in the Presidio-Ojinags aren of the Big Bend of Texas and Mexico, im- mediately after cotton is picked, as one of the -orincipal measures for pink bollworm suppression, Cotton picking in the Presidio Valley was completed in December, and field clean-up ectivities were completed on January ll, Eraor: to its completion A campaign was started to interest farmers in win- ter plowing and irrigation of fiélds thet. showed a high number of pink boll- worms, such fields being determined by the DG eho of Cotton Insect In- vestigations throuch surface tresh and soil examinations, The host-free period thus created’ will be carried through until late spring by preventing the fruiting of any sprout cotton that may develop in the interim and by delaying the planting of the 1941 crop about a month later than usual.’ This delayed planting will. bring cotton into fruit after the peak of moth emer- gence in the spring, resulting in a high mortality: of the pink bollworm. Farmers on. both sides of the Rio Grande anpenr desirous of putting forth every reasonable effort to sid in this work, This can be easily. understood when the material benefits thet have accrued to them as a result of this program are realized, At the time this plan was put into effect: in the Presidio-Ojinaga area of the Big. Bend, in the fall of 1938, farmers were losing. on ean average, 50 percent or more of their cotton.crop through pink ‘bollworm ravages, In 1939 infestation had been so reduced-that no damage was present in the crop, and records. for the present season show: a still greater reduction, — Soe Control measures in lower end of the Juarez Valley of Mexico, --In- spection of the 1940 cotton crop in the Vado de Cedillos and Banderas sec- tions of the lower end of the Juarez Valley of Mexico, showed a considerable increase in pink bollworm infestation, This region is really a continua- tion of the Big Bend, with very similar climatic and cultural conditions, Consequently, regulations were promulgated by the Mexican Department of Agriculture, for reducing the vink bollworm infestation in that area, iden- tical with those which have proved successful in suppressing the heavy in- festation in the Presidio-Ojinaga area of the Big Bend, Clean-up of fields was delayed during Janusry on account of weather conditions, and was then further delayed because the farmers were required to cooperate in main- tenance of irrigation canals. The irrigation system is a cooperative pro- ject, and during each winter the farmers are required to donate time and equipment in cleaning out the cenals that serve their farms, and it is _hecessary to plsce the canals in good condition before water is available, However, practically all of the area had. been cleaned by the middle of Jan- uary, and by the end of the month most of the acreage had deen plowed and irrigation was progressing rapidly, with the promise of early completion, As an indication of the cooperation and interest of the farmers. in the lower Juarez Valley, some 1,390 acres of land in excess of the acreage placed under regulation, was voluntarily cleaned, plowed, and irrigated by the farmers immediately adjacent to the area required to be cleaned, Wild-cotton eradication in Florida,—--In 1932 it was found that wild cotton, which grows abundantly in southern Florida, was heavily infested with the pink bollworm, and efforts were begun to eradicate this dangerous @otton insect through the elimination of its host plent., Good success has attended the efforts of the Bureau in this undertaking, and both plants and infestation have been greatly reduced, With the exception of two Bureau crews operating from houseboats, all of the wild-cotton eradication work this season is being carried on by W. P, A, personnel and C. C, C. enrollees, Wild-cotton work was going forward during the period in the Cape Sable region, where the ©, 0, C, Camp is located, on the west coast of Florida in practically all counties from and including Hillsborough to Florida Bay, and on the Mainland Kevs between Miami and Key West. With the exception of the Cape Sable area, most of the wild-cotton area hnd been covered once this season at the end of January, and the second cleaning was in progress in some sections, In some parts of the Cape Sable area conditions for the work were not entirely favorable, owing to excessive rains, following which mosquitoes became so troublesome as to handicap the work, For the period approximately 5,300 acres were covered, from which were removed 13,869 plants with mature bolls, 160,836 seedlings, and 314 sprout plants, TRUCK CROP AND GARDEN INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Effectiveness of metaldehvde bait against slugs.--A, H, Bonn, of the Forest Grove, Oreg., laboratory, reports the results of observations indi- Cating the effectiveness of metaldehyde bait azainst the gray garden slug (Aeriolimax agrestis Haig, ig made late in November and early in December 1940 in fields of vetch and Austrian winter field peas in the Willamette Valley. The fields were being severely damaged by the slugs. These observations, made in cooperation with L, P, Rockwood and M, M, Reeher, of the Division of Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations, showed that the mortality of slugs fron the use of metaldehyde bait was slizhtly less than 50 percent for Bee Washington County as a whole. Counts were made in 1 field where the bait had been distributed by placing large handfuls & to 10 feet apart one way and about 12 feet apart the other. As many as 200 dead or para- lyzed slugs were counted on or about.some of the piles.of bait, but counts for the entire field indicated a total mortality of only about 43 percent, The bait used consisted of bran or bran and apple pomace, with 3 percent of metaldehyde. The low mortality of slugs obtained -from applying this bait during the outbreak was probably due to the high relative humidity fol- lowing the applicetion, thus sufficiently retarding the rate of body desic- cation to permit full recovery of a large percentage of the paralyzed slugs, Toxicity of triethanalamine dinitroorthocvclohexylvhonate to wire- worms,--C. EH, Woodworth, of the Walla Walla, Wash., laboratory, reports that the triethanalamine dinitroorthocyclohexylphonate salt proved very toxic to wireworm larvae (principally Limonius canus Lec, and L. californicus (Mann.)) when they were submerged in water to which had been added small quantities of this chemical. However, it was found that the mortality of the wire- worms was very low when thev were placed, in soil that had been treated with a water mixture containing this chemical. When the wireworms were subd- merged in a solution consisting of 350 parts of. the chemical per million ports of water, they were killed in 4 hours or less, When the soil was treated at rates of 19 cc. and 100 cc. of. the chemical per cubic foot the larval mortality at the end of 4 days was negligible, whether the wireworms remained in the treated soil or in the soil above or below it. To deter- mine the role of the soil in decreasing the toxicity of this chemical, lar- val mortality was determined by submerging wireworms in solutions of the chemical originally mixed so as to contain 350 parts per million but which had passed through the soil, The results of this series of tests showed a larval mortality of 60 percent, after the larvae were submerged for 8 hours in a liquid obtained by filtering the drainage fron soil saturated with 2 parts of the solution to 1 part of soil. Larval mortality was 75 ' percent after the test insects had been submerged for 8 hours in the liq- uid obtained by filtering the drainage resulting from the use of a vacuum pump in pas Ap- parently this chemical acted as a contact poison but readilv lost its toxic qualities upon coming in contact with the soil. Deterioration of cube mixed with carriers,--N, F. Howard and R, A, Fulton, in reporting the results of an experiment conducted at Columbus, Ohio, conclude that there was no deterioration of the rotenone-deguelin content of ground cube root mixed with a finely ground diatomaceous earth, Georgia tale, and hvdrated lime, with sulfur, after these dust mixtures had been prepared and stored at room temperatures in stonnered, amber- colored bottles for 2 vears, They also found only -sLight deterioration ‘in the rotenone-deguelin content when the ground root had been mixed with mono- hydrated conper sulfate-hydrated lime and. stored under similar conditions for a period of 1 year... However, after being.stored for 2 years in glass Petri dishes in a greenhouse the cube mixed with monohydrated copper sul- fate-hydrated lime, hydrated lime, and Georgia tale, had deterisrated 20 to ~29— 35 percent, but the mixtures with diatomaceous earth and with sulfur had deteriorated only 15 percent. The rate of deterioration of rotenone- deguelin in a cube-bordeaux mixture was found to be 5O percent after 3 months, 50 percent after 18 months, and ohly 55 percent after 24 months, All of the- dust mixtures used were originally compounded to contain 1 per- cent of rotenone, being prepared from a cude root powder analyzed as contain- ing 5.7 percent of rotenone and 24.5 percent of total extractives, The cube-— bordeaux mixture originally contained 0.015 perceyt of rotenone; and was stored in a clear bottle at room temperatures, The amount of deterioration of the rotenone-—deguelin content was determined-at intervals during storage of the mixtures by the use of a colorimetric method of analysis. Fumigation of infested narcissus bulbs with methyl bromide.--In pre- liminary tests conducted by F, S. Blanton, of the Babylor, N. Y., laboratory, effective control of the bulb fly Merodon sp, was obtained by fumigating in-— fested narcissus bulbs with methyl bromide. A larval mortelity of 100 per- cent was obtained by fumigating with a dosage of 24 pounds of methyl bromide per 1,000 cubic feet of space with a 4~hour exposure. In 3 tests receiving this treatment a total of 268 infested bulbs were treated and all of the lar- vae were killed. To determine any possible e*fects of this treatment upon the bulbs, a number of healthy bulbs were subjected to this treatment and then planted in the field, while some receiving the treatment were saved for forcings in the greenhouse. . INSECTS AFFECTING MAN AND ANIMALS Ranch-management, screwworm-prevention program,--Trapping surveys and the contacting of ranchmen in regard to winter screwworm cases were con- tinued during January by D. ©. Parman, H, M. Brundrett, and W. L. Barrett, of the Uvalde, Tex,, laboratory. Mr. Barrett also assisted county agents in Uvalde and Kinney Counties in presenting the program to meetings of ranch- men, Winter horse tick,--Tests were made on a number of horses in the Vicinity of Menard, Tex., by H, E, Parish, Rov Melvin; C. L. Smith, and BE, C, Cushing to determine the tickicidal value of some of the best new in- secticides for goat lice. Althouzh some of the new insecticides gave a good kill of the nymphs, none of them killed 100 percent of all stages of the ticks, Cattle grub control being started in Wyoming,--The active interest of Wyomine livestock owners in cattle grub control has manifested itself in the provision of funds for the initiation of a control project in the north-— ern part of Sheridan County, and an appeal through the State entomologist for assistance from this Division in getting the work started, In response to this request, F, C, Bishonp attended the Biennial Pest Control Conference of Wyoming at Laramie on January 24 and 25 and discussed the cattle grub and cattle louse problems, Following this conference, a survey trip was made in the northern éedze of Colorado and northward through Wromine to Sheridan, It is in Sheridan and Johnson Counties that most o* the active interest in grub control is manifest. At the call of the county agent, about 60 cattlemen met in Sheridan on January 27 and Margaret Greenwal¢, assistant State entomolo- gist, and F, C, Bishopp discussed cattle grubs and cattle lice, horse dots, -30- and other livestock-insect problems, “The following day a demonstration of the treatment with cube wash of cattle for grubs was staged before 15 local cattlemen at a ranch near Parkman, Wyo. This is the locality where the control work is being initiated. The original plans contempleted the treatment of about 15 thousand head of range cattle, but it is doubtful if systematic work will be carried out on such a large scale this year, The survey revealed the oresence of considershle numbers of the common cattle grub (H. lineatum (De Vill.)) in the backs of cattle in northern Colorado and across Wyoming, A few svecimens of the northern cattle grub (H. ovis (Deg.)) were taken at Casper, Buffalo, end Parkman. These were all young, indicating that this species reached the subcutaneous tissues of the backs several weeks later than did H, lineatum larvae, as is usual. The infesta- tion of animals raised on the Laramie Plains was relatively light. Some of the grubs in each of the localities visited were nearing maturity, indcicat-— ing that treatment should be bezun within a week or 10 days, - FORZIGN PLANT QUARANTINGS Citrus slack spot from Africa,--Phoma citricarpa McAlpine, known for years as the cause df a serious spotting of citrus fruits in China and Australia, has been reported to occur in South Africa more recently. On December 15 the funzus was found at New York on a grapefruit in stores from Durban, South Africa, As the spots are said to develop readily under storaze conditions, it is hoped that it will be vossible to detect the dis-. ease in any infected fruit reaching United States ports and to prevent its entry and estanlishment, at least so long as it occurs in cistant places only. | Accents on vigilance and cooperation,--Martin Johnson, acting as verifier opener and packer at the Aporaiser's store at Chicago, is evi- dently very thorouzh in his work and cooperates to the fullest extent with inspectors of this Division, as evidenced by his recent finding of rice straw in the padded lining of basket receptacles for china tea sets from the Orient. Heretofore the padding has always been of unrestricted material but Mr, Johnson took nothing for granted. Although the Bureau's representa- tive, F, 0, Dodc, to whose attention the straw was Yrought, failed to find any insects or diseases present, the instance serves to show the importance of eternal vigilance in such work, as well as the splendid cooperation we receive from the Customs personnel. Entomological intercentions of interest.--Two living larvae of the trypetid Anastrenhs fraterculus Wied.) were found at Boston on December 22, 1940, in grapefruit in stores fron Trinidad. Specimens of the mite Erio-— phves tulipae Keifer were found at Laredo, Tex,, on garlic in cargo from. Mexico, Livin af@vlts of the hostrichid Dinoderus bifoveolatus Woll, were intercepted at New York on January 4 in the stems of rattan in cargo from the Dutch East Indies, A livine larva of the trypetid Anastrepha mombin- praeoptans Sein was intercepted at Norfolk, Va., on January 4 in mango in quarters from Jamaica, A living specimen of the phycitida Anypsipyla uni- vitella Dyar was taken with Pithecellobium samen pods at the Inspection House, Washington, D, C,, on December 18, 1940, in mail fron Eeusdor, Six living larvae of the Mexican fruitfly (Anastrepha ludens (Loew)) were taken at Galveston, Tex,, on December 15, 1940, in an orange, in quarters from Mexico, Living larvae, pupae, and adults of the otitid Buxesta sororcula —3)— (Wied.) were found at Brownsville, Tex., on December 17, 1940, in green corn in baggage from Mexico. The scarabaeid Onthophasus marginatus Cast. was intercepted at New York on Sentember 16, 1940, with cotton waste in cargo from Cuba, A living adult of the bruchid Rhipibruchus picturatus (Fahr.) was taken at Hoboken on November 20, 1940, in the seed of Prosopis nigra in mail from Uruguay. A living adult of the chrysomelid Phaedon in- certum Baly was taken on q persimmon at Boston on November 17, 1940, in stores, from Janan. Living adults of the cucujid Laemotmetus rhizophagoides (Walk, ) were found at New York on September 2%, 1940) in bamboo lumber used as dunnage from Java. Pierce's "Manual of Dangerous Insects" lists this insect as being-injurious to dry rice and grain in Ceylon and Germany. Pathglogical interceotions of intereste—-seversl species of nematodes, including Aphelenchus avenae Bast, were found on January TH st New York in soil around a plant of Musa sp. in baggaze from Costa Rica, Bacterium citri Doidge was found on December 12 at Boston on gour limes in stores from India. Ceratostomella ulmi (Schwarz) Buism. was found in three lots of suspicious looking elm crating from England, collected at New York on October 28, on another on November 29, and on.a fifth lot on December 17, Colletotrichum orchidearum Allesch, with shorter and esvecially narrower spores than usual, was intercepted on October 18 at Hoboken on Phalaenopsis sp. from England, The same snecies was found on Ansellia africana, a new. host for ovr inter- “ception files, also from England, on October 19 at Hoboken, C. orchidearum var. odontogtossi Verol. & Cl,, agreeing unusually well with the authors! descrivtion, was intercepted on October 18 at Hoboken on Odontoglossum sp. from England. Diplodia henriquessiana Trav. & Snessa was intercepted on October 28 at Hoboken on Cattleya sp. from Peru. The fungus found ina iseased area of an avocado fron Mexico, interceoted on November 12 at Hi- dalgo, has been tentatively determined es Dothiorella sp. 3rinella longi- spora (Karst,) Sacc. was found on November 30 at Hoboken on decaying wood in bagesage from Brazil. Gloeosporium catileyae Sacc, & D. Sacc. was found on December |! at San Juan on Cattleya mendelli fron Colombia, Pestalozzia rhododendri (D. Sacc.) Guba was intercepted on November 28 and 29 at San Francisco on varieties of Azalea indica from Japan, Phomopsis magnoliicola Died, was intercepted on December 30 at Seattle on a magnolia from Japan. Phoma camelline Pass, was intercented on Janusryv 17 at Seattle on Camellia javonica from Japan. Trochila ilicis (Chev.) Rehm. was found on November 22 at New York on holly in mail from England. Uredo oncidii P. Henn. was found on October 30 at Hoboken on an orchid leaf in baggage from Brazil, and on November 27 at San Francisco on Oncidium lanceanum in mail from England. DOMESTIC PLANT QUARANTINES Many Federal agencies helped ¢ontrol'hoppers and crickets,—-In the 1940 campaigns aginst the grasshoppers and Mormon crickets substantial assistance was given to the Bureau by the Indian Service, the Civilian Con- servation Corps, the Division of Grazing of the Department of the Interior, the Soil Conservation Service, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Reclama- tion, and the Fish and Wild Life Service, Labor, equipment, materials, and transportation were contributed by these organizations of the Department of Agriculture and Interior, to the total value of over $30,000. Mormon cricket control in 1940,--During last senson, Mormon cricket control operations were conducted in cooperation with various State and eee Federal agencies, for crop protection.only, in 9 infested States, namely, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, Avproximately two-thirds of the cost of control was borne by the Bureau and one-third by the States, counties, and individuals, The control operations included power and hand dusting of more than 158,000 acres of infested lands, baiting of nearly 161,900 infested acres, and the operation of 1,602 mile-days of metal barrier, 961 mile-days of oil-on- water barrier, and 113 mile-days of trench barrier, It was estimated that these operations resulted in protecting 1,629,000 acres of crop lands, Areas infested with populations of Mormon crickets sufficient to cause crop damage- were conspicuously fewer in Montana and Wyoming in 1940 than in 1938. and 1939, Populations of Mormon crickets remain high in Nevada, and in rather limited areas in Idaho,..Oregon, and Washington, in spite of exten- sive control operations where crop protection has been adequate, However, infested areas, remote from crops, maintain a, source of supply for con- tinual reinfestation of crops. _ Methods and equipment in Mormon cricket control,-—-The outstanding development in Mormon cricket control last yesr was the increase in the use of power dusters and proportionate decrease in the use of hand dusters, as well as the increase in the use of sodium fluosilicate bait and the propor-— tionate decrease in the use of sodium arsenite dust, . Where Mormon crickets end grasshoppers .occur in the same area, both are satisfactorily controlled by ‘the use of sodium fluosilicate bait, Important improvements in equipment effected in the season's control of ‘hoppers and crickets were the develop— ment and use of a power bait mixer, a power bait svreader, and portable units for servicing and equipping bait .spreaders, also the designing. and installation of effective bait hoppers in Bureau-owned airplanes, Diseased oon trees being taken comin: ear ein phony” trees found in Georgia during. the 1940 field season, a total of nearly 61,000, have now been removed, with the excention of 1 tree in Stewart Opens Growers, on the whole, have cooperated well with the program, having themselves re- moved nearly one-third of all the peach trees found to be infected in Georgia during the inspection work of last season, In California good. progress is being made in taking out mosaic peach trees, @l1l known infected trees having been removed from San Bernardino County. There remain only — 3US known moseie trees now standing in California. These are on two proper- ties in the Hemet district of Riverside County, Abandoned trees in the Beaumont-Banning district are being removed by tractor, Peach growers in the Imperial district have organized to encourage the removal of neglected apricot, plum, and almond orchards. - Peach plantings in California,--According to a recent newspaper article, peach growers in the Yucaipa district, where 18,000 trees were re- moved last year because of mosaic infection, are replanting their orchards, 10,000 trees having been planted up to February 1, The new trees are being purchased in an area well removed fron mosaic infection. White-frinzed beetle control program discussed,--A conference at— tended by representatives from the office of the Chief of the Bureau and from two research divisions, 2s well as the control project workers, was held at Gulfport, Miss., on January 25 and 26, Careful consideration was given to the results of the control and research work from 1937 to the pea present time, and fron these results.a general work program for 1941 is being prepared, to be presented to the State cooverators for consideration, Certification requirements of white-frinced beetle guarantine modi- fied.—-In a revision of circular B, £. P, Q, 485, the Chief of the Bureau, on January 24, 1941, modified the restrictions of the white-frinzed beetle quarantine by waiving the certification requirements for a limited period on certain articles and materials. This modification apnlies to soil-free potatoes and sweetpotatoes until May 1, 1941, It anvlies to 5-v2.und packages of bird sand and bird gravel, and 5-pound quantities of ground peat, to orchids growing in Osmunda fiber, and to the fiber itself, until June 1, 1941. The methods under which the above articles and materials are produced and handled, or the avplicstion of control measures and the main- tenance of sanitation practices are such, it is believed, as to eliminate risk of spread of the beetle, ? Sweetpotato weevil infestation in another Alabama county.--An infes— tation of sweetvotato weevils was recently uncovered near Greenville, Butler County, Ala. The farm and all other properties in the vicinity were care- fullv insvected, and arrangements made to disvose of all infested stock and materials that might be exoosed to infestation, The county is also being designated as an eradication area. The infestation was traced to tenant movement 3 years ago of sweetpotatoes from an infested area in Louisiana. No weevils had heretofore been known to exist in Butler County. CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS Full—-bloom stage best time to harvest devil! s-shoestrings.-—-The changes in the insecticidal value of the roots of cultivated devil's- shoestrings (Tephrosia virginiana) at 4 seasonal growth periods has been studied by A. F, Sievers, M, S. Lowman and G. A, Russell, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, in cooperation with W, N, Sullivan, of this Division. In this work the clonal progenies of 10 parent plents of Tevhrosia virginiana were grown under cultivation in northeastern Texas, to study the changes in the amount of rotenone and chloroform extractive present in the roots of such progenies and their toxicity to houseflies at 4 seasonal stages of growth. Two or more of the clonal progenies of each narent were completely removed from the ground at the dormant stage (January 26), the emergence stage (March 25), the full-bloom stage (Avril 26), and the mature-seed stage (August 6). The roots were dried and ground, the amount of chloro- form extractive and rotenone deternined and the toxicity of acetone ex- tracts tested on houseflies, The results indicate that at the full—bloom stage the roots are significantly more toxic ts houseflies than at the dor- Mant and emergence stages but their suneriority over those at the mature- seed staze is less pronounced, The chloroform extractive and rotenone con- tent is also highest at the full—bloom staze. The toxicity of the roots of the several clonal progenies of the same parent does not vary significantly, but significant differences were found in this resvect between the prog- enies of different parents. The results of this work were oublished in the American Journal of Botany (27 (5): 284-289). he INSECTICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Organic sulfur insecticides,--In May 1935 the mimeogranhed publi- cation B-34UL, entilted, "A List of Organic Sulfur Compounds (Exclusive of Mothproofing Materials) Used as Insecticides," was issued. In this publi- cation an attempt was made to catalog all the organic compounds containing sulfur used or proposed for use as insecticides, fungicides, or bacteri- cides, as well as those wetting and emulsifying agents containing sulfur that have been used in conjunction with insecticides. A supolementary list covering the years 1935~37, inclusive, and some early references that were overlooked when H-344 was compiled, has now been completed by D, L. Vivian and F, Acree, Jr, After the list has been mimeogravhed it will be available for distribution, Acetanilide derivatives patented,--A dedicated patent which covers the use of the chloro~, bromo~, and iodo-acetanilides as insecticides was issued to Lloyd E, Smith as U. S. Patent 2,226,672 on December 31, 1940. BEE CULTURE Sugar concentration controls bee activity.--G, H, Vansell, Davis, Calif., has been studving the effect on bee activity of sugar concentra- tion in nectars, He draws the following general conclusions as the result of work thus far: "Plants provide bees with nectars of different sugar con- centration, Only part of this variation is because of difference in shape of blossoms, which is or is not conducive to evaporation, Some plant nectars are consistently rich in sugar, whether occurring in situations of low or high humidity, Notable cases are mustard and filaree, which appear. always to yield relatively concentrated nectars, The approximate average values obtained in the field for a few plants are shown in a table below, The exact values change with ndditional date, but the relative position of a plant remains fairly constant, The sugar concentrations in nectars studied are shown in the following tabulation. | Source Percentage of sugar Bartlett peare--+------------------ 10 Cleome----------------------------- 16 ‘el Orange---~------~-~-~------~------- 20 (1939) light crop Or aa Ce a 30 (1940)-good crop Blue curls--~--~-----~------------- eT. a, Star-thistle+--~-~----------------- 38 Alita heh See ed eee eee eee oe Mus tard-----~+~---~----------------- 50 Filaree---------~=------- —--------- 60 A plant which is not sbundant and does not carry 2 large number of biossoms can scarcely qualify as a major source of honey, In addition, it is concluded that, to be a major source of honev, the nectar in the plant must frequently show a concentration of at least 30 percent sugar. Bee activity is greatly influenced by sugar concentration; for example, in the orange orchards thev vrefer mustard, exceot when evaporation of water from the orange nectar inersases its richness," — 35 Crop dusting and beekeening,--Frank E, Todd, Davis, has summarized the effect of crop dusting on beekeening in California and Arizona as fol- lows: "The airplane dusting of cotton in Arizona for the control of he- mipterous insects results in considerable losses of bees, The beekeener is hard-pressed by low prices, as well as by noison losses in the irrigated areas, The losses are not confined to the field bees, as colonies in poisoned areas die out over an extended neriod and those that live do not recover strength. This indicates poison in their food stores, In other areas this condition has been traced to poison in the pvollen rather than the honey. In cotton observed in the San Joaquin Valley pollen is not col- lected to any great extent, As cotton blossoms are closed during tne usual dustine time, it is probable that the poison pollen is collected from ground flowers about the cottonfields, Puncture vine is a probable source in Arizona, The airplane dusting of peas and melons in Imverisl Valley has also been the cause of great bee losses, The State regulation requiring notice to the beekeeper has tended to relieve the situation somewhat, but has forced the beekeevers of that arsa to become migratory, thus greatly in- creasing production costs at a time when honey vrices are very low, Bees work on both veas and melons. Another aspect of the airplane-dusting problem is not concerned with commercial beekeeving, The small beekeener, unable to move his colonies out of the arsa, is veing eliminated, losses of this tyoe may result in pollination difficulties as vet unsuspected." Pollen sources during winter season at Davis,.--Geo. H, Vansell re- ports: "Honeybees are collecting nectar (Jan. 31) from the female blossoms On cypress, arborvita, and juniver trees, A large number of medium-sized yellow, pink, or brown pollen londs are also provided from the same sources. In some cases the male and female blossoms occur on separated parts of .the same plant, These plants are usually considered as wind-nollinated but, as bees visit them consistently, they must be at least in part insect-pol- linated. The coast redwood (Sequoia semmervirens) emstitutes a fairly im- portant source of bee nollen each snoring, but apvarently no nectar is 9b- tained from this source, From the early blossoms of the California bay tree both nectar and pollen are obtained," Step towards "self-fertilization" of queen bees.--Otto Mackensen, University, La., has renorted success in inseminating artificially unmated drone-laving queens with sperm from their sons, He states: "The virgin gueens were confined to their hives until they started laying unfertilized ezg=s, Sverm from the drones resulting from the develonment of these eggs was then used to inseminate artificiallv the virzin mothers, Genetically, this is equivalent to self-fertilization, since a queen's sons represent her germ sells, Some snerm was found in the spermathecae of all the 10 queens mated in this way, The maximum number was 1,550,000, All the queens stopoed lavinzg imnediately after mating and soon all were dead, These re- sults demonstrate that sperm can be made to reach the spermathecae of vir- gin laying queens." ad we iy Nel Wie a eee Lt ee ae Se 5 ae git Pasay oo ete AeA Tae Me a al > Mo Sa bee oe ef gi, #7" a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER earners ae fees eee * oe a a = en es whee Yor ree eeekryin Set moat VL EMD Ca tLe EM I RR RENN ae tata eae 0 NE ag SO a Sle TR ATTN OPM A UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEBWS LETTER FOR FEBRUARY 1941 ce i a a we ew a a ee a a es a ea ae ae ee a ee on ee ms ee we ae a we re we wr ee ae re we ee ae a a a a ee ae ee ee ADMINISTRATION Bureau Appropriations The bill to provide appropriations for the Department for the fiscal year 1942 passed the House and is now being given consideration by the Senate, As it passed the House, the bill provides $5,198,493 for the Bureau, exclusive of white-pine blister rust funds, The $5,198,493 is $103,439 below the budget estimates. The budget estimates for the fiscal year 1942 provided the following increases and decreases in amounts of the appropriations for the current fiscal year: Increases Mexican fruitfly control ------------------ $ 7,500 JSST TOE Gye eel SLL F2 GLC 20, 000 Insecticide investigations ---------------- 5, 000 Foreign plent quarentines------------------ 29, 000 Decreases _ Citrus canker eradication ----------------- $ 13,485 Dutch elm disease eradication —------------ 100, 000 The bill, as it passed the House, provides for reductions below the budget estimates for the following: Mesciean fmletnian controle === === = Ss 00 BRuropean corn-borer control ---------------- 17,939 Barberry eradication -----~----------------- 20,090 Bee culture --------~----------------------- 33,000 Insecticide and fungicide investigations --- 5,000 Foreign plant quarsntines ------------------ 20,000 fferently 50,000 for = z which in- @ OI » 1,159,009, t = cS slation intended to ,409,000, for blister rust handled s ol — been 0) b - re reduced to =) We 1S | ates have iten in ter rust esti a8 i ine b te-—p ab dECAaI h = The w his year, x t oO ! ! | mcm wc ra | @ mn 77) ~ | ro - © a) bof ofa o 4+ fe Pol Dy rs a rcs HO rt er 3 oO cd Bigs) Bo lore Hert O YO WD O (aby @ k rl fa B..3 | +> Men Bp tt { @ os 2 Herd rm Sj Rd O Mh EO oe Aloo dAdo SG Po YW Cay te oO @ “ore ay of Oo lh 2) & igop Oo 1. 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Les. probable amount of aT FRUITS RIT 4 Cat 4 Ui ther pronert AL ers coveries, however, May QD = mo Te 2 ra foe | 1s 4 p T a Bi eee. rapefrui ii. = place this season, uncer c* —3- the normal amount of infestation is to be expected, as less than the usual number of flies is being taken. Sterilization rooms are in readi- ness to take care of any amount of fruit which might need to be treated before being shipped, and it is not believed that any out-of_the-ordinary difficulties will arise which will prevent the successful shipping of fruit and termination of the harvesting season as set forth in the regu- lations. Growing conditions were excellent for citrus during February. Heavy rains over the entire reguls ted area in January caused citrus trees to bloom profusely and all indications point to a heavy set of fruit. CHREAL AND FORAGE INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Crinch bugs extract more substances from susceptible than from-re- Sistant sorghums.--R, G. Dahms and Larry Bewick, Lawton, Okla., report that preliminary tests conducted during August 1940, in which over 2,000 chinch bugs were used, showed that chinch bugs feeding for 8 hours on Dwarf Yellow milo (susceptible) gained on an average of 0,00012861 gram, whereas those feeding on Atlas Sorg@ (resistant) lost 0,00001715 gram per bug. Chinch bug oviposition increased when feeding on sorghum plants growing in solutions containing high nitrogen or low phosphorus. -—~Accord-— ing to R, G. Dahms, Lawton, second-generation chinch bugs laid 50 egg per female more on Finney milo plants growing in nutrient gravel cultures containins a high amount of nitrogen than when the solution contained a low amount; however, the plant growth was apparently normal in both cases, On the other hand, plants growing in solutions containing a low amount of Phosphorus laid a few more eggs than those feeding on plants growing in high phosphorus solutions. In these exneriments the longevity of females was lower when the number of eggs per female-—day was high than when it was low. Concentrated sprays effective against Pantomorus peregrinus ; Bok, =H. Ci. Young, Florala, Ala., reports that S. F. Potts found calcium arsenate and cryolite more effective against P. peregrinus at Gulfport, Miss., dur- inz 1940 when applied in the form of a concentrated sprav than when ap- plied as a dust or dilute spray. From 3 to 10 gallons of the concentrated sprey containing 3 to 15 pounds of insecticids was applied per acre. The concentrate contained water as a carrier and 0.1 pound of dissolved casein or 0.2 pound of raw linseed oil, or 0.1 pound of dissolved casein and 0.1 pound of raw linseed oil per pound of insecticide as an adhesive. Cotton and peanut foliage treated with this concentrated spray produced good mor- tality of the beetle after exposure for 2 weeks to natural weather con- ditions, in which 3 to 5 inches of rain fell, For the caged females tests giving satisfactory control caused a reduction of 90 to 98 eee in feeding and a 93- to 98-vercent reduction in viable eggs, This degree of control reduced the number of egse¢s ver mass to about one-third of the normal, European corn borer migrants from corn debris.--W, A, Baker, Toledo, Ohio, revorts that E, W. Beck and K, D. Arbuthnot encountered an unusual survival in and around a piggery in eastern Massachusetts. Green corn- stalks hed been fed to hogs in the pisgery, examinetion of which disclosed jee no measurable corn debris, Crevices between fence boards-and posts were filled with a weblike material such as lepidopterous larvae produce. ny corn borér larvae, and even a greater number of pupal cases, were present. Although the stalks of this year's crop had been destroyed by feeding or trampling of the hogs, some of the larvee had escaped and found suitable hibernation quarters, The presence of pupal cases indi- cated that many larvae had passed the winter of 1939-0 successfully in this situation or were individuals of the first generation, ~ The latter seems unlikely because very little early corn was grown by the owner _this year. It was ascertained that corn from a 1939 field, which averaged about 17 borers per stalk, was fed to the hogs in this same piezsery, Al- most every crevice, crack, and nail hole along the fence and buildings forming a part of the enclosure showed evidence of borers, One pupal case was found under a shingle near the lower edge of the roof, pabiuener oe nutrition on successive senerations of corn borer.—— G. T. Bottze: ser, Toledo, reports on the differential effect of the cee naae a aeeeieenent of successive gzeneratims of the corn borer in the laboratory, as indicated by infestinz a few c irrecent Pande of sreen plant tissve with newlv hatched larvae, rearing the survi ving ones i confining the progeny of each successive generation to food. When larvae of each generation were 15 davs old ee were eee to determine any differences in size between genera- tions which may have resulted from any of the various nutritive sub- stances under test and also to determine tne relative effect, if any, of the different nutriment on successive generations of the insect. Rela- tively low average weight and percentage pupation of the F -generation reared on sweet corn kernels vreserved by the quick-freezing method were attributed to the too advanced stase of maturity. of the c n S Ss i orn when frozen, In other tests, corr served by freezing have co if pr moared favorably with green beans and peas a source of nutrition for the borer. The subnormal physiological condition of the F,-generation borers nourished on corn kernels preserved by f ing may have been the cause of the very low averase weight and percentage survival of the Fo-génsration reared on wars hood.) Li's eae failed to reproduce, which is considered as further evidence of a possible cumulative adverse nutritive influeme in this instance. Failure of any test larvae to survive up to 35 days. when “reared on Saue cornstalks which had been gquick-—frozen was attributed to the physi on of the corn tissue. Although the.freezing process does not h & chemical composition of green plant tissue, it ruptures the cellular structure, causing a rather quick collapse of the tissue after thawins, which apnarently is conducive to excessive mold growth and zeneral decommosition., In various %ther tests com borer lar- vae were reared on frozen corn tissue but the stalks, being more mseimre than those employed in these tests, were less succulent. and consequently less affected by freezing, Furthermore, in previms tests with quick frozen tissue, new material was supplied the larvae every 24 to 48 hours, whereas in the tests under discussion, the 5-day feeding interval, suc- cessful for most fresh green-plant tissues, was relied upon for all ma- terials, whether frozen or fresh. | Weights. of larv.e reared on green beans or yeas through the Fy zeneration’ indicated no appreciable influence of laboratory rearing on larvae up’ to at least the fifth generation, esistance of field corn to Buropean corn borer.--L. H, Patch and verly, Toledo, revort: "Six commercial double-cross hybrids were tA a ig et a -5- used as 1 set of standards against which the borer populations in the other hybrids were compared. Zach plant was infested by hand-with 4 ege masses in addition to a light natural infestation of less than l ege mass. As a result the commercial hybrids averaged 6,41 borers per plant, The 6 most resistant experimental hybrids were RU X Wis. CO5, RU X Kan, G-30, RY x Mich. 285, R4 X L317, (R4 X Hy) X L317, and (L317 X Hy) X RU. With the excenvtion of inbred Hy, the inbreds involved in these crosses had shown marked borer resistance in past tests. The 6 hybrids averased 2.94 borers per plant, or 54.1 percent less than the number of borers in the 6 commercial hybrids. The relative maturity of the strains was considered in making this comparison. A group of 6 New Jersey hybrids, tested for the first time and including 2 commercial double crosses, averaged 8.09 borers per plant, or 26.2 percent more than the standard hy- brids. The New Jersey hybrids were the most susceptible to the borer of any tested. One group of single-cross hybrids involved 1u inbreds crossed on borer-resistant inbred Il]. R4. These inbreds were used because of their promise of containing some resistance to the borer in »orevious tests. Another group of 14 single crosses involved the sane inbreds crossed on partially borer-resistant inbred I11, Hy and a third group involved the same inbreds crossed on borer-susceptible inbred Il], A. The three groups averaged 3.86, 5.56, and 6.85 borers ver plant, respectively, indicating that the borer resistance of inbred R4, the partial borer resistance of inbred Hy, and the borer susceptibility of inbred A were transmitted to the single crosses. The 14 inbreds were also tested as inbreds. The com- bined correlation coefficient between the borer populations in the inbreds and their crosses on inbreds R4, Hy, and A is +0.7206. The very high significance of this value indicates again that the factors for borer re- Sistance in the single crosses wers inherited from the inbreds in this ex- periment and that inbreds may be used to test the borer resistance of un- known material, at least in a preliminary test." Inheritance of field-corn resistance to European corn borer.--Messrs. Patch and Everly are studying the inheritance of field-corn resistance to the. European corn borer by observations on the borer resistance and sus- ceptibility of segregates out of a single cross of 2 resistant inbreds, Ru and L317. In 1939 the kernels from 1 ear of (RU X L317) F, were planted and each plant was selfed, obtaining 142 ears. In 1940, half the seed from each ear was planted and the Fz plants were given the usual test for their resistance to borer survival by infesting the plants by hand with a given number of egg masses and counting the borers maturing. In other words, the segregation of the Fo plants of R4 X L317 was studied-on the basis of the performance of their progenies. Hach line was planted on May 22 in l 2-hill plot in each of 4 blocks or replications. The plants were infested from July 13 to July 2 and 6 egg masses per plant, averaging 124.8 eggs per plant. The lines silked from August 5 to August 13. When the plants were infested on the mid-date July 18, the segregates averaged 51,4 inches in height to the tips of the leaves extended upward, the infestations being made before the tassels became a factor in borer survival. An average of 6,54 borers per plant survived in all the plants dissected the last week of August. Statistical analysis showed highly significant variation among the borer populations in the individual lines, Since the lines differed Significantly amone themselves in number of borers surviving, the especially borer-resistant and borer—susceptible lines were determined. On the basis oe of odds of 39 to 1 against a mean varying negatively from the mean of all lines silking on the same date to the extent of 1.966 or more times the standard error of estimate due to chance alone, only 3.6 lines on the average would be expected to vary to that extent, Actually 17 lines were found to contain that low level of borers. Seven of these lines averaged 4.3% borers per plant, as compared with 8.7 borers in 9 lines the t were nea to contain significantly more than the expected number of borers, Relation of field corn planting dates to) yields under corn borer conditions at Toledo.--Messrs. Patch and Everly have also been investigat- ing the combined effects of field corn infestations by first-— and second= generation Huropean corn borer larvae in relation to planting dates, as refleeted in»sfinalyyields of bushels pervacne or MP5. 5 percent momsumes content. in the 190 program, plantings of the single cross hybrid A X TR were made on May 3, 13, 25, and on June VL andwiad. VAs the cars Gnas except the June 11 plantings were beyond the milk stage on Seotember 10, when the second-generation borers were one-quarter grown, it is believed that the second-generation borers reduced the yield of the earlier plant- ings very little if at all. Experiments conducted during kk years showed that the amount of reduction in yield caused by first-generation borers to corn normally yielding 85 bushels per acre is considerably more per borer in the early June plantings than in the early May plantings. For corn normally yielding more than 8&5 bushels per acre the reduction in yield was found to be somewhat greater. These greater reductions in yields per borer due to later planting and higher levels of yield, together with the differential effects of weather and the differences in the number of ma- ture borers between the plantings due to differences in the number of egg masses laid and the rate of borer survival, md their combined effect on the yields made by the plantings. In 1940 the May 3, May 13, May 23, June 1, and June 11 plantings gave yields of 99.%, 103.6, 104.4, and 87.6 bushels per acre, respectively, of 15.5 percent moisture content. The standard error of the yield of the first and last plantings with six rege lieations is + 1.3/ bushels, and of the intermediate plantings with replications is = 1.07 bushels. Since Mav 14 to 24 may be considered a normal time for planting corn in the locality under study, there was nothing gained this year by delaying corn plantings to escave damage by the corn borer, In 1939, when a late summer drought occurred, the May 13 planting gave the maximum yield, even though it was infested with 2.0 and 3.5 more first-generation borers yer plant than the May 23 and June 2 Plantings. In 1939 and 1940, therefore, plantings made at the normal time resulted in maximum yields under the conditions of weather and corn borer infestations for the locality studied. Relstion of survival of Huropean corn borer larvee to level of ege populations.—--Messrs. Patch and Everly have’also established a relation- ship of lower survivals of European corn borer larvae with increasing num- bers of corn borer egz masses per vlant. As an average of plantings made on May $8, May 17, May 25, anc June 3, the number of borers resulting from the different levels of eg¢ infestation ranged from 4.50 per plant in the 1.5 egg-mass or 31 ezgs-per-plant level to 6. 63 per plant in the le eg2- mass or 250 egss-per-plant ikon Placing twice as many egzs on the plants (3 versus 1.5 masses) resulted in no increase in the borer population, 4 times as many eggs (6 versus 1.5 masses) resulted in a 21.8 percent increase -7- in the borer population, and 8 times as many eg::s (12 versus 1.5 masses) resulted in a 47.4 percent increase. A surprisingly small increase in the number of borers resultec, considering the number of eggs placed on the plants, The increase was no greater on the May 8 and May 17 plant- ings, although these plantings were more mature and in a better condition to maintain a higher level of borers. There were no differences in the date of silking between the plots infested with different levels of egg infestation. Damage to sweet corn by second-generation corn borer larvae and by corn earworm in relation to time of planting.—-In a series of plantings of sweet corn made by Morris Schlosberg near Toledo, progressively higher rates of damaged ears were found in the later plantings. For plantings made on Mav 23, June 6, June 15, June 25, and July 5, the percentages of injured ears were found to be 22, 58, 43, 60, and 74, respectively. Under the single- and two-zeneratim strain conditions of the European ‘corn borer in the vicinity, infestation of the plantings by the corn horer was mainly from ovivosition by the second-zeneration moths, pro- gressively higher levels of larval populations appearing in the leter plantings, The increased rates of damaged ears in the later plantings were associated with this factor, plus an increasing rate of infestation by the corn earworm as the season advanced. In relation to tne plantings fSiven above, of the total numbers of corn borer larvae in the plants, 31.7, 35.7, 47.0, 57.8, and 64.3 percent, respectively, were in the ears (inceludinz nubbins). The increased numbers of corn borer larvae in the ears in the later plantings were associated, in part, with their higher levels of larval populations in the plants and, in part, with the presence of the ears at the time of infestation, a condition conducive to their invasion. When infestation of the plants occurred prior to the appear- ance 9f the silks, a larser proportion of the larvae tended to invace and remain in the stems, and was reflected in the production of fewer and smaller ears, Owing to direct injurv of the plant, JAPANESE BEETLE CONTROL Municipally sponsored Javanese beetle control.~--George H, Hollister, suverintencent of varks of Hartford, Conn., has submitted the following report concerning damage by Jananese beetles in the city parks: "Javanese beetle grubs did considerable damaze to the lawn areas in four of our parks during the season 1940, namely, Keney Park anc Keney Park golf course in the south end, Colt Park in the. east side, and Pope Park in the southwestern part of the city. We found as many as 50 grubs per square foot in a number of different areas and the damage was quite severe, as we were able t) pick the turf up as you would a rug. We trested apnroxi- mately 145 acres with leac arsenate late in August and early in September, spraying it on and washing it in witha snrayer. The cost of anplying the lead and washing it in averaged about $U2 an acre. This year we are Planning to treat more of our lawn areas. We hope to be able to do this work before rolling in the spring, when the surface of the ground is porous, and rely on early spring rains to take the poison down where the erubs are when they are feeding," Lo Adult beetles collected,--On February 2lt and 25, insvectors from the Philedelphia district office collected 537 adult Japanese beetles in greenhouses. These were delivered to the Javanese beetle research labora- tory at Moorestown, N. J., for use in exverimental work. Although 400 specimens were collected at one establishment under favorable weather con- ditions, the adults were compsratively scarce. At another rose grower's establishment at Kennett Square, only 7 beetles were found ina large range of greenhouses. Many of the growers contacted revorted fewer bee- tles than in the vast. A number of these unclassified establishments sterilize their soil before planting, thereby destroying the larvae. The greatest number of adults was taken from the foliage of Better Times, a red rose. Foliage feeding on this variety was noticeable and light infes- tation on the blooms Was also noted, eS 7 . BRE Fisnt-shipoing establishments canvassed in newly regulated areas.-——- Surveys of a ae greenhouses, and plant-growing establishments in the séctions of Marvland, Néw York, Bene yivania, Virginia, end West Virginia added to the Jananese beetle regulated area under the revision of the regu- lations effective February 12, 1941, were in progress at the end of the month, Enspection activities in Pennsvlvania,--Classified growers of nursery and ornamental stock in the ae rzh area are enticipating for 1941 the biggest sales season since 1929, otwithstanding the severe weather during February, there was a marked increase in the movement of quarantined prod- ucts to points outside the regulated area. The ms terial consisted mostly of greenhouse stock, aitthoush a few shioments of nursery stock were certi- fied. Growers in the central Pennsylvania district report a scarcity of Kaster—bulb stock, with no hvacinths and only a few tulins. Some growers are trying to push cinerarias and calceolarias to replace them. One large grower hes one-third more Easter lilies and 25 percent more azaleas than usuel, Certification of sports exnibit materials.—-_Twenty-five inspections Bee meade of materials moving from the Boston Svortsman's Show, held from February 1 to 9, to the New York Snortsman's Show, starting on February 15; Those in charge of the various State exnibits were well informed of the plant quarantine regulations and came to the show this year with the ma- terials properly certified or with vroof that the products originated out- side the regulated areas. The inspections ranged from a single piece to a carlosd lot. Both Japanese beetle and svpsy moth certifications were in- volved. Most of the materials collected in New Hampshire and Maine were inspected and certified under the gynsy moth regulations by the local dis- trict insvectors at the collection points and were recertified to New York on the basis of the initial examination. All materials inspected were found free from the gypsy noth, Reduced supply of stored lumber.—--District inspectors in New England revort that, with the excention of hurricane lumber, there is very little local, yard-dried lumber left from the cutting and sawing of last spring and summer, The hurricane lumber is being inspected and shipped at the rate of approximately 10 million board feet per month. The district insvec- tor at Greenfield, Mass., revorts that the mills now operating are shipping -9- their green lumber about as fast as they manufacture it. Most of the green lumber is being used locally, although some is being shipped to points outside the gypsy moth repulated area. Piece-by-piece inspection is required of the lumber to be certified, as the saw logs in this area average very small, with the result that the so-called square-edge lum- ber, as well as the round-edge, is likely to contain more or less bark which may harbor egg clusters. Nursery stock moving from New England.—-Although 1 foot of frost was encountered in digging the trees, a nursery near Boston presented for insvection and certification on February 12, a carload of nursery stock for shipment to Michigan, The shipment consisted of 183 specimen hemlock trees from 5 to 10 feet in height. Two sypsy moth egg clusters were re- moved from this shipment. This consignment was well in advance of the regular spring shipping season. A nurseryman in the Portland, Maine, dis- trict on February 10, with the temperature 10° below zero, requested in- spection and certification of 1,100 young evergreens and evergreen seed- lings, for shipment to the States of Washington and Colorado. Shipments of nursery stock inspected last fall and stored over winter were quite heavy during Februery. Nurseries that handle this tyne of stock are lo- cated in central Connecticut and western Massachusetts. These firms re- port an increase in shipments, as commred with 1940, During February district insvectors in the New England area scouted all greenhouses certi- fied under the Javanese beetle quarsntine regulations, These were found free from infestation. State gvosy moth nursery scouting.--Under the direction of Connecti- cut State inspectors, employees at one of the lerge nurseries in the Middletown, Conn., district treated 20 gypsy moth egg clusters in a block of hemlock trees on the premises. The State scout crew did not finish the inspection of the nursery during February, as some of the evergreens are brittle and may be broken off while frozen. A heavy gypsy moth infes- tation was found by another State scouting crew in Rocky Hill, bordering the Connecticut River. Demands for New England minersls increase.--Calls for certain minerals used in the Netional Defense program have resulted in renewed interest in feldspar, mica, beryl, and other minerals found in sections of New England, Many old abandoned mines are being investigated and their vroducts samoled. Inasmuch as these mineral products come under the gypsy moth quarantine regulations, the district inspectors have been called upon to inspect and certify the sample shipments. EHuropean corn borer certification work.--Intercestion by State in- spectors in Oregon of several shinments of chrysanthemum and aster that had not been inspected and certified with Federal European corn borer cer- tificates led the shippers in Hollend, Mich., to request such inspection and certification of their chrysanthemums, asters, and dahlias. This es- tablishment was visited severel years ago and at that time our inspectors were told that they did not ship to any of the nine States that require Federal corn borer certification. The corn borer inspector stationed at Detroit, Mich., revorts that one of his larger shipners will start moving T= stock about March 1. This inspector also reports that dahlia growers are still busy shipping clumps and roots under Federal certification. Forty shipments were inspected and certified from that area during Febru- ary. Cooperation in Dutcn elm disease control received from Connecticut State Park officials.--A. V. Parker, Superintendent of Connecticut State Parks, recently issued the following notice to park suverintendents and caretakers working under his suvervision: "To park superintendents and caretakers at units of the State Park system listed on reverse: You are hereby authorized to allow men working for tne United States Denvartment of Agriculture, or for the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, to remove dead trees that are causing the spread of disease, beetles, etc.; also to allow them to cut away parts of living trees, if their operations in so doing will not seriously injure the trees for park purposes. Keep in mind that the men on this work have but one object in mind, which is to check, or eradicate, the trouble they are fighting and we do not want to stend in their way. We, on the other hand, heve State parks to con- sider and care for and the trees are a very important feature in our work, We should, therefore, be very sure that it is vitally necessary to cut, trim, or prune, before doing so ourselves, or allowing others to do so." This is another advance in the Division's efforts to obtain full coopera- tion from the various agencies throughout the State, particularly those with widespread holdings and operations, such as the State Parks, State forests, Stste hishwavs, utility comoanies, and contractors, Experimental burning of elm woodpiles in Ohio.--With the consent of the local fire warden, experiments were caiducted in February .to find a satisfactory method of covering incomletely consumed burning piles at the end of the day's work. The vrocedure tried involved chunking all un- burned logs into as compact a pile as possible. The entire pile is then covered with a laver of soil at least a foot thick. The soil forms a protective covering to prevent the fire from escaping during the night, and at the same time aliows the remainder of the unburned material to be consumed by the following day. In nearly every instance, the piles were completely burned by the next morning, exceot verhavs for a few ends. The soil in most locations contains sufficient clay so that-it is baked by the heat and forms a dome over the logs. ‘The following morning the soil is leveled out and any remaining log ends are burned. The trials have indi- cated that this met’od of safeguarding fires at night is superior to com- pletely extinguishing them at the end of the dav, a procedure that re- quires considerable lebor to rekindle then. Difficult removal of elm in Ohio,--Difficulties were encountered by elm-sanitation workers in the removal of a 45-inch elm which had to be taken out of Buck!s Lake at Garden, Athens County, Ohio. This is an ar- tificial lake constructed for recreational and fish-propagation purposes, Raising of the water level caused the tree to decline, rendering it po- tential beetle material, The men were obliged to use boats to reach the tree and fell it, as the water at the trunk reached a devth of 10 feet. It was possible to fell the tree so that all of the crown and half of the trunk fell on the bank, The lower half of the trunk had to be sawed into sections in the water and pulled onto the bank by block’ and tackle. A 60° == incline added to the task of pulling out the logs. Two crews supplied the pulling power. Beetle wood collected for rearinz and culturing.--Several units were assigned early in February to collect veetle-infested elm wood from districts around the margin of the major disease area. This wood was brought into the headquarters at Bloomfield, caged in a constant-tempera- ture, lighted insectary, and the emerging bark beetles were cultured by a speciel technique to determine whether they bore Ceratostomella ulmi. Collections will continue in a general area within 25 miles of the known limits of the diseese area and along selected highways, railroads, and streams where concentrations of elms may be found. Collections will be made at 2-mile intervals when this is possible. Storm-damaze survey in Bethlehem, Pa., district.--A survey of the damege caused by the ice storm of January 16 and 17 last in the Bethlehem district has disclosed that only a small number of elms was damaged in the northern and central portion of the district, with the damage confined mostly to small branches and twigs. Damage is slightlv higher in the southern areas of Montgomery and Bucks Counties, althouzh broken material in these counties is mostly small branches-under e inches in diameter. Trees other than elms were hardest hit. Anrroximately 15 elms have been tazszed for removal because of storm—broken branches. Beetle-infested area in Connecticut sanitized.—--Hlm-sanitation operations were conpleted early in February in the heavily infested bee- tle area at a beaver swamp in New Milford Township, Litchfield County, Conn, A total of 722 beetle-infested elms and 22 elms that contained ‘wood liable to be attacked by bark beetles were remved. The trees subject to attack were within tle flooded area, but had not been weakened enough to harbor beetles. Clear-cutting operations in New Jersey.--Clear-cutting work to rid a small beaver swamp of elms near Lake Hartung, Jefferson Township, Morris County, was completed in February. Most of the alms in the flooded area were dead, with most of them heavily infested with Scolytus multi- striatus Marsh. and Hvlurgopinus rufipes Hich. Clear cutting was also completed in the Basking Ridge section of Somerset County, N. J, Hog-girdled elms to be removed.-—-Anoroximately 250 elms that had been sirdled by hozs were located in Wayne Township, Marion County, Ind., a section of the Indianapolis work area. Most of these were red elms and were still too green for bark-beetle attack, Permission has been obtained for removal of the trees, although the wood is to be left for the owner to use before this year's beetle emergence. lumbering overations increase bark—beetle ponulation,—-Bark—beetle- infested material in the Albany County, N. Y., area will run high, owing to lumbering operations carried on in that section. A considerable amount 9f elm slash was left on the ground. This has become heavily beetle in- fested. aoe POREST INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Larch sawfly and hemlock looper in ns sor ther a Mountains.--J, C, Evenden, of the forest-insect laboratory at Coeur a ‘Alene, Idaho, reports that the larch sawfly, which was reported from the Flathead National Forest in 1934, is now known to occur to the south and west for more than 109 miles. Although there ere snot infestations of this insect through-— out the Kootensi, Cabinet, and Coevr d'Alene National Forests, no serious damage has occurred. Mr. Evenden also reports that the severe evidemic of the hemlock looper which occurred throughout the alpine fir stands of Idaho and Montana in 1937 hes been reduced through natural agencies to a point where it is no longer in evidence. During the short period of its existence a large percentage of the defoliated trees were killed; however, as this tree species is of little economic importence, the fire hazard which this destruction created is of the greatest consideration. California pine seals causes damage to ponderosa pine.—-During the springs of 1940 a severe infestation of the California dine scale (Nuculas- Dis californica (Coleman)) was found by H, L, McXenzie on mature ponde- rosa pines on Timber Mountain, Modoe County, Calif, This needle-infest- ing scale was apoarently causing serious defoliation resulting in stunted needle tufts and a rather thinned apnearance of the crowns of the trees. Whether the PEO noted was entirely due to the needle scale or to intes— tations of Matsucoccus spp., also observed on stems of the vines, has not as yet been determined. For the last two seasons infestations of this same insect have been causing serios injury to pines on summer home tracts on the Sen Bernardino Mountains of southern California. One area is localized neer Crestline, covering roughly about 7900 acres between Lake Gregory and Camo Seeley In some parts of the Crestline area the scale has become so bad on t , which form the only cover for certain summer homes, that these pines are Ste very severely. Some trees have become badly stunted as a result of repeated defoliations and such trees appear to be more susceptible to at ks of flathead borers and secondary cambium—mining insects, [fo (0) cP) 9?) liinen@ocantel! scale found on meture vonderosa pines in California.—— Studies to determine the nature of the distribution of Matsucoccus spp. populations on low- and high-risk ponderosa pine trees in northeastern Cali- fornia, and also to ascertain the distribution and numbers of scales in relation to areas of tree crowns shoving conspicuous deterioration and flagging, were initiated by H. L. McKenzie in 1940. A sketch of each tree, made in the field while the tree was standing, was included on a form sheet, and any unusual crown features, such as dead areas, flageing, or an old top-kill were indicated, After felling, the voints from which the samole branches were taken were indicated on the tree sketch. From the limited data accumulated (8 trees to date) the following generalized state- nts may be made: (1) All eos examined, whether low- or high-risk types, carried infestatious of Matsucoccus spp. scale in varying intensi-— ties; (2) heavier populations of scale are most likelv to be found on trees exhibiting twig-flagzing; and (3) high-risk trees show greater popu- lations of scale than do the low-risk tynes. Matsucocecus bisetosus Morrison; M, californicus Morrison, and M. sp. (probably secretus Morrison), Ee Relation of Scolytus multistriatus to latent infections of Dutch elm disease,--During the period 19%g=10 W. D. Buchanan, of this Bureau, of Jas and S, J. Smucker, of the Bureau Indu aS eey Morristown, N, Jd., conducted an experiment with S, muitistriatus Marsh. and its relation to revival of latent infections of Ceratosto ella ulmi in elm. In the spring of the vear nursery trees were in ulated with Cs ulmi, ‘some of these were subjected to feeding attack ne disease-free Se “qmualtistriatus in the following spring; others in the next spring. It was found that the feeding of the insect in diseased tissue of the crotches and trunks of the trees did not result in revival of external oe of the disease. The beetles very rarely picked up C. ulmi in feeding on the diseased tissues of trees containing latent rin Further evidence of this fact anpeared when logs of recently felled disease-free trees were exoosed to attack by these beetles. Numerous galleries were formed but in no case was ©, ulmi recovered from them. = cr Ass Toxic and repellent sprays for elm bark beetles.--R. R. Whitten, Morristown, has prevared a manuscrivt on toxic and repellent sprays for the control of elm bark .beetles. It is based on exneriments that he has conducted. total of 19 different snvray mixtures were tested for their repellency sr toxicity to the two principal elm bark beetles, 5S. multi- striatus and Hylurgopinus rufipes Eich. The cost per gallon of these sorays ranged from 12 to 55 cents. Bark-moisture percentazes (expressed in terms of dry weight) from 30 to 139 were found not to ee the re- sults of these sprays. Air temperatures above 50° F. were found best for optimum results. The aze of the bark-beetle brood had no significant ef- fect on the toxic effect of the sprays, Based on emergence per 100 mil- limeters of egg galleries, reductions over checks for these mixtures ranged from 68.4 to 100 percent. Based on the number of egg galleries ver log, 9 of the 19 mixtures gave reductions over checks ranging from 75 to 100 percent. Certain of these repellent treatments were exposed to weather from 7 to 52 weeks and to bark-beetle attack from 4 to 20 weeks. Repellent sprays applied early in May were found effective for the entire active ssason. Certain of these mixtures applied to tightly ranked, l- cord, elm-wood piles under field conditions gave good repellency and kill. From 2,45 to 3 gallons of spray, costing from 49 to 78 cents, was found necessary to trest wood piles having between 60h and 775 square feet of bark surface. GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL Weather aids synsy moth control work,--Climatic conditions, while distinctly unfavorable at times, were generally better than usual during February, and satisfactory progress was made in gypsy moth work during the month, The snow in western Massachusetts and Vermont has not been deeper than 30 inches at any time this winter, and has averaged 18 to ou. inches during most of the neriod, This condition is rsether unusual, as the depth of snow in mid-February is more likely to range from 4 to 5 feet in the wooded and mountainous areas, All tyves of gvpsy moth work have been aided materially by the relatively small depth of snow. Thinning and cutting crews make good progress.--Crews engazed in thinning work at zyvyosy moth infested “locations confined their cutting to epee the removal of the larger worthless trees during the veriods when the snow was deep, as they could be felled and cut into sizes suitable for burning much more easily than the snow-esvered small growth, Scattered infestations found in Vermont,--Gypsy moth scouting work was completed during tne first part of February in Castleton Township, Rutlanée County, Vt., anc the crews began work in Benson and Fair Haven Townships, also in Rutland County. Occasional scattered egg clusters were found and creosoted, but no serious infestation has yet been discovered. Two small colonies were found in an extensive tract of woodland at a relatively high elevation in Benson. While a moderate amount of dak, which is particularly favored'as food by the zsypsy moth, is scattered throush the wood lot, the small number. of egg clusters found to date. in- dicates that the infestation can be readily eradicated, Additional gypsy moth infestation was also recently located in Bristol Township, Addison County, where a limited amount of scouting. last year resulted in. the dis- covery of severel smell infested areas that were thoroushly sprayed later in the season. Birch lots scouted in Benninzton County, Vt.--Gynsy moth scouting work was tewoorarily discontinued in Manchester Township, Bennington Coun- ty, late in January, and the crew was transferred to. an area in the ad- joining town of Dorset, where the cutting of paper birch trees had been startec. The trees were cut into U-font lengths and the lozs were trucked to a wood-working mill in Berlin, Rensselaer County, N. ae and cones into bobbins, dowel stock, and wooc novelties. Several gypsy noth eg clusters were discovered scattered throuzsh the woo¢e lot and were es: in order to prevent the spread of infestation to uninfested areas. Birch logs cut in Woodford Township, in the southern part. of Bennineton County, were also shipped to the same mill, anc._a small number of eg¢ clusters were foune and destroyed in the timber lot where the lozs originated. The scoutins of both these wood lots was completed early in February. Hurricane damazed timber lots dit ficult to scout.--Gyosy moth scouting crews, workin: im > in Eden Townshin, Lamoille County, and: in howeld; Orleans County, Vt., continued to encounter hurrica neueaeeah timber lots. In such areas the larze growth hat heen uprootec, and the falling trees had smashed down all small growth in their path. Dense thickets of under- brush have grown up through the tons of the wincfalls during the ex years that have elavsed since the hurricane, making an almost impenetrable thicket which is extremely difficult to examine for gypsy moth egg clus- ters. Control work eliminates cypsy moth infestations 9n edge of barrier zone.—-Scouting ‘work was completed during the first part of February in an extensive area in Cummington Township in eens County, Mass., which was heevily infested by the gypsy moth last yea The infested woodland in this town, which borders the eastern edze ae cathe harrier zone, was thoroughly sprayed last June as a protection to the barrier zone. The ef- fectiveness of the soraying is evident, as the scoutine work revealed no new gyosy moth infestation in the treated area, Scattered small logzine overations increase gynsy moth scouting work,--More small logging jobs are being conducted this winter than for aT. several years throughout Berkshire County, Mass, The lots from which lozs are to be hauled to other localities for sawins and manufacture are carefully scouted for the zsvposy moth, sand all egs clusters are creosoted. Severel scouting crews are now enzazec in the examination of these cattered woodlots in oreer to prevent the syread of zvyusy moth infesta- tion through this channel. Scoutins work completed at two gypsy moth infestations in Connecti- cut.--Gypsy moth scouting work at an infestation in Roxbury, Titchfield County, Conn., and at an adjoining infestation in Southbury, New Haven County, was completed early in February. Work at these colonies had pro- gressed slowly because an insufficient number of workers were available to conduct the work in the most efficient manner in southwestern Connecticut. Destruction of dead chestnut trees improves scouting conditions,.-- Large quantities of dead chestnut trees were cut and burned by sypsy moth thinning crews at some of the infested sites in Cornwall Township, in the north-central section of Litchfield County, Conn. It was difficult to lo- cate all of the ege clusters on these dead trees, which had become so weathered that the coloration was similar to that of the gyosy moth egg clusters. As there was no safe way of reaching and creosoting the egg Clusters deposited high up on the dead trees, it was necessary to chop the trees down and destroy them. The removal = these trees will permanently improve future scouting conditions in this section. Unusual gypsy moth infestation found in Pennsylvania,--A large num- ber of new gyosy moth ezs clusters was 1s discovered on a single white oak tree in a woodlend area in Jenkins Townshin, Luzerne County, Pa., which was carefully scouted last year, Conditions were somewhat unusual in that the infestation was confined almost entirely to one tree, and a close ex- amination failed to disclose any old eg clusters. The origin of the in- festation was puzzling until it was learned that surface stone, gathered from stone walls in thet vicinity, had been assembled under this tree pre- paratory to use 9n a road-building project. It is believed that one or more infested stones were resoonsible for the estahlishment of the infes- tation on the oak tree. Gypsy moth ess clusters found on surface stone and mine timbers.-- The movement of surface stone for use in road building in Pennsvlvania in- creased somewhat as the snow disanpeared and permitted the resumption of road work. All stone originating within the quarantined area is carefully examined for zyosy moth infestation before permission is given for its removal, in order to prevent the spread of infestation. During one week in February, five gypsy moth egg clusters were found and destroyed on four different shivments of surface stone originating in Pittston Township, Luzerne County. During the same week, four new egg clusters were found on mine timbers cut in Bear Creek Township, also in Luzerne County. W. P. A. gypsy moth employees transferred to National Defense work in Pennsylvania.--All W. P, A. gypsy moth field workers in the Pennsyivania area were interviewed by W, P. A. employment officials during February. Group interviews were held at designated points, either at the beginning Or at the end of the day, so that a minimum amount of time would be lost to —I5— evosy moth work. Employees whose work histories indicated some exveri- ence or profession that might be of vaine to National Défense work are being rapidly transferred to activities connected with that program. Motor vehicles transferred to gvosy moth work, - -A fleet of motor-— if pick-up type machines and 5 13 -ton trucks, was trucks, pena Tsur ae of 20 recently received at Wilkes-Barre, Pa. pies achines were transferred to the zypsy ey project from the Grasshopve Sind Mormon Cricket Control at ‘Denver, Colo. The trucks were urgently needed on ne gypsy moth work to replace some of the worn-out equipment. | * C. C. C. synsy moth work during February.--The enrollment of the C. C, C. in February in this area has been below normal and, although the quota has been reduced from 206 to 167 enrollees per camp, very few camps have been filled to the reduced quota. The situation has been helped some= what by permitting enrollment & times a year instead of but thers is still a deficiency in the numbers of enrollees. Some camps have as few as 65 or 70 enrollees available for work. The allotment for gypsy moth work has run fairly even and has ranged from 1,459 6-hour man—-days during the first week of the month to 1,557 for the week ended March 1. The plan of work for February called for considersble scoutinz, and this was done on suitable days. On extremely cold and windy dars, on stormy days, and on days of poor visibility, the men were used on thinning and burning work, so that no time is lost to gypsy moth work unless the conditions are very severe. During the thinning work the slash is piled and burned in a strip at least 100 feet wide along the roadsides, but the deoris is scattered on the sround to detsriorate inside of this roadside strip, wnen possible, in order to reduce the cost of overation. Numerous large spreading oaks 7d h, some by chopping and othe by girdling. Ss were removed quEi De the month ed the was b ¢g tage or favored gypsy moth food nile GS See 2) rs Such work r he percsnt22 ood ¢£ low cost, espécially when the trees are girdled. Many old apple trees ‘were also removed from abandoned pastures, elthousn ean occasional tree was left for the e«ncourazement of wildlife. A few hollow logs were also left in areas of general gvosy moth infestation to aid in wildlife management. Close cooperation by CG. C. C, C. with State and town svpsy moth of- ficials and State foresters.—-the ©, C. C. cooperstes in many ways with other azéencies concerned with sypsy moth work in order to promote the ef— ficiency of the work as a whole and to prevent duplication of work by dif— ferent organizations. C. ©. ©. gyvosy moth foremen in Massachusetts dis- cuss and plan their work with the local moth superintendents. In Vermont, cooperation with the State entomolosist has resulted in efficient work done around lunchins and camping snots and at the storaze place of a large fleet of trucks used in the express business, where severe gypsy moth in- festations are present, The two organizations have worked together at ion 8 i (o) | io) wy ct some of thes is in creosoting egg clusters and in thinning work, Close cooperation ig maintained with foresters in the areas where th C. C. C. is ensared in gypsy moth work, In some States the actual mark-— emoved is done by foresters or by gypsy moth foremen ined by the foresters. In one csse in February the as- sista ine Behe forester of Vermont was requested to attend a conference with a property owner and gypsy moth foremen, in order that the best pro- grem could be determined for the trentment of woodland property containing =e A considersble gypsy moth infestation. The woodlend was examined and sug- gestions made for treatment which combined good pote practices as sug- gested by the forester and for gvpsy moth cutting, In some cases pure cuttings was recommended by both agencies and the forester was able to sug- gest the most desirable species to be planted, based on soil and other conditions. Occasional conferences of this kind have resulted in improv- ing gypsv moth forestry vractices, especially in relation to developing stands of timber more resistant to the insect. Bouenable food eas ants remove ed at eure a, area of moth Snbenite were in SEES The. eet in much of this area consisted of a very heavy stand of alder which contained scattered gyusy moth infes-— tations, The conditions were serious because of the danzer of the build- up and svread of the insect from this location. The danger was removed by cutting out the favored food plants and leaving those less favored by the syosy moth. A similar area treated in this way 4 years azo now shows the development of a stand which is much’ more resistant to the gyvsy moth, C, C, C. sypsy moth training leads to permanent employment.--It was learned durins the month that one of the New Ba-land States which has a i ion open for a gypsy moth foreman has confined the applicants to GC. C. C. enrollees who have been trained on gypsy moth:work, This speaks well for the training given to the enrollees on this work, and should en-— couraze them to produce good work while in the ©, ©, C; Many enrollees who have been trained to climb trees with spurs ane ropes On gypsy moth ork have obtained well-paid employment with tree and telephone concerns, and many others have been given employment because of the training and ex- merience they have had in other tyvnes of C, C. C. gyvosy moth work, PLANT DISEASE CONTROL Wearly 2,090 square miles surveved in Missouri in 1940,--According to George M. Frandsen, in charge of barberry ersdication in Missouri, 438 barberry bushes were destroved on 32 provertie $ 9s a result of an intensive survey of 1,980 square miles, In commenting on accomplishments of the last year, Mr, Frandsen points out that annoroximetely 90 percent of the area covered is now believed to be entirely free of barberries and will require no further attention, The remaining 10 percent, or approximately 190 square miles, will need at least one more intensive survey. The coun- ties in which bushes were destroyed during the year were Callawav, Carroll, Chariton, Franklin, Jackson, Linn, Macon, Ray, St. Louis, St; Louis City, and Sullivan, Accommlishments in Iowa.--D, R. Shevherd summarizes progress made in barberry eradication in Iowa during 1940, as follows: "The survey in Towa in 1940 was completed in areas comrising 3,627 square miles in 36 e.unties, Of the territory covered 2,817 square miles was initial survey, Uz. Square miles initial semi-intensive survey, and 3// square miles sub- sequent intensive survey. In addition to this, some limited areas, prin-— Cipallv the site of all former bushes, were reinsnected in Dickinson, Ply- mouth, Sioux, and Woodbury Counties, In the area covered in 1940, 4,967 barberries were destroyed on 189 new and 179 resurvey properties. Although Aen barberries were found on a large number of new properties, it was no- ticeable that the area where we made the initial survey was definitely marginal and practically devoid of areas of escapes, The territory covered consisted of those countiss or parts of counties where the bar- berry was never widely used for hedge or ornamental plantings and where it was expected that only scattered small plantings and single bushes would be found. Considering the resurvey work as a whole for 1940, bar- berries were found on 179 of the 990 old properties, or 18 vercent of the old properties inspected. This figure is consistent with the re- sults of reinspection work dune during the last 5 years. The 377 square miles of subsequent survey completed in 1940 were in areas where a heavy infestation was found 5, 6, or 7 years before. The results in Winneshiek County probably indicate fairly well the conditions that we might expect to find in comparable areas of heavy infestations where the initial in- tensive survey has been completed since 1933. Listed below is a compari- son of the results of the initial survey made in 1933-45 with the subse- quent survey in the same area in 1940, pn a a ea :Properties Survey. v Year : having ; arberries ; gait used : bushes ee een 7 : ; Number : Number : Pounds Initial----- Ogg aes AG 3 1105428 tm 5S, 200 : Sy sl : : Subsequent--! GUO sae Sut : Sug an awe Ly 26 were new vroverties in 1940, The number of vroverties with bushes, esvecially the new proper= , seems large, unless one is familier with the survey. Of the new erties found in the area covered, 4 were obviously missed on the initial survey. The bushes on the other 23 properties were bushes either too small to be found through the initial survey or which were not there at the time of the initial survey. It was noticeable that the new proper] ties were practically all found within a short distance of old properties where bushes w=re vreviously destroyed. That the bushes were smell is ob- vious from the fact that only an average of 27 pounds of salt was used on each vronerty this year, as compared with 462 pounds per property on the initial survey. ties pron Summary of 1940 work in the sugar pine resion,--The Ribes-eradica— tion program in the sugar pine region during 1940 was largely devoted to reeradication work on areas from which the initial Ribes removal had been done from 3 to 6 vears before, Of 156,728 acres covered during 1940, the work on 100,232 acres was reeradication, and that on 50,496 acres was initial, Wild Ribes totaling 18,702,711 bushes were destroyed with the expenditure of SDIe ey fe man-days of labor. On the basis of present acreage =io= outlined for control treatment, complete control has now been established on apvroximately 18 percent of the control area in the region, and the joo of initial eradication is 30 percent completed. Dvring the season EOvGanns were im operation, of which 16°were ®, Ro “As, 16 C. 6. Ci, 1 N. Y. A., and 7 Forest Service regular-fund camps. The distribution of personnel in these camps at the veak of the field season wes as follows: Hei ico men, Gs C.°C., 1, 5e0, No Yo A, 10, and Farest Service regu= lar camps 230. An interesting observation on the W. P. A. men employed is that of 1,711 men assigned t» the project during the ‘season, 657, or 5O percent, stayed less than l month. This rapid turnover in W. P. Ae labor makes adequate supervision e real necessity to assure effective work, Although most of the work was done by standard hand-eradication practice, some problem areas were treated by special metnods. Decapita- tion of Ribes and oil tre=tment of exnosed crowns was used on 160 acres supporting rock-bound bushes in Lassen Volcanic National Park. In Yosemite National Park large Ribes nevadense bushes were destroyed by blasting with dynamite of 2O-percent strength. Mechanical eradication was confined to the Sierra National Forest where a tractor, equipped with a bulldozer Ribes rake, was used to Siurae lanes through dense brush fields to facilitate the eradication of th © Pies by Cn Ce Cy crens. Some especially heavy Ribes Sencodne ations were eradicated by the use of a greaonle plow vowered “from a drum wineh on che bLactonr, Ln addition sto eradication work, pine surveys were conducted on 100,258 acres of forest land to determine the sugar pine and Ribes populations in areas about which little information had hitherto been available. The acquisition of this information will enable control unit boundaries to be fixed more definitely. saratoga County, N. Y., aids blister rust control vrogram.——Sara- toga County, N. Y., which contains a large amount of white pine, has appropriated $5,000 for ‘blister rust control work during 1941 and also provided District Leader Barber with excellent office snace and a part-— time clerk in the new County Building at Saratoga Snrings. This county expended over $7,400 on control work in 19H0. Possibility of rust resistance in white nine to be studied.—-—Ray R, Hirt, of the State Collese of Forestry, Syracuse, N. Y., has begun a study of white pines to see if there are strains resistant to blister rust. He will test white pines propagated from cuttings taken from in- dividual trees located in heavily diseased areas that show no visiblé evidence of blister rust infection. Coovneration has been sought from agencies concerned with propagation of white nines from cuttings and Professor Hirt is assured of numerous sources Of possibly infected ma- terial in the Northeastern States, COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Micronized insecticides for cotton insects,—--Experiments to de- termine the relation of narticle size to toxicity of several insecticides were eronducted last sezson. The materials were micronized or finely ground throuzh the cooperation of the Micronizer Processing Comany, Moorestown, N. J, The mean surface diameter of particles was measured with an air permeation apparatus by the Division of Insecticide Investigations. ZO0 = The fine materials, such as calcium arsenate and barium fluosilicate, were ae little affected by micronizing, The crlcium arsenate averaged about 1.5 microns before and after micronizing and the barium fluosili- cate was “reduced. from 3.0 to 1.5 microns surface mean diameter by the grindins, Paris green was reduced from 5 microns to 0.5 micron and derris was also much reduced, qian te sulfur was a commercial product and not especially prepared for usy It had a surface mean diameter of particles of..about 5 microns. Two percent of tri-calcium phosphate was added to the calcium arsenate as a conditioner and to prevent packing, and a small quantity of sand was-used with the derris as an abrasive to assist in ariinm ee) The original and micronized calcium arsenates con— taining low, intermediate, and high water-soluble arsenic by the Geneva method were ce, in cage tests at Tallulah against the boil weevil. ‘The three original calcium arsenates (not micronized) seemed to have somewhat better dusting qualities and gave significantly higher weevil mortalities than the micronized 5 Also the calcium -arsenates with the higher water-soluble arsenic caused higher weevil mortalities. In plot tests at Vee witn a calcium arsenate intermediate in water-soluble arsenic, there were no significant differences in infestations and yields between the pete Ais and micronized samples, Mixtures of micronized calcium ar-— senate and regular derris, micronized calcium arsenete and micronized dermis. and, re eee calcium arsenate and rezular derris were tested for Cc a1 = 5 tit¢ boll weevil and avhid control at State College, Miss., on 1/20-acre plots, There were no eee es differences in boll weevil or aphid infestations between the trentments, but all the mixtures contsining derris held the aphid infestation tenes iplakeaverol Aglavey Ce i hecks and prevented the heavy build-up I ie alcium arsenste. Howeve cage tests against the boll weevil at Tallulah the mixtures containi cronized materials did not give as es weevil mortalities as did the un-— micronized mixture. In plot. tests at Waco and Port Lavaca, Tex., a 1:2 mixture of calcium arsenate snd micronized sulfur gave better flea hopper control than did A similsr mixture of calcium arsenate and Sreoundacmiaus. Micronized sulfur used alone ee en about.as good flea hopper control yey pen as twice the poundase per acr Ff 325-mesh dusting sulfur, but it costs about twice 3s much es the regular ground se ea ne outa It hes the ad- vantage of sticking to the plants better and can be dusted under more ad— verse conditions or used as a spray when the plants are dry and mav have a place in flea hopper control, Micronized barium and sodium fluosilicates oh i were much inferior to the original materials against the boll weevil in cage tests at Tallulah. Both of the micronized materials had very poor dusting qualities, which probably sccounts for the reduced weevil mortalities, Mi- cronized bsrium fluosilicate used as a dust and spray also gave less control of the bollworm than did the unmicronized dust in plot tests at Waco, Tex, However, in tects at Presidio, micronized cryolite caused sreater reduction in the asmieie of pink bollworm lervae per boll than did cryolites with regu= lar and cosrse particle sizes. A paris green with three sizes of particles was tested for control of the boll weevil and tarnished plant bug in cages at Tallulah. ‘The verticle sizes were (1) the original material (coarse), (2) sround in a hammer mill with a surface mean diameter of 11.5 microns, and (Zp micronized with a surface mean diameter of 0.5 micron. Micronizing also apparently increased the water-soluble AsoO5 from 0.8 percent in the semole ground in the hammer mill to 4, 5 percent in the micronized sample. When mixed with lime and tested against the boll weevil none of the samples - I! =) Fh ct ~ -21- were very effective and there was little difference between them. When mixed with sulfur and tested against adults of the tarnished plant bug, the net mortalities averaged 6/4 percent for the regular particle sizes, 76 percent for the sample ground in a hammer mill, and $2 percent for the micronized sample. The net mortalities of the tarnished plant bug nymphs were UU, 51, and 50 percent, resvectively, In plot tests at Mesa, Briz., Lor Control of Lysus spp., Chlorochroa, and other insects a i:l2 mixture of micronized paris green and clay gave an increase in cotton vield of 16 percent, as compared to an increase of 9 percent for a mix- ture of the resular varis green and clay. Thus the effectiveness. of paris green and sulfur was considerably increased by micronizing, but there was little or no increase in the effectiveness of the other insecti- cides tasted, : Survey of hemipterous insect damage to cotton in Arizona,-—-The annuel survey was. begun at the end of Seovtember and concluded in November Dye ee Cassidy and associates, tucson. Ariz. .A minimum of 500. bolls: per field were examined for punctures from each of 9/7 representative fields selected from the main cotton areas of the State, Included in the exanmina- tions were 35,000 bolls from 70 fields of short-staple cotton and 27,000 bolls from 27 fields of long-staple cotton, or a total of 62,000 bolls for poth tyoes. The results in comparison with previous years are shown in the table, ° Percentage of bolls punctured Commbye se SlOct-cwomle 6) i elonesstapille ra een oo less ile s00 Ee oko Yuma--------- BOO? OCR One Houle. ie * cwieeee aie Vikas Maricopa----- Tae VLOROe iy, Oi eli ta SOMO ES © m2 OOn ots Ong Graham------- ORO. Oh eae i aA Ou ee ly ae 5.0 Sn Guus Momoam COMM we be. us oibedy ie tga Clone eMmeeOmin aay PO tt MO Mh 8 TG eee ag = Sse eee Pea pickle LUMO: cede alta cliOL. Wha aoa 2.9 State : : : : : ; Meno sc = Fae 2S. 2 ao Seu WG ok Sa. og ts Le Survervs have been made during the last 7 years, and Yuma County has always shown the most extensive damage with the other counties con- Sistently maintainines their relative positions in'regard to hemipterous-— insect damaze, Long-stanle cotton has also always been much. less damaged then short-—stanle, The average damage for the State in. both kinds of extton was heavier in 1940 than in any other year since the surveys have been made. While making these examinations, records were also kept of the bolis damaged by bollworms. The average for the St»te was 0.73 percent of the shor t-staple bolls and 0.34 percent of the long-staple bolls damaged. These nercentages do not include the total damage caused by hemipterous insects and bollworms, as meny squares are also destroyed. Oe. PINK BOLLWORM AND THURBERIA WESVIL CONTROL Planting of the 1941 cotton crop in the lower Rio Grande Val- ley.