ANNUAL REPORT, ]929 345 



THE CRANBERRY STATION 



(East Wareham, Massachusetts) 



H. J. Franklin in Charge 



Injurious and Beneficial Insects Affecting the Cranberry. (H. J. Frank- 

 lin). 



(a) Penetrol, an activating oil developed under the auspices of the 

 Crop Protection Institute, was tried with nicotine sulfate and also with 

 pyrethrum soap in tests to control the black-headed fireworm, with nega- 

 tive results. 



(b) Dipple's oil was tested as a repellent against the cranberry fruit- 

 worm moth, with negative results. 



(c) The relationship of birds to cranberry pests was studied somewhat. 

 Birds were killed and the contents of their digestive tracts examined. 



(d) Entomogenous fungi parasitic on the black-headed fireworm were 

 cultured and disseminated on cranberry bogs to test the possibilities of 

 practical control of the fireworm by the use of these fungi. Dr. William 

 H. Sawyer, Jr., was in charge of this work. Practicable methods for 

 growing the fungi in quantity were developed, but the results of field 

 dissemination were not successful enough to make this method of con- 

 trol seem very practicable. 



(e) Japanese beetle traps and baits were tried against the cranberry 

 root grub beetle, with mostly negative results. 



(f) The life histories of the cranberry black bug {Plagiognatkus repetitus 

 Knight) and the false blossom leafhopper {Euscelis striatulus) were studied. 



(g) Various kinds of fish were tested as possible water indicators 

 to be used when flooding cranberry bogs to determine readily when such 

 flooding has become dangerous. This study gave very promising results. 

 Dr. H. F. Bergman was in charge of this work. 



(h) Profitable studies were conducted on the distribution and habits 

 of the cranberry white grub (Phi/llophaga anxia Lee). 



(i) Spray tests against the false blossom leafhopper, with nicotine 

 sulfate and with pyrethrum soap, brought out very clearly the fact that the 

 latter controls the pest much more effectively than the former, while the 

 two insecticides used together caused considerable injury to the vines. 



Cranberry Disease Work. (H. J. Franklin in cooperation with the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. D. A.). Dr. Neil E. Stevens of the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry was at the Cranberry Station during much of 

 the growing season and cooperated actively as usual in this work. 



(a) Final and conclusive proof was developed that the false blossom 

 disease is carried freely from diseased to healthy vines by the leafhopper 

 (Eusixeli^ striatulus Fall.) This is very important and should lead shortly 

 to a much better control of this serious disease than has been achieved 

 in the past. Other experiments gave little evidence, if any, that the 

 cranberry black bug, cranberry spittle insect, sharp-nosed leafhopper 

 (PlatymetopiU'S ma(jdalensis Prov.), or springtails (Collembola) have 

 anything to do with the spread of the disease. The history of the spread 

 of this disease in Massachusetts was given further careful study to make 

 it as complete as possible. 



