THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 83 



TRUCK CROP AND CEREAL INSECTS. 



The Grain Aphis. 



During the early spring the grain aphis is often very abundant in 

 California on grain, especially in the Imperial Valley. The aphids are 

 green soft-bodied lice which suck the juices from their host. Their 

 capacity for reproduction is enormous, eo that great damage results if 

 they have had a sufficient start. We know of no practical remedy for 

 them at the time they appear in the spring. 



THE SUGAR BEET LEAF HOPPERS AND CURLY LEAF. 



Curly leaf is a condition of the sugar beet which results from the 

 attack of small insects known as the beet leaf hoppers. The adult 

 insects are small pale yellowish-green species and have sucking mouth 

 parts. Beets aifected by the leaf hoppers have thickened curled leaves, 

 are stunted, have black and concentric rings in the interior, knot-like 

 swellings on the veinlets of the leaves and abundant fibrous roots. 

 Beets maj' remain in this condition the entire season or shrivel and die, 

 although sometimes they may recover, the sugar content remaining 

 low. In 1905 the Utah beet crop fell below the average, about 75.000 

 tons, resulting from the attack of these licet leaf hoppers, the lo-ss 

 amounting to approximately a half million dollars. In June. 1913, the 

 writer noted a field of beets having the curly leaf condition at Davis, 

 California. 



By ascertaining the best time for planting in affected localities we 

 may avoid much of the damage done by the leaf hoppers. For an 

 extended account of these insects and their relation to the curly leaf 

 of beet the reader is referred to Bulletin No. 66, Part IV, Bureau of 

 Entomology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, b}^ Doctor E. D. Ball, 

 of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station. 



The- Asparagus Beetle. 



The adult beetle is about one fourth of an inch in length, bluish- 

 black Avith a red thorax marked with black dots. The wing covers are 

 of a yellowish color and are marked with black. The grayish colored 

 larvfe have black heads and legs. The beetles pa.ss the winter in some 

 protected place and appear as soon as the asparagus shoots emerge from 

 the ground. They lay their eggs on the tender shoots which hatch in 

 about ten days, the young larvae feeding on the sprouts. Control 

 measures u.secl against this insect consist of cutting and burning egg- 

 infested shoots, and after the crop has been harvested spraying the 

 plants with arsenical sprays, using one pound of lead arsenate to 16 

 gallons of water. * 



FUNGOUS DISEASES OF PLANTS. 



Brovi^n Rot of Stone Fruits. 



BroAvn rot is a fungous disease causing the fruit to decay while still 

 on the trees as well as attacking the flowers and new shoots which soon 

 die back. Besides, the fruit in shipment or on the market is also 

 damaged. The peach, plum, apricot and cherry act as hosts of this 

 fungus. According to R. E. Smith, in bulletin 218 of the California 