--While climatic conditions are such that cotton can be nlanted from late in January until late in snring, for the vresent season State regu- lations were promulgate¢ establishing the nlantine period for the lower part of the Rio Grande Valley between February 1 and March 15, in an ef- font, to retard spring fruiting. Wuowever, jon account iO adi ieanms throughout that entire region during the latter part of January, and: gen- eral rains over the area during the greater part of February, only a comparatively small nercentaze of the entton acreage had been planted at the end of February. With the excessive amount of moisture in the sroung and the cool nrevailinzs temperatures, it is believed thet a considerable amount of the cottonseed planted will probably decay. The date for the beginning 9f cotton planting in the lower valley of Mexico was also fixed at Februery 1 by officials of the Mexican Department of Agriculture, and it was estimated at the close of the month that, cesnite very unfavorable conditions, approximately 50 nercent of the crop had been plantec, it is estimated thet, because of the unusual amount of rainfall, there will be a considerable incresse in the acreage planted to cotton in the Mexi- can areas adjacent to the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas this season, Destruction of sprout and volunteer cotton.--In the lower Rio Grande Valley cotton stalks are destroyec each seeson immediately after the harvesting of the crop, as a pink bollworm control measure. However, On account of the subtropical climate, sorout cotton continues te de- velov throughout the yesr from roots left in the ground after plowing, making it necessary to carry on an intensive campeign for the destruction of such-plants during the off—cotton crowing season in order to deprive the nink bollworm of propagating material. Owing to aéverse cotton-— erowing conditions for the last 6 weeks or more, cotton sprouts made very little growth, During February inspectors continued to scout the areas where roacs were. passable to locate fields where grubbing would have to be done, as soon 1s the ground dries up sufficiently, to prevent the fruiting of volunteer cotton orior to the fruiting.of the planvewscrops Karming operations incident to the planting of the new crop, will de- stroy most of the cotton stubble left in the fields. Wild-cotton eracication,—--In 1932 a program was begun to eradi- cate the pink bollworm from southern Florida through the destruction of the wilc-cotton plant, which serves as a host to that dangerous cotton insect, For the nresent season wild-cotton eradication work is being carriee on with anproximately 200 C, C, C. enrollees and 102 W. ¥, A. workers, ond e few laborers emnloyed by the Bureau. The Bureau laborers have headquarters on houseboats, from which they work areas inaccessible by land. Conditions were not favorable in February, owing to rains, bad roads, and mosquitoes, but there wasa slight improvement over the pre- vious month, end good nrogress was made in all areas. In the Cape Sable area more acres were crvered in February than in January. .The first cleaning of the serson wis completed, with the exception of 2 small areas which could not be reached because of wet roads. A second cleaning of this area for the »vresent season was begun about the middle of the month, and it was found tmt the area being worked for the second time could be -23- covered rapidly, as fewer plants were encountered and work trails had been cleaned out during the first clean-up of the season. Good progress was made in the second recleaning over the entire Bradenton-Fort Myers subdistrict, which includes the counties of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier. In the Main Keys sub- district, the Matecumbes and Long Key were completed, and second clean- ings for the season were in progress in all other parts of that subdis- trict. The number of seedlings found was considerably less than during the first cleaning, and few mature plants were encountered, This area was also covered rapidly, as work trails are excellent. In the Marathon- Kev West section a second cleaning for the season was continued. The houseboat crew attached to the Cane Sable subdistrict scouted considerable area in the Whitewater Bay section and also in the Seven Palm Lake area. In addition, wild-cotton colonies on the islands in Florida Bay and on the Dade County mainland were cleaned. The houseboat crew attached to the Keys subdistrict spent the entire month scouting Biscayne Bay Keys. Several wild-cotton colonies, aggregating 7 acres, were found. During February a total of approximately 5,608 acres was covered, resulting in the finding of 6,316 plants with mature bolls, 89,812 seedling plants, and 195 sprout plants, TRUCK CROP AND GARDEN INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Rates of application of rotenone-bearing dusts against pea weevil,-- During the summer of 1940, F. G. Hinman and W, BE, Peay, of the Moscow, Idaho, laboratory, conducted toxicity tests on revlicated small plots of peas in each of several. fields to determine the effectiveness of several rotenone-bearing dusts when applied at several rates against Bruchus pi- sorum (L.), In 5 fields, embodying 2 total of 35 replicates for each in- secticidal dust mixture, 1 dust containing 2 percent of rotenone anplied at the rate of 11 pounds per acre resulted in 98.0-percent reduction in the numbers of living weevils in 2 hours, whereas o dust mixture contain- ing 1 percent of rotenone resulted in 96.9 percent and 96.2 percent re- duction for the seme interval following applicetion when applied at 20 and 10 pounds per acre, respectively. The first 2 of these treatments were also tested in 3 additional fields making a total of § fields alto- gether and comprising a total of 65 replicates for each treatment. An analysis of the data from the application of the 2 percent dust at ll pounds per acre showed thet this treatment resulted in an averege of 97.l-percent reduction, as compared to an average of 96 percent for the l-percent dust at the 20-pound rate. The latter percentages are signifi- cantly different. Should similsar differences obtain another season, the growers may realize . considerable saving in treating their peas by re- ducing the rate of application and increasing the rotenone content of the dust mixture used. In 6 of the fields inferior results were obtained with a dust containing 0.5 percent rotenone and 1 percent of dinitro-—o-cyclo- hexvlphenol, which hed given very promising results against this insect in small-scale tests conducted in the laboratory. The plots of pneas used in these tests were located on the borders of peafields and had been planted eerlier than the remainder of the fields, in order to trap the weevils as they emerged from hibernation 2nd moved into the fields. Each plot wes 20 feet wide and about 218 feet long, comprising approximately 10 sere. All apvlications were made with a power duster mounted ona >) ie e-wheeled trailer pulléd through the plots by a truck and equipnved with a trailing apron. The weevil population was determined before anplica- tion and at 24 hours after, by counting the number of adult weevils col- lected in 590 sweeps of a standard insect net in each plot, 25 sweeps: being made at random in 2 parts of each plot, The diluent used in all dust mixtures was diatomaceous earth, The source of the rotenone for the mix— tures used in some fields was derris root powder, in others it was cube root powder, Arsenical residues on cauliflower,--Field studies by C, EH. Smith ana P, K, Harrison, of “the Baton Rouge, La., laboratory, andi cate aie arsenicals should not be applied to cauliflower after leaves have developed that will be present on the marketed product. None of the leaves that had been dusted was present on the marketed portion of plants to which the last application of arsenical had been made 29 days prior to harvest, on Novem- ber le, The number of such leaves and the residue analyses of cauliflower treated at different times witn a dust mixture of calcium arsenate and paris green (10 pounds to 1 pound) were as follows: Days betwe cen: Rainfall:. tAs20z | per : Average dust leaves Number of Vast dust :during ‘pound nt apoearing on appli- + epplication: this ‘eonliflower: marketed prvduct cations ‘and harvest pintervali ag harvest ° Number Inches * Grains — ; Mamber SJRess esses = bt ane Sah DO Suet se Olas : 5 §---------- 19 ee (aie) eee OS IS : 18 [Sao SSS 2 Pt SALE Be OOS / ; 0) None------- : : —-- 2 0009 : == Single plots of cauliflower 105 feet long and 5 rows wide were em- ployed in this study, The apolicatinons of insecticide were made with rotary hand- operated dusters, beginning on August 12 at 5 pounds per acre and repeated at intervals of approximately 10 davs, Most of the applica- tions were made at the rate of about 10 pounds ver acre, but the final ape plication 2n 2 of the plots was at 30 pounds and 20 pounds per acre, re- spectively. Harvest extended over the neriod November 12 to December 11, but the above analyses were based on 10 plants taken from each plot at the beginning of harvest on November 12... W, P, Denson, of the Louisiana Agri- cultural Exneriment Station, made all of the analyses, using the opposite quarters of each sample plant as prepared for market, including both curd and leaves, The number of dusted leaves was determined by counting those present after the plant had been prepared for market, This count was made possible by notching the smallest leaf present on each plant at the final application, Diluents for natural cryolite in controlling tomato fruitworm,- J, Wileox and R, EB, Camnbell, of the Alhambra, Calif,, laboratory, oot that a smaller percentage of tomato fruits were damaged by Heliothis armi- gera (Hbn,) on plants treated with a dust mixture of natural eryolite con con- taining 70 percent NazAls He diluted with tale and with soapstone than on aos plants treated with natural crvolite of the same strength diluted with sterilized tobacco dust or with walnut—shell flour. Following are the results obtained from using verioms diluents in one series of experi- mentss Diluent used Average percentage of fruits damaged Soap stone------------------------~------------- falieland mineral oul) (19=1 )====-=-2= Tale-----------~---~---------------------------- fate andssoybean flour (9=1)=—====-— == Tale and basic conver ammonium silicate (4-1)-- Diatomaceous ear th-----------------------~----~--- Corn flour------------~--------~---------------- Tale and basie cooper chloride (6-1)--------=-- Walnut-shell flour----------------------------- Sterilized tobacco dust------------------------ O1 Fw tw Ww Po Po PO KF eH toa) Mon] 2) 2555 ind) (Nd) (ee) (ony In replicated undusted plots in another exseriment in the same field 17.5 percent of the fruits were damaged. An analysis of these data showed that the differences between the averages for the first four tre.t- ments and those for the last three were significant, The treatments were replicated in three randomized blocks, each nlot being 30 by 60) Meets Three applications of the dust mixture were made at intervals of 2 weeks, using rotary hand-onerated dusters, beginning when the first fruits set. The rate of aoplication was 20, 30, and 40 pounds per acre for the three applications, rescectively. The percentage of injured fruits was deter- Mined at nicking by examining all of the tomatoes on five pvlants taken at random in each plot, Tobacco field as breeding ground of tobacco flea bestle.--Clemence Levin and associates, of the Oxford, N. C., laboratory, determined the seasonal emersence df adults of Epitrix narvula (F.) from larvae develop- img in the soil around tobacco plants in a field of tobacco grown for flue- curins Guring the summer of 1940. The results of the study showed the importance of the tobacco field as a breeding ground of the beetle and in- dicated the possible value of cultural measures for the control of this pest, Tobacco transplanted to the field on May 17 soon became infested with overwintering beetles, there being from 2 to 4 per plant during the period May 22 to June 18. On June 11, before appreciable numbers of bee- tles of the newly emerged generation could have resched the field from the tobacco-plant beds, a series of field plants which had been infested by overwintering beetles was caged and treated with an insecticide. Bee- tles began to emerge from the soil in these cages on June 19 and by July 1 an average of 10 per cage had been removed. By July 22 an average of el per plant had emerged. Another series of plants protected from beetles prior to the time that newly emerging beetles reached the field from plant beds were exposed to infestation during the period June 11 to 27 to obtain an indication of the importance of oviposition by the new-genera- tion beetles coming from the plant beds, On the latter date the plants were caged again and all infesting beetles killed. Beetles began to emerge from these cages on July 10 and by July 23 an average of 23 beetles per 255= plant had emerged, A large proportion of these are thought to have de- veloped from eggs laid by the new-gencration beetles that emerged in to- bacco-plant beds and moved to the field, The beetle emergence from field plants caged at intervals throvgiout the srewing season was also deter- mined. These studies showed that the peak of beetle emergence occurred S piSo eomne $aeG a numbers of beetles wee during July and Ausust. It w emerged continuously for s : se the last leaves of tobacco had been harvested, indicating the Seas ies S ae cultural operations immediately following harvest to prevent further emergence of beeties in the field, For these studies 10 cages were ae in each series and each cage covered an area of 1 square foot, being centered over and enclosing a tobacco plant trimmed so as to occupy the available space. Wireworm infestation first year following alfalfa.—-Field studies conducted by F, H, Shirck, of the Parma, Idaho, laboratcery, showed that the infestation of wireworms, principally Limonius californicus Mann., may en not increase during tne first year on land returned to other crops follow-— ing the growth of alfalfa for several years for reducing the infestation of wireworms. In some fields the numbers remained fairly stationary, whereas in others a further decrease in population was observed. The data obtained fron 26 old fields of alfalfa showed an average population of l, 6 wireworms per square foot. of soil surface when the fields were plowed up and only 1.9 wirsworms per square foot following the first crop. The first-year crovs following tne plowing under of the old aifalfa included dy co ised suzar beets, potatoes, wneat, oats, and corn, Similar counts made in 37 other old alfalfa fields showed an average in- festation of 1.6 wireworms per square foot when the fields were plowed up. ie am eport ee ia fie sc tests Deen, ie Sunset, la., leboratoryr, rer i-x gsreater numbers of Cvlas formicarius (L.) developed in the vines and crowns of sweetpotato planis (inomoea batatas) than in those of five wild— host species of the genus Ipomosa., The following tabulation shows the numbers of sweetpotato weevils found at the close of the season in the vines and crowns of each of the six species of plants included in this test, Sweetpotsto--------~--------- Se SSS FSD Ss oS 0 G1 S I, trichocarva--------------------- 6 iL Ul cle gees a— oe g HDs) (Oe NaC ESS) ey a a 2 I, barbigsra—----------------------- 2 }4- An avere il per plant ‘ec of 57 additional specimens of the weev were taken from + s 5 he roo of these sweetpotatoes, The experinentel plants were grown in plots containing four plants each, there being six plots of each host arranged in a Latin square, The —2 7 plants were transplanted to the plots in an area heavily infested with weevils. ‘determine infestation by the sweetpotato INSECTS AFFECTING MAN A oxyfen concentrat in aie end 0, M, G that additional informa Necessity of mosquito eggs.—-H. laboratory, report in June and the plots were located Kxamination of all plants to weevil was made in October, ND ANIMALS ion for hatching of Aedes rjullin, of the Portland, Oreg., tion has been obtained which indicates that, although other stimuli may exist which may influence the hatching of Aedes eggs, the reduction of dissolved oxygen is of it- self capable of causing as rapid and as high a percentage of hatch as may be obtained by the best methods now known, Beet molasses as a dispersing agent also reports thet beet molasses may be dispersing vhenothiazine in water, When u ev Red oil or other wetting agents, at to 1 part phenothiazine, a fair suspension tained, Sid) Vet Winter emerge the Paname City, ee of stable fli Wiles aes Sa of repo over infested peanut litter on December 14, " especially on warmer numbe gence of "dog flies, (March 7) some of these cages contain pupated, c Screwworm control program,-—-A press of the screwworm for the United States wa We Barretp, Ire, H. My Brundrett, aus and Menard, Tex., laboratories. On the Texas Extension Service, that Si anit ete s E, useful as a wettin Ses Ons vhenothiazin foal io Knipling ne iG Or sed in the same manner the rate of 5 parts molasses of the phenothiazi was ob- ne Lo EH. Dove and S, ¥ rt that- recovery cages placed have shown a adecaaeoed emer— days. At the present time ers of larvae that have not yet im s release on the general status prepared by D, C, Parman C, Cushing, of the ieaids sis of data supplied to the Cisde a radio broadcast on February 18 fron Genesee Station giving information to Texas ranchmen on screwworms in the St the vilydurins, the coma the present status avoid outbreaks oF a ar J x ment Screwworm Prevention Frogram of the Bureau No mologists by HE, C. Cushing at a joint meet Society and the Cotton States Branch at Wa FOREIGN PLANT qu "Gladiolus smut" not a corms in large shipments from Netherlands found to be infected with a funsus similar in 1939 and determined the Plant Industry and =Dy #2. volume of material arrived in 1940 Mr, Lim Stevenson and called attention to the sini found on gsladiolus corms in Pennsylvania, (28:599, August 1933) and tentatively fete (Re aaiaen) Smith, They agreed that the fun Limber as Panu iber took ate and advised procedures to ne ssason. The Ranch Manage-— was pressnted to ento- ing of the Texas Entomological co, “Tex;, on Hebruany 6, ANT NES smut.--Considerable ee of sladiolus inspected in March 1940 were to one ee in a shipment n by J. A. Stevenson, mycologist of the Bureau of ospora sp. When the some of it to Mr, larity of the fungus with one as pictured in Phytopathology rmined as Urocystis gladioli sus on imported corms was large a U te. L probably the same as the one in Pennsylvania and known as Urocystis gladi- oli, Upon learning that U. gladioli had been found on these corms a = =26— N, Rex Hunt requested specimens for use in obtaining illustrations to accompany a short write-up of the gladiolus smut ready for reproduction as ane. of anseunes of Dlant-disease pepers being prepared for the-infor- mation of inspectors. Microscopic examination confirmed Mr, Hunt's im- mediate impression that @. species of Papulosoora was present. No Uro- cystis was found. The importance of the problem from the quarantine and ° We. J treatment points of view was such that it s believed desirable to have the whole matter taken un with eee ae After some discussion be- tween H, S. Dean and W, A. McCubbin, Sivee as Stevenson and Limber, Mr, Hunt put the case into Mr, Stevenson's hands The latter sent. materi- ree lL. Zondel, specialist in smuts, at Pennsylvania . «Ww Hopsome eae in bulbil-producing fungi Washington, Dr. Zundel in turn had cultures oicnhe a a sent to Dr. Hotson by the pathologist who t rom Dr. Zundel to Mr. Stevenson dated March 20, he fungus sent him from the imported gladiolus corms A letter dated May 17, 1940, from Dr. Hotson to hat the funsus found on imported gladiolus corms at s Papulospora coprophila (Zukal) Hotson, -but that lus corms in Pennsylvania, also a Papulospora, ferent species which he might describe as new. We had not ex- S News Letter until the results of Dr. Hotson and by the Pennsyl- cience (93:111, January 31, 1941) S t at tne University o funsus oor in nH had studied re) H STEY fey Ce) leph iy fot exp an Hi mM td © 2h} rz cr ct t (oy igh) Ss 3 O ia) tH ct ct et =) (40) s incidental alists seem studies and 0 ect i) ct : > 30 Uk Be ee aie [bd ' OQ oO nterest.--Two living larvae of the i taken was El Paso; Texv, ees ntyv aes larvae of the ercepted at New York on to Rico. barva\ofi tbe as taken at Miami, ss on an airplane from Brazil, found at Seattle, Wash., on January 17 on the stem of a cee in cargo from Japan. A living adult of the pentatomid Mecistorhinus melan eS (Westw.) was taken at Mobile, Ala., on Februery 13 on banana in cargo from British Honduras, A pupa of the Mediterrenean fruitfly (Ceratitis capitata Wied.) was intercepted at New York on February 13 on a tangerine in baggage from Portugal. Living specimens of the aleyrodid Pealius hibisci (Kot.) were intercepted at San Francisco, Calif., on February $ on Hibiscus sp. in baggage from Hawaii. Three specimens of the pruchid Bruchidius lividimanus (Gy11.) were found at the Inspection House, Washington, D. ©., on February 11 in the seed of Genista sp. (7) in mail from Portugal. One livine adult of the chrysomelid Chelymorpha comata Boh. was intercepted at New York on February 10 on mustard greens in ca argo from Cuba. Living adults of the curculionid Dynatopechus aureopilosus (Fairm,) were found in parcel-post inspection st Honolulu, Hawaii, on Januery 10, in the seed of Mucuna gi- gantca, A living specimen of the mirid Fulvius quadristillatus (Stal) was tryp a Anastrepha mombinpracop Jenusry 30 in Spondias dulcis in ba ink bollworm (Pectinophora gossyn ae on January 1, Lb, in cot The coccid Ceroplastes ruber Cuil We) 3 © found at San Francisco, Calif., on January 6 on an orchid in cargo from Brazil. Two living adults of the lygacid Scolopostethus decoratus (Hahn) were intercepted at Hoboken, N. J., on Fevruary 14 in moss used as pack- o from England, Three living adults of the bruchid Bruchidiue versicolor (Boh. ) wers taken in mail at San Fran- emseo;y "Gait, ;)‘on February ll in seeds of Poda ulyria argentea from the Union of South Africa, A living adult of the lygaeid a Ortha ace scutellatus (Dall.) wes intercepted at New York on.Februsry 3 on white greens in cargo from Cuba, Specimens of the citrus blackfly (A Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby ) were found at Baltimore, Md., on February 4 on en orange leaf in cargo fron the Bahamas. One anGe e specimen of the pentatomid Schasffere H, S., was found at San Francisco, Calif., on January § on en orchid in cargo from Brazil. jt {4 © > 5 Q ht rr a) Pathological inte reepusons of interest.--A Mexican tomato inter- cepted at Brownsville on February 12 and sent in for determination of the funsus found on a spot on the fruit was found to be infested with nema- todes, apoarently Anhelenchoicgses parietinus (Bastian) Steiner, and the 9 longer prominent on the snot. Asterina delitescens Hll. & Mart, wes intercepted at El Paso on Februsryv 17 on Persea borbonia leaves from — ve Mexico, Bacterium citri =) Doidge was interceoted on February 5 at Seattle on Chinese oranges in baggage. Bacterium vunctilans Bryan is being found more often on heathens tomatoes this year, Nogales alone re- porting 59 interceotions in February following 99 sitet interceptions in Janusry, Ceretostonella ulmi (Schwarz) Buisman wes found at the Bloom- field leboratory in elm wood taken at New York on Janusrv 17 from crates from England. Cerebells andropogonis Ces, and Fusarium heterosporum Nels, were intercepted on January 51 at New York on vaspalum seed from Australia. Phyllosticta erythroxvli Graz. wns intercepted on Janusry 29 at New York on Erythroxylon coca leaves from Peru. At the same port radishes from Portugal were found to be infested with Pratylenchus sp. (near P. pra- tensis (de Man) Filipjev) and Trlenchus sp. (near T, filiformis Butschli), on February 8. FPuccinia polyzoni-amphibii persicariae (Str.) Arth. was found on Polygonum sp. used as part of the packing in a mail parcel from Canada intercepted on Februa alo, 6,000 bees at the close of the tests. Brood-rearing cecreased rapidly as the infection built up and practically ceased after 6 to & weeks, The queens all continued laying throughout the 90-day test veriod. Nosema is annarently more serious -under the close confinement of colonies in the greenhouse than in normal colonies wintered out of doors, Diagnosis-of bees heavily infected with Nosema spores can be made by noting the color of the ventriculus, but a Microscopic examination of a smear is necessary for light infections, A heavily infested vehtriculus shows a milky-white.color which becomes more evident in a water smear IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS Injury to buildinzs by cestain cossonine weevils,--Weevil specimens received from J. S. Ho user, of the s Ohio jase aie 21] Exoeriment Station, with the statement that they were reared from a door in a basement at Sterling, Ohio, have been determined as neta ne ne brevis (Boh.), a com- mon species of the Cossoninse. which, however, is almost alway 7s taken out of doors. Its occurrence indoors is, therefore, of some interest, par- ticularly as the weevil appears to have done considerable damage to this dwelling, The cossonine which is most often implicated in injury to tim- bers in buildings is Hexearthrum ulkei Horn, though-Tomolips quercicola (Boh, ) has been collected under conditions indiceting thet it also may oc- casionally damage woodwork or timbers indoors, The introduced cossonine, Pselactus spadix (Hbst.), has been revorted at least once from damp ‘wood in a basement at Brewste r, Mass,, and this species has been found also in -Pilings of wharves at Cnarlestown and East Boston, Mass, Distribution note on the weevil Ceutorhynchus sericans ‘Lec, --Among a small collection of weevils from Wnite Heath, ae sent for determina- tion by J. C. Dirks, was a single female of Senuen ancl sericans Lec. This little-known species was described in 1876 from Calaveras, Calif, It is represented in the National Museum collection by a single specimen from California, a few others from Idaho, Montane, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, and a single male from Marietta, Ohio. Both the Ohio and Illinois specimens are larger and perhaps a trifle stouter than any of those from farther west (this reversing the condition observed in certain other species of weevils, in which the western form is larger), but so far as found they do not differ appreciably in other respects, and there seems no doubt as to the specific identity of all of then, High parasitization of a leafhopper by a pipunculid.--Samples of Aleoneura macra Griffith Cicadellidac), submitted for identification in connection with investigations of the phony peach disease in Tennessee, were found to show an unusually high percentage of parasitization by: an undetermined svecies of Pipunculidae (Divtera), Of the 97 specimens, —35- representing 10 samples submitted for identification, 23 specimens, or approximately 24 percent of the total, either contained parasites or showed unmistakable evidence of having been parasitized. Observation on hibernation. of northern house mosauito,—-A sample emsisting of a large number of mosquitoes, determined by Alan Stone as Culex pipiens L., was recently received fron J. 5, Houser, of the Ohio Agricultural ca aan Station. Dr. Houser explained that the specimens had been taken in the bnsement of an unoccupied farm dwelling in February. The walls of the Dasenene WweRe On stone ane tie tloor wes or earthy Lee had formed in depressions in tre floor and frost crystals occurred in abundance on the overhead joists. The hibernating mosquitoes were found in enormous numbers resting on these joists. Unusual paresitic Hymenoptera in 2 collection from Virginia.—--Ichneu- monidae and Braconidae taken at Mountain Lake, Va. (elevation 4,000 ft.), and referred for identification by L. 3. Milne, of Rendoloh-Mscon Woman's College, contained numerous forms which are of interest because they have been seldom eolliected ncluded were 2 rare species of the braconid genus Meteorus,. a long series of an undescribed aes parasite belonging t> Chelogynus (family Dryinidae), several uncommon species of the ichneu- monid genus Parabates, and sbout 100 aha ee of Hybophanes nasutus (Cress. ) (family Ichneumonidae) and 22 of a species of the related genus Nelioviathus, both of whieh are rare in collections. —--900--- Ad re aC, ae ban : fe : ) UNITZD STATES * DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE BWS LETTER FOR MARCH 1941 ee ee a nn i ee en en i en ee ee ee ee Wolke VELL, No, 5 (Not for publication) May 1, 1941 ADMINISTRATION Bureau Anpropriations The First Deficiency Act for the fiscel year 1941 was approved April 1,. It inciudes swo items which relate to the work carried on by the Bur- eau, These are (1) $2,225,000 for the control of incipient and emergency outbreaks of ircsect pests and plent diseases. which is $225,000 above the Budget estimate is not the full amount recommended by the Department; and (2) $18,000 wnder the item Foreign Plant Quarentines, appropriated for adcitional exnenses in connection with the operation of the Inspection House at Hobcken, N. J, The bill to provide Senaariiationass to the Department for the fiscal year 1942 has passed the Senate and is now beings considered in conference. As passed by the Senate the bill provides $5,407,917 for the Bureau ex= clusive of the amount for white pine blister rust, The amount of the Sen- ate bill is $105,985 above the Budget estimate. The increases above the Budget estimate provided in the Senate bill are: Dutch elm disease eraéication--------------------------- $50,000 (This is $50,000 less than the amount avail- able for the current fiscal year.) Sime ecm See ee eee een emaeree 13,485 Barberry eradicetion —----------- mae a a a — 2,500 The Senate bill provides the full amount of the Budget estimate for the aporovriation for white nine blister rust control and will increase the amount appropriated to the Bureau by $100,000, Study of Agricultural Chemicals Plays Part in Defense Program Commissioner Chester C, Davis, of the Agricultural Division of The ‘Advisory Commission to ene Council of National Defense, has made arrange- ments with Secretary of Agriculture Claude R, Wickard under which the per- sonnel of the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine will be available to the Agricultural Chemical Section of the Netional Defense Commission in Oe pen = 2 = advisory and consultative capacity. As a ae es this a study is being made of the changing situation with respect to ch cides and fungicides, including technical and st e a nefias son infonavien on the chemicals used, 2. ©, Roark is devoting special attention to these matters, Among the major questions under consideration are the type, eae icides; location of manufac tity, and distribution of insecticides and fungi turing plants; seasonal £Tuctust fons in busin ar menuracturing practices; availability of raw materials; the price situation; and the possibility of e a= switching from one eype or Paeeeniese to i in case of shortages in seasonal materials, FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATION ation with the United States Peach mosaic vector research,--In coope and the California Citrus Ex- Pe Bureau of Flant Industry, Brownwood, Tex,, an periment Station, River sader Calif., investigetions to determine the vec~- tor or vectors of peach mosaic virus were instituted in 1938. The results of the first 3 years of test work conducted at San Bernardino, Calif., and at the. sublaboratory at Brownwood, Tex., have been summarized by L. D. Christenson, L, 5. Jones, D. D. Jensen, and O. H. Graham. To date, 2,703 tests, in which more than 177 different insect species were emnloyed, have “been made, The 1938 and 1939 tests provided negative results only. Due to . long incubation period of the virus in peach, the results of the 1940 tests caster be determined until foliage is well developed on test trees in 1941. Included in the total number of tests are 33 with 3 species of Acarina, 126 with 6 specics of Thysanoptera, 11 with species of Alevrodidae, 887 with at least 30 species of Aphiidec, 788 with more than 69 species of Se 55 with & species of Ti soredbist 3e with lk species of Aracopidae, 1 with 1 species of Cercopidae, 17 with 4 species of Psyllidae, 87 with 6 Wee: of Membracidae, 6 with miscellaneous Homoptera, 233 with 11 species of Miridae, 32 with 1 species of Pentatomidae, 68 with 1 species of Piesmidae, 21 with 3 species of Tingidae, 6g with 7 species of Coreidae, 23 with 1 species of Anthocoridae, 94 with 7 species of Lygeeidae, 32 with 1 species of Pyrrho- coridae, 7 with 2 species of Neididae, 43 with 2 species of Cydnidae, 58 with 7 species of Coleoptera, end 21 with 43 species of Orthopvtera, Approximately 15 tests have been made for each species employed. Although numerous in=- sects.on the peach mosaic survey list are still inadequately tested, most of the outstanding suspects have been worked with extensively, the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae (Sulz.)), for instance, being the subject of 191 careful and varied tests. In conducting the tests, the general method of transfer of large test populations of the insect with brush or aspirator from inoculum to healthy peach was supplemented by a free exchange type of test in which test insects were allowed unhindered access to inoculum and healthy peach tissue confined within a cageée Another method consisting of direct transfer to healthy peach of insects found on peach mosaic infected trees in orchards or reared on diseased trees at the laboratory was used in many instances, . Allowances were made for an exceptionally long incubation period of the virus in the insect, In replicate test series, different sources of insects, types of inoculum and test tree tissues for feeding, ages of inoculum and test trees, and lengths of feeding periods were used whenever consistent with the ability of the test insect to stand the con- Me acts — ditions imposed. Tests were made at all seasons of the year and test ac= tivity was synchronized with the nornal sexsonal succession of insects in peach orckards as much as possible. Severe strain peach mosaic of demon- strated virulence wes used as inoculum in nost of the tests, «A few in- volved the use of milder strains and field strains of unclassified viru- hence, Some of the mosaics in related stone fruits also served as inoculure nN a Peach insect survey of western United States,—-In March 1937 a nobile entonological laboratory was assigned to the work of exploring the field of peach mosaic vector possibilities as a prelude to a progran of peach mosaic vector tests, lL, D. Christenson, L. S. Jones, D, D. Jensen, and O. H, Grahan, of the San Bernardino, Calif.. laboratory and Beownroods Tex., sub- laboratory, summarized work accomplished by the survey unit ange far. More then 26,000 records of insect occurrence in peach orchard environnents are now in survey files, Collections were nade at more than 90 selected sampl- ing stations in Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Cali- fornia,. Washington, and Oregon, ‘The mobile survey unit traveled 54,711 miles without serious mishap during the Yewren ar period, Regular Sern Ae stations in peach mosaic infected orchard districts were visited generally 3 or more tines each year at different seasons, i.e., blossom stage, »re- harvest foliage stage, post-harvest foliage stage, and dormant stage of the trees, Results : of galler- : 0-50 : 50,1-100. at Meese sn aime rs Crotches ; Crotches CEG Sis trees :Fxamined :; Injured 2 Examined | 0 in june : Yaunber -"srrercent "FM Nunber “2 Percent A------ : 978 Gu REG a ees i) : Ze TSE es 02 a : 3U3 Be aay 8 33 : Not counted C-—--~-~ ga OS) openly Teta s 202 : Not counted D---+~-3 723 Oe Omuas 02 : Not counted * 3 RE eS ; Thése figures also denote approximately the number of female beetles attracted to the points, but there is no known method of determining the number of male beetles, —~ 10 + The points A, B, 0, and D were placed at 278 feet E., 310 feet W., 640 feet S.E., and 7lt feet N.W., respectively, of the Bedminster dis- persion point given in table 1, These observations showed that (1) there were many injuries near beetle dispersion points, and (2) few in- juries near points of convergence (tran tree locetion points) in compari- son with trees farther away, The numbers of beetles dispersing from points of origin and those converging to points of attraction varied, but no con- clusions were drawn from the few points under observation. ‘Statistical computations showed that there are likely to be as many injuries in one direction of the compass as in any other, Analysis of square-foot duff samples teken at Eurovean spruce sawfly (Gilpinia polytoma Htg.) study plots during 1939 and 1940.--P.°B. Dowden, of the New Haven, Conn,, 1: boratory, reports as follows on an analysis of cocoons in duff samples from permanent spruce sawfly plots: "During the last two seasons square-foot duff samples have been teken at nine study plots throughout New England in order to detcrmine the number of hibernat- ing Buropean- spruce sawfly cocoons present and thus make some estimate of the sewfly population within cach plot, The following table presents the results of an analysis of these square-foot samples’ ; ee oe : Total : Cocoon classification : Time : :cocoons: : >Killed by Locality : of sSamplesi recov-s °«. 3% ‘predators, ; sampling ; taken : ered thiving:Emergedidisease, etc, : :sNumber s;Number :Number:Number : Number 2 aR a6 Zopring 1630" TOON mil Coot mS 7) SumlzaCin SLO Maine----~----- pets UOMO RN COW Sl Ogos Bs 8 es 694. Tse en dope i LORORNNaEO) ls 7 es WEI 5 Maine---------- Silom) a OUO RE 50k O28 ih wehhine Bick’ 58 Tsho. 30 Sonne 1OZ0rn 100) “§ Bis 1G 2-eiendas Omi ake Maine——-—————-— Shoe stinyes ao) Noon SSO. MO Maath eee 305 Dublin, WSprine 19Z0h) 100) ms Da, lenee ye 6/1 3 oy hos N, H,---------- sSprings 1940s 100) & Th, 231s) 250 sa Sealy eeenenae es Merlboro, - MSpminge LOZIs. LOO) pe O2Ts Oia eniO malreye: Banke, = Vt,.--------- ----}Spring 1940: 100 +: 18,650: 22 :13,089 + 5,539 Woodford, sSoring 1939: EVO 28 MSZ 8 we Wee s 59 Vt.------------ He Tay OHO oy 1853 ied ae TUG ae 65 *Pharsalia, seine MOS LMSO) ms LUG) Seal EMG Tisha 30 N, Y,---------- 3Fall 1940: Omer: L5H ke oO OH 38 "Westfield, WSprinalOZokt G5ONes Gt Lem Glan: 65 Mass ycoe------- Ral ONO tims Olnees Sibthe MG see 155 *Crancemiln | sSoring 1939: {Onde BO Oe 199 3: - 108 Cognye eo anal eee Ie) UN WIEN UGio em Mee elaye 126 “*Plantations, At most of the plots theré has been o very light infestation during the two seasons in which these observations were mode. The Dublin, N. H,, plot is a noteble excention, for it was severely infested in 1939, The Morlboro, Vt., plot wes severely defolisted in 1938, one year before duff Deis samples were taken, The spring samples were collected before the living, hibernating cocoons produced adults. The count of living cocoons was, therefore, an indication of the severity of the infestation anticipated for that veer. The count of emerged cocoons is of interest when counts are made over successive years, for emerged cocoons will remain in good: condition in the duff for several years after adult sawflies have issued, Yearly counts thus give a rather clear picture of the history of an ine festation, Relation of mild winter temperatures to plant and insect develop- ment.--H, J, Rust, “of the Forest Insect Laboratory at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, reports that Rolligusme the mild winter of 1940-41 in the Inland Tales region, plant and insect life is far in advance of normal seasonal develop- ment. Records of plant and insect development have been maintained at this laboratory during the past 10 years, During this period the earliest plant development recorded was in 1934; however, on March 3, 1941, a number of plants were from 10 to 15 days sie of that season, Bark beetle develop- ment shows the same advanced condition, with new attacks of Ins oregoni being recorded on March 21, It is expected that during the spring season cooler temperatures will »vroduce conditions comparable to the 1934. season, GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL > —_— work,--Conditions were generally satisfactory for gypsy moth work during the first woek in March, Severe storms on March & and 11 resulted in an accumulation of new snow ranging from 1 to 2 feet in depth throughout the western New England, eastern New York, and northeastern Pennsylvania areas where gypsy moth work is conducted, The workers were obliged to resort again to the use of snowshoes and working conditions in dense woodlands were SO unsatisfactory, due a thick coating of wet snow adhering to the tree growth, that scouting work was tempaarily transferred to more open country, However, the snow settled quickly, and many workers were able to discontinue using snowshoes by the end of the week, Large accunula- tions of brush and other waste wood resulting from selective thinning work at infested locations were burned during this period, Winds of gale force blew steadily during the first 3 days of the week ending:March 22, and the penetrating cold forced the discontinuance of work by several eypsy moth crews, Drifting snow hampered travel on rural roads in many localities, and the use of snowshoes again became necessary in some sec tions. Gypsy moth work curtailed in Vermont.--The occomplishments. of the greatly reduced force of workers renaining was relatively small during March, Gencral scouting was necessarily suspended, and attention was concentrated almost entirely on the examination of wood lots where white birch was being cut by local operators, or where cutting operations were about to begin, These wood lots are widely scattered over the area, and many are located at a considerable distance from traveled highways, Prac- tically all of the birch logs cut are transported by truck to a woodwork- ing mill in Berlin, Rensselacr County, N. Y., where they are nanufactured into bobbins, dowels, handles, ané various sorts of wood novelties, In addition to the work in birch lots, the workers also examined a large amount of pulpwood cut in Rutland County for shinment to Corinth, Saratoga County, N. Y.3; and small lots of hardwood logs from several localities in Rutland County were also examined before they were trensnorted to a woodworking mill in Granville, Washington County, N. Y, In both cases the logs already cut were carefully examined, and the wood lots where cutting operations were still in progress were scouted, Information was also secured relative to the origin end proposed movement of saw logs and cordwood in the -barrior-— zone area, which will be valuable in preventing the spread of gypsy noth infestation, Considerable preliminary informetion was obtained by the super visory personnel engaged in reexanmining infested woodlands concerning the ownership, property bounceries, and other details, preparatory to securing written pernits for the spraying of gvosy moth infested areas, A large pro- ~ortion of the infested properties are conbinations of woodland and pasture, ena they are frequently poorly fenced, In such cases an agreenent is reach- . with the property owners so thrt the temporary fences erected to exclude ivestock fron the areas that are to be sprayed nay be satisfactorily locat= de A > © e 1 cS Gyosy moth work in Massachusetts progresses satisfactorily,——Although a moderate curtailnent of the gyvnsy moth force in Massachusetts became essery early in March, all field work progressed satisfactorily curing © e month, The volume of the work accomplished was, of course, less than the amount nlannec for the full force of employees, Fifteen crews of inter- fal mediate W. P, A, workers were detailed to scouting work; 6 crews of lsabor- ers to thinning work at infested locations; and 1 crew of leborers con- tinued the ground work in an infested area, creosoting eggs clusters above i the snow line and burning brush and other trash wood, Meny of the scouts were detailed to examine birch lots, It was also necessary to scout a nun- ber of other lots where considerable volunes of white pinc, hemlock, maple, anc. other snecies of trees were being cut, While much of this wood was con= sumed locally, there was sufficient movement of the nroducts to warrant a close examinetion of the logs or wood lots, Many of the ‘scattered egg clusters found in the Massachusetts area were broken by various agenciese Ice falling from encrusted tree trunks end branches carries eggs anc varts of egg clusters to the ground, birds picking at the clusters dislodge eggs, and the whinping about of branches in high winds often breaks the clusters anc scatters the eges,. As the individual eggs and parts of egz clusters cannot be found when mixed with the dead leaves and debris on the forest floor, spraying with lead arsenate is necessary if the insect is. to be elininated from areas where broken egg clusters ere present. ; Several snall ervpsy noth infestations found in Connecticut.—--No reduc- tion of the W, P, 4, grpsy moth foree in Connecticut is likely to be nec= essary, as the number of: workers carried on the pay-roell during the pres= ent fiscal year has averaged less than 60 nercent of the quota set up for that State, and ample funds are available for the continuation of the work through next June. During the 8-nonth veriod extending from July 1, 1940 to March 1, 1941, the W. P. A. gypsy moth personnel dropped steadily in numbers cesvite all efforts to obtain replacements, The force diminished fron a neak of 120 workers at the start of the fiscal year to a total of only 70 employees on March 15, It is doubtful if the force can be main- tained even at this low level, with the continuous expansion of manufac- turing industries (eae increased opportunities for private employ- ment and the prospective incresse in all types of construction work with the approach of mild weather requiring additional labor, Six crews were engaged in gypsy moth scouting work in the townshins of Cornwall, Litch- field, Salisbury, and Warren, in Litchfield County during March, Several additional infestations were Located in the barrier-zone area of Connecti- cut, but the colonics were generally small, with the egg clusters scatter- ed singly through the woodland, A small force of exnerienced workers scouted heavily wooded. areas on high elevations, where work of this type hed not been conducted for 3 or more years, Although a larze vnercentage of the growth consisted of several varieties of oaks and other nlants favored as food by the gypsy moth, only a small number of egg clusters were found and creosoted, An effort will be made to complete the scout- ing of all the gn woodland preers in which crews are now working be- fore the first. of May, so that the extent of infestations warranting spraying work can be et initely established and final arrangements com pleted before the beginning of the nana season, which usually starts ending work during th or pera ns anc ba thinning crews continued al if ne crews ‘fae 2 am i0 fo) 1a) about June 1, In oe approaching larval season, intensive treatment work at Haven Counties. Work a many winter has been completed, and condition for spraying, Quarantine inspection work not curtailed in nsvlvania,—-—Al though gypsy moth scouting work was continued on a grea educed scale by the small number of workers available in Pennsylvania er the temporary reduction in personnel late in e ne inspection work suffered no curteilment during March, As gypsy moth work in Pennsyl- vania is directed towarc the extermination of + Li: importance that the spread to uninfested territ persistent exterminative treatment has t The continuous movement, both within t within the quarantined area to other de lumber, scrap metal, surface stone, anc to carr i en necessitates the nm tion service at all times. Scouting w or Plains, iy; pene County; Kidder Madison, in Lackawanna County 4 covering a considerable acreag ridge was found in Madison, I t 0) r f mine fees, ae ials ae are liable uate inspec— e township fton and 3 ri Pe ‘a & station ly wooded ere. upper slopes of a nae i this in- -® e ve work is in progress a or the remainder of the fiscal year lish the extermination of the colony. ny regular employees ordinarily A. crews were availeble for % e employees were assign- idential areas. This nec- eginning of actual n ene hee number of aratively small area. festation, and it will be con if if is necessary in order Due to the reduction in fiel detailed to the 26 ae su ae IFVise ° special assignments dur Merck, Several o ed tO secure permits for spraying work in r essary work must be started well in advance t spraying work because oF the time required to obt permits that must be secured in orcer to spray a 11) alta: . - oa C, C. C, gypsy moth work drastically reduced.—-A severe reduction in the number of 6-hour man-days used by the 0. C, ©. on gypsy moth work east of the barrier zone under the supervision of this Bureau, from a high of 1,562 man-days to only 884 man-days during the last week of the veriod, occurred during March, and drastic further reductions are in prospect, The current losses of time were caused by the necessity of training new enrollees in gypsy moth work, including the use of sharp-edged tools; training the men in fire-fighting technique; and the impossibility of filling and naintaining the camp quotas, even though the quotas have been eradually reduced from 207 to about 140 men per camp. Many men who would normally be available for 0, C, ©. work have entered the Army or Navy, and many others have been absorbed by the National Defense Progran. Notice has been received that approximately 15 cars in this Corps Area are soon to be discontinued, among them being several where crews have been available for gyosy moth work. About 75 percent of the enrollees in one of the Vermont camps which is to be abandoned have been engaged in gypsy moth work; and the entire personnel of a similar camp in Massachusetts has been detailed to gypsy moth work continuously, with the excention of a 16-month period following the hurricane of September 1938. While approximately 6,000 6-hour man-days were used on C, C. C. gypsy moth work during February, the abandonment of the camps will result in a reduction of about 70 per= cent, leaving approximately 400 man-days per week available for zyvpsy noth work, It will also be necessary to reduce the overhead and super- visoryv versonnel,. and a considerable number of trained men with long ex-= perience in gypsy moth work will be lost. During the latter nart of March, crews in the areas affected by the prospective ebandonment have concen- trated on finishing work already in progress, This included the burning of accunuletions of brush from thinning operations and creosoting as nany egg clusters as possible at infestations near camping and lunching areas, and at another site used by a trucking concern, in order to reduce the in- festations in localities from which the insects are most likely to be car- ried on vehicles, At-the end of March gypsy noth foremen and crews were still working from 3 camps in the northern yart of Connecticut, 2 camps in Massachusetts, and 1 in Vermont, Sprayers loaned for C, ©. C. evpsy moth work.—Arrangements have been made for the loan of three high-powered spraving units by the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarentine to the C. ©. C, for gypsy moth spraying work during the epproaching larval season. One of the sprayers will be used in Massachusetts and two in Connecticut. ‘The State Gypsy Moth Organi- zation in Connecticut wiil loan another sprayer for use in that State, and will assist in supervising the work, The C. C. C0, will supply the lead arsenate, fish oil, and labor, All of this equipment cannot be used to fullest capacity, as sufficient labor to operate the sprayers on a double- shift basis will not be available at several of the cars. A ee PLANT DISEASE. CONTROL C, ©, C. workers used on winter canker renoval project.--i winter oroject for C, C,.C, workers located near a heavily infected stand of reproduction in the Scott Creek drainage on the Coeur d'Alene National Forest is canker and infected tree elimination, This work, outlined by the Forest Service, is the first step in an attempt to salvage an excellent white pine area from which about 60,000 board feet of white pine per acre was removed nearly 25 years ago, Excellent reproduction from 5 to 20 feet in height now covers most of the area but infection, started about 1927, has made deep inroeds, The present work is being con- ~leted in three steps. First axemen, working in strips, remove all trees with trunk cankers, Following this a pruning saw crew eliminates all branches up to breast height, The final step is the renovel of all other cenkered branches by a crew equipped with. long-hendled saws. The first Ribes eradication will be done carly this spring following the pruning work, A second pruning job will be necessary in about 2 vears, at which time any latent infection, now invisible, and any old cankers thet were missed will be eliminated, It is expected that as a result of pruning anc Ribes eradication sone of the present crop will be saved and the tree- less openings will be filled by a new crop, Over 10,000,000 Ribes eradicated in Northeastern States during 1940.-- During 1940, a total of (01,836 acres was cleared of 10,971,271 wild Ribes and 12,348 cultivated bushes in the Northeastern States, This work gave protection to 254,062 acres of pine from blister rust anc vrovided 139,239 man-days of employment. About 80 percent of the total acreage was worked by W, P, A. and C, C. C, labor. Local cooperstors expended over $31,000 on Ribes eradication, Early aecial production in the Inland Eoapire,—In the course of ine fected tree pruning and slashin in the Scott Creek drainage on the Coeur d'Alene National Forest, the first protruding aecial sacs were observed on March 16, On the following day more advanced protrusions with rup- tured membranes and freed aeciospores were noted, This is not unexnect- ed since a mild winter with unusually warm weather since early in Febru- PRynasesriiolated, all) plant lite to early activity, This condition plus the accompanying situation of ebundant moisture throughout the region Suggest the probability of heavy Ribes infection this year. Safety prevention conference.--On March 27th a joint conference was held by the Forest Service and the Blister Rust Control Office at Spokane, Wash,, to consider eccident »revention, .Constructive steps have been out— lined under which it is hoped that the number anc frequency of accidents in blister rust control camps can be reduced, Blister rust damage to large, second-erowth white pine.--A detailed study of a series of quarter-acre vine plots, comprising 14.5 acres of the old Cross Clearing Camp Site et Harrietstown, N, Y., in the vicinity of Tupper Lake, has yielded some interesting information concerning blis- ter rust damage to merchantable-size pine growing in mixture (46 percent = a our white pine, 37 percent other conifers, and 17 percent hardwoods), ‘The principal source of blister rust infection was apvarently skunk currarts, The 1,037 white pincs cxamined averaged 1.6 inches d. b. he and 72 feet in height. In 1940 the percentage of infection was 61, that is, 629 pines had blister rust or had been killed by the disease, lees than 2 percent of the total trees hed branch carkers only, A total of 161 pines had died a from the rust, 339 had live stem cankers, and 112 had dead tops due to Sirdling by ia disease Of the total volume of the stand (305,757 bd. ft,.), 175,311 bd. ft., or more than 57 percent of the 1940 volume, is a potential loss within the next decade, exclusive of growth loss due to in= fection, It is fortunate that further infection has been reduced to a minimum br removal of the beds of skunk currants, Blister rust dispiay.--C,. C, Perry, in charge of blister rust control work in Massachusetts, reports thet 2 blister rust display wes arranged y District Leader R, E, Wheeler in connection with the annual Recrea- ion Conference held at the Massachusetts State College at Amherst on. arch 14, #4 lively interest was evidenced by those viewing the display, Cial interest wes noted on the part of students who, by coincidence, just been studying the blister rust fungus in their biology course, On the following day Mr. Perry attended the Forestry Section of the conference, One of the attending foresters, in spenking on the topic "Forest Prospects in Massachusetts," predicted that in spite of the hurri- cane, white pine will continue to be ths one species uwnon which the fut- ure of forestry in New Sngland aes Seo He based his predictions on the demonstrated ability of w succeed itself. Historv records four hurricanes in New Boaland, each on bis ee ed mony Ja ure pines, but the species has alwa vigor, - Nursery inspection work in 1940,--In 1940, 63 nurseries applied for permits to eee barberry bushes into Statcs protected by Quarantine No. 38 During the course of the inspection, which was made to deter— mine whether or se these nurseries were eligible for permits, 608 bar- berry bushes were destroyed. According to L, M, Ames, this figure may be compared with 13,214 bushes destroyed in 1939 end 23,750 in 1938, in- nurseries interested in interstate shipment of barberry 3 vally eliminating other than rust-immune species, A survey of nursery catelogs on file in the Department of Agriculture Libr- ary indicates that ene are fewer than 100 nurseries in the United States 6 a that in 1939-40 were advertising for sale species of barberry susceptible to attack by the stem rust a ungus, The demand for such species is gradu- ally aaeimicehin » and it is nected that they will soon be eliminated from interstate trace, Control work vrogresses rapidly in western Minnesota countiese— In briefly summarizing progress that was made in berberry eradication in Minnesota in 1940, L. W, Melander States thet 1,741 barberry bushes -17- were found and destroyed during the year as a result of initial survey in Scott, Le Seuer, Mcheod, Meeker, Kandiyohi, Swift, Chippewa, Big Stone, and Pope Counties. Of these, 969 (of which 187 were fruiting bushes) were located on new properties. Of 792 bushes found on 123 properties previously reported, only 100 were fruiting. Much of the work done in Minnesota in 1940 wes in western prairie counties, Some resurvey, or subsequent survey, was conducted in Olmsted, Fillmore, Goodhue, and Winone Counties. Rarm operators and local governments support barberrv eradication.—- Aid furnished by local agencies contributed in an important way toward the success of the field program in several States during the past yeare Trucking and storage facilities valued at $4,653 were furnished by Olm- sted, Winona, Dakota, Meeker, Kandiyohi, Swift, Pope, and Chippewa Coun- ties in Minnesotan, Property owners in Pennsylvania contributed labor, hauling, and storage, valued at $8,429, and county aid in Iowa exeeded $5,000 for the vear, Extensive program approved for Pennsylvania for next 12 months,—- Two State W, P., A. projects in barberry eradication have been approved recently for operation in Pennsylvania, These will »rovide for the em- ployment of anproximately 4300 men for a period of. 12 months, Henry P. Antoine, barberry eradication supervisor in Pennsylvania, contacted more than 100 farm operators in the Columbia Cross Roads and Wetona areas of Bradford County, where an extensive infestation of barberry bushes was brought under control in 1937 and 1948, The object was to obtain the cooperation of proverty owners in making a resurvey of this area. Mr. Antoine found in talking with farmers that yields and quality of grain in this area had been greatly improved since bushes were brought under control and thet, generally sneaking, property owners were anxious to cooperate in anv wav tO orevent reinfestation, =e Cane a COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Influence of date of planting cotton on pink bollworm population.— A test to secure information on the influence of the date of planting | cotton on the pink bollworm population was continued in 1940 at. the Presidio, Tex., laboratory by A, J. Chapman, O. T. Robertson, and W. G.- Lowry. A large screen-covered cage, divided into three sections of about one-fourth acre each, was used to prevent interference from out- side infestations. Cotton was planted in the different sections on March 28, April 20, and May 15, respectively, representing early, medium, and late planting dates. When the test was commenced in 1939 the pink bollworm infestation was started by plowing under infested cotton bolls and allowing the moths to emerge naturally. An extremely heavy infestation developed in cotton planted on all dates. After the crop was harvested the stalks were cut and the crop debris collected by hand and burned. This clean-up was probably more thorough than is practicable under field conditions. Examinations in March of 1940 showed an average of 0,65 pink bollworm larva per square yard was present in the soil of the section planted on March 28, 1.05 larvae in the section planted April 20, and 4.60 larvae in the section planted May 5. Despite the larvae hibernating in the soil, no infestation developed in any of the blooms during the first 3 weeks of blooming in 1940, indicating that the fall clean-up was more effective as a control measure, or that the larvae hibernating in the soil were of less importance in maintain- ing the infestation than previously thought. Since it appeared tha no survivel had occurred, 75 pairs of pink bollworm moths were liberated in each section of the cage. Releases were made 21 days after the first blooms appeared on the cotton planted on each date, or on June 26, July 11, and July 25, in the respective sections, Records were made of the seasonal pink bollworm populations and after harvest the stalks were cut with machetes and burned as soon after picking was completed -- as would be practicable under ficld conditions, or on October’ 1 for the March 28 planting, October 27 for the April 20 planting, and December 3 for the May 15 planting. The bolls and crop debris that shattered to the ground were not collected by hand, HExaminations of the surface trash and of the soil were made after the clean-up to determine the numbers of hibernating larvae remaining from each date of planting. The data on yields and overwintering populations are shown in the following table. ~ Se rr ee a ree ee qr ee eee a — a Overwintering pink bollworm population 2) Walcldvof), “i Dathes oir Date *seced cotton last $ per sgquore yard* planted * er acre * picking $ ce eeu tad : Pounds vets ae H ° : Mans 26-0) 1 oan : Sept.26 : Wa 4s : dee sO) tut 5.95 Meer Oa ii, They Wales le 2 31.23 : Saloni 6.90 May eee (LeanSs 1 Nowe 20s 36.69 : pC 4,30 ¥ Surface trash collected Deconber 6, soil samples Decenber 10-11. The results show that the later the cotton was planted and the later the stelks wore cut and burned the higher the overwintering popu- lation. The differcnt sections of the cage will again be planted on the same dates in 1941 to detcrnine the infestations that develop naturally fron the overwintering Lexvee renaining in the surfaco trash ond soile ce Ground trash.examinations for hibernating boll weevils. The examination of ground trash from woods near cottonfields for hiber- nating boll weevils that was started in 1945 seems to give more reliable data on weevil survival than the examinations of Spanish moss previously used. The surface trash consisting of leaves, twigs, and. other forest debris with about 1 inch of the top soil is care fully collected from known areas and passed through specially designed shaker machinery to remove a larze vart of the coarse and fine materiale 5 iy icles approximating the size The remainder, consisting mostly o n aced in screen trays of boll weevils, is then exemin in a warm room so that the live wee easily collected, Meany other ins of those found in the exa ion winters of 1957-36 and 1 E-525 by C. F. Rainwater. and a list n South Carolina during the recently published in Circular yards each examined at Tallulah, La., contained 31 live and 7 dead weevi (ee . . 7? 5 o (81.6 percent alive), or /2l weevils per acre. In March of 19 During the fall of 1940, 104 samples of 2 square =) c under more favorable conditions, The weevil po ag il 1 Q samples from the same locations yielded 30 live weevils, imicating thet very little mortality had occurred during the winter of 19ho-u An additional 100 samples from neer other fields were examined in the spring of 1941 and 46 live weevils and 18 dead weevils were found. The 200 samples examined in the spring of 1941. contained an average of 920 weevils per acre, which is a much larger number than has been found in previous spring examinations, The percentage alive was 80.9 percent, or practically the sane as found last fall. Heavy rainfall occurred in November 1940 prior to collecting the ground trash and left the grounc very unfavorable for taking the samples, but rainfall er and the March samples were coll he was below normal during the winte i vw Serres around Talijulah, Lae; in’ the fall o freeze on November 14 and 15 caught many weevils Many dead weevils were found in the fields but others to the ground for protection and moved into the woods-trash shelter after the fall examinations were made. Examinations were also made of 200 square yards of woods trash at Hlorence, 5. C., this spring. A total of 81 live weevils, or an n z average of 1,960 per acre, were found. A comparison of the number of live wecvils per acre found in the spring woods-trash examinations for the past 4 years at both localities is shown in the table below. a SELOA ~” 'g Ai: ret Oh) fo) I+ if I F $e) ee f f iG t © Florence, Or OV ws OI cA ©) ue we GOO wes Very little damage was caused to cotton in the vicinity of Florence last year following the. severe winter of 1939-40, but the weevil population increased greatly late in the season and survived the winter in fairly large numbers es shown by the trash examinations. Correction in survey of hemiptcrous insect damage to cotton in Arizona,—In the News Letter (Vol. VIII, No. 4, for Feb. 1941) the figures given in the table on page 21 for percentage of bolls punctured in short staple cotton in Arizona for 1940 represent the f-year average for the counties. ‘he correct figures for 1940 are 70.7 percent punctured bolls for Yuma County, 441.1 percent for Maricopa, 26.7 per- cent for Graham, 30./ percent for Pinal, 10.3 percent for Santa Cruz, and 12.6 percent for Pima. The State average for 19/40 of 33.4 percent punctured bolls, as given in the table, is correct. PINK BOLLWORM AND THURBERIA WEEVIL CONTROL Wild-cotton eradication.—-A number of yeers ago it was found that wild cotton, whichwas growing in great abundance in sovthern Florida, was heavily infested with the pink bollworm, from which this dangerous cotton insect was making its way northward to domestic cotton plantings. Consequently, a project was inaugurated designed to eradicate this pest through the destruction of this wild cotton plant upon which it depends for sustenance. Conditions for wild cotton eradication work throughout most of the present season have been unfavorable owing to an unusual amount of rain, resulting in bad roads and a very trouble= some mosquito situation. However, there was less rainfall during March, and consequently, working conditions were greatly improveds Approximately 2,200 more acres were covered curing March incident to the destruction of wild-cotton plants than during February, but approxi- mately 43,000 less plants were found during March than during the previous month. In the Bradenton-Fort Myers subdistrict, the crews in Collier, Lee, and Charlotte Counties were working toward the com- pletion of the second cleaning for the season, whereas the crews in Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas Counties completed the second cleaning with perhaps the exception of a few locetions reached by boat, and devoted considerable time to clearing the wild-cotton colonies of other vegetation to permit the penetration of air and sun- light and thus hasten germination of dormant wild cottonseed. In the Cape Sable area the second cleaning of the season was brought toa | conclusion with the exception of one or two small areas, and, in addi~. tion, (O00 acres was covered toward a third cleaning of the seasone Approximately 3 plants per acre were found during this third cleanings The houscboat crew attached to the Cape Sable area completed the cleaning of Dade County mainland colonies and then gave attention to the keys in Florida Bay. The second cleaning of Key Largo was come pleted during the month. This brought to a close a second cleaning of all the Main Keys groupe Approximately 4 plants per acre were found on Key Largo during March. The houseboat crew attached to the Keys subdistrict completed the first cleaning of the season, together with a considerable amount of scouting work. This crew. then began the second cleaning of the season by first giving attention to the Dade County . mainland in the vicinity of Madeira Bay. In the Marathon-Key West section, eee Boca Grande Island was completed for the second time. During this second cleaning, 15,000 seedlings, but only 4 mature plants, were — found. During March a total of 7,861 acres was covered, from which were removed 877 plants with mature bolls, Ly, 341 seedling plants, and 36 sprout plants. Planting of the 1941 cotton crop in the lower Rio Grande Valley.-—As a control measure for the suppression of the pink boll- worm in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, State regular tions were inaugurated for the 1941 cotton crop designed to retard cotton. planting in that region so that the majority of overwintering pink bollworms would emerge in the spring prior to the fruiting of the crope The date for planting was fixed between February 1 and March 15; however, excessive rainfall during both Februery and March resulted in only about 50 percent of the crop being planted at the end of March, and it was estimated that at least half of that must be replanted. Consequently, in order to enable Valley growers to complete the planting of the crop, the State Department of Agriculture extended the planting period to April 20. Destruction of sprout and volunteer cotton.—Because of the mild climate and all-year growing season in the lower Rio Grande alley of sovth Texas, the cotton plant affords continuous sustenance for the pink bollworm. Consequently, to successfully combat this destructive cotton insect in that region it is necessary to deprive it of material on which to propagate during the normal noncotton= growing period. The first phase of the program to accomplish this condition is the destruction of all cotton stalks as soon as the crop is picked out. However, portions of the roots are invariably left in the ground foilowing plowing operations, which sprout through- out the year and furnish food for the build-up of infestation. There- fore, in order to maintain a host-free period, it is necessary to carry On an intensive campaign for the destruction of such plants from early fali until the fruiting of the subsequent crope Field activities in connection with the renoval of sprout plants were very limited during March owing to unfavorable weather conditions. Fields were too wet to enter during the greater part of the month, and the erubbing of sprouts was restricted to sandy, well-drained fields. However, abnormally cold nights retarded the sprout-—cotton growth, and very little grubbing was necessary to maintain the host-free statuse TRUCK CROP AND GARDEN INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Reaction of snotherweed to curly—-top virus.e——The results from incomplete tests using the beet leafhopper (Butettix tenellus (Bak. )) as a vector, being conducted at the Twin Falls, idano, Maporatory, by ‘H. C. Hallock, in cooperation with A. M. Murphy, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, indicate that smotherweed (Bassia hyssopifolia (Pall.) Kuntze) does not act as a reservoir of the curly-top virus, confirm ing the results previously obtained by H. H. P. Severin in California. The acreage occupied by this weed is increasing in waste areas and adjoining irrigated sections in southern Idaho and field studies have Se ae shown that under certain conditions it is a favorable -summer breeding host.of the beet leafhopper. In eonaure ee these tests gravid leaf- hoppers that were viruliferous were confined on the. smotherweed for a period of 7 days. One week later other leafhoppers known to be non- viruliferous were confined on these plants for a period of 4 weeks, ifter which they were transforred to sugar beet seedlings of a variety Susceptible to curly-top and cbservations were nade to deternine whether the beets developed curly-top. Similar records were obtained by confining leafhopper nymphs on beet seedlings which had developed on the smotherweed plants from eggs deposited by the viruliferous adults which had previously been confined on the weed. In these tests, conducted under suitable conditions in the greenhouse, snother— weed was not susceptible to curly-top and the virus was not recovered from inoculated plants. This plant is grown readily under greenhouse conditions and will make an excellent host for rearing nonviruliferous beet leafhoppers. fumigation of tobacco at reduced pressures with hydrocyanic- acid gase— In funigation expcscrinents nbs recently completed by R. W. Brubaker and W. D. Reed, of the Richmond, Va., field laboratory, it has been shown that dosages of hydrocyanic-acid gas as low as 1 pound per 1,000 cubic feet produced a high nortality among the larvae of the cigarette beetle (Lasioderna serricorne (7.)) under conditions of reduced pressures and an exposure period of 3 hours. The average nortalities obtained anong larvae placed at varying depths in bales of imported tobacco from exposure to dosages ranging from 1 to 4 pounds of hydrocyanic acid per 1,000 cubic feet of space were as follows: 4 pounds--100 percent mortality; 3 pounds—-99.8 percent; 2 pounds=-99.7 percent; 1 pound—-97.2 percent. Sy neans of test spikes 25 well-grown larvae of the cigarette beetle confined in perforated gear 7e capsules were placed in each bale of tobacco at depths of 14, 34, 54, ond 94 inches.. The bales were placed in a small vacuum fumigation chamber and the pressure reduced to about 29 inches on a standard mercury gauge before introduction of the funigant. After 3 hours! exposure the bales were removed from the chamber but the test insects were not removed from the bales until 72 hours following treatment, after which daily observations for 7 days were nade to determine the percentage of larval nortality. In these tests there were 6 replicates of cach treatment, each repli- cate embodying the fumigation of 2 bales of tobacco containing a total of 250 beetle larvae. The temperature of the tobacco was about 70°F, for all tests and the moisture content of the tobacco around 13 percent. Antinony compounds other than tartar emetic effective against gladiolus thrins.—Additional tests conducted by G. VY. Johnson, of the Beltsville, Md., field laboratory in 1940, have shown that calciun antimony tartrate (powder) and antimony lactate (liquid) show promising indications as substitutes for the tartar emetic in the spray fornula recommended against the gladiolus thrips (Taeniothrips simplex Morison). The results of tests conducted on replicated field plots of gladiolus indicate that a spray mixture consisting of 2.2 pounds of calciun antinony tartrate and 4 pounds of brown sugar to 100 gallons Bie = of water was as effective against the gladiolus thrips as a spray mixture containing 2 pounds of tartar emetic and 4 pounds of brown sugare However, when white sugar was substituted in the formula, the efficiency of the spray was reduced. Calcium antimony tartrate a slowly soluble in cold water and was unsatisfactory in this espect as compared to tartar emetic. In another test using only a single large plot of gladiolus 93.5 percent of the flowers pro- duced were uninjured by thrips following treatment with a spray mixture consisting of 8 pounds of antimony lactate and 4 pounds of brown sugar to 100 gallons of water, while gladiolus, treated with an equivalent tartar SSC WOE sugar sprays produced 92.3 percent un- injured flowerse INSECTS AFFECTING MAN AND ARTEMIS Mosquito surveys at Camp Stewart, Ga, and 1 Camp Davis, N.0.—— At the request of the Office of O. 6. CG. Activitics of the Forest service, G. H. Bradley, of the New Smyrna Beach, Fla., laboratory, inspected the area for mosquito breeding in the vicinity of Camp Stewart, Ga. and Camp Davis, N.C., March 27-April 1 in company with Marion Lamb of the Forest Service. The surveys were made for the purpose of determining the need and preparing cstimates and a working plan for a ©. ©. C. Camp near each Army Cantonment. The following species of mosquitoes were taken at the time of survey: Acdes vexans, Culex restuans, Anopheles crucians, and A. punctipennis. Tests to determine distance of flight of stable flies Colored flies were released by W. HE. Dove and S. W. Simmons, a the Panane City, Fla., laboratory, at six separate localities varying from 20 to 40 miles from coastal bays and varalleling the shoreline of northwest Florida for about 100 miles. Two marked flies were recovered on February 6 and 13, respectively, a distance of ahout 52 Miles from the point of release. These individuals had been "colored" on January 3, or before, which was 33 and LO days, respectively, prior to their recoverye Synthetic resins as an adhesive base in combination with a tickicides in the control of the Gulf coast tick.—-E. B. Blakeslee, of the Panama City laboratory, reports that of 100 new mixtures tested, only 11 were capable of killing 90 percent of the ticks in Ug hours. Of these, { were in fair condition after 15 days exposure on the ears of animals, and 1 was’ in very good condition. Applications were without injury to the skin of the animals. Office of Menard, Tex., laboratory burns.—--Harly on the evening of March 19 the office of the Menard, Tex., laboratory was completely destroyed by fire of an undetermined origin. The loss was complete and included valuable experimental data, several microscopes, and all office records and equipment. Cube-sulphur dust as a control of cattle grubse-~- For the con- trol of cattle grubs in small herds of cattle, E. W. Laake, R. W. Wells, and W. G. Bruce report that a mixture of equal parts of cube powder and wettable sulphur applied as a dust has given excellent results. They state that the treatment is simple, rapid, efficient, and inexpensive. ON ae - Cattle grub control denonstration.—-E. W., Laake reports that in cooperation with the Extension Entomologist of the Texas A. &M. College and local county agents, demonstrations were given on cattle grub control by the personnel of the Dallas laboratory in Anderson and Cherokee Counties in eastern Texas, As a result of these denonstrations there followed a great deal of cattle grub control activity in Anderson County. Wettable sulphur a desirable substitute for scap in cube=— sulphur wash for cattle grubs.—-It has been shown by R. W. Wells, H. W. Laake, and W. G. Bruce, of the Dallas, Tex., Laboratory, that 6 ounces of wettable sulphur is a desirable substitute for the 2 ounces of soap per gallon of cube wash for cattle grubs, and that soft water is not essential when the sulphur is substituted. Results obteined with the sulphur-cube wash were better than those obtained with the soapy cube wash. The need for hot water to dis- solve the soap is eliminated and the cost is not increased. Breeding areas of Aedes vexans and A. lateralis. H. F. Knipling and C. M. Gjullin, of the Portland, Ores, Vaboratory, report that preliminary soil sampling of the flood-water mosquito breeding areas showed a concentration cf approximately Us percent of the eggs around obstructions in one place and about 80 percent in another. The area covered by obstructions in each case repre=- sented about 5 percent of the total area sampled. The obstructions cited were fallen logs, dense brushy areas, and stumps. FOREIGN PLANT QUARANTINES Another smuggler thwarted.--On February 12, A. H. Malcoln, of the customs service at Miami, Fla., who has a reputation for detecting would-be smugezlers, got two snall mangd piants from the sleeves of a lady's sweater when the owner returned from Ouba. The plants were infested with Chrysomphalus dictyvospernmi (Morg.)s Howardia biclavis (Const.), and Leucaspis indica Marl. Entomological interceptions of interest.—-Three living adults of the bruchid Bruchus spe, probably guttalis Rey., were intercepted at New York on November 22, 190, in vetch seeds in cargo from Portugal. a GS coe wna hb a Y fol (oe) ol rol conference acic veo from 15 co Sweetpotato weevil cont weevil has apparently been er jonseaull Spans OL the oe NO NeW ae at & eas can be combated with e conference held at State agencies concerned he results of the survey he project were given full work for 1941 was submitted proposed under this pro- Sup on se- essive measure prac- ce. On other areas cial or natural spread cucved. oun eee hes Ors M+tU * T.CAaN + i5v++ Ls £5 Gal coile t ' a) C OM [D iL Eres ry Qs DQ OD ch SSmow conducted ee a a @) weevil, Hypera was confined ay + Fh @O FIO Teal a Oo } Hy a Hy {3 @ 9 Ca tho a) } 5 > i Oi : ht & ce! a) e) were and con— princi- avorabdle Arizona weevil HB t @ &h 0d fF oO © rt Os ch ) 169) te} 2 Oy Hs ps found cultura RaGlon wa, found. peep Was ulfoort.—--The sveetpotato unties in Alabama, Mississippi, "= 28 = Georgia, and Texas since the cooperative project was begun in 1937, accord~ ing to a statement by the project leader, T. R. Stenhens, at a conference of Federal end Stete officials and others held at Gulfport, Miss. , on March 13. Initial and systematic surveys have been conducted, he stated, in 184 counties of 6 States. B M. Gaddis outlined the primary objectives orf the project and gave a resume of the variovs operations of the several States. Avery 5. Hoyt, J. C. Holton, and J.:H. Lloyd attended this con-— ference, as well as the one relating to the white-fringed beetle work, and participated in the ciscussion. ——OOEeEe 1941 work programs proposed» Expansion in Mississ sippi.--Following the above conference, programs for .sweetpotato weevil control work in each State were developed and it was agreed that the activities in each State would be carried on along the same general plan as heretofore, except in Mississippi. In that State it seems probable that eradication is being approached in the commercial—producing areas, and it was considered advis— able to extend the eradication measures to the Gulf coast counties. rat Peach mosaic work programs for 1941,—-Work programs for peach mosaic operations this year in the various infected States are being prepared in conferences with the respective pest-—control officials. In the mosaic-— infected States where Zrower cooperation has been le peedint Ge Lt planned to make careful and complete inspections of nurseries, budwood sources, and their environs; to inspect previously infected and adjacent 7 properties; and to make every effort to remove diseased trees as discovered. Nursery inspection for peac April Federal-—State inspection of the extent Ge peach SREY s was begun with a view to completing the work by May 15 as provide Fi in the uniform quarantines pertaining to the peach mosaic. The large number of nurseries involved reguires that the work be undertaken early in the season and thet as many Federal and State inspectors as possible be assigned to that phase of the activity. Prior to beginning nursery work, inspectors were congregated for a preliminary "brush up" on peach mosaic symptoms in elatively concentrated commercial peach orchards in San Saba County. Sev eral nundred mosaic infected trees were found during the first few days, fiving our personnel an opportunity to review their contact with this disease before beginning the nursery inspection. This phase of peach mosaic inspection and the control is conducted under a work program and memorandum of agreement between the coopercting Federal and State agencies in which the undertakings and responsibdilities of each party are clearly definec, and which provide for intimate understanding and cooperation of the Federal and State Departments of Agriculture. In other States, the nursery inspection work is of less volume and will be undertaken as the eason advances, followed with delimiting surveys and discased—tree removal. ig) (49) fel ee tome fe) yD) Blossom inspection in California for peach mosaic.——The blossom in-— spection of trees of the large-flowered variety for peach mosaic disease was begun late in March in infected areas in California. In the Yucaipa district a high percentage of.trees was found infected in some orchards while in other areas only scatterec trees were found diseased. Peach Mosaic disease research workers have approved this method of inspection in large-flowered varieties, in which en expression in leaves is not pro- nounced. = OS) = Minnesota establishes terninal has established terminal inspection with facili inspection of the following plants: and woody vines; perenniel roots, such as peoni plants, such as strawberries and raspberries; n as hollyhocks and other hardy flowering ee and scions for or cavabdle of propagation. under the terminal inspection procedure for the sota peat 23 relating to the alfalfa weevil raspberry plants. Tne postal regulation giving dated March 7, 1941. Provis nspection.—-The State of Minnesota ties above Paul for the All wild and cultivated trees, shrubs, es and iris; small—fruit erbaceous perennials, such cuttings, buds, grafts, ion has also been made enforcement of the Minne- and certain diseases of NOGVECS Of SHS 26¢00M eS Airplanes being purchased.-—Bids have been accepted for the pur- chase of two airplanes to replace the two White Standard biplanes thet were burned in the Monroeville, Ala., fire iast year. Bait hoppers are now Deing installed in the new planes and it is expected that they will be ready in April for use on Mormon cricket control activities in Nevada, and later, on wnite-—fringed beetle and grasshopper control in the event the need develops for use of such planes in Cistributing either bait or Gust by this means. Mr. Sheals heard at Central Plant Board neeting.—--R. A. Sheals at— tended the joint meeting of the Central Plant Boardc on March 26 at Colum- bia, Mo., anc presented a paper on the activities of the white-—fringed beetle project. Mr. Roberts assigned to Washinzton.--R. A. Roberts, Assistant Project leader on Mormon cricket control, was temporarily assigned to the Washing— ton office of the Division of Domestic Plant Quarantines beginning April l. interesting interceptions.—-A miniature hotfreme containing 10 pounds of soil from the Japanese beetle area was reported in March by a New York inspector. This is the second interception of its kind in New York, each from a different source. Corn borer larvae in a shipment consigned from a point in China to a pet shop at a point in Missouri were recently found by the transit inspector at St. Louis on his Sera Four: of 2Gut yee LAS shipment was called to the attention of the port inspector at Chicago. An express shipment of uncertified cottonseed from the ae bollworm area, which was intercepted at Dallas in March, is believed to be the rime ship- ment of cottonseed in quantity moving in violation of Quarantine No. 52, that has been found by a transit inspector. CONTROL INVESTI GAT late ‘ sb Ss Cin Fumigation schedvles for nursery st In cooperation with the Japanese Bestlie Contro of Fruit Insect Investigations, C. Donohoe, laboratory, has completed oo ntal work on for nursery stock so Jopanese beetle larvae. treatments with nothyl bronmi at temperature now available. Sive, the Ee act Now 4s the dosage of 24 pounds of methyl bromide the time and tommerature varied from 2h ments. At- 70°, a dosage of e pounds Horse laboratory on treatments at lowe used. temper coal cL for 1 mn varyin In six of these treatments, rangi TONS larvee.e-- Division See NG LAa ion schedules al of seven + Gi ing Ins 1s maint inclu- and : ained eee to yt hours in half—hourly incre— Work is under way at the White tures and with varving dosages. 22 The application of methyl bromide in the greenhouse and the effect relative humidity on cfficiency.—Further studies by EH. H. Richaréson 32 aah H. see ane ee of the Beltsvills, Hd., laboratory, have again show (\ ) ea that the fast spray end slow pen methods of Weapon ear das of methyl bro- mide are A about equal efficiency in greenhouse fumigations under wet conditions. Vaporization by spraying required i to 3 minutes while pan vaporization was adjusted to 90 to 110 minutes. Under fairly dry condi- tions, the results slightly f red the fast spray method. rom a practi- cal standpoint, the spray meth e previous work indicated a fast type of vap 6: cr orization to de more effective than a slow vaporizaticn in O-hour exposures. High and Iow relative humidity were again showm to have little effect on efficiency against the her efficiency was obtained common red spider or Mexican mealybug, but higher at high css city against the confused flour beetle. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS e--in Januery of this year s number of ridoniyrmex humilis Mayr, were collected y and J. D. Gomez in the soil of a ion reported as heavy. G. F,. Callaghan m UG ets ks is The Argentine ant in Hawai specimens of the Argentine aNouislowa ols ObLAMskahy ous Tenie lA vegetable c e \~ ct ne vo] Cy KF D2 o) p by no oO iy He 09 © 8 rap) +4 Oo p ay Lite (PY {eh 09) tt I+ ck ry 173) 9) dpi no (ey) yi itself and be- pees tines fad Tic‘ islands, PY 13] 5 t mo” ra ib) ch © “ la} 5} Oo 3 ct ch ct bs? jon O ty 9 Q fr Hes) (40) tA (e) (09) Q Hm (@) dp HH wo dp) tS} (a) @ cap [) My oo 5 GinaG (@) oO Q Q oS i a (e) LS} i) ' «A Oo It ct ay (@) Ib 50] ce o urvey, temporarily engaged by the Bureau of nti rise the Nearctic species of the chal-— that Tetrastichus tatei Dozier ) » pe 129) descrived from Puerto thrips uzeli Zimm., is identical with Tetra-— on (Bul. Ent. Res. 13, 1923, p. 453). recorded O af On, Clagenua am Toeimadac. ae h West, Indtecs he record by Mason (Ent. News 33, 1922, p. 199) of Tetras from Cryptothrips laureli Mason in Florida is also refe ee, ae S208 Plone ene peel tale pebectes is quite widely dad oth aes ee al Clidenia. trastichus parasitic on thrips.—-—B. D. Burks, of the S AO bia Cy Oo Ga Roe b> 09 be} ah St ja , Cetermined b one$ Partial remains of a beetle larva of the family Stanpnylinidae end part of the pody of a beetice larva, probably of the family Carabidae, both deter-— mined by W. H. Anderson; the thorax of en acult beetle; some of the legs 1 uperfamily Oribatoidea, and partial Bh Cee iS Mains of a predaceous mite of a 33 ment eae an ae leg Loe two egual claws anc a pulvillus t 1s r rood habits gids are mies iNeG. Xylaplothrins subterraneus Cwfd. in Oregon.