August, 17] TUCKER: PEGOMYIA FUSCTCEPS AND FIELD CROPS 399 



with this sort of enemy under Louisiana conditions, a visit for in- 

 vestigation was deemed expedient to acquire an understanding of the 

 habits of the depredators with relation to the cultural practices of 

 the truck growers, and to learn whether more than one kind of pest were 

 involved or not, and also to determine the results of steps taken for 

 preventing further harm by such foes. With this object in view, the 

 wTiter proceeded to Xorv\'ood on March 6. For courtesies received, his 

 thanks are especially extended to the merchant, who, in generous serv- 

 ice to the growers, not only furnished accommodations, but gave his 

 time, for facihtating observations. 



Through a sm'vey of the situation, not much difference was found to 

 exist in cultural management, although some beds showed more careful 

 preparation than others and had produced a superior gro"v\-th of plants. 

 As a general practice, the bedded soil had been heavily enriched with 

 a commercial fertilizer said to have contained a quantity of cotton seed 

 meal. Only one grower stated that he had used stable manure, yet his 

 plants were beginning to fail. All the beds had been prepared solely for 

 the forcing of tomato plants, being protected by the construction of a 

 coldframe enclosing each one. WTiile the entire stocks of these cold- 

 frames had been transplanted from seed beds, yet none of the growth 

 left in the original places on account of its inferior size was said to be 

 molested by maggots. 



Since the owners of the depleted frames had made good progress in 

 replanting them, leaving the surviving plants of the first lot as they 

 already stood, but filling in with a fresh supply taken from seed beds, 

 the great loss of stock so far sustained was therefore only partially 

 shown. Enough evidence was seen and learned, nevertheless, to prove 

 that the extent of damage together -VN-ith imminent danger of further 

 ravages had brought the growers to face a grave predicament. The 

 replacements of plants necessarily consisted of smaller growth than 

 was desired, and unless these settings could be saved, the resert-e 

 stocks in seed beds might be insufiicient to depend on for growing as 

 much of a crop as was planned, besides being apt to mature late. 

 A shortage of the advanced growth would handicap the producer, at 

 least by limiting the yield of fruit in time for market early in the season 

 when high prices rule. 



In all the instances where depredations had been committed, nothing 

 else than maggots could be held accountable for the principal destruc- 

 tive work. Ver\' seldom was any indication of cutworm damage or 

 sign of disease apparent. 



One gardener, whose stock was inspected, claimed that he had lost 

 about 3,000 plants of a size like the Hving growth of the same lot 

 left in his coldframe. These remaining plants averaged 8 inches in 



