REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I912 37 



in the Entomologist's report. The work of the pear midge was 

 investigated and a number of desirable photographs of the larva 

 and its work secured. 



Gipsy moth. The danger of injury by this notorious pest was 

 emphasized by the discovery of a small colony, practically re- 

 stricted to a city block, at Geneva. An examination of the lo- 

 cality showed that the infestation was probably of three or four 

 years' standing. The chances are at least fair that the insect 

 was introduced in that section with nursery stock, though no un- 

 doubted evidence as to the source of the infestation has been ad- 

 duced. The discovery of similar colonies may be expected from 

 time to time. For a period at least, no effort should be spared 

 to exterminate such outlying infestations, since this policy is 

 much cheaper and decidedly more advantageous to the general 

 welfare than the adoption of repressive measures with the inev- 

 itable slow spread of the insect and the greatly increased cost of 

 controlling the pest incident to its being distributed over an ex- 

 tended area. Such measures are also advisable, since checking 

 the normal spread is most advantageous for the development of 

 introduced parasites, a number of which have already been estab- 

 lished in this country. 



The recent enactment by Congress of a national plant quaran- 

 tine act, recommended by the Entomologist and his associates in 

 other states, is an important step in advance and should prove of 

 great service in restricting the spread of this and other injurious 

 insects as well as preventing the introduction of dangerous pests. 



Brown-tail moth. This species has attracted comparatively 

 little attention the past season, though owing to its having he- 

 come established in the northwestern corner of Massachusetts, 

 it is only a question of time before it will make its way into this 

 State. The danger of this pest being introduced on nursery 

 stock grown in infested sections still exists and should not be 

 overlooked simply because a portion of the State is contiguous 

 to infested territory. The winter nests are so characteristic that 

 there should be little difficulty in identifying the insect and at 

 the outset prevent its becoming excessively abundant. 



Grass and grain pests. White grubs have been extremely num- 

 erous in portions of Albany, Columbia and Rensselaer counties, 

 at least. They were so abundant in many places as practically to 