—-Specimens taken at ta) Toronto, Canada, on lily bulbs from Oregon, sent in dy J. McDunnough, in— pee two specimens of 3 ee subterraneus Cwfd. The latter was originally described fron ee On iy Dulbs, This as the first record of this species in North America. Eola ee A ne ee a te al oe SS EEE I 5 . a ht) ee eee ellie ee men ow —_- = SE ay PRE Se ge O == El See — ee gelig gl een Sy, 4 ern Fy Oe ee er a Oe a rea a ae Oe! 2b 4] Jam UNITED STATES DerARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE , NEWS LETTER FOR APRIL 1941 ee se ae te ne en in in i a ne se i i i nn en ne ee es ee ee ee FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Control by tree-injection tried on peach insectse—Tests of materials claimed to be effective against the peach borer and other insects by injec= muon into the trees were made at’) Suarke, Plas, by Oliver I. Snapp, of the Fort Valley, Ga., laboratory. The materials consist of oil of peach, 5 per~ cent; oil of rose geranium, 2 percent; oil of sassafras, 1 percent; oil of citronella, 2 percent; and spirits of turpentine, 90 percent. The treat- ment was made by boring a hole into the heartwood of the tree at the ground line with a brace and bit, after which the hole was plugged with a cork stopper and from 1S to 2 cece of the formula injectcd into the hole with a hypodermic syringe, the needle of which was inserted through the cork. The top of the cork and surrounding bark of the tree was then painted over with ordinary blue paint. The originator of the treatment claimed that the rising of the sap would take the materials throughout the tree, killing all borers, scales, and other insectse Each of the 40 borers removed from these trees was alive 23 days after treatment, although the originator claimed that the formula would kill peach borers in about 9 days. All of the young scale on a peach tree used for the test were alive. Most of the old scales had been parasitized. The treatment caused serious injury to the cambium, bark, and heartwood of 4 of 14 trees examined for tree injury. At the time of the examination, this injury was confined to the area where the materials had been injected into the tree. Removal of small darkling beetles from excelsior trapse—Use of the chloropicrin separator for removing small darkling beetles, chiefly Blapstinus rufipes Casey, from excelsior traps has proved successful, as reported by Dwight F. Barnes and Charles-K, Fisher, of the Fresno, Calif., laboratory. The separator was first described in BT 21, by Donohoe, et al, as an apparatus for separating nitidulids from infested host materiale About 13 drops of chloropicrin was used for each run. In 9 test runs with exposures of 1 and 2 hours, 1,679 of the beetles, or 97.8% percent of the 1,/1/ present, were separated from the trap contents. The average separa- tion in 2 tests with exposures of 2.hours each was 97.4 percent and in 7 trials of 1 hour each it was 98.1 percent. The results of the individual tests are listed below. The only difficulty expcorienced was with 1 sample, not listed, which was water-soaked when placed in the scparator. Secpara- tion of this lot was about 53 percent. eailies hen. = * Exposure * Adults removed N ; Material (excclsior) | Mae oe ; No. . ours . Number ,Percent Daas Pads ee 2 S BBE 8 GER 2---: From beg traps ‘ 2 gO Looe we nk " 2 z : 209) ST Gea Mab it 8 " : al Ai 2 aati eo) 7. 5 —--=- 3 " ° at : 125 : 9962 Gates M" : 1 : To ot GGea te i : iL : SS. 3 CGam Saas " : 1 ¢ dbs eee Ceo It : ig : 128 a SS ee Total a : — - 1,679 AM i Average -- : = : —— sf O%5S MEXICAN FRUIT FLY CONTROL Conditions in the lower Rio Grande Valleye—-Larval infcstations were found on 343 propertics in Aprils This number of infestations is somewhat below normal for this period ofthe year, and the number of infestations found throughout the regulated area for the entire season is slightly less than for the same period last year. The infestation this season is opproximatcly 25 percent of that of two seasons agoe. At no time during this year have treps taken flies in such numbers as to indicate that there was a very high fly population present in the grovese - Fruit shipments declined to only 1,618 cars for the month. The total for the senson, as of April 30, amounted t0.26,216.8 carlots, 3621: cars below the figure for the same period in 1939-40. More than the normal amount of rainfall in every month since December 1940 has resulted in many groves being flooded for considerable periods of time. Harvest ing of fruit in certain arcas of the valley has been delayed materially, and in some instances serious damage to the groves is feared because of the excess water that could not be promptly draineds JAPANESH BEETLE CONTROL Reduced dosage of lead arsenate for treating nursery plotse—— - In supplement No. to Circular B.E.P.Q. 499, effective May 1, 1941, administrative instructions to inspectors on the treatment of nursery products, fruits, vegetables, and soil for the Japanese beetle were modified to reduce the dosage of lead arsenate applied to nursery plots containing growing plants and to coldframes, plunging beds, and heeling- in areas from the previous rate of 1,500 pounds per acre to 1,100 pounds per acre (or 26 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft.) for initial treatments. On subsequent retreatments, sufficient lead arsenate must be applied to restore a concentration of 1,100 pounds per acre, as determined by chemical analyses, except that determination by chemical analyses of a ~ concentration of 1,000 pounds per acre will. be acceptable without retreat- ment. This revised schedvle was authorized by the Chief of the Bureau after a restudy had been made by representatives of the Divisions of rt. Fruit Insect Investigations, Control Investigations, and Japanese Beetle Control of the early investigational data on which the original dosages were based. It was found that the margin of sefety originally prescribed was in excess of present needs and thet e reduction of approximately 25 percent would be warranted. Inasmuch as analyses of representative soil Samples teken over an extensive arca 7 vary as much as 100 pounds of lead arsenate per acre in-indicating the content, a determination by analysis of a 1,000 pound-pcr-acre content was considered acceptable with- out further retreatment. If the lead arsenate content is shown by analysis to have fallen below 1,000 pounds per acre, it must be restored to the full 1,100 pounds. This reduction in dosage is expected to result in more extensive utilization by nurserymen of the lead arsenate treatment of soil plots in which stock eligible for Japanese beetle certification may be grown. The bulk of soil samples from treated plots now maintained by nurserymen were obtained by. inspectors during April, with only a few Scattered samples yet to be taken. Some 650 semples were collected during the month. This is considerably less than in previous yearse ma Classified growers report sood Baster trede.—Classified nurseries and greenhouses from ali parts of the Japanese beetle regulated area reported very good Haster business, in most cases with complete sell-outs of all blooming plants. Many dealers claimed that it was their best year since 1929. Some shortages of plants for the Memorial Day trade were predicted. Thirty carloads of nursery stock were certified in the New York City area during the month and 29 of these, originating on Long island, were consigned mostly to the States of Michigan and Illinois. Most of the stock in 9 carloads shipped by 1 nursery was dug from a lead arsenate treated plot. Fumigated balled stock also made up a portion of this establishment's shipments. In addition +o carload shipments there were odd lots of shrubs and small trees, and numerous truckloads of stock, all of which had to be certified, One Long Island nurseryman plans to grow 20,000 certified azaleas in a cloth=screened house this summer. These will be started in a certified greenhouse, and will be planted in a lead arsenate treated area under cloth before the season of adult-—beetle flight. If this method proves successful for this grower, a larger number will be grown in this manner next year. Inspection of soil-free Japanese iris roots that had been washed under water oressure disclosed that Japanese beetle grubs were still lodged at the base cf the roots. It was necessary to break the clumps into small divisions before thorough inspection could be made. During visits to New Jersey nurseries and greenhouses during the Month, inspectors heard such statements as: "Mail orders increased 100 percent over last year." "An increase of 75 percent in express orders over 1940," "The best April in our history." "A11 azaleas sold and prices 20 to 40 percent higher-—-can't buy them anywhere." "Had to run 7 days a week for the past 2 weeks," "AL1 stock from our lead-arsenate-treated plots sold—must buy in certified stock to fill our orders." "Entire stock cleaned out during April, the first time this has ever occurred." Certified ship=- ments from the central Pennsylvania district reached the highest peak since 19376 oat Pes Tourists increase shipments from Mount Vernon.—Certificates issued to the Mount Vernon Ladies Association for shipment of plant material from the George Washington Estete indicate that the association is making more shipments than ever before. his is attributed to the increase in number of tourists and new workers in the Washington area. The Washington Cathedral, in the District of Columbia, has required the services of an inspector twice a week to inspect and certify herb plants sold there to tourists. Inspections in the area surrounding the District were extremely heavy during the first part of Aprile The larger shippers were the Govern ment estacdlisnments and the Maryland State Forest Nursery. Daily inspec tions were required at these places. Shipments ranging from 50 to 50,000 soll-free trees were certified. Inspection work in the District of Columbia was heavy during the month, since et tment stores selling ever grcens, trecs, and sarubs are all unclassified and actual inspection must be made of any stock to be shipped out of the regulated area by these deallerse,.. Additional fumigation chambers approvede—Several methyl bromide fumi-— gation chambers were constructed during the month and approved after tests were made by the treating section. A Maryland nursery built a chamber with a, Woo eibic foot capacity. This ee accommodated a single treatment of 1,785 plants with soil balls from % to 10 inches in diameter, A nursery in northern Ohio completed a chamber g by 4 by 6 feet, having a capacity of 192 cubic feet. It is constructed of ll—gauge metal, electrically welded inside and out. It is very well constructed and has an excellent hinging device on the door. ee : 205 = eet PallulLah, La-------$ wy e aan : iy . : 2 035 \ — Waco , Lex SS ne ee ee ° eee MS 09 = Fah energence for season; 1939 records for College Station, Tex. j= At Florence over 200 tines as many weevils energed during the first 9 days of May 1941 as in 1940. At McIntosh the emergence was about the SEI 5 a was neavy in both years. At Tallulah the percentage of sur— a iF td 5 e z and at Waco pen ae than of timssas great as ere the whole Season in 1940. Emergence will continue through May and June and the indi i 1 vil esnatesene ai eee seriou f=! ans u id va Lord = na a “7 <=; ——“ The danage will aoe largely on weat 1sr conditions during June and July. Hot, ary weather nay check their development while damp, cool weather will favor their increase. Effect of calcium arsenate on cotton aphid multiplication.——Several applicaticns of calcium arsenate for boll weevil control often cause the cotton leaf SELES to increase to injurious numbers. The reasons for this increase are not fully understood. It was formerly thought that the de- struction of the Saglaiees and predators by the SeSOaReal ‘was the principal actor, but more recent work by EH. W. Dunnam ‘and J. C. Clark, of the Stone— ville, Miss., laboratory, has indicated other factors were plaving a part in the accelerated multiplication of aphids. Apparently the calcium or arsenic in the insecticide is absorbed by the leaves and roots, and one or both of these elements in the cotton leaf fluids wpon which the aphids fee timulus to aphid reproduction. T n lie OF “RheS ae Ss of the cell sap of plants was increased in plots du n cium arsenate. Associated with this increase of pH were e r maturity and shedding of leaves. The prereproductive period of aphids was shortened and the number of young vorn daily and. the total number of young were in- creased when aphids were reared on dusted plants. Caged aphids protected from parasites and predators reproduced $5 e080 on cotton dusted vita cal-— cium arsenete containing 13.9 percent water-soluble arsenic pentoxide than on plants dusted with calcium arsenate containing O./ percent water—- soluble arsenic. Reproduction was also slightly higher on plents dusted with hydrated lime then on the checks. -In field tests at Tallulah, La., R. C. Gaines, M. T. Young, and G L. Smith found a significantly larger O d with calcium arsenate O ; ° number of aphids developed in plots of -c n containing 10.5 percent vater~solubdle arsenic pentoxide than in plots dusted with calcium arsenate containing 0.5 percent water—scluble arsenic. These facts indicated that the amount of water-soluble arsenic in the cal-= cium arsenate was the most important factor but that the lime in the cal— cium arsenate also contributed to the aphid increase. Tests were begun in 1939 and continued in 1940 to improve calcium arsenate so as to reduce or eliminate the build-up of aphids. Plants were dusted and sprayed with a number of substances with different degrees of pH to observe the r eaction on the plants and the aphids. Plants dusted with zinc arsenate (oH 6.40) had fewer aphids and were in Detter condition at the end of the season then plants dusted with calcium arsenate (pH 11.30), a commercial mixture of paris green reacted: with calcium arsenate (pH 11.61), magnesium ar-— senate (pH 9.61), and lead arsenate (pH 7.56). These results indicated thet among the naterials that, could be used for buffering purposes, zinc salts would probaoly be the most suitable for use with calcium arsenate for cotton insect control. Tests are being continued with nixtures of calcium arsenate. and zinc salts and calciun arsenate with ferrous saltse As a result cf these investigations one of secticide companies last year tested.a calcium arsenate in which a the process of nanufacture. Their first Se were sO satisfactory in holding dowm the:aphid population safened calcium arsenate is being produced commercially ona this year Abutilon berlandicri, a 1 ink pa oL ee Gi Derlongier: were grcwn at Presidio , nee }d 3) fay (ey Ao) © ‘st cL “> uns 5 O >, V a Or lat £ ave Gay ~ amit : 5 ante eLil vi gi Y TAT soced Cee “ V+ 9 rh WTAXTO™ OWSVEC 5 C3 pan £ G Rio ai Sie percent o — ¥ as Va i a) Hirt’ v) coed — orn erat 7 cm) lower Sie 240 erm bran t pecisl S) + ata Lue sul thet da fe Glese On rg 1 24 ry 2 1c0ns ral v i}a =) Tom . mot — aes POX To a the ro) i :CS C n Or 9) 3 . eral YL ¥ the by . gis +0 u + + wa} no ot Pores iC mets A ns os 1S on ¢: nt flu c¢ qaPa < vo aS mae Lmega 0-0 3 rdance 9) ar ~ ack tne nost vul—- be eut: iSEc with— Aa SS Li ; a dl —s cri t Sl re) po iY iY 2 S iC ~ a20S¢ « lich a ra ¥ at qt ‘C fe) 42 a) ae C) Si n 3 FORG 3 = : eB a aw Cw ently, A a conseqd . NTOUENOU 7 Se -1g- alll ovals, immediately after tac crop is Rar met, however, in attempting to destroy cotton in this region, and sprout plants develop throughout the yoar from Howe left in the ground during plowing operations, thus making it necessary to carry cn an intensive cam— peign for the destruction of sprout cotton eat the fruiting of the sudse- quent crop. During April, $75 man-days were expended in grubbing out sprouts which gave evidence of producing bloons DrAGOrR FOtLMe, nrubine ion she planted crop At the end of Anril young squares were beginning to appear in a good mony Soe the Cerlier LOU planted ficlds, but it Ps not believed thet blooms Will Become NGS Ofsa.s endency to be si a GC Us experin rn =_vY Levi Ble (oo : ro — = results cotained n > ar ah; yret rrisep Corroborating t nature the 1 es ap US nage 10 We as Vv US % 5 HUN "¢ = 7 a. ~ to DLe foz © ve a P Chlo-— hese cted Usted prior abora- aubl Dy Cc tnd zt 4 ab 18 & t es al = a (=) a 8 | Giict er Decen-— to subzero ns vero nad No Se ie ar beets grom and o Shale Ss co It spo als pl or any one farn + an a) e results of ~ >) AvES = ae . prior ~ lal a — 1 MWA igs ny se ‘ Te " — it of Ly Out] seni urred ] ) a ae vart of October 3 Bs Cle Onsale t peri 19 SE SP, L He > ust containing 0. I and II content, or a py ad Z 5 cS) ef GLO ae sect tat val a at ra: tabhe ror in hr 4 were 1/2 tio ay |e ees < Of damage to SIOE u at 1 come oe: =i ita Ww ay; ™ a bat ia aC ount dbage on he ne hOe An FinGer oO a NLP “Ob ce eas these on Fz Pyret Ci une 2 as the eariri n0 ne @ ing y ve 5 aA Gs ~ percent erm = 5 a + u E] F CiCaia a rin oy + } Vv alis dal ~ ree post-hea la) sO ti a ro be of 1959- or the earl =t oC. ? + ee i? pro co + 7 yroer ete er A = 3 t OCCUPTE! c n ed , L : e ] para the bee? ine whe fe Coz er probably accounts 4 consist 26, 1939 7 > 4 t { roa Say oer © eS h a LEE 37 al Oc Nuss L = Of 7 CXAVELFAHENTS ber anc C we t in ar, one of the cages pal ales 1 u dul tote +t cl rat 1 au, i - Ce er 2, 1940,-to Marc Cc x 1 - es on red Decer a — digst yO er enn Lot tomta 5 ‘around b uring the p A ‘ Sy ec ther es plac h week whe if aze ad eac nove Ci Se achior smeive 1941, to determine being r aS 7 Impregnated pyrethrum dusts an experinent carried ne during 19° Windsor, Conn., il,bora A. ethrun custs containing 0.5 percent S k haustec pyrethrum flovers as i agoinst the tobacco thrips (Franklin infested cigar=wrapoer tobacco growing Ory, We Morrill, or against tobacco thrips.—-Fron snail plots at the concludes that impregnated nee ene ie TI, using ex shows considerable promise fusca (Hinds)) when applied to inder shade. Evaluations of damage anc . by thrips on the’ cured leaves of ey from plants that had received 7 applications of this insecticide showed of the potential yield of ae percent of wranpers of ] secticidal treatment. The p -on plants receiving 7 containing 1 percent of rotenone wa ternately with this dust mixture Tyan + vise ee en Ome of Ser s 13, mixtures containing pyrethrum and rote damage by the thrips than the dusts. hand—operated dusters at.an average application and the spra srate of 4/ gallons per insecticide being a - tnents were replica Latin square ene examining to the le “a 4 @) ny (43) ma mece G i) cr iQ Cd Oo se) @) Ln Ys rh ck 0) Hy © i) 5 = 1 alts aves Mosquito survey at Savanr Health Service, GH. Bradley, of t spent tne period April 22 to 24, ine and estimating the needs for a W. P Vicinity of the Savannah, Bo hee lere 3 tie S pare eee Caras Sinilar oe eae 1S Ot a Sune Naces cust f that an average of only / percent rappers was damaged, as compared 6 59 from plants that received no in- wrappers damaged by the yeas aah SG vure nereas for plants pc ote al- and the oe ie dust; only 12 percent of the wrappers was damaged by feedin 1g of the tobacco EEE IDS. enone were les The dus rate of pplied by Been Cee ee eekly intervals beginn 1/40 acre the treatnents as to the presence Two spray in reducing fon] pe) rective er 25 re | | ed ) Ou o CA A vio kta bg 1 3 8 Bp ; 149) © | | ie) ne aes k Oma =] fa | i oy n res} i) a5) < oO a chk O Festa Gye Hy '% 14 Oo bs @ Lopes) as} fl a YD @) 1) @) @) the f Q\ Or [He nial eee Was Y 2. o) ct o ‘- tr Si by a oO Qu Qu ia ie) 09 fo) 'G MAN AND ANIMALS an. air senaction. the request of the’ Public he New Smyrna Beach, Fla., laboratory, usive, in making a Liosquito survey mosquito—control project in the Creosote spray for sandfly control.-~-In prelininary tests made by fee md: Oe. hie, DNLCLdS, On tae St. Lucie, Fla.,,, Lapvoratory,. 200 £é6et of ditch was sprayed with creosote oil at the rate of 1 gallon of Greosoce co 100 feet of ditch. Only 1 Larva was isolated from three 1l— quart samples 15 days later. From an untreated citch 150 feet away al- most 100 larvae Were isolated from each sample. Dog fly breeding places.--. HE. Dove and S. W. Sinnons, of the Panona City, Fla., laboratory, report that a survey was made for breeding places of dog flies i the dairies of Bay County, Fla. OF 14 dairies in- spected, breeding was found in 6. 3 sNopTn FOREIGN Entonological interceptions of i } ter PLANT QUARANTINES rest.--Two living and 26 dead larvae of the Mediterranean fruitfly (Ceratitis canitata (Wied. )).. were taken at Seattle on April 25 in apples in ship's refrigerator from Queens— land. Living specimens of the endomychid Trochoideus americanus Buq. were intereepted at Hoboken, N. J., on April 3 with Cattleya sp. in cargo fron Colombia. ace the Ine spection Housc, Washington, D, C., on April 18 in wnidentified seeds of a forage plant in express fron Iran. oan Pathological interceptions of intercest.~-Ceratostonella ips Rumbold was found on April 17 at Hoboken on a pine cleat in cargo fron England. C. ulni (Schvarz) Buis. was in sgmceTa eee on April 3 at New York in eln wood in a crate from England. Cercospora coffeicola Berk. & C. was intercepted on March 4 at Hoboken on coffee leaves in baggage from Mexico. Cunninsiel-= la sanguinea (Peck) Arth. was intercepted on March 12 at Hoboken in Ma- were intercepte C2 honia leaves from British Colwnbia. Dendrodochium lycopersici Harsh, a little-kmom fungus described in Belgiun = 1901, was in iterceptcd on to- natoes fron Mexico April 10, 1940, and ou ebruary 15, 1941, at Brownsville. Gloeosporiun lebdec Syd. was intercepted on n February eu at nes Orleans on _Albizzia lebbeck pods fron Honduras. Paverbeeee marioni (Cornu) Goodey was intercepted on March 26 at Seattle on Anemone pulsatilla vernalis fron Canada. Kellermania sp. and what appeared to be immature Asterina mexicana EE. & E. a on March 19 at El Paso on mnaguey leaves in baggage Ss ra) al MauUbis We trom Mexico. Phyltac h naycdis ese DIESE) ae orn leaves in cargo Guatemala. Perid for a specific determination, was Picea sp. in baggage from Me Ace. Peronospora effusa (Gr on spinach from Mexico, was found in March baggage from Mexico. P. pisi (De Bary) Syd. York on peas in stores from Portugal. January 10 at Hoboken on Epidendrunm sp. entering under Venezuela. U. jucunda Sacc. was intercepted Philodendron sp. in mail fron Costa Rica. Miltonia, was smyergen te ed on maoes 26 a fron Mexicoe Uredo spe, none found at Brownsville on Miltonia vexilan New York on ermiun sp., material too scanty found on March 2 at found on March 4 at El Paso on needles of ev.) Ces., common at Nogales on Chenopodium sp. in was found on April 15 at New Ureco guacac Mayer was intercepted on special pernit fron at Hoboken on February 21 on re ea on ~25— DOMESTIC PLANT QUARANTINES Grasshopper development,-—-Hatching of Melanoplus mexicanus Sauss, was reported at the close of Anril as complete in two Arizona counties. Two mixing stations were in operation in Yuma County, Ariz., and demands for bait were increasing, Hatching of this species was also in progress in northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and the vicin- ity of Ames, Iowa. M. bivittatus Say, according to reports, was hatching at Ames the latter part of April, and Acoloplus turnbullii Thos, in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. A light and general grasshopper hatch was reported from many counties in Utah, Infestations of moderate intensity in southern California were present and baiting operations were expected to begin early in May in San Bernardine and Kern Counties. _. Mormon cricket migration stopped.—-A Mormon cricket band with a front 6 miles wide was recently observed moving into cultivated areas at Werm Springs, northwestern Oregon, within 150 yards of the town. The ‘application of sodium fluosilicate bait with power equipment in advance of the crickets completely stonnoed the migration, After feeding on the bait they failed to advance more than 150 feet, a 98—percent kill was effected, and no damage to crops resulted. Other Mormon cricket control work,——The hatching of Mormon crickets is almost complete in areas of low altitude: throughout the infested region, In areas of high altitude: the hatch will continue for some time. Adult crickets were observed at the close of April in Washington and Oregon. In Nevada the hatch was somewhat retarded by storms serly in the month. In Utah heavy populations of crickets which hed not migrated from the eze beds were effectively dusted, resulting in an 85— to 95-—percent kill, in some sections 100 percent. Such early dusting of crickets while they are still concentrated on the hatching grounds, is a most economical type of control. In Oregon large-scale cooperative control operations have been conducted in Wasco and Jefferson Counties, and on the Warm Springs Indian R=servetion and land adjacent thereto, Power-dusting was begun in Nevade on Avril 21, and extensive preparations are being made for large-scale applications of both sodium—arsenite dust and sodium- fluosilicate bait. A considerable number of pick-up trucks, power bait-— spreaders, and bait mixers have been transferred to the areas in Nevada and Oregon where extensive control overations are anticinated. During April a total of more than 3,000 acres was dusted and nearly 20,000 acres pread with cricket bait. White-fringed beetles show early develooment.—-Field employees of the white-fringed beetle control project, working in close cooperation with the members of the Division of Cereal and Forage Insect Investiga— tions, are making studies of the development of the beetles so that in- formation may be available in each of the infested: aroas as to the time when beetle emergence may be expected. The time when control measures are to be started in eath area is based largely On-such information, The pupal stage was found at New Orleans on Avril 22 and in the Florala, Ala., area on Avril 26, 10 days earlier than. the first. punae were found at Florala in any previous year. +t which may be eccounted for by unusual fested area, findings indicate an early emergence, vy ary weather throughout the in- 1 ft ty Control work on white-fringed beetle has vegun,—Direct control measures against the white-fringed beetle were begun at Mobile, Ala., on i ward in the early part of May in all isolated Avril 30 and were going for drastic type of suppressive measures are t9 be con-— € tC 1é at i areas, where the most tinued throughout the e period of emergence to epee: the possi- bility of eradication. erials and sunplies needed to carry on the work throughout the season oh been ordered to the extent thet. available funds will permit. ee Beetle control at Army Center,.-—-A recrestional center to be used by the Army personnel on holidays and week ends has been estabdlished with-— in the white-fringed beetle infested area at Gulfnort, Miss. The site was selected by the Army officer in command, in cooperation with the project employees, and the Army has cooperated in the establishment and mainten- anceof adequate sanitation measures to prevent the beetles from being 4 carried to points outside the area, White-fringed bestle administrative instructions modified.—Under a revision of circular B, E. P. Q. 485 which became effective May 1, the certification requirements of the white-fringed beetle guarantine were waived for the current year as to certain articles shippe@ from designated parts of the regulated area. Such modification is justified, it is be- lieved, because of the decrease in intensity of infestation in certain parts of the area. No modification has-beén made in the restrictions requiring certification of soil, whether moved independently of or attached to nursery stock or other aie ee New white-fringed beetle infestatio During test runs made by the new nower sifte -technical unit of the white-fringed beetie con tion was discovered on a railroad right-of-way of Mobile. The sifting machine has proved prac presence of larvae, puras, and adults in any soi types of clay or gumbo anc even in these soils th fair cegree of efficiency. cently developed by the ol project, a new infesta— t Crichton, Ala., a suburt i Cae in detecting the 1 except. the very heavy ere are indications of a W. P. A. project on sweetpotato weevil control in Mississippi.— Labor has been assigned by the State ¥, P. >, A, Administrator's Office in ‘Mississinpi and clean-up operations -re now under way in sweetpotato fields, seecdbeds, and storage banks in the areas immediately south of the counties from which it is believed that the weevils have been eradicated as a result of coonerative Federal-State operations sanicne 72! since 1937. Gudea gare pice tipo tat weevil and wild host nlants Tn Thomasville, ey, adtitional infesta ne sWeetpotato weevil have been found in native host plants, While it is not known whether the weevil can perpetuate itself throughout the year on these wild plants, field work is now being conducted, with the assistance of labor furnished on found by use of vower sifter,—| aT by the Works Prosress Administraticn, to eliminate all such host plants in the city and its environs. Further careful inspections are being made in Georgia and in other affected States to determine the status of wild host plants “ith respect. to such infestations, This inspection is carried on jointly with members of the research unit and the State cooperators, Clean-up work on infected citrus hedges in Navasota, Tex., com nleted,-—-On the To of citrus canker on Citrus trifoliata hedges at Navasota, Grimes County, nea Last wanvary. 3: staff of traineé in- spectors was assigned to make a thorough inspection of the 75 hedges in the town, and W, P. A. laborers were obtained for tree—removal work in the area, The town of Navasota was commletely inspected, as well as all of Grimes County, Citrus canker was found on 355. trees on 6 properties in Navasota. All the infected trees were promptly destroyed, as well as over 12,000 sondmbested citrus trees on the infected properties. 1% seems like- ly that with the excention of possibly 1 or e hedges all citrus trees will be renoved with the force of 155 relief laborers. Inspection has also been made of two contiguous counties without findine canker. A survey has been completed of major towns cf central and northeastern Texas covering the route >setween Houston and Dalles. Numerous citrus hedges in this non- commercial area were Lloested, inspected, and recorded. Transit-inspection station changes.--In April the transit-—inspec- tion stations at Philacelvhia and Cincinnati were closed and the inspectors at these cities were assigned to Dallas, Houston, and Pittsburgh, Transit inspection. at Birmingham has also been suspended. Transit inspection in the Northeast.--The movement of nursery stock in the Northeastern States reachss its neo | Point ein SApE Lawes kyear the peak occurred eariy in the second week and maintained its level through- out the month. Some 75,000 shipments were inspected and over 6,000 way- bills were examine? during the 30-day period. Inspectors in this erea reported 225 shipments that were moving in violation of 1 or mre of 4 different Federal plant quarentines. These were consigned to 36 States and Canada, Sixty-two irregularities of various State ees ne re were also reporter. to the proner officials. Every inspector in this region has commented on the trenendsus number of Ribes shivments observed this Season, Puffalo, N, Y., is proving to be one of the most important points for enforcing the white-pine blister rust quarantine, affording protection to the white pine srowing States of the Northeast, and to the Lake States. Weewioad, Oo. rase suck, ee ae of 40,000 bushes, consigned to Canada was renorted at New York because of thé lack of Japanese beetle certifica- tion. Canadian suthorities were promptly advised of this movement and wey made an inspecticn of the stock at its Cestination, This is the third carloac oe incvergified quarantined material that has been inter- turing the present fiscal year. 5 oO ty CONTROL TNVESTIGATIONS = Methyl bromide fumigation accelerates ess “hatching, —Gypsy moth eges fumigated with sublethal dosages of methyl bromide in November hatched from 18 to 33 days in advance of control eggs kept under like conditions in an unheated laboratory room, in tests resorted by Randall Latta, of this Division, and C, H. Gadéis, of the Division of Javanese Beetle Control. However, in eges kept in outdoor storage there was no annarent differ- ence in the time of hatching. J, W. Bulzer cee the same accelera-— tion in the hatchinz of ezes of the tent caterpillar at Hoboken, N. J. In these tests mace in February, some dosages were sublethal and hatching oecurred several days ee of the contr a when both were kent ina laboratory room, INSECTICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Insecticidal use of amincacetanil Lloyd HE, Smith was granted U. 5. patent 2, cidal use of ortho-, meta-, and Dara-aminoace ative ha ven promising results when tested against the following in- hern army worm, melon worm, dean leaf roller, cabbage looper, d cabbaze worn, end “cegeses Cabbage worm, The p-aminoacetani- Cc ration of 8 pounds per 100 gallons of water, was tested » egeplant, tomato, peoner, and bean foliage, with no injury after the avvlication of the spray, This natent is assigned ra A des vetented,--On April 29, 1941, 249,832, which covers the RAccetie € a BJ stanilides. The »ara ceriv- acing Corporation of et Union, marketed in e containing 40 per- ecially in Connecti- as t the bean aphid, s toxic as nicotine; Srmee rican market, probably de- i Fo rnerly ootained only now known to occur in anavasine.—-A>out 10 year New York City, American repress nta this country an ae solution 91 cent-anabasine, This. came into conside cut, for combating aphids, As ac anabasine was shown to be four nadvasine ha cause the entire fe) from the Asiatic wee the tree tebaccc Nicotiana ezlauca, which 2 uthwestern States, Russian investizators have Pep gee hybrids of Nicotiana glauca x Ng rustica which contain as much as 7 Tf nea rasi The commercial cultiva- Shee of the tree tobacco anc oD Ssible in the United States, The latest information concerni iewed in the mimeographed ublication E-537 e o DA Le} 3 H* ct by re o Ww ne ep) Sa @ onl iad) e o) Sie) > Physical behavior of some mixed o és,--In the con— trol of the screwworm, it was observed that a number organic insecti- cides were effective when applied as dust, but when such dusts were mixed (in order to enhance their effectiveness), t they were found to liquefy. A number of dinary systems of such organic insecticides have been investigated by O. A. Nelson, The systems examined were: Dinhenylamine and vhenoxathiin, diphenylamine and paranitrophenetole, dinphenylemine and nitronaphthalene, and diphenylamine and cibenzofuran, I+ was observed that at the optimum er :nceentration paranitrophenetole and nitronannthalene each lowered the eee point from 52. 8°-to ahcut 2h? C., phenoxathiin to 26, 4° CL, and benzofuran to 34,5° C, Other systems will he examined and the results of the previous inves en ations will be pubtesha. =o The red-color test for rotenone,--J, W, Wood and L, D. Goodhue have been nakine a study of the factors involved in the teeqlesveen test for rotenone and deguelin, In this test an alcoholic alkali nitrite solu- tion is added to an acetonic solution of a substance containing rotenone or desuelin, followed by the addition of a dilute solution of sulfuric acid. The heat of reaction is removed in a cooling bath. Since the test is becoming popular and has been used without due regard for interfering supstanceswhich might be present, it-was deemed advisable to investigate some of these and to roy, the conditions of the test. Approximately 70 ‘organic compounds were tested for their effect, using the standard testing procedure. The compounds mesityl oxide, diacetone alcohol, methyl -cello- salve, butyl cellosolve, paraldehyde, methylal, and isatin.gave appreciable increases of color, while certain concentrations of ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl butyl acetoacetate, nee Pina as oe propionate, ethyl lactate, ethyl malonate, acetyl acetone, and chloroform prevented the formation of any red color, The effect of the other substances tested was less pro- nounced, Douhlins the concentration of the alkali used with the socium nitrite gave a color value almost @ouvle in terms of rotenone. Doubling the amount of nitrite, however, decreased the color value avproximately one- thine, whereas decreasing the amount of nitrite to a certain point increased the color, Slight variations in the temmerature of the cooling bath had tittle effect on the test, A detailed account of this investigation is being prepared for nublication, BEE CULTURE Pollen from alfalfe in Arizons,—While Geo, H, Vansell, Davis, Calif.,has reported of his field studies in locations with Lene llievaceuls mollen sources that the number of honeybees observed collecting alfalfa pollen was almost neglisible, he also reported in the Journal of BHconomic Entomolosy for Fehruary 1941 that honeybees worked clfalfa blossoms freely in the Imperial. Valley, where other nollen sources were relatively scarce. In reporting later similar evidence from Arizona, he states: "A pollen trap durine the yar a of 1940 at Chandler, Ariz., yielded a fairly large poe (25 1hse) of pollen... Beginning late in April and continuing to Aucast é vredominating pollen was of a pale graying yellow color. Recent microscopical examination indicates that this supply was from alfalfa. The size and shane of the grains are indistinguishable from those taken from the bees visiting alfalfa in Imperial Valley. It is noteworthy that Arizona fn consistently produces a large quantity of alfalfa seed, A correlation may exist between intense pollen activity and seed set." IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS Two interesting records of Bruchicae.--A species of bruchid has been taken recently in seeds of Piscidia from the Island of St. Thomas. It agrees well with the description of Bruchus nodagricus F. and probably is thet species, which is now listed in the genus Pseudopachymerus (a synonym of Caryedes}). Anvarently no cefinite recovery of P. podagricus ‘hes been recorded since the svecies was described in 1801, The type was stated to have come from “America meridionalis;" in all likelihood it had heen sent to Fabricius from St. Thomas, A new and very distinct syecies of Bruchus has -30- been recovered from seeds of a species of Cicer, related to the ete This is the first record of bands: from any plant of that genus. Iti now known that all five genera‘of the lesuminous tribe Vicieae found fl the Mediterranean region are infested by one or more species of the genus Bruchus,. Another European weevil in North America,—-An example of how a non- economic exotic species which, though common and widely distributed in North America, may long escape pe ects oes came to lisht recently when W. J. Brown, of the Canadian Denartment of Acriculture, sent in two svecimens of the European weevil Rhinoncus ate (7.) which had teen collected in New Bruns-= wick, Examination of the United States Netional Museum collection of Rhin- oncus shows that castor has been present (confused with vyrrhopus Boh.) in the nearctic fauna at least since 1895, and anoarently is now firmly estab-— lished, its general range in the United States deine from Maine to Virginia and west to Wisconsin: in addition, a few snecimens are at hand from Washinge ton and Oregon, and from Vancouver, British Columbia, and Ontario, Canada, Mr. Brown states, in litt., that this species is perhaps the most abundant ceutorhynchid in southeastern Canada, where it is known from numerous points in Nova Scotie, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. In #urope castor is wide ly distribute? and is reported as feeding or breeding on Rumex, Polyzonun, Oenanthe, and Phellandrium; and there are doubtless other host records in the literature. Rhinoncus castor, which was first described from Germany, has an American "counterpart" or "homologue" in the abundant and widespread native species, R. vyrrhonus Boh. A similar correspondence exists between the other two native American sveciecs of Rhinoncus and their European relatives,—--namely, longulus Lec. (N. America) and pernendicularis (Reich.) (Zurone) forming me vair, and occidentalis Dietz (i. America) with peri- carnius (L.) (Zurope) another nair. In American literature occidentalis Dietz is usually placed as a synonym of pericarvius (i) but incorrectly so, the relationship between them heins of the same homologous sort (thoug anparently closer) as that between pyrrhopus and castor, Although pyrrhopus anc castor now occur together over a wide area in North America, no evidence of merging, which might te expected in two ) forms obviously so closely re- lated, has been Ae The most useful Sieh taal ane characters for castor are its blackish zround color, large elytral tubercles or asperities, and feebler pronotal sulcus; in the usually redacish pyrrhopus the elytral asperities are-considerably smaller ani the pronotal sulcus teeper. Cophes Pauedin sigs (Boh, ) ) in the United States,--Six specimens of this Mexican weevil, labeled "Brownsville, Tex., Dec. 17, 1911," have been received from H. H. Ross, of the Illinois Natural History Survey. So far as known, this is the first report of the occurrence of C, longiusculus in the United States. Another Mexican snecies of Gonhes Cee gibdbus Champ. ) was recorded from near Tucson ana in the Santa Rita Mou ntains; ins, Ariz, Dy EZ. C, Van Dyke in 1930, AdAitions ta the collection of Orthopteras-—-In the course of trips primarily intended for the study and collection of leafhopners, P. W. Oman has collected many-small lots of Orthoptera, A small collection made in 1937 in the Baboquivari Mountains and‘in the vicinity of Hereford, near the Mexican borcer in Arizona, has recently.been incorporated in the main / | | | -31i- collection of the Museum, and has been found to include several grass— hoppers that represent valuable additions, One species, Perixerus glori- osus Heb., was not in the collection efore, and the following are deserv— ing of mention »ecause of the smail number of snecimens previously avail- able for study: Acantherus piperatus Scudd., Morsiella flaviventris (Bruner), Conozoa carinata Rehn, Phrynotettix tschivavensis (Hald.), Leprus robustus Hebd., Schistocerca albolineata CTaSise iE Melanoplus thomasi Scudd., and M. desultorius Rehn, Melanoplus thomasi is not unusual in favorable habitats, hut so few specimens have heen received that good series of the snecies are desireable, Melanoplus desultorius is a short-winged species related to M. aridus (Scud. ) and a member of a section of the genus Melanoplus that has been somewhat confused in the past. Adult ticks abundant in Marvland in Avril,--Although adults of the American dog tick (Dermecenter variabilis (Say)) occasionally appear in Maryland in April, usually they are not abundant until late in May or in June, On April 27 several active adult ticks were removed from clothing after shout an hour's collecting in Mattowoman Swamp, in southern Marvland, The almost continuous warm or hot weather in the latter part of April un- eoubtedly hed caused the ticks to apnear, in numbers, carlier than usual, The squirrel flea as a pest of man,—-Several years ago, at Ames, Iowa, a forestry student asked for the identification of a flea he had found feeding on nis arm, It was identified by Irving Fox as Orchopeas wickhami (Baker), a common eastern flea whose normal hosts are various squirrels, and which was not known to attack man. Recently another in- stance has indicated this species as a possible pest. Several specimens were submitted for identification after causing annoyance in a house in Lexington, Ky. From these records it appesrs that this flea is canable of attacking man, and in this capacity is 2 potential vector of plague, --20000-— ‘ . . ) UNITZD STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER DR. STRONG DIES IN ARIZONA In announcing the death of the Chief, which occurred on June 2, Secretary Wick- ard said: "In the death of Lee Strong the Department has lost one of its best Bureau chiefs. He was a natural leader, @ good administrator, anda fine servant of the people of the United States." UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE (WE WS) eit aR FOR MAY 1941 cee 0 tee ee ere me we ee ee wee ee me eee ee re me ee ee ee es ee ee eee ee ee ee ee ee ee rm re ee ee ee ee ee ae ee eee ee ee re re ee ee ee ee ee ee se ee eee ee ADMINISTRATION Uniform Style for Correspondence The Department proposes to issue a style manual establishing uni- form style and procedure for all Departmental correspondence. It is anticipated that the style prescribed in the new manual will be effective on August 15. FPrior to that and as soon as copies are available appro- priate instructions will be issued by the Bureau. Limited copies of the style manual are available and pertinent features are being given advance distribution to divisional offices. The new style is being used in some of the correspondence issuing from the administrative offices. You may be interested in observing changes in procedure which will be used when the new style becomes ef- fective. Those who may desire may now begin preparing their correspond= ence in accordance with the new style. Bureau Appropriations fhe report of the Conference Committee on the bill providing appro- priations to the Department for the fiscal year 1942, released under date of June 17, included the following on items providing appropriations to the Bureau, in disagreement between the House and the Sonate: senate Bill Conference Re= compared with port compared House Bill with House Bill Mexican fruitfly control--------- Seem TAO =: Citrus canker cradication-------- 13 485 $ 13,485 Dutch elm disease eradication---~ 50 ,000 50 ,O00 European corn borer control-~---- 17,9393 -- Barberry eradication------------- 62 ,500 20 ,000 Bee culture—-------~---=---------- 33 000 33,000 Insecticide and fungicide in~ vestigations-—----------~------- 5 yO00 5,000 Foreign plant quarantines-------- 20 ,O00 + 4LO,OCo hat disasres= or items not e act for the 1 ems which rus canker eradica= in - vu os = z+ $20,000, t h — ts avai - = — 2 a © un 10n were t a i fe) he amounts provided — propria iat = mt to Bureau ap and Senate. tems relating | See 1 : cf 1 w 4 tan 1 i 2) 2 rs “rd ert Pr vp) tH i 7h) > 42 W i ft “A re | ay) 4 J W ort « Are ‘Oe ee?) 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Pl. Quar. Insp. (P3W), conte OsCe., o5th ibahaeee Ft. Huachuca, Ariz., called to active duty Dec. 26, 1940. Miscon, Clenm Re, Ast... Pl. Dis. Cont. (GRC), First Lis, O.R.C., Camo Livingston, La., called to active duty May le, 1941. Babers, Frank H., Assoc. Biochemist, Cont. Inv., First Lt., 260th C.A. CUO DG. NatbenG., icaliicavto active duty dan. 6,-19)a% Bomaett, Erank G., Asta, Doms PL. Guar. (WEB), 155th Inf., Neth. Gisys Camp Blanding, Fla., called to active duty Nov. 25, 1940. Biederman, Fred R., Agt., Dom. Pl. Quar. (GRASSHOPPER CONT. ), entered military service Aug. 18, 1¢0. BOnsie ws Med Clern ee mOONaD. «HOt, Fil Quarry Master-setet lnte, NatignGe, called to active duty Oct. 16, 1940. Bridges, nage Jr. Pie Qrars! Insp.iy) Dom. Pls Quars< (SPW) 0 2ndl lt .., 82h int... Ussetes Bites Dennin=) “Gas, Called! to active auty May LG) UO4Os Bunn, Ralon Wey Nest. Ente Dome Pl. Cuary (WEB), Capt., Sanite Ce Resm, Camp Polk, La., called to active duty May 20, il > SUroocspettoive DaewnNect mb. rc tase, Harst bie .Senets C.. Resve, Camp Claiborne, La., called to active duty Apr. TOR OMe Iciansoee: COLLOn ins. on furloush, Lcnilistedvin toa aie vou, ASSte Clicg, Eri. fly Inve, Sssix. Nati. Gs, called to active duty Oct. 16, 1940. Poe OWwAcds Hey ASSte inti. ,) LruciciGr.., Ins... Capt. ; Sanit. Cv, Usa, Camp Ci0tt, SO. Ce, called to active! duty Apr. Pe 194. DES SSae Wiel ie GF ASS te DL. Quan.) Inspeiy Pore: Pl. Quar., Majo, O.RsC.5 called to activ irieseeeiconcis Te, vr.ePis. CQuar.) inspey) Dom. Pl. Quan.) (WHB).,/OLREC Us so. Marine Corps, Parris Island, S. C., called to active duty Aug. 1 > 1cho, Henest, Paul S., Agt., Dom. Pl. Quar. (GR WASSHOPPER 2 CONT. ), inducted, Select. Serv., Apr. 10, 19/1. Were Weston Ro, Asst. Pl. Paths, Jao. Beetle Cont.» (DED) ORCS: Natl. Se called active duty Jan. 6, 1944. met On lenin dias ele Quars inspes Hor. Pi, Quark Capt. ry OCRJCa,eealled to active duty. —— Graham, John G., Agt., Cotton Ins., on furlough, inducted, Selec. Serv. Greenberg, bouts, Asst. Clke, For. Pi,, Guano tnduccea.isceleers. memes March 13, 194 lathe samuel Omas Asst. Hnt. ,» aes mies Hirst Titles Sanit. Ge Resv. 3 U. S. A., Camp Livingston, :la., called) to active cuby usm. comito me Kagan, Abbott, Jr. Fld. Aide, Cotton Ins., on furlough, enlisted in mili- tary service. Lamnansky, Ks W., Under Fld. Aide, Ert. Ins... inducted, Select. Serv. 1 Landers, Horace J., Airplane Obsvr., Jap. Beetle Cont. (DED), inducted, Sellece Serie Hove by Lou idson’ Bs, Hield) Aide,. Bruck, Cl tnsty inducted, scllects ocmieiy mning, Gas, May 13,.0Ouu. | Mason. Horatio, Css Assoc.) Ent. ,.Jfruck, Cem inseme Caw ite, 5)\ Oe ris Geigy et homasieames Ft. Benning, Ga., called to active duty Apr. 1, 194. Matheny, Gall ais Hes Ass SOCe Pe sivlals 5 ALA Dist Cont. (BE), Cant. Ws Sie Merine Corps, Washington, D. ©., called to active duty Oct. 15, 1940. MeMiaiater, Harolduds 5, or. veld ASSL. j Siete, dims 4 aos. ib cm Ol 0 eeemmane ) Us Serae® calledintovec tinier cutym tase um Oeil Menges Perry Pay Ast, Cottonpmins., on) fumiough wen! ised smal asa service. ilitary service Feb. 1&6, HH = b “” e © 8 ci @) H 49) On =} Nerney, Norbert J., Agt., C. & For. 194i. Noble, We Bis +] Assoc. Ent e 3 Cx & FE te Niaicspes IDTaeSie Inva’s Us Sree Presidio, Tex., San Francisco, Calif., called to active duty June 25, 19/4, Parned tr 'C, di.*, Ure. Pl.) Quan. Tnspieig)) Osi coltay Quai «ap lie Seiten Oe Wee Sev kn. Callecditor active cuua. Posts Claude Hojedr wel. Quare LASPieh i LOR bis, Quai wiy Bias Feito, yO lectiaene ee Uy So Ae, Caliled te active duty Novel eolO. Randolph, Tom 5., dr. Hide Aide, Cotton Inse; om fumloucn, induesed, Selec. Serv. Sigsbee, Harold J., Agt., Jap. Bestle Cont. (DED), inducted, Selec. Serv., 29, 19U1. Smithy, vier Day Tee Pl. Quser.,, Gnepe, Fore Fie Guar. ; Capita sr Och. Gein Gms ee called to active duty. 5 ” Spencer, Herbert, Ent., Frt. Ins., Major, Sanit. C. Resv., Camp Shelby, Miss., called to active duty March 20, 1941. Yolecan Eeasoyweel taba ~tore Pilien Quart hararstaLiin | Natit Gixnwealived to active duty Oct. 16, 1940. Vall, Horry Mo, dv. Clk. Stenoshiicts Incas ,inducted,’ Seliees Serve March 18, 1941. FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Driving hibernating curculios out of trashe--In connection with hibernation studies of the plum curculio, such as a determination of the percentage of mortality during the winter, it becomes necessary to recover all live adults from hibernating materials. At the Fort Val- ley, Ga., laboratory a simple and inexpensive apparatus has been con- structed which has proved to be very effective for recovering all live plum curculio adults from leaves, woods mold, pine needles, grasses, debris, and other hibernating materials, and which could no doubt be used for recovering other insects from materials in which they pass the winter. This apparatus consists of a sheet of tin 9 feet long and 2 feet wide, with a l-inch flange along each long side. The tin is placed on four tile pipes 2 feet long and G inches in Qiameter. The hibcrnat- ing material is placed in a thin layer on top of the tin and slow fires Haintained underneath. When the material gradually warms up, all live beetles crawl out and are easily collected as the material is moved around with a stick. : Poisoning small darkling beetles.--A heavy infestation of Blap— stinus rufipes Casey on a fruit ranch in March and April offered an opportunity for a controlled poisoning experiment, which was carried out by Dwight F. Barnes and Charics K. Fisher, of the Fresno, Calif., laboratory. The infested field was covered with a heavy growth of filaree, chickweed, shepherd's purse, bur-clover, and other species. Four plots, cach 10 feet square, were fenced in by vertical barriers of galvanized sheet iron. On April 7 three plots were treated with poison at the rate of 25 pounds per acre. Samples of the population were taken by means of a circular cutter which was forced through the ‘plant cover and into the soil, thereby confining all the bectles in an area OF 1 square foot. Rain delayed sampling, thich was done on April 14, The results follow. ae ah ae ee ne Beetles Plot No. Treatment Samples RISE Dead : ¢ Number ;$ Number : Percent ese * Control : Be 13 : 0 o--------- | Sodium Tluocsalseste, : : H : middlings-----~------- : By ae U6 : &3 3--------- s Sodiun arsenite, bran-—-3: 5) : 20 ; (5 ) een : Sodiun fluosilicate, ° s s middlings, ground figs: Le hf yo we The sodium fluosilicate was used at the rate of 5S pounds, and the liquid sodium arsenite at the rate of $ zallon, per 100 pounds of carrier. Equal parts by weight of middlings and sround figs were used in the formula applied to plot 4. Water was added to moisten the mixtures. Applications were repeated in new locations, but the population in the area declined so rapidly that the results were indeciaieee Research on Parlatoria chinensis scale,—--This introduced scale, found infesting eertaie plants in part of the | city of St, Louis, Moe, in 1940, is not known to occur elsewhere in the United States, and the information available in the literature from other countrics in which it is known to occur is very meager, The Bureau has undertaken, therefore, to cooperate with State agencics in an investigation of the host-plant relationships of the scale, its development, the factors that promote natural spread, . its actual status as a pest, and measures for control. To provide funds ! for this, tho work at the St. Joseph, Mo., laboratory has been suspended and Howard Baker, formerly in charge of the laboratory, has been assigned to this investigation, in cooperetion with the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Department of Entomology of the University of Missouri. The post office address for the work on P, chinensis (Marl.) is 5201 Oake land Avenue, St. Louis, Moe, Howard Baker, in charge. ! Control of Hall's scale.--Hall's scale (Lepidosaphes halli Green) made its reappearance in 1940 in an almond orchard at Chico, Calif. It | is thought that the original infestation in the Plant introduction Gardens at Chico was cleaned up and that later the infestation in the nearby almond ranch built up to the point of spread and reinfested the gardens. The Bureau has received an allo tment from appropriations provided under the general authorization for the control of incinient and emergency ovtbreaks of insect ~pests and plant cisecses to attemmt the eradication the present infestation, This cffort on the part of the Bureau is in cooperation with the California State Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Plant Industry of the U. 5. Department of Agriculture, and the owners of infested properties, The work is under the joint supervision of B. L. Boyden, renresenting the Bureau, anc David B. Mackie, represent= ing the California State Department of Agriculture, Sacramento, Calif. Mr. Boyden remains in charge of the Bureau lsboratory at Whittier, Calif. The hendauarters for the control work on Hall's scale is Chico, Calif., the atédress being 336 Broadway, EB. H. Fosen, in charge. MEXICAN FRUITFLY CONTROL Conditions in lower Rio Grande Valley.--The oes ~fruit—-hervesting season in the area regulated under Quarantine 64 closed on May 31. On that date very little fruit remained to be harvested. san ea few properties ‘ HS EAM SIAS. weeks there remained a snall anaint posed of without undue difficulty. found on 23 properties in May. At t} ‘tions hac been found on 552 propertie 57S infestations were found. The fly been relatively low. Only 943 flies of May, whereas on May 31, 1940, CEREAL AND FORAGE Ecology of Hypera brunnei MeDutfie, Yura, Ariz., reports tha brunneipennis (Boh.) in Yuma Valley im otralra ano: volunt sourclover Hine the comparative suitability of in January shoved adult oviposition was so recent that.the accumulation erably more nunmercus in sourclover adult concentration and to shorter i vu even in February. pore Of April. the peak occurred la field during these ated by incubation Seda in approximated those in the fi out January, very fev with gradually increasing ten accelerated and were as abundant as the smaller eocoons. The duration of the larval nately 5 weeks. The proportion of t third and fourth stages, as well as sourclover than on alfalfa, where, poor for the second season in succes We ntn eld. Dev Hols Ig au tur of the sgurclover occurred lete in March, approximately larval abundance. about 1 month during oe latter part gan emerging early in March, dut the fase an March to late in April. The excessive rains hac caused the Snore to be under water f 5 O31 than in cLfalfa, ma o+ Ene nse larvae attaining non stazes 15 Le or several this fruit was cis- trevha ludens Loew were =x LDedina of srapefruit, but arvae of Anas he close of the season larval infesta— eS. During the same period last year y population throughout this season ha hac been trappec throughout the cay flies hac been taken. INSECT INVESTIGATIONS ea alfalfa.-——f. Ge on sourclover and etaliled ecological studies of H. conducted last winter spring ilotus indica) in order to deter-— Initial samplings early ut that activity onsi and Wig aw + “a oO a et) }H- }- * On Hy £3 (0! (0) Q 13 Ded, ar G cot the early anuery, bu riod in the su DeGerer= ely as ny Gi ee slow eke and fourth stages. But February, developnent becane eae ae larvee spun was approxi- that attained the @€, was much er P.O “aQ a 69 @ a Dread) + oy c r J piles as ve durin thi an s om nel Se eee Bac raq-a5 - GS Se Cee sta, the larval Soot: ition the cocoon stag ta YoRS Sa GaAvUe or unknown reasons, survival was very Sion. The peak of cocoon abundance in 5 aiz month after the peak This indicated the duration of the larvel stage to be of February and March. New adults be- period of greatest emergence was from peak of new adult population, viz., “= gO per square foot, in sourclover, occurred during mid-April. This, | however, was not the maximum pope Be aye as, beginning early | in April, adults were constantly leaving fields in search of aestivating places and sufficient cocoons and larvae were ae present to produce a nearly constant number of adults. Taking thes actors and knowm nor- tality of immature stages into account, it is Sid that the total adult production per square foot in sourclover this season was at least 60 percent of the potential that had been indicated by a peak larval pop-— uletion of 200 per square foct. This population arose from a parent adult population of only about 1 per square foot. On the other hand, lar— val mortality in alfalfa was so nearly complete that the production of aoe no more than replaced the parent ‘population of about 0.25 per square eone The fact that this has cecurred in both 1940 and 1941, indicates sourclover to De a far more favorable host’ than alttewta. D da, Proportions of June beetle species collected in Wisconsin.--T, R. Chamberlin and Lee Seaton report thot night collection of beetles fron host plants was hindered during May by frequent heavy thundershowers and strong winds, many of which occurred just eae or just after collections were begun. Some of the cata recorded therefore were obtained in shorter periods than the customary 2.to 3 hours. The Lee were interesting in showing the differences in the predominance of certain species in - various areas. ‘The following table shows the Dees ne of total beetles represented by the commoner species in tne dif ent areas. Percentage of beetles Gea oye: Dove men ey un pL rn ee Sit een ens : (May); rblexoKSiey quo lalalsata ee Dlal Gin aabusloel eS) vablLaveais) 5 jplseualaliae 9 nitidar: otal Danese, Sie yO): 1m ree) Mike ore won oa: wins 8 ay a ute a iamont=—-) 3) 6 2.54.0 5 NO relly yeu see) 63) 1) uae lake -- : == : 91.6 Dpeessos 2s Oils arse aun ST PR INO CMe ese ores VES SN Se Sh 55.5 5 Dose ane es ene Shh dS H panetahiine SON ish eee caa he — $: =-- 3 O48 TSS Gis ee yl Si GMO mL iisin : (ORiTay BMe eben a Mane a 1. 2s ems POyVOeL teal OL bgt MO is Vibe) eau lath Faia lt. ie Chelle oe eee ee iimiden === sel) 0s yllS) eilvel Only wikeiel Meola > bau /aie ne ee ee bas ee ee ASHE Eppes UMMA CANS one ues AS oi wn Ugh ee Oe JAPANESE BEETLE CONTROL Airplane distribution of milky-—disease spores abandoned.e—-In coopera tion with the Division of Fruit Insect Investigations and the Maryland Department of Horticulture, preliminary discussions had been held concern ing the feasibility of dropping in pellet form from the Division's auto giro the chalk-tale mixture containing the milky disease of Japanese beetle grubs. legal difficulties: were encountered that forced the aban— donment of this procedure. As reported in the Baltimore Evening Sun," the Attorney General has held that the State entomologist cannot use an air=- plane to attack the beotles by scattering dust against them. The official ruling was made by Attorney General William C. Walsh and Robert HE. Clapp,, Jr., one of his aides, in answer to an inquiry from Ernest N. Cory, State entomologist. Mr. Cory revealed that the United States Department of ety i Agriculture had made available an autogiro for use in spreading certain dusts that would tend to destroy the ubiquitous Japanese beetle grubs. Whether property owners could raise any objection, and whether permission had to be obtained from each person on whose property dust might settle from the air, were among the questions posed by Mr. Cory. Despite the fact that the State may require destruction of diseased plants and trees to prevent spread of plant diseases and even destroy them by their om agencies if owners refuse, the legal advisers of Maryland still held that use of an airplane to scatter dust was improper. Even that power, the ruling pointed out, would hardly authorize the indiscriminate scattering of some preventative in such places where it couldspread to where no such imseets are present. Trespass complaints might result, the legal opinion said. Moreover, it declared, another section of Maryland law 'Prohibdits any aeronaut or passenger while in flight from cropping any object except Hoose water of ballast. '" Preparations for refrigerator-—car fumigation.—-At a meeting of seve eral staff members of the Division with Pennsylvania Railroad Company of- ficials at Wilmington, Del., on May 5, procedures to be followed in hand— ling Japanese beetle certification of fruits and vegetables moving from the heavily infested area this summer were discussed. The only changes this year are the establishment of a new fumigation point at Pitcairn, near Pittsburgn, Pa., end the fumigation of empties at Clayton, Del. Methyl bromide will be used from l-pound cans at every point except Hdge Moor yards, near Wilmington, Del. At this point the company has a supply of 38 tanks of the fumigant still to be used. When the tank supply is exhausted cans will be used there too. Preparations were made by the troaote ing section in May for starting fumigation activities. Gas masks to be assigned to the various fumigation points were checked and assembled ready for distribution. The’Edge Moor yards were visited on May 22 and their fumigation equipment checked. A locking device has been developed by a commercial concern to prevent the clamp on the can applicator from spring-— ing pack and releasing the methyl bromide on the operator. This was brought to the attention of the railroad officials as a possible improve- ment in their equipment. The manufacture of ventilator screens by the company had been started at the time of the visit. A meeting was also held ducing the month with banana company officials in the New York City area to discuss the certification procedure for refrigerator cars brought over from New Jersey. Bermuda continues beetle-control efforts.--Advices have been re- ceived by the Bureau from J. M. Waterston, plant pathologist of the Ber- Muda Department of Agriculture, to the effect that his department intends to continue its efforts to keep Bermuda free from the Japanese beetle as long as possible, The same bylaws as were in effect in 1940 will govern the importation of plant material into the Colony during the period June 1 to September 30. All plants, fresh unfrozen vegetables, and con= mercial shipnents of cut flowers imported from the United States during this period must meet the requirements of the Federal and State Japanese beetle quarantine regulations and must be accompanied by certificates to this effect issued by an authorized official of the U. S. Departnent of Agriculture. MImportations are prohibited of sweetpotatoes, raw carrots, indian corn or Maize, and banana fruit unless unaccompanied by wrapping, cover, or packing of any kind. Masters of steamships and aircraft have Ss been requested by the Bermuda officials to give advance notification by adic if live bectles are disccvered on board en route to Bermda. 5 ies in Canada.--Fron the eal issue of the zy News Letter it is learned that "On ted the Toronto office, and Niagara Falls, Ss r the control of the Japanese beetle were under way. This work started on April 23 and was completed on April 29. During this time over 5,000 pounds of arsenate of lead were applied to 105 acres in Queen Victoria Park and adjacent to the Falls. The United tates Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine kindly detailed one of their experienced field men, Mr. Cassel, to supervise the control work, and the Niagara Falls Park Commission, through the courtesy of the gen= eral manager, provided nine men and their power sprayer. The Ontario Departnent of Agriculture also shared the expense of the control work. * * * F, J. Hudson (of the London, Ontario, station) * * * on April 2 went to Niagara Falls and made photographic slides and ees movies of the Japanese bectle control work that was being done there." Canadian Division April 33 —24, Mr. McL where spraying opera Substitute for Holland bulbs.--Large quantitics of small potted azgalea rooted cuttings were certified during the nonth in northern New Jersey. One nurssry shipped 180,000 of this Size. Shortages of sone types of azaleas are roported, as this plant in many instances appears to have taken the place of Holland bulbs that cannot be imported because of the war, The large types of ope ere ig are being treated for Japanese beetle and shipped extensively f establishments in the North Jersey area are complying aa a es ete for naintaining certi- eat r ey ) ie O I+! (@) i fied greenhouses this summer so that a gr er number of azaleas can be produced for next fall and springs. rs are gpproxinately 78 certified greenhouses to scout in this section. A classified nursery in southern New Jerscy is experinenting with Florida-—growm azaleas. oO North Carolina beetle-control activities.—--During the month the Division's representat Asheville, N. C., working in cooperation with the Divisicn of Fruit Insect tions and the North Carolina Departnent of Agr tee ee re-trea cres of ae Aon oe the chalk-tale mixture containing spores o 2 beetle gruos. The dust vas spotte at 5—foot intervals in the row. When “ehae lead was first treated, the spore Cust was distributed at 10-—foot by 10—foot intervals. The re= treated plot is near the railroad stockyard. After re—treating was con pleted, several grub surveys were nade, a few prepupae and many larvee being collected. Twenty traps were set on the infested estate and om the nearby railroad Asheville post o were in readines Asheville anc vi perty to determine the first adult emergence. At the e, 900 traps were assembled. Seven hundred of these Q F Dens Japanese beetle fumigation activities.--A nursery at Narberth, Pa.; requested several varieties of plants ard with nethyl bronide. These were funigated at the White Horse, N. J., district office and returned to Narberth for cbdservation. The main varieties in which this Rien. 2 is i for placenent in the fields and residential sections of ni ee eee -lix interested are vinca, pachysandra, and ivy. All of these were in the softegrowing stage and none showed any ill effects from the treatment. One Long Island establishment treated a plot of 4,700 square feet with carbon disulfide and constructod a metal screened frame over it. This plot will be used for growing certified azaleas. Theetimated cost of this screened frame is $1,000. About 15,000 certified azaleas in 3-inch pots were set in the frame. The grower figures that it will cost approxi- mately 8 cents per pot for certification: however, he claims that certi- fied plants bring about 25 cents more each in the West than those which can be obtained locally. New York City inspectors busy with clearance sales.--lMost of the inspection calls in New York City during the latter half of the month were necessary because several large department stores were running Clearance sales of plant material. Orders received from all parts of the country resulted in requests for daily inspection at one of the larger stores. Japanese beetle inspection work continued heavy curing the first part of the month but tapered off considerably in the latter half, owing to the regular seasonal lull, together with the continued dry spell which made the digging of balled nursery stock impractical. One nursery on Long Island was forced to cancel a carload shipment because it was in- possible to bvall the stock owing to dry soil. Harly beetle emergence.--Harliest official reports of adult Japanese beetle emergence were received from the Norfolk, Va., Philacelphia, Pa., and Salisbury, Md., areas late in the month. The first beetle found in the Norfolk area this year was trapped on May 27 in traps set on the Arny Base Golf Course. These traps, 12 in number, are being tended by men from the Norfolk office for I. li. Hawley, of the Japanese beetle research staff. On May 28, 5 beetles were found on sorghum on a farm near Hatboro, Pa. The following cay, 2 beetles were found in Cape Charles, Va. A large nur- sery in the Norfolk area has set 12 privately owed traps in the section in which beetles were found by scouts of this Division last sunmer. Japanese beetle trapping.—-In addition to the number of traps placed in cities in the various States in April, traps were placed in 46 cities in 20 States in May. These included 2 cities in Arizona, 2 in California, 9 in Florida, 3 in Georgia, iin Idakoy 1 in Maine, 1. in Michigan, 2 in Minnesota, 1 in Mississippi, 2 in Missouri, 1 in New Hampshire, 2 in North Carolina, 2 in Oregons 2 in South Carolina, 3 in Texas, 5 in Washington, k in West Virginia, 2 in Wisconsin, and 1 in Wyoming. Of the foregoing all traps placed in Florida were in the regular trapping schedule, as were 2 in Georgia, 1 in Missouri, 1 in North Carolina, and 2 in South Carolina. The remainder comprised traps distributed by Bureau field stations. Lead arsenate treatment introduced on Eastern Shore of Maryland.-- A large nursery at Pittsville, Md., has indicated their intention to treat approxinately 4,500 nursery plants with arsenate of lead. This will be the first attempt in the Salisbury, Md., area to treat any large number of plants with this naterial. Owing to a decrease in the nursery and green- house inspection work on the Eastern Shore, 5 temporary inspectors were terminated in May. Practically all nurserymen in this areareported an increase in business over that of previous years. One nursery near Salis- bury reported that it did one-third more business this season than ever beforee =u Gypsy moth certification.--Shipments in which gypsy noth infesta— tions were found during the month were linited to 3 lots of nursery stock, in each of which solitary egg clusters were found, and 1 carload of logs and 4s carloads of lunber , frou which 16 egs clusters were taken. Fifteen temporary inspectors were employed on nursery inspection during the month-- 2 stationed at a forest nursery in western Maine, 3 at nurseries in Massa— chusetts, 1 at nurseries in Newport, R. I., anc 9 at Connecticut establish- nents. Two of the men in Connecticut were ezployed on Japanese beetle funi-— gation and inspection of soil-free plants. All others were assigned to gypsy moth inspections & First-record Dutch eln disease infections.--Four first-—record con firmations of Dutch eln disease were reported in May. One was from the town of Ghent,.Columbia County, N. Y., near the southern boundary of the tomm and pe ainra ely 9 niles from any other known confirmed trees. A first-recoré case was found in Kicfer (Election District No. 33), Allegany cunty, Ma. This was a devitalized tree which evidence indicated had beer washed out during the high water of 1936 and was dying because of exposed roots. ‘he other two first—-record finds were in Luzerne County (Guaecee Barre, Pa., area)--one in Pittston Totmship and one in Plains Towmship. Hlms in mnagnesia-waste reservoir present removal peep esas Senora of four elm trees from a property owmmed oy a plant manufacturing nagnesia . and related products Oe ee unusual difficulty. The resicuve fron ri plant is pumped into a large reservoir covering about 100 acres. Numerous trees have been killed by thst! a eae Of Waste material, “weich aa sone places reaches a depth of 30 feet. The material is ligquic when fresh but after exposure to the sun attains the consistency of soft putty and is adhesive. The trees vere located about 100 feet from the shore. Arter sev— eral unsuccessful attempts at wading, a series of corduroy roads were built. 4 nets ene er required considerable tine and 2 entire cays were spent in rerlioval of the four trees Heavier bark beetle infestation.--An unusually heavy EEE ion of Sea mltistriatus Marsh. was reported during the week ended May 17 in elm renoved from the Perkiomen Creck section of Salferd Tormship, Mont— oe County, Pa. Bxanination disclosed that this tree averazed 45 gal- leries per square foot of wood surface The tree was infested from tne pase to the small upper branches. meRonen ro energence was notec, the in- sects were all in an advanced larval or pupal stage. A sample was sent to the laboratory for culturing. Agencies cooperate in disposal of cut elm vood.—The Connecticut Light end Power Company has joined the Connecticut State Highway Depart- nent's Division of Engineering ané Construction and Division of Roaéside Development in agreeing to cooperate with the Dutch elm cisease eradcica~ tion project to the extant of having all elm wood cut in their clearing of rights-of-way disposed of by burning. Dutch eln disease scouting hazards.--An elmmapping crew working in Sullivan County, N. Y., had an eventful day when they killed two rattle=— snakes and encountered.five bears all on the same day. Alnost every cay sone field crew in New York encountered rattlesnakes or copperheads. No cases of snake bite reported to date. Age Elm leaf beetle infestation heavy in Orange County, N. Y.--Hlm leaf beetle damage in Orange County was expected tc be heavy this year. WNumer- ous adults have been observed at work and damage to foliage is already ap-— parente Many trees through the center of the county have been observed to be loaded with egg clusters, and other sections are probably as bad off. Defoliation will soon start in earnest, as many of the eggs have already hatched, with others about ready to hatch. The expected defoliation will complicate the early Dutch elm disease and bark beetle infestation symptons and will also result in much tiore dead wood later. FOREST INSHCT INVESTIGATIONS Promising European tryphonine parasite of European spruce sawfly recovored.--P. B. Dowden, New Haven, Conn., reports that 2 males and 1 fe- male Exenterus claripennis Thomson emerged in May from sawfly cocoons col tected at Jacksonvidille, Vt., last fall and hibernated at this Laboratory. This parasite was released in this area last summer, and this recovery gives considerable promise that the parasite hes established itself. The sawfily infestation in this area is light, a t required about an hour for 2 mien tO ColtectutcO. heal thy COCOONS, We ti. llers reported in the News Letter of July 1940 on the introduction of 2 promising European tryphonine parasites from Canada. He states thet more recent information indicates that in Europe HE. claripennis is a parasit a the European pine sawfly (Neodiprion sertifer (Geoff. Recently established tachinid parasite of sypsy moth available for distribution.—-W. F, Scllers, New Haven, states that a small liberation con- Sisting of 100 males end 99 mated females of Parasotigena silvestris R_D., on introduced Huropean diptercus parasite of the gypsy moth, was made on May 26 in the vicinity of Lake Mashepaug, Union, Conn. It was reported in the News Letter for July 1940 thet this parasite had been recovered in en- couraging numbers at se wral places in Massachusetts. From 360 puparia hibernated at this laboratory, 143 nales emerged between May 6 and Abe ye and 123 females emerged between May 6 and 20. This is the first time ma-— terial has been available fron New Englend sources for cistribution in areas where the parasite has not been previously liberated, Termite protection in National Defense program.--C. W. Collins and he oo, “oval, o: the Morristowm, No. J., Laboratory, are coverings the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware in an advisory capacity regarding termite protection in National Defense Building Projects which the Division recently initiated throughout the country. During the last 4 months they have engaged in consultations with architects, construction engineers, and army officials and have made inspections in connection with avout 45 defense building projects financed by the U.S.H.A., P.B.A., and F.W.A., of the Federal Works Agency and the United States Arny. These have consisted of housing projects composed of from 20 to 530 dwelling HoeGS. and army Dosis Ox less than TO to over SOO new buildings. Old buildings have also been given attention in the case of army posts. Those in charge of projects have welconed the assistance offered by the laboratory. Consultations with architects during the planning stage of projects have been sought particularly, because of the ease of providing for termite pro- tection at that tine. Nevertheless, in numerous instances where it was 4. | impossible to advise before constructio: recomended which, if properly applied termite infestation. A large nutiber o authorized and approved for construction in important measures were would reduce the possibility of lionel projects have been he States mentioned above. A stage of Dutch elm disease found in brood chanbers of ambrosia beetlee--W, D. Buchanan, of the Morristom, N. J., Laboratory, has found corenia of Ceratostonella ulmi in a nuniover of brood chambers of Xylosandrus gernanus Blandf. The chambers were inhabited by hibernating adults in sections of elm stored in metal cylinders at the Morristown laboratory fron September 1940 until hey, were examined in May. The sections came fron small elm trees which, after being infected artificially with C. ul- ni, were injected with dichlorophenol in 50—percent alcohol and then cx= posed to beetie attack. Mr. Buchanan has previously snown that the tch elm discase may develop in trees thet are attacked by beetles contaminated with this fungus. GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL freezing nights cause rioth larval nortality.—-On several nights in May the temperatures dropped well below freezing, and consider— able injury was caused to foliage. The freezing nights also resulted in a high nortality of young gypsy moth larvac, which had energed unusually early because of the record—breaking nild weather during the entire month of April. Many egg clusters were found tha eta ae ee when a sudden drop in temperature stopped the further development of the eggs. This condition was quite marked throughout the ee ZONE, and ee is CxX= pected that an appreciable reduction in infestation will follow in nany sections. The prolonged dry spell has now lasted about 2 months, and the tinder—dry condition of the forest floor has provided an extremely serious fire hazard, although the vegetation has developed much faster than usual. The dearth of moisture has caused a rapid drop in the volume of water in many streams where it is proposed to set sprayers, and it is coubtful whether there will be a sufficient flow to supply the needs of the gypsy noth spraying progran throughout the nonth of June, unless considerable precipitation should occur within a short tine. Three small evosy meth infestations in Vermont apparently exter= ninated.—-Results of a recently completed close examination of all growth surrounding a single-egz—cluster infestation in Lowe oe Township, Orleans County, Vt., were negative. This colony was Located last December aster a heavy fall of snow, which prevented a satisfactory TE ination of low growth, deacvood, and other debris at that tine. New gyosy noth crews start work in Vernont.--Harly in May a su ficient number of W. P. A. employees was assigned to gypsy moth work in Vermont to organize six crews, but some difficulty was encountered in ob= taining men whose experience and other qualifications were suitable for positions as crew foreman, as many of the men who had previously been en- gaged in gypsy er work had obtained ezploynent in private industry. Ghe of the new crevs was immediately detailed to build 2 temporary four—strand barbwire fence around a woodland infestation in Brandon, Rutland County, where spraying work is planned this season. Scouting was continued in 1 Ses Fair Haven, also in Rutland County, and lines of hose ranging up to 6,500 or more feet in length were laid in southern Vermont areas where spraying work will be done. Preparations for spraying in Massachusetts.-—There was a slight increase, early in May, in the Massachusetts gypsy moth force, as the nunber of new W. P, A. workers assigned to the project more than offset the number of terminations. Several small crews were engaged in assets bling material for termorary fences to be erected around areas in the barrier zone where spraying is planned. Quantities of fence posts were cut from worthless trees, with the consent of the property ommers, and were set in position, preparatory to stringing the 4 strands of barbwire which constitute the fences. Barways and gatcs were constructed wherever necessary in order to permit access to sprayed wooclots without damage to the fences. Several wood roads were repaired sufficiently to permit driv- ing high-pressure spraying machines to set-ups near streams or ponds; and hose lines, some of which are 5,000 feet or more in lenzth, were laid fron ne proposed sprayer sites to the most distant points to be sprayed. Most of the infestations where spraying will be carried on are situated in rugged and mountainous country, which makes necessary the use of power-—- ful spraying equipment. By the middle of the nonth all essential spraying equipnent and supplies, except the sprayers, had been delivered to central points in the field for later redistribution to individual sprayer set-ups. Sone of the ¥. P. A. nen selected to operate spray units were given pre- lininary instructions in the work later in the nonth, using machines that had already been Gistributed in the field. rospective nozzlenen were also instructed in the proper methods of applying t ferent types of growth. A larger number of sprayers will be operated in Massachusetts this year than in cither Vermont or Connecticut. Owing to he loss of many W. P. A. mechanics from the Greenfield repair shop tO private industry, only a Fie he spray solution to dif yy Cc ninimum ancunt of ficld servilce. to the sprayers by traveling mechanics will be possible this year. The traveling mechanics render important service by rectifying minor mechani- Cal cifficulties, giving helpful instructions to sprayer operators, and preventing serious interruptions in the work due to nechanical failures. — a Moth eggs clusters found curing the week ended May 4 by Massachusetts scouting crews hed hatched; although, in most instances, the larvae were Still massed on the eggs clusters and vere casily killed by creosote, The larvae were slightly more advanced at several small infestetions located on Stattered trees in the Connecticut section of the barrier zone. | Many Of the larvae had already crawled away from the ezge clusters a food, and the proximity of stone walls or rock heaps at af Cc 8 Gypsy moth larvae energe earlier than usual.--Most of the gypsy a 9) w locations increased the aifficulty of promptly exterminating the insects. ‘There appearec to oe no particular problem connected with the extermination of most of the infestations. Spraying bezsun in Connecticut; additional manpower supplied.—=Con- meeticut W. P. A, officials made.a sincere effort, early in May, to obtain nose workers for assignment to the gypsyomoth projects, insorcer that.an apie munber of men would be available to assist in spraying and other seasonal work during the next 6 or 7 weeks. Later in the month two local projects were termorarily suspended anc the men were transferred to sypsy ANG & moth work to operate the spraying units during the last week in May and the entire month of June. This work is of primary importance if the degree of infestation in the Connecticut section of the barrier gone is to be reduced to a point whore the extermination of the insect may be readily accomplished, Large quantities of spraying supplies and equipment. were distributed to several central points in Connecticut early in the nonth.- Redistribution will be made as needed throughout the spraying season by small trucks which service the sprayers. The early Cistribution of this meterial was made necessary by the rapid development of the foliage, which is further advenced than it has been for several years at this season. It is ine portant that actual spraying operations be delayed until the oak foliage, which is a preferred food of gypsy moth larvae, is from one-half to two- thirds grown so that it will retain a sufficient amount of the arsenical solution for effective killing. The foliage had developed sufficiently so that actual spraying work could be started on May 16 in Morris Township, in the southern part of Litchfield County, and it was proposed to begin spraying in other sections of Connecticut a few days thereafter. | on Brush-disposal machine suspends work during spraying season.—-Ap— proxinately one-half of the piled brush and other waste wood in the State forest.in Cornwall, Litchfield County, Conn., had been reduced to sawdust by the brush-disposal machine by the middle of May., The operation of this Machine will be temporarily discontinued until the gypsy noth spraying sea- son has passed. Spraying residential areas in Pennsylvania.—--More than 3,600 per= nits were obtained for gypsy moth spraying work in the Pennsylvania area this season, but the completion of all the work planned is provlematical because of the acute labor situation in that section. Although the zypsy moth project was approved and ample funds were available for the work, the W. P. A. authorities were unable to fill the requisitions for the 800- odd workers needed to conduct the spraying as planned. A lesser number of workers was supplied later in the month, and the men were immediately de- tailed to the thorough treatnent of the most important infestations. Men were selected from the group of new employees to drive trucks and operate spray units, and received instructions concerning their assignuents. Early in the month those, lead arsenate, fish oil, and other supplies were dis-~ tributed to central points in the field, and hose lines were laid from the sprayer set-ups to the areas to be sprayed. A sufficient number of N.Y. A. enrollees was available to nan a small number of sprayers and washers in he residential areas of Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties, and work was started in those sections on May 19. In residential spraying it is es- sential that each sprayer be followed closely by another machine loaded with clear water, so thot spray residue nay. be thoroughly washed fron build= ings, walls, garden furniture, and other objects before the solution has had an opportunity to dry. The residential area represents a small pro- portion of the total area in Pennsylvania where spraying was planned for this season, and the spraying of that section will be completed by the tine the woodland trees have reached full foliage. The sprayers will then be transferred to points where extensive woodland spraying will be conducted during the remainder of the season. Quarantine inspection work reduced by warn weather.--The volume of gypsy moth quarantine inspection work in the Pennsylvania area was consid- eravly reduced by the approach of warn weather. Anthracite-coal mining was \ 1 | i | -l7- drastically curtailed, resulting in a sharp decline in the demand for mine timbers of all sorts. Many of the tinbers wsed in the nines are cut in the quarantined area, anc they must be examined by inspectors be- fore transportation is permitted. C.) CoC. Syposy noth work materially Les total of 599 O-hour man—days was used by the © vy a > ° east of the barrier zone under the supervision of th = 5-week period reported for May. The weekly totals gra ease rose from a low of 46 nan-days used curing the veek ended May by to ahve oF “ola nan— days For the week ended May cae This was considerably less then the 4300 Nan=Ccays per week that had been planned. The estinatec figures were based ragec only 7 men inents at the camp. t the crews be increased to oa raying equipment. Other factor fal during the first half of the nonth, owing to low enro Later in the month it became imperative that S 7 on preposed 15-—man crews, quite the crews actually ave i nen in © rder that they could handle the sp contr ee 1¢ to the loss of proposed working time were the closing of the a aaa 1 Connecticut for a considerable period, the necessity of confining sone ns the crews to the vicinity of the camps whore they vould be inmnedi- ately available if needed for fire fighting, an appreciable amount cf tine spent in actual fire fighting, the loss of gypsy noth work by one crew for a week while the trained foreman was on annual leave, and a small amount of time lost because of stormy weather. The work done during the nonth was accomplished by one crew in Massachusetts and three crews in Conmnecticut-- one crew from each of three camps. No C. ©. ©. men are available for gypsy noth work in Vermont at present. C. C ©. gypsy noth work during alien the first part of May C. C. C. gypsy moth work east of the barrier-gone consisted principall y of thinning, scouting, and creosoting, with ne addition of sone burlapping work. It will be necessary to tempo eAgily suspend the last type of work during the period when actual spraying is in progress because of the lack of man power available. Sprayers and equipment were transported from the Greenfield Storchouse to the camps, hose lines were laid, roads were re- paired, dams were built, and other preparations were made for the start of the spraying season. During the last week in May the entire force available was used on spraying work, which was started on May 22 in Cone necticut and on May 29 in Massachusetts. While it had been hoped that the sprayers could be operated on a doubdle oes ift basis at some of the camps, the low enrollment at the camps cormelled a change to single shifts b 15-man crews. Spraying is being done at a most dangerous infes but a shortage of water nay force a shift to infestations of less tensity but with a more plentiful water supply later in the season this becones necessary there will be time lost to actual spraying fom while the sprayers are moved and new lines of hose laid. Up to May 31, 10 acres had been sprayed with 368 pounds of lead arsenate and 11 gallons of fish oil in Massachusetts, and 99 acres had been sprayed in Connecticut with 3,602 pounds of lead arsenate and 112 gallons of fish oil. Several agencies cooperate in C. 0. C. gypsy noth sp ran.—--C. C. ©. spraying operations at serious gypsy moth ee of the barrier zone were nece possible by the cooperation of Federal sae State agencies. The Buresu of Entomology ond Plant Quarantine loaned one sprayer anc 4,000 feet of hose for use in Massachusetts, and 2 sprayers and Qu -15— 9,000 feet of ne for the work in Connecticut. The Bureau also supplied a Mechanic who will visit the machines in the field and nake minor repairs and i eal ad The Connecticut State Gypsy Moth Organization loaned one sprayer and 4,000 feet o for use in that State, together with ex perienced nen to operate the sprayer. The C. C, C. is furnishing labor, La} O forenan supervision, lead arsenate, anc fish oil, and also the gasoline and oil necéssary to run the sprayers. Ten tons of lead arsenate and 12 bdar- rels of fish oil are available in Connecticut, and yh tons of lead arsenate enc 6 barrels of fish oil in Massachusetts, This constitutes a sufficient supply of materials to continue the spraying well into July if the develop— nent of the caterpillars warrants the extension of the work after the end of June. C C. work within the barrier zone.--Two C Oe C.-C *2ypsy noth forenen vere transferred from the camp at Chester, Mass., to tvo cazps with— in the barrier zone in Massachusetts, when the Chester camp was moved to Fort Edwarcs. Plans of work calling for S0-GsA 6 crews were Sena eaed the tine to be used chiefly on scouting work under tne supervision of this Bu-~ reau, with sone Neca ning and vurlapping work also included The low enroll- ment at the camps has made it impossible to obtain the 20—1 lan crews, al though it is hoped that snaller permanent crews can soon be furnished, and no men were available during most of May, owing to fire-fighting activities. he men were emploved in scouting on days when they covld be used on ae moth work. Late in May one of the two foremen was transferred to the cam in Florida, Mass., to.assist in the spraying work fron that camp 202 Gee duration of the season. Results of previous defoliations observed.--A trip was made ae S. 5. Crossian to four of the State gypsy noth districts in the caster part of Massachusetts to odserve the results of repeated severe 2 noth defoliations, Each district was visited in company with nie State sypsy noth suzrintendent of the area. In one area in the North Shore section, where severe defoliation has not occurred until a short tine ago, trees are now dying after 1 year of heavy feeding and 1 year of extensive defoli- abo, oft lar CCIE RG Ds were also observed in another area in the same section where recent severe Cefoliation folloved a period of heavy defolia-= 1 tion 10 years ago. A visit was also made to another location in eastern Massachusetts aac chiefly of white oaks and white pines, where recent defoliation has killed or weakened many of the oaks and some of the pines. The otmer of oes property is now engaged in renoving all oak toes in an attempt to selvage sonething from the oaks and to try to save the remainder of the pines. In another section, thite pines which had been growing in a nixture of hardwoods favorable to gypsy moth development were dead and fallen. These trees hee been dowm for several years, and the owmer is convinced that they vere killec by sypsy moth defoliation, Hach of the districts visited hac been defoliated from once to several times during the last 15 or 20 years. Many trees were seen which died several years ago, and numerous others were weakened and deformed and are gradually dying. Most of the deac trees were oaks, although dead white pines, spruces, end henlocks were also observed. The dying of the oaks was nore apparent where they were growing in poor soil, especially on ridges, where aad ground dried out as the trees were defoliated. In some areas the hardwoods had nearly disappeared, and much pitch pine was coming in. Apparently this con= dition will eventually prevail’ over large arcas in the Cape Cod district. — —- - Bc. PLANT DISHASE CONTROL A rapid method for retracing survey lines in sugar pine region.