REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I916 59 



York State and occasionally, as shown by observations in other 

 portions of the country, becomes somewhat abundant and injurious. 



There is annually more or less bleeding from wounded trees. 

 The past season was characterized by an unusual prevalence of 

 this trouble. While there may be other causes for this phenome- 

 non, observations of the last few years have enabled us to associate 

 much of this damage with slender, white maggots, the young of a 

 small and hitherto almost unknown fly. 



Forest tree pests. Injuries by. the hickory bark beetle, as 

 shown by observations, have continued though the damage the past 

 season appears to be materially less and, in certain cases at least, 

 seems to be favored by a weakened condition following the severe 

 drought of earlier years. Studies of this species have resulted in 

 securing valuable information respecting the biology and habits 

 of several associated species. 



Greenhouse pests. A number of greenhouse insects were 

 brought to the notice of the office during the past year and investi- 

 gated so far as opportunities permitted. The Florida fern cater- 

 pillar, a well-known southern insect, was found well established in 

 a fern house at Lockport. 



The rose bud midge, a dangerous enemy of indoor roses, has 

 again appeared in greenhouses in the lower Hudson valley, while 

 reports from different localities indicate a wide dissemination for 

 the recently introduced chrysanthemum gall midge, a species liable 

 to appear in numbers and cause serious injury in almost any 

 chrysanthemum house of the State. 



Periodical Cicada. A brood of this remarkable insect 

 appeared in the western part of the State, and detailed records 

 concerning its distribution and abundance, together with observa- 

 tions upon its habits, have been collated and are given in the 

 Entomologist's report. 



Flies. There is continued interest in the control of the house 

 fly and a number of requests for information in regard to this 

 insect have been complied with. Mobilization of troops the past 

 summer made it necessary to control flies under camp conditions 

 and at the request of Dr H. L. Van Winkle, the Entomologist made 

 a personal examination of Camp Whitman, Greenhaven, and 

 submitted a series of recommendations for the control of the house 



fly- . 



Infantile paralysis. A serious outbreak of this disease made 

 it very desirable to investigate thoroughly the possibilities of flies 



