252 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 12 



would have been compelled to abandon most of the work planned out 

 in the spring, that required the use of horses for power. 



The season's field operations closed with this work but all equipment 

 is being overhauled and put in first-class running condition for the 

 coming year's work. Also new equipment is being secured for use 

 next spring. 



Concerning the actual progress in the eradication of this pest during 

 the past summer, I can only say that we have materially reduced the 

 numbers there would have been had they been allowed to go on breed- 

 ing unhindered. The data for comparison with last season is not 

 sufficient as yet to pass judgment. True we have the beetle survey of 

 1917 after the 18th of August as made by Mr. ElUs and the beetle 

 survey of this season from July 1 to frost. This indicates some spread 

 but the survey map of beetle distribution up to August 10th, 1918, 

 marks nearly the widest limit of this year's range of distribution insofar 

 as I can determine. 



The larval survey of last June will not bear comparison with a 

 survey made during October and November, 1918, for according to 

 Mr. Ellis larvae were present in the fall of 1917 in considerable numbers 

 where none or very few could be found last spring. Furthermore we 

 did not make a complete survey of the entire district supposed to be 

 infested by the beetle. Not until a thorough larval survey is made 

 in the spring of 1919 can a definite statement be made and even then 

 seasonal variation may explain many differences. 



Lack of proper and sufficient equipment on the ground in time to 

 permit accomplishing more than part of the necessary eradication 

 work, together with shortage of expendable funds at the time they were 

 most needed, prevented getting the best results — in fact almost blocked 

 the season's work. 



VARIATIONS IN THE LENGTH OF THE FLAXSEED 

 STAGE OF THE HESSIAN FLY^ 



By James W. McColloch, Associate Entomologist, Kansas Agricultural Experiment 



Station 



A knowledge of the length of the flaxseed stage is of great impor- 

 tance in the development of a system of control for Hessian fly. It is 

 in this stage that the fly withstands extreme conditions, such as 

 excessive heat and drought of summer, and prolonged cold of winter. 

 There is relatively little published data on the length of this stage, 



1 Contribution No. 40 from the Entomological Laboratory, Kansas State Agricul- 

 tural College. This paper embodies some of the results obtained in the prosecution 

 of project No. 8 of the Experiment Station. 



