78 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



experiments on the resistance of muskmelons to fumigation. 

 These can be resumed during 1*J11, however. 



Further tests of methods of controlling wire worms attacking 

 seed corn have been continued on Mr. Whitcomb's farm. The 

 results of the tests already made were referred to in the last 

 report, and were also published in the '^ Journal of Economic 

 Entomology " for August, 1909. It was distinctly stated in 

 the latter publication that these methods were still in the exper- 

 imental stage, but that it seemed desirable to test them on a 

 larger scale in different parts of the country. Several of the 

 agricultural papers suggested this to their readers, and the re- 

 ports received as to results varied from excellent to failure, by 

 preventing germination. A few cases of failure have been in- 

 vestigated, and in every case so far appear to have been due to 

 the use of coal tar instead of gas tar, or to giving the corn such 

 a heavy coating of the tar as to, of itself, prevent germination. 

 On the whole, the treatment can hardly be considered as having 

 been fairly tested in all cases. 



One objection to the method is that the seed must be treated 

 first with tar and then with the Paris green. During the past 

 season it has been attempted to avoid this, while obtaining 

 equally good results, by the use of arsenate of lead. The par- 

 ticular brand used in these experiments was disparene, which 

 comes in paste form. This was diluted till about as thick as 

 paint. Then the corn was added and the whole thoroughly 

 stirred. The corn was then spread out till dry. 



Unfortunately, wire worms proved to be few in the fields 

 where the treated corn was -planted, so that the value of the test 

 was restricted to a determination of the effect of the treatment 

 on the germination of the seed. From this standpoint, however, 

 it was a success, having no injurious effect whatever. Plans 

 have already been made to continue this work another season, 

 and fields badly infested with wire worms are to be made use of, 

 so far as these can be found. 



Bates of the hatching of the young of the oyster-shell scale, 

 the scurfy scale and the pine-leaf scale have been continued as 

 far as possible. The object of this has been stated in previous 

 reports, and it need only be added here that the observations 



