88 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 14 



It is difficult to make general statements applicable to the infested 

 area with its nimierous variations in the amount of injury due to local 

 causes. Generally speaking a 30 per cent, stalk infestation is necessary^ 

 to produce marked, commercial injury though in some fields with a 

 10 per cent, stalk infestation as high as five per cent, of the ears of sweet 

 com were affected and judging from conditions in other single brooded 

 areas, a 90 per cent, stalk infestation of field com by no means implies 

 the destruction of the entire crop, though it does involve serious damage. 

 There has been in New York State no very serious losses due to the actual 

 work of the European Com Borer though the 30 per cent, to 40 per cent, 

 stalk infestation in the more seriously infested areas suggests a probabil- 

 ity of increased injury and possibly an approximation to the great dam- 

 age caused in certain Canadian areas. 



The developments of the past season in New York State indicate a 

 continued though not excessive spread accompanied apparently by in- 

 creasing injury which may reach serious proportions, unless the true 

 character of the insect is recognized and agricultural practices modified 

 so as to reduce to a practical minimum the probabilities of the insect 

 wintering successfully. With these conditions in mind, the State is 

 giving special attention to the promotion of better methods of handling 

 the com crop in order to anticipate possible serious damage and at the 

 same time is cooperating with the Federal Government in enforcing 

 quarantine regulations designed to control the spread of the pest, 

 especially through commercial agencies. 



Mr. Glenn W. Herrick: I noticed in Dr. Howard's last report 

 that the moth had been found depositing its eggs on several different 

 food plants other than com. 



Mr. W. R. Walton: Eggs have been found in considerable number 

 on beet stems and celery during the latter part of the season, and on two 

 or three other cultivated plants. These data will all be published soon. 



Mr. F. a. Fenton: I would like to ask if eggs laid on these food 

 plants necessarily mean that the larvae will develop. This year we 

 had a very bad outbreak of the anny worm in Iowa. The Ta china fly 

 reduced them to a minimum, and later when these flies came out in 

 tremendous nimibers, they had to lay their eggs on something, and 

 practically every insect that was abundant was oviposited on. We 

 found Colorado potato beetles covered with eggs, probably of this spec- 

 ies, but they did not develop. 



Mr. W. R. Walton: This is the first season that com borer eggs 

 have been found on these particular plants. They have been known 



