BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 227 



of considerable investigation. Plans were made for large-scale ex- 

 periments with this pest m southern California and Texas. From 

 the work conducted in Colorado it is evident that the natural enemies 

 reared on rape for the control of this species on melons are of only 

 slight benefit. A little-kno^^^n bug which attacks squash after the 

 manner of the common squash bug was studied in Louisiana, and 

 the control of the cucumber beetles, especially the striped and belted 

 species, was mvestigated in various locahties. 



Other vegetable, truck, and garden insects. — It was defi- 

 nitely proved during the year that growers of strawberries can not be 

 induced to use arsenicals against the strawberry leaf -roller where this 

 injury comes immediately after the crop is harvested. They do, how- 

 ever, follow the advice of this bureau by replanting every other year 

 and by burning over infested fields whenever injury has occurred, so 

 as to prevent damage for the coming year. 



The bean ladybird was investigated in Colorado and the bean leaf- 

 beetle was under observation in Louisiana. The seed-corn maggot 

 is prominent as an element destructive to early planting and was 

 studied in different States as opportmiity presented, as was the sweet- 

 potato weevil and other sweet-potato iosects. 



Observations were made on garden slugs and snails, which do 

 considerable harm to leaves, young seedlings of tomato, succulent 

 plants, mushrooms, and plants grown under glass. 



Demonstration work m the control of cutworms was conducted 

 with excellent results and progress was made in the study of the life 

 histories of some of the common as well as the less common species. 



Progress was made at nearly all of the stations in the use of up-to- 

 date sprayers. Thus, at the Kansas station, with a horse-drawn 

 sprayer with centrifugal pinnp driven by a gasoline engine tested on 

 12 rows of sugar beets, the results were very encouraging. The self- 

 propelled sprayer constructed for use in Texas in connection with 

 onions was adapted for experimental work in the control of the melon 

 aphis in commercial canteloupe fields, where the high pressure avail- 

 able promises unusual results. 



INSECTS INJURIOUS TO STORED PRODUCTS. 



Investigations of the insects injurious to stored products, especially 

 grains and cereal products, such as flour and meal, and dried meats, 

 iruits, beans, peas, seeds, and other foodstuffs, were continued under 

 the direction of Dr. F. H. Chittenden. 



Thorough observations were conducted on the so-called ''Argentine 

 weevil." The investigations were abandoned, however, on account 

 of the fact that the importation of Argentine corn and other grain 

 was practically stopped. The principal insect concerned is the rice 

 weevil, and if importations had been continuous the probabilities are 

 that this species would have been widely introduced into localities 

 where it does not now occur. The same is true of the Angoumois 

 moth, which ranks second in importance, and the rust-red flour beetle. 

 These three insects were constantly being shipped northward, but it 

 is too early to state whether or not they have gained a stronger foot- 

 hold than formerly. Some minor insect pests, such as ham and hide 



