56 



Ghiri.axda ((".). Botrylis hassidihi (the Silk-worm " Mucsardine ") 

 in the Control of the Pine Bombyx, Thaumetopoca [Cndhocainpa) 

 pityocampa.- — // Coltivaton\ Casalc Monf errata, \x\, no. 21, 

 3()th July 1919. pp. 329-423. (Abstract in Mthly. Bull. Agric. 

 Intcll. & PI. Dis., Roiiw, x, no. 10-12, October-December 1919, 

 pp. 1290-1291.) [Received 7tli December 1920.] 



Attention is drawn to the possibility of carrying out experiuK'nts 

 on a large scale for the purpose of propagating Botrylis bassiana 

 (silkworm muscardine fungus) to destroy the larvae of Cnethocampa 

 pityocampa \cf. R.A.E., A, vii, 385]. This fungus can grow on various 

 media, but to obtain a pure culture, free from the other microbic 

 forms usually accompanying it, tliose with an acid reaction must be 

 used. 



When the fungus has readied thr C(,)mplete stage of spore formation, 

 a homogeneous mixture with some inert powder (diatomaceous earth, 

 talc, etc.) should l)e obtained, and tlie infecting material thus formed 

 can be applied with a bellows sprayer. The most suitable time for 

 dissemination is the end of August or the beginning of September, 

 when the maximum number of caterpillars is present. They would 

 thus be attacked before they migrate in search of food, and the action 

 of the fungus would be much more rapid and deadly, because the 

 caterpillars are then very small. 



The application sliould preferably be made at night, wlien the larvae 

 are leaving their nests and can most easily be reached. If it is made 

 by day, care should be taken to direct the powder upon the nests so 

 that the caterpillars on coming out are readily covered and tluis 

 become infectecl. 



De Stefani (T.). Animal Pests oJ the Castor-oil Plant {Ricinus 

 communis) in Sicily, Italy. Boll. Stiidi. inform., R. (Hard. Colon. 

 Palermo, v, pts. 1-2, 1919, pp. 39-47. (Abstract in Mthly. Bull. 

 Agric. Intell. S- PI. Dis., Rome, x, no. 10-12, October-December 

 1919, p. 1293.) [Received 7th December 1920.] 



In June 1918 young castor-oil plants {Ricinus communis), the leaves 

 of which were yellow and flaccid, were found to be attacked by the 

 mite, Tetranychus telarius var. russeolus. Laphvgma {Caradrina) exigua 

 is the only pest that has been previously reported as attacking 

 castor-oil plants in Sicily, and this moth has done very little liarm. 



A number of the larvae of a predatory beetle, Stethorus punctillum, 

 was present among these mites and did great execution. The adult 

 beetles were observed from the middle of June to tlie beginning of 



July. 



Makchal (P.) & PouTiERS (R.). La Fourmi d'Argentine. The 

 Argentine Ant.]- — Biill. Agric. Al<:^er. Tun. Maroc, Algiers, xxvi, 

 no. 10, October 1920, pp. 215-217^ 



An account is given of the Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis, 

 in the south of France, and of tlie usual methods employed to prevent 

 its depredations [R.A.E., A, i, 325, v, 247, viii, 326, etc.]. 



Disinfection des Plants de Vignes racings. Disinfection of rooted 

 \'ine Shps. ]--/.« Tcrrc Wiudoisc, Lausanne, xii, no. 49, 4th 

 December 1920, p. 491. 



Attention is called to the necessity of disinfecting rooted vine slips 

 in the vineyards of Vaud for Phylloxera ; this is compulsory in accord- 



