52 PROTECTION OF PLANTS, 1920-21 



by supplying a Ford Car and three or four men. A Ford car and additional 

 men were also engaged on the work by the Entomological Branch. As a result 

 of this increase in staff, better transportation facilities, and exceptionally fine 

 weather conditions, the scouting work proceeded at a rapid rate and the infested 

 area, as far as we are aware, was covered by October 23rd when the work was 

 closed down for the season. 



The amount of territory covered by this field scouting includes thirteen 

 counties, of which seven were found to be infested ; in all one hundred and five 

 townships in the above counties were inspected of which thirty-five were found 

 to be infested. The scouting work indicated that there are two distinct and 

 more or less widely separated infestations of the European Corn Borer, known 

 in southern Ontario at the present time. Two separate attempts were made to 

 connect these infestations but without success. 



Infestation No 1 centers around Ridgewa}^ and Crj^stal Beach, it extends 

 along the Lake Erie shore from Fort Erie on the east to Dunnville on the west 

 and Stevensville on the north. It covers approximately three hundred and 

 forty square miles. 



Infestation No. 2 centers about St. Thomas in Elgin county, it extends from 

 Bayham township on the east to Harwich township on the west, and to Far- 

 quhar, Usborne township on the north. It covers approximately three thous- 

 and four hundred and thirty square miles. 



The Ridgeway and Crystal Beach infestation is very light in character and, 

 with the exception of one field, the amount of damage done so far is practically 

 negligible. It is confined to a comparatively small area and only a few borers 

 were found in any one single field. As compared with infestation No. 2 it is 

 evidently of recent origin and from evidence gathered from various sources it 

 appears as if. the pest was introduced into this district on shipments of sweet 

 corn on the cob, from the infested areas in western New York. Crystal Beach 

 is a summer resort largely used b}^ residents of Buffalo. During the summer 

 months, excursion steamers run at frequent intervals between Buffalo and the 

 resort. As the trip only takes one hour, it is customary for the residents to do 

 much of their shopping in Buffalo. There is also a rapid ferry service 

 between Black Rock, N. Y. and Fort Erie, Ontario, and hundreds of automo- 

 biles come across on the ferry on fine summer days. 



Judging from observation already made, Infestation No. 2 is apparently of 

 much older origin. The area infested is ten times as large as No. 1 and the 

 degree of infestation in the centre of the area very much greater. The amount 

 of field infestation runs from nothing to 99 per cent. In one field near Union 

 Station, consisting of eight acres of flint corn, a very careful stud}' of conditions 

 was made and it was found that ninety-three per cent of the plants had been or 



