368 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



that in the month of December they had already a numerous progeny. 



On the twenty-second of November a second colony of Novius was 

 sent to Lisbon. The journey this time, on account of accidental delays, 

 was particularly long, and from San Francisco to Lisbon it lasted not 

 less than 44 days. Five females and one male still lived on arrival, 

 and these received the same care as the others, and the success was 

 such that in June, 1898, these six samples received in December, 1897, 

 had several thousands of descendants. On account of the danger to 

 which we are exposed of some time seeing the orange groves of the 

 south of France and the north of Africa invaded by Icerya, we 

 believe that it will be useful to give some details as to the methods used 

 in breeding, under the direction of M. Le Cocq. [See pp. 32-37, 

 Bulletin 18, New Series, U. S. Dept. Agriculture, Division of Ento- 

 mology.] 



This method of work, which permits the handling of the Novius 

 without touching them, has been practised in Portugal on a large scale, 

 and thanks to this method, they were able to obtain an immense multi- 

 plication of the Australian ladybirds, but in order to facilitate the rear- 

 ing still more and to obtain as great a production as possible, they con- 

 structed a large wire-gauze cage after the model already used in the 

 United States. 



In 1898, thirty-eight centers of dispersion, in Lisbon and in the 

 suburbs, had been thus established and were in active operation. In 

 the month of August, ninety colonies existed ; in September, four hun- 

 dred and eighty-seven, without counting the secondary colonies started 

 by the orchardists themselves, who had given one another specimens of 

 these precious insects. 



The gardens and orchards, which were completely infested and 

 almost ruined, were cleaned of the scourge as if by enchantment. The 

 number of Icerya became practically negligible, and all treatment with 

 insecticides was from that time entirely superfluous. In a letter ad- 

 dressed at this time to Mr. Howard, Mr. Le Cocq wrote as follows : 



The multiplication of the Novius which you sent in November and De- 

 cember has been astounding. . . . The result exceeds everything that we could 

 reasonably expect. The colonies of Novius are now being distributed profusely 

 every day to many farmers and gardeners who ask for them, and you must not 

 doubt that we recognize their just value, and appreciate the exceptional service 

 you have rendered to Portuguese agriculture and horticulture. 



However happy these results, it should not be forgotten that the 

 Novius, in Portugal as well as elsewhere, has not been able to com- 

 pletely exterminate the Icerya. It keeps it from reaching the condi- 

 tion of a pest, but it is not able to prevent its dissemination or its slight 

 increase. Mr. Duarte d'Oliveira, of Oporto, to whose kindness I owe 

 certain interesting documents upon the history of Icerya in Portugal, 

 has written me that he has recently found several colonies of this insect 



