503 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4 GEORGE V M A. 1914 



to conduct more extensive breeding experiments at the Fredericton laboratory during 

 next summer (1913). 



In addition to the aforementioned work, Mr. Tothill commenced an exhaustive 

 study of tbe parasitism of the Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma dissh-ia) and 

 the Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea), one of the chief objects of which was to 

 discover what facultative parasite of the Brown-tail and Gipsy Moths were attacking 

 these common native insects. It is also proposed to make a study from year to year of 

 these native parasites of these common insects with a view to elucidating some of the 

 complex problems associated with the important subject of the natural control of 

 insects. A large amount of valuable information was obtained in the short season 

 during wbich the work was carried on. 



II.— INSECTS AFFECTING FIELD CROPS. 



CUTWORMS. 



The most seriou3 of the insects affecting field crops during 1912 have undoubtedly 

 been cutworms of various species. In southern Alberta their depredations were very 

 extensive and unusually severe. With a view to ascertaining the extent of the 

 injuries and of the infested territory in Alberta, inquiries were addressed to farmers 

 and individuals reporting injuries, and the co-operation of the crop-reporting agen- 

 cies of the Census and Statistics Branch of the Dominion Department of Trade and 

 Commerce, the Department of Agriculture, of Alberta, and of the Commission of 

 Conservation was secured. Mr. W. H. Fairfield, Superintendent of the Experimental 

 Farm at Lethbridge, also very kindly collected statistics. From all these sources it 

 was found that between 30,000 and 35,000 acres of grain were actually destroyed by 

 cutworms in southern Alberta during 1912. The most seriously infested districts 

 appeared to have been Lethbridge, Macleod, Monarch, Pincher Station and Clares- 

 holm. The infested area was found to extend, approximately, from Claresholm in 

 the northwest to Wagner in the southwest, and from Spring Coulee in the southwest 

 to Turin on the northeast. They were particularly destructive to garden crops, 

 including cabbages, turnips, onions, peas, beets and carrots, and in addition to destroy- 

 ing wheat, which was the chief crop attacked, they ate oats, barley and timothy. 

 The damage was reported to have commenced about the middle of April and to have 

 extended into the middle of June. The most destructive species appeared to be 

 Prosagrotis deloraia Sm. and Euxoa ochrogaster Gn. The ordinary remedial 

 measures for cutworms did not prove effectual, and on this account, together with the 

 fact that one of the species (P. delorata) was a new pest, arrangements have been 

 made for a thorough investigation into the outbreak. For this purpose a field 

 officer (Mr. E. II. Strickland) has been appointed, and an entomological laboratory 

 will be established at Lethbridge. 



CHINCH BUG INVESTIGATION. 



Owing to the extensive damage by the Chinch Biug (BHssus leucoptertis Say) 

 in Middlesex county, Ontario, during 1911, to which reference was made in my last 

 annual report, and the possibility of this very injurious pest of staple grains spread- 

 ing from the infested area in western Ontario, a careful investigation was car- 

 ried on by Mr. H. F. Hudson at a temporary field station at St. Ives, Middlesex 

 county, Ont. 



In the early part of the year, our field officer, Mr. G. E. Sanders, visited the 

 region and made observations on the insects in winter quarters. Mr. Hudson com- 

 moner! work about the middle of May, when the bugs wore mating. A study of 

 their life-history and habits was made. The infested region is largely devoted to 



