296 



sorghum (cholam), and Sesammn indiami (gingelly). This species 

 was first observed sucking young cotton bolls, but will also attack 

 and kill thrips, Aphids and mites. R. flavomacidatus was taken on 

 A. sorghum, and will devour Aphids and thrips. These Capsids 

 are commonly found on both native and Cambodia cotton from about 

 December to August, but become scarce about the end of June. Both 

 are suspected of being instrumental in introducing pathogenic bacteria 

 into young bolls and causing them to fall prematurely. 



Trogoderma khapra. Memorandum issued by the Ministry of 

 Agriculture and Fisheries. — Bur. Bio-Technology, Leeds, Bull. 5, 

 March 1922, pp. 132-133. 



In this memorandum, issued by the Ministry' of x\griculture and 

 Fisheries, an account is given of Trogoderma khapra, a beetle that does 

 much damage to stored wheat in India and has lately been recorded 

 as a pest in maltings in England [R.A.E., A. x, 32]. The adult is 

 said to cease activity at the temperature of the Punjab winter and to 

 flourish best at the temperature of the Punjab summer ; it is therefore 

 unlikely that its introduction into England from India will result 

 in its becoming a serious pest in this country, especially as threshed 

 wheat is seldom kept in storage for more than a few weeks. Moreover, 

 T. khapra would probably breed slowly, if at all, at the temperature 

 at which imported wheat is usually stored. In the case of malt, where 

 a high temperature is maintained in the course of manufacture, the 

 insect might prove very troublesome. It is not considered on the whole 

 that any action is necessary on the part of the Ministry, though from 

 the Imperial standpoint the pest is an important one and merits 

 most careful attention. 



Parker (T.). Red Spider. A Note on its Gonivo\.—Bnr. Bio- 

 Technology, Leeds, Bull. 5, March 1922, pp. 143-149. 



This paper has already been noticed from another source [R. A.E., 

 A, X, 110]. 



M[ason] (F. a.), a Bulb Test— Bur. Bio-Technology, Leeds, Bull. 5, 

 March 1922, pp. 150-151, 1 fig. 



Bulbs grown in water, peat moss or fibre, for indoor decoration, 

 frequently fail to flower owing to the presence of the bulb mite, 

 Rhizoglyphus echinoptis, F. & R., which generally eats away the 

 flowering scape, the space above being filled by an accumulation 

 of black decaying matter and excreta. Hundreds of mites are 

 found in one bulb ; sometimes they are alone responsible for 

 the damage and sometimes the primary cause of disease is eelworms 

 or flies. 



The pest can be destroyed without injury to the flower if the bulb 

 is immersed, before planting, in a solution of 1 oz. of nicotine petroleum 

 emulsion in 1 gal. of water. After immersion for one minute the bulbs 

 should be allowed to drain before being planted, and as a further pre- 

 caution they should be sprayed with the same mixture at two or three 

 intervals between potting and flowering. 



