Report of the State Entomologist 183 



In view of what has already been accomplished, there is 

 abundant reason for a continuance of the appropriations by the 

 Legislature of Massachusetts until the desired extermination is 

 secured, or until the insect shall have been reduced to entire 

 harmlessness and in position never again to develop in injurious 

 numbers or to invade other States. Knowing as we do, the 

 frightful ravages of the gypsy moth in the past, and the cer- 

 tainty that, if left to itself, its natural multiplication would soon 

 carry it over the entire State, it would unquestionably be a wise 

 economy if its extermination could be attained through the 

 expenditure of a million of dollars. It may be recalled in this 

 connection that the wheat-njidge inflicted upon the wheat crop 

 of the State of New Tork in one year — 1854 — an estimated 

 loss of fifteen millions of dollars. 



The Destructive Wheat-Midge in Western New York. 



This last-named insect, Diplosis tritici, has been noticeably 

 injurious in Western New York this present season. Attention 

 was drawn to its operations in the wheat fields of Orleans, 

 Genesee, Monroe and other neighboring counties during the 

 last of June. A correspondent, from Monroe county, of the 

 Country Gentleman, under date of August 28th, wrote as follows 

 of it: "The wheat-midge has done much damage to the old 

 variety of wheat — the Clawson — most commonly grown here. 

 It is estimated that one-fourth of the crop has been destroyed by it, 

 and farmers are alarmed about the future prospect of wheat- 

 growing in this section. The insect has approached us in about 

 the same manner as in 1853-54 ; lightly at first but increasing 

 until the entire destruction of the crop in 1856, and continued 

 until 1860, when it began to decrease as graduall}^ as it came, 

 until it disappeared. The best safeguard against the midge is an 

 early variety of grain." The writer commends an early variety 

 of red wheat grown in Michigan, which is also very produc- 

 tive, yielding him forty bushels to the acre while the Clawson 

 seldom exceeds twenty bushels. 



Remarkable Abundance of Aphides or Pla.nt-Lice. 

 Without entering into detail, at the present, of the insect 

 operations of the spring and summer of 1893, brief reference will 

 be made to some of them. 



