510 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4 GEORGE V., A. 1914 



vations being made on R. pomonella and C. nenuphar. The chief injuries of the 

 Apple Curculio are inflicted by oviposition and feeding. The egg punctures cause 

 hard green core-formations extending sometimes to the centre of the apple. The 

 egg punctures are responsible for malformed apples. A good beginning was made 

 in the study of the life-history and feeding habits, and of the varieties attacked. 



INVESTIGATIONS IN ONTARIO. 



At the entomological station at Jordan Harbour, Ont., the establishment of 

 which was mentioned in my last annual report, Mr. W. A. Ross, the officer in charge, 

 continued his investigations on the Apple Maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella). In this 

 work, Mr. Charles Good, working under the direction of Mr. L. Csesar, Provincial 

 Entomologist, co-operated with Mr. Ross. In spite of the very adverse weather con- 

 ditions during the summer, an extended series of valuable observations was made on 

 the following: Emergence and behaviour of adults, oviposition and incubation of 

 eggs, mortality of eggs and larvae, the relative value of various baits and repellants, 

 spraying with sweetened arsenicals, cultural methods of control, the use of soil fumi- 

 gants, the varieties of apples affected and the emergence of larva? from different 

 varieties as affecting the destruction of fallen fruit, and natural hosts, etc. Many 

 of the experiments gave indifferent results, but the unreliability of ploughing under 

 pupa?, among other things, was clearly demonstrated. An interim report of this work 

 is being published (in the Forty-third Annual Report, Ent. Soc. Ontario), and the 

 investigations will be continued during the coming season (1913). 



INVESTIGATIONS IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. 



During the summer, Mr. R. C. Treherne was located at a temporary field station 

 at Hatzic, B.C., in the Fraser valley. Mr. A. Brealey, of Hatzic, most kindly pro- 

 vided us with working accommodation and facilities for experimental work. An 

 investigation was undertaken of the life-history and control of the Strawberry Root 

 Weevil (Otiorhynchus ovatus) which is one of the most injurious of the small fruit 

 pests in that region of the province, where it is abundant. The death of the plants 

 is caused by the girdling of their roots by the larva?. As >a rule, the strawberry fields 

 do not suffer until the spring of the second year after planting. Extended observa- 

 tions were made on the biology of the weevil. The inability of the beetle to fly sug- 

 gested methods of preventing their migration to uninfested plots, and a number of 

 obstructive devices are under trial. The effect of crop rotation and cultural methods 

 are also being studied in conjunction with the prevailing local cultural practices. 

 Mr. Treherne made observations on a number of the insects, injurious locally, and 

 answered enquiries in regard to the same. The Western Tent Caterpillar (Mala- 

 cosoma evosa) was responsible for extensive defoliation of apple trees in the Fraser 

 valley. Elater beetles appear to be responsible for injuries to the buds and blossoms 

 of apples. A large number of insects of economic importance are awaiting study, 

 and the varied climatic and soil conditions in the province will provide us with 

 abundant material for investigation. 



As headquarters for our entomological work in British Columbia, an entomolo- 

 gical laboratory (illustrated herewith) has been built on the Experimental Farm at 

 Agassiz. It contains a working laboratory, insectary, living room and store-room, 

 lavatory, etc., all of which will provide us with much needed accommodation for our 

 work and for the officer in charge. 



