February, '19] gossard and parks: Ohio wheat survey 59 



as possible regarding other pests. We timed the work just before the 

 wheat harvest so as to insure, if possible, results of value sufficient to 

 justify the expenditures made, and hoped at the same time to gather 

 information regarding other pests sufficient to give us a comprehensive 

 entomological perspective of the entire state. Definite knowledge of 

 the kind sought is useful at all times, especially so in war time. En- 

 tomological surveyors competent to do the work and in sufficient num- 

 bers to accomplish it have only been available in Ohio at the close of 

 the spring semester at the University when a number of advanced stu- 

 dents in entomology become available and are glad to obtain a sum- 

 mer's experience in field practice. We give the young men a course 

 of reading and have them examine specimens in our collection and do 

 some work in the wheat plots on the Station farm and in fields near 

 Wooster before sending them out. Also we plan to have them work 

 for a few days with experienced entomologists before sending them 

 to do independent work. 



In 1917 we commenced at four points along the southern border of 

 the state a short time before harvest and four lines were run from these 

 points more or less parallel with each other to the northern border of 

 the state. Only one of these lines was surveyed entirely by automo- 

 bile, the other three being selected with reference to easy railway con- 

 nections from south to north. 



No matter which plan was used, each surveyor was instructed to 

 spend about one day in each county assigned to him. Although his 

 route was mapped, he was given some latitude in going a county or two 

 to the east or west of the indicated route in case entomological dis- 

 coveries or reports indicated to his judgment that this was desirable. 

 The stopping places selected were generally county seat towns in which 

 were the offices of county agricultural agents. These agents were ad- 

 vised beforehand by letter of the survey being made and their willing- 

 ness to cooperate in the work proved a great help not only in directing 

 the surveyors to the most important wheat districts of their counties 

 but in keeping down the expense to the state, for many of these agents 

 placed themselves and their automobiles at the disposal of the sur- 

 veyors, thereby shifting part of the cost to the counties. 



In 1918 we arranged to do as much of the work by automobile as 

 possible since we had found this to be the cheapest and most efficient 

 method of doing the work. Only two men used the railroad plan this 

 season and their territory was restricted to a small number of coun- 

 ties. Either automobiles or livery teams were employed by these two 

 men to carry them from field to field. 



In both surveys, from ten to twenty-five fields, or a few more or less, 

 were taken to represent the county and these were located on us long 



