No. 123.] STATE NURSERY INSPECTOR. 83 



August the second generation of moths appear. These lay 

 their eggs, this time as many as 900, which upon hatching do a 

 vast amount of damage. 



At this time the late corn is severely attacked; the moth 

 laying her eggs on all parts of the plant, tassel, ear, leaf and 

 stalk. These, as in the first generation, immediately burrow in, 

 and those entering the tassel weaken it so that the wind soon 

 breaks it over. Those attaching the ear render it unfit for 

 eating, and, finally, those in the stalk have riddled it to such 

 an extent that the plant collapses. In parts of the affected 

 district, corn was so badly infested that 15 borers were taken 

 from a single ear, and 311 borers from a hill. From the 

 middle of May to date, 1 borer has been responsible for 315,000. 

 Is there any question of the future of our corn crop if this pest 

 is allowed to reach the "corn belt" and increase at the rate it 

 has this past year? 



The name European corn borer is perhaps misleading as it 

 might cause one to believe that the borer attacks only corn. 

 Undoubtedly it prefers corn, but oats, peppers, celery, beets, 

 spinach, Swiss chard, potatoes, tomatoes and beans are a few of 

 the garden crops recently found infested. In addition to its un- 

 limited supply of food plants, we find it thrives in barnyard and 

 foxtail grass, pigweed, ragweed, lamb's-quarters and even the 

 common burdock; also in garden plants such as dahlias, cos- 

 mos, sunflowers and geraniums. The infestations of many in- 

 sects are immediately visible either during the feeding period 

 or while hibernating, but it is not so with this borer, which 

 presents difficulties greater than those of any other garden pest. 

 There is great danger from the European corn borer with its 

 two generations, — its habit of always feeding inside where it 

 is impossible to control it by spraying, and having an unlimited 

 supply of food plants, — the only requirement seeming to be a 

 stem large enough to enclose the larvse. 



Early last spring the borers were found in corn stubble, the 

 stalks having been cut the previous fall. Strange to say the 

 severe winter had apparently no eft'ect on them. This stubble 

 was plowed in as was the usual custom, and at the same time 

 a few infested butts were buried at various depths, to learn the 

 effect on the borer. It was found that stubble covered with 12 



