REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I916 55 



VIII 



REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 



The Entomologist reports that the frequent and rather heavy 

 rains of the spring" and early summer offset, in large measure, 

 depredations by various leaf feeders by producing an unusual 

 growth of vegetation. Apple tent caterpillars were numerous in 

 many localities and yet the damage was relatively small. There 

 were no complaints of injuries by the forest tent caterpillar and 

 very little serious damage by the elm leaf beetle, a pest which, in 

 earlier years, defoliated thousands of trees, and one which has 

 killed many magnificent elms in the Hudson valley. 



The subjects briefly outlined in this report are more fully dis- 

 cussed in the annual report of the Entomologist. 



Fruit tree insects. Practical work with the codling moth was 

 continued the past season in cooperation with the bureau of horti- 

 culture of the State Department of Agriculture, and the Monroe 

 County Farm Bureau. These studies were conducted in four com- 

 mercial orchards in western New York through the hearty coopera- 

 tion of their respective owners and an effort made to determine 

 the relative value, as in former years, of the first, second and 

 third sprays for the control of this pest. In connection with these 

 investigations, observations were also made upon the development 

 and biology of the codling moth. The data secured show, as do 

 those of earlier years, the very great benefits which may be derived 

 from the first or so-called calyx spray, and indicate most strongly 

 the necessity of thoroughness if satisfactory results are to be 

 obtained. This alone is of great value to the commercial fruit 

 grower, since it indicates the most promising method of control- 

 ling a destructive insect. The work in the orchard of Mr H. E. 

 Wellman, Kendall, when compared with that of the preceding year, 

 shows a very gratifying reduction in infestation. The same plots 

 were used and the wormy apples of the past season were from 

 one-third to two-thirds less than those of 191 5. 



A careful study of the different types of codling moth injury 

 has enabled the Entomologist to verify his earlier opinions as to 

 the relation existing between them and the habits of the insect, 

 and also to outline rules for determining the period during which 

 different types of injury may be inflicted. The latter is of con- 



