539 



to be attacked. Some scales may be found on the pinnae of the leaves 

 from two to six feet out from the trunk, but these are usually com- 

 pletely controlled by the heat of summer. The degree of infestation 

 is much heavier on certain varieties of palm, that known as " Horra " 

 being apparently most susceptible to attack. 



A predaceous beetle, Laemophloeus (Cryptolestes) truncates, Casey (?), 

 is found throughout the year and is responsible for the destruction 

 of a large number of the scales. A Dipterous larva, probably a 

 Cecidomyiid, was also found in January among a mass of scale-insects. 



It is important to check the migrations of the scale, thus preventing 

 the new tissues and fruit stems from becoming infested. The spray 

 advocated for this purpose consists of one part liquor cresolis com- 

 positus, U.S. P., 4 parts oil distillate or kerosene and 50 parts water. 

 It should be applied by a power spray under 200 to 225 pounds pressure, 

 so that it will penetrate deeply between the fibre bands and leaf bases. 

 The palms should be pruned before spraying' and, if possible, as many 

 offshoots as are ready should be removed. On old palms the decayed 

 leaf bases and infested superficial roots should also be removed. The 

 best time for application is determined and limited by the time the 

 fruit crop is off, the migratory period of the scale, the blooming period, 

 and the time the fruit begins to make sugar. At least four applications 

 should be made. The most suitable time for imported palms, other 

 than seedlings, is generally from 1st January to 15th February, 15th 

 February to 1st April, 15th May to 30th June, and 1st July to 15th 

 August. Infested offshoots should be submerged in the spray solution 

 for 15 minutes, allowed to drain for 24 hours and submerged again 

 for 15 minutes. They are not injured if left for 24 hours in a solution 

 of 1 to 50. 



Morrison (H.). Red Date-palm Scale, Phoenicococcus marlatti : A 

 Technical Description. — //. Agric. Res., Washington, D.C., xxi, 

 no. 9, 1st August 1921, pp. 669-676, 4 plates, 1 fig. 



The distribution of Phoenicococcus marlatti, Ckll., is reviewed, and 

 descriptions of the various stages of both sexes are given. In every 

 case on record the food-plant of this scale has been some variety of 

 the date palm [Phoenix dactylifera), and all the evidence indicates 

 that it is probably confined to this food-plant in nature and that it 

 probably occurs wherever the date palm is cultivated. 



SiMMONDs (H. W.). The Transparent Coconut Scale, Aspidiotus 

 destructor, and its Enemies in Southern Pacific^F/);' Dept. Agric, 

 Suva, Bull. 14, 1921, 4 pp. [Received 19th September 1921.] 



The information contained in this bulletin concerning Aspidiotus 

 destructor has been noticed from another source [R.A.E., A, ix, 501j. 



H.A.YES (W. P.). Strigoderma arbor icola. Fab. — Its Life-cycle (Scarab. 

 Coleop.). — Canad. Ent., Guelph, liii, no. 6, June 1921, pp. 121-125, 

 1 plate. [Received 20th September 1921.] 



Strigoderma arboricola, F., occurs somewhat generally throughout 

 Kansas, but only at rare intervals is it sufficiently abundant to be of 

 economic importance. Previous records of the food-plants of this 

 beetle are quoted. The blossoms of wild and cultivated roses are 



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