336 



Walden (B. H.). The Mealy Flatas, Ormenis pminosa, Say, and 

 0. sepientrionalis, Spin. — Conn. Agric. Expt. Sta., New Haven. 

 Bull. 234, 1922, pp. 189-190, 1 plate. 



Ormenis pruinosa, Say, and 0_. sepientrionalis. Spin., have been 

 unusually abundant during the past season. Although not generally 

 considered of economic importance, when they occur in large numbers 

 these Flatids cause a certain amount of injury by sucking the juice 

 from the stems of a large variety of plants. They have been recorded 

 from about thirty different plants, including grape, currant and goose- 

 berry. The eggs are laid in late summer or early autumn in slits just 

 under the bark of the twigs, forming ridges an inch or more in length . 

 The adults emerge early in July, there being only one brood a year. 

 The habits of the two species are verysimilar, 0. septentrionalis occuvv'mg 

 slightly later in the season. 



In the case of injury to cultivated plants, spraying with kerosene 

 emulsion or 40 per cent, nicotine sulphate is advocated. The eggs 

 may apparently be destroyed by pruning. Grape-vines pruned to one 

 or two buds of the previous season's growth showed a much slighter 

 infestation than adjoining vines that had not been so treated. 



Theobald (F. V.). Entomological Department.— .4 ww. Rept. 1920-21, 

 Research & Advisory Dept., S.E. Agric. Coll., Wye, pp. 10-13. 

 [Received 23th April 1922.] 



The damage caused by cutworms or surface larvae has been so 

 great in Kent that experiments have been carried out for the destruc- 

 tion of them before corn is sown. The value of poultry for clearing 

 land where potatoes, mangels or swedes have been grown has been 

 clearly proved. Coleophora nigriceUa (apple and plum case-bearer) 

 has caused much trouble during the past two years. Winter treat- 

 ment has proved valueless. Although in America a similar moth has 

 been unaffected by spring spraying, experiments showed that while 

 lead arsenate had no effect, nicotine wash and nicotine-sulphate and 

 soap destroyed 85 and 92 per cent, respectively. 



Tests against the rosy apple aphis [Aphis kochi, Schout.] have shown 

 that much good can be done b}/ late winter or early spring spraying 

 with hot lime, great numbers of the young Aphids being killed before 

 they can protect themselves in the curled foUage. Much better results 

 can be obtained by spraying in the autumn to kill the males and ovi- 

 positing females, which occur in great numbers under the flat leaves. 

 Soft soap (101b. to 100 gals, water) is as effectual for this purpose 

 as paraffin emulsion. An efficient carrier for dry spray has been found 

 in fuller's earth, which can be obtained from the Kent mines at £3 

 a ton. An investigation into the economic status of millipedes in 

 connection with vegetables, hops and fruits shows that they do 

 feed upon sound tissues if these are sufficiently soft. The complete 

 life-cycle of Aniir aphis prunina (leaf-curling plum aphis) has been 

 worked out, its secondary food-plant proving to be forget-me-not 

 [Myosotis] . 



Experiments with calcium arsenate and soap prove this wash to be 

 inferior to lead arsenate. A comparison of pure nicotine wash and 

 nicotine sulphate has shown the latter to be quite as effective, to have 

 more lasting powers when mixed with soft soap, and to be much 

 cheaper. 



