194 ANNUAL, REBORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



tigjitioiis of grape-infesting insects, undertaken tliis year in full 

 eo-operation with the U. S. Department of Agriculture, at North 

 East, Erie county. We stationed a man at that place and met a 

 large proportion of the actual expense of the experimental work, 

 for the x>"iTf^^'^ of investigating the grape root worm primarily, 

 but other grape insects secondarily. These investigations have not 

 yet been completed, and in accordance with an agreement by the 

 U. S. Department of Agriculture publications of final results are 

 not to be issued until the work is completed. HowcA-er, since a 

 postal card of announcement was prepared and circulated in Erie 

 county, and since we find that it gives some accurate, important 

 and detailed statements of this work, we feel that our farmers should 

 have the benefit of this preliminary statement as soon as possible, 

 and, therefore, report that those were as follows: 



'•Results from Root Worm experiments * « * » in the 

 Porter vineyard, North East, Pa. By Mr. Fred L. Johnson * * *. 

 Total crop of 10 acres 1907, 16242 pounds. 

 Total crop of 10 acres 1908, 34906 pounds. 



iisprayed with Arsenate of Lead 1907 and 1908 at the time beetles 

 appeared and two weeks later. 



Number of grubs dug from 10 unsprayed vines 100 



Number of grubs dug from 10 sprayed vines, 21 



Egg clusters found July 20, 1908, 25 unsprayed vines, 214 



Egg clusters found July 20. 1908, 25 sprayed vines 4 



In the fertilizer experiment 400 lbs. Nitrate of Soda gave largest 

 increase in yield." 



i^^nce the San Jos6 Scale is the most important pest of our fruit 

 trees, investigations of this subject, especially in various orchards 

 have continued to receive our attention. It is important to know 

 Avhat results the principal orchardists are obtaining by the various 

 insecticides used. In brief, these show that the miscible or commer- 

 cial oils have not on the whole proven satisfactory, and in some 

 cas^-s have been decidedly injurious to trees, while the lime-sulfur 

 wash, either commercial or home made, is gradually and fully work- 

 ing its way to the front as the standard of efficiency, cheapness and 

 safest in scnle control. It is certain that the problem presented 

 by the San Jos6 Scale is now solved, and our orchardists need not 

 hesitate to go forth with planting as far as this particular insect 

 is concerned. 



Among our investigations, which were completed, we reported an 

 extensive stndv of the Economic Features of Turtles and Lizards 

 in Pennsylvania. We found that the reptillian life in this State 

 was practically ignored and unknown, and as these creatures must 

 surely play some important part in the insect sui>pression, we studied 

 them to learn and publish what that part might be. 



A Renort of the Economic Features of the Serports of this State 

 was published in 1906, and the Report on the Lizards was published 

 in December. 1907. A Report on the Turtles was published in Sep- 

 tember, 1908. The conclusions nrd results are too important to be 

 condensed in a Report of this kind, especially as the two last-named 

 Bulletins are yet available, free of charge, from this office to all 

 those who may be interested. 



An imj>ortant line of invest i^^'ations to which we turned our in- 

 vestigations and attention during the winter was the study of the 

 lime-sulfur preparations and the lime of this State in regard to 



