196 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS, 



A new insect euemy of carrot and celery attracted attention in New 

 York State, this being the fli'st time that it lias been known in inju- 

 rious numbers in the United States, although it has been present in 

 Canada for some time. It is an important pest, and will prol)ably 

 in time become a serious drawback to the cultivation of the plants 

 mentioned, as well as parsnip and other umbelliferous crops. 



Numerous injurious flea-beetles were the subject of special study, 

 as were other insects aifecting several vegetables. Among the latter 

 is an asparagus miner which injures the stalks of that plant. 



Many of the more injurious insect enemies of small fruits have 

 recently attracted attention and have been studied . The list includes 

 the brown strawberry spanworm, all of the more destructive leaf- 

 rollers, the raspberry gouty gall, the strawberry weevil and root- 

 worms, and certain species of false worms, or "slugs," the larva of 

 sawflies, which affect the same and related plants. 



WORK ON THE MEXICAN COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. 



The work on the Mexican boll weevil reported in 1901 has been 

 continued, and has the present season been veiy greatly increased by 

 the liberal appropriation of Congress for the jiurpose, $20,000 being 

 specifically appropriated for the boll- weevil investigation. The work 

 during the winter and the present season has been given a very prac- 

 tical status. In other words, two field demonstrations are being con- 

 ducted on cotton plantations of 200 acres and 125 acres, respectively, 

 under the control and direct management of agents of this Division, 

 to demonstrate that by proper methods the damage from the boll 

 weevil can be so reduced as not to be a serious menace to the produc- 

 tion of this important staple in the region in Texas already invaded 

 by the weevil. The spring and early summer operations on this planta- 

 tion are most promising, and we hope that an important demonstration 

 of this kind will have a decided effect in influencing planters generally 

 in Texas to follow the methods which earlier study and experimentation 

 of this office have demonstrated to be effective. This investigation 

 is one of very great importance on account of the probability of the 

 ultimate future spread of the Mexican boll weevil into the adjoining 

 cotton State of Louisiana, and thence across the cotton belt east of 

 the Mississippi. Fortunately, so far it is still confined to Texas; but 

 it will probably be impossible, in view of its wide range in Texas, to 

 prevent its ultimate spread eastward. It is therefore capable of 

 becoming one of the most destructive insects in America, and the 

 investigation will be carried on the present year and continued with 

 the full realization of the importance of the subject. 



WORK ON THE CODLING MOTH IN THE NORTHWEST. 



The work done on the codling moth in the Northwest on the lines given 

 in the report of 1001 has been continued with very satisfactory results. 

 A preliminary report of this work has been made in Bulletin No. 30 

 (new series) of this office, and more detailed account is now going 

 through the press as Bulletin No. 35 (new series). The work the 

 present year will be of a veiy i)ractical character. Demonstration 

 work is now being conducted to show that it is possible to prevent 

 much of the damage which is now annually suffered from the codling 

 moth. 



