Re: CULT-Borer--other plants attacked

Bill Shear, following up on my tidbit about borers mayber eating other
plants,
asked me:

<<  I think I'll try to pursue this through the entomological and
agricultural
 literature.  Meantime, I'll ask Anner if there are any references to borers
 in the bibliography of the Cornell publication....? >>

Bill, the Bulletin is seminal literature directed at the "amateur or skilled
gardener" reflecting the studies done at Cornell by Mr. Sand and published by
the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell  If I recall correctly
Mr. Sand did his Master's on the topic at the same institution. The pamphlet,
which runs about a hundred pages, is quite early, predating, for instance,
John Wister's book, The Irs (1927), by two years. There is no bibiography. 

I have no idea  what Grace Sturtevant saw, or with what authority it was
identified, But I'm inclined to suspect it looked mighty like an iris borer
for this hybridizer to be wrong several times. The obsevation that the listed
plants had things in common,  was my own and weighed accordingly. The little
I know is gleaned from the simpler literature, and I pass it on for what it
may be worth. I agree that a scientific study of the insect is in order and
the sooner the better. If everyone's observations on the list are accurate,
then there is already some adaptation to chemical controls within the
species: Mark Cook said he has to use Lindane, Clarence Mahan said Lindane
doesn't work. Shakespeare said there is no good choice among rotten apples.

I hope you will pursue this in the entomological and agricultural literature
and report the spicy bits back to us. The available information is primative.

Anner Whitehead, Richmond, VA
Henry Hall  henryanner@aol.com
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