Vol. XV. No. 361. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



75 



citrus plants, Bay plants, and cotton. The former is related 

 to the Barbados root borer of sugar-cane {Diaprepe.^ abhrevia- 

 Uis), and its grubs are probably root borers or root feeders 

 on plants of various kinds. Tlie Leeward Islands root 

 borer {Exo2jhthalmus exuriens) is another related' form with 

 similar habits in the larval stage. The adult possesses the 

 well-known habit of eating the leaves of lime trees, and 

 this habit seems to be shared by the A'irgin Islands Diaprepes. 



The cotton Lachnopus has been at times a pest of young 

 cotton seedlings in Anguilla, Antigua, and Tortnla. The 

 species which occurs in Anguilla is L. valgus, that in Tortola 

 is L. curvipes, while the Antigua species has not been identi- 

 fied. Specimens of insects of this -genus have also been 

 received from Nevis and Montserrat. 



The genus Lachnopus is a large one comprising some 

 forty-three species in the West Indies, according to the list 

 given in a recently published catalogue. Little appears to be 

 known of the life-history of these insects. 



The only food plant recorded at the Office of this Depart- 

 ment for tte species mentioned has been cotton; and now to 

 this is added, lime and bay. The early stages are not known. 



Catekpillak Attaokim: Onions. 



Several caterpil'lars of some noctuid moth were forwarded 

 at the same time, with the note that they were attacking 

 onions. These were very likely the larvae of Prodenia 

 comiiielinae, which occurs throughout the West Indies and 

 is known to be a pest of onions in certain places, and at 

 certain times. 



The remedy for cut worms is the use of the poison bait 

 made of bran (2.5 ft.) and Paris green (1 ft ) mi.xed to a stiff 

 dough with water and molasses, and applied on the ground 

 before the onion plants are set out. This poison bait is best 

 applied in the late afternoon, as the cut worms feed at night 

 and the bait will then not be dried out by the heat of 

 the sun. 



H.A.B. 



The Artificial Production of Rain.— The 

 artificial production of rain is to l>e put to the test of 

 practice in Australia. According to Tlie Electrician, the 

 New South Wales fJovernraent will finance the experiments, 

 which will be carried out by Mr. -J. G. Balsillie, who for 

 -four years has been conducting research in this connexion, 

 and who has patented his device. It is based on the follow- 

 ing lines. In the laboratory he finds that if a room be 

 filled with steam, the discharge of high tension direct 

 •current electricity together with the simultaneous discharge 

 from a powerful Rontgen ray tube causes the whole of the 

 air to be cleared of steam in one and a half seconds, the 

 floor of the room being covered with large drops. 



A captive balloon coated with metalic paint at a height 

 of 6,000 to 7,000 feet will be used to discharge electricity 

 into the atmosphere, and this, it is hoped, will cause the 

 sufficient ionisation to provide nuclei upon which the moisture 

 of the clouds may condense. Mr. Balsillie believes that 

 a number of these stations would draw all the moisture from 

 the clouds, and would also cause the cessation of natural 

 thunderstorms. {Monlhly Bulletin of Agricultural Intelli- 

 gence and Flant Diseases, November 191.5.) 



INDOOR GARDENING FOR SCHOOLS. 



There has just been published by the Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, a new pamphlet entitled 'Exercises in 

 Indoor Gardening for the 4Jse of Schools', by Dr. Francis 

 Watts, C.M.G., Commissioner of Agriculture. Its pages 

 contain a series of outline notes of practical exercises some- 

 what on the lines of work in a school garden, but such as 

 are capable of being carried out indoors, and with assembled 

 classes. The exercises thus outlined may be regarded as 

 preparatory to the more extended work of a school garden 

 itself, and should be founil especially useful in elementary 

 schools where difficulties are experienced in making outdoor 

 gardening a successful feature of the curriculum. 



The notes are written with the intention that they 

 should be used in conjunction with the text-book 'Nature 

 Teaching' by the same author, which contains more detailed 

 information than can be included or would be desirable in 

 such a pamphlet as the .pjpsent one. Teachers will realize 

 that this pamphlet is intended to be suggestive rather than 

 didactic. It is the general scheme outlined, wliich is more 

 important than the individual instructions as regards 

 material, etc., which under different conditions the teacher 

 may find it convenient to modify. 



There are in all eleven lessons. Each lesson is divided 

 into a number of parts, about six on the average, and each 

 part is worked through not in order of numerical sequence, 

 but according to convenience as regards the growth of the 

 plant material dealt with. An example of the scheme of study 

 will give a better idea of the aim of the book. In the first 

 chapter instructions are given concerning the sowing of bean 

 seeds in pots and boxes. The subsequent parts in this lesson 

 deal with an examination of the developing plants. But 

 while this is taking place opportunity is taken of planting 

 a quicker growing plant like mustard, so that there will be 

 material in different stages of growth for study, thus avoiding 

 any breaks in the continuity of the instruction. The work 

 with the mustard seed is described in Lesson II, Hence 

 Lesson II is started liefore Lesson I is finished. This 

 method of procedure is an es.sential feature of these exercises. 

 It will be realized that the bean plants having had an 

 earlier start will flower about the same time as the mustard 

 which was planted later, but which is quicker growing; thus 

 two entirely difl^erent types of flowers will be available for 

 comparison at about the same time. 



Other lessons concern a similar study of the Indian 

 corn plant from seed to flowering, the development of onion, 

 beet and radish seeds, and the growing of plants from cutting.s, 

 and the budding and grafting of plants. It will be realized 

 that much will depend upon the skill of the teacher in inter- 

 posing appropriate exercises and so maintaining the continuity 

 of the teaching. This will involve the exercise of some skill 

 and judgment: the selection and preparation should not be left 

 until the class is assembled for work, but must be made 

 beforehand. 



The pamphlet, which runs to nearly fifty pages, is well 

 illustrated with a number of plates containing line drawings 

 of the plants described, to large scale, which it should be the 

 duty of the student to imitate from nature. Throughout 

 the pamphlet the importance of making good clear outline 

 drawings to scale is strongly emphasized. 



This pamphlet is No. 82 of the Imperial Department of 

 Agriculture Series, and can be obtained from any of the 

 Department's agents, price 6d., post free Id, 



