81 



KusNETzov (A.). OAHa mit npHHMHii ycuxaHifl nnoAOBbixii AepeBb- 

 BBTj. (0 canOBOMT* MepBe^■fe). [One of the causes of the withering 

 of fruit-trees : — the orchard species of Coccids.] — « HDwHOe X03flM- 

 CTBO.» [Southern Husbandry], Alexandrovsk, no. 14, 13th August 

 1914, pp. 505-537. [Received 4th January 1915]. 



The author calls attention to the so-called orchard or apple Coccid, 

 [probably Lepidosaphes ulmi {Mylilaspis pomorum)], which is frequently 

 responsible for the withering of fruit trees ; trees attacked by these 

 pests have their growth arrested, and become seriously affected in from 

 2 to 3 years. Smearing the trees early in spring with California mixture, 

 ■consisting of 10 lb. of sulphur and 10 lb. of quicklime in 27 gallons of 

 water, is recommended ; other remedies are spraying with kerosene 

 enaulsion, consisting of 2 lb. of green soap and 12 lb. of kerosene in about 

 32 gallons of water, or with 5 per cent, kerosene water three times at 

 intervals of 1 or 2 days ; the spraying must be done at the time when 

 the larvae are emerging. 



Knab (F.) & YoTHERS (W. W.). Papaya Fruit Fly.— JZ. Agric. Re- 

 search, Washington, D.C., ii, no. 6, September 1914, pp. 447-453, 

 2 pis. [Received 19th January 1914.] 



Since 1905, when the fruit of the papaw (Carica papaya, L.) in 

 Florida, was found infested with the maggots of Toxotrypana curvi- 

 <^auda, the economic importance of this crop has developed. Hooker 

 has reported the occurrence of this pest in Porto Rico [see this Review, 

 Ser. A, i, p. 390], and it seems to have a very wide distribution in 

 tropical America, probably co-extensive with its food-plant. The egg, 

 larva, puparium and adult are described. Under the conditions 

 observed, viz., on bright, nearly cloudless days, the flies only fly and 

 ■oviposit for about 15 or 20 minutes just before sunset, but there may 

 also be a morning flight. The female oviposits on well-developed, 

 but green fruits, and evidently tries to reach the central seed chamber 

 with her ovipositor. Cultivated forms of papaw having the thickest 

 flesh were for this reason far less infested than the smaller vnld fruit. 

 With the exception of mature individuals in ripe fruit, the larvae are 

 always found in the seed mass. It is only when they are full-grown 

 or nearly so that they enter the flesh. They then work their way out and 

 drop to the ground in order to pupate at a depth of 1 or 2 inches below 

 the surface of the soil. According to C. A. Hosier, more females are 

 on the wing on dark cloudy days, while the males are active and pre- 

 dominate on warm sunny days. Deformed fruits are said not to be 

 attacked. The restriction of this fly to the papaw is confirmed. 

 The production of varieties with thick flesh and which ripen slowly 

 and the destruction of adventitious or wild plants and of all infested 

 fruits are recommended. 



Kelly (E. 0. G.). A New Sarcophagid Parasite of Grasshopers. — Jl. 

 Agric. Research, Washington, D.C., ii, no. 6, September 1914 

 pp. 435-445, 1 pi. [Received 19th January 1914.] 

 In July 1912, an example of Melanoplns differentialis was captured 



as it was being struck by flies, though no eggs could be found on it. 



The grasshopper and four others which had been similarly attacked 



were caged and these died in a few days. Full-grown maggots issued 



