14a EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



Crop Protection. 



As agriculture becomes more intensive, its susceptibility to disease and insect 

 attack usually becomes greater. This is particularly the case in Massachusetts, 

 which, because of its situation on the channels of world commerce, is open to injury 

 from accidental importation of foreign insects and diseases. It is probable that as 

 time goes on there will be increasing necessity of studies relative to crop protection. 

 This is due in part to the danger of introduction of new diseases, and secondly to 

 the fact that increasing value of farm crops brings about increased financial loss 

 when these are damaged by fungous diseases or insect enemies. 



Insect Enemies of Vegetation. 



Entomology Project 2. "Economic importance of digger wasps." 



Professor Fernald. 



Because of the pressure of other duties, no work was done on this project, during the 

 1922 season. 



Entomology Project 3. "Control of the onion maggot." 



Assistant Professor Bourne. 



Weather conditions the past year were such as to make the stand of onions on the 

 experimental fields so variable as to make the records valueless for experimental pur- 

 poses. 



Entomology Project 4. "Control of squash vine borer." . 



Mr. WORTHLEY. 



Tentative control measures which were developed during 1921 were tried on a com- 

 mercial scale at Amherst and at Lexington. The cost of such treatments was determined. 

 The seasonal history of the borer in Amherst was compared with its history at Lexington 

 so that control measures may be so timed as to be applicable to the Boston Market 

 Garden District as well as to the Connecticut Valley. 



Entomology Project 5. "Control of the squash bug." 



Mr. WORTHLEY. 



The main effort has been to find a material toxic to the adult bugs but not toxic to 

 the plants. To date these efforts have been only partially successful. The life history 

 of the Tachinid parasite of the squash bug, Trichopoda pcnnipes, has been worked out, 

 and its relation to its host determined. Papers on the life history of the squash bug in 

 Massachusetts and the control measures tried, and on the parasite, are being prepared 

 for publication. 



Entomology Project 7. "Studies of insect outbreaks in various localities." 



Professor Fernald. 



This is a continuing project, the subject being entirely dependent upon the insects 

 which may appear. In 1922 the conditions as related to the corn ear-worm and seed 

 corn maggot, which were the insects studied in 1921, were continued and concluded; 

 and the appearance of the birch leaf skeletonizer and the apple and thorn skeletonizer 

 led to their study as well. 



Entomology Project 8. "Pest limits in Massachusetts." 



Professor Fernald. 



Data on this subject are gathered each year as they appear and can be obtained. 

 Some additions were made in 1922. 



