THE EUROPEAN CORN BORER AND ITS CONTROL. 9 



A field meeting was held in the morning, during which those attending the 

 conference were taken to a badly infested sweet corn field at West Med- 

 ford, and the injury of the insect to corn and other plants observed. In 

 the afternoon the present status of the insect was discussed and sug- 

 gestions made for its control or possible extermination. The consensus 

 of opinion inclined very strongly to the belief that vigorous quarantine 

 and control measures were necessary if the destructive insect was to be 

 confined within its present limits. This course of action was favored 

 jointly by the entomologists and by the representatives of the market 

 gardeners and produce dealers present. 



Accordingly, notice of quarantine No. 36, on account of the European 

 Corn Borer, Pyrausta niibilalis, was issued by the secretary of agriculture 

 tlirough the Federal Horticultural Board, and became effective on and 

 after Oct. 1, 1918. This quarantine order applied to the towns which 

 were known to be infested by the insect, and prohibited the interstate 

 movement, to points outside the quarantined area, of all corn fodder or 

 cornstalks, whether used for packing or otherwise, green sweet corn, 

 roasting ears, corn on the cob and corn cobs. No restrictions were placed 

 on the interstate movement of any of the enumerated articles that had 

 originated outside of the quarantined area and were shipped through it 

 on a through bill of lading. 



Further investigation -will probably show the necessity for amending 

 this quarantine order to include additional territory and other articles, 

 plants or plant products liable to contain the insect. 



State Quarantine Measures. 



The Hon. Elbert S. Brigham, Commissioner of Agriculture of Vermont, 

 learning of the dangers existing from the presence of the pest in Massa- 

 chusetts, immediately sent his assistant, Mr. H. L. Bailey, to investigate 

 the situation in the infested fields near Boston, and as a result the State 

 of Vermont issued a quarantine notice, on account of the European corn 

 borer, which became effective on and after Aug. 26, 1918. This quar- 

 antine prohibited the movement of all stalks or ears of the corn plant 

 {Zea mays), either green or dried, from the State of Massachusetts into 

 the State of Vermont, unless written permission be secured from the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture of the State of Vermont. This restriction 

 did not apply to ordinary commercial dried shelled corn used for feeding 

 purposes, nor to any corn grown in other States and sent through Massa- 

 chusetts in transit. 



A similar quarantine to that by Vermont was established by the State 

 of Connecticut, effective Sept. 20, 1918. Permits to ship corn on the 

 ear, stover or other parts of the corn plant (except the shelled dry kernels, 

 or cooked or preserved products, or corn grown in other States passing 

 through the State of Massachusetts in transit) must first be obtained from 

 the Director of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and 

 accompany each shipment. 



