1048 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY— ENTOMOLOGY. 



Sprint, practice in economic zoology, H. A. Gossard {Ohio »S7«. Bui. JfiS, 

 pp. l;')-8H+yjH, fi(j.s. 10). — This is the second of a sorics of nianuiils of 

 economic zoolojiy to be issued in 4 numbers correspondinjr with the seasons 

 of the year. The winter number has been previously noted (E. W. R., 17, p. OT.'j). 



ruder farm niaiiaf,'ement the rotation of crops, fertilizers, and clean farniintj 

 are discussed. I'nder natural friends and en<'niies domesticated animals, rats, 

 mice, rabbits, moles, shrews, skunks, wooddiucks, toads, and various species 

 of birds, and methods of attraction or destruction, as the case may be, are 

 briefly considered. The insects attacking grasses, grains, and fruits are de- 

 scribed and methods of treatment discussed. Similar data for the insects of 

 the vegetable garden are presented in tabular form. Records of bird migration 

 made at Wooster by S. Harry and A. I. Good are ai)pended. 



Eig'hth report of the State entomolog'ist, 1908, W. E. Britton {Connecticut 

 State Sta. Rpt. J!KJ7~S, pt. 11, pp. \'I II+TU-i-S'i^^, pis. /,s\ fir/s. 12). — A resume of 

 the entomological features for 1908 and a report of the nursery inspection 

 work are first presented. In the report of the progress in suppressing the 

 gipsy moth in Connecticut it is stated that the actual size of the area infested 

 by the pest has been considerably reduced during the year. The spring and 

 the fall cankerworms which were more abundant than in 1907 are considered at 

 some length. The San Jose scale did not spread as much as usual due to the 

 I)receding severe winter. From further tests of gases for the destruction of 

 this pest on nursery stock, in which carbon disulphid, carbon tetrachlorid, and 

 acetylene were used, it is concluded that hydrocyanic-acid gas is to be preferred. 



A report of an investigation of the mosquito breeding problem at tlie State 

 Rifle Range at East Haven, and of the Beaver Swamp region, near New Haven, 

 is presented in which it is concluded that for a few thousand dollars the entire 

 region could be put in a salutary coTidition. Notes are also given on mosquito 

 breefling places in the vicinity of Stamford. 



I'nder insects attacking cucurbitaceous plants in Connecticut the sipiash 

 borer, striped cucumber beetle {Diahrotica rittata), corn root-worm, squash 

 lady-beetle {Epilachna Ijorealis), squash bug, melon aphis, squash aphis 

 {Xccturophora cueurbitu). and greenhouse whitefly are considered. The elm- 

 leaf beetle is said to have been the source of more injury to elm trees than 

 for several years. The fungus Sporotrichum globulifernm {entomophilum) 

 which attacks the pup* and adults in late summer is one of the most important 

 of its natural enemies. The green clover worm (PlatJtypcna scnhra) was the 

 source of injury in June and July to bush and i)ole beans. In experiments 

 made to determine the value of various substances and devices in the prevention 

 of injury to cabbages by the cal)bage maggot, the best results were obtained 

 from the use of tarred paper disks. Tests of homemade soluble oil has led the 

 author to advise orchardists to purchase a prepared mixture. 



Under insect notes the author reports the snow-white linden moth to have 

 been very abundant in July. The hickory tussock caterpillar {Halisidnta caryw) 

 which was abundant during the summer was killed in large numbers in Sej)- 

 tember and October by a fungus disease. Caterpillars of IT. tcssellaris and 

 probably Estigmene acvcca were also killed by this or a similar disease. Lead 

 arsenate was found to give better results than Paris green when used against 

 the potato beetle. The thi-ee-lined leaf-beetle {Lema trUincata) which was 

 more than usually abundant on potatoes was fed upon by the predaceous beetles 

 Lebia grundis and Pterostichus lucublandus. The marsh golden-rod was eaten 

 up in one or more localities by the beetles Trirhabda canadensis and Micro- 

 rophala vittata. The ehrysomelid beetle Nodonota puncticoUis was destruc- 



