42 
ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 104 1 
the disease was found for the first time on pine in Greenbrier County; 
W. Va., and was again observed on ribes in Avery County, N. C. 
Weather conditions in the North Centra] States continued to be fa- 
vorable for the spread of the rust, particularly in the northern part of 
Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, where the di>eaxj i> increasing 
on pine. In northeastern Minnesota hl'iMer rust is developing >o rap- 
idly thai million- of young white pines will be killed before they can 
he protected. In some localities the unprotected pines are st severely 
diseased that they have been abandoned to the rust. One such stand 
in Sawyer County. Wis., had 70 percent of the trees infected, while 
another stand in the same county that had been protected by ribes 
eradication showed less than percent infection. 
In the Northeastern States ribes was generally infected, although 
evidence of pine infection of recent origin is rather meager even in 
some unprotected areas, which is the reverse of the situation in the 
North Central States. Some of this is due to weather conditions ad- 
verse to rust development, but the chfei factor in checking the spread 
of the disease has been the eradication of ribes on more than s ~» percent 
of the control area. 
DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF CONTROL METHODS 
In California dosage tests with aqueous ammonium sulfamate -prays 
on Ribes roezlii Regel confirmed preliminary data showing favor- 
able killing action on this species, which has been markedly resist- 
ant to other well-known herbicides. Similar tests with ammonium sul- 
famate were applied to R. lacustn ( IVrs.) Poir. in northern Idaho, 
where this species is a troublesome eradication problem on some area-. 
Experimental work in extracting ribes seeds from samples of for- 
est duff and soil resulted in the development of a successful method 
consisting of a combination of mechanical screening and blowing, and 
subsequent flotation in a saturated solution of calcium chloride. This 
method will be used in making direct measurements of the potential 
ribes-regeneration hazard in parts of control areas w here these bushes 
are except tonally persistent. 
Studies were continued on tests of new herbicides for ribes eradica- 
tion, on sampling methods used to determine pine stocking and disease 
prevalence, and on the ecology of ribes and white pines. Additional 
data weru obtained on the germination of ribes and white pine seeds: 
on the effects of logging, bin ning, and grazing on ribes regeneration; 
and on the correlation of ribes ecology and pine-management 
pract ices. 
WHITE-FRINGED BEETLE CONTROL 
Inspections for white-fringed beetles were conducted ui the South- 
eastern States and at maritime ports of entry from Brownsville, 
Tex., t<> Maryland. Infestations totaling 20,000 acres, including 
Localities at Foley, Ala., and Mendenhall, Waveland, and Collins, 
Miss., were discovered late in the summer of L943, and the Federal 
quarantine was extended to include these areas. An incipient isolated 
infestation was also found at Vender, X. C. By inspection to larvae 
in the spring of L944 infestations were located at Mount Olive and 
Fayetteville, X. C. 
Control operations in all areas reduced beetle populations, lessened 
damage to vital food, feed, and liber CTOps, and minimized possi- 
