-2-jo ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [November, 



pared with the application of the pure arsenite. This seemed to be con- 

 trary to the general experience, and it was suggested that these might be 

 due to the fact that an excess of lime was used which resulted in disin- 

 tegrating the poison instead of simply neutralizing the free arsenic. 



Mr. Howard read a paper on "The Futility of Trunk and Crown 

 Washes for the Elm Leaf Beetle." In New Haven, during the season of 

 1895, the kerosene emulsion was made on a large scale by the city au- 

 thorities, and was given away to all who applied for it, for the purpose of 

 washing the trunks of their trees, to kill larvae and pupae of the Elm Leaf 

 Beetle. The same material was also applied at the base of the tree to 

 kill the pupae, which were usually found there in very considerable num- 

 bers. In order to examine what effect this method of treatment has pro- 

 duced, Mr. Howard examined the state of affairs in New Haven during 

 the present year, and found that absolutely no good effect had been pro" 

 duced, but that by spraying protection could be obtained. In some cases 

 he found handsful of pupae and larvae ready to pupate in the crotches of 

 trees, and he detailed a series of observations to prove that the larvae by 

 no means all descened the trunks of the trees to pupate at the base. In 

 his opinion they drop from the branches and from the leaves and pupate 

 everywhere on the surface of the ground, or wherever else they can rind 

 shelter. He believes that only the smallest proportion of the larvae de- 

 scend the trunk and come to the base of the tree, and, while destroying 

 those that do come there, is of course a good practice, yet it will not have 

 sufficiently beneficial result. 



Mr. C. L. Marlatt read a paper on " Insecticide Soaps." He rehearsed 

 the difficulties in finding what sort of material was used in what was called 

 Whale Oil Soap, and his efforts to induce manufacturers to make a really 

 good article for a reasonable price. A large proportion of the soaps on 

 the market apparently contain very little, if any, fish oil, and failures are 

 apt to result from the use of materials of this kind. Among the require- 

 ments of a satisfactory soap is that it should be uniform, that it should 

 remain liquid when dissolved in water, and should not jelly when cold at 

 a strength of two or three pounds in one gallon of water. Very few of 

 the soaps on the market fulfill these conditions, although several that 

 were made for him proved satisfactory. The Leggett soap answered all 

 the requirements. Mr. Marlatt urged attempts to obtain the manufacture 

 of a soap of uniform and reliable strength at a price reasonable to both 

 manufacturer and consumer. In the discussion that followed the general 

 question of the action of insecticides was taken up and also the suscep- 

 tibility of insects to poisons. 



Mr. Lintner, speaking to Mr. Howard's paper, reasserts his belief in 

 the usefulness of trunk and crown washes, and is not yet convinced that 

 much the largest proportion of larvae do not crawl to the trunk and down 

 it to pupate. He repeated certain observations made by him tending to 

 show that the larvae do not drop from the branches voluntarily, or under 

 ordinary circumstances. He does not believe that Mr. Howard's obser- 



