ECONOMIC ZOOLOGY ENTOMOLOGY. 55 



results. " Tliis was applied early in the spring to badly infested trees from 

 wliicli the borers bud not been dug. It was found that a thick heavy coating 

 prevented both tlie issuance and the entrance of about 95 per cent to 98 per 

 cent of the insects, the degree of efficiency depending upon the thoroughness of 

 the application. Asphaltum does not penetrate, cracl^, deteriorate, or bind the 

 tree, since it yields to the slightest pressure. Four years of experimenting have 

 not shown the least injury." The material while warm was applied from 5 in. 

 below to 5 in. above the ground by means of a brush. Two coatings are said to 

 be generally sufficient, unless the bark is very rough. The borer is seldom 

 uniformly distributed over an orchard, and jt is not necessary that all of the 

 trees bp treated with asphaltum, although it is necessary to examine them 

 carefully in order to discover those that are infested. The author has also used 

 asphaltum to a limited extent for covering wounds and for grafting. 



Roaches and their extermination by the use of sodium fluorid (NaF), 

 M. F. Gates (U. S. Naval Med. BiiL, 6 {1912), No. 2, pp. 2 12-2 Iff). —The author 

 finds that the cockroach can be quickly, cheaply, and completely eliminated 

 from ships or houses by the use of sodium fluorid. Since the insects do not 

 take it voluntarily but lick it off their feet it should be dusted thinly but wide- 

 spread where they are most numerous. It must be kept dry in order to adhere 

 to the feet of the i-onches. 



The rice grasshopper (Hieroglyphus banian), L. C. Coleman and K. K. 

 Kannan {Dcpt. Agr. Mysore, Ent. Ser. Bui. 1,-1911, pp. 5.1, pis. 5, figs. Jf). — 

 This is a detailed account of studies of the rice grasshopi)er, including its life 

 history and preventive and remedial measures. 



South American Acridoidea, L. Bruneb (Ann. Carnegie Mus., 8 (1911), No. 

 1, pp. O'l-'il). — Two hundred and three species are here considered of which 

 10 genera, Gl species, and 1 variety are described as new to science. 



Information relative to the enemies of the olive in the Province of Jaen, 

 L. Navakro (Bol. Agr. Tec. y Econ., 3 (1911), No. 33, pp. 797-809).— Phlocothrips 

 olcw appears to be a most important insect enemy of the olive in the Province 

 of Jaen, which is located in the southern part of Spain. 



Kala-azar and the bedbug (Lancet {London], 1912, I, No. 8, p. 520).— A dis- 

 cussion of some recent investigations. 



Test sprayings for the gloomy scale (Chrysomphalus tenebricosus), Z. P. 

 Metcalf (Join: Econ. Ent., /, (1911), No. 6^ pp. 515-521).— ''The gloomy scale 

 is the most important insect enemy of shade trees in North Cai'olina, and is 

 well distributed over all this State south and east of the mountains. Its 

 importance is due to 2 factors, the enormous rapidity with which it breeds 

 and the fact that it is all but completely confined to the soft maples which have 

 been so largely used for shade purposes in our cities and towns." 



The experiments here reported led the author to conclude that any of the 

 soluble oils 1:8 or 1 : 10 are satisfactory remedies if used while the tree is 

 dormant, one application being sufficient for several years where the infestation 

 is slight or moderate. Where the scale is serious 2 or more applications are 

 advisable. 



" None of the commercial lime-sulphur washes were as satisfactory for con- 

 trolling the gloomy scale as the soluble oils. This we believe is accounted for 

 by the fact that the dorsal scale of this insect is thicker and applied more 

 closely to the ventral scale than is the case in the San Jose scale. Our observa- 

 tions would lead us to believe that the oils owe their superior killing powers to 

 the fact that they remain moist much longer than the lime-sulphur preparations 

 and are thereby enabled to creep in between the dorsal and ventral scales. 

 The corrosive lime-sulphur washes do not seem to be able to penetrate the thick 



50696°— No. 1—12 5 



