18 P.D. 123 



Japanese Beetle 



As a result of the findings in 1929. the Federal Government co-operating with 

 this Department, placed a quarantine on Hampden County. This quarantine 

 required that all shipments of nursery stock sent to points outside the county be 

 certified. Unquestionably, this caused considerable inconvenience to the nur- 

 serymen in that area, as it meant that a tag must be attached to each shipment 

 and a record of it kept. The scouting this year began July 1 and continued until 

 the first week in September. New infestations were found in Attleboro, New 

 Bedford, Plymouth and West Springfield. The Attleboro and New Bedford 

 infestation consisted of 14 and 3 beetles, respectively, and were found in the resi- 

 dential districts. In Plymouth a total of 74 beetles were collected. This infes- 

 tation was near the central business section of the town. 



In West Springfield 37 beetles were collected, but this was rather to be expected, 

 and undoubtedly was a spread from the Springfield infestation. 



Control. — In Boston, 1,150 traps were used to determine the infestation. Last 

 year the heaviest infestation centered around the Edison plant and Summer 

 Street. Here 113 beetles had been trapped. This year's trapping in a similar 

 area yielded only 42 beetles. At Commonwealth Pier in Boston Harbor and at 

 the Boston Navy Yard, a slight increase was noted over last year. The minor 

 infestations at the Granary Burial Grounds, and the Public Gardens, were found 

 to have carried over fewer beetles this year. The areas in and about these infes- 

 tations were treated with a top dressing of arsenate of lead mixture between June 

 27 and July 2. Twenty tons of the mixture were applied to 26 acres of ground 

 surface. 



In Springfield, there are 11 more or less distinct infestations throughout the 

 city. The only new infestation, however, is in the nature of an extension in the 

 vicinity of Armory Square. While there has been no widespread distribution of 

 the previously known infestation, beetles have been trapped outside of the areas 

 treated with arsenate of lead last spring. There has been no material increase in 

 the actual beetle population, however, since it was possible this year to collect 

 only 1.305 beetles with the use of 1,500 traps as compared with a total of 1,065 

 beetles collected in 1,200 traps during 1929. The heaviest infestation in the city 

 now exists in the central portion of the city in an area just west of the United 

 States Armory grounds. The most remote infestation is at Forest Park, slightly 

 over two miles from the central infestation. The original infestations in Court 

 and Stearns Squares have been materially checked by the treatments applied. 

 An application of arsenate of lead mixture as a top dressing was made between. 

 June 10 and 25, 1930. During this period fifty-two tons of the mixture were 

 applied to sixty-nine acres in and about the then known infestations. 



As a result of the new infestations in Attleboro, New Bedford, and Plymouth, 

 the Federal Government extended the quarantine, so that at this time the quar- 

 antined area includes all of Hampden and Bristol Counties, and the following 

 towns in Plymouth County: Bridgewater, Carver, Halifax, Kingston, Lakeville, 

 Marion. Mattapoisett, Middleboro. Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, and Ware- 

 ham. Just how much of a hardship this will be on the nurserymen in the new 

 area cannot be determined until the next shipping season. 



European Corn Borer 



The European Corn Borer situation in Massachusetts differs very little from 

 that of 1929. The damage from the single-brooded corn borer in western Massa- 

 chusetts has hardly been noticeable and most of the Division's attention has been 

 focussed on the two-brooded insect in eastern and central Massachusetts. In 

 the two-generation area, where two broods of borer occur each year, the plowing 

 under late in the fall of corn stubble and other parts of the plant, as well as pithy 

 stemmed weeds, produces an extremely high borer mortality. The immature 

 borers are unable to withstand the winter, particularly when they are under 

 ground and out of their natural environment. It is very desirable to cut the corn 

 stalks close to the ground as this permits the removal of most of the borers from 

 the field in the fodder — also better plowing can be practiced if the stubble is short. 



Plowing, properly done, with all refuse cleaned up. is one of the most effective 

 control measures for this pest. 



