362 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



November 8, 1913. 



INSECT NOTES. 



AN ENTOMOLOGICAL VISIT TO THE 



UNITED STATES. 



The following article 'constitules a continuation frcm 

 the last issue of the Agruultural Neivs, of .Mr. G. E. 

 l^odkin's visit to the United States as a Carnegie Eotomo- 

 logical Scholar. His observations on pests of sugarcane, 

 rice and citrus plants have already been dealt with; and we 

 now come to those concerning pests attacking 



STORED GRAIN. 



Interesting investigations into tlie habits of insects 

 infesting grain, especially rice, in mills and warehouses, were 

 in progress in Louisiana and Texas, and experiments were 

 being carried out with a view to finding improved means of 

 controlling these pests. Carbon bisulphide, which has been 

 largely used for this puipose, does not penetrate into large 

 masses of closely packed sacks of grain sufficiently to give 

 perfect results. The in.sects of chief importance in this 

 group are the rice weevil (Calandra oryzar), the Angoumois 

 grain moth {Sitolroga o'rca/e/la), the cigarette beetle {Tene- 

 /•rioides mauritanica), and the saw-toothed beetle {Silranus 

 xurinaniensis). 



PE.ST.S OF COTTON. 



The boll weevil is the most serious pest of cotton 

 in the United States and perhaps in the world. At 

 several Federal Experiment stations for the study of 

 pests of field crops the IjoII weevil is made the principal 

 subject of investigation. 



This insect occurs in the Southern United States, 

 Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Cuba. In twenty years 

 since its first discoverj' in Southern Texas, it has spread over 

 an area of 278,000 sq. miles in the cotton-growing area of 

 the Gulf States (see Agricultural JS'etvs. Vol XTI, p. 314). 

 The direct financial loss to cotton growers as a result of the 

 depredations of this pest in one year (1909) has been 

 estimated at over 888,000,000. Methods of control are under 

 investigation. The use of poisons has not given definite 

 results. The adoption of improved methods of agricultural 

 practice has yielded results of value in the control of the 

 boll weevil. 



It would seem that the cotton grower in weevil-infested 

 localities will be compelled either to adopt better agricultural 

 methods or give up cotton growing. In this way, by bringing 

 about a better system of agriculture, including careful rotation 

 of crops, increased production of stock and, consequently, 

 moie farmyard manure and better tillage, the boll weevil, 

 although it be a destructive pest, may prove of considerable 

 indirect value, in that it may lead to the establishment of 

 a more diversified and more stable agricultural situation. 



Other pests of cotton observed were the cotton 

 ■worm (AlaUimaaryilliti-ta), the cotton flea (PxalhsdeHnttus), 

 the cotton red spider ('J'etrani/c/ins sp.), the cotton root louse 

 (Aphi* nididi-ra diets) and the cotton wire worm (IJoristonotus 

 curiatus). 



TICK.S. 



The cattle tick in the Southern United States is the cause 

 of enormous lo.saes to stock raisers. :In Louisiana, at the ]>aton 

 Kouge Experiment Station, a demonstration dipping tank 

 was in fiperaiion. The tank was constructed of concrete, the 

 .solution used being ami.xture containing white ar.-^enic, washing 

 soda, pine tar and water (the proportions are not given). This 

 has proved very efficauio-is^ against ticks, and also against such 

 other pests as lice and horn Hies. 



l-LANT liUAEASTINE EFFORTS. 



At San Francisco an opportunity was found for studying 

 the very effective system of plant quarantine which is in force 

 at that port, as well as at all other principal ports ia 

 California. 



In carrj-ing out the provisons of the Quarantine Law all 

 cargo and pissenger'.f, baggage must be inspected on the 

 ai rival of all incoming ships, and any insect-infested material 

 is either fumigated or destroyed. A similar system is io 

 force in Porto Rico. 



The increasing prevalence of the Mediterranean fruit Hy 

 in various countries, and the increased knowledge of the 

 destructiveness of many scale and other insects liable to 

 dissemination on or in plant material, has led to the 

 establishment of these vigorous systems of inspection at thfr 

 ports of entry in order to safeguard as far as possible the 

 fruitgrowing industries. 



The quarantine work is in charge of competent 

 entomologists, and the number and variety of injurious 

 insects that are intercepted in the examination of passengers' 

 baggage and cargo would seem amply to justify the 

 expenditure necessary to maintain the work, and the incon- 

 venience caused to the travelling public. 



WORK IN CONNEXION WITH NATURAL ENEMIES. 



Many other ijosects and entomological projects were 

 seen and studied by Mr. Bodkin, including the Gypsy moth 

 and browntail moth work in Massachusetts, and the work oa 

 the alfalfa weevil in Utah. 



Perhaps the most important feature of each of these 

 investigations, lies in the attempts that are being made 

 to import the natural enemies of these pests from their 

 original homes, and to establish them in their new habitats. 

 A certain amount of success has already attended these 

 efforts, and it is hoped and expected that this line of 

 work will have a most important bearing on the control of 

 insect pests which have accidentally been introduced from 

 other countries. 



On the whole, the report reviewed above is of great 

 interest and indicates the enormous amount of good that 

 may be gained by a carefully planned trip such as the 

 one here recorded. It is to be regretted, however, that 

 the subject-matter , was not arranged better with a view- 

 to easy reference; that is to say, under appropriate subject 

 headings, instead of being presented in the form of a diary 

 account of a long journey. 



FROGHOPPER OF THE SUGAR-CANE. 



The Bulletins of the Department of Agriculture, 

 Trinidad and Tobago, Nos. 72 and 73 for August and 

 September, last, contain a number of papers on the frog- 

 hopper of the sujrar cane in Trinidad. Some of these papers 

 are by Mr. J. C. Kershaw and others by 'Sh. V. W. Urich 

 Entomologist to the Board of Agriculture. They contain 

 excellent accounts of the insect, its life history, the injury 

 done and the remedial measures which are being carried on 

 against the pest. A number of very good drawings and 

 plates are included and, taken altogether, these papers 

 furnish a very good account of the froghopper. 



The use of the green muscardine fungus is bein" con- 

 tinued, and the removal and the burial of the trash are found 

 to be valuable control measures. The newly discovered para- 

 sites of the egg of the froghopper do not appear to be able to> 

 increase in numbers with sufficient lapidity to render them 

 very useful in the control of the pest in the cane fields. 



