794 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



by the use of a mixture of kerosene emulsion and tobacco decoction or by whale-oil 

 soap and quassia. In these experiments kerosene emulsion was made by dissolving 

 11 lbs. of ordinary snap in 15 gal. of hot water, t<> which . r i gal. of kerosene were 

 added. The spray material was made by adding .'!'> gal. of this emulsion to 40 gal. of 

 tobacco decoction. This remedy cost about $6 per acre for )! applications, while the 

 mixture of whale-oil soap and quassia cost between $4.50 and $5 per acre for the sea- 

 son's work. The application of either of these washes so completely controls the 

 Imp aphis that the necessity of winter spraying is removed. 



History of the occurrence of the sugar-cane leaf -hopper in Hawaii, R. C. I,. 

 Perkins (Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Sta. Rpt. 1904, pp. 43-61). — This is a revised edi- 

 tion of Bulletin 1 of the Hawaiian Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and For- 

 estry already noted (E. S. R., 15, pp. 488, 489). The pest is an Australian species 

 and not identical with any other reported from other countries. 



Grasshoppers, E. D. Sanderson {Texas Sta. Oirc. 7, pp. 4, figs. 3). — Brief notes 

 on the habits of these pests, with suggestions regarding their destruction. The meth- 

 ods recommended include burning, the use of poisoned baits, ditching, post-hole 

 traps, hopperdozers, etc. 



The control of locusts in alfalfa fields, E. A. Popenoe (Industrialist, 31 (1905), 

 No. 15, pp. 231-234). — The most injurious locusts in Kansas are Melanoplus differenti- 

 alis, M. bivattatus, and M. lakinus. The author recommends the use of hopperdozers 

 in controlling locusts and also the extensive raising of poultry in the vicinity of 

 alfalfa or other field crops where locusts abound. 



The asparagus fly (Bd. Agr. and Fisheries [London], Leaflet 124, pp. ■', fig. 1). — 

 This insect is described and notes are given on its life history, in combating the 

 pest in small areas good results have been had from sticking small rods in the ground, 

 with some adhesive substance upon the ends of the rods. The flies may be collected 

 in the early morning, and injured stems should be cut out and destroyed. 



The cabbage-root fly ( lid. Agr. and Fisheries [London], Leaflet 122, pp. 4, figs. a). — 

 Descriptive notes are given on Phorbia brassicse, and an account is given of its injuri- 

 ous attacks and life history. Early sown plants largely escape the attacks of this 

 pest. Tarred paper or cards are preventive measures which have yielded consider- 

 able success. In small gardens the larvae may be removed by hand. Rotation of 

 crops is desirable in badly infested fields. 



The apple maggot, F. W. Card and A. E. Stene (Rhode Island Sta. Rpt. 

 1904, PP- 191-201, pis. 3). — The apple maggot is one of the worst apple pests of 

 Rhode Island and can not be controlled by spraying, since the egg is deposited 

 beneath the skin of growing fruit. Experiments have been carried on at the station 

 for 5 years for the purpose of finding effective methods of controlling this pest. 

 Notes are given on the habits and life history of the insect. The maggots enter the 

 ground to a depth of about 1 in. for hibernation and remain in this positi. n until 

 July or later, when they emerge as adult flies. 



Numerous experiments were tried in testing the value of covering the hibernating 

 larvae by plowing or spading under to as great a depth as possible. In some of these 

 experiments considerable benefit seemed to be derived from this operation, while 

 the results of other experiments were unfavorable. Experiments were repeated 

 under different conditions in different seasons and in general appeared to indicate 

 that a small jiercentage of the larvae could be destroyed by burying in the soil or by 

 treating the soil with crude petroleum or other similar insecticides. The authors 

 conclude, however, from their experience of 5 years with this pest that the only 

 effective remedy for controlling it consists in the destruction of windfalls by hand 

 picking or by pasturing the orchard. 



Plowing the orchard in the spring appears to be without permanently good results 

 under the soil conditions which prevail in Rhode Island. There is some basis for 

 the belief that frequent tillage in early summer may be unfavorable to the develop- 



