4 
~ 
Qa a 
Larvae of Phorbia (Pegomya) fusciceps have developed a fond- 
mess for young wheat. Professor Newell sent us adults reared from 
darvae attacking wheat in Texas; Doctor Morrill sent the same reared 
‘from larvae attacking wheat in Arizona while the flies were abundant 
in wheat fields of northern Oklahoma in December. It will be well 
-for members of the force to be on the lookout for this pest. 

x My method for preventing the running of waterproof ink in diluted 
alcohol is to place the labels in the palm of the hand, drop a few 
“drops of ordinary 95% alcohol upon them and allow this to remain for 
“half a minute or so, when it is safe to place the moist labels direct- 
Ply in 50% alcohol “without danger of the ink running. Absolute alcohol 
_recommended by Mr. Urbahns, is not always available, and is not a ne- 
cessity. C. N. AINSLIE. 

Reports of outbreaks of Toxoptera in Texas and Oklahoma have 
on investigation turned out to be due to excessive abundance of 
_Aphis avenae, though there are considerable numbers of the former 
Species present. Aphidius testaceipes is excessively abundant and 
with favorable temperature conditions will doubtless hold Toxoptera 
in check. With temperatures unfavorable to the parasite, an out- 
break of Toxoptera is not improbable. 

While making entomological investigations during the last 
® t¢€w years in the U. S. Bureau of Entomology, and prior to this, 
® LTor the State of Illinois, it was found very convenient to have a 
definite idea as to whom to Visit on reaching a new locality. 
After considerable investigation and effort, the best party 
to visit to gather this information proved to be the banker, or, 
next to him, men in charge of flour mills or elevators. Quite 
often field men are given the names of parties reporting damage 
to their crops, and are directed to visit certain localities. On 
‘Teaching the town, it is learned that the party wanted lives on a 
® rural route or star route, some eight, ten, or perhaps fifteen 
® miles from town. The writer has found that upon calling on the lo- 
Gal banker, he could learn just what sort of a farmer he would have 
to deal with, and very often would find that the party has a rural 
| telephone and. communication could be established with him readily. 
, Bankers often have information of insect ravages from farmer 
patrons in that same locality, though possibly in a different di- 
' rection from town, and, quite frequently, before leaving him, he 
® would offer his services in the form of a good horse and buggy or 
an automobile. 
Mat On discussing this matter with Professor Webster, it was 
learned that*in the early days he had used a similar method of get- 
ting information, only he went to the family doctors who were al— 
ways to be found in small towns. 
Beyond doubt field men will derive a great deal of help from 
Consulting. bankers and will find them a valuable source of informa- 
tion for other reasons than simply what they can gain from them on 4 
Single visit. Very often after having visited one of these men, he .- 
will keep the matter in mind and if anything shows up in his locality 
he readily reports it, thus placing us in continuous close touch with 
the situation. EH, 0. G. KELLY. 

