Notes. 299 



result being- a valuable, comprehensive exposition wliicli is likely to 

 became a standard work in South Africa, and indeed in all maize- 

 growing" countries of the world. The subject has been treated so 

 exhaustively that it is not possible adequately to summarize the 

 contents of the publication. Moreover, it is of so much value that 

 it should be in the hands of every maize grower of South Africa, for 

 anything that is intimately concerned in an increase or decrease of 

 yield per acre in the Union's chief crop is of national importance and 

 calls for careful attention. The loss inflicted by the stalk borer is 

 estimated by Mr. Mally to be well over half a million pounds sterling 

 annually, and is, in effect, an indirect tax levied on the public. 

 Eliminate the loss and the saving effected would in two years cover 

 the cost of the elevators for handling the grain crops of the country. 

 Complaints continue to be received from farmers that their lands 

 have been devastated to siich an extent by the stalk borer and other 

 pests that they had to be ploughed and sown two, and even three, 

 times. Happily we have means of overcoming the pest, and 

 Mr. Mally gives a clear account of the control and remedial measures 

 to be employed in doing so. Briefly, the control measures are divided 

 into the following five groups, each one of which is complete in itself 

 and, under some circumstances, adequate for the suppression of the 

 insect : — 



1. X^proot over-wintered stubbles and stumps and burn them 

 together with any remnants of the stalks before moths emerge there- 

 from in spring. The farmer is then free to plant and to harvest as he 

 pleases. 



2. Plant trap maize early and sow main crop late. Destroy 

 traps immediately the first pupae are formed, about 10th December. 

 Unless destroyed, traps do more harm than good. Trap maize should 

 be used as a supplementary measure rather than as a control measure. 



3. The young larvae in the top of the plant can be poisoned or 

 crushed. Repeated applications may be necessary. 



4. Make the most complete use possible of the crop by preserving 

 it as grain, fodder, and silage, and thereby avoid waste in the form 

 of pest-harbouring remnants. The burning of remnants will then be 

 necessary only as a " finishing touch " where a certain amount of 

 waste is unavoidable. 



5. On some farms it may be an advantage to plant the silage 

 maize early so that it will serve as a huge trap to protect maize 

 planted as late as possible for grain. 



Each maize farmer must, however, decide for himself which line 

 of action is best suited to his conditions and to what extent there 

 should be a combination of the above measures. We trust, therefore, 

 that farmers will obtain and study Mr. Mally's very valuable article 

 and carry out the advice he tenders, when a marked diminution in 

 the great losses caused by the maize stalk borer will speedily follow. 



Export of Dried Fruit. 



South Africa with its comparatively small population depends 

 largely on the oversea market for the sale of its products and the 

 consequent expansion of its agricultural industries. Therefore the 

 requirements of that market must carefully be studied and every 

 endeavour made to supply an article according to the tastes, and 

 sometimes the idiosvncrasies, of the consumer catered for. It is well 



