60 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



is heading. Tlie larva? in tlie walls of the straw do uot as a rule kill the stem, 

 but their effect is to shrink kernels, curtailing the yield by reducing the weight. 



Eupelmus {Isosoma) ally nil is said to be the most efficient enemy of the pest. 

 Semiotellus isosomatis is very efficient in destroying the larvse in the straw, 

 while Homoporus {Semiotellus) chalcidiphagns and probably other chalcidids 

 are also instrumental in holding the pest in check. These parasites are all the 

 more efficient, as they are double-brooded, developing in late summer and at 

 once ovipositing in other larvte. The larvie of a small carabid beetle {Lepto- 

 trachehis dursalis) crawls up the stalks, descends into the stubble, and devours 

 the Isosoma larvre and parasite as well. The mite Pediculoides {Heteropus) 

 vcntricosus is also an enemy, gaining access to the larvre precisely as do the 

 beetle larvfe previously mentioned. 



A rotation of crops that vv'ill eliminate the growing of W'heat 2 years in suc- 

 cession on the same laud is very effective, due to the fact that a large propor- 

 tion of the females are wingless. Where rotation can uot be practiced, stubble 

 and outstanding straw should be burned during the fall or winter. The junior 

 author, who has investigated the pest in the State of Washington, presents an 

 account of the relations of the wheat strawworm to wheat production in the 

 Northwest. The strawworm is said to be found wherever wheat is grown in 

 the Columbia Basin, but is not equally destructive over all that territory. 



Scale insects of the orchards of Missouri, E. P, Taylor (Missouri Fruit 

 8ta. Bui. 18, pp. 7-87, iJ?s. //, figs. 22). — This bulletin contains a description of 

 the appearance, life history, habits, food plants, and methods of control of the 

 San Jose scale, cherry scale, Putnam scale, grape scale, wali\ut scale, oyster- 

 shell scale, scurfy scale, rose scale, terrapin scale, and cottony maple scale. 



In the fall of 1907 and spring of 1908, spraying demonstrations were ^"iven in 

 eleven separate sections and eight different counties of the State where the 

 San Jose scale was abundant. Spraying experiments conducted at several 

 localities in St. Louis County for the purpose of comparing the most common 

 forms of sprays, namely, lime-sulphur and miscible oil sprays, are reported. 

 " The average percentage of dead scales upon all experimental orchards sprayed 

 with the standard and commercial lime and sulphur sprays was 89.7 per cent as 

 compared with 99.6 per cent scales dead upon all orchards where commercial 

 miscible oil sprays were used." 



The author concludes that when very thorough spraying is done miscible oils 

 (scalecide and target brand) should not be used stronger than 1 part to 20 of 

 water. The comparison of the cost shows the standard lime-sulphur sprays to 

 be somewhat cheaper than the commercial miscible oils, but ease and rapidity 

 with which the commercial miscible oils can be prepared is a point in favor of 

 their use. " It is concluded, however, that when cost and safety to the trees are 

 considered that the lime and sulphur preparations are still for iuost orchardists 

 the most practical sprays." 



Beport on experiments for control of San Jose scale, 1907-8, E. L. WoR- 

 SHAM and W. W. Chase (Ga. Bd. Ent. Circ. 8, pp. 8). — This is a preliminary 

 report in which the results of experiments conducted in the fall of 1907 and 

 spring of 1908 with soluble oils and a prepared mixture of lime-sulphur are 

 briefly outlined. Applications of target brand scale destroyer, kil-o-scale, solu- 

 ble petroleum, scalecide, and Schnarr's compounds were made in the fall and 

 the early spring. 



The fall applications were in every case more effective than those made in the 

 spring. The results obtained from a single spraying of the prepared lime- 

 sulphur solution seemed to be very satisfactory. They are said to hav(; been 

 just as good as those obtained from any of the soluble oils and the trees seemed 

 to be much tlie cleaner and healthier in appearance. 



