~Pi- 
latter registered 17° to 19° cooler than the corresponding air temper- 
atures and, while no temperatures were taken in volunteer wheat, those 
in drilled wheat were only 7° to 9° lower than the corresponding air 
temperatures, 
Alfalfa weevil oviposition unusually early.—-Geo. I. Reeves, Salt 
Lake City, Utah, reports that "Owing to the absence of any winter 
weather, the oviposition of Hypera postica Gyll. is many weeks in ad- 
vance of its usual schedule at Medford, Oreg., Fallon, Nev., and points 
in northern and central Utah, the only places where damage is antici- 
pated. The weather next month will largely determine whether this 
situation leads to an overwhelming attack upon the crop, or an attenu-— 
ation of the egglaying and therefore a reduction of the damage," 
Recovery and colonization of Bathyplectes curculionis in Alameda 
County, Calif.--W. B. Cartwright of the Sacramento, Calif., laboratory 
reports regarding this parasite of the alfalfa weevils "Three cocoons 
of 1934 origin were found at Pleasanton on March 26, These represent 
the recovery from a single May-to-June colonization of 1933 composed 
of 123 males and 248 females introduced from Nevada, Two additional 
colonies of 1933, at Pleasanton, are probably lost by plowing the al- 
falfa fields during the winter. The major colony at Pleasanton was in- 
creased by further liberations in March, and two additional colonies 
were started at Niles. The weather has been favorabke for introduc- 
tions, and the weevil populations are good. 
Grasshoppers hatch early and outbreaks in California are probable.-- 
C. C. Wilson, Sacramento, states: "Joseph Keyes, of the Bureau of 
Biological Survey, reports to this office that grasshoppers were hatch- 
ing in Santa Barbara and San Diezo Counties, Calif., near the end of 
March. Considerable numbers of nymphs were noted in the dry-land areas 
of Santa Barbara County, and-the premature dying of the vegetation, 
due to low rainfall, is expected to force an invasion to adjacent cul- 
tivated areas. Highteen tons of bran were used in 1933 in control. 
A more severe eutbreak is predicted this year. The hatching of grass- 
hoppers in San Diego County is a month earlier than last year, and a 
serious outbreak is thought to be pending. No hatching of grass- 
hoppers has been noted at Sacramento and only minor development of the 
embryos in the eggs. Northward, at Bieber, hatching was reported on 
March 28." 
Toadflax serves as emergency: ration for corn earworm.--Geo. W. 
Barber, Savannah, Ga., reports as: follows: The place occupied by an 
unimportant wild plant in the life history of an injurious insect is. 
well illustrated by the plant Linaria canadensis nee Dumont. In the 
last week of March this plant was blooming on grass lands and fallow 
ground in nearly solic stands. It matures its seed by the first of 
June and is seen no more during a season. It is the first plant of 
