REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I918 79 



satisfactory control and in not a few localities there has been but 

 little breeding even in unsprayed orchards. The wet, cold weather 

 of early summer has probably had an important influence on the 

 development of this insect, and largely checked its breeding, though 

 parasites doubtlessly have rendered material assistance. 



Pear thrips. This minute and destructive pest is sporadically 

 abundant here and there in the pear-growing sections, specially in 

 the Hudson valley, and despite the watchfulness of fruit growers 

 there is likely to be considerable loss before the seriousness of the 

 infestation is appreciated or the need of immediate action realized. 



Pear psylla. There have been some reports of injury by pear 

 psylla though in many localities the insect has been only moderately 

 abundant and in not a few almost absent. The cool weather and 

 heavy rains have had a marked influence in preventing the pest 

 from multiplying greatly. 



Grass and grain pests. The cool weather and abundant rains of 

 last spring, as in 191 7, were unfavorable to the development of suffi- 

 cient grasshoppers to cause serious damage and in most sections these 

 insects were not unusually abundant though toward the end of the 

 season they were somewhat numerous in restricted localities. 



The white grub injury rendered probable by the abundance of 

 May and June beetles in 191 7, failed to develop in most localities. 

 There was material injury in restricted areas though this was hardly 

 comparable to that of 1 9 1 5 . Warning notices outlining probabilities 

 were issued in early spring and it is very probable that in many 

 localities the comparative freedom from damage was due to farmers 

 taking precautions and not planting crops liable to injury, such as 

 com and potatoes on land where conditions favored an abundance 

 of white grubs. 



Wheat midge was prevalent in the rye fields of the eastern part of 

 the State and caused somewhat more damage than in 191 7. The 

 wheat fields of the western section were also generally infested by 

 this insect. A survey of the situation by the Entomologist covering 

 Erie, Genesee, Niagara and Orleans counties disclosed a general 

 prevalence of the insect practically without reference to time of 

 sowing, depth of plowing or previous treatment, though it was note- 

 worthy that, generally speaking, the more vigorous fields showed less 

 of the pest. The bearded wheats are usually less infested. The 

 results of these studies are summarized in the body of the report. 

 Grass lands, specially pastures and com fields, were seriously 

 injured in Broome county localities by grass webworms and the 



