REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST 1901 701 



There has been an unavoidable break in the office caused by 

 the resignation of my first assistant, Mr C. S. Banks, who severed 

 his connection with the office July 15, a particularly unfortunate 

 time, since it is the season when insect activities are at their 

 hight. Mies Margaret F. Boynton was promoted to the position 

 of first assistant, and Mr C. M. Walker, who has been an ad- 

 vanced student in entomology for nearly two years under Prof. 

 C. H. Fernald of the Massachusetts agricultural college and who 

 was the special assistant in the preparation of the collection for 

 exhibition at the Pan-American exposition, was appointed second 

 assistant. 



Special investigations. Three lines of work mentioned in my 

 previous report have been prosecuted during the past season. 



1 The series of experiments with insecticides for the control 

 of the San Jose scale have been carried on in the same orchard 

 as last year, and the results obtained in 1900 have been largely 

 confirmed. Fuller details of this work will be found on sub- 

 sequent pages. 



2 The study of forest and shade tree insects has been con- 

 tinued, and many of the observations of previous years have 

 been prepared for publication, and those of this season will be 

 put in a similar condition as soon as possible. 



3 The special study of aquatic insects, begun in 1900 has also 

 been continued. It is noticed in the following paragraph. 



Entomologic field station. The work commenced at Saranac Inn 

 in 1900 was continued at Ithaca N. Y. in cooperation with the 

 Cornell university authorities. Dr James G. Needham of Lake 

 Forest university, Lake Forest 111. was in charge of the work, 

 as last year. It was largely supplemental to the studies of the 

 previous season, and Dr Needham's report will therefore include 

 a rather full account of the damsel flies, Odonata-Zygoptera, 

 and of the fish food material collected by him at Saranac Inn. 

 A family of small flies (Chironomidae), very important so far 

 as fish food is concerned, has received special study by Mr O. A. 

 Johannsen, an advanced student at Cornell university, and his 

 account will also be included in this report. 



