98 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 12 



plemented by quarantine measures to prevent the dissemination of the 

 species through the transportation of infested material. 



These measures are now being apphed to the solution of the prob- 

 lem and it is hoped that by their careful and intensive application the 

 pest may be prevented from reaching the corn belt of the country and 

 causing widespread injury to our most valuable crop. 



Vice-President E. C. Cotton: Has anyone any questions to ask? 

 We have just a short time which we can devote to discussion. 



Mr. C. H. Hadley, Jr: To what extent can this pest be handled if 

 it were to spread over the entire country? 



Mr. D. J. Caffrey: The damage could be reduced by applying 

 very strict clean-up methods, that would include all corn and weeds and 

 grasses within the infested area. An ordinary farmer would need to 

 destroy his old cornstalks in the same manner, get his neighbors to do 

 the same, and give the waste areas a pretty thorough cleaning up. 



Mr. W. E. Britton: I would like to ask about the expense of that 

 treatment. 



Mr. D. J. Caffrey: That would vary in the different sections. I 

 should think possibly about ten dollars an acre. This would include 

 treating weed areas. 



Mr. W. E. Britton: That would be rather a large percentage on 

 the cost of the growing corn. 



Mr. D. J. Caffrey: Yes, it would be, and it would not necessarily 

 be entirely effective either. 



Mr. W. C. O'Kane: I should question whether, with our present 

 knowledge, it can be economically controlled as a field proposition. 



Mr. D. J. Caffrey: It is only under certain circumstances that the 

 damage could be greatly prevented. As I pointed out from the first 

 this illustrates the serious nature of the insect. 



Mr. W. W. Chase : How do you spend the money in that way? 



Mr. D. J. Caffrey: Generally we spend most of the money for 

 labor. Take a large weed area for instance; in the spring when dried, 

 weeds can be handled easily. You understand the entire plant must 

 be destroyed. Of course that would be rather difficult during the fall 

 when the plants are green, but in the spring the cost is considerably 

 reduced because we can cover a larger area with a smaller force of men. 



Mr. E. p. Felt: I would like to ask what are the possibilities of 

 exterminating such a pest as this? Would it be economically practic- 

 able? 



Mr. D. J. Caffrey: I think I can answer that question better per- 

 haps two or three j'^ears from now. 



