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TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL PLANT INSECT INVESTIGATIONS 
A. ©. Baker, Senior Entomologist, in Charge 
C. F. Doucette, of the bulb-insects sublaboratory at Puyallup, 
Wash., visited Washington September 6 and 7 to confer with bureau offi- 
Cials on the work of the sublaboratory. He was then en route to France, 
to attend the convention.of the American Legion at Paris, Before re- 
turning to the United States he will visit the bulb-growing sections 
of Holland and England. 
Dr. C. A. “eigel recently returned from a visit to Central Park, 
L. I.-, where, in cooperation with several large commercial bulb-growing 
concerns, he is conducting tests of ‘the hot-water treatment of-narcissus 
bulbs, in continuation of the sterilization experiments inaugurated in 
the bulb region of Long Island in AuguSt, The tests’are conducted to 
determine the effect of this treatment on field-grown bulbs, when done 
‘at different times and under varied conditicns. Particular attention 
is being paid to the effect of the treatment on the flowering qualities 
of the bulbs treated, and the subsequent increase in production. 
. During the present.season EB. A. McGregor, of the citrus thrips 
project, Lindsay, Calif., has cooperated vith Dr. H. 5S. Fawcett, patholo- 
gist, of the University of California, in. tests with dusts and sprays for 
"the possible control of "June drop" of navel oranges. Most of the ma- 
terials used were of a fungicidal nature, it having been thought that® 
the shedding phenomenon might bé caused partly by a fungous organism. 
The most interesting result to date is that.’ certain of these applica tions 
have been fairly effective against the citrus thrips. 
On September 1 the New Orleans laboratory was moved into its new 
quarters at Gentilly Road and St, Anthony Street. The building is leased 
from the Parking Commission of New Orleens, and has been planned esvecial— 
ly to meet the requirements of the rork of this station, as described 
in the August News Letter. : 
Visitors to the new laboratory in September included 
mecon, Canal Zone, Dr. H. Ls Dozier, Newark, Del., and T. FP, 
Shrevevort, La. 
James Zetek, 
Catchings, 
Horace H. Bliss, who was temporarily engaged as field assistant, 
has returned to the University of New-Hampshire, where he is instructor 
"in chemistry. . . . 
O. C. McBride, of the Grlando, Fla., laboratory, arrived in New 
Orleans on September 6. He will spend several months there analyzing 
data obtained at Orlando during the last several years, 
He F. Willard and. Arthur C. Mason, of the Honolulu station, report 
that records of infestation of fruits by the Mediterranean fruit fly, 
Ceratitis capitata, indicate that the fly was less abundant about Honolulu 
during 1927 than during any of the previous eight years. 
