1920 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Ill 



■ — — ^ — - — — .^ — — « 



developed last year since there is a possibility, perhaps very remote, that two gener- 

 ations may occur in this area during certain seasons and this condition may, after 

 all, prove to be the normal. 



The decidedly disturbing feature is the very sparse, inconspicuous character 

 of the infestation in the western part of the state, a section where the insect has 

 bred in a few localities at least for two seasons. The infestation was brought to 

 the attention of Cornell University authorities through the accidental discovery of 

 a few borers in a stalk, although a farmer in that vicinity had noted the injury the 

 preceding season but had failed to appreciate its significance. In most of the terri- 

 tory, however, a very close examination is necessary to find the borer and these 

 conditions suggest the comparative inefficiency of publicity measures and the great 

 difficulty of organizing a sufficiently thorough scout of the corn fields of America 

 to determine with a reasonable degree of accuracy the limits of the present infested 

 areas. 



We have yet to find unquestioned evidence as to the agencies producing these 

 isolated infestations. It looks very much as though railway lines were an important 

 factor, possibly in carrying the moths, since both the eastern and western areas in 

 New York State have good railway connections with the older infested area in 

 Massachusetts. 



The occurrence of but one brood in the cooler corn-producing areas of New 

 York State, even if this be normal, cannot be construed as being true of our great 

 southern and warmer corn belt. The sparsely infested areas must be regarded as 

 a real menace to much of the corn crop of America. The most practical method 

 of handling the situation appears to be pushing the publicity campaign as far as 

 practical, systematic scouting of the more suspicious areas so far as they can be 

 determined and a comprehensive campaign of control designed specially to check 

 spread until the economic status of the borer can bo determined in this country. 