—Field work in blister rust control makes wide use of the rectangular system of public-land surveys, to which the boundaries of control units and subdivi- sions of the units are related. For instance, reconnaissance and checking work are based on the sectional system of the land survey. Unfortunately the original surveys in many places are obscurely marked on the ground, and the size and shape of the sections are extremely irregular, owing in large part to having been laid out many years ago under tho contract systom with crude instruments and under poor conditions. Manv lines and corners, too, have been oblitcrated by time. The need, therefore, has arisen for a rapid and reasonably reliable method of retracing section lines in order to reestablish points upon the ground. Such a method of running boundary lines and marking them for future reference has been evolved through con siderable field experience, and has proved well adapted to the need. It is based upon chaining, and involves a technique which has been demonstrated to have a probable error of about 10 feet per mile. The method has been standardized and is now being writton into manual form for convenient ref- erence in the field, The manual also will contain relevant information about the public-land survey, how to search for obliterated corners, the use of the topographic Abney hand level and chain, and many uscful facts and tables. It is hoped that the now method will result in more accurato maps and in greater general efficiency in administering the blister rust control program, Any Bureau office intcrested in work of this nature and desiring to have a copy of the manual may obtain one by writing to the Bur- cou of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, 610 Syndiecte Building, Onkland, ronnie "Fruiting" cenkers found in sugar pine region »--On May 17 D. R. Miller, who is scouting for blister rust in Siskiyou County, Calif., ro- ported the examination of 357 cankers in 1 area, and of this number 96 wore producing aecia. There wore more fruiting cankers in this area than in all the others examined to date. Three now spots of rust have been located, one ih sec. 35, T. 47 Ny R11 W, (Mt. Diablo B & M), consistin of a single canker, anothor in the NWS of sec. 24, T17N, R7 EB, (Humboldt B&M), and the third, with at least 19 infected trees and 17 of 56 cankors producing accia, was located in the SWe of sec, le, T17N, R 7 BE. There seem to have been two waves of infection on some of these areas, one in 1935 or 1936 and another in either 1937 or 1938. Mr. Miller stated that at the center they found all fruiting cankers were on 1934 or 1935 wood, while there were a number of younger cenkers on 1937 and 1938 wood. Vermont leader advises against planting white pine on heavy Ribes sites.--An owner of a forest tract in Greensboro, Lamoille County, Vte, recently asked 5, D. Conner, State leader of blister rust control in Ver- mont, to exnmine his pine lot, as a large number of dying trees had been observed. It was founc that the tract consisted of a 20-acre plantation, plonted to red and white pine intermixed. The plantation had not previ- ously come to the attention of the blister rust control organization and no protective work hac. been carricd out. About 50 percent of the 15=ycar- <=20m lad old write pines were found in fected with blister rust and many of the trees had already died, Since the planta t protection would be far greater than the value of the pine involved end the owner was acvised against furthor planting on the site. The owner's wife had porsonally destroyed a considerable number of Ribes, having mace her own icentification of the disease from Miscellancous Publication 22, but such a small percentage of the total number of Ribes on the area had been Cestroyed that the work had becn ineffective in control. In general, the Division recommends against plarting white pine on sites where Ribes are so numerous that control operations would be expensive and, under arrange- ments with the Forest Service and Soil Conservation Service, members of the blister rust control organization are usually given the opportunity of check= ing in advance on such provosed white pine planting sites as are under FPed= eral control, in order to avoic cithor the loss of Federally ploanted pine or an excessive cost for control measures, Berberry bushes destroyed in Indiana, January 1 to April 30.——The following table summarizes the results of barberry-control operations in Indiana since January 1, in which 591 bushes were destroyed on 65 properties. : : >Bushes = ; :Bushes Ihe :New pro- :destroyed :01d pro- :Old pro-:destroyed County : Aron .iperties ‘ton new iperties .iperbies son, old scoverecd: insnectedipronertiessinspected:cleared sproperties :Sq. mie: Number : Number : Number ;: Nunber : Number Rosurvey: g : : : : : Allen---------- : 05 : Bi aes Ro pen eee ius te 13, 286 Amos Clinton-~------ : @s Ow 4s Ome 2a ak Oune o) Fronklin------- ; 19 : ©. ras: One: Gps ae 3-3 rs Hanilton------- : Ons ib ee 2 aig Wenau 5 os ) Howard--------- 3 fiat 0 : 0 H ee H O7 .& e) Lake----------- : (0) a Gres Sy aes Opin 2 Q..3 0 Lagrongo------- : © % a : 1 H 6) $ Or O La Porte------- : 68 3 OWE Fe ©) eh Me TC ine ies PF TiS ieee Marion-------- =: 5 3 i : 2 : 93 H Tas q. Mont gonery----- : » 1Ois 1 : a : 0) : Og “gO Porter-~------ -: A die Overs s Oh cties He Be Ora 0 Putnan--------- : Ors 1 : 1 : 0 H Oa @) St. Joseph----- : 53: Grau TO) aa Sinan bell Su «dae 6 sc coke Tippecanoc----- oer 0 3 2 : ae Ra 0) : Ohaus e) Tipton--------- : O 3 O $ O : 2 : Ons ) Whitley------ —-; S 5 OWNRE: Ors 26 Uae ae 3 Total------ Stes FY OOB. s At is ZAG Noss i cn, sua RE) ance Fala Meee se Intensive original survoy Gibson--—------- : 142 ec @2 @e @e ee ee @¢ ee ee ae @e ee oO m i = ed fe < ) | i { H 1 i I jaw) aie: B : ec @¢e ee @e Ge eo jo ; [SS oO eo @e eo Ge (@) O (@) @e ee oO ete ees KN LO Des inthe’ “Resurvey" section "of the table, ‘the counties in which work was done are listed alphabetically. For some of the eountiecs the figures do not show the complete picture, because additional work was done outside the period January 1 to April 30, covered by the table. The cata in the table show that the problem of resurvey is a serious ohe, Of course, in some Indiana counties, only the rechecking of a few old planted barberry locations is required. Such was the case in Tinton County, where it was necessary only to recheck 12 old locations of planted barberry bushes, As no new sprouts or bushes were found thore in 1941, pnerhaps with 1 more recheck the county may be regarded as permanently free of barberry bushes. However, the situation is entirely different in countics such as Allen, where, during the period uncer studv, it was necessary to survey 95 square miles of area where barberry bushes hac. formerly been found growing wild, in orcer to find and kill new bushes growing from seeds left in the ground by bushes destroyed in previous surveys, In the course of resurvey in that county, barberry-bushes were found on 3 new properties, These discoveriés. will extend the area which must be resurveyed in the future. Therefore, in counties such as Allen, the task of the next resurvey will be more difficult than it was in 1941, It is encouraging to note that in rechecking 222 old locations of barberry bushes in Allen County, only 13 had sprouts or new bushes, Ghat is, less thanG percent of the old locations had new bushes in 1941, For the period January 1 to April 30, resurvey was conpleted on 296 square miles of area, and 25 barberry bushes were found on 17 new prop erties. A total of 732 01d proverties were inspocted and on 48 of these 566 new bushes were found and destroyed. Intensive original survey work was completed in Gibson and Sullivan Counties with the inspection of 395 squares miles of arca. Prelininary results of sten rust survey in Mexico and southern Texas,—-- Prelininary results of the rust survey made in Mexico this spring indicate that physiologic races of stem rust 36 and 59 are the nost common this year. Marquis and other hard red spring wheats are resistant to these races in southern Mexico, In fact, Marquis continues to be rust resistant as far north as San Luis Potosi. Last year there were some indications that race 56 had become established in southern Moxico but, if so, it either did not PerSist Or persisted in extremely small amounts as it has not appeared in any of the 97 asollates #dentified from southern Mexico this year. In northern Mexico, on the other hand, the situation is quite different. There is further evidence that there may be an intinate relationship between the rust there and that which subsequently develops in the United States. For this reason, preliminary steps have been taken to cooperate with the Mexi- can Department of Agriculture in introducing or developing varicties of &rain that are more resistmt to stem rust than those now commonly grown. Thus far a total of 52 isolates have been identified fron 38 collections made in northern Mexico, comprising 6 different races, of which race 17 is the nost prevalent. Last year, it may be recalled, there was a decided in- crease in race 17 over previous years, both in northern Mexico and in the United States; and collections of rust obtained from northern Mexico again ions year indicate a further increase in the provallenee of this race, The first fow collections icentified from southern Texas indicate that races Uy end 56 are likely to be the most prevalent there, also, but it is too ty a esrly to make a definite statement to that effect. More than 150 collec— tions fron the southern part of the eee States are now in culture and identifications will be completed within the next. few weeks, More than 200 aoa (Ori ae ee ROMS arerry bushes have been received for identifica- Lone, of the matorial has been used as inoc ™ t Haee hoon Case ze E a) ee oculum, but no identifications COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATION Boll weevil control with calciun arsenate anolicc at different tines,-—- The usual recommendation for boll weevil control is to bogin custing with calcium arsenate when 10 percent of the squares become infested anc “to con- tinue at 4 or 5- day intervals until the weevils ere brought under control jor la Crop of bolls ils ‘made; allso Ghat icustine be Cone jat/>reht vor carmiaern the morning when the »vlants are wet with dew anc the air is calm. Sone erowers and rescarch workers expericnced ie cotton dusting have questioned the advisability of beginning custing at the 10-percent—infestation level and there has been « tendency in recent a to wait until 20 to 50 per- cent of the squares sre infested before beginning to dust. This is esneci- ally true on the rich Delta soils where there is sufficient fertility to keép the dblants fruiting until Inte in the season, Dusting at night or in the early norninz when the plonts are wet with cew has obvious disad= ventages. Tke location and number of plants exanined and the numbers of specinens of the sweetnotato weevil recovered were as follows: : : >: Living sweet- Host : Location . : Plants : potato weevils species H : examined ; recovered : : Nompber s Number TIpomaea trichocarpa—: Sunset, La. 2 OBR 6? ees I, jealapa----------- —3 Go. : ll fa I, pandurata---------: doe = 8g amen] I, littoralis-------- . Bass Chracsirane siagse (> 28 ; 19 larvae, dae I, cissecta---------- ae do. : 105 J tarvac The exaninations w G re made during the iod March 5 to 27 and all but one of the larvae re ns e seri overed were in the third instar, ct SIRS. irest ponte for cyclanen icctec Tield-—nlot tests conduct— D mites--The results of a: ed curing 1940 at Thorn hay oyd F. Snith, of a: Beltsville, Me., laboretory, indicated thet delnhinium ¢rown in pots successfully withstood the hot-water and nethyl—bromide treatments, which have previously been found effective against Tarsonerms pallidus Banks, Followin of the depotted plents during May, they were srown in the fi records showed that at no tine curing the srowins season wer able differences in the growth or vigor Beene untreated pl that had been submérged- in hot water or fumigatec with methyl bromide. The nore important results fron this aaneraieie are fiven in the following table. : :__ Plants in test :Flowers pro- Treatment % Delphinium ” ¢ Survived ,toiduced yer plot < variety :PlantediJune 20L/ H (averace) : sNumber s: Number : Nunber :Blacknore & Lang- : : : Ohoek------- ----=3don hybrid- - Se EOL Ns Hie) : MOBS fl Hot water-------- Cale ations Br Ores 470 ee MOLU SSS Methyl bronide---: dO6 ee Ole. Leu. me Oy a Check~----------- Wrexham hybrid--- : 4360 : 352 Og 1s 5 AC Hot water-------- H akon eeesioOn.. ZU7 : 114. 60 Methyl bronice--~: CO. 2500 FF 352 : 116.20 Check--—---------iGold Medal hybrid: 360 : 278 : "68.80 Hot water------ --3 Oe 3 36 H 320 : 80.20 Methyl bronide-——: do. eee OO 345 : $2.00 Date when the first flowers were produced, . These cata show that there was no appreciable difference in the stand or yield of the untreated and treated plants of the 3 varieties of del- phinium included in this test. The hot-water treatnent consisted of irmers- ing the cenotted plants for 15 minutes in water at TLO2 Pe hihemrors the methyl—bromice treatment the Doge. were funmigatec with 2 nouncs of nethyl bronide per 1,000 cubic feet for 3 hours at a temmerature of 70°. The plents were set in the field on the day following treatnent in 51 randon— uzec plots of /2 Dlants cach, with 5 to ” replications of each treatment. Besides the stand end yicld of plants, the effectiveness of the treatments was also commared by determining the number and length of flower spikes produced, INSECTS AFFECTING MAN AND ANIMALS a Screwworm control in Arizgona,—-/in allotment of $6,500 fron the special appropriation provided to enable the Devartment to cooperate with States and local agencies in the control of incipient and encrgency outbreaks of in- sects anc plant ciseases has been approved to aid in the control of a severe and unexpected outbreak of screwworms in southern Arizona, In this coopera- tive effort the Burcau will furnish chemicals used to nake up a newly devel- oped screwworm remedy. This remedy is known as smear No. 62, end was devel- aped et the Bureau's leboratory in Menard, Tex., by Roy Melvin, ©. L. Snith, fotos. anc We bk. Barrett, dr, fhe tormula Vs given and the use, of it described in a recently released circular, E540, The field work con- 1cected with this cooperative program is under the direction of EH. C, Cushing. Mosquito surveys and National Defense.--G, H, Bracley, of the New Siyrna, Fla., laboratory, in company with personnel of the Public Heakth Service, inspocted salt-narsh—nosquito-breeding confitions in the vicinity of 13 Defense posts during May. The survey was prinarily alone the Atlan- Eve soaboard, but included 2 carms on the west coast of Florida, in the vicinity of Tampa and Dunedin, Collection of Philimnine Anonheles vresentec to Museun,--A collection of 280 specinens representing 26 specics of Philinpine Anopheles was pres-= ented to the National Museum by W. V. Kinz, of the Orlando, Fla., leboratoryy The collection included the types and varatypes of 6 species, as well as topotynes of sevcral others. Slide mounts of the associated larval skins were available for nost of the material, 3 ie dof tick —-—C, N. Smith, of the Vineyard Haven, Mass., laboratory, reports that "",. , . in the Edgar- town «rea, where doss have been dipped since 1938, adults of the American dog tick were less cbuncant than ever before,!! Dinning of dogs as a control for Anerican S Sulfur dust as a tick repellent.——-Mr, Snith also renorts that sulfur Cust was entirely ineffective in preventing ticks from catching on a drag, attaching to a dog, or crawling on a person's clothing, Control measures for Clear Lake pnate-C, C. Deonier anc A, W. Lind- quist report a promising adjunct to the attack arainst the Chaoborus aéults am in the regular eveninz shore-wise flight in the development of a screen of | fire across the path of the flight. This is accomplished by running saso= line through a pine under water and allowins the gasoline to come to the | Surface, where it is ignited. Trappins horn flies.——There is a rapidly srowing interest in the use of. cattle-fly traps, for the control of .horn flies an Tex-s. a reso ti cml Bruce, of the Dallas lsboratory, The Extension Service of-the Texas A, & M. College eppenlec for assistance to discuss nethods.of horn fly control at meetinzs of county agents. and cattlezcon, with special reforence to the cattle-fly trap. Attendance at these neetings ranged from 5O to 4500, Rearing Aedes Isteralis in captivity.e--B. F. Knipling and C. M. Gjullin, of the Portland, Oreg., Inboratory, report the successful rearing of this | floodwater nosquito in captivity. Approximately 500 A. lateralis eggs were obtained fron a reared colony of 30 fenales and 30 males when they were fed beef blood to which 12 nercent cane sugar had been added, Ninety percent of these eggs were fertile, The adults were fec by placing pieces of cellucotton dipped in the blood on top of the cagee FOREIGN PLANT QUARANTINES Fruitfly smuggling prevented againe--A young; lady in a car from Mexico told the inspector at Laredo that she had no fruit, but two papayas were hidden under a cloak on th eat beside her, Immediate exanination of the fruits revealed two exit h Ss in one and when it was cut open three larvae were found apparently feedi the jellylike covering of the seed. The fruit was a BD aid to have been purechaset at Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The larvae were ¢c Ee (Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerste). io) O un Ceternined by ©, T..Greene as those of the papaya fruitfly Entonolozical interceptions of intercste--A living larva of the try- netic Anastrénha nonbinpracoptens Sein was taken at San Juan, P. R., on May 19 in a mango in bagzzage from St. Thomas, Ve I. The coccids Chionas-— © longata Green, Kuwanaspis vermifornmis (Takah.), and Lepiddsaphes =29- vernifornis (Takah .) were foun? et the Inspection House, Washinzton, D. C., on Arundinaria sp. leaves in express from China, Two living larvae of the trypetid Ceratitis sp. was found at Philadelyhia on May 17 in grapefruit in stores from the Union of South Africa, A living adult of the chrysonelid Cacoscelis screptipennis Jac. was taken at Laredo on May 6 on an orchid Hlant in bagszace fron Mexico. Specinens of the coceid Coccus viridis (Green) were taken at New Orleans on March 10 on a Sardenia lear in begsaze from Honduras. This is our second interception of this coccid from Honduras. )5. ‘Two of thon were probably simple copper nete- geome CU(AsOo)0.H50, the others indefinite nixtures of copper arsenite anc copper arsenate such as are formed when paris green is treated with alkaline media. These products may be satisfactory or even superior in- secticides, but cntonologists should be careful not to ascribe results obtained with them to paris green, BEX CULTURE Honeybees collecting nectar and vollen from srapevines,-=Geo. He Vansell, Davis, Calif., reports: "Large loads of yellow- to orange-colored polien are taken from the scrape. In sone cases several bees at one tine were observed on individual vines. Many of the bees had partial loads of nectar with a sugar concentration of 65 to 75 percent. The plants are vVisitec. throughout the day, but most heavily during the morning hours. There is a ring-like, orange-colored area avout the base of each tiny grape berry which is presumably nectary tissuc. The grape, as these ob= servations reveal, must be pollinated consid nectar anc pollen are collected, It is es i tinated that 65,600 bees were work- 3 line ing on a 40-acre field at 7:30 ae My,0n May 22, 1941, This is on a vasis VE = 3 z : eS of 0 bees observe on a trellised vine covering 100 square feet, Sone flies and other insects were also sceking nectar," Honeybees select older bléssoms on orancze.--In connection with the fact that bees do not gather nectar the sucar concentra ation'of which is too low to suit their taste, Mr, Vensell has found that in the case of orange blossoms the sugar concentre shied is hiss t sartieient to draw the honeybee ~ until the flowers have agec somewhat. He states: "Oranze-blosson bucs begin to wel nectar before the petals open and continue after their unfolcing for at least 48 hours, The life of an individual blosson is anout 1 ee after which time the petals and anthers shatter away, . The bud nectar has an average sugar concentration of ebout 1-15 percent, out at this concentration the nectar is not attractive to bees, especia ee in the presence of the more concentrated nectar secreted by mustard and oxalis blossons, By exposure to cry air or wind, the water fron oranze necter is evaporated, This results in the olcer blossons having nectar of highcr suzar concentration, When the concentration approaches 30 zer- cent the bees begin to collect it for storaze. This season, on tor 9 ut 9:30 ae me, at Santa Ana, Calif., the sugar concentration of nectar rom buds, freshly opened and ol¢ blossoms, and fron bees were et 3 ined by EER eLONeS er method, The average concentration values are as follows: Closed buds, 13.8 percent; buds with 12 petals open, 15.7 percent; recent- Ey ee oe blossons, 20.3 percent; olc, shattering meee bee 30.5 percent; honeyvee stomachs, 31.9 percent. Infection of aueen bees with Nosema svores nay be imortant cause of prenature supersecure.--C. L, Farrar, Madison, Wis., reports: "Southern queens used in oe mtestins stucies have been superseded in larger nun= bers i 1940 end 1941, Differen nee ee the quality of lines of'stock has been Beans aie a major factor in queen susersedure, yet in the last 3 two seasons, a number of queens from lines showing good performance have superseded in a peculiar manner. Two queens which recently stopved lay- ing were exanined anc found heavily infested with spores of the protozoan Nosema apis. In checking back through the colony recorcs for the last two seasons the behavior:of the queens, the breaking in the drooc evcle, anc. subsequent supersedure show a close sinilarity with the record for the twe gueens found infectec. Nosena was found in better than 15 ~percent of the leboratory's overwinter colonies, anc the percentasze with a light infection wes probably Boned erably greater, Feedinz experiments con- ducted under zreenhouse concitions have shown thet, where the worker nopu- lation is infectec, brood rearing is not nornal, regardless of food con- Gitions, Packeases this spring have reared less brood anc of poorer quality than packages studied in previous years, yet the season has been e:ception-— ally favorable for pollen anc the colony populations have been nornal., Cir- cunstantial evidence sugzests that Nosema may have teen a liniting factor. Overwintered colonies have reared excentionally zood brood and are strong. Qneen infection appcars to be a matter of chance since sone colonies heavily infected last winter naintained healthy queens, while other queens becane infected." 2 Sts ad A BE a x -35- IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS Busck returns from Hawaii.--Ausust Busck returned in April fron Honolulu. He had spent the previous 6 months at the Bernice P. Bishop Museum studying the Microlepidoptera of Hawaii, ‘The trip was mace under a Yale University—Bishop Museum Fellowship, with the object of undertak- ing a classification of the Hawaiian Microlepidoptera. Mr, Busck brought back with him some 4300 wing anc genitalia slides, made Curing his studies in Honolulu, as well as numerous undissected specimens for further study here, and in addition the entire Microlepidoptera collections of O. H. Swezey and E. C, Zimernan, mace in Sanoa last year. These collections contain nunerous good serics of reared species, They will be worked up when the renort on the Hawaiian species is completed, Mr. Busck has the Poivwlece O14 revarming, worm the, National. Collection, = prover, share oi; the Sanoan material, inclucing paratypes of any new species he may describes Response of flies to certain vibrations.--Vibrations or sounds of certain pitch apparently attract Coelopa frigida (F,). This is a common acalypterate muscic fly which is sunposed to breed in seaweed along the Atlantic coast. Heretofore the species has been considered innoxious, i; lone series of specimens of both sexes, collected by Harry F. Dietz, of the Grassolli Chenical Department, EB. 1. duPont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Del., was forwarded to this Division with the information civen below, The following observations are of considerable zoolozical interest and may have an economic bearing under certain circumstances, "Ono of the important features in these two infestations (in Massachusetts) is that the flies were attracted to these (cry) Cleaning cstablishnents in large numbers only when certain types of Vibrating machinery were in operation. When this mechinery was not in operation those flies that had collected would disperse, Consequently, it appears that they had been attracted to Hese Dlatus. MOG by tae odor of the cleaner fluids used, but by a cerrvain Dpe oF Ve Ganon OF Sound Of Certain pitch, The cleaning fluid was a very generally employed chlorinated ethylene co:pounc., The flies were not aberacted to the exhaust from which fumes were enanating. In the drying chambers such flics as came in contact with the concentrated funes were knocked down immediately and killed. Fron the point of view of the clean- ers, thas collection of flies in their places of business, irrespective of he reason, 1S a sorious menace, because of its psycholosical effect on custonors." . (Quoted from Mr. Dictz's lettor.) Myrnica aldrichi Wheeler rocovered.e-~In 2 collection of ents dex termined recently for the Devartnent of Entonolosy, Orcgon Stato College, there were specimens of M. aldrichi from Mount Hood. So far as known, hese represent the only individuals of the species, other than the cotypes. Valuable additions to collection of bees.—--During tho iast 6 months T, D, A. Cockerell, of the University of Colorado, has sent in several very valuable lots of bees, The material consists of types of approxinate- ly 300 species, described by Prof, Cockerell, and 600 accitionaéal species determined by him. Most of them are from Australia and Siberia, the re HotmOcm Crom wtrica, Asin, anc the Americas, This material constitutes an invaluable contribution to the collection at the National Museun; as —3 6m more than half the species were heretofore not represented in the identi+ fied bee collection. Rearing of pine sawflies attemmted,~-In 1817 Leach described four species of the pine-feceding sawfly genus Neodiprion from specimans collect= ed near Savannah, Ga., by John Abbot, The identity of these species has remained uncertain-andc at least one of the names has been misapplied to the white pine sawfly. In the hope of obtaining material which would aid in making more satisfactory identifications of these species, R. A. Cush man anc H, W, Capps visited Savannah and other points with similar flora along the Atlantic coast. Many colonies of larvae were collected from various species of pine. The material is being reared at West Point, Va. by Ly. A.-Hetrick, a collaborator of the Burcau, stationed at the Vireinia Agricultural Experiment Station, The result of the attompted association of names end species will not be known until the adults have been reared and the species studicd. > Type moteriol of the genus Cryptus added to the collection.—-Herry D. Pratt, a graduate studént at the University of Minnesota, has reecntly returned to the National Muscum material of the ichneumonid genus Cryptus. He borrowed the material for a study in connection with the preparetion of a revision of the North Americsen species of the genus. In addition to the several hundred specimens of the old species, the material includes type specimens of 20 of the 31 new species to be described, 19 represented by the holotypese 00000 — UNITED STATES ~ DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AXTD PLANT QUARANTINE fee Wa as EC! Bae FOR JUNE 1941 Vol, VIII, No. & (Not for publication) Auszast 1, 1941 (ee me ee es we a ee ee me ee ee ee es ee ee we ee en ee me ee wee ee we eee ce we en ee ee we ee ee ee ee ae we ee ee ADMINISTRATION The following statenent in reference to the Bureau, its activities 3 9’ and functions, prepared on July 21, 1941, is believed to be of general interest, The Burcau of Entonolosy and 1 Plant Quarantine was created by organizational mergers Drought about by admin ministrative orders of the Secretary of Agricul- aoe issuec in 1933 and yy ae Siven general lezislative approval in the "Asricultural Anpropriation Act of 19 2539 approv a March 26, 1934, and the "Azricultural Appropriation Act, 1936," apovoved | May 17, 1935. These nergers brouzwht tozether activities of the Depa inet concerned with in= vestisations on insect pests, conducted by the Bureau of Entonology; activi- ties concernec with the enforcement of plant ee eee regulations and Operations to control and prevent the spread of insect pests which had gained linited foothold in the United States, conducted oy the Bureau of Plant Quar- antine; operations aimed to control or eradicate plant diseases, conducted by the Bureau of Plant ee and chenical investigations on insecticides S 1g and fungicides, carried on by the Bureau of Bhemistry and Soils. The functions of vias Bureau cover a wide ficld of interrelated activities concerned with (1) ways of protccting man, his crops, livestock, and pos- sessions fron insect 7 nes ts; (2) preventing the introduction and spread of plant pests through the Mee uae and interstete novement of plents anc Slant products; and (3) action prozrans to eradicate, suppress, or control ae s et aes pests aa pele ay disea fo) Ce research, service, t ve contacts and cooperation with aot of th 1e Bureaus of the mee rte ae aoe of other Denartnents; with agricultural agencies seeeneneds th sited d States and in other coun- tries; and with industry, transportation Be cae farners, and others con= cerned with asriculture in its brondcest sense. Research activities.--There are more than 700,000 !mowm kinds of insects of which nore than “250,000 are known to occur wana the United States. Many of these are injurious, a goocly number are bencficial, and others are of littlé or no econonic importance as far as kmown, The investigations on insects and their economic relations involve studics of their characters, Classification, anatomy, physiology, responses, havits, life history, and Cistribution with the view of developing practical and economical nethods for cestroying harnful ones and promotinzs and inercasing the usefulness and eee Be distribution of those which are beneficial. Such studies are concerned with species injurious to agriculture and forestry, those which attack and annoy man and animals affecting their health, those which infcst human habitations, and those which are injurious to industrics or destroy pos-— sessions and products. They also ceal with the culture and use of honey= bees and with beekceping practices to develop fuller utilization anc returns fron this important beneficial insect. The devclopment of control measures includes consideration of the use of natural enemics, cultural practices, mechanical means and devices, and the use of chenicals to attract, repel, and kill noxious species. Chenical investigations are conducted on prob- lems relating to the composition, action, and application of insecticides and materials that, may be used with them and to develop nethocs by which such materials may be manufactured. Service activities.~-Insects affect man, agriculture, and forestry in many ways. One of the important functions of the Bureau is the service it gives by dissenirating information on how pests can be controlled and useful species utilized. This is done through correspondence, publications, and by other devices, including supplying information to extension agencies. Research is the basis of such service, The service activities sre not re- stricted to giving advice but under appropriate conditions include surveys to deternine the status of pests and technical planning and supervision of control éperations carried on by other Federal agencies, States, local con- munities, and individuels. Service also includes aid in matters relating to plant quarantines and inspections and certifications of regulated products so they may move freely and in full compliance with plant quarantine regula= tions, art of the work of the Bureau is con=— Regulatory activitics,.—An irmortant t Quarantines and regulatory orders de= t cerned with the enforcement of plan signed to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests, the intro- duction of a disease of the adult honeybees, and the inspection and certi- fication of plants and plent products to meet the sanitary requirenents of foreign countries. There are 40 Federal plant cuarantines and regulatory orcers now in effect—-22 of which relate to the entry of products fron foreigm countries, 10 relate to the movement oF procucts within the main- land of the United States, anc 8 relate to movement of products from Hawaii and Puerto Rico to the mainland. These activities are carried out in close cooperation with State and terri=- torial officials. The Bureau advises the Secretary on natters relating to dlant quarantines and is responsible to him for the enforcement of the fol- lowing acts dealing with plant quarantines and related matters: (1) The Insect Pest Act of 1905. (2) The Plant Quarantine Act of 1912, as anendec. (3) The act of 1922 governing the imortation of adult honeybees. (4) The Terminal Insnection Act of 1915, as amended, which is en- forced in cooperation with the Post Office Departnente —3~ (5) The so-called Mexican Border Act which is reenacted annually and regulates the movement of railway cars and other vehicles into United States from Mexico, (6) The so-called Bxnort Certification Act which is reenacted annu- ally and authorizes the inspection and certification of plants and plant products to meet the sanitary requirencnts of foreign countries, Operations to control insect pests and plant disenses,.~-In cooperation with State and local agencies the Burcau carries on operations to eradi- cate, suppress, or control insect pests and plant cdisenses which occur as incipient or emergency outbreaks or have been introduced and gained linited establishnent within the United States, These activities are carried on under authority included in the act making appropriations to the Departnent or under the special legislation approved April 6, 1937, and amended May 9, 1938, which authorized the Departnent to cooperate with State, local agen- cies, and individuals to control incipient and emergency outbreaks of in- sect pests and plant diseases, 3 aa Organization.——-To carry out the activities snd functions assigned to the Bureau it is now organized into 23 civisions. Twelve of these deal with research, 6 with control and prevention of spread, 4 are concerned with service to the Bureau, and 1 has regulatory functions only. Five of the divisions are headquartered in the field, The othors have heacquarters in Washingtones Regular projectse—-The activities of the Bureau carried out under regular appropriations are provided for under 25 subappropriation items and ciassi- fied in the project system of the Department under financial work and re- search line projects. Classified under the main functions referred to above these projects ere divided as follows: Financial Work Line Function Projects Projects Projects Research OT Sl. 839 Service 4 10 = Regulatory 4 12 - Control aS 36 = Total dit 139 $39 Laboratories and offices.——The Bureau carries on the work assigned to it within every State in the United States, in Hawaii, in Puerto Rico, and in the Canal Zone and has field laboratories in Mexico, Japan, and Uruguay. One hundred and twenty-six laboratories are maintained at various places in the United States for carrying on investigations, and 295 offices and suboffices to aid in conducting resulatory and control operations, Where practicable headquarters for these various functions are housed in the same buildings and in nany cases the quarters are supplied by cooperating State or local agencies, Dens Personnel,--With the regular funds appropriated for. the use of the Bureau it employs under departmental appointment on the average of 3,200 people. In addition to this a goodly number of individuals are employed by field agents under letter of authorization--the numbcrs varying with the season and needs for the work, These figures do not include those employed on projects conducted under allotments from funds provided for emergency re- lief which in.June 1941 totaled 6,825. For June 1941 the appointed employees paid from regular funds totaled 3,358--316 of these are headquartered in Washington and 3,042 at various locations in the field. Funds appropriated or allotted to the Bureau for 1942,——The funds provided for carrying on the work of the Bureau for the current fiscal year come fren 2 number of sources as indicated in the following tabulations Salerics and expenses from regular eappropria- ELON AC tas < wc oss seed. oeeis"d abl e's S sis lars eee Pe ee Allotment for rcsearch from funds provided through appropriations authorized by the BanknCad-JONeS ¢AGiie «\sjalalo syelcialslclelelcta!= cleimintbleialeltetare 15, 700 Allotment for research from Commodity Credit Corporation rCapatal nd se cieleicteieieietaicistale cio stain spaie: 16,000 Allotment for service from appropriation to Civatwan, Conservation. Corpses alccikineieecieisciea ees 5,000 Appropriation for the control of incipient and emergency outbreaks of insect pests and plant diseases--season VINA AE i ohare aes an ep 2,225,000 Allotment from WPA appropriation for relief for 6m nonths, ending De scember Silke VO) Aig nant sto 2,432,075 LO Gel pisvk ccha anes SS Sie eines cS oa SiS ae Sie Cee $10,023,753 The reguler appropriation... "Salarics and Expenses" may be divided into groups as follows: Nevin stra tLotiesceaSSecde tices io oen ange eeees Adee et eee Resear Clissc snaveleverere Ristetate wie le eiaveuasers wile ta oteretenearate tole mieialateie 2, 18/6552 Control and prevention of spread, including B rosecrious of certain domestic plant MUAY ANT INOS cid ius ais ne wreleale SIS Sets Remo eI Oe eS eee | Toe eee Reem Atory. On lites. dees disci mite eee wesimeiiee 765,921 PO padhes sh « ni tavete ciskdc chaie OS saree ewe eielare ane $ 559-9 s9os Activities carried on to conbat pestse--Operations conducted in cooperation erg Stat -and local agencies to eradicate, suppress, or control plant pests with funds provided under specinl authorizing legislation vary from season to season. The following tabulation lists the projects now underway, gives the amount of funds now allotted to each, and the name of the division of the Bureau responsible for the administration of the work: -5- Pro ject Allotment Division Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Control $ 553,000 Domestic Plant Quarantine Chinch Bug Centrol 300,000 t i : White-Fringcd Beetle Control 300,000 a - . Pear Psyllid Control 365,000 Fruit Insects Hall Scale Eradication 30,000 : Screwworn Control 6,500 Insects Affecting Man and Aninals Sugarcane Mite Eratcication 800 Cereal and Forage Insects Adninistrative Exnense: 45 000 Adninistration Unallotted 624, 700 = Total appropriation $2,225,000 Projects carried on with allotments fron WPA.--The $2,432,075 provided from emergency relief appropriation for the first 6 months of the current fiscal year is allotted for carrying on § projects. The following lists these, gives the amount allotted to cach activity and indicates the divi- sion of the Bureau responsible for the administration of the works: Project Allotment Division Blister Rust Control $ 637,000 Plant Disease Control Barberry Eradication 391,500 e e " Phony Peach Disease Control Bu, 500 Donestic Plant Quarantine Peach Mosaic Control ; 62,500 hil: n n Citrus Canker Eradication 24, 500 . " ue Gypsy Moth Control 341,000 Gypsy Moth Control Dutch Elm Disease, Eradication 86, 000 Japanese Beetle Control Wild Cotton Eradication 23,000 Pink Bollworn Control D. C, Administration Lh OF5 Administration Total $2,432,075 RF. S. PUCKETT Senior Adninistrative Officer Division of Pink Bollworm and Thurbderia Weevil Control Word has just been receivec that Felix 5. Puckett died suddenly at San Antonio, Tex., on July 23, 1941. He was born on March 7, 1885, in Buda, Tex, He attended the Texas A. & M. College, graduating in 1907 with the Bachelor of Science degree. He pursued graduate work at that institution the following year and becane associate director of the North Carolina Experinent Station in 1910, serving for 5 years. He then became associated with an industrial concern dealing with potash, and served as the publicity agent for this firm until he becane associated with the U. 5, Department of Arriculture. Since October 8, 1917, Mr. Puckett has been in continuous employnent af with the Departnent and, with the exception of a short period beginning in 1928, has been connected with work on pink bollworm eradication and control, He was in general charge of field operations carried on in cooperation with the State of Texas to eradicate the carly discovered infestations of pink bollworm and was responsible for organizing and Cirecting clean-up work, His long association with the work of pink bollworm control made him unusually well qualifféd to be in charge of the business operations of this project. For many years he has been the business manager of the work associated with pink bollwornm control and quarantine enforconent. In 1928 he was transferred to e similar position in connection with the work on eens. corn borer. This assign- ment was terminated in 1930, when he returned to the nink bollworn projecte Mr, Puckett was a conscientious and indefatigable worker and a valu= able goniowdce BURSAU EMPLOYEES CALLED TO THE COLORS OR TRANSFERRED TO SPECIAL NATIONAL DEFENSE ASSIGNHENTS Buck, Fred H,, Agt., Pl. Dis, Cont. (BRC), on furlough, inducted, Selec, Serve, June 25, 191. Crumb, Sarmucl E.,-Jr., Asst. Fld. Aide,“Truck C. Ins., inducted; seteee Serve, June 23, 1941 Nalewaik, Willian J., Agt., Jap. Beetle Cont. (DED), O.R.C., Nati. Ge, called to active duty July 1, 1941. Scharlach, Arthur Boa. Aeteg, PeW Conte, Pigst Lte, OLR6Co, Ulseie foes Huachuca, Ariz., called to active duty July 1, 1941. Walsh, Harry S., Chief Oncrating Enging, For. Pl. Quarw, Us so. Neveu Resve, resigned July 14, 1941, to answer immediate call for active Service. FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Propylene dichloride for peach borer controls=—Oliver I, Snapp, of the Fort Valley, Ga., laboratory, reports that prelininary experinents have indicated that propylene dichloride is more effective than ethylene dichloride against the peach borer. Ten-percent propylene dichloride emulsion cave a higher mortality of borers than the recommended 15—percent ethylene dichloride cmulsion aroun’ 3 Gh —! © et Oo + 3 née The Ponnsylvania schools were establishec at Phila-— Stroudsburg. In the Binghanton, N. Y., area there tinge of el» foliage th + | was no aay wil at could be peecnee by the new men, so the tine was devoted to training the men in -clinbing, use of maps, and writing of suspect cards, Training was stressed in the Athens, Ohio, arca acvantace being taken of 2 days of heavy rain to keep the regular nen in the Zarace and give then a revicw of the important features connecte¢c with scout=— ing work, A thorous: nental end vhysical adaptability test was used for the new men, In the Wilkes-Barre, Pa., area, 1 Gay was spent in training men in the principles of scouting for Dutch elm disease svmptons and in the proper use of ropes for climbing, Over 50 percent of the men in this area were experienced scouts, and with the new nen distributed anong the experi= enced crews, it is not believed thet the quality of scouting will suffer for lack of a more extended training period, Scout schools for men on regular fundse-Trainine of new scouts en- ployed on Denartmental funés was started on June 9, with 50 nen. By June 15, 37 of these were sent to the various detached areas for summer scouting work, The following week, the scout school was continued for a large group of regular fund men, ‘The beatin program was conducted on the property of the Elizabeth Water Company, in Union Township, Union County, N. J., at the sone location used in previous eon In all a total of O43 nen were enrolled for training and of these 205 completed the traininc and were assignec to Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania, Elm identification, Dutch elm dis- ease symptons, and clinbing were allotted the major portion of the training See schedule, Most of the men were assigned to the field on the completion of wicir Tord cay Of scout school, W. P, 4. field operations interrupted vending allotnent. of funds On June 27, owing to uncertainty as to availability Of anes. at ver wae 18 the Security Wage workers were told not to return to work until notified. They turned in their tools and equipment and these were checked over. Ficld operations were considerebly curtailed by the necessity for moving some of the county headguarters, closing garages, dismantling, packing, anc loading equipment and transferring it to storage at the Newburgh, N. Y., warehouse. As this was the end of the fiscal year and the outlook for next year's pro=- eran uncertain, little or no new work was started during the last week in the month, but a special effort was made to finish work already started, such as the final cleanings up of wood piles, beetle traps, and scattered beetle~ infested elns Powder--company police arrest scout crewe--While scouting in Belvidere Borough, Warren County, N. J., on a street “opposite the New Jersey Powder Company, a Dutch elm disease scout crew was arrested by the »vowder company's police, The scouts were taken to the Beis office in custody, and after 14 hours! questioning, and long after they had shown their identification cards, they were released. The men were arrested in the town and apparently not on the vowder company's grounds, Their naps were confiscated but were returned to them when they wers released. The foreman of the crew had previ- ously performed work inside the fence and had received several passes fron the chief guard, Oxen set truck out of Citch.—-Timely assistance was rendered by a marher to 4 ‘Dutch elm diseasc scout crew in Gommee rien ita o Lhevercwiss psuel< had become mircscd in a mud hole of a dirt road. QO FF YH N fo) ' t Onto IS My © . Popullaticns deen | 4 ct I: Oo \) an a ghts occurred on im On Gila Valley ay S h Nev occur. Lt hy pete | IH 1 O UW ct Ft ? a ct ct (abl r fs 0p} a (str n ig ry 149) 2) c 1) Ky on 1 ) DD fy He ba Fb Oo ur} Central areas, wi als Thos. ) react 2 bale) larly threatening a nonth ago, now seens Oo on Arnyworn infestations subsiding,--The outbreak of arnyvorm (Cirphis unipuncta Haw.) in the Oklahoma and Texas Panhanéles, as reported in the July 1, 1921, issue of the News Letter, had subsided by the early part. of June, and most of the vorms had entered the pupal stace. Poarmers i obke areas where armyvworn infestations first developed reported that baiting Was instrumental in saving a good portion of the snall grain fron destruc- tion. The Mornon cricket situation.--Mormon crickets are reaching naturity S throughout the infested State 5 and in nost places oviposition is in pro- éress. Bands of younger cric kets, eee continue filtering dow fron high altitudes. Ege a of ths Covlee cricket, Peranabrus scabri- collis Thos., was practically complete by the end of ae Me intensive control operations in Orefzon where bait was being spread by aircraft has peen brought to a close, with the exception cof 2 heavy migrations north of the Warm Sprines Indian Reservation, where baiting is still in progress. Kilis of Mormon crickets with sodium fluosilicate bait by airplane strip-— baiting ranged fron 95 to 100 percen t Guring periods cf favorable weather, ana fron 50 to 75 percent on cays unfavorable for cricket feeding. Owing toa lighter infestation of Coulee crickets, strip—pDaiting of this species resulted in kills averaging only about 80 percent. In Nevada general ac- tivity of the Mormon cricket during June was less than expected, owing to —32— - cool weather and continued rains, During the last week in the month, however, cricket migretions increased in intensity. In Idaho coopera-~ tion in large-scale control measures by volunteer sources has continued to afford excellent crop protection. In Jefferson and Madison Counties, Idaho, an average of 50 vclunteer workers donated their services each day during the week ended June 21, and also furnished trucks and teams for hauling and spreading vait to fight heavy bands of crickets along an &- mile front. Forty-five tons of sodium fluosilicate bait (ary weight) were spread. Excellent control was obtained, dead crickets being observed to the extent of 70 to 80 per square yard. Moderate to heavy localized mi- grations of crickets also occurred in Yellowstone and Big Horn Counties, Mont., in Juab and Tooele Counties, Utah, and in Hot Springs, Sheridan, and Washakie Counties, Wyo. Crop damage was prevented or held to a mini- mum in all these areas. Mormon cricket migrations in south-central South Dakota were halted early in June, after which the crickets scattered, and little crop damage occurred. White-fringed beetles emerge.--Acult white-fringed beetles were ob= served during June at various points in the infested States and by July 10 emergence was observed in all the infested areas. Except in New Orleans, where a large vercentage of the insects have now reached the adult stage, peak emergence is expected between the 10th anc 20th of July. White-fringed beetle control under way.—-In accordance with the pro visions of the program of work which called for the application of control Measures, such operations are deing conducted cooperatively with the States, and will be continued through the period of peak emergence of the beetles in the areas as a whole in places where the infestations are of such a nature as to present an appreciable hazard cf artificial or natural spread. Such work is also being continued in the 5 areas of isolated in= festations on which an attempt is being made to determine the effectiveness of different methods as to each type of area, with eradication as an ob— jective. At Bolton, Miss., which is one of the areas where eradication is being attempted, 28 recently emerged beetles were found, of which 25 were dead, indicating the effectiveness of control measures. Later, some 60 bectles, most of which were dead, were found in the some yard. Chinch bug infestations light.--Because of the prospects of heavy chinch bug infestations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, as indicated by the survey conducted by the Bure eau in the fall of 1940 ane by reports from State officials during the winter, the Secretary, on June 9, allotted for chinch bug control funds from the appropriation for the control of emergency and incipient out-— breaks of insect pests and plant diseases. State officials kept the Bure eau informed as to developments of infestations throughout June and in- spectors were assigned by the Bureau as requested to assist them in esti- mating needs for creosote, and in supervising its distribution. Eeavy rains occurring at frequent intervals throughout the infested areas cur- ing June and the early part of July, reduced the populations of chinch bug nymphs and produced a heavy growth of vegetation, which in many in- stances kept the insects in small-grain fields after harvest and thereby reduced migrations into corn. Fungus disease, occasioned by the campness, also contributed to the further destruction of these pests. Consequently, a) s= the need of constructing creosote barriers to protect cornfields was minimized and requests for creosote came from only a few counties ir the entire chinch bug areas By July 10 a total of 270,850 gallons had been purchased and delivered, as compared with nearly 2,150,000 gallons used by July 10 of last year. The situation, as reported in the early part of July by State leaders and field scouts, indicated that little, if any, more creosote would be needed. The most severe threat to corn this spring existed in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, but even in these States the infestations were very spotted and generally Light, in con- parison with last year's infestationse | Phony peach inspection.--In the phony-—disecased area nursery environs inspections were made the first order of business in June. Over 22,000 properties were inspected in 12 States and it is probable that, with a very few exceptions, all the 388 nurseries, the surrounding zones of which wore inspected, will meet certification requirements. Peac.. mosaic inspection.--During June, orchard inspection for the peac.. mosa:: disease ws continued in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Tezz.s, and Utah. In California the number of trees found in- fected represented a reduction of 25 percent over last year. In Colorado the finding of 7,147 mosaic trees in Mesa County represents an increase of 2,065 over the 1940 season. Fiftcen States assist in peach-tree inspection.--In the 18 States in which inspection was conducted for both the phony peach and peach mosaic diseases, State cooperation was represented by 67 field super visory employees and 1 office worker. Of these, assigned 15, Colorado 13, Alabama 9, Texas 5, Uteh 5, Tennessee 4, Mis~ Sissippi 3, Arkansas 2, Georgia 2, Illinois 2, Louisiana 2, North Caro-= lina 2, Kentucky 1, Missouri 1, and South Carolina 1. Citrus canker eradi —— c properties at Nevasota and t le rp NEeisti, Toxs, where citrus canker wes discovered early this year, resulted in finding no in- dications of the disease at this time. Orange trees which had been sold from the infectec nursery at Corpus Christi to local residents were also inspected, with negative results. The 6 Navasota properties were searched for sce@lings developing since the hedges were eradicate@, with the result that young seedlings were found on 3 of the properties--nearly 20,000 on 1 property—while the other 4 properties remained apparently free from them. Inspection was also conducted in June in the Texas T counties of Milam, Colorado, Fort Bend, and Harris, and tree-removal work in Grimes, Galveston, and Brazoria Counties. The force employed in Texas was comprised of el Federal inspectors, 1 State man, and 128 W, P. A. laborerse CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS The use of fatty acids in insecticidal aerosols.--W. N. Sullivan atteic Ho Hales, of this Division, with be D. Goodhue, of the Division of Insecticide Investigations, have showm that some relatively nonvolatile compounds, wnen applied in smoke or fog form, show protiise as fumigants => oC =e against insects. This development makes possible the use of sefe and ine expensive insecticides formerly considered impractical because of diffi- culties in producing effective concentrations at room temperatures. In practice a solution of the insecticidal material was sprayed on a heated surface. On coming in contact with the hot surface, the solvent was evaporated with explosive violence, and any dissolved material that does not vaporize readily was reduced mecnanically to colloidal dimensions. That is, the insecticide was dispersed as an aerosol consisting of a sus= pension of the solid or liquid particles in air. By this method of vola-— tilizing it was possible to keep the insecticide dispersed in an enclosed space for a long time. The rate of evaporation was also greatly increased and the maximum vapor concentration was quickly obtained because of the tremendous surface of these small particles. The potency was further in- creased by the direct contact action of these small particles. The apnara- tus used in this work consisted of a small nasal type atomizer mounted 4 inches above the center of an electric hot plate held at 375° C. A small electric compressor was used to maintain the air pressure that operated the atomizere To stabilize and increase the toxicity of these insecticidal aerosols, fatty acis (lauric or eleic) were added to the spray solution. It was shown with biological tests against the housefly that these materials increased the effectiveness of orthodichlorobenzene. The relative effective— ness against houseflies of these tests, in 30-minute exposure periods, are given in the folloving table. Orthodichlorobenzene was used et the rate of 0.28 cc. per cubic foot and the fatty acid at 0.0/1 gram per cubic foot. Mortality otter Material tested Insects tested 3 : 2 days : Wunber : Percent Orthodichlorobenzene----------------- $: 609 : 2 Orthodichlorobengzene plus oleic acid-: WO : 55 Orthodichlorobenzene plus lauric acids U7L : 60 Lauric acid---------~------~--------- ; 216 : i} Oleic acid--------------------------- ; 220 H 1 Although lauric and oleic acids are substantially inert when used alone, under the conditions of these tests they act as adjuvants when com bined with orthodcdichlorobenzene and greatly increase the effectiveness of the aerosol. Certain fatty-acia derivatives, such as salts, esters, and the like, also gave increased insecticidal action. ‘The results were corrob= orated by room tests against the roach and the bedbug, where a 100-percent mortality was obtained by using 1.5 pounds of orthodichlorobenzene contain- ing 5 percent of lauric acid per 1,000 cubic feet. This metnod of produce ing an aerocolloidal dispersion by spraying liquid toxins on a heated sur- face might be of use to bacteriologists, who have found bactericidal aero- sols effective in decontaninating rooms, A note on this subject has been accepted for publication in Science. —3 5= INSECTICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Use of aerosols discussed at Durhom mecting.--L. D. Goodhue pre- sented a paper on the application of the aerosol to fumigation before the neeting of the American Association of Economic Entenmologists at Durhan, N. H., on June 25 and 26, 1941. This was a discussion of the work carried on in cooperation with W. N. Sullivan and J. H. Fales, of the Division of Control Investigations. Since the use of aerosols for the control of in~ sects is not generally familiar to entomologists, an explanation of their propertics was given. It was shown that solid insecticides could be sepa- rated into particles small enough to stay suspended in air for as long as 24 hours, thus making possible the use as fumigants of nonvolatile corm pounds that could not be used in any other way. A small laboratory test ing chenber was described in which insecticides in solution are sprayed on a hot surface to produce the aerosol. Approximately 200 organic compounds have been tested in aerosol form against the housefly in this apparatus. Some of the most toxic compounds were rotenone, pyrethrun, 3-chloroacenaph- thene, 3-ci.orodibenzofuran, xanthone, phthalonitrile, end pentachlorophen- ol. Considerable interest in this new method was shown. The proceedings of the symposium are to be published in book forn. Composition of a commercial geraniol used in Japanese beetle baits.— About 25,000 pounds of commercial geraniol are used annually in baits for the Japanese beetle. The approximate percentage composition of the commer-— Cial geraniol studied by Howard A. Jones and H. L. Haller, of the Division of Insecticide Investigations (see News’ Ed. of Amer. Chem. Soc. Jour. v. 19, No. 12, pp. 083-685, June 25, 1941) was as follows: Terpenes, 4; aldehyde, 1s citronellol, 1/; nerol, or geraniol not combining with calcium chloride, 7; citronellyl acetate, 23 geraniol, aus geranyl acetate, 5; geranyl buty- rate, 0.2; cugenol, 1; gamma-cadinene, 8; elemol, 10; gamma-cadinol and other sesquiterpene alcohols (by difference), 7; bieugenol, 0.2; zinc salt, QO.2. The matcrial aise to be a fraction of citronella oil comprising the major portion of the distillate remaining after the removal of most of the citronellal, with a small proportion of terpenes added back. BEE CULTURE Self-fertilization is being accomplished in the honeybee.--Otto Mackensen, Baton Rouge, La., reports: "Queendeces have been successfully mated with their sons. The consequence of such matings is the same as self—fertilization, since a queen's sons are produced from unfertilized haploid eggs. To accomplish such matings it is necessary to force virgin queens to begin laying by preventing mating flights, and then to insemi- nate them with sperm from their sons as soon as these have become sexually Mature. The queens are caged for 3 days before insemination to retard egg production so that the oviducts will ve empty and ready to receive semen. In most cases at least a few worker progeny are produced. This technique is expected to be useful whenever severe inbreeding is desirable." Live-bee demonstrations prove interesting to individuals inexperi- enced with bees.--The Division's sublaboratory maintained at the Fruit and Truck Branch Experiment Station of the University of Arkansas, at Hope, Ark., is frequently visited by agricultural groups who come to the station -36— to attend meetings of various kinds. S. HE. McGregor, in charge of the sublaboratory, describes his method of handling such groups as follows: "Giving a live bee demonstration has proved more interesting than a mcno- logue on bees and bee behavior to groups visiting the University of Arkan- sas Fruit and Truck Branch Experiment Station. A screen cage has been built to fit over the bed of a pick-up truck and when the tine cones to give the demonstration a colony of bees is picked up in the apiary and set into the truck, which is then driven directly into the amphitheater in which the crowd is assembled. Before entering the cage, a short talk is given on proper preparation, during which time the veil and gloves are donned and the smoker -is lighted. When giving the denonstration, frames of honey, brood, and bees are held up where they can be seen plainly by the audience. Some humor can be added such as finding a mosquito in the cage, getting too hot and having to remove gloves, veil, and finally shirt; or showing how a swarm nay be brought home in your hat so that if you neet the owner you merely put your hat on and wolk by unsuspected. This inmnediately brings a dare from someone in the audience to see this done and after tell- ing him how crazy he is for really taking you sericusly, you absent—mindedly put the hat on your owm head, much to the delight of the audience. This type of talk is of special interest to those persons who have never before seen inside a modern bee hive." INSHCT IDENTIFICATION Bruchus hanatus Miller intercepted.--Adults of B. hamatus Miller were found recently in a shipnent of seeds from Leningrad. The seeds are very similar to those of Lathyrus vernus Bernhardi and probably belong to this or a closely related species. The latter plant, collected in Turkey by Westover and Wellman in 1937, was found heavily infested by Bruchus hamatuse No previous host-plant record has been found. Although the re- cent shipment of seeds was sent from Leningrad, it is probable that it originated from farther south in Europe, as the known distribution of the bruchid is confined to islands of the Adriatic Sea, Greece, Syria, and Tur— key. Lathyrus vernus is an ornamental, erect, perennial pea with flowers 3/4 inch long. It is but little kmowm in Anerica. An interesting ant submitted from Africa.--Recently there have been suonitted for determination some ants which are important coffee pests at Denbia, Africa. hey were sent by R. L. Steyaert, Division de Phytopatho- logie, Bambesa, Belgian Congo. Concerning one of the forms, a species of Macromigschoices, apparently africanum (Mayr), Mr. Steyaert writes as fol- lows: "Two or three bites (of this species) are sufficient to induce high fevers and extreme pain and stiffness in the linbs. It is also usual to have swellings of the glands under the armpits." M. R. Snith states that it is probable that the sting rather than the bite is responsible for the pain and fever. Calonycterus setarius Roelofs in Illinois.--First reported fron North Anerica at Yonkers, N. Y., in 1930, this Japanese weevil has since been found in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Maryland: and in a collection sent for identification by the Jllinois Natural History Survey are two specimens of C. setarius labcled "Arlington Hts., T1l., Aug. 26, 1940, V. A. Sturn." =3 {- 5 Urania fulgens (Bdv.) collected in Texas.--A single specinen of the cay~flying sig Urania suleers (Bav.) collected at San Antonio, Tex., April 7, 1 1941, was sont in recently by Dee Montgomery. Two specinens were taken on April 17, oli at Austin, Tex., by C. D. Orchard. ‘These are the first records of this species! being found in the United States. Speci- mens were numerous at both localities during April ond were frequently seon feeding on wild garlic (Allium sp.). There are numerous published records of Urania fulgens (Bdav.) nigrating toward the north fron southern Mexico and Central America and it is not surprising that some specinens should peach TeCXAaSe te Anuraphis apilifolia Theo. intercepted from Portugal.--Specinmens of Anuraphis apiifolia Theo. were taken at New York on a shipment of celery fron Portugal. This is the first time the species has been intercepted in this country and its first known record from Portugal. Previously it has been recordea fron Egypt and Morocco. Psylla spartii (Guer.) in Washington.--Specinens of a psyllid col- lectéd from Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius Link) at Vashon Heights, eshon Island, Wash., on May 1 190 by We. W. Baker, of the Division of Truck Crop and Garden Insect Investigations, have been identified as the European Psylla spartii (Guer.). Although a few ae ae of the species were collected at Fort Lewis, Washs, in 1935, by R. H. Beamer and P. W. Onan, the specimens submitted by Mr. Baker constitute the first adequate sample of the species from an American source and mace nossible its deter— hinaticn. Psylla spartii has been reported as ebundant on broom in cen- tral Evrope and England. ind New distributicn records for two Scarabacides.--Anonmala orientalis Waterhouse has been collected in the District cf Columbia by HE. &. Chapin, of the National Museum. This is the first record of this species in the District. So far it has not been recorded from Maryland. Bestles reared from a considerable number of larvae collected early in April at Pitts~ ville, Md., have been identified as Hoplia equina Lec. This is the first record of the occurrence of this species south of Massachusetts. The lar- vae were at the roots of a hedgerow consisting of snall Liquidambar shrubs growing on the banks of a drainage ditch. —~—-o00--~ me ye Tae * te Agee = ai | i 7 ; —" om 5 ae voeern tie one eta y r, _ : ; ts : ' a et - y eree ne xt ee ad "es i? é e a oo ‘—s Fr | | cme cntes ati ad tse on hone yal’ Poy Coane Set Sor a pe A are ras a 6 hecet ‘Aaa page yl ota’ Mei - ‘ Pr , ee : P . ea & Weeki vie Pn ae ge aes fa : SL? Eee ee , Seaeee io ¢ aa ed , See a’ yrs: es t be ie a ia os a Low ae ata ot Tete Loe 4 f pore ‘ vere at * Lowen _- te TE eae ee me . 5 FTA ay es in FLA WO eee Cee «Gh, ; , mas ; aE ORT aff Gt a ¥ ; ‘7 ean : a+ ay, ‘a Sate | ae oa ima ‘Te 4, ; + = a + “ «NRRL Sones aA RY 4 ¥. . . J . wala %4 a ™ i ' . ‘ - F > We | { we tobaie yas a "hive ting Sis, a oo age An - ae « ah - ; : Fr a it P Pras ae Fi ; os 3 ir ‘ J - *§ . , - & a v ¥ p ‘ oe ~ , ,) = ‘= fa 7 sh , | ' . 4 ‘ Pic eo 5 jd 7 ” 3 | i" : } : hgh ih Py i} | it “S iat 4 2) f) aw | ry) T rei’) 5 * ; / o Manial inne * ; ab oy ‘ ty 7 : Y nut j uy an \ UNITZD STATES / DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER 8 vetoed ~w dey blac UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF SNTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE Nepal oe be FOR JULY 1941 G. A. Runner Dies In the death of George A. Runner on July 11, the Bureau of Ento- mology and Plant Quarantine lost one of its older emoloyees. Mr. Runner was born in Ottawa County, Ohio, November 16, 1576. He attended Ohio Northern University at Ada, Ohio, and Southwestern Presbyterian University at Clarksville, Tenn. From July 1907 to early in 1909 he was in the .em- ploy of the Louisiana State Crop Pest Commission. On Ma; 1, 1909, he was apoointed "Agent and #xpert" in the Division of Southern Field Cron In- sects, and carried on investigations of the insects affecting tobacco and other crops for about & years (with the exceotion of a short detail to the Federal Horticultural Board in 1914 and 1915). In May 1917 he was trans- ferred to the Division cf Deciduous Fruit Insects and assigned to studies of grape insects at Sandusky, Ohio, which remained his station until his Geath. Mr. Runner was shy and retiring, and rarely attended entomological meetings, but was held in high esteem by the professional workers and growers who became acquainted with him. He possessed a wealth of practical information on grape insects and their control, as well as on many other phases of grape culture, which has oroved particularly valuable to the con- ferences held in recent years to discuss the grape-insect problems of the Great Lakes region. Mr. Runner is survived by his widow, two sons, and a daughter. BUREAU EMPLOYEES CALLED TO THE COLORS OR TRANSFERRED TO SPECIAL NATIONAL DEFENSH ASSIGNMENTS Frederic, Edgar H., Agt., (SPWC), Dom. Pl. Quar., on furlough, inducted Petce som ulat 194.....0n duty with 26th.Q.)M...Reg., U.S. A., Camo Stewart, Ga. MeGough, James M., Jr. Ent., Cont. Inv., Port Arthur Recreational Area, Port Arthur, Tex., called to active military duty May 20, 1941. ies aoe r¢)) O Fs e F., Jr.-Pi.-Quarm Inspt , “CP BW) Raia ajige Infameryon On Ges 03th Infantry, Fort Huachuca, Ariz., called to active duty ony Cons W tm © Ne SO DO 0g O Ne ‘ae a q Sanders, Robert W., Agt., Dom. Pl. Quarle(PHOhe Ps 0 .R0l,) erate Camp Croft, Soartanburg, S. C., called to active duty August 5, 1941. Wagner, Robert M., Agt., Forest Ins., inducted, Select.Serv-, Jule 1941. Wright, Lewis J., Jr. Clk., Dom: Pl. Quar. (GRASSHOPPER & M. C. CONT.) on furllough, inducted, Select. Sera, sia a5) LO) Is FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Rearing of & parasite in field cages.——This season is the fourth in which Macrocentrus ancylivora Roh., the leading parasite of the oriental fruit moth, has been successfully bred in large field cages by the Moores-— tovm, N. J., laboratory. In the News Letter for September 1940, the re- sults for 1937, 1938, and 1940 were reported. In the following table the results for 1941 are compared with those for 1940. eee ee : : 2 Tovalk i. Parasites. obtained : so1ize : Females:females ob-: : : : : Usable Year "ork > “sed. stained for : : : :Per 1,000: insects seaced: 2 Sarr seach female:Total :Females: Per sintested Soper Jared) “s0rcceumme Uscueertia =a: : > acre" Sieaves : 1,000 : : > breeding : : : :collected: emerging :og.ft.: Number : Number :Number: Number:Number : Number -: Number 1940---:4,158 : 2,052 : 9 245,008 216, 909) 2 (QO, 0002. o55 > oe > D 4B 5 f a / 19 hls Hyp, 2A, (tf deg GOS, aos 13 :60,898:25.207 :628,000: 681 eee 7s ee eS SS The breeding in 1941 is, by far, the best of any of the 4 years. The total number of female parasites produced for each female, and the number of usable insects per thousand emerging, was exceptionally satisfactory. At the rate of provagation obtained this year enough parasites could be produced from 1 acre of field cage to stock 1,200 acres of peach orchard in control work. Last year the half-way point in emergence of females was reached on July 18, while the peak of second-brood infestation for orchards receiving liberations was from July 1 to 20. This resulted in the issuance of a con- siderable number of the parasites too late to be of maximum value in field releases in this district. This year 24-hour incubation at S0° F. was pro- vided, and this resulted in an emergence of half of the female parasites be-— fore June 29. The pesk of the second-brood infestation was from June 30 to July 4. The timing of emergence was thus almost perfect for the most ef-— fective use of the parasites. Enough work has now been done to warrant the statement that M. ancylivora could be produced by this method in unlimited numbers, with a minimum prospect of failure and at a comparatively low cost. ; ee laying of the olive Acai eee eae on olive and rose, made PyeOseae G. Bacon, of the Fresno, Calit., laboratory, were interfered with by the activities of a mite, determined by H. E. Ewing as Hemisarcoptes melus (Shimer). A few mites were present under scales on rose on April 10. they were feeding on the contents of the eggs of the scales, including un- hatched young. White eggs of the mites were found among the larger, pur- Plish eggs of the Parlatoria. By May 12 the mites had increased in numbers and 100 percent of the eges under olive scales on the rose were found to have been attacked. Hxaminations of scale infestations on olive in 10 lo- cations showed that the mites were well distributed in the field. MEXICAN FRUITFLY CONTROL Only one Mexican fruitfly found.—-Although approximately 9,000 traps were operated regularly throughout LHe MOM GiaOt wollun 5 Ordllyn a adult Anastre- pha ludens Loew was taken.. This fly was trapped in one INGUS Sutra caiisnyteaKe gr This year, as in previous seasons, the fly population decreased very rapidly aiter the fruit was removed from the trees. The usual summer population of A. serpentina began to make its appearance, and during the month several sveci- mens were traoved in various districts. With the exception of 1 rather heavy rein in the eastern end of the vailey, no other moisture was recorded in July, and at the close of the month many growers were preparing to irrigate their Sroves or erne first baime this Season. The fruit crop “is maturing normally. Very little insect activity has been recorded, with the exception of the usual amount of damage by rust mite, and in a few isolated groves a light infesta-— tion of citrus whitefly has become established. CEREAL AND FORAGH INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Effect of heat on insect eggs.—-J. C. Frankenfeld, Manhattan, Kans., reports that tests conducted on the effect of heat on the eges of various flour and stored-grain insects showed marked variations in the susceptibility of eggs to heat. Treated in a thermostatically controlled, electrically heated water bath, in which the temperature can be regulated to within EOuIO the eggs of some soecies were consistently killed in 5 minutes or less, whereas the eggs of other species required an exoosure of 35 minutes or more to con- sistently obtain a 100-percent kill. Eggs of the species tested in the order of their susceptibility to 120° and the period of exposure required to con- sistently obtain 100-yercent kill are listed below. : Period of exposure to obtain Se BLES : 100—percent kill 5; Minutes Tenebroides mauritanicus L,——-—--: h Gnabhocerus CGrnucusebdal . 22 mee: 5 AUGAECHUS Pl CENS™ Ol Vire: =e. Sains : D Oryzaephilus surinamensis lL. _: 5 Gynacus aMetS Gio es: tae ne : 10 Hehestia kuchnyer tare dls eee 10 Tribolium castaneum Herbst._____: iS) Tribolium-contusum Guy 1.) = sae : 25 Palorus’ cau sepurea” Wilscil. ss eens 30 Latheticus oryzae Waterh.________: Bde Marquillo hybrids outyield ordinary winter wheats in hessian fly— resistance tests.—-Himer T. vones, Manhattan, says that results from the Springfield fly—resistance test plots clearly indicate the importance of Marquillco-winter wheat fly-resistant hybrids during fly outbreaks. With field infestations in this area the highest and most widespread in 14 years, 7 fly-resistant winter-habit selections of 3 crosses involving Marquillo as a’ resistant parent produced an average of 139 grams of grain each for 24 square feet of row, as against an average of only 17 grams for each of & standard varieties of winter wheat the same number of plants in the f ttributable to fall fly infesta ordinary wheats ranged from 45 t to oO pounds per bushel. ° in the same test. Each row contained all. The reduction of yield was directly on. Test weight. (estimated): of grain of 57 pourids; test weight of hybrid grain, 57 (arr |e ror O Huropean corn borer parasites in Hastern States.--C. A. Clark, Moores— town, N. J., reports that the polyembryonic braconid Macrocentrus gifuensis Ashm. was recovered in northeastern Massachusetts and at Bernardston, north— 1 Massachusetts, in the fall of 1940, from releases made early that , and was found to be well established in Atlantic Township, Monmouth unty, N. J., from releases made in 1939 and 1940. This species parasitized -l percent of the borers collected over a 2,000-square-—mile area in south- eastern Massachusetts, where it has been established since 1932. The tachinid lydella grisescens R. D. was observed to be established at all 10 of the para-— site liberation points at which host collections were made in the fall of 1940. In most localities borer pa-dasitization by this species was less than 10 percent but at Hadley, in Hampshire County, Mass., it was 19.6 percent. The ichneumonid Inareolata punctoria Roman was very abundant at Agawam and Hadley, Mass. It had parasitized 21.4 and 8.9 percent, respectively, of the borers collected at these two dispersion release points. It continued to be the most abundant parasite in northeastern Massachusetts, where it destroyed 14.9 percent of the host povulation. In central Connecticut, in an area of approxi- mately 200 square miles, this parasite killed 20-3 percent of the borers ex- amined, and the average mortality due to I. punctoria in collections made in a a) He 4) (ear un} rH ayia) Cen) F ry iad} kK ¢ ~] 0 —5— territory of over 400 square miles was 12.9 percent. This parasite was also well established at Haddam, Conn., where it had parasitized 7.9 per- cent of the hosts collected. It is established in Monmouth County, N. J., but was not recovered in 1940 in Burlington County, N. J., or in Accomac County, Va. The egg-larval parasite Chelonus annulipes Wesm. was present in numbers only in southeastern Massachusetts. Even at this release point the parasite is rather limited in distribution and numbers and gives no indication of increasing in importance. Four svecimens were reared from hosts in two collections from central Connecticut. Of particular interest is the continued increase in borer parasitization in an area of almost 2,000 square miles in southeastern Massachusetts. In this area the percentages of parasitization of fall-collected borer larvae by all species were as follows: 3.6 in 1937, 12.4 in 1938, 18.3 in 1939, and 30.3 in 1940. Borer parasitization in coliections from the central 500 square miles of this area, where the parasites have been present for several yeers, averaged 45.1 percent at the close of 1940. Tests of insecticidal control of European corn borer.--D. D. Questel, Toledo, Ohio, conducted tests in commercial fields of sweet corn in the vicinity of Toledo, Ohio, of a high-clearance, power-operated, self-pro- pelled boom sprayer which is being developed by the Bureau of Agricultural Chemistry and Engineering for Huropean corn borer control in early market sweet corn. Avvroximately 5 acres of corn were treated with this machine in heavily infested fields of Harly Gold, Spancross, Barly Harvest, Harly Market, and Harly Sensation, using 4 pounds of ground derris root (4.8 % rotenone) per 100 gallons of water and a wetting agent (Areskap) at the rate of 1 to 2,500. Four applications were made, starting with first hatch of the borer and repeated thereafter at 5-day intervals, using 110 gallons of spray per acre per application. Borer reduction in the ears ranged from 85 to 91 percent and in the plants from 87 to 91 percent, the borer populations in the checks (nontreated areas) averaging from 9 to 17 borers per plant. The percent borer-free ears in the marketable yield of the treated plots ranged from 71 to 89, as compared with 1] to 25 in the checks. Marketable yields from the treated areas in some cases were double those obtained from the checks, owing to culling of badly damaged ears and increase in sterility of plants in check areas. Growers market- ing corn from these treated and check areas report premiums of 50 percent in saie price of nonsorted treated corn over sales of nontreated corn. White grubs of the A brood scarce in southwestern Wisconsin.--T. RK. Chamberlin, Madison, Wis., reports that although the flight of the 1941 A-brood beetles in southwestern Wisconsin was smaller than that of 1935 and 1935, considerably fewer grubs of this brood than were expected were found in the early sampling. Samples from fields of bluegrass, barley, and alfalfa on one farm in an area near Lamont, which should have been heavily infested, produced only a single grub of this brood. On other farms most of the holes contained none, but a few yielded from several to eight grubs,. which presumably were the offspring of single beetles. Pos- sibly the extremely early emergence of beetles in large numbers and the suppression of their activity later by cold rainy periods of rather long duration hindered proper develcpment and deposition of their eggs. Fur- ther sampling is necessary to determine whether this condition is general in the State. JAPANESE BEETLE CONTROL Beetle conditions in Philadelphia.-—-A number of surveys were made dur- ing July in the markets and parks in the center of Philadelphia to obtain comparative data on beetle flight. Although beetles could be found feed— ing on weeds in most sections, few were in active flight. Adults did not appear in numbers until late in the month and then with somewhat less in- tensity than in 1940. Very few beetles were found in Deck Street Market. During the heavy flights of a decade ago beetles swarmed in this congested market district. In the Philadelphia suburbs plenty of beetles were ob- served feeding, although there was no heavy flight. In the southeastern corner of Pennsylvania, heavy defoliation was reported in sections of the West Grove area, from which thousands of roses are certified each yeer. Trees most heavily attacked were apple, cherry, linden, and sassafras, with he fruit trees receiving the most damage. The heaviest feeding in the Philadelohia area wes near Lancaster and in lower York County. This heavily infested section, which formerly centered near Gap, has moved closer to Lancaster. In a strip about 6 to & miles east of the city, extensive feed-— ing has been done on corn, cherry, apple, and other preferred host plants. Inspectors stationed at the Philadelphia produce terminals preinspected and sealed 277 empty refrigerator cars, all of which were loaded with bananas nd certified for movement to nonregulated territory. An additional 77 car- loads of white potatoes were fumigated with methyl bromide. These in— spectors report that the method of applying the gas from 1—pound cans, newly adopted this season, has thus far proved very satisfactory. A Philadelphia ge house received a report from one of their customers in New Jersey that j~acre field of soybeans had been ruined by the Japanese beetle. @ Infestations found in many southern New York nurseries.—-Of the 33 class I, or uninfested, nurseries and greenhouses scouted in the New York City district, infestations had been found by the end of the month in or ae 500 feet of 13 units. The infestation in New York City is reported as light this year, but as decidedly heavy on Long Island and in adjacent Westchester County, within a radius of 50 miles of New York. Trapping operations are being carried on at many of the large estates, where the beetles are so numerous that a careful selection of cut flowers is necessary to ootain blooms that are not damaged by beetle feeding. A certified green-— house on Long Island has been awarded a contract to grow 5,000 potted black— mint plants. Arrangements have been made to grow the plants unter certified conditions so that they will be eligible for shipment to points outside the regulated area. _Extra_ charge for certified plants.—-At the bottom of a full—paged advertisement in one of the horticultural trade magazines, a Connecticut nurseryman adds: "'B' certificate furnished after October lst at 10 cents per tree extra." Deliveries are by truck or carload only, no boxing. Pur- chasers are invited to "Save by digging your own at 15 cents less per tree." ~7 25 This probably reflects the difficulties some of the nurseries are having in obtaining labor in competition with surrounding industries. The extra charge for the Japanese beetle quarantine "B" certificate is apparently due to the fact that infestation was found in this establishment in 1939 and the only trees that may be dug and immediately certified are those from plots treated with lead arsenate before July 1 of this year. Trees from these newly treated plots are not eligible for certification until October 1. This firm also has a fumigation chamber for the chemical treat-— ment of plants with methyl bromide. They are not classified under the Jap- anese beetle quarantine regulations. Transit inspector indirectly responsible for discovery of apparent theft .—-When an inspector from the New York City district Japanese beetle office investigated an uncertified shipment of tio boxes containing eight ferns in soil shipped under the labels of a New York City firm to Chicago, Tli., he was in turn referred to another flower dealer claimed by the party named as consignor to have been the actual shipper. The proprietor of the firm alleged to have made the shipment could find no trace of such a consignment in his shipping records. This proprietor had previously suspected that someone of his employees had been stealing some of his plants and in this instance believed that this individual had shipped the plants, using another firm's labels without their authorization. Icing yards inspected.—-On the last 3 days of the month, a tour of inspection was made of the refrigerator car icing yards in Brunswick, Hagerstown, and Cumberland, Md., to observe the intensity of Japanese bee- tle infestation and to check on the manner in which cars were iced and cleaned. At the Baltimore and Ohio yards in Brunswick and the Western Maryland yards in Hagerstown, infestation was found to be quite heavy. At the yards of these two railroads in Cumberland, infestation was much light- er. At the Pemsylvania Railroad vards in Hagerstown, a light but general infestation was noted. The men in charge of the operations at each yard Visited stated that all precautionary measures were being taken to prevent beetles gaining access to the cars while they were being cleaned or iced. opraying at Army airfield.—-A spraying program is being carried on at the Middletown, Pa., Air Depot of the U. S. Army, near Harrisburg. Army en-— gineers are building a dike along the Susquehanna River at this point. Their activities have routed hordes of Japanese beetles out of the dense growth along the river and these have invaded the foliage surrounding the flying field. ixtensive damage has been caused to poplar, Norway maple, and garden and flowering plants. Beetles have even attacked the new growth of some evergreens. An aluminum sulphate-hydrated lime spray is being used. Heavy flight at Baltimore banana piers.-—-Inspectors stationed at the banana piers in Baltimore reported the occurrence of the heaviest Japanese beetle flight ever noted in that area. Starting July 10 it was necessary to use conveyors and screens in each day's unloading operations. One ba- nana company purchased $100 worth of new screens and tarpaulins with which to screen their floats so that their refrigerator cars could be loaded un-— der protection despite the swarming beetles. =. Japanese beetle trapping.—-At the end of July traps were in opera-— tion in five cities in Georgia, three in Illinois, seven in Indiana, two in Kentucky, two in Michigan, one in Missouri, four in New York, eight in North Carolina, nine in Ohio, six in Virginia, and three in West Vir- ginia. Traos were removed during the month from the cities of Charlotte, Durham, Elizabeth City, Goldsboro, Lexington, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Selis— bury, Wilmington, and Wilson, in North Carolina. Initial fumigation of produce in refrigerator trucks.—-The first methyl bromide fumigation of oroduce in a refrigerator truck for Japanese beetle certification was made at Cedarville, N. J., on July 10. A truck-— load of cabbage and beets was also fumigated on July 16 at Morrisville, Pa., before leaving for Miami, Fla. Another truckload of cabbage was fumi-— cated at Morrisville on July 20. Ice used to precool fumigation chamber.-—-A greenhouseman in central New Jersey is using ice to precool his methyl bromide fumigation chamber during the summer months. Ice is left in the chamber overnight and re— ation, thereby reducing the tem— injury during the fumigation a moved the foliowing morning prior to fumi perature and lessening the chance of olan period. S + U Springfield, Mass., beetle trapping.—-Figures supplied by L. F. Prouty, of the Soringfield Park Department, show that 531 quarts of beetles had been traopved in 1,750 traps up.to July 31. The largest daily catch was.on July 29, wnen 150,000 beetles were either trapped or hand-picked. Advance elm survey work.—-Advance survey wrk was started ebout the middle of July and will continue until the middle of September. A comolete survey will be made in designated sections in the major work areas, as well as at each outlying point of infection. In addition, surveys will be made in the following areas: A large part of Massachusetts, including a special Boston Scolytus surver; the entire Stete of Rhode Island; the Ohio River Val-— ley and the old Cieveland disease area; the rotomac River Valley and the old Norfolk-Portsmouth area; and the city of Baltimore. . Him leaf beetle defoliation.—-Damage to elm foliage remains severe in New Jersey and New York, and has reduced the efficiency of scouting in some sections, in that more climbing is necessary. In the advance survey work now in progress in Massachusetts, it has been found that elm trees are so badly defoliated by this species in the towms of Great Barrington and Shef- field that it is impracticable to continue Lo.scout there until the mew foliage, which is already beginning to appear, will permit satisfactory scouting. it has, therefore, been found advisable to move the scouts far- ther north into Pittsfield, where there apsears to be practically no leaf beetle darage. In some districts of Pennsvlvania imoroved foliage condi- tions are noted, since heavy rain and wind knocked off the leaves killed by beetie attack, and new growth is beginning to show on the trees. Scouting conditions are reported as ideal in the central and narthern parts of the Binghamton, N. Y., work area, as a considerable amount of wilting is showing up and verv little elm leaf beetle damage is in evidence. ee | -9- Business as usual during elm removals.—-W. P. A. crews in the Wilkes- Barre, Pa., area encountered difficult topping and felling problems during the month. A 35-inch elm in a small back yard, surrounded by fences, shrubs, trees, flower gardens, lawn, and buildings required the most care- ful attention. The butt had to be cut down to a height of about 25 feet before it could be dropped, and required the roping down of smll butt pieces, in several instances without the benefit. of serviceable crotches. Five days were spent on this tree by one of the crews. Two diseased elms in the Wilkes-Barre Public Square also required careful topping. These trees were over the trolley and electric bus feeder lines, which presented sufficient danger, but with the continuous flow of traffic the danger was greatly increased. Both trees were removed without mishap. One other in- fected Wilkes-Barre street tree was also removed. This towered over high voltage lines and required topping down below these wires. Work resumed on W. P. A. field projects.--Work was resumed on July 7 by W. P. A. men on the New Jersey and West Virginia Dutch elm disease erad- ication projects. The men returned to work in Pennsylvania on July 11, and in New York on July 21. By the end of the month, the project had been re- sumed in every work area except Ohio. A total of 912 security-—wage workers were employed at the end of July, as compared with 1,330 at the time the project was suspended on June 28. Every effort is being made to reach a quota of 1,527 in order to complete summer scouting. Crew works from boat to remove diseased elm.—-Removal of a 48-inch confirmed tree was completed the latter part of the month in Bucks County, Pa. This elm leaned over Little Neshaminy Creek at about a 20° angle at a point where the water was 6 feet deep. It was necessary for the felling crew to work from the Division's row boat. The top was lightened and block and tackle used to swing the tree to the creek bank. The resulting stump is being used by the boys in the neighborhood as a swimming platform. Beetle infestation interferes with Dutch elm disease scouting.--A heavy infestation of the Japanese beetle in the section of the town of Wethersfield, Hartford County, Conn., along the Connecticut River, has re- sulted in defoliation of almost all species of trees in that locality. This seriously reduced the efficiency of scouting, since it required con- siderably more climbing of elms to determine their actual condition. Egg clusters reappear in products cleared for forwarding.--Gypsy moth egg clusters were removed from three shipments presented for inspection during the month. Solitary clusters were found on carloads of lumber in- soected at Garrish, N. H., and Westfield, Mass., prior to shipment to Elizabethport, N. J., and Shelton, Conn., respectively. Fourteen egg masses were removed from 7 cartons of birch logs examined at Danvers, Mass. for shipment to Syracuse, N. Y. In addition, 34 larvae and 35 pupae of the moth were taken from other consignments certified for movement from the regulated area. New England Japanese beetle scouting started.--Surveys in classified nurseries and greenhouses in New England started on July 7. By the latter —10- ; part of the month 10 scout crews were working under the supervision of : the Waltham, Mass., office. Sixteen of the men were on the Federal pay 7 roll and 10 on State pay rolls. Winter—sawed material now being milled and shipped.—-Lumber ship— ments increased considerably in some of the gypsy moth districts, owing to the fact that material sawed during the winter months is now in dry enough condition to mill. FOREST INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Spray experiments for control of elm leaf beetle.--C. W. Collins, C. i. Griswold, and A. E. Lantz, of the Morristow, N. J., laboratory, re—- port that for a series of years surveys have been conducted in certain northern New Jersey localities to record and compare the intensity and per-— sistence of elm leaf beetle infestations, also the resultant injury to the trees. As a part of this program some areas were selected for spraying using lead arsenate at the rate of 4 pounds per 100 gallons of water to which 4 ounces of fish oil per pound of poison was added as a sticker. The spraying was done late in May 1940, at the time when adults were actively feeding and beginning to deposit eggs. In the areas selected, all elms were sprayed out from the center to a point where the concentration dropped off or to a point at least 300 feet from buildings where the adults ordin-— arily hibernate and return to the nearby elms the following spring Very good control was obtained in all sprayed areas in 1940 and satisfactory con— trol resulted in 1941; that is, the increase in the immediate centers or near hibernation points was not extensive nor alarming the second year after spraying. Control projects inspected.