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WIIITK GR1 BS 
A new laboratory has been established ;it Madison, Wis., for the purpose of 
studying the various species of white grubs Infesting Wisconsin and surround- 
ing States, jo supplement similar work under way In Indiana. Although the 
wet season greatly reduced the amount of white-grub damage experienced, as 
compared with that occurring in 1934, this is still a major problem in the 
production of good pastures and a number of grass crops. Studies on the 
feeding habits of the beetles have indicated that they feed widely <>n a number 
of herbaceous plants scattered throughout pastures and cultivated areas, in 
addition to the foliage of certain trees and shrnhs. This observation has an 
Important bearing on the possibility of control of the beetles by spraying 
shrnhs and trees on Which they were previously believed t<> depend almost 
exclusively for food. 
HESSIAN FLY 
Studies to determine the best date of seeding to prevent hessian fly da 
to wheat have heen completed and discontinued in most of the area included 
in the middle Great Plains States. Determination of the best date of seeding 
has not yet been accurately made for the Eastern States, and date-of-seeding 
plots are still being maintained in this region. 
Extensive tests of a Large number of varieties and strains of wheat, to 
determine their resistance to hessian fly attack, have heen conducted in Cali- 
fornia, Kansas, and Indiana, with the result that a few varieties have heen 
found to lie practically immune. It has been definitely determined that this 
characteristic is transmitted to succeeding generations. Breeding work is in 
active progress, in cooperation with the Bureau of Plant industry in all three 
States, in an attempt to develop strains of wheat that will have satisfactory 
agronomic qualities for the various arras and also the lly-resistant quality. A 
technic lor artificial infestation with the fly has heen developed winch will 
greatly speed up the process of selection, particularly in the areas where hes- 
sian fly outbreaks are sporadic. 
It has heen proven that little barley {Hordeum pusiUum Nutt.t. a common 
and widely distributed wheat -held grass, and other wild grasses are commonly 
infested with the hessian fly and may serve as reservoirs of Infestation for 
wheat 
A number of native parasites of the hessian fly have heen distributed during 
the year to areas in which they were not previously established, and one 
European species was introduced. 
HAIRY VETCH BRUCHD) 
A serious pest of the vetches has gained a firm foothold in the Atlantic 
Stalis. This has been Called the hairy vetch hriuhid. hut it also infests the 
smooth varieties of vetch as wed as other closely related plants. This insect 
is a native of Europe and was first discovered in this country at Iladdon 
Heights, X. J., in 1931. If is now known to he present in Delaware, Maryland. 
Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. In North Caro- 
lina it has heen found in 15 counties, and in the summer of 1935 it was esti- 
mated to have damaged the vetch seed crop in part of this area to the event of 
."it percent. In South Carolina only two counties are yet known to be Lnf< 
This pest lays it> eggs on the immature pods, and the grubs burrow into 
the seed, where they mature. Usually the adults emerge from the seeds 
j after harvest, hut Individuals are sometimes imprisoned in unopeued 
pods Indefinitely, and it Is believed that the insect may have been Introduced 
into the United States in tin- way. The pest is unable to reinfest vetel 
in Btorage hut is dependent upon the growing crop f,.r its perpetuation, its 
life hlstorj Is being carefully studied .'lid is n<»w fairly well known, except the 
location in which the adults spend the winter. 
ADDITIONAL INSECT VECTORS OF STEWART'S DISBA81 
The Search for Vectors of Stewart's disease Of corn, other than the corn 
ilea beetle {Chaetocnema milicaria Melsh.), already known to carry the disease 
over winter, has heen continued during the year. The disease has been cul- 
tured from tw<> additional species of beetles, namely. Chaetocnema denticulaia 
111., a Ilea hectic alread> suspected as a vector, and Slilbus apiCOli* Melsh.. 
appai entlj a poll< n feeder on coin. 
