212 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 13 
thus far been obtained to support Sharp’s suggestion that it is really 
parasitic on some hymenopterous parasite present, rather than on the 
Oriental moth itself. 
By vote of the Association, an abstract of the paper by C. R. Crosby 
and R. G. Palmer, entitled “’Some Results of the Special Spray Service 
Conducted in New York State,” was presented by Dr. Felt. 
THE ORGANIZATION OF A SPECIAL SPRAY SERVICE IN 
NEW YORK STATE 
By C. R. Crosby and R. G. Palmer 
It is becoming increasingly apparent that to be most effective 
demonstration work in the control of insect pests and plant diseases 
should be conducted for the most part on the basis of a seasonal pro¬ 
gram of treatment and not by demonstrating the control of any single 
disease or pest nor by isolated tests of spray materials or methods of 
application. The object of this kind of demonstration work is to 
show the value of the approved seasonal program of treatment as 
adapted to local conditions and to the weather prevalent during the 
season, and to teach the growers the most effective and economical 
method of protecting their crops from insect pests and plant diseases. 
Both from an educational and financial standpoint demonstrations 
conducted in accordance with the seasonal program are of greater 
value not only to the individual but also to the county as a whole. 
Efficiency requires that the work be done with an organized group of 
growers rather than with individuals. In order to achieve this result 
it is necessary that sound expert advice be available and that the neces¬ 
sary information be placed in the hands of the growers at the time when 
it will be of most use to them. In an attempt to meet these require¬ 
ments we have in New York state worked out a plan of cooperation 
between the College of Agriculture and the County Farm Bureau 
Associations whereby a special field assistant is stationed in the county 
during the growing season and conducts the work under the supervision 
of the Departments of Entomology and Plant Pathology. 
Our present system of conducting this work is based on the plan of 
organization and cooperation used during the war to increase crop 
production by preventing losses from diseases and insects. At the 
outbreak of the war the New York state legislature passed a law estab¬ 
lishing a State Food Supply Commission for the purpose of stimu¬ 
lating production in agriculture. In cooperation with this commission, 
the College of Agriculture was enabled to conduct work in protecting 
crops from insect pests and plant diseases. In this work the Depart- 
