1920.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 37a 



ply necessary, being less than was once supposed. Their range 

 of parasitism and method of life are, however, of much interest. 

 It is hoped that preliminary publication on this subject will 

 not be much longer delayed. 



Onion Maggot Control. — The onion maggot is often a serious 

 pest, and further experiments along the lines indicated last 

 year have been made. The results of these have not as yet 

 been worked out, so that no statement of conclusions can as 

 yet be given. The maggot was not very abundant, and re- 

 sults therefore may be of little value, but the applications 

 must be made, in any case, before the insects appear when no 

 knowledge is possible of the amount of infestation there will be. 



Garden Plot. — The use of a small garden plot near the 

 office has again been of much assistance. Many experimental 

 tests can be made there, and demonstrations of methods of con- 

 trol, for those visiting the office for advice, have been possible 

 in this way. The ordinary care of the plot has been given 

 outside of business hours, and, in fact, much of the work 

 outlined above has been done after the regular working hours 

 of the day, during the summer season. 



Numerous lines of investigation which would be of much 

 benefit to residents of the State cannot be taken up under 

 existing conditions, as we have neither the funds nor assistance 

 with which to carry them on. One of these is the problem of 

 the lime-sulfur wash as compared with dry sulfur compounds. 

 Incidentally, a few tests have been made, but what is needed 

 is a careful series of comparative experiments to determine the 

 actual effectiveness of these materials, their ease of application 

 and of handling, their relative cost, and to ascertain difi^erences 

 in results with the different materials. Hundreds, possibly 

 thousands, of fruit growers in Massachusetts are waiting to 

 learn whether it is advisable to change from the wash to the 

 dry compounds, which are so much easier and cheaper to 

 obtain if water can be left out and the material shipped to 

 them in a drv form. 



