MONTHLY LETTER OF THE BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY 
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 


Number 120 April, 1924 

TRUCK-CROP INSECT INVESTIGATIONS 
ere, 

J. E. Graf, Entomologist Acting in Charge 
W. H. White of the Washington office visited greenhouses in the 
vicinity of Philadelphia, Pa, and Riverton, N. J., to conduct fumigation 
tests for the control of insects on vegetables grown under glass. The trip 
extended over a period of ten days and the work was materially expedited 
through the courtesy of G. F. Doucette of the Willow Grove, Pa., laboratory, 
who was instrumental in introducing Mr. White to many of the greenhouse men. 
R. E. Campbell and C. F. Stahl, in charge of the Alhambra and River- 
side, Calif., laboratories, respectively, report that on account of 
Federal and State quarantines against the foot-and-mouth disease in Cali- 
fornia it has been advisable partially to suspend some of their field work. 
ee ee ee ee 
Mr Campbell reports that the infestation of the pea aphis in the 
San Francisco Bay region is increasing normally at the present time and he 
anticipates that an opportunity will be offered for continuing his tests in 
the control of this insect under favorable conditions as regards infestation. 
B. L. Boyden, in charge of the sweet-potato weevil eradication work in 
Florida, reports that during the spring campaign in Baker County no sweet- 
potato weevils were collected on any of the traps on the one remaining farm 
known to be infested or on other farms regarded as suspicious properties. 
Se ee er 
. 
Preliminary estimates on the winter survival of the Mexican bean beetle, 
recently made by N. F. Howard, in charge of the Mexican bean beetle project, 
Birmingham, Ala., indicate that the winter killing of the insect was probably 
higher than normal. In view of the fact that larger colonies were found in 
hibernation during the preceding fall, however, it is estimated that a normal 
infestation should occur, though it is too early to give definite figures on 
the probable infestation for the present season. 
Appointments 
W. D. Mecum, who for a number of seasons has been employed by J. E. 
Dudley, Jr., in charge of the Madison, Wis., laboratory, has been appointed 
as Temporary Field Assistant and will have headquarters at Racine, Wis., where 
biological and control investigations of the onion maggot, under the direction 
of Mr. Dudley, will be conducted. 

L. W. Brannon, formerly connected with the Mexican bean beetle laboratory, 
Birmingham, Ala., has been reinstated and will assist Neale F, Howard in research 
investigations on the Mexican bean beetle. 

