108 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. — Aug., 1922. 



DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES. 



(Note. — The work of the several Divisions and Schools of Agriculture covers a wide 

 range of agricnltuial industry in the Union, and we give hereunder notes and observations 

 from certain of them treating with matters of special interest coming under their put view 

 month by month. The object of these notes, which are nor concerneil with gem^ral routine 

 work, is to inform the farmer of such matters as are calculated to be of interest and helpful to 

 him at the present time. — Editor.^ 



THE DIVISIONS. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 



Figtree Mealy Bug. — This mealy bupr, Pseudococcus filamentosnx, 

 is quite cotnmoiilv mistaken for Australian Bug (Icerya ptircliasi), 

 and is an insect which, in Pretoria at least, has proved a gojd revenue- 

 earner, since it is the subject of innumerable telephone calls upon 

 the Division from midsummer to frost. It is a considerable nuisance, 

 because it wastes official time to no useful purpose whatever. In the 

 winter and sprinc;' months the bup; is out of siffht, and therefore out 

 of mind. It is on the trees, but reduced to small colonies, more like 

 masses of spider's e,Q"o's than any other familiar object. These are to 

 be found in sheltered parts, in wounds, in crotches, and against knots 

 of the limbs and main stem. All the colonies on a tree can be got 

 rid of in a few minutes search by dabbing each with a oaint brush 

 wet with linseed oil or other oily insecticide. 



When the fig tree comes into leaf the bugs begin to multiply and 

 migrate to the foliage and fruit, so that a tree may, as the season 

 progresses, become filthy with white blobs of filaments. Bad as this 

 pest may become, it has nj lasting nor pernicious effect on the trees, 

 and its zenith generally corresponds with the time when the leaves 

 naturally begin to fall. 



The Introduction of Pests.— The Natal Entomologist recently 

 made an examination of a box of soil arriving at Durban from India 

 with a view to ascertaining what life was in the soil and demon- 

 strating the dangers attendant upon the importation of plants growing 

 in^ soil. The soil yielded two venomous-looking centipedes, nine 

 millepedes, three earthworms, one snail, two earwigs, five wire-worms, 

 and several cockchafer beetle grubs. All of these, with the possible 

 exception of the ear+hworms. were undesirable creatures, and their 

 discovery vividly illustrates what a source of danger lies in the 

 harmless-looking soil around a growing plant froro oversea, 



