REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1918 33 



chard, beans, beets, spinach and ornamentals such as dahhas and 

 chrysanthemums. In most cases, however, infestation would lead 

 to rejection of the plants as being unfit for sale. The occurrence of 

 the borer on the Mohawk fiats, areas usually submerged each spring, 

 makes its very probable that com stalks or other plant stems contain- 

 ing living borers may be swept down stream and the insect become 

 established in new territory. A com stalk containing a living pupae 

 was found in June 1919, on Dover Plot island near Coxsackie. 



It was at first thought that the insect was brought into this country 

 with hemp imported for the rope walks near Boston, though later 

 investigations have developed evidence in support of the insect 

 having been introduced with broom com. It is noteworthy that 

 there is a broom factory near the original infestation in Massachusetts, 

 that Amsterdam, N. Y., is an important center for this industry and 

 even Irving, in the western part of the State, has a small factory. 



The great danger of this insect being shipped in plants or parts of 

 plants has resulted in the federal government and the states of Massa- 

 chusetts and New York establishing quarantines designed to prevent 

 the dissemination of the borer through commercial agencies. Regula- 

 tions in New York State prohibit the movement to any points out- 

 side of the infested area of " any corn fodder or corn stalks whether 

 used for packing or otherwise, or any sweet corn or roasting ears, 

 com on the cob or com cobs ; or any herbaceous plants such as culti- 

 vated garden or flowering plants, as celery, chard, green or string 

 beans in the pod, beet tops, spinach, turnip tops; dahlia, gladiolus 

 and chrysanthemtmi." 



Control. Experience in Massachusetts and New York has shown 

 that the most effective method of control is by burning all infested 

 stalks and weeds, though there is a probability that a modified system 

 of * agriculttire, directed toward the plowing under or the destruction 

 of such materials, may result in a considerable reduction in injury, 

 particularly in areas where there is but one brood. 



Com and com land in the New York infested areas should be 

 handled in such a way as to reduce to a minimum the possibility of 

 borers surviving, and this will be accomplished in considerable 

 measure by adopting the following precautions : 



Cut com close to the ground since many borers may winter in the 

 stubble. 



Plow thoroughly, preferably in the fall, and endeavor to cover the 

 stubble deeply, since such measures destroy many borers. 



Handle com fodder in such a way as to reduce to a minimum the 

 possibility of borers surviving. Putting the corn in a silo is the 



