BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 385 



miscellaneous weevils, as the plum gouger and the apple curculio, 

 both of which are pests of importance to deciduous fruits. 



At the Brownwood, Tex., station further attention has been given 

 to the biology of pecan insects injurious in Texas, and several of 

 these have now been fairly well studied. A report on this phase of 

 the work is soon to be issued. In the field special attention has been 

 given to control of the pecan-nut case-bearer and certain other 

 species of prominence. It appears that best control of the pecan-nut 

 case-bearer can be secured by increasing the number of applications 

 of arsenate of lead and timing them with reference to the hatching 

 period of the eggs. The pecan-nut case-bearer and the green stink- 

 bug continue to be seriously injurious to pecans in the Southeastern 

 States. Studies of these insects are being conducted at the Thomas- 

 ville, Ga., laboratory, and extensive experiments are under way in 

 pecan groves with various remedial measures. Spraying with 

 arsenicals for the pecan-nut case-bearer during early spring when 

 the larvse are tunneling the young tender shoots has not given en- 

 couraging results. Spraying, however, after the nuts have set has 

 yielded more promising results, and it is believed that a satisfactory 

 method of control can be worked out which will call for a carefully 

 timed spray schedule of about three applications. The injury from 

 the stinkbug can be greatly reduced by the elimination as much as 

 possible of cowpeas in the orchards, substituting as a cover crop the 

 velvet bean. Tests of spraj^s against the pecan-leaf case-bearer indi- 

 cate that it can be kept in check by applications of arsenate of lead 

 during the month of August and early September. Tests are being 

 made of the dust method in comparison with spraying in the control 

 of this insect. In cooperation with the South Carolina Agricultural 

 College, studies are being made of the pecan-nut weevil, concerning 

 which complaint has been received from points in that State. 



Peach insects. — The curculio suppression campaign, started in 

 Georgia in 1920, after this pest had caused a loss of over $2,000,000 

 to peach growers in that State, has been continued. Beneficial re- 

 sults of the work are being clearly reflected in the yearly increasing 

 quality of the fruit. It was ascertained that a second brood of larvse 

 of the curculio was during certain seasons responsible for much of 

 the injury to ripening fruit. In cooperation with the Bureau of 

 Plant Industrv of this department and the Georgia State Board 

 of Entomology, much experimental work in the field has been ac- 

 complished which has resulted in a revision of the spraying and 

 dusting schedule recommended for peaches in Georgia. The treat- 

 ment now developed is effective in largely preventing injury from 

 the first and second broods of larva3 of the curculio, and also in con- 

 trolling brown rot and peach scab. The Georgia growers have to an 

 unusual extent followed the directions of the department, with con- 

 sequent improvement of the crop grown. Tests of the value of 

 spraj'ing or dusting for the control of the curculio after the crop has 

 been harvested have been continued and the results brought together 

 in a manuscript on " Dusting and Spraying Peach Trees after Harvest 

 for Control of the Plum Curculio." It is shown that during periods 

 of unusual curculio abundance this method is an important adjunct 

 in reducing the insect. Attention has been given to ascertaining the 

 value of picking up and destroying peach drops in connection with 



