])ErARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES. 397 



DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES. 



(Note. — The work of the several Divi&iuiis anti Schools of Agriculture covers a wide 

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

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

 month by month. The object of these notes, which are not concerned with general 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. 



Advice Misapplied. — Theie are certain insect pests, noticeably 

 woolly apliis of the a})ple and the fig-tree mealy bug, which winter 

 in small colonies, and in summer breed up and spread over the trees. 

 The Division often recommends the destruction of the small over- 

 wintering colonies by dabbing them with certain insecticides. A 

 paint brush is usually suggested as the implement and, for woolly 

 aphis, raw linseed oil as the medium for dealing death to the 

 creatures. 



Unfortunately, by recommending a paint-brush "painting" is 

 suggested and because this is so it may happen that a tree is painted 

 with oil instead of the oil being dabbed or rubbed into the insects. 

 Within the last month two correspondents have complained of the 

 death of trees through painting with oil, and one is not certain 

 whether raw or boiled oil was used. It naturally follows that when 

 a tree is painted over with oil the lenticels are choked, the bark 

 seriously injured, and the life of the tree jeopardized. Eaw oil may 

 be used for the fig tree mealy bug ; methylated spirit may also be 

 employed with satisfactory results. 



Cockchafer Beetles. — These periodical pests have again made 

 their appearance, the first record of serious injury for this season 

 occuring in an apple orchard near Magaliesburg, Transvaal. Any 

 one of several species may be concerned in attacks of this nature. 

 Some are small, roundish, deep-red beetles; others are about half an 

 inch long and brownish or grayish in colour. All have the habit of 

 clustering at night on the tender twigs of fruit trees, roses, grape- 

 vines, etc., and hiding during the day in the ground near their food- 

 plants. The immature stages are passed as grubs in the soil, and it 

 is reasonably supposed that they feed on the roots and grasses and 

 other plants. When present in numbers, the beetles can do consider- 

 able damag-e, often completely defoliating the trees, and destroying 

 the blossoms and setting fruit. Their control means persistent and 

 thorough work while thej are on the trees. One method is to jar or 

 brush them into tins containing an inch or two of water on top of 

 which has been floated a layer of j)arafhn. Such work should be done 

 in the evening, by lantern light, when the beetles are feeding. 

 Another method is to keep the trees well covered with arsenate of 

 lead, using the poison at the rate of 4 ounces of the paste, or 2 ounces 

 of the powder to 4 gallons of water. During the daytime the beetles 

 may be collected from their hiding places in the soil, but this method 

 is both slow and laborious. 