—--R. L. Furniss, of the Portland, Oreg.; forest insect laboratory, spent several days during late June and early July with Forest Service officials checking various phases of the Black Hills beetle control vrojects on the Wasatch and Powell National Forests of Utah. On the Wasatch project treatment of infested lodgepole with a com— bination of fuel oil and orthodichlorobenzene was found very effective, when applied under favorable weather conditions. Snow and rain interfered © with the use of this method. Fall-treated trees showed a retardation of brood development which gave promise of preventing ultimate emergence. Spruce aphid causes heavy. defoliation.--F. P. Keen, Portland, reports that after an absence of nearly 10 years, the spruce aphid (Aphis abietina Walk.) has again put in an appearance along the coast of Oregon, Washington, and Alaska and has caused heavy defoliation of Sitka spruce and the death of many suppressed trees. The defoliation appears heaviest in the lower crowns and where trees are sheltered from the wind; consequently, many understory trees have been completely defoliated and killed. The aphids disappeared during midsummer, and if they have an alternate host this has not been found. If this outbreak increases next year, a heavy loss of Sitka spruce stands along the coast may result. tala SS Annual pine beetle survey started.—-Mr. Keen also states that in or- der to check on western pine beetle conditions in the ponderosa pine stands of eastern Oregon and Washington, two 3-man survey crews were placed in the field on July 28. One crew, under J. M. Whiteside, will cover various forests in eastern Washington, and the second, under W. J. Buckhorn, will survey private and national forest areas in southern Oregon. This work will be further supplemented by survey crews, working under the direction of the Forest Service and the Office of Indian Affairs, so as to obtain complete coverage of the ponderosa pine forests of this region. Larch sawfly infests forests of Idaho and Montana.--J. C. Evenden, of the forest-insect laboratory at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, reports a severe in- festation of the larch sawfly (Nematus erichsonii Hartig) throughout the western larch stands of Idaho and western Montana. This outbreak was first reported from the Flathead Forest, Mont., in 1933. During subsequent years the insects have spread southwestward, with severe infestation reported from the Kootenai, Cabinet, Lolo, Coeur d'Alene, St. Joe, and Clearwater National Forests. In some areas the defoliation has been severe, although no permanent damage has been recorded. This is the first available record of an outbreak of this insect within the larch forests of the Western States. Mountain pine beetle epidemic in lodgepole vine in Yosemite National Park.--G. R. Struble, of the Forest Service, has recently sent in the fol- lowing report of a new outbreak of the mountain pine beetle in the Yosemite National Park: "While traveling through the Bridal Veil Meadow country, I was astounded to see so many dying lodgepole pines. From a hasty examina- tion it is evident that the mountain pine beetle infestation has already developed to epidemic proportions, not only along the roads, but also within the stands. My rough estimate is that there are from 200 to 500 trees per section carrying broods of the 1940 overwintering generation. The infesta- tion is particularly heavy in the vicinity of the Bridal Veil Camp Ground, where a large percentage of the trees have faded within the last 2 weeks." Susceptibility of sugar pine to mountain pine beetle to be studied.- The success of sanitation-salvage logging of high risk trees in reducing losses caused by the western pine beetle in ponderosa pine stands has brought about interest in the possibility of protecting sugar pine from the mountain pine beetle by a similar method of indirect control. So far little is known regarding the preference of this bark beetle for certain types of trees, but apparently it does show some selective habits in attacking sugar pine. In order to arrive at a basis for determining whether a preference does exist for certain age and growth classes of sugar pine, a study was initiated by G. R. Struble at the Miami, Fla., field laboratory. One plot of 20 acres in mature sugar pine has been established, in which all trees have been numbered and inventoried according to age, growth, and crown char- acters. A series of similar plots will be established and an analysis made of the characteristics of sugar pines that are killed by this beetle, both i the plots and on the areas that are surveyed annually for bark beetle osses. Forest—insect control in Plumas National Forest.-—-During the last week in June the complete woods crew of the Clover Valley Lumber Company, of pious Loyalton, Calif., comprising some 75 men to handle the falling, limb- ing, and bucking of an estimated 20 million board feet of pine timber, run 4 caterpillar tractors, 2 gas shovels, 8 logging trucks, and a rail-— road, turned to forest—insect control work. The objective is the pre— vention of excessive losses from bark-beetle infestations on more than 7,000 acres in the Dixie Creek drainage of the eastern Plumas area. The control method being used is the logging and utilization of highly sus=- ceptible or high-risk trees. This is the first attempt in California to put that method of control to a test on a practical commercial basis. Early in June, Forest Service and Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quaran- tine cruisers prespotted the high-risk trees in the area. During the lat- | ter part of the month, LO sets of fallers began felling the timber and ; engineers and road crews laid out and constructed logging roads. On June 30 the caterpillars started skidding logs to the roads, the shovels started loading trucks, and the movement of logs from woods to railroad to the mill : began in earnest. During the first 6 days of operation nearly 2,000,000 board feet in merchantable logs were salvaged from high-risk trees that could reasonably be expected to die within a few years. \alues in these logs thus were made available for manufacture into soft pine lumber. This q production record nearly equals the normal production in this area. It in- dicates that under certain topographic conditions at least, it may be feasi-— ble to log about one-quarter of the stand and control bark beetle infesta- tions at a profit. Termite prevention survey of defense housing projects.—-The forest— insect laboratory at Berkeley, Calif., is conducting a survey to assist the defense housing agencies in the prevention of termite damage to wooden build- ings. During April, May, and June, ©. B. Eaton and Donald DeLeon covered a large number of the projects in the central California area where thousands of units are under construction. The survey consisted of inspection of buil@® ing plans and of the local conditions where construction was under way. In a number of cases it was found that while the ordinary construction rules for termite prevention had been observed, added features, such as placing wooden steps in contact with the ground, or banking earth over termite—proofed foundations, had nullified the original precautionary measures. In other cases unwarranted expense had been incurred in using precautionary measures which were unnecessary. Recommendations made by this Bureau to the iocal construction agencies have for the most part been observed and it is ay that a considerable saving in costs, as well as in the prevention of early termite damage to defense buildings, will result from this service. This sur= vey is now being extended to cover the numerous defemse projects in southern California. i ‘. oda > pate edie ee Termites and defense Housing.--B. H. Wilford, New Haven, Conn., reports that for several months considerable attention has been directed to the ter- | mite proofing of dwellings planned for and under construction throughout | New York and the New England States by the various federal defense housing agencies. First planning and early construction wrk by some agencies was begun before the Division of Forest Insect Investigations had knowledge of such activities. Consequently, the first buildings were designed and erected with .cither no consideration for termites or with some consideration for ter- ) mites but little practical knowledge of cheap and effective protection. Wher 4 ERIKS termites were considered, each housing agency had its own ideas for guarding against them. In some instances superfluous protection was provided for at one part of a building and neglected in other, often more vulnerable, parts. In other instances ineffective measures were taken, uselessly adding to the cmstruction costs. Gradually, the sug- gestions being made by the Division of Fforest Insect Inve stigat ions to the defense housing agencies are bringing about uniformity in the pro- tection measures. In many instances proper precautions can be taken with- out increasing costs. Unfortunately, however, to protect buildings of some architectural designs, additional costs are almost imoerative. These cases present the real difficulties, since governmental restrictions on dwelling costs necessitate omissions of meny normally necessary items. Thus, in the instances where termite vrotection means added expense, no matter how small, this protection is not being provided for. It is becom- ing more and nore obvious that architects, construction engineers, and en- tomologists must work together and reach agreements on details to develop Simple, acceptable, and inexpensive construction oractices which will in- sure adequate protection against termites. As a result of the defense movement, it appears that this cooperation and some such changes are al- ready taking place. This movement should not terminate, however, with the ending of the emergency. A recently established dipterous parasite of the gypsy moth now widely distributed in New England.--W. F. Sellers, New Haven, Conn., states that the cooperative project organized with officials of the States of Massachu- setts, Maine, New Hammshire, and Connecticut for the study of the distribu- tion of Parasetigena silvestris R. D. was highly successful. Collections were made in 70 townships and recoveries of the parasite were made from 33. Twenty-nine of these represent new recoveries and 4 represent duplication of previous recoveries. The known area of distribution extends roughly from Sebago, Maine, in the north, to Ossipee, N. H., and Lunenbur g » Mass., in the west, and southward to nomnecn, Conn. State : Collections : Recoveries of P. silvestris 3 Number : Maine———————————— : 5 : Sebago, Standish, Biddeford New Hampshire-—---: 5 : Ossipee, Hooksett, Northwood Connecti cut-—----- : a : Thompson Massachusetts-—--—-: 59 : Amesbury, Andover, Boxford, Eurlington, : : Chelmsford, Dracut, Georgetown, Grove- : . land, Haverhill, aeaces Merrimac, : Newbury, W. Venue Newburyport, : N. Andover, Reading, Rowley, Salis-— : bury, Essex, Hamilton, Ipswich, : Middleton, Topsfield, Wenham, Lunen- = burg, Berkley The four localities underlined represent places where previous re- coveries have been made. The parasitization ranged upward to 17.4 percent (87 puparia were recovered from a collection of 500 gypsy moth larvae made Si)\— at Georgetown, Mass.). Hooksett and Northwood, N. H., are mre than 35 miles from the nearest liberation point. These results indicate that this parasite is rapidly becoming a valuable addition to the gypsy moth parasites already established in this country. The status of this parasite was oreviously discussed in the News Letter for July 1940 (v. VII, No. 9, pps 8-9 «Sept. Ly 1940). Establishment of dioterous parasite of gyosy, brown—tail, and satin moths.--Mr. Sellers also states that Exorista larvarum L. was introduced into the United States from Central Eurove between the years 1923 and 1932 and widely colonized in New Englami. Over 100 puoaria of this parasite ~ were recovered from 11 townships where gyosy moth larval collections were made this summer. State : Coljections: Recoveries of E. larvarum Number . Maine-—--—-----— : 5 : Standish New Hampshi re-——: 5 : Northwood, W. Concord Massachusetts-——-: 59 > Salisbury, Newbury, W. Newbury, Lawrence, Wenham, Andover, Ipswich, Berkley The parasitization by this species ranged upward to 9 percent (45 puparia were recovered from a collection of 5O0O larvae made at Salisbury, Mass.). The parasite was also recovered from collections of brown-tail ~ moth larvae made at Stratham and Rye, N. H., by W. S. Mcleod, of the Im verial Parasite Service. Taxonomically this parasite is confused with the Nearctic species Hxorista mella Walk. Past records indicate that -the American species is rarely reared from gypsy and brown-tail moth larvae. The value of Exorista larvarum as a parasite of the gypsy moth depends on the number of alternate hibernating hosts that exist in the various locali-— ties. In this respect th parasite is similar to Compsilura concinnata Meig. Attention is called to the News Letter for September 1940 Cy ae No. 11, p. 12. Nov. 1, 1940), where a case of superparasitization by C. concinnata and E. mella on the satin moth was discussed. At that time the axorista was mistakenly referred to as mella instead of larverum. GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL W. P. A. gyosy moth work resumed in three States.--All Federal W. P. A. gypsy moth projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania were terminated on June 30, as no funds had been provided for the continuance of the work after the end of the fiscal year. This neces— sitated the dismissal of all W. P. A. workers in the field and in the of- fices in Greenfield, Mass., and Wilkes-Barre, Pa. New requisitions for W. P. A. workers were prepared for presentation as quickly as the various gyosy moth projects for the new fiscal year could be approved by the State administrators and funds released for the resumotion of the wrk. Although the oroject apolia@tions submitted to the State administrators in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York were approved before the middle of = E54 July, final authority to begin work was delayed. The authority was re- ceived and requisit ions were presented during the week ended July 26 for work in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, and actual work was begun during the last few days in July. Authority to start work in New York and Pennsylvania had not been received by the end of July, but was expected momentarily . Less gypsy moth spraying wrk accomplished than had been planned.——It was not possible to spray as large an amount of gypsy mth infested area as originally planned, because of the scarcity of relief labor. Although the W. P. A. offices in several of the States promised additional labo during the spraying season, not more than half of the men requisitioned reported for duty. Many of those who did report resigned within a few days to accept vocational defense training or to work in private industry. Some of the men referred to the gypsy moth project lacked the physical qualifications for the performance of arduous labor, and were unsuitable for spraying wrk. Be- cause of these conditions many of the crews were undermanned and could not easily handle the long hose lines, making it necessary to discontinue spray- ing frequently in order to shorten the lines. In many cases it was necessary to operate the sprayers on the single-shift basis, where double shifts had been planned. The lack of labor was particularly conspicuous in the Connec- ticut area, where it was possible to operate only 3 spraying machines on the Single-shift basis. If sufficient man power had been available it would have been advantageous to use 10 or 12 machines, double-shift, in New Eng- land in spraying the infested areas needing such treatment. It was also found to be imoossible to obtain enough men in Monroe County, Pa., to do ur- gently needed spraying work, and arrangements were made to transport workers from nearby sections of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wayne, and Carbon Counties to man the sprayers in Monroe County. Additional diffiqmlties were provided by the weather. Regular gypsy moth employees continue various types of wrk.-—-Regular supervisory employees, who were released from supervision of W. P. A. en- rollees, after suspension of W. P. A. work on June 30, were given various assignments so that as much as possible of the variais types of work could be continued. When possible, observations were made in sprayed areas to de- termine the effectiveness of the spraying wrk. Examinations made up to the end of July disclosed that effective control of the insect had been accom-— plished in the sprayed areas, and that in numerous instances only a moderate amount of additional work will be required to complete extermination in those sections. Preliminary gypsy moth defoliation reports.--Several members of the gypsy moth supervisory personnel began defoliation surveys of the infested area on July 7. These men worked alone in Maine and New Hampshire, cooper- ated with the State division superintendents of gypsy moth work in Massachu- setts, and were assisted by State employees when possible in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Preliminary reports showed an increase in the lower brackets of defoliation in several towns in Maire, although the areas of complete de- foliation appeared not much greater than in 1940. Considerable increases in defoliation in the lower brackets was noted in a few towns in New Hampshire, but little defoliation was reported in other towns where the 1940 defoliation a= was severe. Reports from Massachusetts were variable, with large in— creases in some towns where there was little defoliation last year and large decreases in other towns severely defoliated in 1940. Little de- foliation has been reported so far in Vermont and Rhode Island, and no recards have yet been received from Connecticut. Gypsy moth pupae collected for assembling—cage material.——The col- lection of female gypsy moth pupae for use in the preparatim of the at- tracting material used in assembling-cage wrk was begun on July 7. With the exception of the agent in immediate charge of the field work, all the men engaged in collecting were inexperienced in that type of work. Be- cause of their inexperience much of the material collected during the first few. days was unsatisfactory, but the quality of the mterial improved greatly as the men gained experience. At the beginning of the work two Federal agents and seven men detailed from the New York Conservation De- partment collected the material in the field and handied it at the store-— house in Greenfield, Mass. Gypsy moth soray hose transoorted from field for inspection and _stor— age.—-Spraying operations in the field were discontinued beginning about .a week before the end of July, although the work was continued in a few places until July 28. The time of comietion deoended to a great extent on the difficulties encountered in removing the hose from the woods and the distances to be traveled in transporting the equipment to the store— houses in Greenfield, Mass., and in Moosic and Forty Fort, Pa., for exam— ination and storage, as it was necessary to complete this work before the termination of W. P. A. work on June 30. The spray hose requires special attention after its return from the field. It is unloaded from the trucks, sorted, and piled in such a mammer that systematic examinations and tests of all the hose and couplings may be made before it is stored for the win- ter. The hose used in gypsy mth spraying has a 1—-inch waterway, is made in 50-foot lengths, and mist withstand 1,500 pounds pressure. Hose that has deteriorated to such an extent that it will no longer withstand high pressure is set aside for other use or for disposal at public auction. The couplings, which are leavily constructed of bronze metal and give many years of service, are removed from the broken or worn-out hose and stored for future use. The hose is never coiled, but is laid out straight in Storage bins, each bin having a capacity of approxinately 125,000 feet. Up to July 19 about 125,000 feet of hose had peen sarted, repaired, tested and stored at the Greenfield storehouse, and approximately 127,000 feet had been similarly treated at the Pennsylvania storehouses. A considerable quantity of the hose was discarded this year because of deterioration or breakage in service Brown—tail moth in gypsy moth infested areas.--A decided increase in brown-tail moth infestations has been noted in sections of Maine and New Hampshire. Although there were very few records of defoliation by this in- sect last year, a considerable number of such records have already been re-— ceived for this season. Complete defoliation of many orchards has taken place, particularly at sites where no cutting of webs was done during the winter of 1940-41. In some towns, varticularly in Allenstown, Canterbury, Sates Dunbarton, Epsom, Henniker, Hooksett, Louden, and Pittsfield, all in New Hampshire, the brown—-tail moth infestation was so intensive that notable flights of the moths were reported. Such flights have not been vreviously reported for a number of years. Advance information obtained concerning proposed logging operations.-—- Considerable information has been obtained concerning the proposed cutting of birch logs in southern Vermont and western Massachusetts. The operators interviewed stated thet logging operetions will begin early in the fall and continue throughout the winter. A large amount of birch cut in the barrier zone area of these two States is transported by truck to mills in eastern New York, where no gypsy moth infestations are known to exist at present. Last year several small gy»sy moth infestations were located and destroyed at their source by scouting the birch lots in advance of the cutting opera- tions. Information was also obtained from operators in northern Vermont reletive to the localities in that section of the barrier zone where the greatest quantities of Christmas trees and evergreen boughs are likely to be cut during the fall. Other data pertaining to logging: and pulpowood op- erations were also gathered, all of which have an important bearing on the preparation of olans for gypsy moth scouting wrk in tose sections during the coming winter and fall. Burlap bands patrolled by regular emoloyees.—-Reguiar gypsy moth em- ployees patrolling trees banded with burlap in Massachusetts end Connecti- cut found large numbers of gyosy moth larvae end pupae in the vicinity of stone walls and rock-littered areas in locations where there had been little or no opportunity to conduct intensive creosoting work earlier in the sea- son. Smaller numbers of the insect were destroyed at less favorable sites. Gypsy moth assembling cages set out in Pennsylvania.-—The distribu- tion of approximately 1,600 gypsy moth assembling cages by regular gypsy moth employees was completed in the Pennsylvania area shortly after the mid- dle of July. The cages were set out in the towmships of Carbondale, Lacka- wanna County; in Canaan, South Canaan, Lake, Salem, Sterling, Dreher, and Lehigh, Wayne County; and in Barrett amd Paradise, Monroe County. These 10 selected towmshios are adjacent to the gyosy mth infested area on the east and northeast, and are outside of the area where it has been possible to conduct extensive scouting work. Regular visits were made to each cage to determine whether male gypsy moths had been attracted, and all specimens caught in the tanglefoot were carefully collected and definitely identi- fied. Male gyosy moths were taken at several cages in Canaan, South Canaan, and Lake, in Wayne County, before the end of July. In the course of scout- ing in the vicinity of a cage in Lake Townshiv, where male moths were taken, a gypsy moth infestation was found and treated directly across the road from the cage. Assembling cages were also set out in selected towns in eastern New York and northern New Jersey. N.Y. A. employees continue gypsy moth work in Pennsylvania.--Four small groups of N. Y. A. enrollees continued gypsy moth wrk in the Penn- Sylvania area after July 1. One of these grows assisted in sorting, testing, and storing spray hose, while the other groups patrolled burlap bands at infested locations in Pittston and Plains Townships, in Luzerne Vie County. New N. Y. A. gypsy moth projects were approved before July 30, which will permit the employment of enrollees in the repair shops in Wilkes-Barre, as well as in the field. A small field force was started on July 28, and the numbers will be increased as additional supervision becomes available C. C. C. gypsy moth greatly reduced.--C. C. C. gypsy moth work un- der the supervision of this Bureau was greatly reduced from a high of 149 6-hour man-days during the week ended July 5 to only 40 man-days dur- ing the week ended July 26. The work was verformed in Massachusetts and Connecticut until late in July, when work was discontinued in Connecticut because of the abandonment of campos and the transfer of gypsy moth fore- men. During the latter part of July, C. C. C. gypsy moth work was per-— formed only by one small crew from a camp in Massachusetts. C. C. C. gypsy moth work performed during July.--C. C. C. gypsy moth spraying in Connecticut was terminated early in July, and the available men were used in banding trees at colony sites where no spraying was done this season, and in patrolling the bands and killing all gypsy moths found under them. When C. C. C. gypsy moth work was terminated in Con- necticut a force from the Connecticut State gypsy moth office began pa-— trolling of the bands in some of the areas that had been burlapped by the C. C. C. Three infestations, containing 582 acres, were sprayed by the C. C. C. in Connecticut this season, and 32,328 trees on 111 acres were banded. A single crew in Massachusetts continued to spray in the town of Florida, Berkshire County, until July 11. Although a supply of materials was available for further spraying, it was not possible to obtain a large enough number of enrollees to operate the equinvment after that date. The small crew was assigned to banding trees at selected sites and to patrol-— ling the bands. Areas that had been sorayed by the C. ©. C. were in- | spected during the month. No feeding was observed and very few gypsy moth larvae or egg clusters were seen at any of the points examined. PLANT DISEASE CONTROL Blister rust infection in Oregon and northern California.—-H. R. Offord reports the discovery of an important new pvine-infection center in Oregon on Bucks Creek, Rogue River National Forest, in July. Twenty-seven infected western white pines were found. Associated with these white pires were heavily infected Ribes bracteosum and lightly infected R. binominatum and R. lacustre. Infection was found also on R. cruentum in the Rogue River gorge a quarter of a mile from Union Creek, and in this same area a single juvenile canker was cut from a small sugar pine tree. The identity of this canker is questimable and it will be sent to W. W. Wagener's of- fice at San Francisco for identification. Infected R. lobbii was found close to the Dempsey mine near uvver Bucks Basin. On the Klamth Natioal Forest a single canker on sugar pine was found near the Cottonwood Creek blister rust camp. Considerable Ribes infection was found on the Klamath National Forest on most areas examined. D. R. Miller and Clyde Partington are now engaged in scouting for the rust on the Lassen National Forest. A considerable number of specimens of rust on Ribes have been submitted for identification, and, although so far but a small percentage of the specimens Za CEs have been tested, the few for which determinations have been made are about equally divided between Cronartium occidentale and C. ribicola. New vine infections found in Wisconsin and Virginia.--T. F. Kouba reports that blister rust on white pine was found for the first time in Iron County, Wis., on June 29. Onlv 1 tree was found infected, but it was heavily infected. It was an 11-year-old tree planted along State Highway 77, 528 feet east of the City Hall of Montreal, Wis., and 27 feet north of the concrete highway. Infection was found on 1935 wood, and the tree was dead, save for 3 lateral branches. A large Kibes cyn- osbati bush, infected with the ur-dinial stage of the rust, was growing 12 feet west of the tree. Apparently the infected »ortion of the tree had fruited 3 times. An unusually heavy concentration of pycnia and pyenial scars were noted. Escaped Ribes sativum (cultivated red currant) bushes were growing about 150 feet away, but these plants were not in- fected with blister rust. Blister rust was found by Agent Miller on 25 Ribes cynosvati bushes and 17 pines in a 5-acre tract in Banner's Run, in Bath County, Va., while 2 infected Ribes and 5 sines on 1 acre were found infected on Hodges Road in the same county. This is the first year that pine infection has been found in this county. About 1,500 employed on blister rust control in the Northwest.-—Wwhile the blister rust control program in the Northwest is not so large this year as the one in 1940, owing to the curtailment of W. P. A. and C. CG. C. work, the activities under regular funds have increased slightly. The largest fieid program is the regular Forest Service blister rust project, which includes 33 field camps employing avproximately 1,000 men. Most of these camos are located in the center of the white pine tyre of north Ida- ho, but some of the camps are located in northwestern Montana and north- eastern Washington. The State of Idaho and the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, aided by contributions from the timber protective asso- ciations, are operating 5 cams, with a total of 170 workers in the State of Idaho. In addition to this the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quaran- tine is operating W. P. A. orojects in Idaho and Washington. There are aoproximately 200 workers in Idaho and 20 in Washington. In the western white pine region there has been a rather heavy turnover of workers in the Idaho cooperative camps, but reolacements are made immediately. At the first of the week Mr. Walters, operation suvervisor, was confronted with the problem of finding 1 of the cooperative camp employees, who got lost in the woods on his return from Sandpoint, Idaho, over the week end. search parties were organized, and Tuesday morning the boy was found, still lost but in good condition, as he was traveling a forest road back toward Sandpoint. The Forest Service is also ooverating W. P. A. projects in Idaho and Montana to the extent that they were able to obtain labor assignments. As in previous years, several ©. C. ©. camps in the western white pine region are working on blister rust control. Both in the national forests and in tiount Rainier and Glacier National Perks, the low enrollment in the C. C. C. however, has reduced the size of this program considerably. Poison ivy causing trouble in Maine.--W. 0. Frost reports that poison ivy is causing considerable trouble in Maine this season and that he saw several blister rust control workers with rather severe cases the latter =e part of June. Ivy plants head-high are encountered in the woods, and because of their height are not recognized until after the men heve come in contact with the leaves. The men are provided with protective lo- tions but, in spite of this precaution, many of them are poisoned. Blister rust. spreading from cultivated red currants.—-C. C. Perry, State leader in Massachusetts, reports that he inspected locations in Lynnfield and Middleton, where blister rust control work has been in progress, and visited one area where young pine infections (1938) had been found. In this case the associated Ribes were limited to éscaped red currants. Mr. Brockway, District leader, estimates that this season at least 70 percent of the Ribes eradicated by the field crew in Hssex County, Mass., have been escaped red currants. Scouting started in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.--In order to keep a close check on the spread of blister rust into Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, E. L. Joy, R.°L. MacLeod, and C. A. Chap- man started scouting in these units in the last week of July. The major efforts are being placed on inspection of concentrations of the highly susceotible Ribes petiolare in association with the two most susceptible pines, white bark and limbez. Such areas offer an excellent opportunity to pick up either long-distance or local spread centers, because of the massing, susceptibiiity, and moist habitat of R. petiolare. It is also of imoortance that any local infection of these pines that has developed to the fruiting stage is most likely to consist of a sufficient number of cankers to cause abundant and readily discovered Ribes infection. During the course of this scouting work the additional mroject of preeradication survey in Grand Teton National Park will be cmducted. This will consist of a strip checking of selected areas of white-—bark pine that have been designated as having sufficient aesthetic or cover values to justify con- trol. It is estimated that these areas total about 3,000 acres, all of which are located in the high and rugged Teton Range. Since no roads reach this area, travel will be by a pack—-horse outfit. Preliminary results of physiologic race survey.--Results of the phy- Siologic race survey of wheat stem rust (Puccinia graminis tritici) in 1941, as of August 1, indicate a continued increase in race 17 and decrease in race 56, as compared with previous years. A total of 377 isolates have been identified from 275 uredial collections made in the United States and northern Mexico. Of 134 isolates identified from northern Mexico collec- tions, race 17 constituted 60 percent, and races 35 and 56 avproximately 15 percent each. Three otler races costituted the remainder. From col- lections made in the United States, 243 isolates have thus far been iden- tified. Race 17 constitutes aporoximately the same percentage of these iso-— lates as in northern Mexico. Race 56, which is second in prevalence in the United States, constitutes about 25 percent of. the isolates already identi- fied, followed by races 19 and 38. Race 17 not only constituted 60 percent of the isolates but appears to represent a still larger proportion of the actual inoculum in the field, while race 56, which represents only 25 per- cent of the isolates, probably makes up a smaller proportion of the field inoculum. As a result, Tenmarg, which is immune from race 17 and suscepti- ble to race 56, showed light infection early in the season, when soft wheats Men susceptible to both races were heavily infected in the same localities. Isolates from Tenmarg have been primarily race 5¢. Later in the season heavy rust develoved on Tenmarq, because the earlier light infection of race 56 in fields of this variety had had time to build up. The trend in ponulation of races 17 and 56 for the veriod since 1939 is shown below. ee ee : : Total isolates in Year Se the United States ee ae! pie Meenacen (nutes! + fivalace "50 15 > Percent: Percent Ilo Sass ees SS : 10 tyke 55 BO oe see sie. to : 3h : Ad 1941 (oreliminary)--: 59 : 25 em ee eo ne ae ae A EE NR SS er ee Of 117 isolates identified in 56 collections from southern Mexico, race 38 constituted a majority of the isolates, followed by race 59. These 2 races have been the most common in other years also. Altogether, in the 2 regions of Mexico and in the United States, abot 500 isolates have thus far been identified and 350 additional ones are now in process of identification. Method of survey deoends on topography.--During May and June survey crews in Missouri were working in Marion, Lafayette, Johnson, Saline, Howard, and Pettis Counties. The area covered totaled 550 square miles. The method of survey varied somewhat, decending on the tyoe of territory being covered, but for the most part consisted of an intensive farm-to-— farm survey . Some modification of survey methods has been made in this. otate in recent months , but all infested areas are now given an intensive strip scouting. More responsibility is being olaced on crew foremen for determining the exact type of survey that will be used in a given type of territory. Area of escaped bushes found in Platte River.--During the period March to June, survey crews in Nebraska eradicated barberry bushes on 22 oroverties, 15 of which were new and 7-of which had been reported pre- viously. In determining the source of bushes located on 1 property in the vicinity of Scottsbluff, the crew suwoervisor was advised that the bush had been transplanted from an island in the Platte River. Later sur- vey of the island resulted in the eradimtion of 65 bushes widely distribu- ted for more than 2 miles along the river bank. Some of the larger bushes in the area were heavily rusted by the end of June, and early in July in- fection was orevalent on nearby grasses. COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATIONS The Peruvian cotton weevil parasite at Brownsvilie, Tex.- w. T. Hunt , of the Brownsville “laboratory, ‘reports t that’5 shipments of > Microbracon vestiticida Vier., a parasite of Anthonomus vestitus Boh. in Peru, were made by P. A. Berry, of the Division of Foreign Parasite Introduction, for 26 oe liberation in cottonfields at Brownsville to determine their possible establishment on the boll weevil. These shipments were made from Lima, Peru, between May 20 and June 17. They were en route from 3 to 4 days, the first arriving at Brownsville on May 24 and the last on June 20. It is thought that these are the first parasites introduced into the United ; States primarily for boll weevil control. A total of 3,012 adult para— sites were shipoed, of which 2,626 arrived alive. Of these, 1,594 were released in 3 fields and 1,032 were used for laboratory rearing. Field collections following the liberations have failed at the end of June to indicate their establishment. Oviposition wes obtained in the laboratory by exnosing boll weevil infested squares in a cloth-covered cage. The cage was covered on all sides, except the bottom, with black cloth and placed so as to admit light through the bottom, thus attracting the para— sites to the squares placed in the bottom of the cage: Emergence of the adult parasites started 9 days after ovivosition. eeu six parasites, 10 being of the second generation, were reared in the laboratory by this method during June. AD AR tat Spt ag at Fe A De 2 Catalans ie The Peruvian cotton weevil oarasite at Tallulah, La.—-During duly Paul A. Berry, of the Division of Foreign Parasite Introduction, made 4 shipments by a_r exoress of M. vestiticida, .a parasite of the Peruvians cotton weevil (A. vestitus) from Lima, Peru, to Tallulah, La. The para— sites were en route from 3 to 7 days. R. C. Gaines reports that the first shipment, 7 days en route, consisted of 770 adults but on arrival at Tallulah 598 were dead and 172 alive. The second shipment, 3 days en route, consisted of 904 adults, only 130 of which were dead on arrival and 77 alive. Records were aot made on arrival at Tallulah of the third and fourth shipments, as the parasites were liberated in cottonfields by placing the boxes in which they arrived under cotton plants in the fields where ants removed a number of the deed. The native parasite, Microbracon mellitor (Say), was present in both fields where releases of M. vestiticida were made on July 12 and 15. Squares were collected on July 15, 17,19; and 23, from which there were reared 8 M. vestiticide and 11 M. melilitor bey tween July 22 and 31. Boll weevil infested cotton squeres in cages were ex posed to M. vestiticida for 48 hours and during the period July 22-25 there emerged ii adults of M. vestiticida and 4 Ofei tet a tore wae determina— tions, of the ett oe were made by C. F. W. Muesebeck. LRT DR ARNEL re Se et IOI Shortage of dusting machines handicaps cotton-—insect control.—-The de— mand for cotton-dusting equipment because of the high boll weevil infesta-— tions during June and July throughout most of the area from the Atlantic coast to central Texas and western Oklahoma caused a shortage in dusting machines. Many growers in the States where the weevils were abundant lost heavily because of their inability to obtain dusting machines to apply cal-— cium arsenate. In Alabama and other States the use of the old-time pole- and-bag method of apolying arsenical dusts was revived on recommendation of the extension workers in cases where dusting machines were not available. Soraying machines were brought into use in the cottonfields much more ex— tensively than diring previais years. The manufacturers of dusting machine reported that they could not remedy the situation because they were unable to obtain needed materials for the manufacture of dusting machines. =23- _ Calcium arsenate shortage.--For the first time in many years the supply of calcium arsenate in the Cotton Belt was practically exhausted during July. On July 23, W. A. Ruffin, extension entomologist of Ala- bama, wrote: "The sunply of dust guns and calcium arsenate has been completely exhausted in this State." Similar reports came from Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma. The aopearance of the cot- ton leaf worm in six States by the end of July and heavy infestations of the bollworm made the situation more serious. It was revorted that manu- facturers of calcium arsenate were operating on a 24-hour basis in an ef- fort to meet the emergency. Lead arsenate, paris green, and london pur- ple, were used more extensively than for many years and various proprie- tary mixtures supposed to contain arsenical insecticides were sold in large quantities, especially in Texas. Rotenone in calcium arsenate checks cotton aphids.--P. M. Gilmer, Tifton, Ga., reports that because of the heavy dusting schedules neces- sary to control the boll weevil on sea-island cotton the dam ge from the cotton aphid is a serious problem. On June 18 the first dusting with cal- cium arsenate and calcium arsenate mixtures was made on a series of plots. - Seven later applications were made on July 8, 20, 25, 28, August 1, 7, and 12. The average number of aphids per square inch of leaf surface from July 25 to August 14 was about the same on the untreated check plots and the plots dusted with a mixture of calcium arsenate with derris so as to contain 0.5 percent rotenone. There were from three to four times as many aohids on the plots dusted with calcium arsenate and with a proprietary mixture of calcium arsenate and a zinc salt. This latter mixture did not hold down the aphid population, but the mixture containing rotenone was effective. On August 14 the respective counts were: Check, 27.75 aphids per square inch; calcium arsenate-rotenone dust, 29.30 aphids per square inch; the average of the other 4 treatments, 118.86 aphids (variation be- tween 113.25 and 123.75) per square inch. PINK BOLLWORM AND THURBERIA WEEVIL CONTROL Condition of 1941 cotton crop in south Texas.--The first bale of cot- ton each season is usually produced in the subtropical area of the lower Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, which has, for the past several years, been under regulation on account of the presence of the pink bollworm. The present season was no exception to the rule, and the first bale of cotton for the 1941 crop was produced in Starr County and ginned on July 10. The planting of the 1941 cotton crop in the lower Rio Grande Valley was begun on February 1, in accordance with a State order designed to shorten the cotton—growing period as a pink bollwrm control measure. TRUCK CROP AND GARDEN INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Effectiveness of derris dust mixtures against pea aphid varies with rotenone content.--J. E. Dudley, Jr., and associates, of the Madison, Wis., laboratory, performed a field test against the pea aphid (Illinoia pisi. Kalt.) on late peas at Waunakee, Wis., during the period beginning June 20, 1941. The test was designed primarily to determine the influence of De rotenone content of a derris dust mixture on its effectiveress against the pea aphid. Three dust mixtures were employed in these tests with rotenone contents of 0.75, 0.50, and 0.25 percent, respectively, derived from derris root. Two percent of soybean oil was incorporated in the dust mixtures to function as a conditioner and pyrophyllite was used as the diluent. The dusts were avplied with a power duster equipped with a 24-foot boom with 20 nozzles, the boom being entirely enclosed with canvas and a 40-foot trailer attached. The average speed of travel dur- ing treatment was 2.4 miles per hour. Temperature ranged from 82 to 70 F., and the relative humidity from 60 to 100 percent during the period of treatment.. The results of this exneriment are presented in the following table. Oo Pemoeipalas Dust : Aphids per sweep : Reduction of = :applied : after : after Ankara. sper acre:43 hrs.:92 hrs.:6 days:43 hrs.:92 hrs.:6 days : Pounds :Number :Number :Number:Percent:Percent:Percent OO a 208 960 Vit ote Shier enditeal hes tia oho 0. 50-—------------------ 2 ALOR Sed Bie lsd pesie9 ath OO Bienes 0. 25------------------- ; 43 : 5D oT: 2718 sD 3 w69 st fb oe Check~---~-------------- : Or MESO 17S 30s SK as. A SSL Dead - oe ee Difference required, : ¢ ae : : : Por Beer Pediat. peer: mes, 4th p>. 6.5 sila rit 6 : ? i/ There were 2 replicates of the check treatment and 6 replicates of the other treatments. Therefore, the check treatment was not included in the statistical analysis. The dust mixture containing 0.75 percent rotenme was significantly superior to the mixture containing only 0.25 percent all three times the records were taken. At the exniration of the 6-day period the dust mixture containing 0.50 percent was significantly superior to the one containing only 0.25 percent. It should be noted that each time the infestation was recorded there was a definite trend indicating the increased Se as’ the percentage of rotenone increased.’ Cultural practices aid in control of tobacco flea beetle .—-J, U. Gil- more and C. Levin, of the Oxford, N. C., laboratory, report that, in a ecm- trol experiment directed against spring populations of Epitrix parvula (Ba in plant beds, encouraging results in reducing populations of this pest fol- lowed several cultural practices. One treatment, involving the pulling of all plants in the plant beds and the scraping of the ground with a hoe, demonstrated a reduction of 83 percent in the number of flea beetles emerg-— ing from such beds, as compared with plant beds which had not been disturbed. Another treatment in which the plots were plowed and harrowed showed a re- duction of 59 percent, and a third treatment in which the plots were simply ~— plowed. showed a reduction of 45 percent in the number of beetles emerging therefrom. DOE Wheat product as carrier in 21 2S Pe De eee a ee Tests conducted b by Norman Allen and H. N. Polllarde-or- thernlorence, Ss C.., laboratory, with various wheat oroducts for carriers of paris green in the poisoned bait recommended for the control of Cotinis nitida L. in to- bacco plant beds, indicated that wheet middlings, vheet shorts, equal parts of middlings and bran, equal parts of shorts anc bran, or vhole- wheat. flour, were more effective than wheat bran alone. Three sepvarate olant-bed tests were conducted by reolicating each treatment from 6 to 8 times and examining each individual larva in an effort to determine the comparative value of the different wheat products. As a result, it was found that a bait composed of 1 pound of varis green and 25 pounds of wheat middlings and approximately 23 gallons of water was the most satis-— factory wheat-—oroducts bait tested, being roughly twice as effective as a similar bait preoared by using wheet bran. This bait, although effective, killed only about two-thirds of the larvae, because all of the larvae do not come to the soil surface over a period of several days. For maximum efficiency, the infested area should be svrinkled or wetted with water just orior to apolying the bait. Wetting the area increases the burrow- ing activities of the larvae and this increases the chances of them obtain- ing the bait. The bait should be broadcast over the infested area at a rate of 15 pounds, set weight, ver 100 square yards of plant bed area. Dilute solutions of dichloroethyl etker protect seedlings of canta- loups and melons.--Tests at Walla Walla, Wash., by R. S. Lehman during 1940 and 1941 have shown that dichloroethyl ether in water will protect canta- loups from serious damage by wireworms (principally the Pacific coast wire- worm Limonius canus Ged: )) when this mixture is applied at the time the séed is planted, at the rate of = pint per hill at a dilution of either §& or 12 cubic centimeters cer gallon of water. It was determined, moreover, that a second treatment of = pint of the solution ver hill 2 or 3 weeks after the seed was planted assured an improvement in the control in in- stances wren wireworms were still numerous near the plants at this period in the developrent of the crop. R&R. H. Campbell and his associates of ‘the Ainambra, Cealif., laboratory, found that the use of dichloroethyl ether in dilute solutions afforded protection from vireworms (principally the sugar beet wireworm Limonius californicus (Mann.)) to sprouting melon seeds and young plants. In this connection the most interesting observations ob-— tained from the 1941 tests related to the effect of dichloroethyl ether treatments on the germination of the plants. At all strengths used, rang- ing from 3 to 15 qibic centimeters of dichloroethyl ether per gallon of water applied at the rate of 1 quart of the solution per hill, germination _of the plants was accelerated and the total percentage was greater than in comparable plots where water alone was used. Cull dumps imoortant breeding source of votato psyllids.—-A survey conducted by ee is Wallis, of the Scottsbluff, ", Nebr., labor atory, on po- tatoes growing in dumps of cull tubers, noire d very high populations of Paratrioza cockerelli (Sule.) and since June 10 adult psyllids have nearly doubled in numbers every 5 days. Adult osyllids averaged 95.3 per 100 sweeps of an insect net on dune 25. There are aovroximately 1,200 to J.,500 potato-stcrage cellars in the North Platte Valley and most of the growers and dealers at sorting time dump cull tubers near the storage. Heating in Os these viles causes early sprouting and growth, and the dense foliage pro- wides an ideal breeding place for psyllids. Derris, pyrethrum, and cryolite dust mixtures control bean leaf beetle.--L. W. Brannon, of the Norfolk, Ve., laboratory, reports excel- lent control of Cerotoma trifurcata (Forster) on snap beans, in exveri- ments conducted with the following materials: Derris—pyrethrum powder-— sulfur dust (0.50 percent rotenone-0.10 percent pyrethrins), pyrethrum powder-sulfur (0.10 vercent pyrethrins), commercial stabilized pyrethrum powder (0.080 and 0.164 percent pyrethrins), derris-sulfur (0.50 percent rotenone), and cryolite-sulfur dusts (70 percent sodium fluoaluminate). All materials gave significant reductions, ranging from 97 to 80 percent, in the bean leaf beetle infestation 24 hours after treatment. None of the materials tested gave significant reductions over each other, with the ex— ception of the stabilized pyrethrum dust containing 0-080 pyrethrins. Ex-— celient residual effects were noted as a result of infestation counts made on the various plots 7 days after treatment. INSECTS AFFECTING MAN AND ANIMALS Change in direction of research in Southeastern laboratories.——The regionalized plan of direction of research work’in the Southeast was changed on August 1. Under the new arrangement the laboratories at Or- lando, Panama City, and St. Lucie, Fla., will work independently and re-— port direct to the Washington office. The mosquito research under way at New Smyrna, Fla., is so closely related to that at Orlando that the former will continue to function as a sublaboratory of the latter. Screwworm remedy harmful to eves of sheep when used excessively.—— E. C. Cushing, of the Menard, Tex., laboratory, reports that tests on the effects of the ingredients of Smear 62, individually and in combination, in the eyes of sheep have shown that excessive amounts of the remedy and some of its ingredients, when applied at approximately 3-day intervals, are harmful. Screwworm formula 62 satisfactory in Arizona and Texas.--Over 1,000 gallons of the new screwworm remedy developed at the Menard, Tex., labora- tory have been tested in Arizona by livestock operators. This remedy has given excellent results under conditions in that State. The method of pre— paring the formula was also demonstrated by personnel of the Menard labora- tory to several large dealers in livestock remedies and to members of the board of directors of the Texes Sheep and Goat Raisers' Association. The association is considering sponsoring the manufacture of the remedy for its members. Screwworm formula 02 effective in treating fleeceworm infestations.-—- Mr. Cushing reports that 49 cases of fleeceworm infestations in sheep were successfully treated with screwworm formula 62. Mr. Cushing states that a considerable quantity of the smear is needed, unless the wool is first sheared from the infested area First record of Mansonia verturbans in Orezon and Washington.--A high | pooulation of M. verturbans Walk. was revorted during July at Scappoose,° Oreg.9§) Lyra by E. F. Knipling, of the Portland, Oreg., laboretory. This soecies was also reported from Yakima, Wash., by ©. M. Gjullin. These are the first records of this mosquito in Oregon and Washington. Instruction at U. S. Public Health Service School at Norfolk, Va.- EAC MBtsnoooe Gaus bradley. and Be Vel travis assusved the Uv SevPublic Health Service in the training course being given to the first class of 18 Sanitary engineers and doctors who are to be assigned to mosquito-control work in extra cantonment areas. General information on insects of medical and sanitary imoortance was oresented by Dr. Bishopo, and mosquito biolo- gies, taxonomy, and methods of conducting surveys and of carrying on salt- marsh-moscuito control were discussed by Messrs. Bradley and Travis. Number ot eeas) per female hornily-——"Nerevotore we! have’ tentatively agreed with other investigators that the female hornfly voroduced a maximum Steriweges,' reports W. G. Bruce, of our Dallas, Tex., laboratory, "but in recent tests it has been found that at least 16S eggs can be produced by 1 alley pelt August 6, F. C. Bishopp gave an illustrated lecture on "Insect Problems of Medical Importance in the Tropics" before a group of Army medical officers who are taking a l-month special course in Tropical Medicine at the Army Medical Center in Washington, D. C. FORKIGN PLANT QUARANT INES Entomological interceptions of interest.--One living and 6 dead lar- vae of the euribiid (trypetid) Anastrepha serpentina Wied. were taken at New Orleans on June 16 in grapefruit in stores from Brazil. Twenty-six imwyne Uarvyac Ot the euribaid Anastreoha sp., probably fraverculus (Wied.), were interceoted at New York on June 13 in gravefruit in stores from Brazil Specimens of the aleyrodid Aleurotrachelus camelliae (Kuwena) were inter- cepted at Seattle on January 10 on the leaf of a Camellia japonica in cargo from Japan. This reoresents our first interceotion of this species. Three adult specimens of the bruchid Bruchidius dorsalis (Boh.) were found at Seattle on March 27 in Gleditsia japonica seeds in mail from Javan. A liv- ing specimen of the thrips Elaphrothrips dampfi Hd. was intercepted at hl Paso on June 11 on pineapole in cargo from Mexico. A living larva of the scolytid Gnathotrichus aciculatus Blackm. was found at El Paso on May 28 in a tomato in baggage from Mexico. Six living larvae and 1 living adult of the cerambycid Gracilia minuta (F.) were taken at New York on July 2 in and on Carpinus betulus (wooden crates for crockery) in cergo from England. A living adult of the elaterid Heteroderes rufangulus 6711. was found at New York on May 20 in excelsior in a box of grapes from Argentina. Fifteen liv- a ee Norfolk, Va., on April 14 under the bark of a walnut log in cargo from Aus- tralia. Specimens of the coccid Morganella longispina (Morg.) were taken at San Francisco on August 7, 1940, on Dendrobium spectabile in mail from Australia. A living adult of the curculionid Pachnaeus litus Germ. was found at New York on June 3 on white greens in cargo from Cuba. Living moe adults, larvae, and pupae of the scolytid Pteleobius vittatus F. were intercepted at New York on June 1] in the bark of an elm log in cargo from England. This is our second interceotion of this insect; the first one was also mde at New York, but the soecimens were all dead. M. W. Blackman states that this scolytid is not known to occur in the United States. Pathological interceptions of interest.——-Diplodia henriguesiana Trav. & Spessa was found on May 24 at New York on orchids from Colombia. Gymnosporangium globosum Farl. was intercepted on May 22 at Hl Paso on Crataegus sp. leaves from Mexico. Arthur's manual does not include Mex— ico in the range of this rust. Helminthosporium allii Camp. was inter- cepted on July 23 at Baltimore on garlic bulbs in stores from Dutch Hast +ndies. We have had few interceotions of this fungus except from Mexico during the last year or two. Heterodera marioni (Cornu) Goodey was found on July 14 at. Baltimore in potatoes in stores from Argentina. Mycosnhae— reila citrullina (Smith) Gross. was found on May 3 at New York on squashes in stores from South Africa. Peronospora pisi (De Bary) Syd. was found on June 23 at New York in fresh pea pods in stores from Portugal. Pho- mopsis capsici (Mgn - ) Sacc. was found on July 24 at Baltimore cn peppers in stores oe Brazil. Ustilago sphaerogena Burr. was intercepted on March 6 at Seattle on ReDT ABER Ibe crusgalli straw in cargo ovacking from Japan. DOMESTIC PLANT QUARANTINES The grasshopper situation in general.——-Grasshopper development, baiting, and dispersal, in n the areas as a whole, reached a peak curing July. In some areas to the north, hopoers of certain species had not yet eenoned the adult stage, while to the south the second generation was hatching... Baiting activities fell far short of anticipation on the basis of the egg survey of 1940. By the latter part of July approximtely 20,000 wet tons of bait had been used, with an anticipated need for 10,000 more tons after harvest to »rotect late crovs and winter wheat About 75 percent of the bait was used in Kansas, ‘tinmnesota, Montana, Ne- braska, and South Dekota, about half the total output having been dis-— tributed in Minnesota and Montana. Grasshopvers greatly reduced in North Dakota.—-The State of North Dakota has been a very heavy bait user in recent years. This year, how— ever, owing principally to reduced infestations and weather conditions, only 550 tons of wet bait had been used up to the latter part of July with the anticipation that 100 additional tons would suffice. Most bait-— ing was done in the eastern part of the State. Other grasshopper infestations. --(1) In western Kansas light to mod- erate flights of grasshoppers were reported almost daily during the first part of July, reducing the populations in the southwestern counties by about 60 percent. Crop damage in this area during the month was estimated at from about 5 to 15 percent. (2) The two-striped grasshopper was the dominant species in the heavily infested northwestern counties of Minne— sota, while in the east-central and southeastern counties infestations were spotted and of little economic importance. Baiting in this State was light during July, owing principally to the weather and to the rapid ee, 2 Se ee i ; . : , —— se 99 growth of crops. (3) In Montana farmers in the north-central, most heavily infested part of the State, succeeded in holding crop damage to a ASTER) by continued baiting throughout the month. By July 26 approximately 5,000 tons of wet bait had been used in the north-central and south-central areas. (4) The dominant species in Nebraska consisted of Melanoplus mexicenus (Sauss.), M. bivittatus (Say), and Aeoloplus turnbullii (Thos. ), necessitat- ane) the heaviest baiting in the Republican River Valley in the southwestern section of the State, as ell as that vart of eastern Nebraska comorised of area lying east of Dawson County and south of Wayne County. (5) In Sout Dakota injury to croos, especially to small grains, increaséd moderately, reaching an estimated 10 to 12 percent by mid-July. Principal injury was occasioned by clipping of wheat and barley, the greatest danage occurring in the east-central area of the State, where M. mexicanus, M. bivittatus, and A. turnbuilii were adout equal in numbers. Baiting declined rapidly in all areas during July after harvesting operations started. About 2,500 tons of wet bait were used. second generation of lesser migratory hoppers produced.-——The second - generation of the lesser mipratory ere esrassnooper develoved in July in Arizona, Colorado, and Kansas. In Arizona adults were laying eges late in June in Graham and Cochise Counties, previously reoorted as hide se infested. In western Kansas the second generation was observed near the end of the month and was anticioated shortly thereafter in Colorado. Grasshopper adult survey planned.--To plan for the adult grasshooper survey througnout | the infested area, suvervisors in the resoective areas recently were called togetner at five strategic points and given instruc- tions as to procedures, the extent of observations desired, and the areas to be covered. Information for the adult survey was well in hand orior to these meetings, through observations by supervisors and the control person- nels Progress in control of Mormon crickets.—-Heevy migrations of Mormon EGrevevs occurred in July: in several counties in Idaho, in Big Hora and Beaverhead Counties, Mont., in Juab and Tooele Counties, Utah, in Crook and Hot Springs Counties, Wyo., and in several areas in Nevada. Large-scale con- trol operations were conducted, successfully halting the migrations and ef- fecting kills of 60 to 100 percent. Warm, clear weather in July allowed long feeding periods for crickets and resulted in increased effectiveness of sodium fluosilicate bait. With the use of such bait, suvplemented by power and hand dusting, and the use of metal barriers, cricket migrations from higher toward lower elevations were halted and crop damage reduced to e mini- mum. With two Bureau airplanes, bait was spread in Humboldt County, Nev., on more then 32,000 acres. A cneck of the effectiveness 48 hours later showed a 95-percent kill. Im South Dakota volunteer crews spread bait on 7,350 acres, mainly in Lyman County. By mid-July the control program began to slacken and several crews were disoensed with. Comparison of Mormon EELCKeL, COnLrol operations an-19h0) and 1941 .— More acres have been paited and dusted on account of Mormon crickets aval 19u1 = 30- than in the previous year. Toward the end of July, 485,000 acres had been so treated, as comoared with 320,000 in 1940. The increased acreage covered was accomplished by the increased use wks bait, by which means more than 445,0CO acres were treated, as compared to 160,000 dur- ing the previous season. The effectiveness of the so sated luosilicate bait has resulted in a reduction of about SO percent in the acreage dusted by crews Mormon cricket infestations.—-At the Warm Sorings Indien Reserva- tion in Oregon oviposition was 90 percent complete the first week in July, and control operations in Wasco and Jefferson Counties were ter- minated on July 3. Practically all cricket bands in Pine and Hagle Val— leys in Gillian County, Oreg., were killed by baiting before egg laying began. In Sheridan County, Wyo., more intensive populations in cropped areas were observed early in-.July than at the same period a year ago. Some darage to grains occurred. In the Big Horn Mountains of Sheridan VOUEN 3 however, it is of note that only light and scattered populations were found. Also in Yellowstone County, Mont., only light scattered in-— festations were PReSeeY ee in July, the heaviest ovonulations existing a we He White—fringed beetles found in new localities.—-Infestations of the white-fringed beetle were located in July for the first time at Ir- vington, Ala., 20 miles west of Mobile on the L. & N. Railroad, and at Grand Bay, Ala., aiso on the same railroad, near the Mississippi State line. At a rore northern railroad point, Martin, Ala., in Dallas County, another infestation was located for the first time in this county. Bee— tles were found in abundance. Crews of inspectars are delimiting these various infested areas, tracing any shipments which may have been made from these points, and insxvecting transoortation lines therefrom. At Houstm, Tex., and Memohis, Tenn., transit inspectors have been assigned to inspect railroad yards, itr eeeee and other places likely to harbor the beetles. None were founc at these cities. The species found at Grand Bay, Ala., was Pantomorus beregrinus Buch., the first infestation of this species to be found outside of Nississipoi. One specimen of P; leucoloma Boh., was also found at Grand Bay. White-fringed beetle emerzence reaches veak in July.-——According to cage-emergence records furnished by the Tee nee of Cereal and Foraze In- sect Investigations, emergence of the beetles in New Orleans on July 22- 23 was the highest of the season. In the Florala, Ala., area the great— est number of beetles was taken on July 2-3. In the area infested with P. peregrinus a high point emergence occurred in the Gulfport, Miss., area on July 3, followed by a second high in the third week of the month. Some results of peach—tree inspection.—-Peach-—orchard inspection went forward in July cooperatively with the States on nearly 42,000 properties in 14 States, extending from South Carolina to California. Of particular interest was the discovery of the peach mosaic disease for the first time in Fannin County, Tex.; of 1 msaic tree in Los Angeles County, Calif., a county in which the disease had not been found since 1939; of the finding of the vhony peach disease for the first time in the Mississiooi counties of Choctaw, Clay, and Lowndes; and of 1 such a Bae infected tree in Pemiscot County, Mo., the first in that county since 1937. No infection was found in North Carolina, the second consecu- tive year that the “disease has not been in evidence in that State. Only 1 phony infected tree was found in Jefferson County, I1l., as the result of inspection of formerly infected properties in 2 counties. In Chilton County, Ala., the most important commercial area of the State; phony peach inszection on a more extensive coverage than that of last year resulted in locating an increased number of diseased trees. In some Georgia orchards in the heavily infected commercial area there is an increase in the ohony disease this year. In Tennessee inspection activities were completed in July, with the result that the number of infected trees found was less than that of 1940. Diseased, abandoned, and escaped trees were removed during the month with the assistance of Wee A olaborers. Quarantine status of peach nurseries.——Of the 369 nurseries in- spected in the phony infected area, only two--one in Georgia and one in Texas--failed to meet the certification requirements of standard State quarantines. Of 161 nurseries in the mosaic-infected area, only Jelunscres,, 2rowines tess than 1,100) trees, are anelipibile for certifi— cation. Inspections were made jointly with the States of these nur- series and their 1-mile environs. Budwood sources and their l-mile en- virons in the mosaic-infected area were also inspected. All diseased trees were removed as provided by the quarantines, except in those nur- series listed eas ineligible for certification. CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS Quassin much less toxic to houseflies than pyre thrins.——Studies of the toxicity of acetone solutions of quassin and other materials, applied to individual houseflies with a micropipette by EH. R. McGovran, demonstrated that these materials were of a very low degree of toxicity, as compared with the vyrethrins. The materials used in these tests were prepared in pure form in most cases by E. P. Clark, of the Division of Insecticide Investigations. The biological tests were made by placing 0.002 ml. of acetone solution of the materials on the ventral surface of the abdomens of chilled houseflies. The mortality of untreated and acetone-treated flies was 2 percent, indicating that the quantity of acetone applied to each fly did not cause a rise in mortality. When 2 me. of pyrethrins were added to 1 ml. of acetone 40-percent mortality of the flies resulted. At 4 mg./ml. of pyrethrins there was 77-percent mortality. Quassin, isogquassin, tenulin, helenalin, picrotoxin, and lapicol at 50 mg. per ml. of acetone and isotenulin at 25 mg./ml. caused from O to 10-percent mortality. Fumigation of gladiolus cut flowers.--In cooperation with the Division of Japanese Beetle Control, Heber C. Donohoe, white Horse, N. J., fumigated 16 varieties of gladioli md stalks supplied by 3 in- terested growers. The schedule used was 2 pounds of methyl bromide per 1,000 cubic feet for 2 hours at a temperature above 70 F. The stalks were at the stage of development in which they are commercially cut and shipped. Following treatment, they were returned to the growers for ob- servation. All 3 reported indevendently after 5 to 6 days, during which LB. all buds opened, that the treatment had improved the bloom and that no Injury Ol any sory occurred Fumigation of nursery stock for Japanese beetle.--In cooperation with the Division of Japanese Beetle Control, Mr. Donohoe reports the development.of a new methyl bromide fumigation schedule for nursery stock, to be used in obtaining Japanese beetle quarantine certifica- tion, and the modification of a second schedule previously developed. The new schedule requires a dosage of 13 pounds per 1,000 cubic feet for 23 hours at a minimum temperature of 73° F The modification es— tablishes a temperature minimum of 67° for the present 70 schedule of 2 pounds for 23 hours. Schedules thus far completed now make a contin- uous series through most of the range of soil temperatures prevailing during nursery stock shipment. These include: lost. Period ee ) SCPourde yes ; temperature : Hours’ 2 ae 2$---------- Le 50 2 A D4 al 2a a 33 DL 25---~---~---- on 60 SuoKs eon 2h 63 Bos oa os 2 67 er) 23 2B INSECTICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Haller visits field stations.--During the period June 16 to duly 30, inclusive, Hoi. Haller visited 29 field’ stations (and slabpers— tories of the Bureau. The purpose of the trio was to become better acquainted with insecLicide problems in the field to discuss the pos sibilities of applying in limited field tests some of the synthetic organic compounds that have shown promise as insecticides in the lab— oratory, and to discuss possible substitutes for pyrethrum and derris for use during the national emergency. Tripterygium -=a Chinese ansecticidal plant :——Ihe” successtuls ia troduction into the United States of a Chinese insecticidal plant by W. T. Swingle, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, has made available lim- ited amounts of it for entomological and chemical study. The plant, called lei kung teng, "Thunder-God vine," by the Chinese, and known to botanists as Tripterygium wilfordii, has been used for centuries by Chinese market gardeners for the control of insects attacking crucif- erous plants. Cuttings brought from the Far East 6 years ago are now growing well in the Department's Plant Introduction Garden at Glenn Dale, Md. The powdered roots obtained from these plants, as well as ex- tractives of the root, have shown promise as a stomach insecticide against a number of insects. Chemical studies by F. Acree, Jr., and H, L. Haller have shown that the insecticidal principle is in the bark —33- of the root and, from a fraction of an extractive that was toxic to the codling moth larva, a small quantity of an alkaloid has been isolated. Attemots are now being made to characterize the alkaloid and to deter- mine whether or not it is the only insecticidal constituent of the plant. Chemical studies by Schechter and Haller have shown that the red Pigment tripterene, in the bark of the root, is identical with the pig- ment celastrol, in the root of the common bittersweet (Celastrus scan- dens), which is closely related botanically to Tripterygium. A few en- tomological tests with the root of this plant have been made, but fur- ther studies are needed. In an effort to discover a domestic source of supply of this promising new insecticide, the Division of Insecticide dens that may be collected in different parts of the United States, and would greatly welcome any samples that may be submitted by the field stations of the Bureau. Two new sodium arsenites discovered.—-Nelson in July 1941 reported a study of the 3-component system NaZO-As903-H90 at 35° C. Two new sodium arsenites were discovered, Na20.3As203 and 2Na20.As203.7H20. The compound 5Naz0.2As203, 26H20 claimed by Schreinemakers and De Baat, was not ob- tained in these experiments. In the last few years sodium arsenite has been used in large quantities in the control of harmful insects. For the years 1938-40 Federal and State agencies used annually 1,442,000 gallons of sodium arsenite solution (equivalent to 6,885,000 pounds of dry sodium arsenite) for the control of grasshoppers and white-fringed beetles, and 352,000 pounds of sodium arsenite powder against Mormon crickets, a total of well over 7.25 million- pounds for these insects alone. Commercial sodium arsenites used as insecticides, according to Nelson, contain 82 to 65 percent As903 and dissolve readily in water. The principal compounds present in these commercial products are Naz0.3As203, the arsenious oxide Content of which is 90,5 percent, and Na20.As903, the arsenious oxide con- tent of vhich is 76.2 percent. These results are published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society for July 1941 (v. 63, No. 7, pp. 1870-1872 Popenauus ised 10 Cevermunine Parulcle suze of dry powdered insecti— cides and fungicides.—-Gooden, in the Analytical Edition of Industrial and Hngineering Chemistry for July 1941 Cy. ee NO os (es OD 183-184), described a powder compactor for air-permeation exberiments, which is useful in de- termining the particle size of dry powdered insecticides and fungicides. This new device for compacting powders builds up within the sample tube a column of any desired height, the compacting process proceeding from bot- tom to top concurrently with the deposition of the material. The combined process of loading and packing involves little more work than the simple task of loading alone. Designed particularly for use with the self—calcu-— lating air-—permeation apparatus for measuring surface mean diameter of powders, it gives promise of equal usefulness in other fields involving permeability of powder beds to gases. New extraction apparatus.--Schechter and Haller, in the Analytical _Edition of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry for July 1941 (v. 13, No. 7, pp. 431-482), described an automatic continuous percolator which embodies a number of improvements over the one described by them in 1938 (ibid., v. HO No. 6, pe 326, June 15). This type of apparatus has been used to eS jy extract large amounts of plant material and has worked satisfactorily in every case, with very little loss of solvent and very little atten- tion after the aoparatus has been adjusted. BEE CULTURE Significance of colonies remaining negative after inoculation with American foulbrood.--A. P. Sturtevant, Laramie, Wyo., revoorts: "In the American foulbrood resistance testing wrk, it has been found that irrespective of the strain of bees, certain colonies never show any aoparent disease when inoculated by the standard spore-sirup—inocu- lation method, whereas other colonies may develop varying amounts of disease, desending on their activity in cleaning such disease out. It has been felt that even in the so-called 'negative' colonies a certain number of larveée must have contracted the disease, but that these colo- nies are so active in their clean-up behavior that such infected larvae are removed before they are. seen by..the, observer... Recently:..further: work: has demonstrated that this probably is true. Based on our present — knowledge of the age at which: larvee are susceptible to infection (see | News, Letter v. 6, No. 11,0. 31, and v. 7; No. 3,: pp+:27-28)~and using: : the manipulative procedure followed by Woodrow in inoculating individual larvae, 4 groups of colonies comprising 16 colonies headed by queens of 2 different lines of resistant stock and 1 line of apparently suscepti- ble stock were treated as follows: The queens of each colony, were :con- fined in excluder cages on empty combs for 2h hours, forcing the queens to lay eggs in these combs The combs of eggs thus obtained were then placed in the center of the brood nests of their respective; colonies. Just at the time the eggs started to hatch, or very-shortly thereafter, each colony was inoculated by the standard—-spore-simp method (500,000 spores of Bacillus larvae per ml. in one liter of sugar sirup). At the time of se. sealing the larvae in the cells the combs were placed in screen cages, so that worker bees could not gét in to remove any larvae developing infection. At the end of approximately 21 days, or at the time when the adult bees were starting to energe, these combs were re— moved and every cell of brood was examined for diseased brood. The re- sults of these observations showed that a certain number of diseased lar- vae or puoae occurred in every comb. For the first group these ranged between 3 diseased larvae out of a total of &47 brood cells in the comb to 42 diseased larvae out of a total of 961 brood cells, whereas for the second group the range was between 10 diseased larvae out of a total of 816 to-29. out. of a total of 997. Three ouu of the first sroup ft. 10 colonies have remained otherwise negative since inoculation, whereas 2 out of & of the second group have remained negative. There apparently was no significant difference “in the amount of diseased: brood observed in the combs from:the colonies of the various lines of stock under ob- servation. These results seem*to substantiate the belief. that some disease must develop even in the ‘negative!’ colonies, butsthet it is cleaned out’ so’ rapidly that it is never seen, thus indicating. that ,such colonies are the most active in this tyve of behavior: ‘This also lénds- added strength to the method used for several years. in‘mst instances in selecting tke next} year's breeding queens from such 'negative' colonies." See IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS Status of sweetootato weevil.——-The long-dormant problem of how to classif;; the forms of Cylas formicarius (F.) has been revived recently by L. A. Mayer, in charge of the Bureau's Foreign Plant Quarantine sta- tion at Savannah, Ga. Mr. Mayer noted that the characters on certain Bpeccimens Scel EO Conbradicu, Lhe nomenclavLure currently used in referring to the weevil. This is in line with what was. learned more than 20 years ago by W. D. Pierce, who pointed out (Jour. Agr. Res. 12 (9): 604-608, 1918) that the Sweetpotato weevil included more than one distinguishable form and proposed that the North American specimens be known as variety elegantulus Summers of formicarius. Although it now appears that Dr. Pierce's analysis of. the Old World material was not carried quite far enough, his main conclusions are substantiated by a preliminary study of many additional specimens in the formicarius complex which have been re- ceived during the last several years. It is recommended, however, that the American form be treated as a subspecies, rather than a variety, whose designation will be Cylas formicarius, subspecies elegantulus (Sum- mers). The soread of two introduced BHuropean weevils.——The rapid diffusion rate of some foreign insects in the Nearctic region is well illustrated by the American history, fragmentary as it is, of Amalus haemorrhous (Hbst.). This European weevil was first reported from North America in New York State in 1923, though it is now known that the species was present several years earlier, a series from the Wirt Robinson collection (now in the National Museum) having been taken at West Point, N. Y., in 1915 and 1916. W. J. Brown (Can. Ent., Avril 1910, pp. 77-78) records it from Lowa (1928) and, in Canada, from Quebec (1927), Ontario, and Mani- toba. Blatchley reccrds it from New Jersey (1925), and Frost, from Mas— sachusetts (1926 and 1932). To these localities may be added the follow-— ing, from specimens in the National Museum: Ohio (1935), Michigan (1925), Wisconsin (1927), Minnesota (1935), Idaho (1932), Oregon (1937), and Utah (1938 and 1939). Evidence of the spread of another and mre recently dis- Govered Huropean weevil has recently been received in the form of a spéci- men of Sitona lineatus (L.), which was collected on Dutch white clover at Moscow,eidaho, by Ds. Brindley GJuly 9, 1941). This species was first reported from North America at Victoria, Vancouver, by Dovmes in 1938 and has since been found abundantly on San Juan Island, Wash. Its fate in this country is of particular iriterest from the viewpoint of insect diffu- Sion, as it is one of the comparatively rare cases of a Palearctic weevil Potiete tbs irs foothold on this Continent, on the Pacific—coast, the Atlantic seaboard, as is well known, being the usual nursery for recently introduced Huropean Curculionidae. serica peregrina Chavin in Maryland.——Adults of the introduced scara— baeid Serica veregrina Chapin (until recently recorded under the name Serica similis Lewis) were collected at Baltimore, Md., on July 11, 1941, by G. H. Dieke, of Johns Hopkins University. This species has been known from Long Island for several years but has not been recorded as established elsewhere in the United States 25S Two Eurocean moths in North America.—-In the course of making iden- tifications of moths from Washington State, the study of the genitalia of a pair of Microlepidoptera from Bellingham proved them to be the Huro- pean Swammerdamia oyrella (Vill.), not previously recorded from North Amer- ica. The larva of this species feeds on the leaves of apple and prune. The material was collected on August 13, 1932, by J. F. Gates Clarke. Moths submitted by H. I. Smith, of: Seattle, Wash., were found, on examina-— tion of genitalia, to be the European species Anacampsis populella (Clerck), also not heretofore known from the United States. This series of moths was reared from Salix and was accompanied by preserved larvae and pupae. Further additions to the collection of bees.--TIwo shipments of types and determined bees were received from T. D. A. Cockerell in July. They included the types of 36 species of bees and determined specimens of 135 species. Of these the tyoes of 15 species and determined specimens of 50 species previously were not represented by named material in the collection of the United States National Museum. Changes in names of Urthoptera.--For several years it has been thought Jnat athorough study of literature and the orover application of the inter- national Rules of Zoological Nomenclature wold make advisable a number of changes in the generic and family names of some Orthoptera. H. R. Roberts, of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, has recently published the results.of such an investigation (Amer. Ent. Soc. Trans. 67: 1-34, 1941), onducted with the cooperetion of certain members of the Division of Insect Identification. The changes advocated are based on genotype designations, which are earlier than those previaisly familiar to orthopterists, these designations causing various generic names to apoly to groups of species dil— ferent from those to which they have been applied in the past. Of the num— erous changes imoortant in the nomenclature of Orthoptera, a few of those discussed by Mr. Roberts are of general interest. The correct spelling of the family names of the walkingsticks and mantids are Phasmatidae and Man*-: dase, respectively, rather than the former spellings, Phasmidae and Mant cae. Tetrix replaces Acrydium as a generic name for "grouse locusts," the jatter name being applied more correctly to a genus of oedipodine grassnoppers. Both Scudderia and Phaneroptera have been used for the same genus of narrow- winged katydids in recent years, but a previously overlooked, valid genotyp designation, to which Roberts calls attention, suoports the name Scudderia for this group. Roberts also presents arguments in favor of the use of the generic name Acheta for our common field and house crickets, assimilis F. and domesticus L., for which Gryllulus has been used by certain European and American authors in recent years. Use of Acheta, however, is predicated upon further action by the International Commission, which may not be taken; and employment of Gryllulus implies taxonomic distinctions, which are open to some question, between European and American members of this group. Conse- quently, it seems advisable to continue, for the present at least, to use the generic name Gryllus for our two common species mentioned above a= a16 [== a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER al aire hentia tie aid Oke a a # a» ee Cn Peed’ sd 7 Es son 7) a0 yt age es ; x 1A 9 ae ra 7 Re VLTY / STANGS THATS ES 00 OMOTvaE ~ ie =} iu 4) @ “90! oa ™ a 4 i asa at A ‘Shee. sa oe ay ee ot a Mie ea goo aioe Omgres ts c ere 2 ee ae Babes taines Saou ¥y yee a minions rude ne UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NeobeWwasg bebe Tasbaitsc FOR AUGUST 1941 Yol. VIIL, Tee 10 “(Not for Seer eet don) October 1, 1941 BUREAU EMPLOYEES CALLED TO THR COLORS OR TRANSFERRED TO SPECIAL NATIONAL DEFENSE ASSIGNMENTS Badman, Cecil S., Agt., Forest Ims., on furlough, inducted, Select. Serv., June 18, 1941 Finney, Gerald M., Agt., Forest Ims., inducted, Select. Serv., dan. 29, 1941. foeecdan, wDemmont Hj dr. Pid. Aide, Truck Cx: Ins.,°isteLt., O.R.C., caliiedytorpactive. duty Aug..7,; 19AL. Marucci, Philip E., Fld. Aide, Fruit Ins., inducted, Select. Serv., Sept. §, 1941. Meokeaerau Aj Asst. Ent., Cont. Inv., Lt., H.V.S.,° U.S. Naval Res., Naval Medical School, Washington, D. ©., called to active duty May 27, 1941. FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS A parasite of the olive scale.—-Specimens of an encyrtid para- site, Aspidiotiphagus citrinus Craw. » have been HSE eC from males and females of the olive scale (Parlatoria oleae Colv.) by Oscar G. Bacon of the Fresno, Calif., laboratory. Two individuals emerged from 400 scales on leaves of Virginia creeper placed in emergence boxes on July 14. Other material which was rather generally para- sitized yielded 10 of the parasites. The species is said to occur in a number of scale hosts and has been reported in Southern Europe, Brazil, California, and tropical Pacific islands (Essig: Insects of Western North America). Determination was made by A. B. Gahan. ape Es Oriental fruit moth infestation in peaches unusually low in New Jersey.--There have been fewer worms of Grapholitha molesta Busck in peaches in the orchards of southern New Jersey this year than for many years. This is the conclusion reported by H. W. Allen, of the Moorestown, N. J., laboratory. In a survey of Elberta peaches at har- vesttime in Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties it was found that injury due to the fruit moth was less than in any other season since 1930, and less than a third of the adnjury caused in 19140. In orchard the fruit-moth injury was only one-half of 1 percent. No ard one orchards were found in which the fruit moth injury was higher than 15 percent. The fine quality of the peaches marketed from that section recently has been due to-a large degree to their freedom from fruit— moth worminess. Weather conditions during the season of 1941 have. been highly favorable for a rapid increase in fruit-moth population. The fact that this did not occur is without doubt due principally to the un- iia. high varasitization of the second brood of twig-infesting lar- vae, which averaged 81 percent, as compared to 67 vercent in 1940. MEXICAN FRUITFLY CONTROL Few fruitflies trapped.—-August trap recoveries of fruitflies in Texas indicated that the fruitfly population in the lower Rio Grande Valley was at its usual low point for this season of the year. Over 31,CCO trap inspections were made and the only Mexican fruitflies taken came from the Laredo district, opposite the Mexican border town of Nuevo sie These flies probably drifted across the river to the Texas side. cause of irregular blooming periods last season, many citrus plantings a on an off-blioom crop of fruit. Herly in the summer it appeared that ome of this fruit might mature and become a source of early fall infesta— Oo Repeated insoections, however, have not only failed to disclose any infestations, but they have shown that very little difference exists be- ae retis of this early bloom and that of normal bloom. Very little rain- fail was recorded in the regulated area in August, but normal growth was made by the citrus crop. Indications for this season's fruit production are that there will be little difference from last season's tonnage. CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Domestic collection and emergence of Huropean corn borer parasites for release in 1941.--C. A. Ciark, Moorestown, N. J., reports that approxi- mately 17,000 corn borer larvae were collected in southeastern Massachusetts and about the same number in central Connecticut in the fall of 1940, and that from these hosts 05,509 adult parasites of imported stock were reared in the spring of 1941 for liberation in the field. The principal species reared were _Macrocentrus gifuensis Ashm., Lydella grisescens R. D., Jnareo— lata punctoria Roman, and Chelonus annulipes Wesm. Emergence of the para-— site adults was timed to synchronize their release with the borer in the field in a suitable stage for attack. Total parasitization by the foregoing es in the domestic collections from Massachusetts was 41.5 percent and Connecticut 20.4 percent, corresponding closely with estimates made on e basis of data obtained es the survey of the field status of para-— ioe in. the falter 19,0. . gifuensis and C. annulipes were obtained from the Massachusetts Le ia more than three-fourths of the supply of L. grisescens came from this source. Over 90 percent of the I. punctoria adults reared were from the Connecticut collections. Y) ry 4) Q ct Hy by 7° —3— European corn borer in early market sweet corn in western New York.—-H. L. Chada conducted a survey of corn borer infestation in 25 fields of early market sweet corn from July 30 to August 6, 1941, ina section of western New York comprising the counties of Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, and Wayne. An average of 5.3 borers per plant was found in this tier of counties, the abundance of the insect being somewhat greater in the western than in the eastern part of the section. The maximum popu- jation in a single field was 13.7 borers per plant, in Niagara County. Midsummer puvation in Niagara Country was 1.3 percent, based on a count of 556 specimens, and in Orleans County it was 0.8 percent, based on a count of 243. No pupation was found in counts of 441 and 274 individuals in Monroe and Wayne Counties, respectively. Midsummer pupation of European corn borer in eerly sweet corn in Qhio.--A. M. Vance reports that in early market sweet corn near Toledo, Chio, the percentages of first-generation corn borer that pupated im- mediately in 1940 and 1941 were similar. Counts taken in 20 fields duly 25-31, 1941, showed 21.7 percent pupation and about 7 percent moth emergence. In 1940, in 18 fields examined on August 7-8 in the same vicinity, puvetion averaged 28.4 percent and moth emergence 3.8 percent. Midsummer pupation in 1941, in accord with the generally earlier seasonal development of the corn borer in Ohiec, was at least a week in advance of that in 1940. Only 6.6 percent pupation had occurred in examinations made during the period July 29 to August 2 in 1940, as compared with 9.4 percent found on July 16-23 in 1941. Infestation cof Huropean corn borer in white potatoes in Michigan.—— Mr. Vance also renorts that an examination of 2 large fields of Irish Cob- bler potatoes in Lenawee County, Mich., on duly 30, 1941, showed popula- tions of the European corn borer of 86.8 and 61.6 borers per 100 plants, respectively. Pupation of the first-generation borer infesting the plants was 22.9 percent in the former field and 43.2 percent in the latter. Ap- parently, these potato fields were the earliest in the vicinity and the plants in them had reached a stage of growth attractive to the moths at oviposition time. JAPANESE BRETLE CONTROL Japanese beetie fumigation.——-Beetles declined in numbersat the load- ing points on the Eastern Shores of Delaware, Mervland, and Virginia late in the month, so that it was possible to discontinue fumigation at Edge Moor, Del., on August 26 and at all other points the following day. The heaviest fumigations of the season were during July and the first 3 days of August, after which they gradualiy diminished. A total of 133 refriger- ator cars were fumigated in August and 87& cars during the season. This was a decrease from previcus years, due principally to the short crop on the Eastern Shore. The New Jersey crop was moved by inspection of the cars and potatoes so that fumigation was eliminated. During August 313 cars were fumigated empty with HCN, making a total of 1,017 cars for the season. This is a considerable decrease from previous years. In the New York and Phila- delphia areas beetles were not oresent in sufficient quantities to warrant fumigation. Insvection and certification of cars and votatoes in New Jersey —h— in place of fumigation greatly increased the need for inspectors. To re- lieve the situation two men from the treating section were assigned for most of the month on truck and car certification. Assistance was also given by relieving the inspectors of routine chemical treatments of nur-— sery stock. A demonstration of methyl bromide fumigation was held during the month at the establishment of a grower of votted strawberry plants in southern New York. This grower is interested in the construction of a chamber for fumigating next year's crop, which he expects to be a large one. At the demonstration 800 of his potted plants were fumigated, to take care of his summer orders, as he had no other way of certifying then, all of his plots being infested. Two refrigerator trucks loaded with sweet corn and 1 loaded with beans were fumigated in New Jersey. The loads of sweet corn were fumigated at the White Horse office after loading in the Asbury Park and Newark markets. This method of certification simplifies the movement of this produce, as it would require several inspectors a considerable time to hand—inspect the ears. Planting dates changed to conform to beetle emergence.