84 



in Australia, which is due to the attacks of the beetle, Paropsis orphana, 

 Erich. A. decurrens is stated to have been injured by the caterpillars 

 of the moth Euproctis scintillans, Wlk., and by a species of Tortrix 

 which is also said to have attacked tea in two Acacia-planted fields. 



Crawford (D. L.). A Good Ant Exterminator. — Mthly. Bull. Cal. 

 State Commiss. Hortic, Sacramento, iii, no. 10, October 1914, pp. 

 438-440. 



The most effective and cheapest means of exterminating a colony 

 of the Argentine ant [Iridomyrmex humilis] when it is in the ground 

 or in a box of refuse, etc., is to pour into the nest a quantity of dilute 

 creolin sheep-dip. Dilute the liquid about one part to twenty of 

 water and shake or stir thoroughly ; it should make a milky or soapy 

 liquid. Before using it, the soil round the nest should be thoroughly 

 loosened with a crowbar and as much as possible removed. This 

 process gives little trouble and the expense is small. One quart of 

 creolin sheep-dip is enough to make five gallons, sufficient for a large 

 colony, and the whole operation need not take over half an hour. If 

 the nest be near a plant or a tree, dilute the creolin with thirty 

 parts of water, in order not to injure the roots. An equally effective 

 substitute for the commercial creolin sheep-dip may be made with 



1 pint crude carbolic acid, 1 pound soap dissolved in hot water, and 



2 pints of water. Shake and mix thoroughly these ingredients and 

 then dilute with about 30 parts of water to one of the stock solution ; 

 if applied very near to a plant, dilute with fifty parts of water. It is 

 rather troublesome to mix these ingredients properly, and therefore 

 it is usually more advantageous to purchase the sheep-dip if possible. 



Cook (A. J.). The Date Scales. — Mthly. Bull. Cal. State Conimiss. 

 Hortic. Sacramento, iii, no. 10, October 1914, pp. 440-441, 2 figs. 



Blanchard's scale, Parlatoria hlanchardi, Targ., and the Marlatt 

 scale, Phoenicococcus marlatti, Ckll., are the only obstacles to successful 

 date culture in parts of California and Arizona. P. hlanchardi attacks 

 the exposed leaves and stems, and soon covers the plant entirely ; 

 it may be controlled by fumigation, or severe pruning and firing with 

 a torch soon extirpates the scale. P. marlatti attacks the sheath 

 beneath the leaf stem, under a thick webbed matting of the palm 

 fibres, often more than two inches beneath the surface, which affords 

 great protection to the insects. According to B. J. Drummond this 

 pest may be eradicated by carbolic emulsion and the use of pruning 

 tools and the torch. Most energetic means should be employed to 

 destroy these two pests at once, even if this involved the total des- 

 truction of affected plants., A drastic quarantine over all infested 

 plants now in orchards or nurseries is necessary and an equally drastic 

 inspection law must be enforced so that the scales shall not be further 

 introduced, thus safeguarding what is destined to become a very 

 important industry. 



