Si Eee 
J. E, Dudley, in charge of the pea aphid project, Madison, Wis., 
states that infestation of the aphid on peas in May was the heaviest 
which has been recorded since the project started in 1922. In one 
field the infestation was more than eight times as heavy as ever before 
recorded, totaling on one day more than 32,000 aphids per 10 sweeps of a 
net. As a result of the unusually heavy infestation and very hot, dry 
weather, the crop of peas is far below normal, probably less than 50 per 
cent in the southern part of Wisconsin. Many fields were not cut at all, 
and other fields which were cut did yot yield the price of the seed. 
There is by far the greatest abundance of aphid predators ever noted. 
One plot of peas of about four acres was swept experimentally with 
the aphidozer in the middle of June and over 40 pounds of aphids removed. 
A couple of acres were left unswept as a check. For several days the 
swept portion was much less heavily infested than the unswept portion, 
but owing to continued favorable weather and the lack of beating rains 
the aphids came back-on the swept area until they outnumbered those on 
the unswept portion; the latter, however, had partially disappeared be- 
Gause the pea vines were nearly dead. Very little difference, if any, 
will be realized from the per-acre yield of the two portions. 
In reporting on dusting activities for the control of the tobacco 
stalk borer, F. B. McKinney, who is stationed at Tempe, Ariz., states 
that the results of 20 or 25 tests with lead arsenate, barium fluosili- 
cate, and other poisons indicated that the poisoned plots showed a posi- 
tive reaction over the checks: in every case. Mr. McKinney furtherstates 
that up until about a month ago the prospects of the tobacco-plot work 
looked brighter than for previous years. Comparatively good stands were 
had in all the plots and apparently the poison work was showing up as 
One might hope for and expect. Now is it evident that several of the 
plots will have to be abandoned. The plants have stopped growing and 
are dying from nematode infection on the roots. This nematode infection 
is not new, but this is the first time it has shown up so early and to 
such a serious extent. ; 
A series of field experiments with barium fluosilicate gave an ex-— 
cellent control of flea beetles on young tobacco, as indicated by F. S. 
Chamberlin, Quincy, Fla. During the first part of June this material was 
applied to half-grown tobacco to determine its value in checking the sec- 
ond brood of beetles. A high degree of control was obtained and no ap- 
parent burning resulted. Growers observing these tests became much in- 
terested and began using this material in certain shaded areas where 
flea beetle infestations had reached a critical point. The tobacco in 
these shades was one of the new disease-resistant varieties which can not 
withstand a sufficient amount of Paris green to effect control. The 
growers, realizing that their crops would suffer heavy damage without 
some immediate control measure, assumed the risk of a partially tested 
poison and applied it on eleven shaded areas containing about 75 acres. 
Two applications of about 4 pounds per acre were used in most instances. 
A control estimated at 85 to 95 per cent was obtained without any ap- 
parent burning. A similar control effected with Paris green showed a 
loss of 30 to 40 per cent due to foliage burn. 