-——Beetle damage was greater on the Hastern Shore than ever before. In the summer of 1940 the damage was apparent in some sections of Virginia. Many of the Hastern Shore farmers accordingly planted corn 30 days later than usual in order to avoid heavy beetle damage and obtain a better yield per acre. Thus, corn was planted around May 15 this year, instead of Avril 15. Even with the later planting date, damage was severe. Some farmers report that they will have only from one-third to one~half the regular yield of corn per acre. Much damage was also done to small orchards and shade trees. Many trees were completel> defoliated during the heavy flight. This visible damage has focused public attention on the problem, and individuals, county leaders, and State leaders are working on methods of control and eradication. Japanese beetle infestation in New York City area.-~-Continued checking of infestation conditions in this area revealed very few beetles in New York City proper but heavy infestations on Long Island and in Westchester County within a 50-mile radius of New York City. Residents on the north shore of Long Island reported thousands of beeties washed ashore and an inspector in that section substantiated this report. These beetles apparently originated in Connecticut. Fishermen and boatmen on Long Island Sound encountered large numbers of beetles in the air and in the waters of the sound. Live beetles in the water attached themselves to the sides of boats and crawled up out of the water. State unable to purchase needed lead arsenate-.—-A communication from C. H. Brannon, State entomologist, North Cerolina Department of Agriculture, states: "Out of some 60 invitations for bids we received only 1 full bid from a small concern; therefore, we will have to pay a high price for lead arsenate if we get it at all." The State Department called for bids on 261,250 pounds of the material to be used in conjunction with their Japanese beetle control campaign. vs Increased truck shipment of farm products.—-Owing to the heavy move-— ment of defense materials by rail and their priority over farm produce, more truck shiprents of produce resulted during the inspection season. This ~5— was especially true in the movement of perishable commodities, where a few hours! delay would mean almost total loss of the shipment. There was an esoecially heavy movement via refrigerator trucks of certified cantalouos, potatoes, and cabbage from the Eastern Shore. Autogiro scouting for Dutch elm disease.-—During the greater part of July and August ¢ autogiro scouting was ve rformed for the purpose of locating Dutch elm DES SE PGS trees in parts of the major disease area where ground ree wili not be performed outside of developed areas. Owing to the extent Piaie area covered, the work could not be done systematically. Th w was thererore necessary to cover sections where elms were most common. This tyne of scouting was carried on in New Jersey and New York, using the cabin autogiro carrying a pilot and an observer, and in Connecticut with the Division's open autogiro, with the pilot acting as observer. Particular emohasis was olaced on the location of spots Where the disease is intensified or is likely to become so. It is ex- sected that similar work may be done next year and that by ®* comoaring conditions observed in 1941, 1942, and the following years, some indica- tion ef the development of the disease can be recorded. It is not ex- peered that 22 COver ee PeispocucGan Shaded beds 1 nuSee :Square miles: Number -: Number : Pounds. Adams~—---=+7j--~--: 50 : 22 “i pee : O Archuletay Ht rs} 2 9 125 35 : meee La Platax! -—-~— : 18 : 28 2 390,247 1) 63360 (hd poe : 76 Pedal 0) OOO. S62 wie Lee a z : V/ Areas of native barberry. In addition to the above, recheck work has been done in Ber- beris vulgaris areas in Adams, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Uouglas, Hlbert, Pueblo, Kit Carson, and Morgan Counties. Fruiting bushes were located in a few areas where the initial survey was conducted in 1930. Rust damage limited to small areas near barberry bushes.——Con- ditions for the development of stem rust were very favorable through— eut Colorado this season. Rust was first observed on barberry bushes on May 9 in the southwestern part of the State and on May 19 ina Berberis wwigaris area near Loveland. Winter wheat escapved damage, except in fields immediately adjacent to native barberry bushes. The amount of rust on spring wheat varied considerably, with severe losses in some areas where barberry bushes are numerous. Losses for the State as a whole will not exceed 1 percent. DLE rust Caused relavively Little dam ge in 1941.--This year, in generel, was a relat tively | light stem rust yeer, for both winter and spPing wheat. This is particularly interesting in view of predictions of probable disaster to this year's crop made on the basis of abundant fall infection in 1940. Had a general epidemic developed, it would have besn the result of a combination of many favorable factors, but as events Sipe developed, they simoly offer another opportunity to point out the difficulty of long-range prediction in a situation so complex as a stem rust epidemic. As a whole, there was little stem rust daneg in 1941 to hard red winter wheats, a number of varieties such as Ten- marg being resistant to the most prevalent physiologic races. The damage, which was high in certain local areas but rather light for the area as a whole, was mostly to soft wheats. As a result of heavy infection on soft wheat, the damage in north Texas averaged abait 20 percent in the area peace roughly by Fort Worth, Dellas, Sherman, and Géinesville. Soft wheat in north-central Oklahoma was also se— verely damaged, making the crov loss at least in the eastern oart of that area approximately as heavy as that in northern Texas. One small section in southwestern Kansas was damaged to the same extent, and there was some damage in northwestern Missouri along the Missouri River. In both Missouri and Kansas the effect of early maturity in enabling suscevtibie wheat toescape damsge was clearly evident. Karly wheat was not injured by rust for the most vart, but late fields in the same sections were damaged. In the western sections of these States, where abundant moisture promoted Ee cae fevorable crop porosvects early in the season, stem rust wes unimportan Other pathological factors did reduce yields, owever, including Bae chaff, basal giume rot, and scab and some of the reduction caused by these diseases will undoubtedly be attributed to stem rust. Leaf rust, which overwintered abundantly and became seriously epidemic, probably was responsible for heavier losses than stem rust in the Mississippi Valley. It is estimated at the present time that the loss to winter wheat from stem rust did not exceed 2 or 3 percent for any State, either west or east of the ee ee Stem rust caused little loss to spring wheat on the whole. Thatcher wheat was not affected by stem rust, end susceptible varieties 55 bread wheat, such as Ceres and Marouis, were demaged only locally. Among these areas wes one near Rapid City, S. Dak., and another in Mountrail County, N. Dak. There was some loss in the Penhendle of Nebraska and in occasional fields in various sections elsevhere. Loss to durum wheat also occurred in oc-— casional fields in northeastern North Dakota:in that oart of the durum area pe of Devils Lake and Rocklake. But the aggrecate loss to all scoring wheat caused by stem rust was very slight, and State loss estimates Ebaby? will not exceed a trace. Preliminary data thus far obtained from slide excosures this vear indicate that stem rust spores in cuantity came into the spring wheat area at about the same time es in 1940, that is, about the middle of June; but in 1940 small numbers of spores came into the area early in June, whereas this year they were almost absent. The number of svores caught during the second half of June this year was not so great as in some previous years. Race 17 most orevalent in Winter Wheat Belt.—-Identification of phy- siologie races in collections madesin winter wheat areas is well on the way to completion. Races 17 and 56 continue to be most common, with race 17 : isolated more then tvice as often as race 56. This is the first year since } 1933 that any race has been more orevalent than race 56. Such a shift in | race poou.etion presents a new problem in breeding wheats for stem rust =P5= esistance. In the case of the durums, for instance, all commonly erown varieties are susceptible to race 17. Thatcher wheat, how- ever, will continue to be resistant, Tenmarq and Kanred should be resistant, as they are immune to race 17, while most of the other commonly grown winter wheats are susceptible. Race 19 was isolated almost without exception from durum wheats in Texas, although race 17 was very common there. Anpoarently, therefore, race 19 was better abie than race 17 to attack the durums, under the conditions that orevailed in Texas this year. Spokane business men see control work on annual Show-me trip.!— Members of the Timber Products Bureau of the Spokare Chamber of Com- merce spent their sixth annual "show-me trip" on the Coeur d'Alene Netional Forest on June 21 and 22, as guests of the Forest Service. Sixteen members of the group and Stuart Noir, forester for the Western Pine Association, made the trip. Hosts and guides included Meyer Wolff, C. C. Strong, Howard Drake, amd Neal Nelson of the Forest Ser-— vice; M. Bradner, Charles Wellner, and b. Rapraeger, of the Experiment Station; and ¥. C. Evenden, of forest-insect control, and 4. L. Joy, of biister-rust control, from this Bureau. Saturday afternoon was spent insvecting white cine cultural experiments on the Deception Creek Experimental Forest, and Sunday was occupied with insvection of the re- sults from various cutting methods on the forest. Included was a triv through the Ohio Match Company logging operations. Blister rust infec- tion centers and the effectiveness of control work were cbserved and dis- cussed during both days of the trip, a keen interest being displayed in the progress of this project. Another former "blister ruster" becomes supervisor of a white pine forest.—-Announcement has been made of the trensfer of P. iu. Melis to the position of supervisor of the Cleerwater Netional Forest in Idaho, one of the six major white pine forests of Region 1. Others who started on blister rust and are now employed on the national forests of Idaho include C. C. Strong, supervisor of the Coeur d'Alene National Forest, Neal D. Nelson, assistant supervisor on the Coeur d'Alene, B. A. Anderson, assistant suservisor on the Kaniksu, and W. G. Guernsey, assistant super- visor on the Beaverhead Nzetional Forest. Mr. Melis started on blister rust work in 1924. In 1927 he entered the forestry branchof the Indian Service and in 1936 transferred to the Forest Service in Region 1, where he has held the positions of chief of planting, acting chief of wild life management, and suservisor of the Helena National Forest. Eradication of wild biack currants effective.—-C. C. Perry reports that WwW. P. A. crews working in Northampton and Southampton, Mass., have found that the initial work in wild black currant areas was exceptionally effective, as practically no bushes are being found this season in areas which formerl: supported an unusually large population. One of the crews in Northampton is finding a scattering distribution of wild black currants ai oes a ig gooseberries. All bushes, esvecially the wiid blacks, are generally and heavily infected. Tennessee mountain crew celebrates completion of Ribes eradica-— vion task.—-To celebrate the completion of the reeradication work on the Eoomer job, which Walter Stegall, the blister rust control agent, regarced as one of the most difficult and dangerous eradication jobs encountered by his crews since the vork started in 1931, members of the eradicetion crews held an oid fashioned "chicken fry," mountain style, during the lunch hour at the Boomer job-site. Every member of the Cocke County, Tenn., blister rust crews attended the "fry" and every man exoressed feelings of enthusiasm, enjoyment, and a full stomach. Severel men said it was one of the nicest get-togethers they ever attended. W. V. Benedict reports on ratSe sugar pine region.——EHarly tio in August Mr. Senedict and C. P.Wessela loo ma over infection condi- tions on the Beaver Creek control a the Klamath National Forest. While they had already heard reo SoG eavy Ribes infection on this area, as well as other areas on the Klamath, they were not prepared for what they found. Mr. Benedict states: "I can recall no extensive infection areca examined by me in the past vhere rust dévelopment has been so swift. In 1935 infected Ribes were found relatively lightly scattered in this area; in 1939 no infection was located; and in 1940 2 incipient cankers were discovered and no infected Ribes. This year, fruiting cankers, vhile not abundant, are not uncommon, and Ribes in-— is : Soo sn O br HS in (@) Len cr s that is so illuminating. Ribes sanguineum is the pal offender in this locality. Like R- roezli of the Sierras, it is found under the trees on all sites. We examined many bushes on all sites across some © sections. About two-thirds of the bushes examined were infected. In many cases all of the leaves on plants containing several hundred feet of live stem carried infection and many leaves of gh percentage of the bushes examined were completely smothered in 3 so yellow, in fact, that one could spot the infection from the top ace of the leaves some distance away. This heavy intensification of ust on Ribes this year is probably due largely to the abnormally wet season prevailing throughout Oregon and California, although the in-— asing volume of near-at-hand aeciospores got things off to a good - Although the Klamath camp labor strength has been doubled in an rt to clean up the worst infection centers before fall, there is le doubt that a very large amount of infection will be returned to . while Mr, Wessela and I were checking infection near where crews were working on August 2, a crew boss brought in a trunk canker on 1937 wood about 1 foot long and 2 inches in diameter, fruiting heavily." Num- erous sugar pine infections were reported on the Lassen Forest, with heevy infection on Ribes in the general vicinity of fruiting cankers. Two days of scouting around Viola, where Ribes infections were found in 1935 and 2 incipient cankers found in 1910, br brought to light 30 infected aC ection is something terrific. It is the extensiveness and abundance of infection on Ribe ipal a hi r o) F Gr re ch B etd ik ie -l7- sugar pines with 61 cankers. Reed Miller reports finding a blister rust infected pine with 2 cankers 6 miles south and east of the previous south- ernmost known limits of the disease. This is practically at the southern- most point on the Plumas Forest and is south and west of the northern bor- der of the Tahoe Forest, in the SEZ sec. 9, T. 20 N., R. 8 E., on Sly Creek. The cankers had not yet sporulated. COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Cotton bollworm.--The cotton bollworm has caused more than usual damage to cotton over all of the Cotton Belt this season and has been particularly serious in central Texas. In this area large acreages are planted to corn and grain sorghums on which the bollworms build up and the moths migrate to cotton. K. P. Ewing, of Waco, Tex., revorts that from 6 to 10 squares and bolls per stalk that were saved from the boll weevil by dusting were later destroyed by the bollworms in many fields. The shortage of dusting machines and calcium arsenate has prevented some farmers from dusting; and others who have attempted control by dusting with calcium arsenate were not entirely successful. Calcium arsenate gives fairly good control against the newly hatched larvae but is not ef- fective against the larger larvae; also dusting by airplane has not been as successful as dusting with ground machines. Ewing has often observed that bollworms were more abundant on cotton infested with abhids and has advanced the theory that the moths were attracted to the cotton by the honeydew. Studies by E. E. Ivy, of the Waco laboratory, also indicate that the presence of aphids affected the control of bollworms by preda- tors. Several coccinelids, chrysopids, and the anthocorid Triphleps in- sidiosus Say were found to destroy many bollworm eggs and young larvae, but where aphids were abundant they fed on aphids and the number of boll- worms destroyed were greatly reduced. It was also noted that Orius nymphs were rather resistant to a mixture of calcium arsenate and nico- tine dust, which gives hope to the possibility of increasing bollworm control by destroying the aphids by insecticides, thereby causing Orius, and perhaps other predators, to consume more eggs and young larvae. Other parasites received from Brazil and Peru.--L. W. Noble re- ports that, through the cooperation of the Division of Foreign Parasite Introduction, another parasite of the pink bollworm, Microbracon vulgaris (Ashm.), was received at Presidio, Tex., on August 23. These parasites were collected by H. L. Parker at Sao Paulo, Brazil, on August 7 and shipped by air express on August 14 by way of Hoboken, N. J., to Hl Paso, Tex., and by train to Alpine, Tex. Of the 230 adults sent from Brazil, 22 females and 2 males were in good condition on arrival at Presidio. During the last week of August oviposition on the pink bollworm was ob- served and it is thought that breeding stock can be maintained. This is the second pink bollworm parasite received from Brazil, as on October 21, 1940, a shipment of 75 Calliephialtes dimorphus Cush. was received. From this shipment 52 male and 7 female adults emérged. This was increased to 838 larvae, which were placed in cold storage for the winter. A shipment of Triaspis vestiticida Viereck, a parasite of the Peruvian square borer Se (Anthonoms vestitus Boh. ), was also received at the Tallulah, La., laboratory. These ‘parasites were sent by Paul A. Berry from ae Peru. Mr. Berry had previousl; forwarded several shipments of Micro— bracon vestiticida Viereck. As it would probably be difficult to keep this species going through the winter, it was decided to liberate all adults in weevil infested fields this fall. Very little is known as to rearing methods for IT. yestiticida. Cotton achid control.—-The results of work last season aroused great hope that the increase in cotton aphids, which often follows the use of calcium arsenate, could be prevented by the adcition of derris to the calcium arsenate used throughout the season or by incorporating a zinc salt in the calcium arsenate curing the manufacturing process. Several insecticide dealers placed mixtures of calcium arsenate and derris on the market and considerable quantities were used for boll weevil control. Many growers who had previously not dusted with cal-— cium arsenate because of fear of building up aphids tried the mixture this season. The severe boll weevil infestations this year afforded ideal conditions for tests under farm conditions. The results from the addition of derris have not been as satisfactory as expected. In all cases observed the mixture held the aphid populations below that of the calcium arsenate treatment and in many cases prevented a damaging ~~’ aphid infestation from developing during the dusting period. In South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida aphid populations following its use have remained fairiy low until the crop was about mature, and in most, cases satisfactory control was obtained. In Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas~ control was not so good and in aoe cases enough aphids were present when dusting was discontinued so that they increased to damaging propor- tions before the crop matured. The difference in results seems to vary with the type of soil. On the lighter, sandy soils of the Southeast aphid control was better than on the heevier, dark soils of the Middle Cotton Belt, and this is thought to be associated with differences in the acidity and fertility of the soil and to the pH of the cell sap of the cotton plant. The production of a zinc-safened calcium arserete by one of the insecticide manufacturers was based on the Division's find- ings on the relationship of the pH of cell sap and aphid development. It was hoped the addition of a zinc salt would produce a neutral cal- cium arsenate that would not increase the pH of the cell sap and cause accelerated aphid pina Uercu ess eu The control obtained with zinc-— safened calcium arsenste was likewise not satisfactory in experimental plots, or by growers under the conditions of heavy aohid infestations that prevailed this season. It is of interest to note that in some sec-— tions airoianes were successfully used for applying nicotine sulfate for cotton aphid control. So far as is known, this is the first season that airolanes have been used for applying nicotine sulfete to-cotton. PINK BOLLWORM AND THURBERIA WEEVIL CONTROL , Gin-trash inspection.-—Inspection of gin trash is conducted each year through 1out the cotton-growing regions of the United States to de- termine the status of oink bollworm infestetion in areas regulated on account of the pink bollworm and to ascertain whether or not there has been any scread of this insect into free areas. Inspections are also | os oe carried on in Mexico, in cooperation with the Mexican Devartment of Agriculture, in cotton-growing areas adjacent to the international bor- der, and at other strategic points. MInssection of trash from the 1941 cotton crop began in the lower Rio Grande Valley on August 4, and at the end of the month a considerable amount of work had been done in south Texas, both inside and outside of the regulated area, and in ad- jacent areas of Mexico. Results of inspection at the close of August indicate a substantial decrease in pink bollworm infestation in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico. In the lower valley of Texas 15 specimens of the pink bollworm were found in Cameron County through examination of around 700 bushels of trash, as compared with 3,<41 worms from a less amount of trash for a comparable period in 1940. Only 3 pink bollworms were found in Hidalgo County, es com- pared with 308 specimens from comparable amounts of trash for the same oeriod last season. A light infestation was found to be present again this year at Hl Indio, im Maverick County, Tex., and a few specimens have been found in Brooks County, in the Coastal Bend area of south Texas. In the lower valley of Mexico 261 specimens of the pink boll- worm were taken in the Matamoros area through examination of 1,035 bushels of trash, as compared with 5,428 specimens from 807 bushels of trash inspected in August 1940. In the Reynosa section examination of 661 bushels of trash yielded 36 specimens, as comoared with 509 worms for the same’ period for the 1940 crop. Big Bend area.--In 1936 a special control program was inaugurated to reduce the extremely heavy pink boliworm infestation in the Presidio- Ojinaga area of the Big Bend of Texas and Mexico, resulting in a re- markable reduction of infestation in the 1939 and 1940 cotton crops. At the end of August, sufficient observations had been made in the 1941 cotton crop to determine that the control measures in practice in that area continue to be effective in holding the advantages gained, and that, for the third consecutive year, there will be no appreciable damage to the cotton crop by this insect. TRUCK CROP AND GARDEN INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Insecticidal control of the pepper weevil.--R. H. Campbell and Jd. C. Elmore, of the Alhambra, Calif., laboratory, have submitted the following report regarding developments in the control of Anthonomus eugenii Cano by the use of insecticides: "The pepoer weevil situation in southern Califor- nia presents some interesting developments, most of which are satisfactory from our viewpoint. The infestation is general and severe over the entire pepper-growing area. where the growers have carried out a consistent plan of dust applications, they are obtaining excellent control, but where the dust applications have been poorly timed or insufficient in number, very poor control is being obtained. At the beginning of the season we emphasized the necessity of at least three light apslications at 5-day intervals, after which a period of 10 days could elapse, and then at least three more applications should be made. A number of the best growers have carried out these recommendations very consistently, with exceljent results. Other grovers, however, let longer pericds elapse between applications. During =): s cceurred and such growers are losing a con- .e@ir crop: We can go into a vevver field, ex- eS a very Be estimate of how man: dust ap- r has made and esvecially estimate the periods be- Ae paride on whether we find feeding punctures, g-laying sunctures, smail larvae, or pupae and adults. An interest— picture is aiso vresented in regard to the effect of the different a vu eatments on achids. Where undiluted calcium arsenate alone was used aphid infestations got ones war immediatel:;. We have found no fields re a continued to use calcium arsenate, and apparently o eryolite (45-percent sodium aluminum fl uoride) con- e aphid infestation did not increase and in some uuaily decreased, Wherever rotenone has been added to the clum arsenate there has been a lessening in the aphid yolite alone the aphid vooulation remains below the danger peint, but wit cium arsenate it, does not. In our own plots mas use of 0.5 percen enone in either crvolite or calcium arsenate he aphid population. We Bae made an additional observation 1 id ere ~vercent vowdered molasses (by weight) was added to ecryolite sini | rotencne there was a further re- duction in the avhid populati This suggests the ocossibility that the powdered molass eS, actinte as a ‘sticker, eats the rotenone more effective." ry @M fle © ay) 3} ch I M 1 1 © + w OY fo Oath ct (a) Oo ct beth) Certs je 2 PEt 6 iis B CcryOLive or i populetion., With erp Onn cy bd ae Toxicity of rotenone anvarently influenced by diluent used.—-L, W. prannon, cof the Norfolk, Va., labor es: Vv, reports the following results of Y, a sn experiment conducted on snap beans for the controi of the Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis (Muis.)), in which nine diluents for derris were compared (each diluted to contain 0.50 percent of rotenone): "Al-— thongn 1.75 inches of rain oecurred 6 hours after the first anseerpueidas: treatment (June 14) and 0.26 inch occurred 29 hours after the second treat” ment (June 26), fair control of the Mexican bean beetle was obtained with | ine rt iG. t mixtures used in the exceriment. Nine ; (each dust mixture diluted to contain rmine the most effective insecticidal 4 control of the Mexican bean beetle. Fre- icate the following relative rating (3) pyrophyllite, (4) redwood- Supa, 1S) ¥ ver (6) diatomaceous earth, (7) infusorial i dust. Derris--ciay and derris-—tobacco ga. yuHOP OLS ion against the insect. Control was not so satisfactory as usual with any of the materials, cwing to the above— mentioned rainfall, which occurred shortly after each insecticidal treat— ment. These results appear to confirm results of tests conducted in 1940 with commercial rotenone-bearing dust mixtures in which variations in the @) >) (ca =A) [@) fe Lip Ss C were attributed to changes in the toxicity of the ro- tenone as affected by the diluent used. Since precipitation of 1:25 inches occurred 6 hours after the first treatment and 0.26 inch 29 hours after the second treatment, the relative adhesive qualities of the various diluents max be a orime factor in causing these variations in control. Bots Population of tobacco moths in farmers’ packhouses reduced by clean-up program.--W. A. Thomas and C. F. Stahl, of the Oxford, N. C., laboratory, report that as a result of a clean-up program instituted in 5 farmers' packhouses in the vicinity of Farmville, N. C., during 1940, involving the removal of all tobacco trash and other farm remnants, populations of Ephestia elutella (Hbn.) were reduced greatly, as reflected in collections made in 1941. The number of moths col- lected by uniform methods in the packhouses under observation dropped from 2,536 in 1940 to 495 in 1941. Im contrast to this, the populations of tobacco moths in the local storage units were much higher in 1941 than in 1940. Methyl bromide fective against cigarette beetle in fumigation (F.) tests.--In experiments performed with Lasioderma serricorne Sih AEN R. W. Brubaker and W. D. Reed, of the Richmond, Va., laboratory, using methy! bromide at dosages of 1; 2,3; and 4 pounds, respectively, per 1,000 cubic feet, at reduced pressures, it was found that 100 percent of the test insects were killed at the dosage rates of 2, 3, and 4 pounds, respectively, in 6 replicates, when the exposure period was 3 hours and the pressure was reduced to approximately 29 inches on a standard mercury gauge. The results obtained with the 1-pound dosage rate were highly variable, however, the mortality at this dosage rate ranging from 44 to 100 percent in the 6 replicates. A total of 250 well—-grown larvae of the cigarette beetle were used in each test in a 33-cubic-foot vacuum chamber. Prior to the beginning of each test, the insects were imbedded in bales of imported tobacco in a manner simulat-— ing natural conditions of exposure. Toxicity to cabbage caterpillars of commercial rotenone—containing dusts and similar laboretory—mixed dust.--W. J Reid, Jr., reports that in an experiment performed on the 1941 spring crop of cabbage at Charleston, S. G., wherein the performance of five representative and widely used commercially prepared rotenone-containing dust mixtures and a similar lab- oratory—mixed dust mixture, were compared on small, well~—replicated field plots Of Cabbage, the toxicity of the various dust mixtures, based on num-— bers of caverpillars Ssurvavang one application of each insecticide, was elosely related to their rotenone content, which varied considerably, al-— though the insecticide materials were labeled as containing 1 percent of rovenone Or, in the instance of the impregnated dust, as. being equal in CEneChIveMess LO Such a surength. ° In general, all of the materials ex— cept the impregnated one (a product containing 0.31 percent of rotenone) were superior to the check in toxicity to the cabbage looper (Autographa brassicae (Riley)), and this product either was or had a tendency to be inferior to the others. The dust mixtures containing more than approxi- mately 0.75 percent of rotenone (which included the laboratory mixture) were, or had a tendency to be, superior against that species to those mix- tures containing less than that percentage of rotenone. Against the im- ported cabbageworm (Pieris rapae Gite epieiuigon) shemmatvendalls except, «the impregnated product were superior to the check, and the other materials usually were superior to this product. Against the larvae of the diamond- back moth (Plutella maculipennis (Curt.)), which was second in abundance == but very unevenly distributed, no significant differences between treatments were demonstrated. In general, these results corroborate those obtained in similar exoeriments during the autumn of 19/0. INSECTS AFFECTING MAN AND ANIMALS Cooperative dogfly project.—-The United States Public Health Service is using part of the funds provided it for sanitation in and around army camps to control dogflies in the Tyndall Field area, Panama City, Fla., and the Eglin Field area near Valparaiso, Fla. The Bureau is cooperating in this work by supplying some equipment and personnel, the latter on reimbursable basis. W.-H. Dove, of the Panama City laboratory, is serving as technical supervisor cf the project which stretches over 105 miles of shore line between Carrabelle and Pensacola Beach. The control project is designed to clear the beaches of the dogfly in the vicinity of the Army Air Corps camps, and consists of spraying piles of fermenting bay grasses on the beaches with a mixture of creosote and oil King made consultent, Florida State Board of Health Malaria Bur— eau.--W. V. King, of the Orlando, Fla., laboratory, has been made a er of the newly formed Board of Consultants of the Florida State Board of Health Malaria Bureau. At the first meeting of the Consultant oard, on August 23, consideration was given to a proposed organiza-— ion and work plan for the new Malaria Bureau. The Consultant Board also gave consideration to the supervision by the new Bureau of the gen— eral mosquito-—control work in the vicinity of Army and Navy posts. FOREIGN PLANT QUARANTINES Stowaway insects in airplanes.—-R. G. Oakley of Honolulu, Hawaii, reports that, according to his records, available inspections of trans-— ocean airplanes have resulted in 212 interceptions of living insect stowaways (i.e., insects not associated with plant material) at Miami, and 1,021 such interceptions at Pacific midocean inspection points. The inspections at Miami were made from January 1938 to June 1939 and those at Honolulu from April 1936 to March 1941, by the U. S. Public Health Service; those at Guam from July 1937 to July 1939, by a Bureau inspector; and those at Midway from December 1936 to April 1941, and at Canton Island from July 1940 to April 1941, by representatives of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association. Included in these interceptions were 22 families of Diptera; 21 of Coleoptera; 7 of Hemiptera; 8 of Lepidoptera; 5 of Hymenoptera; 2 each of Orthoptera and Demaptera; and 1 each of Lsoptera, Corrodentia, Collembola, Thysanoptera, and Siphonaptera. Aporoximately 211 species were involved altogether, but &54 of the inter- ceptions belonged in only 76 species in 8 of the 72 families, namely, Mus- cidae, 233 interceptions (mostly houseflies) in 4 species; Chloropidae, 151 in 6 species; Drosophilidae, 118 in 7 species; Formicidae, 106 in 25 svecies; Culicidae, 75 (mostly Culex quinquefaciatus Say) in 8 species; Calliphoridae, 65 in 8 species; Blattidae, 57 in 9 species; and Tenebrioni- dae, 49 in 9 species. Approximatelv two-thirds of these species (exclusive | 1 H ; eee of houseflies) represent groups of economic importance, including Anopheles litoralis King, presumably from the Philipoines,at Honolu- lu, where no malarial mosquitoes are known to occur; Nephotettix apicalis Mats., a cicadellid rice pest in Guam stopped at Midway on an east—bound plane; a chrysomelid (Phytorus sp.), found on a plane from the Philippines at Guam, where a leaf beetle of this genus is destructive to forest growth and mango leaves; the fall armyworm (Laphygma frugiperda (S. & A.)), intercepted at Miami; Prodenia litura (F.) at "idway; and the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis Mayr) at Guam, probably from Honolulu. Although the insects tabulated were alive when collected, many of them seemed to be in poor condition as a result of the pyrethrum spray applied by Pan American Airways stewards prior to landing or owing to plane vibrations or other factors incidental to the trip. Among the dead insects found have been some species of economic importance which never survive the trip. Observa- tions. having shown that insects may enter planes at inspection points, Pan American Airways requires that planes be kept closed or carefully screened so the number of insects entering planes after fumigation and prior. to departure is reduced to a minimum. Particularly aggressive steps have been taken by the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association to intercept pests en route as stowaways on clippers passing the Islands of Midway and Canton. Trained inspectors stationed at those posts not only thoroughly inspect and spray all planes, but maintain a vigilant watch over the local faunas to note and eradicate any established foreign newcomer using the islands as stepping stones to Hawaii. The Association also maintains an identification unit at Honolulu where specialists identify pests intercepted at the protective stations, to-— gether with those taken by the U. S. Public Health Service at Honolulu, and incorporate them into a fast-expanding collection for further study and reference. Bouvecs srom Peru heavily ankesved.——rotvavoes from Peru found in ships' stores aboard the Finnish S. 5. Wipunen when it arrived at New York on May 30, 1941, showed 50-percent damage caused by the larvae of a curculionid, identified by W. H. Anderson as probably Rhizopsidius tucumanus Heller. Seventy-eight mature living larvae were taken from a sample of approximately 100 pounds of potatoes. A living larva and pupa of Gnorimoschema plaesiosema (Turner) = tuberosella Busck, deter- mined by H. W. Capos, were also taken from the potatoes. Seed leis infested.--G. F. Callaghan of Honolulu, Hawaii, reports that specimens of the weevil Dynatopechus aureopilosus Marsh. were in- tercepted in Honolulu on January 17, 1940, in a seed lei of Leucaena glauca in parcel post addressed to the mainland. This insect, described from Samoa in 1931, where it is said to infest seeds of Erythrina indica, had not been previously recorded from Hawaii. Subsequent inspections of seed leis made in Honolulu curio shops, as well as investigations of known and possible hosts in the field, have failed to disclose the source of infestation, although the weevils continue to be intercepted in par- Gel post periodically in seed leis of Macuna sp., M. urens, M. gigantea, Dioclea violacea, Canavalia sp., Jobs-tears, and Leucaena glauca. Origin of a few of these leis was traced to Hilo, Hawaii, through correspondence zs with sailors of the fleet who had mailed them. One sender advised that many. of his shipmates had purchased numerous leis, as prices were cheap, but had thrown them overboard when so many "baby. cock— roaches" emerged from them. While few facts concerning the insect in Hawaii are known, its apparent preference for leguminous seeds, some of which harbor as many as 20 adults, might indicate it as an undesirable pest to have on the mainland. To prevent its introduc— tion, by means of parcel post, all known infested material found is fumigated with methyl bromide, through the cooperation of the Ter-— ritorial Board of Agriculture and Forestry, before being allowed to eroceed to destination. According to H. M. Armitage, collaborator n charge at San Francisco, there is no record of Dynatopechus aur- ooilosus Marsh. having been intercepted in California. Ones Citrus diseases intercepted.—-Recent interceptions of citrus diseases included citrus canker (Bacterium citri (Hasse) Doidge) on lemons in stores from Java at New York, on August 23; on rough lemon in stores from Java at Boston on August 12; and on orange in stores ostensibly from Union of South Africa, but real origin unknown as citrus canker was reported to have been eliminated from South Africa some years ago. Sweet orange scab (Elsinoe australis Bitancourt & Jenkins) was found on oranges in stores from Brazil on August 9 at Boston and on August 15 at Baltimore, and on tangerines in stores from Brazil on August 4 at New Orleans. Citrus black-spot (Phoma citricarpa McAlp.), which was recently reported as having become established in South Africa, was intercepted August 16 at Boston in a lemon in stores from the Union of South Africa. Grass diseases intercepted.—-Exemination of Heteropogon con- tortus used as packing for a cargo shipment from Straits Settlements inspected at New York on October 23, 1940, disclosed several diseases for which determinations have just been received. These included Balansia sclerotica (Pat.)v. Hoeh., one of the ergotlike fungi; Melanconium hysteriopsis Pat., a relative of the sugarcane rind- disease fungus; Pleospora andropogonis Niessl.; and a rust, Puccinia Sp., which could not be determined. The host is a good forage grass in dry parts of the Southwest and hence these diseases might be of considerable economic importance if introduced. A smt, Cintractia so., was found contaminating seed of molasses grass (Melinis minuti- flora) from Costa Rica, when inspected on January 27 at New York. Another smut, just determined as Tilletia rugispora #Hllis, was found at New York on October 30, 1940, in a head of Paspalum plicatulum used as packing for Mexican pottery. Cerebella andropogonis Ces., listed in Stevenson's manual as occurring in Ceylon, was intercepted at New York on August 22 in 80 pounds of Paspalum dilatatum seed from Australia. DOMESTIC PLANT QUARANT INES Grasshopper—beiting operations decline .~-Baiting by farmers for the control of grasshoppers declined sharply in all infested States early in August, and throughout the month continued on a greatly — 2 = reduced scale, with heaviest distribution in Michigan, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Slightly increased baiting was noted in the Pan-— handles of Texas and Oklahoma, where second-generation lesser migra- tory ‘hoppers began to attack margins of wheatfields. Adult—grasshopper survey.—-The 1941 fail adult-grasshopper sur vey was completed late in August, surveys having been made in 19 States. The purpose of this survey was mainly to determine general areas where populations were of sufficient importance to indicate the need for an egg survey. It is anticipated that varts of 13 States will be surveyed for eggs later in the season. A special survey of areas of Uochise and Graham Counties in southeastern Arizona infested by Melanoplus mexicanus Sauss. was completed early in August and in- dicated populations of light to threatening intensity in the Dos Cabezos and Sunset—Bonita areas of these 2 counties. Development of second-generation M. mexicanus.--Rapid development OG the Second generation of the lesser misratory.'hopper’ occurred in southern Nebraska, eastern Colorado, western Kansas, and the Pan- handles of Texas and Yklahoma to the extent that hatching was 60 per-— cent complete in Nebraska, and 100 percent comolete in the Texas southern Panhandle area. Populations range to 20 per square yard in fields and 50 in margins of small grains in the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. Populations were lighter in the other areas infested. Some marginal damage occurred, increasing demands by the farmers for bait. Mormon cricket control.—-Control operations were brought to a close in mid-August in all infested areas, following which supervisors directed full-time attention to the adult—cricket survey, which was eomoleied atthe close of the month.~ The outstanding feature in the Mormon cricket control operations during this season is found in the almost complete change from dusting to baiting operations. The earlier methods for the control of this pest revolved largely around hand dust- ing, which later was superseded by power dusting, and in 1941 by bait ing. In 1940 more than 122,000 acres were power dusted, whereas le than 23,000 acres were dusted in 1941. On the other hand, 160,000 acres were baited in 1940, and more than 500,000 in i941. The swing from dust to bait has permitted coverage of more than an additional 200,000 acres. While actual figures are not yet available, it is believed that tHe cost’ 415 NOL In, proportion to the increased acreage treated. Of the acreage baited, more than one-fifth was baited by airplane. The use of planes permitted baiting in areas difficult of access to ground-—soread- ing machines, and resulted in very effective work. Meeting of State leaders' Grasshopper Control Advisory Committee.—- Members of the State leaders' Grasshopper Control Advisory Committee, supplemented by State leaders from Nebraska and Wyoming, met on August 15 and 16 with Bureeu reoresentatives for a discussion of various problems, including the availability of control materials for future work; handling and storage during the winter of Federal bait spreaders loaned to the States; concentration and storage of bait materials; the 1941 adult and ege surveys; research problems; and matters of policy dealing with con- trel procedure in future years. HG White-fringed beetle survey.——During the month of August in- tensive inspection activities have been carried on in the environs of all known points of infestation. As a result of this work, the beetle has been found in isolated spot infestations, ranging from a very few acres to approximately 500 acres. Practically all such infestations were found in the almost immediate vicinity of the area now regulated by the restrictions of Federal and State white- fringed beetle quarantines. In connection with this activity, practically all nurseries within a distance of approximately 100 miles of known points of infestation have been inspected with nega- tive results. At the close of the month of August this type of in- spection is being extended to cover larger nurseries at somewhat greeter distances and to include similar activities in transporta- tion centers such as Montgomery, Ala., Jackson, Miss., and other points to which large quantities of materials had been shipped from infested areas. White—fringed beetle control activities.--At the close of the month of August control activities had been discontinued, owing to a drastic decline in adult beetle population, except in the areas infested with Pantomorus peregrinus Buch. and in five isolated areas of infestation where control is being applied during the entire period of beetle emergence for. the purpose of deverminanpr, Lhe sciteeusyencss of known suppressive measures, as a possible means of eliminating the pest. Continuation of control in the areas infested by P. peregrinus was considered advisable, owing to late emergence of the beetle. otudy being made of sweetpotato weevil host plants.——During the month of August 2 general over-all survey was started in Alabama and Mississippi, south of the areas in which eradication activities have been conducted since the beginning of project activities in 1937, to obtain more complete information than is now available relative to the distribution, abundance, and status as to infestation of native peren-— nial ssa plants of the sweetpotato weevil of which Ipomoea pandurata ue I. saggitta are the two most prevalent varieties. This study is being made so that information may be made available for use in con- sidering whether or not it is practicable to extend eradication activi- ties in these two States to the coast. Phony peach disease inspection reaches peak.——During August more than 2% million peach trees on over 20,000 properties in 8 States were inspected for phony peach and peach mosaic diseases. Nearlyall of this inspection was conducted in the Southeast for the phony disease, the mosaic inspection being largely completed earlier in the season, In- portant mosaic inspection, however, was conducted in eastern Texas, the farthest known eastern limits of this disease. Some second inspection was conducted in California, where limited numbers of newly infected mosaic trees were discovered. In the Southeast more than 40,000 phony trees were found, of which over 11,000 were removed, the lag in removals being largely due to temporary shortage of W. P. A. labor in Georgia . where most of the diseased trees were found. In addition, more than 180,000 escaped trees were removed, largely in Alabama and Tennessee. aD Growers furnish labor for infected-peach—tree removal .——Peach growers furnished sufficient labor in Houston, Macon, and Peach Coun- ties, Ga., for the removal of approximately 10,000 infected trees this season, thereby materially assisting progress of the work. Inspections for phony disease proceeded satisfactorily in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas, except for delays in obtaining labor for tree removal’ in Chilton County, Ala., and generally in Georgia. Labor availability in the latter State had improved substantially at the end of the period. Seasonal decline in peach mosaic activities.—-Inspection for peach mosaic disease in eastern Texas was discontimed late in August, owing to the poor condition of the foliage, making it difficult to diagnose the disease. Removal of diseased and abandoned trees was discontinued in Mesa County, Colo., during the harvest, while some abandoned-orchard re- moval was undertaken in Delta County. Chinch bug control program concluded for year.—-The chinch bug con- trol program was concluded early in August. From June 6 to July 10, 1941, 285,920 gallons of creosote was purchased and shipped to 55 coun- ties in 7 States, namely, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Ne- braska, and Oklahoma. Kansas was the largest user of this material, hav— ing been furnished with 114,800 gallons. During the season, cooperators reported that 445,485 rods of barrier were constructed for the protec-— tion of 226,505 acres of crops, involving the participation of 3,794 farmers. Officials of affected States estimated that approximately $883,000 worth of crops were saved which consisted principally of corn, with smaller amounts of sorghum and sudan grass. Mole cricket situation in Florida.~-Reports from growers in sev— eral sections of Florida, as well as surveys conducted by representa-— tives of this Bureau during the summer, indicated that a very heavy in-~ festation of mole crickets could be expected during the fall with con- sequent severe damage to fall-—planted crops, particularly in the Plant City area. During the latter part of August, the Bureau received re- guests from the Florida Mole Cricket Control Committee for furnishing poison bait for the control of these insects in Hillsborough, Manatee, and Hardee Counties. A mixing station, therefore, has been set up in Plant City, and arrangements have been made for establishing mixing stations in other parts of Florida, when and if they are needed. An al- lotment for mole cricket control has been made from funds appropriated for the control of incipient and emergency outbreaks of insect pests and plant diseases. Supplies of bait ingredients have been purchased to take care of expected needs of this season. This Division assigned a project leader to take charge of the work and to cooperate in surveys with the Division of Truck Crop and Garden Insect Investigations and the Florida Mole Cricket Control Committee. Two men were also assigned from the white-fringed beetle project to supervise mixing stations. The activity of the Bureau in mole cricket control consists of the purchase and mix ing of bait materials, furnished to the Florida Mole Cricket Control Committee for distribution to growers through their representatives in the various counties of Florida. Bureau representatives work in close S98. cooperation with the Florida Mole Cricket Control Committee in determining needs and in making proper distribution of bait materials. Transit inspection.——As a result of a news item in the Aug— ust 1] issue of the Memphis, Tenn., Press Scimitar, the transit inspector at Memphis intercepted ee shipments of soil which originated in the Japanese beetie area. One sample was found to contain a dead adult Japanese beetle which originated in Camden, N. J. The samples were retrieved from the personal baggage of del-— egates to a convention in Memphis, and the soil was to be mixed with a portion of soil from the Mississippi Delta in which it was proposed to plant cotton, the stalks of which would be taken to the 1942 international convention of this organization. The alertness of the Memphis inspector thus prevented a possible infestation of Japanese beetles from being introduced into the vicinity of Memphis by means of these soil samples. Delegates to the convention, when advised of the hazard involved, whole-heartedly cooperated by turn- ing over all soil samples to the inspectors. INSECTICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Isolation of compounds in sesame oil and prickly ash responsi bite TRO synergistic effect with pyrethrum.—-The discovery by C. Eagleson, of the Division of Insects Affecting Man and iraiee that sesame oil only, of a large number of vegetable and fish oils tried, enhances the toxicity of pyrethrum insecticides to houseflies, made it appear desirable to determine the nature of the principle re— sponsible for this synergistic effect. Accordingly, H. L. Haller and L, D, Goodhue separated sesame oil into four fractions, by distilla- tion in a molecular still. Tests against houseflies by W. N. Sulli- van, of the Division of Control Investigations, showed that the synergistic principle was to be found in the first two fractions. From them a previously known colorless crystalline compound, sesamin, was isolated, which with pyrethrum insecticides produced a much higher mortality of houseflies than the same concentration of pyrethrum alone. aera is a complex organic compound having the molecular formula C. oie Og - It is chemically unreactive, all six of its oxygens being in aoe form. In subsequent studies Mr. Haller and F. B. LaForge have prepared asarinin, a mirror image of an isomer of sesamin, and Mr. Sul- livan has shown that it, like sesamin, also enhances the toxicity of pyrethrum insecticides. The asarinin was isolated from the bark of the southern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum clava-— herculis)-. Whether or not it also is to be found in the northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum ameri-— canum) remains to be determined, as the Division has thus far been un- able to obtain a sample of the root or bark of this plant. Insecticide symposium.—-On Septeriber 8 to 12, inclusive, the American Chemical Society held its semiannual meeting at Atlantic City. The meeting was attended by seven members of the Division. At a symposium on insecticides, fungicides, and hormone sprays, organized Enero les by R. C. Roark, introductory remarks were made by him and the follow- ing four papers were presented by members of the Division: C, M. Smith and L. D. Goodhue: The Present State of Our Knowledge Concerning Particle Size and Efficiency of Insecticides. H. L. Haller, L. D. Goodhue; and H. A. Jones: The Con- stituents of Derris and Other Rotenone—Bearing Plants. Hoon. elder. Fo Bl, kaborcessanesW.)N. Sullivan: Some Com- pounds Related to Sesamin. Their Structures and Their Synergistic Effect with Pyrethrum Insecticides. L. &. Smith: Some Synthetic Organic Compounds Developed by the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine. Reoresentatives of several companies showed interest in the question of particle size and in manufacturing compounds for insecti- cidal use on a large scale. Phenothiazine, phthalonitrile, and xanthone were some of the compounds discussed in this connection. BEE CULTURE Effect of environmental factors on nectar secretion.-—-The follow- ing is taken from a report of work by Geo. H. Vansell, Davis, Calif., on the effect of environmental factors on nectar secretion: "Alfalfa plants exposed to light from mazda bulbs from 5 to 10 p. m., beginning February 15, were blossoming freely by March 10. Two alfalfa plants which showed a difference of 24 percent in the quantity of sugar in their nectars last year, were again checked this year. When on dry soil the difference in amount of sugar in the nectar was 17 percent and on wet soil 26 percent. Between these two plants the sugar content of the nectar apoears to show constant characteristic difference. This characteristic difference may have significance from a breeding stand- point, if it proved to be hereditary. Under a humidifier an Acala cotton plant yielded involucre nectar in quantity, each gland yielding 5 microliters. The sugar content was from 17 to 24 percent. A blossom nectary yielded a tiny amount of nectar with 7.2 percent. The leaf-gland nectar was 11.9 percent sugar. Unlike the vetch and acacia, the extra-— floral nectaries did not yield until after the flowers appeared. Cotton plants in the field at Davis yielded so little nectar that they attracted no bees." cur fg ae , ; , nd 4 4 Teva,“ a ul ‘ ame? , ~ & aT f¥97) at ; fr : —_ et Le ~~ UNITED STATES “DEPART MeNT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER 1O UAH WITVATAUO TVAIT GK ¥ FITTS Ewa \ os ne » eobia: " fi 7 t UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BURZAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NSW pO: pl Ee oT eR FOR SEPTEMBER 1941 BUREAU EMPLOYEES CALLED TO TH# COLORS OR TRANSFERRED TO SPECIAL NATIONAL DEFENSE ASSIGNMENTS 4 Clement, Clarence, Clk.-Stenog., Gypsy Moth Control, Chief Yeoman, U. S. Naval Res., Newport, R. I., called to active duty September 8, i dea Hiowers, Dan, Agt. (Inspector, WEB), Dom. Pl /Quar., U.S.A. Air Corps, Maxwell Field, Ala., enlisted September 3, i941. Hoyer, Richard G., Agt., Truck Crop Ins., joined Canadian Air Force [Fe a aise reer HO Ya Maratea, Domenic J., Asst. Biol. Aide, Fruit Ins., inducted, Select. Deri, Varen 1S, 1941. pemrecdcr., Cnainp iM, Fid.:Aide, Forest Ins... O.R.G..°U. 5S. A., called to active duty December 2, 1940. Shierk, Daniel E., Msgr., Admin. (Mail Room), inducted, Select. Serv., peptember 21, 19/1. Whatcomb, Edward L.,! Jx. Fid.. Aide, Truck Crop Ins., inducted, Select. Serine. (Oerober 9 5-19 u ieapmemmeremoley fll Wssoo. Hnt.,, Cer: & For.:Ims., U.S. A. Res., called to active duty September 6, 1941. FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Plum curculio control by soil treatment with dichloroethyl ether.— The results of the large-scale orchard experiments conducted by Oliver I. Snapp at Fort Valley, Ga., this year for the control of the plum curculio attacking peaches show that two applications of dichloroethyl ether emulsion applied to the soil under the spread of peach trees, with jarring to catch overwintered adults, are just as effective against this insect as the regu- lar schedule of lead arsenate sprays on the fruit. One application of the ots 97: ether with either one application of lead arsenate or jarring to con- trol overwintered beetles resulted in considerably more curculio-—wormy fruit than that from the treatment in which two applications of ether were made. Jarring, as a supplementary control measure, caused a 3.% percent increase in curculio-free peaches, there being 95.1 percent more wormy peaches on the trees that received the full schedule of jead arsenate strays than on the trees that received these sprays plus jarring throughout the season. iental fruit moth control by mass liberation of parasites.-—— He W. Rea ang M. BH. “Brunson, — of the Moorestown, N. ES laboratory, revort that mass liberations of parasites against the oriental fruit moth in peaches have now been made through a oeriod of five consecu- tive seasons. From the data accumulated it is possible to fama (SD) ry o ») \g fairly accurate idea cf the effect of such lLiberations in controlling infestations of the fruit moth in the current season's peach crop. The following table shows the percentage of ripe-fruit infestation in check and liberation orchards at the time of harvesting ilberta peaches. fi ainfestdtwon ain aod | (ak /Heegetnn ) coamr luda Year :; check orchards : Infestation in liberation orchards _ Bn ee 3 Gerace Average : Values for each orchard __ ir 193'7---------: 040 ot aa Sp) aot 1938-—---—---——- : 20.9 Pais hy Fy Bi ¢ 2.25 dese bak 1939--------- : 26.4 ee ee Sh 2 oe lilo one : 2d Sais : (Se 7A95 Seer ae a : 39.4 237 36203 2829 sie ee ee ; : OZ MHS. ° IBESA D.. Seeed, 1941-——-—---—— : Tes eras Pines Bel ee ee) eer a ai : 6.9 se i Seo pe tes These results indicate that while these liberations have not always been followed by low fruit infestation there has been in the liberation orchards a general and substantial reduction from the level of infestation in the check orchards. In the 26 liberation trials there have been only 4 instances in which ripe-fruit infestation was in excess of the average of the check orchards, in which no liberations were made. Outbreak of shot-hole borer.—-. Jd. Tenet of the Yakima, Wash., laboratory, reoorts that Scolytus rugulosus (Ratz. ) apoeared in large num-— bers in a cherry-growing area neer Sunnyside, Yakima County, Wash., in Sep— tember. Investigation showed that thousands of adults had energed from ciles of cherry and apricot limbs that had been removed from trees in the soring and »iled uv to be used as firewood. These adults have been attacking aD == nearby healthy cherry trees and, by boring into the buds or bud spurs, have killed a great many of next year's fruit buds. On account of the copious secretion of gum, however, the adults did not succeed in making Oviposition burrows. It is vossible that a succession of mild winters may have allowed this insect to become more numerous, as prunings have accumulated for many years, but the beetles had not been noted pre- viously in any large numbers. Hxposure of dried—-fruit insects to low temperatures.—-Recent tests of the lethal effect of certain time-temperature combinations on three soecies of insects common in dried fruits have shown unexpected contrasts. The work was done by Charles K. Fisher, of the Fresno, Calif., laboratory, in commercial cold-storage rooms held at temperatures of about 32° F. (relative humidity 90 to 100 percent), and 38° (relative humidity about 95 percent). Adults of the saw-toothed grain beetle (Oryzaephilus sur inamen- sis (L.)), full-grown larvae of the Indian-meal moth (Plodia interpunctella (Hbn.)), and full-grown larvae of the raisin moth (Ephestia figulilella Greg.) were tested in an attempt to find the minimum exposures that will assure com- plete mortality. The resistance of the raisin moth larvae may have been in- creased by previous exposure to outdoor winter temperatures. The other test insects had been accustomed to warmer conditions. Although the work is still in progress, the following records are given to indicate the comparative hardi- hood of the three species tested. Exposure at | Insect : Bee : 38° Seoriodle Mortaliby > 4-Period.+ Mortality Saw-toothed grain beetle >: Days : Percent sa Ways : Percent 20 [0 Seas SS SS See : ee : 100 : BS. : 100 Indian-meal moth larvae----—-- : a5) : 100 : L7 : 100 fats ela laryac : 125 : 86 ve -:30 ae Th MEXICAN FRUITFLY CONTROL Citrus census completed.——The number of citrus trees in the. area regu- lated under Quarantine 64 increased over 418,000 between August 1, 1937, and August 1, 1941. A citrus census has just been completed and, according to this tabulation, there are 7,458,981 citrus trees in the 7 counties comprising the regulated area. Of this number of trees, almost 800,000 are pink-type grapefruit. ‘No Anastrepha ludens found in September.--Trap inspections approximating 33,000 resulted in the taking of only 1 A. serpentina Wied., and 1 Toxotrypana curvicauda Gerst., in Texas in September. No specimens of A. ludens Loew were found in Texas during the month. Fruit had matured enough in limited areas by the close of the month to pass the State maturity requirements and the harvest-— ing season was officially opened on October 1. es JAPANESS BaRTLE CONTROL Drought affects nursery shiprents.--Drought throughout the entire Japanese beetle regulated area seriously affected shipments of nursery pe stock. In the New York City area the total rainfall during September Dy was 0.1] inch and nurserymen reported lack of moisture in the ground to ‘e deoths of 18 to 36 inches. Despite this condition, nine carloads of tl stock were shipped under certification from the Long Island area. Digging , of this material was difficult and expensive, owing to the dryness, so 168 most of the growers costponed shivping, except rush orders. As a pre- | cautionary measure, the soil balls of trees dig were immediately soaked | with water before loading into freight cars. Revarts indicate that most | of the material shipoed arrived in good condition. Inspectors in the field anti cipate a decided rush in nursery-stock inspectims at the first rainfall, In New Jersey late truck crops and apples were severely damaged. Fruit is undersized and off-color. Wells are very low and in some instances have dried up comletely. Dahlia growers in South Jersey experienced severe dam- ; Bony | . So Se: Ss oS te age and loss. The plants have not developed and the bloom is unfit for sale. Many of the dahlia growers deoend on their ait-flower sales to cover part of their running exoenses. Reports from the Delmarva Peninsula state that many types of nursery stock have made little growth, and in some instances have q died. The number of strawberry plants per acre in many instances will not be half the exoected yield. Soil treating under way in 7 States.--A total of 163.2 acres in 13 cities was treated wit! with lead arsenate for Japanese beetle control during september. Treatments were comleted in 7 localities, and the work was con— tinued into October in the remaining locelities. Cities in which the treat— ments were aoplied end the respective acreages covered, were as follows: Atlanta, Ga., 10.9; Chamblee, Ga., 0.85 Chicazo, To Wo oZ sn diateeiae ca tele ome 1., 33.4; Elkhart, Ind., 3.3; Fort Wayne, Ind., 9.2; Richmond, Ind’. 3 Dearborn, Mich., oe Deteee apy an olagy.) Tybee) Melvindale; Miele, Oe Os cee Louis, Mo., 5.63; Newark, N. Y., oon am Greensboro, N. C., 5.3. 4 q Restrictions on farm prodicts lifted for season.--Owing to cessation of the 1941 flight of adilt Jawarese beetles early in September, restrictions 1% the movenent of fruits and vegetables via refrigerator car and motortruck were” rescinded for the season, effective Sestember 8. This was about a week carla than the usual date for lifting the seasonal quarantine. Cut flowers continued to be a hazard, because of the beetle's habit of crawling down into flower bloom when relatively quiescent. Consequently restrictions on the movement of cut flowers continued through October 15. Increased J: Javanese beetle infestation in farm products in Baltimore .--The total number of beetles found in connection with insvection of farm produc ts at the Baltimore inspection platform during 1941 was 1,362. This was a considerabl increase over the 255 beetles remved in 1940, and the 146 found in 1939. The total numbers of packages inspected during the respective years were 608,416, WDD gL 5 am 540,381 2 _ Dutch elm disease eradication difficult in Pennsylvania.—-One crew spent an entire week in eradicating a large elm, heavily infested with bark beetles, in Huntington Township, Luzerne County. Because of its lo- cation, this elm, 50 inches in diameter, required careful roping and handling of small pieces. To add to their difficulties, the workmen had to contend with a nest of hmeybees and a concrete-base filling. An in- fested elm removed in Quakertown borough grew in a back yard, with a house standing within 10 feet on two sides and a maple and a Kentucky coffeetree within 25 feet in another direction. The tree was a full, ooen-grown elm 55 inches d.b.h., 90 feet high, and had a 110-foot branch spread. A major leader 34 inches d.b.h. projected completely over the house, almost touching it. Another hung over wires and the maple tree, and still another large leader grew over the coffeetree. The tree had to be topped to the main crotch and all cuts lowered carefuliy by ropes. Several cuts over the house had to be double .crotched. A total of 46 lowered cuts was made before the base could be sawed. No damage whatever was incurred. Work was started the last week of the month on the eradica- tion of a 62-inch confirmed tree located in a tomato field in the borough of Wyoming, Luzerne County. On this tree the dying smaller branches were found to be heavily infested with larvae of Scolytus multistriatus Marsh. In parts of the crown and on the leaders 1941 color was found. Pigseanecone: Juvch, olmiduscacccoul mmab tons. ——inst—reicondstinds of infected trees were revorted during the month in the following towns and townships: Connecticut-—-Hartford County, town of Southington (a first record for the county); Litchfield County, towns of Cornwall, Goshen, and New Hartford; Middlesex County, town of Clinton; Pennsylvania-~-— Bucks County, Lower Southampton Township; Delaware County, Haverford Town- ship (also a first record for the county); Wilkes-Barre, Pan anea——lugerne County, Hunlock Township. The confirmation in New Hartford Town, Litchfield County, is the first and only diseased tree located in the Connecticut bor- der zone through the collection of beetle samoles. The first-record find in Cornwall Town, Litchfield County, represents the mst northern infection thus far reported in Connecticut. The diseased tree at Clinton, Middlesex County, is the nearest tree yet confirmed to the isolated Old Lyme, Conn., infection. The confirmation in Lower Southampton Township, Bucks County, Pa., leaves only one townshio in the county from which the disease had not been revorted. Summer sanitation work in Westchester County, N. Y.--Satisfactory re- sults have been obtained in summer sanitation work in Westchester County, dessite numerous difficulties. When the W. P. A. men returned to work in duly it was anticipated that the lack of foremen would be a serious handicap, and it was necessarv to raise men from unskilled laborers to foremen. These men were lacking in experience, but they tackled their jobs with enthusiasm. They worked in small crews and produced results that won them favorable com- ments from the public. Ge pe a ee growing area of southern New York demands were made on ie Dutch elm disease district project offices for apple pickers. Approximately 300 workers were needed in Dutchess County alone. The peak of the picking season lasted from 2 to 3 weeks. The worker was returned to work with-—- out the formality of reassignment by the W. P. A. office, if he had not been away from the job an entire work period. Farmer with rifle threatens scout crew.—-A Dutch elm disease crew engaged in strio-scouting a small piece of woodland in Bucks County, Pa., was suddenly confronted by a farmer armed with a high-powered rifle. After a hasty explamtion end identification by the scouts, the farmer lowered his gun and ejected a cartridge from the chamber. His reason for being suspicious of strangers was that recatly someone wd stolen 250 chickens from him. He left the scouts after extending an invitation to come on his place at any time. W. P. A. enrollees return to work in Athens, Ohio, area.—-In the Athens area, where no W. P, A. workers had been employed by this Division since the susoension of the Dutch elm disease project there at the end of Jure, 175 men were assigned to wark in mid-September. A total of 120 were assigned from Vinton County and 55 from Athens County. Practically all of these were without exverience in Dutch elm disease eradication work. Training schools for Dutch elm disease scouts.—-Training schools were conducted in Pennsylvania and Ohio the last week in September to in- struct newly assigned W. P. A. employees in scaiting for beetle-infested or cotentially beetle-infested elm wood. Very few of the men had pre- viously worked on the project. The problen of supervision was also be- coming acute in these two areas, because of lack of foremen. Fire hazard _increased.—-With continued dry weather through most of September, the danger of fire increased to the point wrere the burning of elm woodpiles could be done only in swamps, gravel pits, or other safe lowtions. Many woodpiles were on hand at the end of the month awaiting better burning conditims. Limited permit issued under modified gypsy mth quarantine regula— tions.--The first formal agreement under administrative instructions ef- fective July 8, 1941, authorizing the issuance of limited permits for cer- tain restricted articles, was signed by a manufacturer of gas-—purifying materials in Astoria, Long Island, N. Y. Under this agreement the firm agrees to comly with certain prescribed sanitation provisions in handling uncertified wood shavings received in tight box cars from points within the gypsy moth infested areas. These sanitation provisions require strict control of the shavings from the time they arrive at Astoria in box cars until they are chemically treated with soda ash and iron filings in their conversion into material for filtering illuminating gas. A special type of limited permit was printed to take care of such shipments. These are issued in trivlicate, the original to accompany the shipment to destina- tion, the first earbon for the file of the issuing inspector's faeld or fice, and the second carbon for immediate forwarding to the inspector ~7- assigned to be present at the destination point upon arrival end unload— ing of the material. Record shipment of lumber for Defense.-k.H. Flaker, district gypsy Moth inspector at Rochester, N. H., reports that a great deal of lumber is being moved to supply various needs incidental to the National Defense effort. Over 3,000,000 board feet of lumber was inspected and Certitied from his district during September, the largest amount for any month on record. With few excestions, the only dry lumber now available in this section is that from the storage sites of Government-owned hur- ricane lumber. This Division has been saved considerable exvense by the excellent location of storage sites selected for the Government-owned lumber. Whenever nossible, oven fields have been selected for the air-— drying of the lumber. It is stacked in high piles, making it possible to store a large amount in a comparatively small space away from tree growth and bushes. As a rule, it is the qmistom of many mill operators to pile lumber ain low piles, using only slabs for bed pieces on waste land, among bushes and tree growth at the scene of the mill operation. Although use of waste land incurs little or no expense during the veriod of air-drying, there are disadvantages to this tyvoe of stacking. The lumber may become infested by the gypsy moth, and therefore reouires piece-by—viece insvection. There is an additional fire hazard, and lum- ber mist Geren seeined 1 rom beans pilled Close’ to the ground.’ Practically the only danger of moth infestation of lumber stored in open fields, WHET woherme 15 °no actimuy during the larval period, isl the presence of high, smooth-bark trees from which the moth might be wind-blown into the lumber Diles. Mr. Flaker reports instances in which the moth has been blown aoproxime tel y 300 feet from a tall tree. He has observed that, when lumber is piled in or near bushes and is found to be infested, the infestation may be found at any height of the pile, but is more abundant near the bottom; however, egg clusters have been found in the first few layers on the top of lumber piles, even in areas where there is only small growth. Gypsy moth egg clusters removed by inspectors.——From products cf- fered for inspection and certification diring the month, inspectors re- moved 24] gypsy moth egg clusters. In addition, 984 egg clusters were found on materials insnected orior to their manufacture or preparation for shipment as novelties for subsequent shipment to nonregulated area. Among the heevily infested oroducts examined were 4 carloads of paving blocks insvected at Milford, N. H., for shipment to Harlem River, N. Y. These were found to contain 32, 39, 35, and 47 egg clusters, respectively. A less-than-carload lot of lobster buoys examined at East Providence, feos Lor Shipment to: Milford, Conn: , netted another 4] ege masses. Four lots of nurserv stock insvected at 2 Massachusetts and 2 Connecticut establishments yielded 8 ege clusters. No heavy infestations were found in lumber insrected, as only 39 egg clusters were found in 9 carloads, in the entire amount of lumber inspected during the month. New England gypsy moth inspections .--Owing to extremely hot and dry weather during the month, there was considerable reduction in the digging 92 and shipping of nursery stock from points in New Hngland. A number of carload shivrents were canceled in Rhode Island. At the end of the month very little stock had been dug for fall planting because the ground was so dry that it was impossible to get a good ball of dirt with the plants. This continued drought had so diminished the water supply in some districts that smaller sawmills depending on water for their oower were forced to curtail their overations. A chocolate company in Cambridge, Mass., is sending small birch-log containers with each 2-pound box of candy. Several thousand shipments will prob- ably be made during the Christmas season. The birch cmtainers are inspected at the manufacturer's plant before being made up and decorated for shioment to the candy plant. Changes in temporary personnel in New England.--Ten temporary in- svectors were emoloyed on gyosy moth inspection during the month——5 in Connecticut, 2 in Massachusetts, and 1 in Maine on nursery inspection work, and 2 in Vermmt on insoection of lumber and pulpwood. One in- spector paid by the Stete of Massachusetts was employed in the Boston dis-— trict, in cooperation with the Federal inspectors, for the inspection of products requiring certification for the corn borer. Nursery and green-— house scouting for Jamnese beetle was completed in Maine on Septenber 3, in Massachusetts and New Hamoshire on the 6th, am in Rhode Islam on the llth. Hleven of the inspectors were on the BCaereal pay roll, 2 on the State of Maine pay roll, 3 on the Rhode Island pay roll, and 6 on the Mas- sachusetts pay roll. Projectile shipments accompanied by certified lumber.-—-At Hanover, Mass., considerable old lumber is used on carload shipments of projectiles for the Navy consigned to oorts along the Hast coast. The lumber originates from wrecked buildings in Boston and vicinity, but later this supply will not be sufficient. Lumber will then be purchased from local dealers and will require actual inspection before certification. The destinations of these shipments ere not known until a few hours before they leave their point of loading. FOREST INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Beetles controlled d by salvage logging.—-In 1940 a 1,000-acre tract of ponderosa pine near Bly, in southern Oregon, was covered by sanitation-salvage logging operations and 13 percent of the trees and 18 percent of the volume, reoresenting the most beetle-susceptible portion of the stand, was removed. Trees to be cut were marked by Bureau men, basing their judgment on studies of the characteristics of high-risk trees. According to F. P. Keen, of the Portland forest-insect laboratory, a recent check cruise of this area showed a 90-vercent reduction in the 1940 volume of beetle-kilied timber, as compared with that killed in 1939. The partial loss found up to September indicates that this same reduction apparently would be sustained during 1941. Thus the results, so far, indicate that this method is much more effective in emtrol- ling pine beetles than the direct fell—peel-—burn method; and also much less exoensive to apply. In accessible timber it can be carried on with a net orofit, instead of at an exoense uncompensated for by any return from salvage. It is hoped that the results will be effective for at least 5 years. >. sin ate 2? — cot pcan it mat . -9- Mountain pine beetle development retarced in northern Utah.--On September 16 and 17, in preparation for a large-scale control project on the Wasatch National Forest, 20 spotters were given instruction by R. L. Furniss, of the Portland forest-insect laboratory, in the prac-— tice of marking lodgevole pine infested by the mountain pine beetle. During the instruction period it was found that a large percentage of the trees attacked in 1940 stili contained numerous larvae, pupae, and new adults. Inasmuch as snow had already fallen and cold weather had begun, it was evident that there would be little, if any, additional emergence this year; therefore, plans were rade to treat those trees containing an appreciable number of hold-over brood. Additional evi- dence of retarded development this year was the crevonderance of new brood occurring in the egg stage, whereas larvae normally overwinter. This retarded devel opment was attributed to two factors—-the abnormally short, wet seasm of 1941; and the high elevation of the control area, which is aoproximetely 10,000 feet. Mountain pine beetle found on Mount Rainier glaciers.—-For many years high berren ridges have been utilized as logical unit boundaries in pine—beetle-control operations. It was reasoned that spread over uch ridges would be slow in comparison with spread within a stand of susceptible timber. That the high ridges do not act as a complete barrier to dispersal was suspected and is now substentiated. Living mountain pine beetles were found on duly 30 by Mr. Furniss on Sarvent Glacier, at an elevation of 7,000 feet, in Mount Rainier National Park. This glacier is on a divide between the White River and Cowlitz River drainages. Control is being carried on in the White River drainage, an area of intensive recreatimal use, but for variais reasms infestation has been allowed to develoo in the Cowlitz River drainage, an undeveloped area of little current recreational use. Ss inspection of pitch pine areas on Cave Cod, Mass., indicates tht the in- festation is considerably lighter than it was 2 vears ago. The number of shoots killed on infested trzes near Provincetown is about 50 percent less than was the case in 1939, and no trees were observed which had been killed by the insect dqiring the last 2 years. The area infested, however, has increased during the last 2 years, the insect havirg spread westward as far as Hast Sandwich. The most westerlv infestation by I. gallicolus oreviously noted on the north side of the cape was et Orleans. In Pennsyl- vania, however, examination of the oitch and shortleaf pine plots at Mont Alto and Mount Union shows that the number of twigs killed was greater in 1941 than in 1940, altho:sh fewer leaders were killed in 1941 than in the orevious vear. The date on the Pennsylvania plots are summarized in the following table. i a a ma a in a on eee ° On ao) 2) OateOwr aeso tote ve: Jas OT TrO00r T2Gb6co tse nee Li :pueys Temyzeu: : : : : : : : f fe : : ; "op : eutd yor tg:---—--A Se acm Omie Crem. Teri iio: 609 sdect reno. Le LGk, weoch -: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : ‘op : ‘op {—-—--AT OF) MEO tO a Ott | ae Se Sh: JOM sO eee! TOT “SGOT SHeLE wa Bq 3, 4 WoLQeateTd: : ; : : : é : 4 : } : ; Suotug qunojy: eutTd Yo4Tg:------ TCH GAlA OM SOC soln me Came, Lees eC es OG BOTS) OS) “ORG SHO "Op :puejs Teinjeu: : ‘ . : : ‘ : ty * : : ; . geoT sous: ---—-- 2°S © CIS i. Gye: OG sOnOsGeiicamencogmor ac oe, ct “eq 5 .,UCTIe que yds al ice) N Lee, et = i ee yoo eae jin Wate COs hod ere sk : ‘OLY JUOP: eutd yoytg:------ Boe eer ye Bote pS tok ot INS ON Fe SON 8 Oe ONL ies Gilt SON ON, stoke a0‘ a Moma. Bed THOTHOVETCEST!BE6T? I76T “OVOT!G€6l ee6l, TVOI? OVEL! GCOl* BESL? uoreoop? sepoadg © ON peep Seed], ‘spoTTty SdepeeT jueran5* peTTty sstm} quezing : : : 4°Td sc em re na ae ns ee ee SOV: - a) [fe —=e More on habits of Hylurgoninus rufives (Kich.).--Accumulated data, supplemented by additional information obtained this year by R. T. Webber, tend to corroborate vrevious observations that most H. rufipes pass the Winter as aduits. Soring emergence varies considerably from year to year. In 1941 adults were first observed on April 14 and stragglers continued to issue up to June 15. The height of emergence was during the period May 1-25. Upon emergence, the overwintering adults immediately seek breed- ing material and give rise to vrogenyv, most of which hibernete as adults in normal elms. The emergence of adults of this first generation ranges over a long veriod. First emergence was noted on July 14 and adults are oresumably continuing to issue (September 24) from material attacked on May 2. dJudging from a limited amount of samoling, certain individuals will evidentl- pass the winter as larvae. Since the earliest emerging adults of the first generation will produce progeny when held-in confinement, probably a cartial second generation may occasionally occur in the field Ordinarily, however, most adults from this first generation go to normal This is clear from a living elms, rather than to elm breeding material. large-scale exoeriment involving several thousand beetles thet had a choice between approximately 100 normal elms and an amount of attractive breeding meterial. The beetles made comparatively little attempt at reproduction in the breeding material, but fairly swarmed to the°normal living elms, fre- quently boring in or making their bark cells in wood 3/4 inch @ mre in diameter. some results of fumigation of elm bark—beetle larvae.—-R. R. Whitten states that all tests were conducted in July 1941 at the Bureau's quaran-— tine station at Hoboken, N. J., through the cooperation and assistance of Bul G. G. Becker, of the Division of Foreign Plant Quaranbines, and J. W. of the Division of Control Investigations. After treatment the material was reared at the Morristown, N. J., forest-insect laboratory. fumigated consisted of 4-foot elm logs infested with approximately half- grown larvae of Scolvtus multistriatus and H. rufipes. in each test and 5 untreated logs were held under similar conditions as ‘checks. Trestments were made in 50- and 100-cubic-feot fumigation chambers during a time when the air temperature registered 88 F. So barked end the bark—beetle galleries were counted. Re hw y The material Five logs were used In September each log was carefully examined for bark-—beetle-emergence holes and was then Notes were also made on the presence of any living bark—beetle larvae. Data and results on fumigat- ing the larvae with hvcrocyanic acid gas am methyl bromide are presented in the following table. ‘ co Dosage +°: : Chamber > bark—beet ver 1,000 :Exnosure :vacuum a Cue. Etsy 2 : ne Pounds. + Hours og MEG es Sie PE Number : Number HoN———— ——_-: tO : 2.0) : 30 : 146 SPSS) CH, Br—-—-—— : ae : PEO) ; @) : 132 so 3r7, ee : 1.5 : AIS 8) : 30 : 114 paral’) Do--— -: Se : Dat) : O : (ak : 9 Do-----: 30 : en) : 30 : 14 oS Do--~—-: 560 : AS) E 0 : Dy = 5 Check s--——- : 7 = : — aS —— : 13 Ss ay ; Mans; liwe hark=-heetle larnma fPnaind jn twn Ince Tot al * 2 le galleries Es ee ‘Be multistriatis:H. Fas -beetl rufipes: emergence IH e © SIS) (OS) LO) S) fe | | as ps No serious defoliation by ituropean spruce sawfly in 1941.-- P. B. Dowden, of the New Haven, Conn., laboratory, reports as fol- lows on the pvresent status of the Huropean spruce sawfly: "During 1941 there has been oractically no defoliation by Gilpinia polytoma Htg. in southern New Hamoshire and southern Vermont. In the areas severely defoliated previously it now is difficult to find living cocoons, and on the outskirts of these areas the infestation has re- mained very light. State entomlogists in Maine have reported larval disease as common in the northern part of the State, with a conse- quent reduction in infestation. In eastern Maine there has been little change from 1940, with gererelly light to medium infestations. In central Maine (Katahdin section) and western Maine (Rangeley sectim) there have been roderate increases in infestation at a number of points. Notwithstanding the reduction in infestatio at many of the areas fornerly defoliated severely, there are still a number of places) where a moderate infestation versists. Many of these are in old growth stands, notably Cornell Mountain, in the Catskills of New York, Green Peak and Mount Eauinox in southern Vermmt, and the Scott's Bog area of Pittsburg in northern New Hamoshire. The infestation at Deer Moun- tain, in Pittsburg, N. H., on the other hand, has decreased noticeably since last year. A light infestation also persists in a number of plantations in New York State." Severe outbreak of the saddled vrominent in New Hamoshire.--J. V. Schaffner, Reiir ol New . Haven, reports on the results of a recent survey of infestations of Heterocampa guttivitta (Walk.) in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. During July and August reoorts were received from S. H. Boomer, assistant oathologist, of the Division of Plant Disease Control, North Conway, N. H., and V. S. Jensen, silviculturist, of the United States Forest Service, Bartlett, N. H., concerning severe infestations of this insect and the areas being defoliated. Through the courtesy of the White Mountain Airport officials, Mr. Boomer was able to flv over some of the mountains the first week in Augist to see the extent of the defoliation in that area. He estimated that same 4,000 acres of beech, maple, and birch were from 90- to 100-pvercent defoliated, and as much or more about 30-percent defoliated. w#xtensive defoliated arees were lo- cated on the eastern side of North Mote up to about 2.000 feet elevation; the top and northwest side of white Horse Ledge; re and southern slopes of Attitash; the south side of Iron Mountain, extending up to limits of the hardwoods; the north side of Bartlett Haystack; patches on the north side of Kearsarge and the southern side of Spruce Mountain; the north and west sides of Cathedral Ledge; and some on Table Mountain and Thorn Mountain. The insect passes the winter in the vuval stage in the duff beneath the trees and it is subject to heavy mortality by rodents and predaceous insects, particularly Calosoma frigidum Kby. Through the cooveration of the Forest Service, several areas were examined in Septem- ber to studv the injurv, to obtain data on the voresent status of the in- festation, and to collect pupae for parasitization records. It was dif— ficult to collect large numbers of pupae in the areas examined, partly because of the large number already destroyed. An average of 59 percent See of the pupae nad been destroyed by predators in each of three areas ex- amined, while in another area 91 percent had been destroyed. In 1 sec- tion of a rodent burrow, not more than 2 feet in length, the remains of 17 pupae vhich had been eaten, were found. In the areas observed where the trees were 100-percent defoliated only a very small number showed any degree of refoliation prior to September 23. GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL Field. conditions excellent for gypsy moth work.—-Although frosts of varying intensity - occurred dur ing September, ¢ particularly in the northern part of the area, most crops apparently suffered little damage and tree foliage was not thinned out appreciably. The prolonged dry period provided excellent conditions for most tyxves of gypsy moth work, but also resulted in the development of a severe fire hazard in the wood- lands. It has not been nossible to burn accumulated brush piles, anda continuation of the dry weather may necessitate the banning by State authorities of all persons from the woodlands. This would seriously in- terfere with gyosv moth field work. Property owners in barrier zone area visited by cooperation of- ficial.--On September 5 and o, J. C. Holton, who is in charge of co- operative field reletions for the Bureau, made a field trip through the Massachusetts am Connecticut portions of the gypsy moth barrier zone. Contacts were made with the ovmers of poroperty where selective thinning of favored food species and gypsy moth spraying work was done at in- fested sites during previous years. These proverty owners have coovera-— ted satisfactorily with the gypsy moth poroject, and fully appreciate the effort being made to prevent the westward spread of the insect. Few able-bodied men available for gyosy moth work in Connecticut.-—- The employment situation is particularly difficult in Connecticut, owing to the large amount of Defense work in orogress in that State. Many of the men assigned to gypsy moth work are aged and physically unable to per- form scouting work. Of the able-bodied men assigned, many fail to report and others leave after a short period to enter vrivate industry. Brush-disposal machines at work in Connecticut and Massachusetts.- Large quantities of brush and other waste wood accumulated as a result of gypsy moth th inning operations in Sharon Township, Litchfield County, Conn., during the fiscal year 1941 were reduced to chips and coarse sawdust in September by a brush-disposal machine developed by this activity. Dust rising from a nearby dirt road had settled on the brush, and the gritty particles cuickly dulled the cutting knives. As several sets of blades are available for use, delays were confined to the time recuired to remove the dull blades and renlece them with a sharp set. The dull blades were formerly ground at some nearby machine shop, at considerable exvense and inconvenience, but they are now sharpened quickly and economically on an automatic grinder recently installed at the Greenfield, Mass., repair shop. The work in Sharon was completed abat the middle of Sentenber and the ecuipment was moved to State property in the neighboring township of Corn— wall, where large cuantities of brush had accumulated. Another similar machine was operated in the town of Sandisfield, Berkshire County, Mass., during the month. (= Advance information as to future movenent of forest vroducts.— Information has been obtained b> regul ar field supervisors concerning the areas where spruce boughs will be cut, beginning abait October 15, in southern Vermont and in Berkshire County, Mass. These boughs are oressed into bales weighing approximatel, 100 pounds, and are shipped in lafge cuantities to urban areas vhere they are used to cover graves and flower beds, and for holiday decorations. Similar information was obtained from operators end shivvers relative to the probable origin and volume of sawlogs, lumber, pnulowood, and similar forest products likely to be transoorted from infested areas in the gvosy moth barrier zone to uninfested localities outside of the zone. This information will enable the olanning of gyosy moth work so that such areas may be scouted in ad-— vance of the harvesting and logging overations, while conditions are favorable for the examination of the tree growth, and will permit the destruction of any gypsy moth infestations that may be present. MIndica-— tions point toward increased activity in both industries, and a consid— erable movement of forest products from the gyosy moth infested area is anticivated. Large gps" moth infestation found in Berkshire Vounty.—-Gypsy moth scouting oe in Massachusetts “‘orogressed “slovly during September, be- cause onl? a small force of inexverienced men was available. An infesta- tion compasn ing several hundred egg clusters was discovered in Richmond Townshin, adjacent to the New York State line, in Berkshire County. The known infested area covers cbait 5 acres, but the outside limits have not vet been reached. A number of g7psy moth pudae were found and destroyed at this oe ae during the first week in September, although very few vuvae are normally found after the midcle of August. Evidence of heavy jarval am oupal mortality found in Hampshire County.--A “revort » from the town of Cummington , , which borders the barrier zone in Harmshire Count~, Mass., states that the workers are finding that. most ofthe gos moth egg clusters located in that section are old, rather than new. This definitely demonstrates that there was a heavy mortalit: of gypsy moth larvae and pupae this season in the section scouted, although this condition probably does not prevail throughout iamoshire County. : : zone eee aes numbers of olilon ae eae ee aerectiee apple trees were cut cown by W. P. A. gypsy moth employees at infested sites in the Massachusetts barrier zme area. Many thorn avple trees were also re- moved. The destruction of these trees will not only facilitate future scout ing and control work, but will also eliminate two vericties of tree growth whose foliage is greatly favored by the gypsy moth. Apple picking and lumbering reduce available man power.