500 



PiCARD (F.). Le Bombyx disparate ou spongieuse {Lymantria dispar), 

 — Pyogres Agric. & Vitic, Montpcllier, Ixxvi, no. 33, 14th 

 August 1921, pp. 160-165, 1 plate. 



The life-history of Porthetria {Lymantria) dispar and the variations- 

 arising as a result of different food-plants are discussed. In France 

 the irregularity of severe infestations is probably due to the activity 

 of natural enemies such as the Carabid, Calosoma sycophanta ; the 

 Tachinids, Conipsilura concinnaia, Tachina larvarum, Parasctigena 

 segregata, etc.; and the Hj^menoptera, Apanteles solitarius, A. tenebrosjts. 

 Ichneumon spp., Pimpla spp., Monodontomerus aereus, Anastatus 

 bifasciatus and Eupelmus annulatus. Their work may be supple- 

 mented by artificial remedial measures, such as destruction of the 

 egg-masses in winter and of the larvae in spring. 



Zur Sauerwurmbekampfung. [Notes on combating the second 

 generation of Vine Moths.] — Schweiz. Zeitschr. Obst- it. Weinbau,. 

 Frauenfeld, xxx, no. 16, 13th August 1921, pp. 245-247. 



The Viticultural Institute at Freiburg, Baden, gave the following 

 instructions for combating the second generation of the vine-moths- 

 [Clysia ambignella, Hb., and Polychrosis botrana, Schiff.], which was 

 expected to be numerous, as the first generation had caused much 

 injury. 



Nicotine is the best insecticide. A suitable spray is prepared by 

 mixing 3 lb. of 10 per cent, nicotine extract in 18 gals, water, and 

 adding a solution of 1 lb. of soft soap dissolved in 2 gals, warm water. 

 The bunches require spraying from 20th to 30th July with enough 

 fluid to drip from the bunches, a revolver sprayer being advised. 

 Both eggs and caterpillars are soon killed. 



Urania green may be substituted for the more expensive nicotine. 

 It should be added to the lime-copper mixture, with a little soft soap- 

 to increase adhesiveness. To prepare 20 gals, of solution, H lb. of 

 copper sulphate is dissolved in 8 gals, water. Then 2 lb. of freshly 

 burned lime (or 4-6 lb. of fat lime) is slaked and mixed to a thick 

 paste, in which f lb. of Urania green is incorporated, sufficient water 

 being then added to make up 8 gals. The two solutions are mixed, 

 and the soap solution, prepared by dissolving H lb. soft soap in 4 gals> 

 warm water, is added after cooling. This spray must be thoroughly 

 applied at the end of July. The caterpillars may in some cases succeed 

 in pupating, but no further development is possible. Under present 

 conditions in Germany the cost of this spray is about one-eighth that 

 of nicotine. 



Metalnikow (S.) & Gaschen (H.). Immunity et Hypersensibilitd 

 chez la Chenille. — C. R. Hebdom. Acad. Sci., Paris, clxxiii, 

 no. 5, 1st August 1921, pp. 336-338. 



The experiments here described show that larvae of GaUeria mellonella 

 become immunised against cholera infection within three hours after 

 injection of the vaccine [of. R. A.E., A, ix, 441]. Although the treated 

 larvae arc immune to the minimum fatal dose, they appear to succumb 

 more rapidly to larger doses than the untreated larvae. These observa- 

 tions support the hypothesis that the anaphylactic shock is the result 

 of a too rapid cellular reaction stimulated by immunisation. 



