BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 309 



ing major injury to the crop. The results of recent surveys show 

 the insect to be present in minimum numbers everywhere except in 

 small areas where local conditions or slack farm practice have given 

 it refuge. Progress has been made during the year in the study of 

 the principal parasites of the Hessian fly, and publications reporting 

 this work are in press. 



The alfalfa weevil. — Further progress has been made toward the 

 economical control of the alfalfa weevil by dusting with arsenicals 

 which will further simplify control and obviate the ' necessity of 

 hauling water for spraying purposes in the arid regions where this 

 pest occurs. It is hoped to publish this method in the near future. 

 One of the parasites of the alfalfa weevil, imported from Europe 

 before the war, is doing good work, and the weevil is being studied 

 in south France with a view of importing other helpful parasites. 



STORED-PRODUCT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS. 



Investigation of this group of insect injuries has continued under 

 Dr. E. A, Back's leadership. 



Insects attacking grain and grain products. — The research 

 laboratory at Orlando, Fla., established for the study of the biology 

 of the corn or rice weevil under semitropical conditions, was dis- 

 continued during the past year. The Florida investigation yielded 

 new and valuable scientific data that have appeared in printed form. 

 The work has been moved northward to Washington. D. C, where 

 similar studies of all grain pests are being made under different 

 conditions of temperature and moisture. 



The laboratory at Thomasville, Ga., has been continued along the 

 same lines as mentioned in my last report. While State and Fed- 

 eral officials still estimate that weevils destroy approximately 10 per 

 cent of the corn crop of the South, the work conducted from Thomas- 

 ville as a center, and in cooperation with the Georgia Agricultural 

 Experiment Station, has greatly improved conditions in the area 

 concerned. 



Bean and pea weevils. — The biological studies of bean and pea 

 weevils and the effect of cold storage and fumigation as remedial 

 measures have received further attention at the Alhambra (Calif.) 

 laboratory, but special emphasis duiing the past year has centered 

 upon a study of varietal susceptibility and the relation of date of 

 planting and harvesting to the degree of field infestation. Satisfac- 

 tory progress has been made and reports are already available in 

 jDrinted and manuscript form. 



Insects attacking meat. — Our investigation of insects attacking 

 meat, and particularly of the ham skipper and larder beetles, has 

 been continued as a major project. Meat valued at over $1,000,000 

 is annually condemned by the inspectors of the department on ac- 

 count of infestation by these insects. Assistance is being given the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry at its Beltsville farm along lines of con- 

 trol which alone make possible the conduct of important experiments 

 in meat curing, etc. Much information new to science is being se- 

 cured. A paper summarizing important biological facts concerning 

 the ham skipper has already been published. 



Dried-fruit insects. — An investigation of insects attacking dried 

 fruits has been started during the past year with headquarters at 



