13 



counties are the worst sufferers. There are several reports 

 of positive control of the potato beetle by spraying, and at 

 least one report of failure to stop its ravages by this means. 

 There is no reason why the beetle cannot be controlled in all 

 cases by well-timed sprayings with arsenate of lead, or Paris 

 green, combined with Bordeaux mixture for the prevention 

 of blight which is so widespread and yet, year after year, 

 allowed to shorten the potato crop unheeded. Both beetle 

 and blight are constant in their appearance and must be as 

 constantly combated. The next most troublesome insect is 

 the elm-leaf beetle with 10.5 per cent reports, coming chiefly 

 from Worcester, Middlesex, Bristol, Plymouth and Berk- 

 shire. In order named, the next most injurious insects, with 

 percentage reports of all reports and counties principally 

 affected, are: squash bugs, 10, in Hampden, Worcester, 

 Hampshire and Plymouth; gypsy moth, 6, in Essex, Plym- 

 outh and ISTorfolk; cutworms, 5.5, in Bristol, Hampshire, 

 Franklin and Plymouth; tent caterpillars, 3.5, in IsForfolk, 

 Plymouth, Barnstable and Middlesex; brown-tail, 3, in Mid- 

 dlesex, Essex, Barnstable and Worcester; cabbage worm, 2.5, 

 in Plymouth, Middlesex, Hampden and Worcester; cucum- 

 ber beetle, 2.5, in Hampden, Essex, Barnstable and Bristol; 

 aphids, 2, in Norfolk, Berkshire and Hampden. Onion 

 thrips in Hampshire, onion maggots in Hampshire and 

 Essex, apple tree borers, squash borers, codling moths, white 

 grubs, bag worms, stock flies, San Jose scale, wireworms and 

 a few others were named. The cranberry black-headed fire- 

 worm is mentioned by 33.3 per cent of the correspondents in 

 Barnstable. A single report of pine-tree blister rust in Berk- 

 shire shows this serious disease to be present locally. 



IlfDIAN COKN. 



The condition of corn has dropped off 3.6 points since 

 June 27, owing to the drought and to poor germination of 

 late-planted fields. On some sandy soils the leaves are curl- 

 ing, and it is evident that the crop will come to maturity 

 before reaching its full growth unless August brings copious 

 rains. The condition is: Dukes, 100; Plymouth, 96; Bris- 