—-The Vermont State imployment Service found it necessary to assign most of the W. P. A. workers carried on the gvpsv moth pay roll to apple picking in same sec-— tions of Vermmt. This action compelled the temporary suspension of W. P. A. gypsy moth work in Bennington County, a drastic curtailment of activity in Rutland County, and lesser reductions in other sections early in September. The anole oicking did not progress as rapidly as had been nS anticivated, as the labor shortage necessitated the employment of in- exoerienced men, but most of the W. P. a. emolovees should be returned to gyosy moth work soon ESEE October 1. One small group of apple pickers resumed gvosy moth work in Addison Uounty near the end of Sep- tember. Additional men are nesded in Orleans County, where much scout-— ing work remains to be dme. Although this section is not located in the apole-growing area, increased demands for labor in the lumbering industry is reducing the number of men available for gypsy mth work. New _gvosy moth infestation found in Addison County.-—-A crew of gular gyps7 moth emplovees recently discovered a woodland infesta- tion in a stand of mixed hardwoods in Salisbury Townshio, Addison County. Oni three new egg clusters were found, but dense foliage on the ocak trees, which are very abundant in the area, vcrevented a satis— factory examination of the stand at that time. Close scouting of the area will be done after the leaves have fallen. Forest Service cooverates in gypsy mth scouting work. —-At a con— — ference in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., "seca | by A. F. Burgess, Ca Davis, W. H. Hanley, and A. J. Pruett, of this Bureau; Stanley Mesavage, in- dustrial forester for the Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce; and FR. D. Forbes and Clement Mesavage, of the Allegheny Forest ixperiment Station of the United States Forest Service, arrangements were mace for the in- struction of W. P. A. men emoloved by the Forest Service and engaged in a svecial survey in the gvosv moth infested area of Pennsylvania in how and where to look for the gvosy moth, and for them to report any evi- Genes ot the ansec, they mieht find in the course of their work to the zvosy moth suboffice in Wilkes-Barre. This arrangement will continue for an indefinite period, provided the Forest Service officials do not find the additional cost of doing the work excessive. Mr. Pruett, who is thoroughly exnerienced in gyps7 moth vork and has an extensive knowledge of forestry practi ces, has been assigned to instruct the men in gypsy moth coe methods. N. ¥. A. crews verform cleaning work in infested areas.—-N. Y. A. crews assigned to gvpsv moth work in Luzerne County were engaged in picking up, examining, and oiling deadwood in infested areas during Sep- tember. Im one area in Jenkins Township, where this type of work is in progress, large quantities of treetonvs and limbs remain after the cutting of mine props last vear. The burnin= of these piles of debris will be delared until the ovening of the deer-hunting seasm on December 1, as this is one of the few localities in the tovmship where gypsy moth work cen be verforned safely at that time. Under existing conditions it would be extremely diffimlt to scout this area and apply effective treatment work, and it is estimated that the removal of the treetops am limbs will reduce by at least 50 percent the cost of future scaiting and treatrent work. Scouting work begun at assembling cage sites.—-The work of removing eypsy moth assembling cages out out in the Pennsylvania area last summer was completed early in Sevtember, and check-un work was begun at the sites of the cages where male gyosy moths were found. The preliminary work in- cludes a rough examination of the area in the immediate vicinity of the cages in an effort to locate the infested sites cuickly am economically. =[6= If the infestations cannot readil- be found by this method, intensive work must be performed later in order to determine definitely whether a gypsy moth infestation is actually present in.the region. W. P. A. gvosy moth work resumed in Pemsylvania.—-w. P. A. em plorees assigned to gypsy moth work in Pennsylvania began reporting for duty on September 9, and approximately 500 men were employed by the end of the month. Very few of the men have had previous gypsy moth experi-— ence, and there was a serious shortage of men qualified for the skilled grade. No men were available in Wayne or “onroe Counties, where a large amount of gypsy moth work is planned for the current year, and work in those counties will entail the transportation of crews for long distances fror: the source of labor supply in adjacent counties. Many of the regular emoloyees who took their vacations during the period P. A. gyosy moth was susoended, had returned to duty by the mid- eptember and assisted in organizing and training the new crews. | dle of 5S Scouting begun along Susquehanna and Lackawanna riverbanks .-——Gypsy moth scouting along the banks of the Susquehamna and Lackawanna Rivers was begun by several crews about the middle of September. Tree growth, driftwood, and rubbish along the course of the rivers, from the vicinity of the city of Scranton to Hanover Townshin, in Luzerne County, is care-— fully examined each year during periods of low water in order to exter- Minate any gypsy moth infestetions that may be present, and thus prevent the transportation downstream of egg clusters or warts of egg clusters by later high water. Clean-uv work started at large gyosy mth infestation in South Canaan.--A crew of unskilled W. P. A. workers commenced rough creosoting and brush cutting at a gyosy moth infestation in South Canaan, Wayne County, during the latter part of September. A large percentage of the egg clusters found were old, their appearance indicating a normal emer— gence of cateroillars during the past larval season. Beavers flood large area in Wayne County.--Eeaver colonies are abundant in some sections of the Pennsylvania area where gypsy moth work is emducted. A crew scouting in Cherry Ridge Township, wayne County, recently discovered a flooded area, several acres in extent, in which some of th trees were dead. Two new dams were responsible for the flood, while evidences of 6 old dams were found in the same general lo- cality, and the number of dead trees indicated that beavers had been oresent for-several years. The scouting of a large number of trees in this area was necessarily deferred until the freezing of the water and boggy ground. C. C. gyosy moth work discontinued.——During the first week in September all C. C. C. gypsy mth work east of the barrier zom that has been done under the supervision of this Bureau, was discontinued because of a severe reduction in the number of camos and the necessity of reduc-— ing the cost of suvervision within the remaining camps, vhich resulted in the termination of employment of the remaining C. C. C. gyssy moth fore- men. This cooperative work was started during the summer of 1933 and continued for more than 8 years. At the peak of operations gypsy moth Ati work was done from 50 different camps located in Connecticut, Massa- chusetts, Vermont, and a few along the western border of New Hampshire, by as many as 2,300 enrollees. Such an extensive program was not main- tained for a long period, owing to reductions in the C. C. C. personnel, and the great bulk of the work was performed between the Connecticut River and the eastern edge of the barrier zme. The work that has been dore is helpful not only locallybtalsoto the barrier zone itself, by decreasing the intensity of gypsy moth infestations just east of the zone and reducing the danger of westward spread of the insect. During the early part of this period all of the work was hand labor, such as scouting, creosoting, chopping, and turning, but increasing emphasis | was later placed on the thinning of infested woodlands to reduce the percentage of favorable gyosy moth food plant growth. In many instances the woodlands were Jeft in an improved condition and much less suscep-— tible to gycy moth increase. The practice of burlapping trees at the sites of infestations, which is one of the control methods used ex- tensively in earlier work, was revived because of the absence in the C. C, C. of spraying equipment, and this type of work proved very ef- fective in reducing the intensity of gypsy moth infestations. A lim- ited amount of spraying equipment was made available for C0. CG. C. work by the State of Connecticut and by this Bureau during the last 3 years. Gypsy moth work accomplished by the C. C. C.--During the period of slightly more than 8 years that C. C. C. gypsy moth work was performed, approximately 1,127,000 6-hour man-days were used and, based on 240 work- ing days per year, a daily average of approximately 550 enrollees was distributed from northern Vermont to Long Island Sound. A gross acreage of over 3,607,000 acres of woodland was examined, and treatments were ap- plied at the sites of many of the mst dangerous infestations. Nearly 6,000,000 isolated trees were examined, approximately 35,000 of which were removed. Thinning was done on avproximately 23,000 acres. Over 25,160,000 gypsy moth egg clusters were destroyed, and men patrolling burlap bamis crushed approximately 48,500,000 caterpillars and pupae. The figures for egg clusters and gypsy mth larvae and pupae destroyed were obtained by actual counts in areas of light infestation and from esti- mates where the infestatims were heavy. Siightly over 11,000 enrollees worked on the project. PLANT DISEASE CONTROL Plans for fall and winter work in lowa.--D. R. Shepherd, in charge of barberry eradication in Iowa, in summarizing plans for fall and winter work says that survey will be continued in Allamakee, Cerro Gordo, Dubuque, Howard, Linn, Winneshiek, and Worth Counties and some work will be done in Jones, Shelby, and Guthrie Counties. The original plan of work for 1941 has been changed considerably in that laborers have not always been available in the counties where we originally planned to work. OQther changes have been necessary because of the type of laborers available. It is particularly noticeable that the men available for the skilled jobs are not of the caliber of the foremen employed during the last few years. -18- This trouble will be overcome to a certain extent by keeping experi- enced crews on longer and working them in adjoining counties. When-— ever possible, experienced foremen will be transferred to other coun-— ties. In counties where only enough men are available for one crew, the unit has been set up with an experienced foreman in charge. Sev- eral such units are placed under the direction of a supervisor. This is considered desirable, however, a when experienced foremen have charge of the individual units. Survey work completed in Muskingum County, Ohio.—-An intensive survey of Muskingum County just completed has brought to light many properties infested with barberry bushes which were not found some years ago, when a preliminary farm-to-farm inspection was made. The records show that more than 1,500 bushes have been destroyed on 30 properties. Four of these properties were in cities and towns and 26 were in the country. Eighteen of the 26 rural properties had wild bushes growing on them. The original farm-to-farm survey, made some years ago, resulted in the eradication of about 500 bushes on 44 prop- erties, 280 of which were located in cities and towns. During the survey just completed these old properties were rechecked and 25 per- cent of the city locations and 33 percent of the rural locations had additional bushes. In commenting on the survey of this county, Harry Atwood, State leader, points out that many of the infested properties found as a result of the intensive survey were located at some dis-— tance from traveled highways, and that in many instances the bushes were found growing around abandoned farm buildings, with not even a lane leading to the site. Some of these locations were planted 50 to 60 years ago. Germination of old Ribes seeds.--In the course of Ribes-seed germination work at Berkeley, Calif., ©. R. Quick reports that a num- ber of old seed samples acquired from herbarium specimens in the Spokane blister rust control office were tested for viability. Six- teen seed samples of various western Ribes species, which were 17 years old, were tested and seedlings were produced from 14 samples. The species showing germination were Ribes aureum, R. lobbii, R. ni- veum, R. odoratum, R. petiolare, R. setosum, R. viscosissimum, and R. watsonianum. One sample of R. cereum seed, collected in Nevada in 1912, and therefore 27 years old at the time of viability test, gave 4-percent germination (1 seedling from 24 seeds). So far as the writer is aware, this test extends by several years the known longevity of Ribes seeds in the laboratory. Soils expert confers on blister rust ecological studies.——During a recent visit to the western white pine region, Robert Chandler, soils professor of Cornell University, inspected the Ribes ecology experi- mental work conducted by V. D. Moss. In company with r. Moss and Mr. Wellner of the #xperiment Station, Professor Chandler spent considerable time examining Mr. Moss' extensive plot studies of the germination and development of Ribes and white pines under various conditions of ex- posure and soil treatment. Very helpful discussion and advice on many of the finer voints regarding the soils, concerning which Professor Chandler is an authority, resulted from the trip. 2 10— Control work delaved by excessive rain.--Rrolonged and unusually heavy rains from August 15 to September 15 in the western vhite pine region have greatly imoeded the progress of control wrk. This wet weather, together with other extensive periods of rain this season, has resulted in an unusually large amount of nonwork time, difficulty in holding labor, and a severe cut in total production. In several in- stances the projected accomplishment for a camp will not be reached and small unvorked areas will be left for completion next year. Careful plaming of the work, however, has resulted in the location of many of these small units, so that they can be reached readily in connection with the working of new units in 1942. Blister rust exhibit.—-An interesting and attractive blister rust display at the Hastern States Exposition at West Springfield, Mass., was arranged by R. E. Wheeler, in charge of blister rust control in the Springfield district. The display consisted of a central panel with de- scriptive signs. In the center a cmcealed motorscope was used to show a series of lmtern slides depicting the life cycle of the fungis. On each side of the central panel were placed in realistic fashion, a number of infected pines, ranging from small saplings showing young infection to pole-sized trees with typical stem cankers. Red arrows with the legend, "This Is a Blister Rust Canker," were affixed to the trees and directed _ toward the cankers involved. Among the trees were planted a representa-— tion of the Ribes native to the area, each labeled as to species. Skunk currants were featured along the edges of a miniature brook bottom. The entire exhibit was enclosed by a miniature stone wall and barway. The attendance at the exposition reached an all-time record during the first 2 days, with more than 81,000 on Sunday and more than 76,000 on Monday. Western white pine mav produce false internode and growth ring in 1941.—-Evidence of the effect of an unusual amount of moisture during the 1941 growing season is to be found in the terminal buds of western white pine which have suddenly "taken off" on another growing spree. This was observed early in Seotember on young pines ranging up to about 20 years in age, which had terminal bud growth up to 2.5 inches in length. The growth is very succulent and could, with favorable fall weather, continue until a definite false internode and growth ring are produced. There is also the possibility that a sudden hard freeze will not only nip the new growth but damage the buds sufficiently to cause delay and possible damage to the 1942 development. No rust development found in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.—-Scouting work late in July and early in Augist in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and on adjacent National Forest areas faled to disclose blister rust infection. It is now 4 years since a single Ribes infection was found about 19 miles northwest of Yellowstone Park and it now appears that the long-distance spread of 1937 was very insignificant in this locality and that no pine infection resulted. This supposition is based on failure to find the rust after a thorough examination of thous— ands of Ribes petiolare bushes and several hundred white-bark and limber pine in major drainages of the area. The results are interpreted to mean that this part of the northwestern region is still the invasion front and not an area where the initial rust intensification stage has been reached. =I@= COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Cutting cotton stalks for boll weevil control.—-The early fall de- struction of cotton stalks has been recommended by the Bureau for many years as one of the most effective measures for reducing boll weevil damage the following vear. Weevils usually continue to feed and miltiply until the cot- ton plants are killed by frost or are cut dow. #xtensive hibernation ex Deriments have shown that the survival of weevils is mich greater when food is available until late in the season than when food is removed early, caus— ing them to go into hibernation in poor cmdition. In some instances more than 20 times as many weevils thet had food until November 15 survived as when food was cut off October 15. Following the unusually severe weevil losses this year, the Bureau, in cooperation with the Extension Service and other Federal and State agencies, is sponsoring an intensive program of stalk destruction. The Director of Extension Work has requested extension workers in the Cotton States to take an active part in stimulating the adontion of recommended control measures and to make every reasonable effort to impress the growers with the importance of getting their stalks cut at the earliest possible date. M. P. Jones, extension entomologist, is visit— ing the various States to assist in any way he can and at the same time ob- tain information concerning methods that may be helpful in other States. Wide ocublicity has been given the vrogram through the press and radio ser-— vices of the Devartment and information furnished State officials for local use. Posters have been displayed at gins in North Carolina and county agents in several States have sent out one or more special letters. Dry weather has caused early maturity of the croo in States east of Texas and Oklahoma and permitted the crop to be picked and the stalks cut early. The cotton leaf worm has also helped in bringing about early maturity of the crop in many areas. It has reached all of the cotton-graving States except California, but for some unknown reason it has not become abundant enough in the Atlantic Coast States to cause extensive. defoliation of cotton, as in the other States. Reports received to date indicate that good vrogress is being rade in cutting stalks in same States. A survey by Bureau repre— sentatives during the first week of October in South Carolina, where weevil damage was extremelv heavy this year, showed that more than 25 percent of the stalks had been cut on 657 farms in 9 counties. From 10 to 15 percent of the stalks were resorted cut in the Mississippi Delta. In some States a shortage of cotton pickers and other farm work has delayed stalk cutting to some extent. Insecticides for boll weevil and cotton aphid.—-H. W. Dunnan, Stoneville, Miss., reoorts recent investigations with insecticides on cotton insects. In boll weevil and cotton aphid control experiments the aphid populations increased following the use of insecticides in the fol- lowing order: (1) Calcium arsemte; (2) calcium arsenate-sulfur 1-1; (3) calcium arsenate-sulfur 1-1 and derris to make % percent rotenone in the mixture; (4) calcium arsenate-derris (4 percent rotenone in the mixture); (5) tale-derris (4 percent rotenone in the mixture). The boll weevil — infestation did not reach damaging proportions until the crop was set, and boll damage did not occur in plots dusted with arsenicals. The pH of cot-— ton-leaf cell sap was considerably higher and the leaf drop was heavier oye following dusting with insecticides containing arsenicals than in the un- treated controls or when dusted with tale and derris. The results of another test to determine the effect on the aphid population of adding zine and iron salts to calcium arsenate to reduce the pH were not very promising. Sufficient quantities of the dry salts were added to neutra-— lize the calcium arsenate but the chemical reaction that occurred caused the alkalinity to increase before the materials were used. The pH of the materials used am the average seasmal number of aphids per square inch of leaf area were as follows: Untreated control, 5.6 aphids per square inch; calcium arserate with low water-soluble arsenic and pH of 11.00, 15.5 aphids; calcium arsenate with intermediate water-soluble arsenic and pH of 12.15, 13.6 aphids; copper hydro-arsenate, pH of 7.96, 12.5 aphids; calcium arsenate with low water-soluble arsenic and zine chloride, with oH of 7.75, 10.9 aphids; calcium arsenate with intermediate water-soluble arsenic and zine sulfate, with pH of 8.20, 10.8 aphids; calcium arsenate with intermediate water-soluble arsenic and ferrous sulfate, with pH of 10.380, 9.5 aphids; a commercial brand of calcium arsenate in which a zinc salt was incorporated in the process of manufacture, with a pH of 9.60, 9.3 aphids. The addition of the zinc and iron salts to the arsenicals reduced the leaf shed ard caused the plants to appear healthier. The boll weevil infestation in squares did not exceed 6 percent in any plot and was too light to determine the effect of the insecticides on this insect. The heaviest yield was from the control plot, but there was no significant difference between the yields from the treated plots and that from the control. The effect of fertilizer on cotton leaf aphids.—-Observations during recent years have indicated that leaf aphids were more abundant on cotton following cover crovs and where nitrogenous fertilizers were used than on unfertilized land. In a test conducted by R. L. McGarr at State College, Miss., this season, the average seasonal aphid populations on dusted and undusted cotton, fertilized with different percentages of nitrogen, were as follows: No fertilizer and no calcium arsenate, 0.91 aphid per square inch of leaf surface; no fertilizer and caicium arsenate dust, 6.05 aphids; 0:8:4 fertilizer and calcium arsenate dust, 6.75 aphids; 2:8:4 fertilizer -and calcium arsenate dust, 8.34 aphids; 4:8:4 fertilizer and calcium ar- senate dust, 8.88 aphids; 6:10:4 fertilizer and calcium arsenate dust, 9.76 aphids; 6:10:4 fertilizer and no calcium arsenate, 1.07 aphids. It appears from these results that the use of fertilizer caused no appreciable increase in the number of aphids when calcium arsenate was not used, but that aphids increased roughly in proportion to the amount of nitrogen in the fertilizer when calcium arsenate dust was applied to the plots. Egg parasites of the conchuela and Say's stinkbug at Presidio, Tex.-- During 1941 the conchuela (Chlorochroa ligata Say) and Say's stinkbug (Chlorochroa sayi Stal) have been abundant and have caused noticeable dam- age to cotton and other crops in the vicinity of Presidio. On August 14 L. W. Noble and W. L. Lowry collected from grain sorghum 176 eggs of G. li- gata and 123 eggs of C. sayi. These were placed in petri dishes and para~ sites emerged from 94.3 percent of the C. ligata eggs and from 94:9 percent of the C. sayi eggs. All of the parasites reared from C. ligata were deter-— mined by C. F. W. Muesebeck as Telenomis mesillae (Ck11.). Most of the i351) parasites reared from the eggs of C. savi were also determined by Mr. Muesebeck as T. mesillae, but 30 other parasites from these eggs were determined by A. B. Gahan as Ooencyrtus californicus Gir. PINK BOLLWORM AND THURBERIA WEEVIL CONTROL Gin-trash inspection.--One of the most important operations look-— ing to the control and eradication of the pink bollworm throughout the United States, with which this Division is charged, is the annual in- svection of gin trash, in order to obtain data on the status of infesta- tion or soread of the insect into new areas. Inspection was continued during September in all regulated counties in south Texas. In Cameron County, in the lower Rio Grande Valley, where infestation was heaviest in that region last season, 8 additional pink bollworms were fund, making a total of 23 so far this season. One larva was found in the Quemado Valley near Eagle Pass, in Maverick County. Reinfestation had previously been established this season not far from this point at Hl Indio, in the same county. Inspection in all other south Texas counties was negative during September. At the beginning of the last week in September inspec— tion crews began operations in Tom Green and Concho Counties, in the Pan- handle regulated area, but no specimens had been found at the close of the month. Outside of regulated counties in Texas, inspection was con- centrated in central, northeastern, and southeastern cotton—-growing areas, no infestation being found. Inspection of gin trash was begun in the Salt River Valley of Arizona on September 15, and during the period of in- spection 58 pink bollwarms were found, all of which originated in the same spot near Glendale, in Maricopa County, where a light infestation existed last season. This find was not unexpected, as a clean-up campaign under-— taken for that area at the close of the 1940 crop was abandoned on account of excessive rainfall throughout that winter and early spring. Inspection of trash was conducted throughout September in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; also, during the latter half of the month, in Louisiana and Oklahoma. At the em of September no pink bollworms had been found in any of these States. Gin-trash inspection in Mexico, in cooperation with Mexican inspectors, was comoleted at Anahuac am Honterrey, Nuevo Leon, and at Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. Result of the season's work in that part of Mexico was the finding of 1 pink bollworm at Anahuac. Last season 37 larvae were found at Anahuac and 3 at Nuevo Laredo. . Stalk destruction.--In the program for combating the pink bollworm in the south Texas regulated area and adjacent cotton-growing areas of Mexico, an attempt is made to have all stalks destroyed as soon as the crop is picked out. Owing to unfavorable growing conditions throughout the present season, the cotton crop in south Texas was several weeks later than usual, and only a comparatively small acreage was available for cleaning at the beginning of September. Also, a serious shortage of cotton pickers has existed in that region, owing principally to the poor yield. These condi- tions, together with adverse weather throughout practically all of Septem- ber, resulted in stalks being destroyed on only about half the acreage in the lower Rio Grande Valley counties by October 1, the deadline established by the State for completion of such work in that area. At the end of Sep— tember avvroximatelv 200 extensions had been granted individual farmers in order to allow them to complete the harvesting of their crops. In the other alpat. south Texas counties the deadline for completion of stalk destruction is October 15. It was estimated that from 75 to 90 percent of the cotton crop had been harvested in those counties at the end of September, and fairly good progress was being made in clean-up work, from 50 to 75 per- cent of the stalks being destroyed in some of the counties, and a good many additional farmers starting work toward the close of the month. On account of flood conditions in the Matamoros area of Mexico during the latter half of Sentember, not a great deal of progress was made in the stalk-—destruction work; however, it is believed that a vast acreage of stalks will be killed by existing conditions. In the Reynosa area, on higher ground, about 40 percent of the stalks had been cut at the end of the month, and ebout 50-cercent in the Mier area. In the other cotton- growing areas of Mexico adjacent to south Texas not so much progress had been made on account of the lateness of the crop. TRUCK CROP AND GARDEN INS&CT INV2STIGATIONS Como Ton aris thrips by sprays and-dusvus.——On July 2, L2G. Utter and Floyd F. Smith, the latter assigned to duty at the Beltsville, Md., laboratory, concluded field experiments for 1941 at Brooklyn and Farming- dale, N. ¥., in which thev compared 13 treatments against Bregmatothrips iridis Watson on plots containing several species of iris. (Although a number of iris species are attacked by this insect, greatest damage occurs on Japanese iris,) Hight applications were made during May and June, the period in which the plants rapidly develop vegetatively, and prior to flowering of the Japanese iris. An effective treatment will reduce the numbers of thrips end prevent their damaze to foliage and flowers. In these experiments derris vowders at rotenone contents of from 1-4,000 to 1-32,000 (with sodium oleyl sulfate resinous sticker 1-1,000) were highly effective, causing from to 99 to 100-percent reduction in populetion. A commercial derris extract (rotence Gover eet O52) tonl 25 lO)s) ated. derris dust (1 vercent rotenone) were almost equally effective, although breeding of larvae was not prevented. Nicotine sulfate (40 percent solu- tion) diluted 1-400 to 1-3,200 gave complete control in these tests. The commercial DN dust (1.7 percent dinitro-o-cyclohexyl phenol) killed only 66 percent of the thrips and severely injured foliage of Javanese iris. When a spray was made by using the ebove dust at the rate of 3 pounds per 100 gallons, 85 percent of the thrips were killed and no foliage injury re- sulted. A commercially prepared product containing 97.1 percent mannitan monolaurate, killed only 80 percent of the thrips, while the same material, but containing 1.0 percent of rotenone, gave 100-percent control. These results conform with those of vrevious years' work and further emphasize that derris and nicotine are the most effective thripicides for this species. The percentage reduction in thrips population was higher during 1941 than in previous years, apparently because fewer rains followed closely the ap- plication of the sprays and dusts. Although the derris and nicotine sprays are extremely effective against the iris thrips and in some plots even at— tained the point of eradication, they cannot be depended on to do this in actual vractice. Observations at Farmingdale, Long Island, N. Y., pointed to the importance of the need for a continued and regular spray program each year in order to check the damage by the iris thrips. Derris powder or nico- tine sprays hed been applied to a 2-acre volanting in 1940, which was practical-— ly free of thrips, and little injury was evident on the vigorous growth at 2a) = the end of the season. The growth in 1941 on the same plants was stunted, being from one-half to two-thirds the height of the growth the year before. The iris thrips had again become abundant throughout the planting and their typical injury was severe and general. No sprays had been applied in 1941. New method of using crude naphthalene against wireworms.—-A new method of mixing crude naphthalene with the soil to kill wireworms gave excellent results in a practical test this season by M. C. Lare and R, S. Lehman, of the Walla Walla, Wash., laboratory. The wireworm species concerned in this test were vrincipally the sugar beet wireworm (Limonius californicus Mann.) and the Pacific coast wireworm (L. canus Lec.), An acre of fire sandy loam soil was treated by evenly sprinkling 250 pounds of finely flaked crude naphthalene in front of a disk harrow before any plowing was done. This dosage of naphthalme was then plowed under before a second anplication of 250 pounds was sprinkled before the disk harrow. The quantity of crude naphthalene used totaled 500 pounds for the acre, but this method gave a better horizontal and a deeper verti- cal distribution of the material with the soil than has been obtained heretofore by placing 500 pounds per acre on the sides of the furrow at the time of olowing and attemoting to mix it with soil by a subsequent disking. The results obtained by the new method this season showed 72 percent of undamaged tubers in the subsequent planting of potatoes, as comoared to 37 vercent of undamaged tubers for the plowed-in treatment (furrows 18 inches apart) and 31 percent of undamaged tubers with the no- treatment check. The farmer received $82 per acre higher net profit where the double-disk method was used than with the no-treatment check, even after deducting S15 per acre for the cost of naphthalene. Cost of labor and machinery did not exceed $5 per acre additional for applying naphthalene by the double—disk method. Zinc sulfate a vossible safener for paris green on tobacco foli- age.--As the result of recent experiments, F. S. Chamberlin, of the Quincy, Fla., laboratory, reoorts that, although paris green exerts a relatively high toxicity against hornworms, principally Protoparce sexts (Johan.), and is used extensively in the southern cigar-tobacce region, the outstanding limitation of this poison is the serious burning hazard which accompanies its use. This factor has become of increasing impor- tance during the last several years, owing to the fact that both the snade and sun-grown tobaccos now produced are more susceotible to arsenical in- jury than were the varieties formerly grown. Although large quantities of paris green are still being used in the Florida-—Georgia tobacco-—growing area, the increased burning hazard is causing the growers to change to lead arsenate, which appears to be the only alternative. Paris green is applied to the crop in the undiluted form and in mixtures with hydrated lime. The mixture most commonly used consists of the poison and lime in the proportion: of 1 to 6. The lime has a tendency to reduce, but fails to eliminate, the foliage burning caused by the arsenical. In an attempt to reduce the paris green-lime injury, a number of powdered materials were incorporated in lots of the mixture which were tested on tobacco foliage. The weight proportions of each test mixture were as follows: Paris green, 1 part; hydrated lime, 5 parts; and corrective, 1 part. The effect of the | 2D 5 mixtures was obtained by determining the percentages of burned leaves and the severity of the injury on the tobacco plots. The results showed that only one of the materials, zinc sulfate, exerted an appreciable re- duction in the degree of burning caused by the paris green. In the case of the zinc sulfate the extent of burning was approximately one-half that sustained by the tobacco treated with the 1 to 6 paris green and lime mixture, indicating that this material has promise as. a safener for the arsenical on tobacco foliage. | Barly peak of beet leafhooper population on Russian—-thistle-in southern Idaho.--J. R. Douglass and his associates at Twin Falls, Idaho, laboratory, report that quantitative samoles taken throughout the season on Russian-thistle (Salsola vestifer A. Nels.) plots showed that the highest vopuletions of Hutettix tenellus (Bak.) recorded during the sum- Mersorel GA iwerer Fol, 5/34, 4220, 13.7, ‘and 1.4 per square foot on June 27, July 22, August 8, September 5, and October 2, respectively. These data show a gradual decrease in the beet leafhopper populatinns Since aporoximetely the middle of July. This indicates a comparatively good reproduction of the first summer generation of the insect on Russian- thistle. From information at hand, it is not cossible to determine the exact factors responsible for the poor reproduction of the second summer generation on Russian-thistle. The highest populations of beet leaf- hopoers recorded per month during the summer of 1940 on Russian-thistle were 10.4, 37.8, 42.6, 51.5, and 85.3 per square foot on June 28, July 16, August 13, September 13, and October 1, respectively. A comparison of the development of beet leafhopper populetions on hussian-thistle in 1940 with 1941 shows thet in 1940 there was a gradual increase in the popula- tion throughout the season, the peak being reached on October 1; whereas in 1941 the veak was reached on July 22, and subsequent to this there was a gradual decrease in population. > Two-spotted mite causing damage to lima beans.--R. EH. Campbell, of the Alhambra, Calif., laboratory, reports that in Orange County, Calif., the infestation of Tetranychus bimaculatus Harv. on lima beans has been very severe. About 1,000 acres was so badly damaged that no beans were harvested. An additional 1,000 acres was sufficiently damaged to cause 2)- to 50- percent reduction in the crop. The beans affected were the regular limas raised for dry beans. The infestation occurred in an area where lima beans have been grown for over 20 years; however, a few alfalfa fields have been started in the last few years to meet the needs of the dairy industry in Orange and Los Angeles Counties, which has expanded dur- ing recent years. The two-spotted mite develops on the alfalfa, but does not cause apparent damage to that crop. After the lima beans are planted, the mites migrate from the alfalfa to the beans, on which they develop and cause damage. According to reports received, every field of lima beans damaged by the two-spotted mite adjoins an alfalfa field. INSECTS AFFECTING MAN AND ANIMALS Fluorescent lights attractive to Clear Lake gnats.-—-A. W. Lindquist and C. C. Deonier report that daylight fluorescent lights attract up to nearly four times more gnats than do filament lamps of nearly equal lumen rating. When compared with filament lamps of three times greater lumen =IG— output and four times greater wattage consumption, the catch is about equal. Four 40-watt daylights, producing 5,920 lumens, attracted 141.3 pounds of gnats with an average of 10.8 grams per lumen am 343.1 grams per watt, while filament lamps prodicing 17,400 lumens took 115.7 pounds with an average of 3.0 grams per lumen and 52.5 grams per watt. The initial cost of fluorescent equipment is high bit the operating cost is 454 percent less than that of filament lamps. Dog fly control operations yieldi ood results.—-W. E. Dove re- ports that control operatims for the dog fly (Stomoxys) on the west coast of Florida, carried on in cooperation with the United States Public Health Service, have given a high degree of relief from this pest to those engaged in National Defense activities at Tyndll and Eglin Fields, as well as to local residents amd the livestock in the area. Most of the personnel, as well as spray rigs, tanks, and trucks for carrying on this operation, were made available to the project through the courtesy of the Division of Do- mestic Plant Quarantines. During September a total of 110,590 gallons of spray was applied on 159 lineal miles of windrows of bay grasses along the beaches, an average of 696.6 gallons per mile. During these operations opportunity was presmted to make field tests on (a) light gas condensate and fuel oil, (b) light gas cmdensate and water, (c) undiluted light gas condensate, (d) creosote md fuel oil, and ‘e) creosote and water. The re- sults show that both creosote and oil, and creosote and water are effective, and that light gas condensate is less satisfactory than either of the creo- sote mixtures Large~scale tests have shown that bay water can be substi- tuted for oil as a diluent for creosote, and this is considered the out-— standing research development during the control operations. By the use of water instead of oii, large savings can be made in any subsequent control program Pyrethrum extract deterioration by aging --W. V. King and R. C. Bush-— land, of th Orlamo, Fla., laboratory, report that in a comparison of two lots of pyrethrum extract concentrate, one obtained in 1934 and the other in 1941, the difference in mean mortality among mosquito larvae was only i2 percent in favor of the fresh sample, indicating mich less deterioration than expected of the old stock. The difference, however, was highly sig— nificant statistically, whereas no appreciable difference was found in a chemical analysis of the two samples or in Peet-Grady tests on houseflies. susceptibility of mosquito larvae to pyrethrum larvicides.—Hxperi— ments conducted by W. V. King showed that larvae of Pscrochhora columbiae D. & K. were less susceptible than larvae of Culex quinquetasciatus Say to pyrethrum larvicides. Pupae of P. columbiae appeared to be nearly as susceptible as the larvae of the same species, in the tests with an emul— sion of the 5-percent concentrate in fuei oil, but showed very little mor- tality from an emulsim of the straight concentrate. Sod-—samoling methods rot encouraging fa determination of mosquito- breeding areas.—-Studies by Mr. King and W. M. Wilson during the last season on egg infestations and natural breeding of species of Psorophora and Aedes in the vicinity of Orlando have been summarized. Flooding 0 records were obtained on a total of 2,471 sod samles and larvae were produced from 127, or 5.1 percent, of these. The average number of lar- vae per sample was 0.42, with an average of 8.2 per positive sod and a Maximum of 73 from 1 sample. Inspectims for larval breeding in the Same stations were made at about weekly intervals and for the 3 months of June, July, am August the mean larval density for all collections in which breeding was found was 25.9 per square foot (10 dips). The com parable rate for egg infestations, based on the positive collections, was 17.0 per square foot (20 samples). Medical entomology discussed before U. S. Army officers.-—At the invitation of the Army Medical School, F. C. Bishoppo gave an illustrated jJecture before a group of about 50 medical officers who were taking a special course in Tropical Medicine. This course is mw being repeated every 30 days for different groups of officers and Dr. Bishopp has been requested to participate in the course each mmth. Ticks resistant to submergence .—-Hxperiments reported on by C. N. Smith show that flat larvae and nymohs survived submergence in fresh or salt water for 1 day, adults for 5 days or mre. t&ngorged lar- vae and nymphs survived for 5 days in fresh water, and for 1 to 3 days in sait water. Parasites appear ineffective against American dg tick.—-In an area on Martha's Vineyard, Mass., where many tick parasites (Hunterellus hookeri How.) were released a few years ago, Mr. Smith finds that larvae were more numerous than ever, and nymphal abundance was relatively high. Adults, though less numerous this season than in some years, were still abundant. Effectiveness of dipping dogs for protection against dog tick.-—~-The fourth season of dipping in derris wash of all dogs in an area on Martha's Vineyard produced the usually satisfactory control on the dogs, reports Mr. Smith. The number of adult American cog ticks in the area dropped tc an extrene jow, indicating that this method had finally effected a sub- stantial reductim in tick abundance. Effect of vasture burning on American dog tick.--Studies conducted by Mr. Smith, Moses M. Cole, and Harry K. Gouck show that the meadow mouse, the principal tick host in the area, was absent from the burned area until August, but during this period white-footed mice were utilized as larval hosts. Larvae am nymphs were rot abundant at any time in either the burned or unburned portions. Many adult ticks were killed by the fire, as show by the fact that throughait the season they were less numerous in the burned than in the unburred portion, and in collections from areas partly or en- tirely burned they were less than in 1940, whereas in collections from areas entirely unburred they were equally abundant in both years. Incomplete but immediate control may, therefore, be expected from burning. Diking of marshes at Fort Pierce, Fla., continues to show good sand fly control.—-J. B. Hull and S. E. Shields report that, from 260 soil samples LOR collected from the undiked marshes during the quarter, 5,818 sand fly larvae were isolated. This is an average of 22.33 sand fly larvee per l-quart sample. From 260 samples collected the same dates from the diked marsh 1,l42 sand fly larvae were isolated, an average of 4.39 larvae per «- - 1-quart sample. An analysis of variance was calculated to determine whether the difference in the number of larvae found in diked and undiked marshes was significant. The F-value found was 13.46 and the F—value re-— quired was 3.86 for 5 vercent and 6.70 for 1 percent; therefore, the dif— ference in the breeding of sand flies in diked and undiked marshes was very highly sigmficmt during the last quarter. Creosote oii useful in spraying ditches in sand fly control:—Mr. Hull, reporting on work conducted at Fort Pierce, says: "During May a ditch in the diked pickleweed marsh was sorayed with creosote oil No. 1. This material kilied the oickleweed and thus far has kept it free of this growth, which normaliy clogs the ditch. The sand fly larvae population was greatly re— duced also. Two waste nroducts from a gas plant were tried as larvwicides. rs to be almst as good as creosote and is mech cheaper." Sleeving sickness (St. Louis ami western equine strains ) found in mosquitces.—-The temporary laboratory a tak ima, Wash., was closed on Sep- tember 1O and the field work of the encephalitis survey in that area was discontinued. The survey, which was un Mai 15, was a coooerative study of encephalitis in the Yakima Valley by the George Williams Hooper Founda-— ion for Medical Research of San Francisco, the State of Washington, the City of Yakima Health Laboratory, Washington State College, and the Bureau f Entomology and Plant Quarantine GC. M. Gjullin, of the Portiands-Greccs laboratory reoresented the Bureau in these studies. . Of the 7 men with head— quarters at the temporary laboratory, 3 devoted their @mtire time to obtain— ing blood samples of wild am aanesta coed birds am mammals in the valley. These samples were shipped to San Francisco and tested for immunity to the disease Two of the men using a specially constructed live trap and a New Ted trao in which dry ice was used as an attractant captured 14,000 live insects which were separated to species, frozen, and shipped to San Fran cisco at weekly intervals for inoculatio into mice. St. Lois virus was re— Covered arom 1 Lot of Culex tarsalis Coq. in 1 of these shipments, and from a later lot of the same species western equine virus was isolated. This is the first time the virus of these diseases has been recovered in mosquitces in nature. A paer discussing these findings has been submitted to Science. Six New Jersey traps were overated in Yakima Valley and 2 traps in adjacent areas diringe the season. The 20 species of mosquites taken in the traps or by other methods of collecting include Aedes vexans (Meig.), A. lateralis (Meda Ys aks dorsalis oy feig.), A. increpitus Dyar, A. campestris D. and Kay \ A. cinereus Meig., A. nigromamlis (Iudl. y, A. varipalpus (Coq.), A. Biaeees cens (Muller), Theobal dia inornata (Will.), T. incidens (Thomson), T. morsi-— tans (Theob.), EAS ime t ‘tiens s (Waik.), Culex tarsalis, C. stigmatosoma Dyar, Car Dense les (6, apicaiis . Adems , Anovheles punctivemnis (Say) A. raculi- pennis ; (Meig. 3 and Mansonia nepeirrate Walk. Numerical data have not been comoiled as yet; however, it is evidet that Culex tarsalis is by far the most numerous svecies in the valley. Of 60 different mosquito breeding places inspected at random in the Yakima Valley, $5 percent contained C. tarsalis la vae and in 60 percent of these breeding places this species was the most numerous. During the summer 27 human cases diagnosed as encephalitis occurred HAG). in the Yakima area and there were 4 deaths. The last case was reported on September 17. Between 40 and 50 cases of encephalitis occurred in un- Vaccum wed Nonses, in tre valley diring, the season. Distribution, abundance, and economic importence of mosquitoes at Portland.—-C. F. Knipling and W. W. Yates report that the population of floodwater mosquitces was probabl-, the lowest on record for the Portland, Oreg., area. his was due to the low flood crest which reached a maxi- mum of 9.6 feet this season, amd to the control operations by the county and+cibynqname MOsGuato pooulatim therefore continued, to’be low during this quarter. Of svecial interest, however, was the first recorded oc- currence of Mansonia perturbans in Oregon. A high population of this species was found in the vicinity of Scappoose, in Columbia County, late HiPvuly. some specimens Or this species were also taken in the mosquito light trap at Lotus Island, in Multnomah County. As high as 59 moscuitoes were taken in a 10-minute collection at Scappoose. Of this number, 53 were M. verturbans. Light-trap collections showed a high of 310 Mansonia in 1 night. Because of such high population, this mosquito mist be in- cluded among the species of economic importance in the Northwest. Ano- pheles mosquitoes appeared to be more numerous than usval in the Portland area. At Scavpoose a maximum of 254 were taken in 1 night, by far the highest number of Anooheles taken in light traps in the Northwest. Lar- val collections in the Cedar Creek area indicated Anopheles to be much more numerous than in other vears. A total of 36 cases of malaria were reported for the State of Oregon up to October 1, cases being revorted from 10 counties. Theobaldia morsitans was taken near Scappoose in Aug- ust, a new record for the State. Gulex stigmatosoma was found to be rather common, being taken at several points. FOREIGN PLANT QUARANTINES Living fruitfly found on window.--ii. Kostal, at doboken, revorts that on July 14 J. M. R. Adams found a living adult of Anastrepha chids from Venezuela had been inspected. This incident illustrates how an insect mav be introduced’ on or in material other than its real host. peamerosus b .onr ‘ialse ‘canker, ion Argentine )lemons.—-—Argeitine lemons in shins! stores examined in New York on May 17 and on September il were found to be diseased. Some iesios looked very much like qitrus can- ker. Anna B. Jenkins, of the Bureau of Plant Indistry, has determined the disease as "Cancrosis B," or "false canler," a South American citrus disease with symptoms similar to those of citrus canker. Apparently the pathogen has not vet been named, but is said to be a bacterium. Holly rust from new locality.—-while inspecting holly trees shipped in from Mocksville, N. C., for landscape wark in Washington, D. C., W. B. Wood found Chrysomyxa ilicina (EZ. & E.) Arth. on some of the leaves. This rare rust had not been resorted to ocmr anywhere excent in cmtral West Virginia. OG SE nee pods accompanying lesvedeza seed from Japan (see News Letter v. IV, No. 3, BG. assigned to the same species (Uromyces lesvedezae—procumbentis (Schw. ) Curt.) as the rust of American lesvedezas, the oriental s species of lesvedeza are immune to the rust that occurs here. A paver by Naohide Hiratsuka, the leading uredinologist of Japan (Trans. Tottori Soc. Agr. Sci. 7:63-79, Dec. 1940) entitled, "Studies on Uromyces lespedezae- procumbernt is in Japan," names 3 form species occurring there. A total of 21 hosts is listed but not all were included in inoculation tests, therefore it seems vossible that other forms exist in Jamin. The form svecies named are (1) U. macrolespedezae onzL. bicolor, L. bicolor var. japonica, L. buergeri, < homoloba, L. nikkoensis, and L. thunbergii; 2) U. lesvedezae—cuneatae on L. cuneata; and (3) U. le spe dezae—pilosae on L. pilosa. Aecia are said to occur early in the spring and were used in some of tle inoculation tests. No 2 of the rust forms infected any of the hosts tested. Entomological intercentions of interest.--Hight living larvae of the euribiid Anastrecha fraterculus (Wied. ) were intercepted at Baltimore on July 24 in grapefruit in “stores from Brazil. Two larvae of the Mexi- can fruitfly (Anastreoha ludens (Loew)) were found at Douglas, Ariz., on July 4 in mango in baggage from Mexico. Fifty-eight living and 33 dead larvae of the euribiid Anastrevha serpentina (Wied.) were found at Charles- ton on July 17 in mamey sapote in stores from Mexico. Five living larvae of the galleriid Aganactesis indecora Dyar were taken at New York in a pod of Cassia fistula in cargo from St. lucia. Four living larvae of the gal- leriid Aepheias conspirata Hein. were found at Laredo on June 20 on pine- aoples in cargo from Mexico. A living adult of the curamlimid Cylas formi- carius var. elegantulus Summers was intercested at New Orleans on July 2g in sweetpotatoes in stores from Cuba. Specimens of the whitefly Dialeurodes kirkaldyi (Kot.) were found at San Francisco on June 18 on Tabernaemontana sp. in baggage from Tahiti. A living adult of the elaterid Drasterius livens Lec. was found at El Paso on June 17 with beets in cargo from Mexico. One living adult of the anthribid Kugonus subcylindricus Fahr., 10 living adults of th: platypodid Platypus rugulosus Chapuis, and 5 living adults of the scolytid Xvyleborus toroquatus Eichh. were intercepted at New York on June 17 in mahogany logs in cargo from Mexico. Living larva am pupa of the phycitid Eumysia maculicula (Dvar) were taken at San Ysidro on June 23 in the roots of a succulent in baggage from Mexico. Living adults of the mirid Hurycipitia vestitus Dist. were intercevted at Brownsville on June 27 with an orchid plant in baggage from Mexico. Living larvae of the West Indian sweetpotato weevil (Eusceves postfasciatus (Fairm.)) were taken at Mobile on June 8 in sweetpotatoes in stores from Trinidad. Living larvae of the phycitid Hypsipyl grandella (Zell.) were intercested at New York on July 9 in mahogany log in cargo from Guatemala. One living adult of the curcilioid Metamasius callizor Chev. was intercevted at Laredo on May 16 on pineapole in cargo from Mexico. Six living adults of the bostricnid Micrapate scapularis Gorh. were found at Nogales on June 21 in wooden crate for pottery from Mexico. A living larva of the curculionid Metamasius sp., probably M. ritchiei Marsh, was taken at Hidalgo on July 3 in pvineavple in cargo from Mexico: Living larvae of the Philipvine orange moth (Prays citri Mill.) (?) were found at San Francisco on July 21 in lime in stores from the Philippines. Sai Pathological interceptions of interest.——-An avocado found on August 27 at Brownsville in baggage from Mexico bore the Dothiorella stage of Botryosphaeria ribis Gross. & Duggar. Leaf spots caused by Cercospora angraeci Feuill. & Roum. were intercepted at Laredo on Jan- uary & on succulents from Mexico; at Hl Paso on May 30 on Oncidium sp. from Mexico; at Hoboken on May 21, June 10, and July 2 on Odontoglossum so. from England. Banana leaf spot (Cerco spora misae Zimm.) was inter- cepted at Brovmsville on August 8 on banana leaves used as packing for Geena planys, wulusbravi me a oossi bile means of antroduction of this disease into Gulf coast areas where bananas and relatives are much-used ornamentals. A leaf spot disease on calla lilies in baggage from Mexico, intercepted on June 24 at Brownsville, was found to be caused by C. ri- chardiaecola Atk. A Cercospora, unlike species reported on orchids, was found on June 27 at Hoboken on Cymbidium sp. from England. A Diplodia on Philodendron sp. from the Canal Zone inspected on July 7 at San Fran-— cisco was determined as D. theobromae (Pat.) Nowell, from which D. philo- dendri Tassi reported from Italy is probably mot distinct. A black rot of sweetpotatoes found at Philadelphia July 28 in stares from Sierra Leone was determined by L. L. Harter as D. tubericola (E. & E.) Taub., although the spores were extremely small for that species. A shipment of Colchicum bulbs from Englamd inspected on Sevtember 9 and 10 at Hoboken was found to be infested with Ditylenchus dipvsaci (Kuhn) Filip., the in- fested varicties being D. atro-rubrun, Dy borane ll ern, )D- sveclosum.; and D. speciosum album. An undetermined Gloeosporium “(no- species reported on host genus) was intercepted on Brassia fireoudiana from Costa Rica and another on Karina autumalis and E. mecronata from New Zealand, all at San Francisco on November 20, 1940. Another Gloeosporium, with spores too short fo G. vanillae Cke., was found on June 7 at San Juan on vanilla tesie sim ath. express irom Mexico. Heterosporium ium ornithogali Klotzsch, which has: been intercepted occasionally for several years on Eee) cage flower stems from South Africa, was found on June 20 at San Pedro on leeks or young onions in stores from Japan. What appears to be an undescribed species of Macrophoma was found on May 2 at Hoboken on Cattleya sp. from Venezuela. An undetermined srecies on Monochaetia, apparently different from the species previously interceoted from Japan on peony, was found on November 28, 1940, at San Francisco on Paeonia moutan. Penicillium gladi- oli Machacek was intercepted at Hoboken on June 19 on Watsonia sp. corms from South Africa. Phoma insidiosa F. Tassi was found on August 26 at New York on Paspalum compressum seed from Australia. Phoma mali Schultz & Sace. was intercepted on July 30 at Brownsville on an apple in baggage from Mexico. An undetermined stecies of Phyllosticta with spores far smaller than those of P. gladioli EH. & HE. was found on January 20 at New York on gladiolus leaves in cut flowers from Brazil. A fungis cultured ‘from an avocado found on August 19 at Brownsville in baggage from Mexico proved to be Ramularia sp. Stachybotrys, apparently an undescribed species, was found on July 1 at Hoboken on a Gattleya leaf from Brazil. Stachylidium bicolor Link was intercepted on July 1 at San Francisco m Cattleya var. "Harold" from England. Tritirachium dependens Limber was found on May 16 at New York on kudzu roots from China. A rust o unlabeled orchids from Guantanamo, Cuba, intercented at Hoboken on September 25, was determined as Uredo epadendri Hennings, although it did not fit the description very well. =go= ; DOMESTIC PLANT QUARANTINES Grasshoover egg survey under way.—-The grasshoover adult survey aving been comleted late in August, district meetings were then held eon the instruction of surveyors on the egg survey, which was begun aboit Sectember 15. The adult survey had indicated the need for egg surveys in varying degrees, de pending on adult and nymohal populations in the various States. It was determined that rather extensive ege sur- veys world be needed in Colorado, Kanses, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah, with a special survey to be conducted later in southeastern Arizona, where second-—gen-— eration Melanovlus mexicanus (Sauss.) reached a point of prominence dur- ing the summer. Hgz surveys were also planned for limited areas in Ar- kansas, Idaho, southwestern Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Wvoming. The egg surve: in California will be conducted by State repre-— sentatives. No survey is plamed for the formerly infested States of Tilinois, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, cor Washington. Continued rains in extensive carts of th more heavily infested areas have seriqisly ham-— -oered the conduct of the egg survey and while some apprehension has been exoressed as to the possibilities of thorough coverage, it is believed that sufficient information will be gained from the egg survey to furnish adequate information upon which to estimate the vrospects for next year's grasshovper outbreak. Soecial consideration is being given, in coopera-— tion with the Division of Cereal and Forage Insect Investigations, to sur- vevs of the special-study areas throughout the Great Plains region. Rapid _develomnent of secom-generation HN. mexicanus.-—Development of the second generation of the lesser migratory hopper proceeded rapidly in the infested areas of western Kansas, the Panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas, contiguous portions of Colorado and Nebraska, and in southwestern Iowa. Hatching was completed early in September and at the close of the month approximately 85 vercent of this gereratim was in the adilt stage. In this area, a sham increase in grasshopper damage occurred in the first cart of Seoterber to fall-sown wheat. Most damage was confined to crop margins and esvecially to those plantings adjoining weedy stubble fields. In a few instances, entire fields were destroyed. Toward the close of the month, croo damage decreased materiallv, larsely because of heavy rains occurri-g over a large part of the infested area. Some young injured whe at made new growth am farmers reseeded many field margins damaged by hopoers. The second gereratim of these hoppers was renorted flving in _ | variais marts of the infested area throug. out the latter part of Septem— ber. Moderate to heavy flights were reported mving south over western Kansas amd the Panhandles of Texas and Uklahoma, as far as Lubbock, Tex. Late baiting increases sharply.--For the protectim of fall-sown alfalfa, wheat, and rye, and alfalfa-seed crops, farmers materially in- creased baiting early in September. This activity slackened later because of voor baiting weather. A total of 3,335 tons of wet bait was used in Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, am the Panhamles of Texas and Okla- homa during the month. The lareest quantities—-975 and 900 tons, re- é snecti velv—--were used in Kansas and Texas. —33- No ohony peach in Virginia or West Virginia.--Reported cases sus- pected to be phony peach disease at Lovingston, Va., and Huntington, W. Va., were recently investigated by Howard L. Bruer and wW. F. Turner, representatives of the Bureau, accomanied by pest-control officials of the respective States. A careful check of the orchards involved and of surrounding oroperties, revealed that while the trees in question were ab- normal, there was definitely no indication of the phony peach disease. This disease is not known to exist anywlere in either of these States. September accomplishments on peach vorojects.--Following inspection of upwards of 2 3/4 million orchard trees, mre than 300 laborers were em- ployed durirg September throughout the phony peach and peach mosaic area in the removal. of nearly 35,000 infected trees ard more than 25,000 aban- doied trees. In excess of 115,000 escaped trees were also removed. The various States cooperated by furnishing 19 supervisas and inspectors, and 1 office worker. {eR White-—fringed beetle control activities.—-Control activities for the white-fringed beetle were continued throughout September in several isolated areas where it was considered advisable to coduct such vork throughout the period of beetle emergemce to determine the effectiveness of control measures as a means of eradicating the vest. Inspections for species of Pantomorus are being conducted, cooperatively with the States, at the more important ports along the Atlantic coast from Charleston to southern Florida points and including the Gulf coast from Florida to Texas. No beetles have been found in localities remote from known infested areas. The inspection was intmsified in such places as railroad grainds, docks, airports, am lumber yards. Delimiting inspections were also conducted around the areas where infestatims were found for the first tine in 1941. White-fringed beetle administrative instructions modifie d.--Sug- gestions to nurserymen far the construction of plunging or growing beds and their maintenance in a status free from white-fringed beetles, were modi fied in a revision of Circular B. E. P. Q. 496, effective August 25, 1941, to provide specificatims for barriers of a less exrensive type. Several nurservmen in the regulated area are renorted to be constructing such aporoved ecuipment. Instructims as to variais methods of treatment of plants in vots, or in soil balls, and of potting soil, previously authorized in Circulars B. HE. P. Q. 486, 489, and 503, were brought to- gether in a revision of Cirmlar 503, which became effective September ll, 1941. In addition, the instructims as to treatment of balled nursery stock by methyl bromide solution were somewhat modified in this revision of the circular. Sweetootato insvection resumed in Texas.--After susvension of Fed- eral varticivation in sweetpotato weevil inspection in Texas since May, work was resumed in th areas where it is believed that sweetpotato rigect le have been eradicated. The activities, cmsisting principally of inspection of crod remnants in the fields, and of culls after harvest, resulted in finding no weevils in the area. Work in Angelina and San Augustine Counties is being conducted by persmnel furnished by the cooperating State agency, and the Federal inspectors are acting largely in an advisory capacity. Two infestatios were found in the latter county. —3h- sloie cricket control.--The control of mole crickets has been con- ducted throughout Sestember in those sectims of Florida where surveys have shown that emergency conditions exist. Mixed bait has been furnished to the Florida Mole Cricket Control Committee for distriltution in the coun- ties of Hillsborough, Manatee, Hardee, and Polk. Infestations of mole crickets in these counties have been particularly serious. Mixing stations have been in operation at Plant City and Wauchula and 658,000 pounds of bait was mixed and distributed to growers up to Septerber 30, through local representatives of the Florida State Plant Board. H. T. Rainwater is the Bureau representative in charge of the control project, with headquarters at oPiant Gity, Pilla. Transit insvectim.—-Transit inspection was resumed in September at Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, Omaha, and Pittsburgh. The inspectars assigned to these statims were temporarily employed during the summer on otler proj- ects of the Division. During the summer the inspectars assigned to Memphis and Houston were engaged in vhite-fringed beetle scouting in the vicinity of their stations, in conjunction with transit—inspection duties. These sta- tions are now operating on full-time transit-inspectio schedules. At New York City, 6 live Japarese beetle gribs were recovered from a soil sample consigned to an Ohio firm for analvsis, am a live adult beetle was recovered from a shipment of mt flowers. Several otter insects of ecmomic importmce . were also found in shipmmts of plants and flowers moving in violation of the Japanese beetle quarantine. Terminal inspection extended in Mississippi.—-The State Plant Board of Mississippi has arranged through Federal channels for the enforcement through terminal—inspection orovisions, of its quarantine relating to the intrastate movement of sweetpotato plants and the tubers, because of black rot, stem rot, nemato des, sweetpotato weevil, and other injurious pests of the sweetpotato. Under the quarantine (Rule 23 A, amended November 23, 1940) no shipments of sweetpotatoes, sweetpotato plants, or vines, my be accepted for mailing un— less there is attached to each container a certificate tag and each bundle of 100 plants is tied with a valid certificate tape issued by the Mississippi State Plant Board showing campliance with the State plant-cuarantine laws or reculations pertaining to injurious pests. The quarantine rule pertaining to interstate movement into Mississippi of hosts of the sweetpotato weevil from certain infested States (Rule 24 A) had previously been brought within the orovis ions of the terminal-insrection procedure, and this quarambire and oro- cedure remain in effect. CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS Effectiveness of ethylene dichloride against cmfused flour beetle.- In tests on variais chemicals as fumigants, H. H. Richardson and A. H. Casanges of the Beltsville, Md., laboratory, have used ethylere dichloride as a standard of comparison. In 1939 ethylere dichloride showed very high toxicity. Further tests in 1941 have again indicated that ethylene dichloride is mre toxic to the confused flour beetle than has been repa@ted in the past. Apparently this is due to a latent toxic action that des not kill som of the insects until 10 to 20 days after fumigation at 77° F. (5-hour exposures). Judged by the effect after 20 days, ethylene dichloride was mre toxic than ethylene oxide and not far from the toxicity of mthyl bromide. If this latent toxic effect cccurs ageinst other insects, it helps to explain the wide practical use of this fumi- gant. Ethyl bromide—a comoound closely related to mthyl bromide--was found —3 5- much less efiective. Approximately 15 times as mich ethyl bromide as met trl bromide was required to kill this beetle in 5-hor exposures at ie INSECTICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Improved method of preparing pure geraniol.—-During th last 3 years it has been necessary to orevare comparatively large quantities of pure geraniol for use in Japarese beetle baits. The method of prepa- ratim given in the literature, involving direct mixture of the source ma- terial with calcium chloride, was unsatisfactory from several standpoints. In the course of this work it has been found by Howard A. Jones and John W. Wood that treatment of a hexane solution of the geraniol-—containing oil with calcium chloride, together with certain other changes in the tech- nicue, effects a marked improvement in ease of handling, as well as the purity and yield of the product. The procedure has been vrepared for pub- licetion in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Study of nicotine silicotungstates.--A paper entitled "Nicotine Silicotungstates" has been prepared by L. N. Markwood for presentation at the annual meeting of the Associatio of Official Agricultural Chemists in October. This association has an interest in the subject of nicotine sil- icotungsta tes, as its official method for determining nicotine in tobacco and in nicotine preparations involves precipitation of the alkaloid with silicotungstic acid. Of the several kims of silicotungstic acid known when the matter was originally studied the acid of composition 4H,0.Si0,.- 12WO,,.22H.0O was selected as official; it forms a highly insoluble pre- Cipitate with nicotire, lamellar in character. Recently a new silico- tungstic acid of composition 4H50.5i05-12W03 450 was described. It also forms a precipitate with nicotine which is granular in character and might therefore offer an advantage in filtration. The composition of each precipitate is the sane, viz, 2H,0.2 nictdir. S10, -L2WO dH, QO, and the as- sumption might be made ae the new acid could EorNe sees = well for the nicotine determination. It was found, however, that the new acid des not cuite precipitate the nicotine to the same degree as the other acid and hence must be rejected as a cuantitative precipitant for nicotine. The un- precipitated nicotine occurring in each case was readily determined by the very sensitive color test with cyarm gen bromide and beta-naphthylamine. BEE CULTURE Honeybees resistant to Nosema disease at brood-nest temperature .—— Nosema disease of honeybees, caused by the protozoan parasite Nosema apis, kills or weakens colonies of bees late in winter and spring, but during the rest of the vear losses are usually unimoartant. Infection subsides rapidly in spring after settled warm weather arrives am in summer infected bees may be diffimlt to find. A moderate increase in infection may occur in autum. This seasonal variation in Nosema infection is commonly recognized but an explanation for it seems not to have been offered. C. H. Burnside, Belts- ville, Md., reports that, when bees in cages were inoculated with Nosema spores by mixing the spores with honey or sugar sirup given th bees for food =30— (about 25,000 spores per cc.), very heavy infection developed in vractically all the bees kept at the temoerature of the room Gide 1016 85° | Saal ees S'S al as in bees that were chilled at about 50° in a refrigerator for 5 hours on 3 consecutive days and then allowed to remain in th room. Epithelial cells containing mature spores were found in the bees after 7 days ami after 10 days cells containing spores, as well as free spores, were extremely numer-— ous. On the other hand, bees that were kept in an incubator at brood-—nest temperature, about 95°, and inoculated by feeding with fractims of the sam inoculum given bees kept in the room appeared to escape infection completely. Spores in epithelial cells were not seen in any of these bees, although the experiment was continued for 22 days. Bees that were similarly inoculated and kept in the incubator for 10 days also appeared to remain free from in- fection after they were taken mt, given food free from Nosema spores, and kept at the tempergture of the room for 12 days. These results are in line with recent work in Europe in which Nosema disease was found to develop more rapidly at 86° than at 68 Higher temperatures were mt tried by the Huropean workers. It seems iprabeawe that temoerature may be an important factor in the seasonal variation of Nosema disease. (In the latter part of the winter and early in the spring, when colonies are rearing but little brood, or in colonies not strong enough to maintain full brood-rearing tem- perature, most of the bees are subjected to temperatures within the range where infection was obtained. As the colonies become stronger and the weather warmer an ever-increasing number of bees are exposed to temperatures near 95 3 The nurse bees and queen, which remain in the brood nest at about 95°, are usually free from Nosema disease, even when a large percentage of the field bees are diseased. Nosema disease of honeybees not controlled by phenothiazine .——-Since phenct Mazine is highly effecti ew for controlling som mimal parasites of domestic animals and is mactically nonpoismous fa@r honeybees (Jour. Econ. Ent. 34(1):24-33) it was thought it might also be effective for controlling Nosema disease of honeybees caised by the protozoan parasite Nosema apis. Mr. Burnside revarts negative results in experimamts to determine whether chenothiazine is effective for controlling this disease. About 100 wrker bees were placed in each of a number of cages. Some of the cages of bees were inomlated by mixing Nosema apis spores (approximately 25,000 per cc.) with the honey or sugar sirup given th bees for food. Other cages of bees were similarly inoculated, but vhenothiazire in the proportion of 1 gram per liter in som instances and 2 grams per liter in others was aiso mixed with ~ the food. Hach cage of 100 bees consumed between 20 and 25 ce. of this food. Other cages of bees were fed with honey or sugar sirup alone, or with honey or sugar sirus containing phenothiazine in tle proportions named and ke pt as checks. The bees were kept at the temperature of the room in the laboratory (70° to 85° F.). Inomlated bees that received phenothiazine were infected by Nosema apis as quickly and in practically the same degree as were those that did mot receive vhenothiazine. Microscopical examina-— tion of stomachs of bees showed numerous particles of phenothiazine in con- tact with infected epithelial cells. The check bees remained free from Nosema disease but bees that received phenothiazine lad a somewhat higher death rate than those which did not. While the experimental work on this vroblem was limited the results in every instance indicated that phenothia- zine was without value for controlling infection of honeybees by Nosema apis. ~—37- Impaternate females common in the Italian and Caucasian races of honeybees.--The honeybee, in common 1 with other members of the order Hvmen— optera, regularly produces females from fertilized eggs and males from un- fertilized eggs. The production of females from unfertilized eggs (im- paternate females), however, has been reported in the honeybee native to the Cave region of South Africa. In the Cape bee, laying worker bees are very common and the eggs usually produce female offspring, either workers or queens, but some drones are also produced. MImpaternate females have been reparted in other races of honeybees but many of these were not pro- duced under circumstances that made their origin from unfertilized females certain. Most of these cases have been exvlained as egg stealing. Some data obtained by Otto Mackensen, Baton Rouge, La., indicate that imoaternate females may occur more frecuently in our common races of bees than has been commonly believed. During last season a great many virgin queens were forced to begin laying without fertilization, by clipping their wings and confining them to nuclei behind queen excluders. In the drone brood of many of these queens a few worker pupae were found. Of 13 queens of the Caucasian race, 3 produced a few workers, and in 2 Italian strains 1 cut of 11 and 17 out of 30 oueens, respectively, produced imoaternate females. The highest number produced by any 1 queen would probably not exceed 1.0 percent, if an accurate count had been made. In most cases either the workers or the cueen in the hive at the time could have vroduced these impaternate females; however, in a few cases reoresenting both the Italian and Caucasian races it was proved that queens oroduced them. To obtain this proof Italian and Caucasian queens were maintained in nuclei stocked with bees of the other race so that any workers vcroduced by the queens could be easily distinguished. Under these conditions 2 gereratims of impaternate queens were produced. One such quem artificially inseminated and another permitted to mate naturally were lost before my eggs were oroduced. Of 710 larvae transferred from the brood of 1 virgin laying cueen 6, or 0.85 vrercemt, developed into impat ernate queens . The mechanism of colony resistmce to American foulbrood.--Colony re- sistance to American foulbrood is revorted by A. W. Woodrow amd E. C. Holst, Laramie, Wyo., to consist of the removal cf diseased brood from the comb be- fore Bacillus larvae White, the causative organism, has reached the infectious, soore stage within the larvae. This was demonstrated by the contrasting be- havior of a resistant and a susceptible colony when they were given equal num- bers of inoculated sister larvae for rearing. The bees ct the resistant colony removed 138 inoculated larvae within 11 days after inoculation and no spores were found in any larvae being removed, although 23 of the 25 examined con- tained rods. All infected larvae had been remved et the end of this period. The bees of the susceptible colony also remved diseased larvae, but mre slowly. Less than 60 percent of the infected larvae were removed within 11 days after inoculation, am 30 percent of them had not yet been removed at emergence time. B. larvae spores were found in inoculated larvae being removed in this colony as early as the ninth day after inoculatim and each day thereafter. Thus the spread of disease is halted in the resistant colony by the renoval of all in- fected larvae while they contain only rods of B. larvae which were found to be noninfectious, whereas in the susceptible colony the contact of the bees with infected larvae containing the highly infectious spores is certain to spread the disease to other larvae. —38- IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS Staphylinids causing vainful skin rash.—-Specimens of a staphylinid beetle were recently received from C. H. Ballou, chief of the department of entomology, Venezuela Ministry of Agriculture, with the report that when crushed against the body the insects produced a severe burn. The species was identified by R. E. Blackwelder as Paederus columbinus Lap. Upon re- ceiving the determinatim, Mr. Ballou wrote further concerning this species, stating that a boy had been observed "whose body from the waist down was covered with ulcers caused by crushing these insects." He added that ina mining district in Venezuela "there were over two hundred men with these ulcers and some were so badly affected that they could nt work." Various svecies of the genus Paederus have, from time to time, been recorded as causing dermatitis and in 1926 Chapin (Arch. f. Schiffs. u. Tropenhyg. 30:369-372) summarized th literature dealing with such cases but, as this summary and most of th reports it covered appeared in journals not widely consulted by entomologists, the association of Paederus with dermatitis has largely escaved notice in air field. A new vest’ of "mimosa" in the District of Columbia.—-In August 1940, injury to "mimosa" (Albizzia so.) in the District of Columbia wes brought to the attention of L. G. Baumhofer, of the Division of Forest Insect Investiga- tions. He reared a series of Lepidoptera from the infestation and later sub- | mitted the specimens for identification. The moths represent a species here-— tofare unrecorded from North America. It is probable that they belong to the Australian genus Homadaula, family Glyphipterygidae, but definite assignment to this genus must await comparison with determined material requested from Australia. During the last summer more extensive observations were made, but the biology is as yet not fully known. Appoarently the life cycle is short, indica ting that there is mre than one generation a year. Trees which are heavily infested become undesirable as ornamentals. The larvae, while feed-— ing, spin webs which hold the dead blossoms and leaves on the tree in un- sightly brown masses. Pupation takes place in cracks and crevices. To date the injury has been noted mly in the District of Columbia and immediate vi- cinity. It is possible, however, that it occurs farther south but has nt yet attracted attention. Notes on the Brazilian fire ant.-—-The Brazilian fire ant (Solenopsis saevissima var. ritcheri Forel) was first recorded in this country by W. S. Creighton (Amer. Acad. Arts and Sci. Proc. 66: 88, 1930). He saw specimens in the collection of H. P. Léding who had collected them at Mobile, Ala. Mr. Loding was of the opinion that the ant became established near Mobile about 1919. Since that time it has spread considerably and now is rather abundant in Jackson County, Miss., and Mobile and Baldwin Counties, Ala. D. E. Read, of Foley, Ala., from whose remarks these notes are drawn up, believes it also occurs in Washington County, Ala., although he has not collected it there. The ants build numerous mounds which average nearly 2 feet in height in culti- vated fields around shallow depressims where water stands, except during dry spells. This ant is of little if any importance as a household pest, but it is believed by farmers that it is mre injurious to agriculture than any otler ant in the area. Losses in Irish potato production are charged to this species because of attacks on the tender leaves amd branches during early growth. Dif- ficulty is frecuently experienced in obtaining or retaining labor for potato harvest because of the aggressive nature and irritating sting of the ant. The attacks are more disagreeable than those of ow native fire ants. New record for Lysiognatha.-~Recently received for identification were several larvae of the sawfly genus Xyvela, submitted by H. H. Keifer, of the California State Department of Agriculture. The Xyela larvae were found dropping from lodgevole pine (Pinus murrayana) on July 6, 1941, at lyons Creek, ‘El Dorado County, Calif. Three of the larvae bore on their heads eggs of the ichneumonid genus Lysiognatha. Identification of the eggs was possible because of their distinctive shane am method of attachment to the host. Cushman (Wash. Acad. Sci. Jour. 27 (10): 439, 1937) reports that the egg of Lysiognatha "is attached to the host (Xvela larva) by a short pedicel thrust through the skin of the host. Embedded in the foot of the stalk is a black heavily sclerotized body that apoarently serves as an anchor." The record is mrticularly interest- ing because it constitutes the first record of the genus Lysiognatha from the Faciric Coast. The National Collection of Thysanoptera.--In March 1938 a thysanopterist was appointed in the Division of Insect Identification. Prior to that time it had been necessary to rely on unpaid outside colleborators for thrips identifi- Cations. Under those conditions the reference collection of Thysanoptera, a large section of which was comprised of mterial assembled by A. C. Morgan, remined almost static. It contained naned representatives of only 265 species in March 1938. Since the appointment of a thysanopterist there has been rapid and steady expansion of the collection, vhich now has in excess of 480 determined species. Its value for reference purvoses in comection with thrips identificatims has been correspondingly increased. However, many of the species are revresented by iwc cl ide or two tmom the bype series or by old, rather poorly prepared slides; and the collection even mw contains specimens of only about half the described species occurring in America narth of Mexico am slides of less than 10 percent of the described exotic species. Well-preserved series of specimens are, there- fore, mich desired by the Division of Insect Identification, particularly if ac- companied by accurate records giving host, iocality, and date of collection. The best preparations of thrips can be made from material that has been collected in a solution consisting of 9 parts of 7O-percent alcohol, 1 part of glacial acetic acid, andi part of glycerine, although specimens submitted in 70-percent alcohol are satisfactory. Collembola found 26 to 28 feet underground.—-An interesting report of sub- terranean Collembola was submitted with specimens, late in September, by A. I. Bourne, of Massachusetts State College. The insects involved were determined by Grace &. Glance as Achorutes armatus (Nicolet). This species is known to feed pon ainer in soil and in manure, am has been reported as a major pest in mush— room beds. The specimens sent by Professor Bourne were collected, however, in very fine white sand through which workmen were digging to make a well. Ata devth of 26 feet the men observed the Collembola to occur in some numbers, and at 28 feet, where a good vein of water having a temperature of 460° F. was en- countered, the insects were found to be even more abundent in the buckets of moist sand as these were vulled up. out of the shaft to be emptied. It was re- ported that no organic’ matter was present in the sand at these depths. —-—000--— £5 iy FES = =e = 4 a 3 > eR Ps £¢tP BE Le v1 STs * ye > “y orn’ | ~ fa’ ete rm oft C232 IVCG ot EA gers ie stbw erribt Ge 2k " Nigh ies os as Fse ede Pte A) ta a= & a a 4) ia -piiteiiiun ben emer etipsetten aidehos omstedeg 2 wis ) scott neds. sidssesgeeto Sign Bede fs ad. 5} = eck Eee 2 TNS OF — sabes Sea ss ; a heb? 2° BAASSS-7" See ty she a zn Pate qa fee Tate ye a 7 at i% 1s EE 2 coed” oY Te aN Dede et eg atrey b Ti Sev HT UST RSP SRA ee SP Ste eat 4 pe thy ae eee ists okt Be SsS aS a = eats E “¥ say pt ane Me oy ee ab ee SO Oru . ne fal ae ake J: we She jee) P fF, g* % str’ ‘ J ks : al eas by 34 5 s » : : 1 /oarf iu iere eS CEST eS: ortideteis - . a mm, " -~ 4 3) F soe ne ; . * anon eer eon eens oa A + > wre = “ O« * a stp itis “ty f oy exvhre . gee it ay His 4 ~~ 7 % a 4 = Tak af a i r 3 : yp \ ra r y ; 1 ak — 5 - 5 es! cay] ‘ yr os ted & + af? . aka s | rid fryo- reer een BS Gd ge an : Shen on WIE hae fy Wan ene ase ald vy Rew Loree ote toe 9 At ‘pe gt TOP Siege" 293 suidee st =} S stew SOP rs AN Hh) Shenae Seis Fide Ts ses bed-ronk Reet see to Stain par m Ay oS ot We rieatzow ¥t ain ~s mt a Of a; Se . st a Beir x TS was erty pte Sk tien rit vr Sere $ S# 3a > ae PA +See ‘elt pice ¥ 7) aone vin oe ri y [6G ) bf ‘ail UNITED STATES / : : ee DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE | | | BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE NEWS LETTER \ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE FOR OCTOBER i941 Tol. Vu, ie a. (Net) for publi cation) December 1, 1941 ADMINISTRATION Bishopp and Spencer Appointed Assistant Chiefs On November G, 1941, Fred C. Bishopp and Frank H. Spencer were ap-— Pornted assistant chiefs of the Bureau, Dr. Bishopo to be in charge of the Bureau's research work and Mr. Spencer to be in charge of business adminis— ok. 7 = bration . Dr. Bishopp has been with the Bureau since 1910, when he began in- DY vestigations on the cotton boll weevil. The following 2 vears he worked On tick investigations. ile spent the next 5 wears studying insects that WH ~~ affect the health of animals. In 1927 he was made chief of the Division ef Insects Affecting Man and Animals and continued in that position until bos recent appointment. Prior to eee ie reau he was assistant J : Bu professor of entomology and assistant State entomologist in Marvland. Mr. Spencer entered Government service in i917 as personnel clerk an the Burcau of Animal industry. From 1919 to 1921 he served in the Bureau of Markets and in the Division of Publications of the Department. He Was secretary to the Director of War Finance Corsoration in 1921-22. Prom 1922 to 1931 he was administrat ) as Ss oa to the Becresary Of Agriculture. From 1931 to his recent appointment he has been business manager of the Bureau. Dr. P. N. Annand, Chief of the Bureau, Slanned ultimately to abolish the sosition of business manager, vacated by Mr. Spencer, and to create ae divisions dealing with business opera- trons; t. €., a Division of Finance and Business Services and a Division On Personnel. In the meantime B. Connor, as acting business manager, is in immediate charge of the work relating to the’ business operations of the Bureau. Cushing Appointed Chief of Division Hmory C. oe has been appointed to succeed F. ©. Bishovp as chief ef the Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals. Mr. Cushing Meercntercd the Bureau in 1928, after serving on the staff of the Texas Agri- mercultural kxperiment Station. His work with the Bureau has been largely ' devoted 06 investigations of insects affecting man and animals and for | several years he was assistant Division leader. It was due to his efforts Meechat the true screwworm was identified, revolutionizing the control of this very important pest of livestock. ics 10las Summers, administrative officer of the Divisicn of r Brown-tail Moth Control, died suddenly of an acute heart attack at ee Mass., on the evening of October 16. He was born Brockton, Mass., on January 25, 1884, attended the Brockton ou ols, and graduated from the Massachusetts State College in 190 tre degree of Bachelor of Science, majoring in entomology. He received the degree of Doctcr of Philosophy from the game institution in 1997. Mr. Summers was appointed to the Bureau of Entomology on June 16, 1911, as a scientific assistant and later as entomologist. In 1914 he pent several montns in Hurore collecting and shipping parasites of the sy moth to this country. During the World War he enlisted in the U. S. Arn Tank Corss and served from May 191= to August 1919, after which he returned to the Bureau. In 1922 he spent 6 months in Japan and returned to that country for a similar period in 1923, wnere he collected and shipped parasites of the gypsy moth to the United States. He was in charge of the quarantine and inspection work of the Plant Quarantine and Control Administration's Grosy Moth Project from January 1927 to January 1934. Since 1934 he carried on work for the Division of Gyps7 Moth and Brown—tail Moth Control. He was active in church, the American Legion, and civic organizations, as well as national and local entomclogical societies, and was highly respected by all who knew him. Mr, Summers is survived by his wife and a son, John N., Jr. Edwin W. Cook Dies After a brief illness, Edwin W. Cook, of the Division of Fruit In— sect Investigations, died on October 27 at Vincennes, Ind. He was born on October 28, 1904, and was reared on a farm near Bentonville, Ark. In 192k he was emloyed as a field assistant to the late A. J. Ackerman at the Bentonville, ae » laboratory. He worked there cractically every sum-— mer until 1935, wh fre laboratory was discontinued. The following vear Me was aSsisfed Lo Guty at».St. Joseph, tio., where he served curing the active Season each vear until 1941, when he was transferred to Vin cennes. because of suspension of the work at ot. Josesk. During the inter of 1939-40 ne was also emploved on citrus canker Cx. Division of Domestic Plant Quarertines. tir. Cook was @ quiet, un Ssununs, reliabie worker of a group which plays an impertant part 1 ris f.the Bureau. ma) CALLED sKe) TH GOLORS OR NATIONAL DEFESS#® ASSIGHMENTS BUREAU SMPLOYn Bruce, W. G., Assoc. Ent., Insecks Affecting Man and Animals, to serve as liaison officer. .Mr. Bruce has been selected to serve as the contact reorcsentative for cooperation between the Bureeu and Lefense agencies in raking field surveys on which to base control operations to jacent areas against a wide be used in military reservations end ad Vase, Of TASects inimical to the welfare His Be aneniers willl be located at s eastern States. (err Cassell, Troms L., Asst. Clk. TEUERGE ., JImsects Affectine Man and Animais 3’ 3 g inducted, Select. Serv. , August 16, 19/1. Doric asbanlen d.. Ass... Clk., Pl. Dis. Control, inducted, Select. Serv. November 14, 19A1. MMe ewe a og oF. 2at., lnsects Arfeeting Man amd Animals, Major, Sanit. Corgs Resv., called to active duty November 12, 1941, Fourth Cords Area Laborétor=, Fort ticPherson, Ga. 2 2 3 pee sowies NN. Asst..P]1. Quar. Inso., For. Pl. Guar., U.S. A. Résv., ordered to active duty October 6, 191 FRUIT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Mie Naprus Otesrene teat ftolder.——-Use of yard during the night of August +t 15-16, when the third Desmia funeralis (Hbn.) were nurerous, suoplied data Of both sexes. Sunset:vas at 0:51 Dp. m.3 sunrise a P1EELE activity until darkness in the evening, and fl ceased at dawn. The following table shows the flush males in the evening and the long—contimed activitr « jections were made at intervals of 15 minutes. The work Dwight F. Barnes and Oscar G. Bacon, of the Fresno, CUalif., laboratory. . cr Or $5 fue O © ay Teroerature : a Ry JEetee oe eles a Dy I e 2 Number : ic 55 - 3 : O ; 2 S2 — 85 ; 18S) ; Zk sO —- 62 : 3 : 120 ») 79 — 5O 5 Shy S i) Oieins 60 - sl : sy : al 11:00 ~1L1:45--------- SA oe : Syl : oN Be ha : : 2 100 —1o hs 2 = 798-260 A ee : g 2300 — 1:45~---------: 75 - 7&5 : Ve : 9 2200 = Zi hGeeaeta se STIG eae : 50 3 Tet SOO 2 esos R65 : SW 5 cpa EO One : 52 : 18 HeOO 5330---—-----: 71 - 73 : il : ae Darasives. vious issue of the S No. oan 5. 