REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I917 6.1 



sod land near badly affected trees. In cooperation with the Insect 

 Pest Survey and Information Service it has been possible to make 

 what is practically a May or June beetle survey of the State and as 

 a result there has been brought together a mass of data which can 

 be used to great practical advantage in indicating areas where 

 serious injury by the destructive white grub is likely to occur next 

 year. The information has been summarized and it is planned to 

 distribute this early next spring so as to prevent, so far as possible, 

 serious losses by planting upon land badly infested by these 

 destructive pests. 



The wheat midge was somewhat injurious to heading rye in various 

 parts of the State and later was found in many wheat fields. It 

 was estimated that the loss in southern Niagara and northern Erie 

 counties caused by this insect would approximate 20 per cent in 

 shrunken wheat. The actual loss in other wheat-growing counties 

 appears to be considerably less, that in Orleans county being placed 

 at 3 per cent to 5 per cent. This damage, comparatively rare 

 during recent years in New York State, was largely due to unusual 

 climatic conditions at the time the grain was heading and there is 

 little probability of its recurring another year. 



Field crops. The work of the seed corn maggot in bean fields 

 came to notice the last of June and was very serious, the loss on seed 

 alone in one 9 acre field in Genesee county amounting to $70, while 

 from 50 to 75 per cent of 16 acres were destroyed. One Monroe 

 county grower lost over $300 on seed alone. The damage for Erie 

 county was put at 40 per cent and it was estimated that one-fourth 

 of $96,000 worth of seed was destroyed in Orleans county. Untoward 

 weather conditions and deep planting on the wetter land appears 

 to have greatly augmented losses, while the total damage was 

 increased by the work of snails, millipeds and disease. 



Potato aphis appeared in July on Long Island and became rather 

 abundant and very injurious in some fields of many counties, Lewis 

 being one of the last to report infestation. This insect breeds very 

 rapidly, has a considerable range of food plants and under certain 

 conditions is most destructive. It is usually checked by parasites, 

 which appears to have been the case in many localities, though 

 severe losses were reported for individual fields. The estimated loss 

 in Dutchess county was placed at 5 per cent. It was ranked as a 

 plague in Orleans county. It caused serious trouble for some large 

 growers in Ulster county and was very injurious in gardens, the 

 estimated decrease in the crop ranging from 10 to 75 per cent, with 



