4 THE ASPARAGUS MINER. 



beetle, and present wherever rust was found, as also where no rust 

 was present. Some plants showed injury 7 inches below the surface. 



Later ^Ir. Shamel reported finding infestation in every field and 

 patch of asparagus which he visited in Massachusetts and Connect- 

 icut, particularly at Suflield, Granby, and Hartford, Conn., and he 

 believed attack to be widespread.** 



October 26, 1906, Mr. Kalph E. Smith wrote that the conditions 

 under which this asparagus miner was found in abundance in the 

 yellow stalks of asparagus in California, as reported by him in an 

 article on Asparagus Rust Control,^ had prevailed for two or three 

 years. The insect was always very abundant at the base of yellow, 

 dying stalks, although injury was attributed to the "centipede," 

 reported as wireworms on a previous occasion.'' 



The asparagus miner was reported by Mr. I. J. Condit in the vicinity 

 of Antioch, Cal., August 19, 1908, where the common asparagus beetle 

 was also abundant. The miner was equally numerous and stalks 

 showing infestation were received. The miner-infested stalks could 

 generally be detected by their roughened appearance near the ground- 

 This species was also taken at Oakley, and it seems probable that it 

 is becoming generally distributed in California. In one place at 

 Oakley Mr. Condit observed the miner quite common on some stalks. 



During October, 1908, the writer observed this species well estab- 

 lished on asparagus in the vicinity of Portsmouth, Va. In October, 

 also, very severe injury was reported to asparagus in the vicinity of 

 Concord, Mass. The roots of the plants were not only girdled, but 

 the miners worked up the stalks some inches above the ground. 



REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



With our present knowledge of the life economy of this species, 

 two methods of control suggest themselves as of greatest value, and it 

 may be that they will prove all that is necessary under ordinary 

 conditions. 



(1) In spring permit a few volunteer asparagus plants to grow as 

 a trap crop, to lure the fl}^ from the main crop or the cutting beds 

 for the deposition of her eggs. After this has been accomplished 

 the trap crop should be destroyed by pulling the infested plants and 

 burning them with their contained puparia. The time to pull the 

 plants will vary according to locality and somewhat according to 

 season also. The second and third week in June would be about the 

 right time in and near the District of Columbia. On Long Island 

 this work should be done a week or two later. In the northernmost 



alts occurrence at New Haven, Conn., is recorded by W. E. Britton (6th Rept. 

 State Ent. Conn, for 1906, pp. 303-306, 1907). 

 bBul. 172, Univ. Cal. Agric. Exp. Sta., p. 21. 

 cBul. 165, loc. cit. 



