ANNUAL REPORT, 1939 33 



material by means of peptization with neutral salt solutions as decomposition 

 progresses, and by the isolation and identification of the decomposition products 

 of haddock muscle stored under conditions of poor refrigeration. 



Much of the effort so far has been confined to an attempt to determine the 

 optimum conditions under which haddock muscle proteins may be peptized by 

 neutral salt solutions. Observations will be made on changes in the peptization 

 values during the storage of haddock muscle. Preliminary data point to an 

 increase in the percentage of total nitrogen peptized by sodium chloride sol- 

 utions, as the storage time is prolonged. The greatest peptization values for 

 sodium chloride solutions appear to lie between concentrations of 1.5 and 2.5 

 normal, other cencentrations following a typical peptization curve. 



Isolation and possible identification of the decomposition products of haddock 

 muscle are being attempted from fillets stored at 10-12° C. for 20 days. Samples 

 taken at frequent intervals during storage demonstrated a regular increase in 

 volatile nitrogen. However, samples distilled under reduced pressure with mag- 

 nesium o.xide yielded more volatile nitrogen than did identical steam-distilled 

 samples, the difference in value increasing with storage time. 



THE CRANBERRY STATION 

 East Wareham, Massachusetts 



H. J. Franklin in Charge 



Injurious and Beneficial Insects Affecting the Cranberry. (H. J. Franklin.) 



Fire Beetle {Cryptocephalus incertus). Over a hundred acres, mostly in Bourne, 

 Wareham, and Rochester, were found more or less seriously infested with this 

 pest in the summer of 1939, the infestations in all cases having continued from 

 1938. Eighty acres were treated very successfully by spraying somewhat after 

 mid-August with 3 pounds of lead arsenate in 100 gallons of water, 250 gallons 

 to the acre. 



A few of the beetles were found on August 7, and 25 of them to 50 sweeps of 

 an insect net were taken on August 11 on a bog from which the winter water 

 was let off early in April. A few were found on another early-drawn bog by 

 August 13. 



Cranberry Weevil (Anthonomus musculus). Application early in June of 100 

 pounds per acre of bran poisoned with 5 pounds of sodium fluosilicate and mois- 

 tened with water failed completely as a control for the beetles. A like application 

 with oil in place of the water gave the same result. 



Alorco cryolite, 9 pounds in 100 gallons of water, applied 400 gallons to the 

 acre on July 31, killed 80 percent of the newly emerged adults. 



Cranberry Spittle Insect {Clastoptera saint-cyri). A considerable infestation 

 of the adults of this species was killed completely by dusting with 100 pounds 

 to the acre of 4 percent rotenone derris (without an activator or wetter). Nine 

 pounds of cryolite in 100 gallons of water, applied 400 gallons an acre, had no 

 noticeable effect on them. 



Colaspis Root-worm {Colaspis brunnea var. costipennis) . Adults of this pest 

 of grape, strawberry, apple, timothy, and corn were found abundant on a bog 

 near West Wareham in late June and early July. They fed freely on the cran- 

 berry foliage, blossom buds, and flowers. Theii grubs had evidently eaten the 

 fibrous roots of the vines somewhat and eaten the bark off along the vines just 

 below the surface of the sand. A new brood of the grubs, half grown, was found 

 in the cranberry turf of the affected area in the fall, so the species evidently 

 hibernates as a grub. Over half an acre of the bog was in poor condition from the 



