BURE-iU OF ENTOMOLOGY. 655 



Fifty-five separate numbers, however, have been published and dis- 

 tributed, and tlie number of printed pages of information contained 

 in these publications has been much greater than that shown by the 

 75 numbers published the previous year, while the number of pages 

 of proof read in the bureau has been practically double that for the 

 fiscal year 1911. 



PROPOSED WORK FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 1913. 



With regard to the gipsy moth and the brown-tail moth, it is 

 projiosed during the coming j'ear to clean such additional roadsides 

 as may seem most necessary, but to give more particular attention 

 to drawing in the infested border line by exterminating the moths 

 in the outside towns, especially on the southwest and north, which 

 are the lines of least resistance. There seems to be less hope of con- 

 trol on the northeast edge on account of the wind spread ; that is to 

 say, the destribution ofthe newly hatched caterpillars by the wind. 

 When the wind blows from the west the larva; go out to sea, and 

 when it comes from the north or east it is usuallj^ so cool that there 

 is little activity among the young caterpillars; but the south and 

 southAvest breezes are warm, the little larv?e are active, and spread 

 occurs when they are spinning from the tree tops. Cooperative work 

 with the other States, and inspection of forest products, such as lum- 

 ber, cordwood, posts, poles, Christmas trees, and evergreen decora- 

 tions, must be continued with the greatest vigilance. There is danger 

 in the shipment of Christmas trees from the infested areas to Phila- 

 delphia, Chicago, and other cities, and inspection of this class of 

 shipments is most difficult. Field work will be continued in the 

 effort to determine the increase of the species in different selected 

 localities. Observations on feeding habits wall be followed up, and 

 the laboratory experiments on food plants already begun will be 

 continued. If sufficient data are obtained, cooperative work with 

 oAvners of badly infested Avood lots Avill be attempted in the effort to 

 prevent further damage from the gipsy moth. | Importation of such 

 useful parasites as can be secured will be continued, probably on a 

 smaller scale, and tlie study of the dispersion and increase of those 

 ab-eady colonized Avill be continued. 



The Avork on the boll Aveevil has been interfered with greatly by 

 the floods in the Mississippi Valley, but so far as possible experi- 

 ments Avith ncAV forms of practical control will be conducted. Oppor- 

 tunities for tlie poisoning and square-gathering experiments liave been 

 found outside the flooded area. In addition to the Avork on the in- 

 troduction of parasites, the determination of the status of the insect 

 from time to time and the extent of its spread into new territory will 

 be folloAved np. 



In the Avork on tobacco insects, demonstrations of the means of con- 

 trol that have been perfected Avill be conducted on as large a scale as 

 possible. The so-called mosaic disease, now knoAvn to be caused by 

 msorts, anrl the ciffarette beetle Avill receive special attention. 



The sugar-cane borer Avill be j^iiidied with especial reference to its 

 possible connection Avith the so-called root-rot disease of sugar cane, 

 and lars.fc experiments in the control of the Argenline ant at Hstties- 

 burg. Miss., Avill be continued throughout the season, and especial 

 attention Avill be given to the possibility of preA'enting the infest- 

 ation of Florida orange groves by this pest. Experimental work 



