76 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



for this reason that we are strongly urging the Federal govern- 

 ment to assist to their utmost at this time in fighting the corn 

 borer we have in New England. We have had a large force 

 of men inspecting in the Boston produce market and also in 

 the flower market. These inspections at all times are made in 

 co-operation with the Federal Horticultural Board. The quar- 

 antines are operated from June 1 to January 1, as it is only 

 during this period that the stock grown within the infested 

 area is marketable. It was found that it was very expensive 

 to make field inspections, as at that time we could not deter- 

 mine how much of the material would be shipped out of the 

 area, while by following the plan now in practice, that is, 

 inspecting the produce in the Boston market, we are called 

 upon to inspect only that going out of the area. It seems at 

 the present time that this inspection will soon be uncalled for, 

 as the area infested by the corn borer is rapidly increasing, and 

 it will soon be so large as to include most of the markets where 

 Boston produce is shipped. 



The inspection of cut flowers, such as chrysanthemums, 

 dahlias and gladioli, is by no means a small task, as large 

 quantities of these flowers are shipped daily out of the infested 

 area. The inspection for corn coming into Massachusetts from 

 New York, where the single-brooded corn borer is present, is 

 one more precaution to be taken. It is sincerely hoped that 

 some drastic action may be taken that will assist in checking 

 this pest. 



Each year finds a larger number of insects and plant diseases 

 sent into the office for identification. Usually these are the 

 more common household and garden pests, but occasionally 

 an unusual species is sent in for determination. A year ago 

 we received hundreds of complaints in regard to the common 

 stalk borer. Most of the specimens received were sent by 

 persons who thought it was the European corn borer. This 

 season there have been very few such cases called to our atten- 

 tion. This is probably due to weather conditions, as this 

 insect is more of a southern pest, and it may have been that 

 it was unable to withstand the winter weather. However, this 

 insect is found in small numbers in this State most every year. 



During 1922 there has been an abundance of oriental moths, 

 doing considerable damage to fruit and shade trees in greater 

 Boston. Several cases were called to our attention in Boston, 



