332 



ScHLUPP (W. F.). The Control of Insects in the Orchard.— Reprint 

 from S. African Fruit Grower, Cape Town, iv, 1918, 29 pp., 5 figs. 

 [Received 3rd June 1919.] 



This popular paper has been written for the guidance of South 

 African fruit-growers and gives some account of the commoner insect 

 pests of the orchard, with instructions for remedial measures. Points 

 of interest include the spraying of walnuts against Cydia {Carpocapsa) 

 pomonella (codling moth). The optimum times for this measure seem 

 to coincide with those for the apple, i.e., just after the fruit sets, fol- 

 lowed by later sprays. Particular care should be taken w ith all sprays 

 to cover the stem end of the nuts with poison, as many larvae enter 

 from that end, and also between any nuts that are in contact. The 

 cqllection and destruction of fallen nuts twice a week is advocated, 

 as the larvae remain longer in them than in most fruits. Besides the 

 well-known fruit-fly, Ceratitis cajntata, there is a native species, 

 C. cosyra [probably C. roso^^, which has similar life-history and habits, 

 and for which the same remedies are effective. Frequent applications. 

 of lead arsenate spray are necessary in the Transvaal owing to the 

 continued summer rains ; the minimum number for each locality must 

 be learned by experience. Myzus persicae (green peach aphis) injures 

 many fruit trees, and, while in cool climates migration back to peach 

 trees occurs in autumn, in South Africa the females remain on 

 cabbages and similar plants throughout the winter, reproducing slowly 

 and migrating back to the peach trees in spring. 



Hardenberg (C. B.). Some Insects Injurious to the Black Wattle 



{Acacia mollissima, Wild). — Union S. Africa Dept. A gric, Pretoria, 

 Bull. no. 1, 1918, 41 pp., 36 figs. [Received 5th June 1919.] 



The cultivation of the black wattle {Acacia mollissima), for the 

 sake of its bark for tanning, is of comparatively recent origin and has 

 greatly increased within the last few years. This has naturally led 

 to a large increase in the insect pests of this tree, which have hitherto 

 been but little studied in South Africa. The present bulletin gives 

 an account of the work at the field station for the study of wattle 

 insects at New Hanover, Natal. During these investigations over 

 150 insects have been found injurious to it ; the majority of these are 

 not doing very serious damage, but all are potential pests. Their 

 increase is due to the destruction of native food-plants in making the 

 wattle plantations, to the unlimited food supply afforded by the 

 plantations, and to the greater safety from enemies compared with the 

 exposed life on the veld. The insect fauna of the w^attle plantations 

 is divided into three groups, those that are known to be injurious, those 

 that are beneficial, and those that have as yet been insufficiently 

 studied to be classed in either group. The first group includes Gynanisa 

 maia (peacock moth), which originally lived on thorn-trees and now 

 prefers wattle ; various Lasiocampids found only on wattle ; bag worms, 

 which thrive on both thorn and wattle ; and species that only sporadic- 

 ally attack wattle, such as various Arctiids, Lycaenids, Lymantriids, 

 wood-boring Cerambycids, etc., and occasionally the Saturniid, MeZawo- 

 cera menippe. Beneficial insects include Tachinid flies and the larger 

 parasitic wasps that attack caterpillars. There are also many Chalcid . 