2, Sept. 1, 1941) success in breeding Macro- centrus uae ates Roh. under field cages over strawberry was revorted. Cdn /Om ne) MooresibowMls lw olen labor: tar, now réocerts furvher vde- nese sarasites can be bred at the rate of f 100,000 to €25,000 ver : section Where it is unusual to obtain more than 35,000 ser acre rom a natural soculation. In breeding these varasites 3 tyes of Field Je eee Xo h of which is suitable to a varticular combinabienr iois. These may be briefi- described as:(1) Large rectangular Cages On tremes of posts and wire; (2) large hood cages covering 2 rows; (3) ages covering 1 row. The initiai cost of materials re- 00 souare feet of strawberr~ is Ci Se Sietor) sila large 820.09 for the small hoop cages, and .27.co for the Jarge e material can be used for several seasais, therefore S Oo 0) Ou Ne @ @ Q ) O waz an Zz 5—-ear basis is much less, being $5.73 for the large $10.88 for the small hood cages, and $9.54 for the large s found that 14,500 M. ancvlivorus adults can be produced i 1,000 square feet of caged strawberry. MEXICAN FRUITFLY CONTROL No fruitiiies found ia Texas,——The 1941-2 harvesting sedsom sur : citrus fruit orodu iced in the area re- ulated under Quarantine No. ok onened on Octeber 1. B the close of the month shioments exceeding 2,900 equiva= ‘ lent carlots hac been certified for movement. Normally, a few fruittiges { are trasced and some larvae rave been found in the month of October, but } eason no adults or larvae of the Mexican fruitfi- were found tin Texas. ; flies and some larvae, however, were collected in the border towns in Mexico. Weather conditions were favors ‘ble for fruit develooment, as well as the develooment of citrus rust mites. Rust mites were ‘active enough throughout October to necessitate dustings 2 every district. No other citrus vest was resorted as being unusuall> active. =n 1 CEREAL AND FORAGE INSECT INVESTIGATIONS e , Parasitization of sugarcane borer in Florida.—-J. W. Ingram and it Bie Kh. Eon, of the Houma , ieee laboratory, made examinations for borer Parasitization in southern Florida during the latter part of September. At Fellsmere, in l-hour examinations in each of nine representative fields the following average percentages of varasitization were id(onbialale Lixoohaga diatraeae (Towns. ), 47.1; Bassus stigmaterus (Cress.), 4.7; and Metagonistylum minense Towns., 1 Belicr aitetall ee ay of Boe percent. These percentages included both emerzsed and unemerged Stazes and for unemerged stages alone, or present parasitization, the percentage was ne The first two parasites are known to overwinter at Fellsmere, and M. minense, undoubtedly, also overwinters there. The overwintering para sites have Been supolemented by the breeding and re- tease or largse numbers of Lixophaga and of some M,. minense during the spring months by L. C. Scaramuzza and W. B. Douglas. These men are em~- ployed for that purpose by a sugarcane coooerative which controls about §,000) acres of sugarcane near Fellsmere. Six fields in the vicinity of Take Okeechobee were examined but borer parasites were found in only Ss “e U two. in one Taeld barasitization by Bassus was 4.5 percent; in the otner Des sin arabiion by Bassus was Boro bercent and bi Mi" minense’ 7. 7 percent, making a Uc stall parasitization of 40.2 percent in that field ei ie ree dane Work. ]- oy Micers On aruinrer alt ano¢ula Lt Ons mee aio “to.the end ef September, T. #. Holloway am Ralph } Mathes reared ee adult Amazon fly varasites cf the sugarcane borer. A Boral of 2,055 of these S Houma to Bete ae whe fayy St oe cia aS flies were releas ed Bones: De ite ie five some D aie Gepree of borer control i the same season released. During May and dune a shipment of 21 mated females was sent to L. C. Scaramuzza at Pelismere, Filla., and 50 mted females to J. W. Wilson at Belle Glade, Fla. Shor Hae materiel they bred and released large numbers of Amazon feos im Pkorida sugarcane fields Wieevar Of enllorolic streak disease of sugarcane Tound:—-J. W. Ingram, W. B. Haley, and L. J. Charpentier, of the Houma, La., labora- Gory. la cooperation with ae Sugar Plant Division of the U, S. Bureau of Plant Industry, exoosed the following numbers of healthy sugarcane plagts vo tune followings species of insects which had fed on ‘Sugarcane Planibe anteevea with chlorotic streak disease: HERON! A Sele 8 portola Ball, 568; Sipha flava (Forbes), 183; Hysteroneura setariae (Thos.), 124; Aphis maidis s Fitch, H&S; and a era graminum, 5. “By the end of Septem-— ber 26 of the Plats exposed vo a nortola had developed chlorotic streak disease. None of the oe exposed to the other species of insects have deve:oved the disease and all untreated check olants have remained healthy. hloretic streak disease, which was only recently found in Louisiana, oc Pete e@ MumMber Ol Foreign countries. BD. portola is tle first known vector Gm saads Clsease. mee) succor sin vadjacenu telds Show anereased (borer antestaulons—— Weeks Dougles, of the Crow! Lev ay >» labora Ory, reports that during 1941 the avecete Gercentage of cornstalks iniested by sugarcane borers in 10 fields bY . al 7 ae) liacent bo rice stubble was nies DEFCenL. whereas the average for the same apse number of cated at least 1 mile from rice was 20 per-— CO a6) Gent. “En 10 fete of growing rice adjacent to corn the average percentage of culms infested was 3.0, whereas in 10 rice fields lo- cated at least 1 mile from corn the vercentage of rice culms in— fested was 1.3. ir area.--W. G. Bredle 7, Toledo, orn nen Ga chat “surveys conducted at the close of the 1940 season showed four exotic paresites to be vresent in the Lake States area. Iydella stabulans var. grisescens R.-D. was recovered at ali points in the vicinity of marshland near the Lake Erie shore, the abundance of the parasite being dependent on the distance of the point from marshland. An increase in parasitization by this tach- inid was shown in the immediate vicinity of the release points at Per- kins Township, Erie County, Ohic, and Erie Township, Monroe County, Meh. vA the former point varasitization by this species averaged 48.5 percent,. and $5.1 dercent of the borers in one collection were para-— Sitized by this st . Eulopkus viridulus Thoms. was found to be widely disversed i: ities in Ohio south of Toledo. This chalcid was not abundant at nt. Inareociata punctoria Roman avpeared in col- al from the Cattarauais Indian Reservation, was not recovered at any other Ashm. was recovered in col- founty Ohio, release point, showing initial eiesea at this locality dur- =e b re current ing JAPANESE BEETLE CONTROL Drought delays shioments of nursery stock.--Moverent of nursery stock from most of the Jaosnese beetle regulated area was limited to the shioment of bare~rooted stock, as digging cf stock with soil balls was almost impossible, owing to the prolonged dry spell. Calls were re— ceived from purchasers who had received balled stock for replacements. Stock in piots that were treated iith arsenate of lead orior to July 1 was still awaiting di t the e he month. The nurseries did Ls nd of ‘th not wish to take the risk of digging balied am burlapped stock under the dr> conditions. Notwithstending the drought, nurseries in the West— minster, Md., area had a busy month. Express and freight shipments were heav;. A number of planting jobs were canceled because of the water shortage. Several attempts to collect beetle grubs for use in testing by the treating section of the Division were made in Marvland, but the ground was so hard that it was vractically impossible to dig with forks. The few grubs collected were found avout 10 inches below the surface. On the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia, during the dry weather orior to the rain of October 27 and 28, the first in 58 days, the carbon disulfide treatment was frecuently used. By the use of this treatment, which recuired 45 gallons of water to an 15-inch collar, the nurserymen were able to dig evergreens balled and burlapped, because the water caused the soil to adhere to the roots. Resorts from New Jersey indicate that the unusuali; dry conditions have seria sly handicanpved the nursery business, greatly increasing the cost of digging. Some nurseries used sicks to loosen tne soil. One nurservman even tried an air hammer in his Vai —7T— digging. Nurserymen tried to have customers agree to soring delivery of stock. Japanese beetie prevention in Canada.—~The Canadian Division of Entomology News Letter for August-September 1941 contains the fol- lowing account of beetie-—control activities in that country: "At Hali- fax, Yarmouth, Saint John, and Montreal work on this project was com— pleted and the traps were collected and stored by the end of the second week of September. At Niagara Falls and Windsor scouting and trav at- tendance was continued throughout the month. - Niagara 4 beetles were collected in traos and 5 by scouting. At Halifax 4 beetles were taken from boats entering the harbour. At Windsor 4 pe operties were found to be infested in the newly infested area. In oiie area a total of 170 beetles has been taken, 65 in traps amd 105 by scouting. Between August S and 14 a total of 97 traos were taken from other sites and placed in this area and other plans were made for controlling the infestation. By the end of September 278 live and 255 dead beetles had been found in all districts concerned." During October L. L. Reed, of the Plant Pro- tection Division, Canadian Department of Agriculture, visited the ar- senate of lead treating operations at Newark, N. Y , for the purpose of familiarizing himself with the methods and procedures followed by this Division in Jadanese beetle control. Mr. Reed also spent some time at the Bloomfieid divisional headquarters, and conferred with the treating section at Trenton. He visited the research laboratory cf the Bureau at Moorestown, N. J., and spent some time at the Division's suooffice and the Port Insvector's office in New York City. While in Bloomfield he also jooked over some of the Dutch elm disease eradication operations Folincreatments of Soil for Javanese beetle control.——-Over 400 aeres were treated with arsemte of lead for contro! of isolated Japanese beetle infestations in October. Work started in Chicago and Highland Park in August and September was completed during the month. Treating was also completed in Kikhart and Hammond, ind. 2.) but SS in progress: at Terra Haute at the end of the month. A few acres were treated in Birming- ham, Mich., with operations continuing in Detroit into November. A small amount of treating was completed at the St. Louis, Mo., Airport in October. Operations were carried to comoletion at Newark, N. ¥., where a total of 590.4 acres were covered. Treating work got under way in High Point and Winston Salem, N. C., with work at these points and at Greensboro, where the operations started in September, continuing into November. Crews in Conneaut and Hast Conneaut, Ohio, completed 45 acres of the area to be treated in these localities. Lead arsenate treating is sheduled fo all infestations of importance in North Carolina, except at Asheville, and at all 10 localities in which beetles were tracved outside the regulated area in Ohio. Fall soil treatments, started in August and extending through October, have thus far been applied to 580 acres. o C > oO in wn tel {J L. t t | >) Many trees in timber stand infested with Dutch elm disease car- riers.——An unusually - large number of infested elms and trees subject to infestation are being found in a dense stand of timber in Montgomery County, Pa., about 1,000 feet south of Swamp Creek and 2 miles southwest of Ziegler— ville, Pa. S. multistriatus has attacked these elms very heavily. It ap- pears that during the spring and summer a number of these elm trees were eut down by a farmer for lumber and allowed to season. Over 200 trees in this area have been tagged for removal and pruning. Heavy infestation of smaller Eurogean elm bark beetle in elm logs.—-A heavy infestation of Scolytus mitistriatus Marsh. was lo- cated in Conyngham Township, Luzerne County, Pa., among elm logs cut for mine props. In this wood lot a large amount of elm has been cut for this use, the more recently cut wood being too green for beetle attack at oresent. In all logs that had been cut far some time and dried out somewhat beetle attack had been very heavy and manv ounae anc larvae were found. All of the logs were slippery elm, and no American elms were observed either cut or growing in the vicinity at ¥ The owner of the iogs could not be located, but men working in the lot stated that the mine props were shipped to mines in the vicinity of hazieton, as ordered. immediate permission was sought for destroying + L s this infestation before there was any vossibility of emergence. ee tion is within the regular Dutch elm disease work only about 2 miles east of the Susquehanna River, it is n e ° cted area, the nearest confirmed tree being approximateiy 10 miles north in Hunlock Township. Largest diseased elm of year removed in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. area.--One of the confirmed elms eradicated in the Wilke area vias the largest diseased elm found in the district measuring 05 inches at breast height. The dying iimbs of this large elm were infested with 5. mltistriatus in the larval stage, but as found, and there had been no emergence. Only 1941 discoloration w d this was located only in parts of the crown and leaders. For an elm of that size and located as it was in an open fieid, the beetie feed-— ing had been surprisingiy ] t. Ail feeding scars found were closed, but apparently some of them had been made in the spring of 194] and the tree's vigorous growth this year had closed then. t elm pruned.--The largest muitisle eim that has been seen or reported in the State of Pennsylvania was recently pruned in inchs d.b.h. It is composed of 6 Bucks County. The tree is 150 trunks——2 small, each 9 inches d.b.h., and 4 very large trunks, the largest 55 inches d.b.h. The main crotch is located at ground level. =f A 10-inch branch was removed. Scouting and sanitation completed on islands in Delaware River .—-Owing to drought and the resulting low water level, crews in the Haston district of Pennsylvania have been able to wade to islands in the Delaware River. Taking advantage of this cmdition, the is- lands were scouted for both Dutch elm disease and beetie material, and the necessary sanitation work completed. Two confirmations have been obtained as a result of this work--one on Keiffers Island, in Lower Mount Bethel Township, Northamoton Count:, about 7 miles above Easton, and the other about the same distance below Easton in Bridge- ton Township, Bucks County. As these islands were in the outer disease zone they had not been previously scouted this season because oreference was given the border-zone area. Very few beetle—infested elms were found on the islands this year, reflecting the close sanitation work they received in 1939, wnen severa! hundred elms were remved and as many pruned. Nearly ali infested trees this season had either been uprooted by ice and flood or injured by storm. -~9- Difficult elm eradications in New Jersey.--The most difficult eradication of the year was begun the latter part of the month in Mans- field Township, Burlington County, N. J. The tree is an infected elm 33 inches in d.b.h. Three loads of wood and brush have been removed from the top and the tree is only a little more than half topped. It wili have to be topped down to about 25 feet to clear buildings, trees, and fences. Near the Masonic Home in Burlington County, a 45-inch and a 54-inch elm were eradicated, and in addition the butts of a 44-inch and a 33-inch elm were hauled to a burning site, as were several smaller trees and much pruned wood. Because the wood was so large, it was de- cided to start the fire at midnight. After burning for 16 hours, there were only about 4 pieces left, only 1 of them being of any size. The power-saw unit working in Sussex County removed 3 trees totaling 180 inches d.b.h. Two of these trees were difficult removals because they were multiple trees and leaned over wires and the highwav. To fell them with ordinary hand crews would have required a great deal of topping. The cable and winch on the tractor proved very useful, making it possible to pull over the entire trees without any topping. Considerable diffi- culty was encountered in eradicating a 37-inch tree in Mercer County, which was yartiaily submerged and had to be pulled up an &-foot bank bv hand. A large infected tree cut by a power saw in Warren County had to be hauled from the woods to a burning pile. A diseased tree in Verona, Essex County, approximately 34-inches d.b.h. and 60 feet high, was situ- ated on the edge of a flower garden, surrounded by a summer house, a swing, and rhododendrons. Neither the limbs nor the trunk could be dropped. Jt was necessary to lower each piece individually, and ap- proximately 14 cuts had to be taken on the trunk, owing to limited space. Cooperation by Albany, N. Y., Park Department.—-Arrangenents were made to burn ail recently tagged material, which was being removed in the city of Albany, at a city dump where there was no fire hazard. Extra time was involved,as all of it had to be hauled to the burning site and all trees removed had to be topped. The city Park Department cooperated in the removal of this material by pulling large butts over and hauling iarge wood to the dump. Their crews worked behind Federal crews removing the stumps of the felled trees. Public hearing on Dutch elm disease quarantine held in Con— necticut.-—The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station held a public hearing in New Haven on October 21 for the purpose of revising the State Dutch elm disease quarantine to coincide with the new Federal guarantine regulations. No one appeared at the hearing in opposition to such a revision; therefore it was recommended that the State quaran-— tine regulations be revised. Fire hazard continues.--The drought which prevailed last month Was tempcrarily alleviated by 1 or 2 days of rain, but before the end of the month extreme dryness again existed in the woodlands and burning operations were greatly restricted. Bough-lot inspection reveals high mortality of gypsy moth lar- vae.—-At Weston, Mass., where a heavy infestation of gypsy moth occurred last summer, with heavy feeding and comvlete defoliation, it is now Ese impossible to find enough egg masses for collecting. The same condi- tion prevails at a heavy infestation in the Massachusetts State Reserva- tion at Walden Pond Park in the towns of Lincoln and Concord. Absence of fresh egg clusters was also noted during the scouting of woodland in the border towns on or near the Massachusetts—Vermont State line, in connection with the inspection and certification of evergreen boughs. Here there was considerable kill of young gypsy moth larvae by the heavy frosts that occurred in this section during the last hatching season. lost of the infestations found in these bough lots showed a greater per— centage of old egg clusters than new. Practicaily al! of the old egg clusters found showed a very good hatch last soring. ‘The unusual weather conditions of last soring are held resdonsible for keeping the infesta-— tion at last yeer's level, if not reducing it. The district anssceser at Keene, N. H., reports that the inspector examining bough lots there has found old egg clusters woich had hatched, but there were no new clus-— ters in these same locations. Taking no chances.—-D. J. Frazier, district gypsy moth insvector at Bangor, Maine, resorts that "with the trees bare of leaves, pulp—lot inspection has been improved; also the chences of being taken for a deer while performing this work during the hunting season have been lessened. While eee one lot, I encountered four different hunters on the same tract. They don't generally stay long, as 1 make it a rule to make plenty of noise while making an inspection of this nature." In comment— ing on further activities in his district, Insvector Frazier states: "The first snow of the season to cover the ground fell early on October 30 in the Harmony, ivcee une eter Christmas-tree operators are at work harvesting the season's cut, and the outlook is that about as many trees will be cut as last season. I noted the first full carload of boughs being cut and loaded in the Greenfield area late in the month. Movement of this type of material in greater volume than in previous years is indicated." SOP OME AES POP Christmas—tree inspections under way.——-Larger orders and scarcity of help resulted in an earlier start in the cutting of evergreen boughs and the collection of laurel for Christmas greenery. Most of the operators cannot get the help they need to fill orders on hand. These orders are also reported as running much larger than in 1940. A florist suvply com pany in Soringfield, Mass., reported receiving an order for 3,500 yards of laurel and spruce roping, one of the largest orders they have ever re-— ceived. This must be ready to ship to Florida by the middle of November Several truckloads of spruce boughs were examined and three laurel lots were surveyed for gyosy moth infestation in connection with the filling of this order. All material inspected was found free from infestation. “a SAS A MERE hl NAAR PID AEF * Increase in eee aetna in New England.—-Fifteen temporary inspectors were employed on gypsy moth insvection work during October. Of these, 8 were in Connecticut, - 1 in Rhode Island, and 1 in Maine, on nursery inspec- tion work; 1 in Vermont on lumber inspection; and 4 in Vermont on evergreen- bough and Christmas-tree inspection. One inspector, paid by the State of Massachusetts, was employed in Boston for the inspection of products requiring =e certification for the EKurovean corn borer. kgg clusters removed from shioments insvected and certified numbered 250. The bulk of the infes- tation was removed from 8 carloads of lumber, from which infestetions ranging from 10 to 46 ege clusters were removed. In addition, 864 egg masses were found on materials inspected prior to their manufacture for later shipment to points outside the gyosy moth area. Winter storage of nursery stock gets early start.—-Shortage of labor in the nursery center at Manchester, Conn., has resulted in the establishments starting their digging of nursery stock for winter storage a week in advance of the usuel date. Laborers who are working for one nursery this season reside in Hartford. A truck from the nur sery picks up the men in the morning and returns them at night. In- spectors are on hand to examine this stock to assure that it is bare-~ rooted before it is placed in storage houses. It is then eligible for joint Japanese beetle and gypsy moth certification as soon as the nur- Serv as feady to ship the stock in the soring. Christmas—tree inspection.—-Reports from various district gypsy moth inspectors indicate thet the 1941 Christmas—tree -shipping seeson promises to exceed that of all previous years, judging by the calls from numerous shippers. Some shippers had their men in the woods cutting trees and greens by the middle of October. The greatest problem appeared G@nbe the tack of help, as most of the young men previously employed in this type of work are now engaged on National Defense projects or have been calied for Army service. The size of this year's cut will largely depend on the amount of local labor available. d Inspected lumber accomoanies shipments of explosives .- -A Massa~ chusetts manufacturer of munitions is shipping to various ports of ¢ barkatiaon from 4 to 20 carloads of explosives daily. iach of these cars recuires about 500 board feet of lumber. This is used to keep the con-— tainers from shifting during transit. This lumber moves under gypsy moth certification. FOREST INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Rastern spruce bark beetle infestation decreases.--T. J. Parr, of the New Haven, Conn., laboratory, reports that a survey of spruce areas on the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire and the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont indicated a decrease in inci- dence of attack by Dendroctonus piceaperda Hopk. This was particularly true on two areas in New Hamoshire where control was oracticed during the winter of 1940-41. On these areas over 400 infested trees were re~- moved or cut and burned on about 600 acres of virgin timber. Examination of all spruce trees on a vermanent sample strip 3 chains wide and 150 chains long in the Middlebury district of the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont showed an infestation of 0.111 tree per acre in October 1941, as compared to 0.203 tree per acre in 1940--a decrease of 0.092 infested tree per acre. a, P. Saye Bie Wet summer in eastern Oregon reflected by tree growth.—Abnormally heavy precipitation of the past growing season in eastern Oregon is re— flected by outstandingly large tree-ring growth for 1941. This was ob-— served by W. J. Buckhorn, Portland, Oreg., from an examination of a series of cross sections of ponderosa pine taken in connection with a study of Ips oregoni (Eich.) on the Schoco National Forest. It is considered likely that this vigorous tree growth will cause increased host resistance and a consequent reduction of bark-—beetle damage. Each month during the period from May through September practically all weather stations in eastern Oregon reported rainfall above normal. In August, for example, the average rainfall for this entire area was nearly five times the normal. Usually late spring and summer are the dry season of the year. The extent to which this year was out of line is illustrated by records taken at Ochoco ranger station. From May ‘through September, 11.16 inches of precipitation was recorded, which is 65 percent of the average annual precipitation of 17.30 inches for this station. Mountain pine beetle still epidemic in northern Utah.—-The fall sur— vey of 1941 showed an appreciable decrease of infestation in most of the lodgepole pine stands on the Wasatch National Forest, but the infestation eAN 4, is still of epidemic proportions, according to R. L. Furniss, of the Port— land, Oreg., laboratory. It is estimated that somewhat more than 40,000 infested trees are present on approximately 130,000 acres. Some 10 percent of the current pine beetle population is hold-over brood in trees that were attacked in 1940. The s y units were fully treated during the 1940-41 season, showed a 90-percent re— duction in the number of infested trees. Less success was achieved on treated units in the Provo-Duchesne area, apparently because of infiltration of beetles from untreated units Plans have been made by the Forest Service a large part of the remaining infestation, but funds are not avail— able for complete coverage. Control operations were initiated on September 22 and will run until closed down by winter weather, often severe on the con-— trol area, much of which is approximately 10,000 feet in elevation. The project will be resumed next spring as soon as practical Late treating effective against Black Hills beetle in southern Utah.——~ This year treating of ponderosa pine infested with the Black Hills beetle was seriously hampered on the Powell National Forest by a late spring. As a re- sult, approximately 1,000 marked trees remained untreated at the end of June, when the woods had become too dry to continue felling and burning. An exam- ination made on June 29 by R. L. Furniss showed that numerous new adults, some fully colored, were present in these trees. Sample strips of bark were removed from several trees and laid, inner side up, on the ground. Almost immediately ants of the genus Formica began carrying away the exposed bark— beetle brood, and within a short time disposed of all except the fully hardened beetles. The abundance and effectiveness of these ants was such that it was decided to treat the remaining marked trees by the felling and peeling method. This was done and the project was extended until July 15. . The fall survey of the area covered by this late treating revealed practically no reinfestation. AE 2732 GYPSY MOTH AND BROWN-TAIL MOTH CONTROL Forest conditions ideal for gypsy moth work.-——Timely rains, which saturated the forest floor end eliminated the fire hazard, and the re- moval of much of the foliage from the trees by high winds provided ideal conditions for gypsy moth work during Octover. The rains were not of sufficient intensity to raise the water level and the scouting of swamps, which had been dried up by the prolonged dry veriod, proceeded raopidly. Scouting in general was speeded up, as the lack of foliage vermitted a more rapid examination of the tree growth, and large quantities of accumulated brush and other waste— wood could be bimed on the days immediately following heavy rains. This was the first period since last March during yvhich brush could be safely burned. Defoliation by gypsy moth kills many trees in New Hampshire. Harly in October S. S. Crossman and C. E. Hood, of the Federal gypsy moth of fice, examined the tree growth in severe! areas north of Lake =e Winnidescaukee in and near Moultonboro, N. H., where severe gypsy mth defoliation occurred in the last year or more. The latest defoliatim in these ereas took place during the summers of i940 and 1941, when many of the oaks were from 50-to 100-pvercent defoliated. Many of these oaks are already dead and others are dying. A trail was followed for approximately 1 3/4 miles to the top of a hill having an elevation of over 2,000 feet. The oaks along much of this trail have suffered se- verely, with 25-to 50-percert mortality in some soots and pockets where the mortality is comlete. These trees have been dying for several vears. Many old and new gypsy moth egs clusters are now scattered from the base to the top of this hill. Former employee _dmates srecimens of New England wood.-—-A former gypsy moth emploree donated to the Bureau samples of the wood, twigs, and buds of a large number of trees native to northern New England. These svecimens will aid in instructing new gypsy moth employees, who are to be engaged in selective thinning work, in the identification of forest—tree growth. This collection is not complete, but forms a good nucieus for future exnansion. The value of the collectim for in- structional purposes would be gre.tly increased by the addition of sam-— pres OL steoliagc, nuts, cones, and sections of tree trunks, properly pre- pared. yosy moth workers return from harvesting apoles in Vermont.-——All W. P. A. workers who had been taken from gyosy moth work to assist in harvesting the apple crop in Vermont were instructed to return to their former employment early in October, after the completion of the harvest. A few additional men were also obtained in Bristol Townshio, Addison County. Recent increases in W. P. A. scouting crews operating in northern Vermont were offset somewhat by the resignation of aporoximately one-— third of the personnel, most of whom were referred by the Vermont State Employment Service to private employment on road constructim, which must be completed before the advent of cold weather. examination of the locality where a single-egg-—cluster gypsy moth infesta- tion was found last year in Eden Towship, and three similar sites in Exterminative measures eliminate four gypsy moth infestations.—~—The aay he Lowell Township, Orleans County, Vt., failed to disclose any evidence of living infestations. Burlap bands placed around trees in the vi- cinity of the four colonies also gave negative results. This confirms the belief that the infestations were isolated results of the wind soread of small caterpillars. One of the infestations in Lowell was located on relatively open pasture land, whereas the other two were found some distance avart in dense woodland. A small crew of agents detailed to checking work in Salisoury Township, Addison County, dis-— covered a gyosy moth infestation in woodland bordering a heavily traveled highway. Intensive scouting will be necessary to determine definitely the extent and size of this infestation before proceeding with exterminetive measures. Progress of gypsy moth work in Massachusetts.—-A gypsy moth in- festation covering aoproximately 30 acres was found in Richmond Town- shio, Berkshire County, Mass., where a large percentage of the egg clusters were deposited on deadwood, rocks, and smali underbrush. The most intensive form of scouting las been necessary throughout this area in order to find and creosote the hidden egs clusters. The ratio of old egg clusters has been rather large in this and at other neerby infestations, indicating that the larval mortality was high this vear, owing to unseasonable weather late in May and early in June, when freezing temperatures were reported on several dates. Trestment work, including thinning, has proceeded satisfactorily at another infesta-— tion covering aporoximately 100 acres in Richmond Township, where the tree growth is particularly favorable for gypsy moth development. Several small crews of laborers scattered throughout Massachusetts barrier-—zone towns found to be infested late in the fiscal year 1941 continued to cut down worthless apple trees and destroy egg clusters hidden in the cavities. The trees will be burned as soon as ground conditios are suitable. Soruce-bough areas examined in advance 9f choppers .——Large quantities of spruce boughs are being cut in southern Vermont and throughout the greater part of Berkshire County, Mass., although the operators are having diffimlty in obtaining choppers. Enough areas where the soruce boughs will be cut have been examined by gypsy moth scouting crews and found free from infestation to vermit the choppers to vroceed without interruption. The volume of boughs cut will increase as colder weather approaches, and it will be necessary to shift the scouting crews about rapidly to keep ahead of the operators. No cutting is permitted at locations where gyosy mth egg clusters are found am creosoted. Brush-disposal machines active during October.--The two brush- disposal machines operated continuously dw ing October—-one in Berk-— shire County, Mass., and the other in Litchfield County, Conn. They reduced large cuantities of brush and other wastewood to sawdust and broadcast it thinly over the forest flom by means of the built-in blowers. These machines are especially valuable dring long veriods of dr weather, when the brush camot be burned, am also at locations where burning is inadvisable because of local conditions. The ma- chines are vortable and are towed from spot to svot by tractors. The S52 caterpillar type tractor is best suited for work in the woods, as it is easily maneuvered and can be driven over soft ground, rough terrain, and steep pitches. The wheel-type tractor can be used in comparatively level areas, but cannot be operated satisfactorily over stumps and boulder-strewn surfaces. Little progress in gypsy moth work in Connecticut.-—-Because of the lack of available men, very little progress was made on gypsy mth work in Connecticut during October. Of the few men obtainable, practically all were inexperienced in gypsy moth work and required training before being assigned to regular field work, and many were unfit for the work because of age or physical handicaps. Because of the lack of man power, only a small percentage of the work planned for Connectiqmt is being accomplished. A crew undergoing instruction in scouting methods under ‘close supervision found several small infestations in Southbury Town- ship, New Haven County. The creosoting of egg clusters and the removal of dead and wrthless trees is progressing slowly at these infestatios. Labor turnover high in Pennsylvania.--The number of W. P. A. gypsy moth workers employed in Pennsylvania increased from about 470 to slightly less than 600 during October, but most of the men assigned to this work had had no previous experiece and many soon resigned to enter private employment. The organization of crews has been delayed consid- erably by the lack of exverienced men to act as crew foremen. The shift- ing of personnel is illustrated by the fact that requisitions have been placed for approximately 1,400 men since the beginning of the present fiscal year. Of this number about 770 reported and were assigned to work, amd less than 600-are now on the gypsy moth pay roll. There is some prospect of increasing the number of N. Y. A. enrollees assigned to this project as additional men qualified to supervise crews become avail- able. Two gypsy moth infestations found in scouting river banks.-—-The scouting of tree growth and debris along the banks of the Susquehanna and Lackawanna Rivers was completed before the end of October. The work was done at a time when the streams were at their lowest levels for many years, and the men were able to walk from one bank to the other at sev— eral points without wetting their feet. An infestation consisting of eight gypsy moth egg clusters was found in Plains Township, and a single- egg-cluster infestation was located in Wilkes-Barre. Progress of work at Pennsylvania gypsy moth infestations.——The gypsy moth extermimtion work in progress at an infestation in South Canaan, Wayne County, entailed the tearing down of numerous stone walls where egg clusters were found. The walls are rebuilt as fast as the egg clusters are creosoted. Scouting was started near the end of October in Salem and Paupack Townships, Wayne County, by crews transferred from their training grounds in Spring Brook Township. A little work was done by regular supervisory employees at assembling-cage sites where male gypsy moths were recovered last summer in Canaan and Cherry Ridge Town- ships. Although the results of these examimtims have been negative to date, they are not entirely conclusive, as only the tree growth in the immediate vicinity of the cage sites has so far been examined. Ae PLANT DISEASE CONTROL Berberis canadensis found in Pennsylvania .-—-wWhile scouting an abandoned farm site at the foot of a mountain near Calvin, in Huntingdon County, Pa., the crew leader found some barberry bushes unlike any previously found in that State. Specimens were sent to L, M. Ames, at the Arnold Arboretum, for identification. They were identified as Berberis canadensis. This species of barberry is found over extensive areas in Virginia and West Virginia, and in isolated places in a few other States. A large patch of these bushes was found growing in very stony ground at the edge of a woods about 100 yards from an unoccupied log farmhouse. The bushes appear to have been there for many years and their habit of growth was identi- cal with those found growing in Virginia and West Virginia. A care- ful check of past owners of the property was made to find out whether any of them had come from Southern States and might have carried the plants into the State. Jt was found that since the year 1700 only one former owner had not always been a resident of Huntingdon County and that one had come from the adjacent county of Bedfor Extensive area of escaped bushes found in Polk County, Wis.—- In September a survey of Farmington Township, Polk County; was started where the largest spread of bushes existed in the area. A total of 434 bushes. and. 3,055 seedlings were destroyed on about 30 acres of timberland on 1 property. Of this number, 131 were fruit-— ing bushes. The apparent source of these escaped bushes was a neg- lected hedge of 8 large fruiting bushes on an adjoining property. Rust damage in this area during the past season was considerable. The crews have continued the survey and have now destroyed 542 bushes on ll properties but, owing to the heavy timber and thick underbrush, the work has been extremely difficult. Growing of white pine resulting from natural seed germination. —— In the fall of 1939, under pure stands of white pine planted early in 1900, there was a carpet of current-year white-pine seedlings coming up through the dead pine needles at Sinnissippi Farm, Oregon, Ill. The roots of these seedlings were scarcely in contact with the soil. Each root consisted almost solely of a thin single taproot, with hardly any feeder roots. The seedlings were growing in practically 100-percent shade under, the parent pines and their length of life under such conditions was almost entirely limited to less than a year, or until the food material in the seed and the moisture in the needle duff had been exhausted. H. N. Putnam, in charge of blis-— ter rust control in the North Central States, suggested to the owner, who is greatly interested in his extensive white—pine plantations, that he try the experiment of lifting, by means of a silage fork or some such tool, a portion of the pine-seedling carpet and planting it in the open in contact with sandy soil. Last summer Mr. Putnam saw the results of this experiment. There are two coldframes in the owner's garden that contain a dense growth of white pine 2 years old and about 1 foot high, produced in the manner described above. Ap- parently, a very high percentage of the small seedlings so transferred and transplanted survived. This rather easy method of producing whit e- pine planting stock could be performed by farmers having white—pine shelterbelts and by others who have white-pine plantations. a a he White pine areas needing control work in Grand Teton National Park.--A survey of white pine areas in Grand Teton National Park was carried out in August to obtain data on the amount of control work needed to protect selected stands from blister rust damage. The re- sults of this survey have been submitted to the Nationai Park Service for consideration in their control program. The control—work require- ments cover 10 small units of pine that appear to have a high aesthetic value to the park. Six of these are considered major areas, as each is cut by trails which provide the only means of travel in the park. The other 4 are important as desirable slope timber cover visible from the Jackson Hole Highway, but because of their relative inaccessibility may not be considered for control. The 6 major units consist of 3,450 acres requiring 3,800 man-days of Ribes-eradication work for the initial coverage. The secondary areas total 2,350 acres requiring 2,700 man—days of work. The principal Ribes species are Ribes monti- enum, R. jacustre, and R. viscosissimum, with some restricted areas containing R. inerme. Special control methods advised include the use of Diesel oil on intact R. montigenum and dry borax—salt mixture on the rock-bound roots of R. lacustre and R. viscosissimim. Beavers obstruct blister rust control work.--L. BE. Newman, State leader in New Hampshire, expresses his interest in the short item in the October 1, 1941, News Letter (v. VIII, No. 10, pv. 11) on the effect upon gyosy moth scouting work of railed an area by beavers. A simi-— lar experience was encountered in connection with blister rust control in New Hampshire last year and two areas were left unworked because of beaver activities. In one instance land totaling about 70 acres had been flooded; in the other the area amounted to about 10 acres. These beaver dams were destroyed by the local fish amd game warden but a short time later it was noted that they had been rebuilt. Blister rust infection found in North Carolina and Tennessee.-—- R. G. Pierce, in charge of blister rust control work in the Southern Appalachian States, reports that blister rust on Ribes has been dis~ covered for the first time in four counties in North Carolina, nanely, Ashe, Avery, Watauga, and McDowell, and two counties in Tennessee, Carter and Johnson. In Avery County, N. C., infections were found on BR. rotundifolium in thrée places and on RE. echoes in four places, the elevations ranging from 3, 2 5Or LO aN. 000 feet. No infection could be found on white pines. Agent H. A. Whitman Jr., 1s credited with finding the first infection in North Carolina on October 1. The first infection in Tennessee was found on October 10 in Johnson County by J. Curtis Ball and J. Wilburn Lane. In addition, the fall scouting work resulted in the finding of blister rust for the first time on Ribes in Mercer, Monroe, Raleigh, and Summers Counties, W. Va., amd in Bland, Pulaski, Wythe, Grayson, and Smyth Counties, Va. iy North Carolina all infections found to date are in nonpine areas or within the vicinity of scattered white pine classified as not worthy of pro- tection. Bushes found, however, in the immediate vicinity of the Biue Ridge Parkway will be eradicated. In Tennessee the one infected area in Johnson County was very close to an eradication area, but ye practically all the white pine was recently burned and no further work will be done on this area. In Virginia the Grayson County infection was well within the control zone of a good white pine area, and in Smyth County the infected bushes were approximately O.4 mile from the nearest white pine area. Three-man crew in Vermmt.-——The three-man eradication crew as used during the oresemt season by District Leader F. H. Rose was in part the result of a shortage of labor caused by National Defense employment, and in cart an effort to find a mre ecmomical unit for the eracication of Ribes under certain conditions which existed in the southern part of Windham County. The Ribes found there are fewer than the average number for the district. The most impatant factor in th three-man unit is tie foreman, who mist be experienced in handiing eradication crews, intelligent, and interested in obtaining a high degree of efficiecy at the lowest possible cost. In using this unit the foreman works in the middle of the line and slightly in the rear of the crew men, and in this position is able both to check the crew men am cover his own strip as well. The men were spaced from 15 to 18 feet apart, a total width of 30 to 36 feet, but the spacing naturally varies with the density of the undergrowth. There is less loss of time in this unit during the grubbing of Ribes; also, crew alinement is more easily maintained and less time is lost at the beginning and the end of the strips. The work as shown in the following table was conducted under the regular program, the Dine owrmers paying all the costs, with the exception of the fareman's lost time on account of rain, which was paid by the State. The crew men received 40 cents an hour and the foreman 55 cents. Five areas were worked, as shown below, and the combined areas represent typi- cal conditions found in the southern part of Windham County, where the Ribes are below the average for the district. In the following table the work done by the three-man unit as described above, is summarized. Both initial and reeradication work are inc!uded. those. : Area : Ribes ; CoS per =) total seradicated: per acre : acre : cost a neres : umber : Doltars : Dollars Sesss== : 22 sale SG 5) OO ty aya DO ———— : 228 BS : 726 - 165.80 IiIi---——- : 910 = d ee : 23h Se Ae IV------ : 108 : 520 5 ThA ees 0 err Wee eens Py, : ey ee en The results obtained with the three-man eradication crew indi-— cate that it has a place in eradicaton procedure in Vermont; however, it is impossible to draw conclusions as to the relative efficiency of the six- and three-man crew units unless similar areas are covered by both units. The results obtained by the three-man crew indicate apae that it has a place in eradication procedure in Vermont; however, it is impossibie to draw conclusions as to the relative efficiency of the six- and three-man crew units unless similar areas are covered by both units. The results obtained by the three-man crew indicate that under certain conditions, where the Ribes are 10 per acre or less, it will prove to be a more economical unit than the six-man crew. COTTON INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Effect of moisture on hibernating pink bollworms.—-The resuits of the 1940 experiments by S. L. Calhoun on the effect that irriga-— , tions have on the development of hibernating pink bollworm larvae in the field at Presidio, Tex., were in line with his previous re- sults. It has been found that, under tropical conditions, a reduc-— tion in the moisture content of the food tends to induce development of the diapause in the pink bollworm, and the theory has been ad- vanced that continued irrigation until late in the season wold be of practical value in reducing or eliminating the hibernating lar- vae in the Big Bend area of Texas. College acala cotton, a slowly maturing western variety, was again used in tests designed to deter- mine the effects of water-stressed, normal, and excessive irriga-— tions on the prodiction of hiberriating larvae. rrigation wes dis-— continued in the plots in series I on August 7, in series II on Aug- ust 27, and in series III on October 10. Because of climatic con- itions favorable to the conservation of moisture, the cotton in series i was not water stressed to the point of wilting, as was planned, although it was reduced somewhat in growth and fruiting. However, there were in the piots where irrigations were continued later in the season, decided increases in the percentage of bolls infested, the number of larvae per boll, the number of bolls per piant, and the total larval populations, as well as delay in the time of boll opening. At the time of the last examination, on Cctober 24, 68 percent of the bolls were infested and 22,688 larvae per acre were found in series 1; 74—percent infestation and 59,663 larvae in series Ii; and 92-percent infestation and 258,992 larvae in series III. By October 17, 76 percent of the crop was harvested in series I, 65 percent in series II, and 52 percent in series III. The total yields from the 3 series were 1,975, 2,156, amd 1,901 pounds of seed cotton per acre, resvectively. Although the yields in all plots were reduced by the late infestation of bollworms and pink boll- worms, and by boll rot and frost, the losses from all of these fac-— tors were greater in the cotto irrigated later in the season. The numbers of hibernating larvae remaining in the soil and surface trash after the field clean-up were 18,392, 29,040, and 50,336, respectively, in series I, II, and ill. The results from 2 years' tests show that the later cotton is irrigated the greater the number of hibernating pink bollworm larvae produced, and there was no indication that an abundance of moisture will prevent the development of long-—cycle lar- vae. Under conditions prevailing at Presidio the lowering of tempera- ture as the season progresses seems to be the main factor, although not the only one, inducing diapause, and late-maturing cotton permits the build-up of a heavier carry-over of pink bollworms. SOE Recovery of boll weevil parasite.—-R. C. Gaines ami A. L. Seales report that a specimen of Triasois ves vestiticida Vier. was recovered from a fieid-collected infested square on m October 9 at Tallul ah, La. Deter— mination was made by C. F. W. Muesebeck. This soecies is a varasite of the Peruvian square weevil which was forwarded from Peru b; P. A. Berry and liberated in a heavily infested plot of cotton on September 12 and 16. No Triaspis parasites emerged from LC squares collected from this plot on Sestember 15 and only 1 svecimen was taken from 216 souares col-— lected on September 26. This is the first field recovery and vrobably the first record of thas species fromathe, boll weevil.) Very tarelowrs known about the life history and habits of this parasite, and efforts are being made by T. R. Gardner to rear it on the bean weevil at the Hoboken, N. J., parasite laboratory. Boll weevils abundant in cottmfieids.—-Repvorts from some sections indicate that fewer boll weevils were present in the cottonfields late this fall than in 1940, despite the fact that more damage was caused this season than at any time during the last 12 or 15 vears, and that large numbers of weevils were caught on flight screens. Reports from Talula, Lal, and “lorence, si. Cl stave: chat _Weevils were much more dita codes oy coltciek terme SHE ee eh on experiments than they were last year. Reports were received from Stoneville and other places in Mis— sissippi that weevils were scarce in the fields during October; however, they were reported as abund ant in fields mere green cotton was present in the vicinity of Waco, Tex., as late as November 1. In southern Georgia and Florida weevils were vrobably more abundant in the fields than for several years. ‘Several factors were responsible for this ap— sarentiy: anomalous situation. Cotton matured and opened eariy in South Carolina, oe ; and Louisiana, owing to the heavy weevil infesta- tion, stripping by 1 worms, and high temperatures during September and October. These faghars and the early fall destruction of cotton staiks reduced the weevil's food suppiy and curtailed breeding after the middie of September. The stalks in one of the fields where a fiveht screen is located at Tallulah weze cut on October 16 and almost half of vine total. weevils caught on three screens during the entire month were taken on the next examination of this screen. The high temperatures and shortage of food during September and October undoubtedly stimulated weevil movement between fields in search of better feeding conditions and also »robably caused a heavy mortality of weevils. On the other hand, weevils may have found protection in cool, damp places and sur-— wi VE... 256 2s hozed that later examinations of woods trash and Spanish moss will yield more data on the numbers of weevils in hibernation this fall. Species of leaf aphids on cotton.—-There has been considerable con— fusion in making determinations in the field of the leaf aphids found on cotton because of the variations in Aphis gossypii. The first aphids appearing on cotton in the spring are large, dark-colored, winged forms. The first generation that develops on cotton consists mostly of large wingless forms, ranging in color from vale to dark yellow, or from pale— to-bluish green to almost black. Around the first week in July the large forms and the green forms disappear and are replaced by very small yellow SOE forms. Development of the small yellow forms continues through peneration alter generation until the first cool nights of fall, when the large yellow and greenish forms oe appear. A large Series of aphids consisting of these various forms, collected by EH. W. Dunnam and S. L. Caihoun on cotton in “lke Vicinity of Stone- ville, Miss., were determined by P. W. Mason as A. gossyoii Glov. However, there were also some specimens of the soteto aohid (Macro- sipghum solanifolii (Ashm. )) among the large light-— and dark-colored aohids, and of the green ceach aphid (Myzus persicae (Sulz.)) among the large light-colored aphids. Flight ibe ofa cotton leaf worm adults in Greenfield, Mass.—~During the evening of October 7 a flight of adults of Alabama argillacea (Hbn.) was observed in Gree nfield, when thousands of the insects swarmed around street lights and lighted store windows. So far as is known, this was the heaviest flight of the cotton worm seen in tos I CGalibw tor several “years. PINK BOLLWORM AND THURBERIA WEEVIL CONTROL Gin- tra ash inspection.--In southern Texas inspection of gin trash to determine the status of the oink bolivorm was continued in Cameron and Nueces Counties during the first week in October. Results for the season in Nueces County were negative. Three additional pink bollworms were found in Cameron County, where infestatim has consistently been heaviest since the insect was found in that area, bringing the total specimens for the season to 28 through the examinstion of 1,614 bushels of trash. Last seasm 5,150 soecimens were taken from 1, 215 bushels of trash. In Hidalgo County only 3 oink bollworms were sonal during the season's inspection of 2,254 bushels of trash, as compared with 829 lar- vae from 3,043 bushels in 1940. -4Inssection in Tom Green anc Concho Counties, in the Panhsndle regulated area, was brought to a close in November, with negative results. light infestation was found in these 2 counties in 1939, and 1 specimen of the pink bollworm was found in Tom Green County in 1940, mt results in Concho County were negative for that year. A considerable quantity of trash was examined from other counties in the southern part of the Panhandle regulated area and ad- jacent counties outside; also, from nonregulated areas in the central and eastern parts of the State, with negative results. Insoection was brought to a close in the El Paso Valley at the end of Uctober, samples having been run from Hudspeth and El Paso Counties, Tex., and from Dona Ana County, N. Mex. This inspection yielded 143 pink bollworms from Dona Ana County, 1,595 from Hudspeth, and 44 2h3 from £1 Paso. In= spection was also completed in the Pecos Valley of Texas at the end of the month, with only 3 pink bollworms taken this year, as compared with 88 from approximately the same quantity of trash in"1940. In Maricopa County, in the Salt River Valley of Arizona, additional oink bollworms were found in the vicinity of Glendale, bringing the total found in that rather oe snot to ABT. Last. season only 136 pink bollworms were taken from a Targer quantity of trash. Inspection carried on during the month in other oarts of the Salt River Valley gave negative results. The an- nual inssection in the Safford Valley of Arizona resulted in 23 pink gas was cormpietel> inundated. Asoroxinetely 35,000 acres of lowlands were bollworms being taken from 708 busheis of trash, 8 of these com ing from Greeniee County and 15 from Graham. Last vear 24 pink © ollworm busi 5 S were taken from 520 bushels of trash.. Inspection in the Juarez Valier = Mexico, adjacent to the #1 Paso Velleyv, showed nside 3 er of worms from Vado de Cedillos and Hl Cuervo. Inssection of eer from 1 bale of cotton ginned at Véede de Cedillos yielded 1,044 sink bolivorms. Last season a bale grow on the seme jiand and ginned cn the same date pee ee 10,000 jlervae. Inspection was begun in the Fuerte River Valle> of Sinaloa, Mexico, about Octo— ber 15, with samoies oi trash from cotton grown locally and at Ver— dura and Culiacan, Sinaloa, ami from Navajoa, Cajeme, ami Santa Ana, nora. At the end of the month no pink bolivorms had been found. The season's inspecticn in Alabams and Georgia, and in the Delta sections of ‘“ississippi, Tennessee, a Arkansas was brought to a close in. October, wit h negative results in all States. Stalk destruction.——Thke principal measure for the contro! of ollworm in south Texas is the destruction of all living +1 Une cotton plants following the harvesting of the cotton crop. October # was the date fixed by the State for comsletion cf this work in the iozer Rio Grande Valley counties of Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Wil- 2 ah r15for the remaining southern Texes counties. Ad=— id a serious shortage of labor made it necessary to ve ther ea & grent individual extensions to several hundred farmers in the lower Rio Grande Valiey counties in order that they might complete the har- vesting of their crops, and 2 general extension until Octcber 31 was granted by croclamation for all other southern Texes counties. KHain-— was more or less continuous over much of the area during October, which prevented completion of stalk destruction. Good srogress was made, however, despite these adverse conditions, many farmers going €. at were not dry enough to work effectively in an effort lks cut. Of the 233,100 acres of cotton plented in 19Au in the Vanes Rio Grande Valley counties, only &,890 acres of stalks re— mained standing at the close of October, and staiks on approximetely 66,350 of the 206,700 acres of 1941 cotton in other southern Texas coun-— ties were vet standing. In the cotton-—growing ereas of adjacent Mexico, flood waters from the Rio Grande hampered the stalk-—destructim work in the Matamoros area, reaching as far west as the town of Rio Rico, which nd a va fiocoded. Also, rainfall interfered cmsiderabiy with field clean-up in higher areas; nevertheless some progress was made, especialiy in sections where adverse conditions did not orevail. Wild-cotton eradication.--As in »ast seasons, this Division, in cooperation with the Florida State Plent Board, wes successful in making arrangements with Works Progress Administratim officials for the assign— ment of a number of W. P. A. workers to assist in wild-cotton eradica-— tion. This work is discontinued qring the summer mmths on account of unfavorable working conditions. The first workers for the qrrent season were assigned on October 9 and at the close of the mmth 65 men had been assigned to this project. During the month 1,226 acres was covered and 15,586 seedling plants were destroyed, but onl; § mature plents were found. Limited numbers of scuares, blooms, amd bolls were taken from wild cotton plants and inssected, but no pink bollworms were found. Bos TRUCK CROP AND GARDEN INSECT INVESTIGATIONS Methyl bromide effective against narcissus bulb fly.—-Methyl bro- mide appears to be one of the most effective treatments of narcissus bulbs for the control of Merodon equestris (F.), as revorted by F. S. Blanton, of the Babylon, N. Y., laboratory. In tests conducted during the storage season of 1940, it was found that 24 and 3 pounds of methyl bromide ver 1,000 cubic feet, at a duration of 4 hours, gave a complete kill of the larvae infesting narcissus bulbs. Uninfested bulbs of the . variety King Alfred were treated on 3 different occasions and these, with tme untreated checks, were divided into 15 samples of 20 bulbs each and planted in a completely randomized plot. There was no signifi- cant difference in either the quality or quantity of flowers produced in these plots. A total of 83.7 percent of the untreated bulbs flowered, as did 90.7 percent of those treated with a 25-pound dosage and 89.3 percent of those treated with a 3-pound dosage. There was no difference in the yields of the resultant bulbs, expressed in terms of weight. The total increase in weight of bulbs for the untreated check was 96.6 per- cent, for the 25—-pound dosage it was 92.9 percent, and for the 3-pound dosage 93.3 percent. Judging from the results obtained in these studies, apparently this fumigant will be very satisfactory for use in combating this pest. The cost of the mterial will be negligibie and, with proper fumigation equipment, it will constitute a rapid method of treating bulbs. Newly developed organic compounds prove effective against hornworms on tobacco.—-C. F. Stahl and his associates at the Oxford, N. C., labora-— tory, report that in the course of tests the newly developed organic in- secticides 2-fluorylamine and diazoamino benzene proved to be mare toxic this group, including phthalonitrile, 1,4 diphenyl semicarbazide, or p- aminobenzene hydrochloride, all of which showed some degree of toxicity. The detailed results are shown in the following tabulation, a difference of 14 percent being of mthematical significance. Treatment or material tested Percentage of § mortality ee ye UI 70 Diazoamino benzene-—-------------- -- = 58 seins MS soi one SIS Snares RSS a 43 ie caehery. sen Garba zide—————_——— Al p-aminobenzene hydrochloride-———--———— Al Check (no insecticide)----~-- aaa 2 Cryolite samples having pH values of 3.7 and 8.1 were tested about the same time but not simultaneously with the organic materials. The re- sulting percentages of mortality were 92 and 6&9 for the two samples, re- spectively, indicating that none of the organic materials included in hese tests were as effective as cryolite. These organic materials were diluted with equal parts, by weight, of a commercially prepared, finely ground diatomaceous earth and were dusted onto potted sucker vlants of tobacco within a settling dust chamber. Uryolite was diluted, with the same material as the organic insecticides, to contain 50 vercent of sodium —-_ see a2) fe aluminum fluoride. In conducting these tests a dosage of 150 mil- ligrams of dust mixture was blown into a special wee of settling dust chamber and allowed to settle for 2 minutes. After the appli- cation of the dust mixture, 10 seconé-—instar larvae were placed on each sucker olant and observed for a pete of 4 da-s, Three sucker plants and 30 larvae were usec for each of S time reni apaes: making a total of 240 larvae per treatment. All of the organic materials used in these tests, with the exceotion of phthalonitrile, were very repellent to hornworm larvae, as evidenced by their lack of feeding and their tendency to leave the treated foliage. The 2-fluorylamine was orobably the rost repellent meterial tested. Newly described mite damages tomatoes .- -H. W. Davis, of the Modesto, Caliaf., laboratory, ré resorts bs that 2 mite, Phyllocootes destruc— tor Keifer, described in’ 1910) by Hi: BH. Keiater, (of “thes Galaqorns ages Devartrent of Agriculture, as a new species and knowm iocally as the "silver mite" or "tomato russet mite," has spread over the tomato—pro- ducing districts of the San Joacuin Valiey and caused Severe damage. In some fieids the losses are estimated at 50 percent of the croz. The presence of this mite on tometoes often casses unnoticed because of the superficial resemblance cf early mite injury te that caused by nematodes. The injury by this mite first begins to appear in June but does not become serious enough to be ncted until Jete in Jyly or in ugust. Starting on tne stem near the ground the mite infestation works up the see Causing the Jeaves to dry uo; thus, durine fot weather defoliation of the plait is very en and the fruit is ex- posed to sunburn. Breienpaee tests in the greenhouse by Mr. Davis reveaied a pronounced difference in veriocus Sees ties of tomatoes: an their degree of suscectibilit; to wee damage. lants of Bonny Best, Pritchard, and Esser seem to be less susceptible to the mite than any of the cther varieties, while Pondercesa and Santa Clara represent the most susceotible varieties. In general, pear-shaped tomatoes appear to be much more resistant to the mite than any of the stone or other round varieties. R. E. Campbell, of the Alhambra, Calif., laboratory, also resorts destructive numbers of this mite on tomatoes. 5 Eifectiveness of derris—ovrethrum-sulfonatec castor op oil or derris—white home emilsion sorays against red spider. —-in a series of tests conducted recentl> br vy Coe Weigel, G. V. Johnson, and J. D. DeCcursey, of the Beltsville, Md., laboratory, the effe (ioe of the standard spray comaining derris (0.0056 percent rotenone), pyre- thrum (0.01 vercent pyrethrins), and sulfonated castor oil (diluted 1 to 300 parts by volume), which has given consistentl; good control of red spider (Tetranychus bimaculatus Herv.) on greenhous e-grown cu- cumber, tomato, and other crops, was compared with one containing derris (0.0056 percent rotenone) and a vhite oil emlsion (0.5 percent), and another spray containing only white oil emulsion (a0 vercent ). The sprays were aoclied on a weekl-- and biweekl; schedule on cucumber and tomato plants grown under conditions simulating commercial practice. On cucurbers the resuits, based upon 3 secarate mortalit; counts taken shortly efter each weeklv sorary application and on 1 svopulatim count of living red soiders remaining on the plants after © weekly and 3 biweekly D5 applications, indicated that a weekly application of either of the first 2 sprays gave a very high kill of red spiders amd was equally efficient. Biweekly applications of the derris-—oil emulsion, how- ever, vroved less effective. The spray-containing oil emulsion alone, applied either on a weekly or biweekly basis, gave unsatis- factory control. Tolerance studies based on 12 weekly and 6 biweekly apolications showed that the foliage of derris-—oil emulsion-treated cucumber piants had a more uniform color than those receiving other reatments, and that the leaves showed less pitting from the s>ray. The vlants receiving weekly applications of a derris~oil spraz ap- peared to produce mare Grade No. 1 cucumbers and more poundage than those receiving any other treatment. The untreated plants yielded the lowest number and weight of cucumbers. With respect to the tests on tomato, essentially the same as those on cucumber except that ap- olications were made with hand sorayers, the final mortality counts indicated that all of the treatments (except the oil emulsion spray alone, which when applied biweekly produced only 71.3 percent kill) were equal in effectiveness and gave a kill of red sviders ranging from 95.5 to 99.5 percent. The checks showed a natural mortality of 38 percent. The final population counts of living spiders showed no difference between treatments, the spray applications having markedly reducea the population on all plants. All treetments caused staining and pitting of the fruit. On the basis of earlier observations, the staining on fruits can be readily washed off by syringing with water within 48 hours after application. The fruit and foliage of the plants ecelving the oil emulsion spray alone had extensive red spider feed- ime injury due to lack of control. The. fruit on the untreated plants was not oil—stained, but both the fruit and foliage showed considerable feeding injury. INSECTS AFFECTING MAN AND ANIMALS Gooverative salt-marsh survey in extra-cantonment areas in the Southeast.--G. H. Bradley, of the New Smyrna Beach, Fla., labora- tory, has been selected to supervise a group of soecialists employed by the United States Public Health Service to make salt-—marsh surveys in extra-cantonment areas in the Southeastern States. Mr. Bradley's assistants will include S. EB. Shields, of the St. Lucie, Fla., sand fly laboratory, Travis EB. Mctieel, of the Division of Domestic Plant Quarantines, located at Gulfport, Miss., and Henry S. Chubb, of the New Smprna Beach Laboratory, all of wnom are being transferred tem- porariiy to the Public Health Service. It is expected that three additional technicians will be appointed at an early date. Resistance of mosquito larvae to pyrethrum larvicides.-—Accord- ing to tests recently made by R. C. Bushland and W. VY. King, of the Orlando, Fla., laboratory, larvae of Aedes taeniorhynchus (Wied.) are mich more resistant to pyrethrum larvicides thar are those of Culex vilosus (Dyar aad Knab). Dog fly control terminated in northwestern Florida.—-W. E. Dove, of the Panama City, Fla., laboratory, reports thet actual spraying for dog fly contro! ceased on October 20. A total of 208,350 gallons of material was used on 286 miles of grass deposits along a meandering shore line of 701 miles. About 40 percent of the shore line, Mr. Dove reports, contained deposits of grass suffici iently heavy for spraying, and averaging about 35 inches in width and 7.7 inches in depth. The average rate of application was 728 gallons of mterial per miie of grass treated. | wO On | ee FOREIGN PLANT QUARANTINES Entomological interceotions of interest.—A living aduit of the tingitid £ Acalvota mera Drake was in itercented at Seattie on July 29 on Sempervivum sp. leaf in baggage from Canada. Four living adults of the bruchid Acanthoscelides ceratioborus (Philippi) were intercepted at Chicago on July 31 in the seeds of Prosopis chilensis in mail from Peru. Living adults, larvae, and pupae of the bruchid A. flexicaulis (Schaef. ) were taken at Brownsville on September 14 in ebony beans in baggage from Mexico. Twenty-one living larvee and 3 living pupae of the euribiid Anastrepha fraterqilus (Wied.) were taken at Boston on Seotember 22 from 7 grapefruits in stores from Argentina. One living larva of A. mombinpraeoptans Sein was found at Mobile on July 25 in mango in cuarters from Puerto Rico. A living adult of the bruchid Caryedon fuscus (F.) was found at San Francisco on pens N7/s Of paper wravping of bean pods in baggage from Hawaii. Living and dead larvae of the Mediterranean fruitfly (Ceratitis A eee (Wied.)) were intercepted at San Francisco on September 17 in Coffea arabica in baggage and on August 30 in avocado in baggage from Hawaii. Living larvae of the curculionid Ceutorhynchus quadridens Panz. were found at Baltimore on August 5 in the stems of cabbage leaves in stores from England. Specimens of the coccid Chionasois diosmae Brain were taken at New York on March 23, 1940, on Barosma betulina and B. crenulata in cargo from the Union of South Africa. A living adult of the lygaeid Clerada apicicornis Sign. was taken at Hoboken on August 16 with Cat— tleya s sp. in cargo from Colombia. Living larvae of the curculionid Heilious ucifase sms F. were found et Galveston on August 13 in an avocado seed in stores from Costa Rica. A living larva of the phycitid Hypsipyla grendelia (Zell.) was found at New York on August & in ma- hogany Tee i in cargo from Guatemala. Living larvae and adilts of the scolytid Leperisinus fraxini Panz. were intercepted at New York on Juiy 30 and August 6 6 and at Philadelphia on Augist 4 in ash wood crat- ing from England. Living larvae of the curculionid Palaeopus costicol-— lis (Marsh.) were taken at Mobile on September 30 in sweetpotato in stores from Trinidad and at New York on Seotember 20 in yam in baggage from Honduras. A living adult of the lygaeid Peritrechus fraternus Uhl. was interceoted at Calexico on July 15 on Brassica alba alba in baggage fram Mexico. Living adults of the bruchid Pheloterus aberrans Sharp were intercepted at Hoboken on March 28 in Cassia moschata seed in mail from £ the Canal Zone. Four living adults of the bruchid Speculibruchus ery— thrinae Bridwell were taken at New York on July 14 in seeds of Erythrina caffra in mail from the Unio of South Africa. Specimens of the coffee berry borer (Stephanoderes hampei Ferr.) were intercepted at St. Paul, Minn., on September - 18 in coffee beans in mil from Cenada. Three living larvae of the olethreutid Taloonia batesi Hein. were intercepted at Laredo on September 24 in cherimoya in baggage from Mexico. Weeks ee aye Pathological interceptions of interest.—-A sample of nema tode— infested narcissus bulbs from Ontario, Canada, collected at Hoboken on Cctober 2, was examined br G. Steiner, who reports finding Acro- beloides sp. new (?), Acrobeloides sp. new, and Avhelenchoides sp. new. A Mexican pine cone taken from baggage at El Paso on August 29 was referred by the Bureau of Plant Industry to H. S. Jackson, who reports: "Immature, but certainly Aleuvrodiscus, related to A. roseus group and a very pretty thing." It is hoped he will determine the species as he goes on with a monogranvh he is preparing. Ascochyta imoerfecta Pk. was found on alfalfa leaves and stems from New Zealand which were being used for animal food on the deck of a ship inspected on October 27 at New York. Coleosporium dahliae Arth. was intercepted on dahiias from Mexico on Sestember 18 at Hidalgo and on October 1 at Brownsville. Apparently this rust does not occur in the United States. Colletotrichum orchidearum Allesch. was intercepted on July 29 on Cypripedium philippinense from Thailand at San Francisco, on August 16 on Exidendrum vitalenium from Mexico at Laredo, on June 5 on Masdevallia so. from Costa Rica at Seattle, and on August 1 on Vanda coerulea from Burma at San Francisco. A cetton stalk from Mexico in a car trunk in- spected at Brownsville on October 18 was infected with what appeared to be Dinlodia gossypina Cke. JD. henriquensiana Trav. & Spessa was inter- ceoted at Hoboken on September 23 on a Cattleya pseudobulb in mail from the Canal Zone. D. paraphysaria Sacc. was intercepted on July 14 at San Francisco on Vanda coerulea from Thailand and on August 11 at San Juan on orchids from Venezuela. Gloeosporium aleuriticum Sacc. was intercepted on September 10 at San Francisco on Aleurites moluccana nut husk from Hawaii. G. cattleyae Sacc. & D. Sacc. was intercepted on August 4 at San Francisco on Cattleya mendelii. Lophodermium juniperinum (Fr.) de Not. was found on October 17 at New York on one juniper berry in a large ship- ment from Hungary. Mycosphaerella sp. (no species reported on host) was intercested on August 18 at Hoboken on a Sobralia leaf from Guatemala. Phyllosticta stanhopea Allesch. was intercepted on September 24 at Hobo- ken on Stanhopea so. from Peru. Physalospora cattleyae Maubl. & Lasn. was interceoted on September 10 at San Francisco on Cattleya seedlings from England, and on July 15 at Brownsville on Batemania sp. from Colom- bia. Sclerotinia bulborum (Wakk.) Rehm was found on October 7 at New York on one bulb in a crate of hyacinth bulbs from England. Sclerotinia rolfsii Sacc. was found on July 26 at Hoboken on a wild Cattleya from Brazil. Sporonema camelliae Earle was intercepted on April 24 at Hoboken on camel- lias from England. Vermicularia geayana Del. was intercepted on July 14 at San Francisco on Cattleya dowiana from Costa Rica. Verticilliodochium tu- bercularioides (Speg.) Bubak was found on August 11 at Seattle on an orchid pseudobulb from Costa Rica. DOMESTIC PLANT QUARANT INES Peach nurseries certified for shipping.--A summing up of the Federal- State inspection work in the environs of the nurseries throughout the Stetes infected with the phony peach or the peach mosaic disease shows that of the 394 peach nurseries inspected in the phony-infected area, 4 nurseries failed to meet certification requirements of the State cuaran- tines. Of the 161 nurseries inspected in the mosaic area, only 9 growing less than 1,100 trees are ineligible for certification. These figures do ~28- not include, however, inspected nurseries in the infected area of Cali- fornia, as that State prohibits the shipping of host nursery stock from the infected area. In the various infected States, all diseased trees within a radius of 1 mile of the certified nurseries or of the certified sources of budwood were removed, as provided by the quaran-— tines. The results of inspections in the fall, prior to defoliation, necessitated no change in the status of nurseries in the mosaic area as determined by the inspections earlier in the season. The comple— tion of inspection for the phony peach disease in Georgia, on October 15, terminated the season's inspection activities throughout the in- fected States. The work is now confired to the removal of trees found diseased during the inspection season and of abandoned and escaped peach trees. The States' activity on the projects was represented by the services during October of 5 field supervisory employees am 1 of- fice worker. Peach mosaic survey in Mexico.--Owing to the fact that peach mosaic has been known to occur for the last 6 years in the El Paso Valley dis-— trict, a comparatively narrow strip of tillable land along the American side of the Rio Grande, it was thought advisable to make a survey of similar area across the river in Mexico. Through the cooperation of the Mexican Denartment of Agriculture, the growers, and others, a survey was made from August 1-18 of the Juarez Valley, of the vicinities of the cities of Chihuahua and Canmergo, and of 7 smll villages in the State of Chihuahua. Peach mosaic was found to occur in all of tl areas visited. In the Juarez Valley, mosaic trees were found on nearly three-fourths of the properties inspected. It is believed that the disease may have been present there for several years. The trees in these various lo- calities were largely of the home-orchard type. Both seedlings and budded trees were found at many of the points visited. The sampling method was used. A total of 117 properties was inspected, and of these the mosaic disease was found on 85. The survey was conducted by R. L. McClain, assistant pathologist, and Armando Cedillos, junior quarantine aide, both of this Bureau, with the assistance of Ing. Manuel Alcazar, deiegado fitosanitaria, of the Mexican Department of Agriculture. White-fringed beetle control work.--A 6-week period of inspection at various points in western Florida by two State inspectors, brought to a close on October 6, resulted in no new infestations of the white-fringed beetle being found. Regulatory activities throughout the infested areas of the various States were increased considerably in October with the harvesting of farm products, the fall movement of nursery stock, and the inspection of equipment of several circuses operating in the infested area. A few beetles continued to be taken in the emergence cages in the New Orleans area until about the middle of October. Larval diggings dur-— ing the latter part of October failed to reveal the presence of pupae or unererged adults. In the Gulfport, Miss., area a few scattering adults were taken in the emergence cages, one as late as October 23. Soil diggings near the close of the month continued to show a small number of oupae., No emergence was reported from other areas am live adults were very scarce; however, in the newly infested area at Bolton, Miss., li adult beetles could still be found near the end of the month. Mole cricket control goes forward.--During October, over 835,000 oounds of bait was mixed and distributed to growers in 11 counties in BOs Florida for the control of mole crickets, making a total of nearly 1,500,000 pounds furnished to growers since the begimning of this season's vrogram on September 9. This bait has been furnished vrin- cipally for the protection of young plants in seedbeds or those newly transplanted to the fields when mole cricket activitiy is most damaging. This work is conducted in cooperation with the State, the Florida State Plant Board under the direction of the State Mole Cricket Control Committee making distribution of the bait to growers. Counties furnish transportation for the bait from the mixing stations. The station located at Wauchula was discontinued during the month, after which all bait was supplied from Plant City. The State is also furnish- ing technical assistance on research work to learn more of the character- istics of the several species of crickets and to determire improved methods of combating them. Chinch bug survey.—--At the request of the State leaders of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma for assistance in making a survey to determine the numbers of chinch bugs in hiberna- tion, arrangements have been completed for the assignment of scouts to conduct this work. The figures obtained by such surveys are used as an index of probable chinch bug abundance the following spring. The above- named States are those in which chinch bug populations reached damaging proportions during the last 2 years and to which the Bureau furnished ereosote for their control. Work on citrus canker stepped up.--Inspection for citrus canker went forward in 7 Texas counties in October, including the Navasota area where particular emphasis was placed on the reinspection and removal of old citrus hedges and the reworking of the 6 properties where citrus canker was found earlier in the year. Fifteen Federal field men worked on the project in October, in addition to 103 W. P. A. laborers. No citrus canker was found during the month Truck lines surveyed for quarantine enforcement.—-The magnitude of transportation problems in relation to transit inspection is illustrated by the results of a recent survey of interstate trucking at Chicago, which showed that 119 long-distance carriers operate from Chicago to 21,000 other cities and towns, and that there are also 413 long-distance carriers which are not members of the Chicago Association of Commerce. At Omaha a survey of commercial truck lines has been completed and arrangements have been made for inspection of quarantined materials moving by this means of transportation. Transit inspection in October.--Transit inspection was resumed in Octo- ber at Birmingham and Detroit. A collaborator assigned by the Michigan De- partment of Agriculture is conducting the work at the latter city. The State of Georgia has assiged an inspector to assist part time at Atlanta. The Northeastern States region reports a decline in nursery-stock shipments, because of exceedingly dry weather. The Central States region reports a like decline, because of excessive rain. Misuse of certificates detected.--The flagrant misuse of Japanese beetle certificates was recently discovered on three chhipments found by 362 a New York transit inspector. By careful checking of the ship- ments it was found that two were used for unauthorized materials and a third had apparently been borrowed from another shipper and altered. There was also interceoted at New York and returned another shipment of plants in violation of the Japanese beetle quar- antine bearing a rubber stamp with a notation to the effect that it was "OK on Quarantine No. 48." These violations were reported to the project leader on Japanese beetle control. CONTROL INVESTIGATIONS Stabilization of a naphthalene aerosol.-—-W. N. Sullivan and J. H. Fales, in cooperation with L. D. Goodhue, of the Division of Insecticide Investigations, have completed a study on the stabiliza-— tion of a naphthalene aerosol with the use of smoke. The results of this work are published in the Journal of Economic Entomology (v. 3h, No. 5: 650-653, October 1941). INSECTICIDE INVESTIGATIONS Apparatus for measuring coarseness of powders.-—On November 4 the United States Patent Office granted HB. L. Gooden, of this Division, Patent No. 2,261,302. This is assigned to the Secretary of Agricul-— ture and to his successors in office. This patent fully describes an air-permeation apparatus for determining the average fineness of oowdered insecticides and other powdered materials. The permeability of a bed of powder to a fluid is known to be a function of (1) the porosity of the bed, as expressed, for example, in percentage of voids; and (2) the specific surface of the powder from which the bed is formed. To determine the surface mean diameter, or average particle diameter, of a powder, it is possible to measure separately, by suit— able means, the porosity and the cermeability of the sample, and from the relationships mentioned above amd through the use of technically known constants, to calculate the average particle diameter of the oowder. New synthetics patented as insecticides.—-On November 4, 1941, the United States Patent Office granted 5S. I. Gertler am H. L. J. Haller, of this Division, Patent No. 2,201,735, which is assigned to the Secre- tary of Agriculture and to his successors in office. This patent covers the use as insecticides of certain semicarbazones, especially tiose of crotonaldehyde, 2-furaldehyde, and salicylaldehyde. Crotonaldehyde semi-— carbazone tested against newly hatched screwworm larvae by the "jar test” method was toxic at a concentration of 0.05 percent; 2-fuwraldehyde semi-— carbazone tested against newly hatched screwworm larvae by the above method also was toxic at a concentration of 0.05 percent. This compound when used as a dust was also more toxic than derris, after a 48-hour period, to the melon worm, the imported cabbage worm, and to Hawaiian beet webworm larvae. Salicylaldehyde semicarbazone dusted on Swiss chard leaves when fed to the Hawaiian beet webworm of the fifth instar showed a higher mortality after 48 hours than did derris. Determining alkaloid content of uncured tobacco.--The United States Patent Office on October 28 granted L. N. Markwood, of this Division, —3]— Patent No. 2,260,677. This is assigned to the Secretary of Agri- culture and to his successars in office. The process described in this patent comurises digesting the tobacco with sulfuric acid, recovering the resulting extracts, reacting lead oxide with said extract in an amount sufficient to precipitate the proteins from the extract and to neutralize the mother liquor, am separating and recovering the mother liquor from the precipitate. soft glass affects melting point of rotenone.—-H. A. Jones has shown that when the melting point of pure rotenone is deter- mined in soft-glass tubing the melting point is depressed several degrees. This finding is of practical value because some chemists determine the melting point of rotenone as a measure of its purity. It is important that the melting point of rotenone be determined in a hard-glass capillary tubing, such as pyrex glass. An account of this work is poublished in Industrial and Ingineering Chemistry Minclansseds., via 135 No. 1, p. 619; Nov. 15, 1941). Use of fatty acids in insecticidal aerosols.—-W. N. Sullivan and J. H. Fales, of the Division of Control Investigations, and L. D. Goodhue, of this Division, published (Science, n. s., v. 9h, No. 24/45, pp. Abb-445, Nov. 7, 1941) an account of tests against houseflies with orthodicalorobenzene alone and mixed with oleic and laurie acid when dispersed in aerosol form. In tests against the roach and the bedbug, a 100--percent mortality was obtained by using 14 pounds of orthodichlorobenzene containing 5 percent of lauric acid per 1,000 cubic feet. The apparatus used in this work con- Sisted of a smill nasal-type atomizer mounted 4 inches above the cen- ter of an electric hot plate held at 375 C. A small electric com- pressor was used to maintain the air pressure that operated the at- emazcre ine dauric or olleic acid alone killed only 1 percent of the houseflies after 2 days, and orthodichlorobenzene alone killed only 2 percent in the same time, whereas the mixture of acid and orthodi- chlorobenzene killed from 55 to 60 percent. Average particle diameters of commercial insecticidal sulfurs.-——- E. L. Gooden, of the Division of Insecticide Investigations, published (Indus. and Engin. Chem. v.33, No. 11, pp. 1452-1453, Nov. 1941) the re- results of a survey of commercial insecticidal powdered sulfurs with regard to average diameters (surface mean diameters). In the 54 samples tested the average diameters ranged from 5 to 25 microns. These deter- minations were made by means of the self-calculating air-—permeation ap-— paratus described in United States Patent No. 2,261,802. BEE CULTURE New variety of Italian bee.--W. J. Nolan, Beltsville, Md., reports progress in isolating, through selective breeding, a pure strain of the Italian bee with color markings distinct from those of strains of this race now in use in this country. The new strain is further characterized by the fact that the chitinous color patterns of queen, drone, and worker See ear a closer resemblance to each other than do patterns in other Italian strains. On the thorax the black in the chitin of common strains is replaced by ee on the abdomen by cinnamon, and on head end legs by yellow or deep tan. The scutellum is yellow. Abdomens of workers appear banded cin- namon and yellow instead of black and yellow since all typica italian yeliow coloration appears to have been retained. In the drone the cinnamon coloration is confined to the last two abdominal segments, the others being yellow excent for a narrow cinnamon band. This is apparently the only; variety, of the Eurosean honeybee at- least, in which the abdominal tip of all three castes--worker, drome, and queen--bears no black. While ns abdomen of the three castes is densely covered with whitish s, these nairs are so dense on the third, fourth, and fiftn abdominal segments of the worker as to form a prominent white band on each. In the drone long white hairs form a conspicuous oe on ecch of the last two abdominal segments. The head of ech individual bears an abundance of yellow hairs. The stock is eine isolated from the progeny of an imported Italian cueen of unknown varentage or mating. She bears a cardovan thorax but produces only 16 percent of worker offspring with cinnamon colora tion on their abdomens, whereas matings have been optained at. Beltsvilie this summer that have resulted in all progeny showing + his character. Her drones bear the type coloration, however. eliow face coloration was ae at the laboratory in other stock several years earlier, and some drones with cinnamon abdomens were also observed prenatal: the cordovan-thorax character has apparently not been reported before. ks IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS Bathyplectes tristis (Grav.) recovered for third time.—-On October 26, “1941, at Seven Fountains, Shenandoah County, Va., ued, (Ge Choe captured a female specimen of Bathyplectes tristis, an ichneumonid parasite of the clover leaf weevil (Hypera punctata (F.)). In 1912, 580 cocoons of B. tristis and approximately 6,100 cocoons of H. punctata, some of which may have yielded parasites, were received from Italy, a part of the lot being kept in Washing ane D. C., and the remainder sent to the Salt Lake City laboratory. The notes on the Washington lot record the rearing of a considerable number of adults but do not mention the release of specimais, al- though the host species was notably abundant in Potomac Park the seme year The species was not released from the Utah laboratory; however, on March 30, 1932, L. D. Anderson took 2 specimens at Nor- folk, Va., and in 1935 the species was reared in considerable num- bers at Arlington Farm, Va., by F. F. Dicke. The collection of the specimen by Mr. Clarke is the third record of its recovery. Central and South American Diptera added to National Collec~ tion.-~Henry W. Aare of the Internati onal Health Division of the Ro kefeller Foundation, recently presented to the National Museum 1 cuitoes from Costa Rica, El Salvador, and British Honduras A meee a ATM Ae li I, ne et ee ee ee eet. ee ee a —33- Fifty-nine species in 15 genera were represented. Although only 1 species was new to the collection, a number of the others had pre— viously been represented by only a few specimens. During the past year John Lane, of the Instituto de Higienede Sao Paulo, Brazil, determined our unnamed specimens of the genera Dixa, Chaoborus, and Corethrella and, in exchange for certain paratypes retained, sent paratypes of other species from his collection. The returned material consisted of 151 specimens of 30 species, 25 of which were new to the National Collection. Seven holotypes, 3 allotypes, aml 33 paratypes were included, making this a noteworthy addition. A litter of pigs killed by ants.-—-A series of specimms of the native ant Formica truncicola integra Nylmder was sent in recently by B. B. Fulton, of the University of North Carolina. He reported them as very abundant on a farm near Mount Olive, in the ca@stal—plain area of North Carolina. They were nesting in wood and had built nests at the bases of trees, stumps, and posts, covering the nésts with small twigs, pine needles, and other debris. The ants are vicious, and it is reported by the farmer on whose land the colonies were found that a litter of pigs was killed by them. Another authentic report on this species concerns a small child, at Bells, Tenn. The child was almost completely blinded by the ant, which attacked especially the eyes Web-spinning psocid found in Florida.—-Specimens of Archipsocus nomas Gurney were submitted in July by W. V. King, who faind the species abundant at Orlando, Fla. Mr. King reported that the trunk and lower limbs of an oak tree, up to a distance of 20 or 25 feet above the ground, were almost completely covered with the webbing formed by the psocids. This species was described in 1939 (Wash. Acad. Sci. Jour., v. 29, No. 11) from mterial collected at New Orleans by T. E. Snyder. The latter re- ported that the psocids made unsightly webs on trees in various parks and streets of New Orleans and along tle Gulf cast of Mississippi. A. nomas is apparently widely distributed in the Southeastern States, and in favorable seasons the webs may be expected to attract considerable atten- tion. The genus Archipsocus occurs principally in Central America and South America, but at least one species is known from Ceylon am Singa- pore. The web-spinning habit has been reported for several of the species. Solubea pugnax (F.) damaging sorghum.—-D. E. Howell, of the Oklahoma Agricultural College, Stillwater, submitted some pentatomids for deter- mination, with the statement that these bugs seem to be doing considerable damage to sorghum at Lawton, Okla. The specimens were identified by H. G. Barber as the rice bug (Solubea pugnax (F.)). —S = a sol ee hace bs, 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS DECEMBER 15, 1941 Freedom of speech Freedom of press Freedom of religion Freedom of assembly Equal justice to ail A NOBLE HERITAGE AND A SACRED TRUST The American Bill of Rights was ratified on December 15, 1791. The Sescuicentennial Anniversary is celebrated throughout the Nation in accordance with a Joint Resolution of Congress and a Proclamation of the President.