18 Director's Report of the 



New York the insect was most destructive in Wayne, Monroe, 

 Orleans and Niagara Counties. 



Fi-uit lark beetle. — Oibservatione upon this spedes, Scohjtus 

 rugulosiis, were begun last season and are being continued. It 

 lias been supposed that the beetles usually confine their attacks 

 to sickly trees, but the past season's investigations have shown 

 that they will also attack and deposit their eggs in healthy, vigor- 

 ous trees. In some of the large peach orchard's in Niagara 

 County the beetles worked extensively in the bark of the trunks 

 and large limbs, causing a copious exudation of sap. Cherry 

 trees were also attacked, but to a less degree. Eggs and larv» 

 were found late in the fall in the sapwood of the smaller branches, 

 into which the beetles had made short channels. 



These habits of the insect indicate two methodis of treatment: 

 First, the application of a caustic wash to the bark and larger 

 limbs during July; and second, the careful cutting out of the 

 infested branches during the winter, as explained in Bulletin 180. 



Quince mealy-hug. — A species of Dactijlopius attacking quince 

 trees. The life history of this species has been worked out in 

 part. The studies will be continued until completed. 



Wheat sawfli/. — An investigation into the cause of " lodging " 

 of wheat showed that a species of sawfly is probably responsible 

 for much of the injury attributed to the Hessian fly. The sawfly 

 larva feeds within the straw from the root to the head, but 

 finally weakens it just above the crown of the root so that the 

 wind causes it to break very low down. Hence wheat " lodged " 

 as a result of the work of this insect lies close to the ground the 

 full length of the straw. The kernels are but little affected. 

 The insect passes the remainder of the summer and the winter 

 in the crown of the root, appearing in the spring as a small four- 

 winged fly. 



The origin and early stages of parthenogenetic and sexual eggs of 

 aphids. — These investigations have to do with some of the funda- 

 mental problems of insect development. They were begun a year 

 ago, and are being continued. Up to the present time the details 



