Notes. 803 



Beetle Pest. 



More numerous complaints of cockcliafer outbreaks tlian usual 

 are being- received this season by the Division of Entomology from 

 various parts of the Transvaal. Several species are concerned in these 

 attacks, the common one this year being- Adoretus tessulatus Burm., 

 a beetle about half an inch in length and brownish in colour, with 

 interrupted lines down the back. The immature stages are i)assed in 

 the g-round, and the beetles emerg-e in the spring*, when they do 

 damag-e by feeding" at night on the more tender parts of phmts. This 

 year grapevine, rose, plum, and almond appear to suffer most. Other 

 plants being- attacked are peach, apricot, nectarine, apple, pear, 

 cherry, and oak; even cabbag-e, cauliflower, and turnip suffer on 

 occasion. Complete defoliation may result, but usually only the 

 tender parts are attacked. During- the day the beetles hide in the soil 

 beneath the infested plants, where they may be searched for and 

 destroyed. Spraying with arsenate of lead (four ounces of paste or 

 two ounces of powder) in four g-allons of water is the usual remedy for 

 cockchafers. A strong- mixture is surer to kill, but it must be borne 

 in mind that all stone fruits are liable to be injured. For these it is 

 advisable to use half the usual amount of poison, and alsoi to add a 

 like amount of lime. In small gardens hand-collecting* at night into 

 a paraffin tin containing* a little water with paraffin oil on top is 

 another efficient, though somewhat laborious, remedy. 



Dipping Tanks, Pretoria District. 



The prevalence of East Coast fever in the Pretoria District has 

 made drastic measures imperative. This particularly ajjplies to the 

 provision of cattle dipping- tanks by farmers who own stock. In the 

 November Journal, attention was drawn, under " Notes from the 

 Gazette," to Government Notice No. 1697 of 15th September, 1920, 

 containing- a Minister's Order to the effect that three months after 

 that date, i.e. after 15th December, 1920, the provisions thereof 

 restricting- the movements of cattle will take effect. These provisions 

 will be rigidly enforced. Stock owners in the Pretoria District will 

 do well to bear this in mind so as to be prepared to comply with tlie 

 order. 



Rinderpest. 



It will be remembered that considerable apprehension was caused 

 in the early part of 1917 by ominous reports of the spread of rinder- 

 pest in the territory then known as German East Africa, and prompt 

 steps were taken to prevent the spread of the disease southward, a 

 Commission being- appointed, with Mr. C. E. Gray, Principal 

 Veterinary Officer for the Union, at its head, for the purpose of deal- 

 ing* with the outbreak. This Commission w^as occupied for over a year 

 in establishing- a belt of immunized cattle over a larg-e area, stretching- 

 from Lake Nyasa to Lake Tanganyika, and their object, happily, was 

 achieved, for the southward trend of this fell disease was checked. 

 Mr. Gray's report* on the work of the Commission has now been 



Report of the Rinijerpest Coiiqmissio;;, (U.G. No, h2 — "20.) Price Is. 6d, 



