REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST I915 57 



■reduce the danger pf serious injury to a minimum. Such a rotation 

 is also in accord with good agricultural practice. 



The danger of losing crops when corn, potatoes or strawberries 

 are planted upon recently turned, infested sod should be more 

 generally recognized. The small white grubs are, as pointed out 

 above, by far the most dangerous and it is by no means difficult 

 to recognize them either in the fall or in the spring just before plant- 

 ing time, since they have practically the same appearance as when 

 larger. The serious consequences following planting upon such 

 land is due mostly to the great reduction in the number of plants 

 to the square yard and the inevitable concentration of the grubs 

 upon those allowed to grow. There is nothing to show that 

 white grubs migrate to any extent, that is, more than a rod or two 

 through the soil. Susceptible crops, if they must be put on infested 

 land, should be fed liberally and ciiltivated thoroughly in order to 

 assist the plants to outgrow the partial destruction of their roots. 



GRASSHOPPERS 



The outbreak of last year continued through the present summer 

 and in some localities was very severe, though in most sections, 

 especially where active measures were adopted in 1914, the injury 

 was relatively light. Our investigations the past season were con- 

 fined largely to Fulton and Saratoga counties. The lesser red- 

 legged grasshopper, Melanoplus atlanis Riley, was by 

 far the most destructive species, as was the case the year before, 

 though there was some injury by the two-striped grasshopper, 

 Melanoplus femoratus Burm., a species easily distin- 

 guished by its larger size, greenish or yellowish brown color and the 

 two distinct yellowish lines on the back. 



The infestation in' Fulton county was decidedly less than that of 

 the preceding year, due in large measure to the wholesale poisoning 

 of 19 1 4. At our request an examination of this section was made in 

 early June by Mr P. M. Eastman of the Department of Agriculture. 

 He found in the vicinity of Union Mills, especially near Clipp Hill, 

 large numbers of grasshoppers and so far as he could learn very little 

 poisoned bait had been used in that section last year. The wild coun- 

 try in and around Meco, and also west of Gloversville and extending 

 beyond Garoga, was badly infested, which was also true in a similar 

 section 2 or 3 miles beyond Berkshire toward Broadalbin. His 

 investigations in the vicinity of St Johnsonville and Middlesprite 

 resulted in finding relatively few of the insects, though certain 

 residents of the latter place had feared a serious outbreak. The 



