ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTO.MOLOt; V. 55/ 



The potato moth, (". Fkknch {./our. Dcpt. Af/r. Yictoviit, // iJllO(j). .Vo. 10, 

 pp. .77 7 ■(.'>''. /*/. /I.- A dt'scri])! ion is ^i\('ii of I'hilioriiini n opcrvulcUa in all its 

 stages. In combating; the pest the author su.irwsts the use of lantern trai)s, 

 lime sprinkled on potatoes in storage, a careful examination of seed potatoes 

 liefore ijlantinj;. and the use of gas lime at the rate of .'!0 I)u. per acre on the 

 soil after the potatoes have been dug. 



Thrips or black fly, W. W. Fkoggatt {Ayr. Gaz. N. S. Wales, 17 {IMH), 

 \(i. UK pp. 10(15-11111. pi. 1). — The habits and essential features of the life his- 

 tory of thrips are briefly outlined with special notes on some of the more inter- 

 esting species in New South Wales. These include Thrips tahaehUeliothrips 

 hxrworrhoUUtJis, JdolothripN spectrum, etc. 



These insects may usually be destroyed by fumigation witii tobacco or hydro- 

 cyanic-acid gas. 



The melon aphis, F. II. Chittenden (C. ^S. Dcpt. Ayr., Jiur. Ent. Circ. <W, 

 pp. 111. /i(/-s. (!). — The melon a[)his (Apliis i/o.ssi/pii) is generally distril)uted 

 throughout the United States but is especially injurious in the Southwest. It 

 attacks a great variety of economic plants belonging to different families. The 

 natural enenues of the pest are ordinarily not sufficient t*» hold it in control. 

 It may be destroyed by fumigation with carbon bisulphid or by the use of 

 pyretlirum. (ol)acco fumes, or kerosene emulsion. Treatment with kerosene 

 emulsion has the advantage that it is also destructive to a considefable variety 

 of other insects which attack cultivated plants in conjunction with the ineloii 

 aphis. 



Spraying to control the San Jose scale. It. I. Smith (Cla. lid, Ent. Bui. 21, 

 pp. 201-236, fiys. 10). — As a result of further experiments with lime-sulphur 

 washes iu the control of the San Jose scale, the author recommends a boiled 

 lime-sul])hur wash. Salt does not appear to be necessary or desirable, but 

 the lime uschI should be a calcium lime rather than a magnesia lime. Self- 

 boiled lime-sulphur washes are often used with good success but are more ex- 

 pensive and not quite so satisfactory as boiled washes. For spraying on a large 

 scale, steam-boiling outfits are most satisfactory. It is reiommended that badly 

 infested orchards be sprayed in the fall and in the spring, but where 2 sprayings 

 are impossible the applications should b(> matle in the spring. 



Soluble oils as destroyers of San Jose scale, II. A. Gossakd (Ohio 8ta. Circ. 

 60, pp. -'/). — The station has continued its work with proprietary preparations 

 of soluble oils (E. S. U.. 17. p. !)!).'>) with the result that these materials ap[)ear 

 to compare favorably with lime-sulphur wash in effectiveness as remedies for 

 scale insects. In general they may be diluted in water so as to form ft per 

 cent solutions. 



It is suggested, however, that the variable results obtained with solubI(> oils 

 indicate a variation in composition, and when safety, cost, and etliciency are 

 considered, the author recommends lime sulphur as the best i-emedy. 



Insect pests affecting fruit trees, C. P. Lounshury (Ayr. Jour. Vupc Good 

 Hope, 2f) (1!)06). No. .'i, pp. 500-511). — The cultivation of crops over large areas 

 offers better o])portnnity for indefinite nuiltiplication of injurious insects than 

 would be found in a state of nature. The author calls attention to the develop- 

 ment of arsenical poisons and to their application in the control of injurious 

 insects. Tarticular mention is made of the codling moth and of the little help 

 which can be exi«'cted from its ])ar;isites. 



A plague of Macrodactylus niexicanus in the valley of Mexico, .1. K. Inda 

 [Com. I'(ir. A in: \ Mi-.rico]. Circ. .'ili. pp. ,S', fiys. 2). — This iiest is a serious enemy 

 of horticulture and attacks a considerable variety of i)lants. lu combating the 



20915— No. 6—07 .m- o 



