-3- 



used on the day of harvest, diazinon requires a 7-day interval, and parathion 15 

 days. Parathion should be applied only by professional applicators. 



GENERAL 



Grasshoppers . Tiny, newly hatched grasshoppers are present from one end of the 

 state to the other. In some areas, timely rains have killed many of them, but in 

 many areas, the small grasshoppers have escaped. Two species are present. One 

 is in fence rows, ditchbanks, grass waterways, and similar sod areas. These can 

 be sprayed with toxaphene, but do not feed the forage. A second species is present 

 in clover fields. When you mow, leave uncut swaths. The grasshoppers concentrate 

 in the fence rows and the uncut swaths. They can be sprayed and the hay can be 

 cut a day later and used for hay. In this case use malathion or carbaryl (Sevin) . 

 Do not apply toxaphene near fish-bearing waters. If clover or alfalfa is blos- 

 soming, apply malathion late in the day. Do not use carbaryl if the fields are in 

 blossom. 



HOMEOWNER INSECTS 



Galls . Some of the more common galls include maple bladder on maple, various galls 

 on oak, and pod gall on honey locust. These are warty- appearing growths that de- 

 velop on the leaves. They rarely cause any damage to branches of the tree. Chemical 

 control is difficult, since the tiny insect forming the gall is inside it. If treat- 

 ment is desired, it will be most effective just before the gall is formed; in most 

 instances, this is in the spring as the new leaves are emerging from buds. Hence, 

 this should be planned for next spring. 



Cottony maple scale . This scale appears as a sticky, cottony mass on tree branches- - 

 especially those of maple and honey locust. At present, these are the adult scales 

 with eggs inside the cottony area. These adults are sucking plant sap from the twig. 

 The eggs will be hatching in early July, and the young will crawl out onto the un- 

 derside of leaves. These crawlers appear as tiny yellow specks on the leaves re- 

 maining on the leaves, sucking plant juices until September. For control, spray 

 in early to mid-July with malathion. Be sure to thoroughly spray the leaves near 

 twigs covered with the cottony masses. 



PLANT DISEASE 



WHEAT 



We are now getting samples of wheat with blasted heads covered with various dark 

 molds growing on the glumes, in addition to some Septoria leaf blotch, scab, and 

 physiological blackening (see last week's report). 



The blasting of florets may be due to one of many reasons. But the presence of 

 the dark molds is normal on this type of head following periods of rainy weather. 



Illinois still has a remarkably disease-free wheat crop. 



SOUTHERN CORN LEAF BLIGHT 



Weather conditions favorable to the spread of southern corn leaf blight caused 

 considerable spread ol' the disease in southern Illinois during the week of June 

 14. But nobody knows yet how bad blight may be. 



