462 



(6 to 8 per cent, nicotine), one part to 80 parts of water with one lb. 

 soap to 20 gals, of the mixture. Several applications may be necessary. 

 A case is recorded of reeds, of an midetermined species, used as dry 

 thatch for a tobacco drying shed, being heavily infested with caterpillars 

 of the Noctuid, Nodaria extinctalis, Zell. The bug, Bagrada hilar is, 

 Burm., was very destructive to cruciferous crops in the Bloemfontein 

 district. An undetermined Buprestid borer has been recorded attacking 

 Eucalyptus resinifera in Zululand. 



Gux\ (D.). The Woolly Bear Caterpillar {Teracotona suhmacula, 

 Walker). — J I. Dept. Agric, Union S. Africa, Pretoria, iv, 

 no. 6, June 1922, pp. 542-547, 5 figs. 



The Arctiid, Teracotona suhniacida, Wlk., is distributed throughout 

 the Union of South Africa and feeds upon a large number of wild and 

 cultivated plants, the preferred ones being cabbage, bean, beet and 

 lettuce. There are two generations in a year, adults appearing at the 

 end of February and in mid-May. The female moth deposits 350- 

 500 eggs in clusters on leaves, stems and twigs, and the larvae feed on 

 the leaves until the plants become defoliated. The larval stage occupies 

 from 45-52 days, and this period may be prolonged by cold weather. 

 When mature, the caterpillar constructs a cocoon a little below the 

 ground surface. The pupal stage lasts 112-120 days or more, 

 the whole life-cycle requiring 175-185 days. Natural enemies 

 include a Chalcid parasite of the eggs, a Braconid parasitic on the 

 caterpillars, and two Tachinids that emerged from the pupae. The 

 Cape robin, Cossypha caffra, feeds upon the caterpillars. 



In small areas, hand collection of the caterpillars is advised ; in 

 large areas, 1 lb. Paris green with 2 lb. lime in 100 gals, water should 

 be sprayed on the plants, or H lb. lead arsenate powder in 50 gals, 

 water ; these sprays can safely be used on the plants before the heads 

 are formed. 



JuRirz (C. F.). The Nicotine Content of South African Tobacco. — 



Jl. Dept. Agric, Union S. Africa, Pretoria, iv, no. 6, June 1922, 

 pp. 552-562. 



A series of tables records the nicotine content of different varieties 

 of South African .tobaccos. As a rule, the heavier kinds yield 

 3-5 per cent, of nicotine, the hghter leaves from 1 or less to 2 per cent. , 

 and the common wild tobacco {Nicoiiana glanca) considerably less than 

 1 per cent. The most promising yield was from N. nistica, which gave 

 6-8 per cent, or more. 



ScHixDLER (A). Organisation de la Lutte contre VI eery a purchasi au 

 Maroc en 1921. — Rev. Hortic, Algiers, xxvi, no. 5, May 1922, 

 p. 89. 



The successful introduction of Noviiis cardinalis into Morocco against 

 Icerya purchasi has already been noticed [R.A.E., A, x, 318]. 



d'Angremond (A.). Jaarverslag 1 Mei 1920-30 April 1921. [Annual 

 Report of the Vorstenland Tobacco Experiment Station from 

 1st May 1920 to 30th April \92\:\—Meded. Proefst. Vorst. Tahak, 

 Klaten, Java, xhv, 1921, pp. 3-14. [Received 11th July 1922.] 



During the year under review insect pests were not present to an 

 abnormal extent. On some estates, tobacco in the drying sheds was 



