279 



Reports on the State of the Crops in each Province of Spain on the 

 20th March 1920. Boletin Afjric. Tecnica Econoniica, Madrid, xii. 

 no. 135, 31st March 1920, pp. 216-233. 



For the first time it has been considered advisable to arrange for 

 the technical staff to undertake the study of Toririx vindana, which 

 has caused such serious losses to the acorn crops in the Province of 

 Badajoz, amounting to many millions of pesetas in this Province alone. 

 It is feared that the problem will present some difficulty and that, in 

 view of the little time and the paucity of funds available for this 

 research, control will not be attained as quickly as the public ho])es. 

 Investigations and experiments will probably be necessary for some 

 years, with adequate funds for dispQsal, before the pest can be controlled. 



The anti-locust campaign has been more successful than in former 

 years, but it is regretted that some agriculturists still refuse to^ practice 

 rotation of crops, with the result that this pest must still remain endemic. 

 In the province of Madrid also, the negligence of some of the local 

 municipal councils and ranch owners has unfortunately resulted in a 

 heavy infestation causing considerable loss, which might easily have 

 been prevented if the proper measures had been taken in the infested 

 territory. 



Smith (R. H.). A Preliminary Report on the Clover Aphis and 

 Methods for its Control. — Univ. Idaho Agric. Expt. Sta., Moscow, 

 Id., Bull. 112, December 1918, 15 pp., 5 figs. [Received 28th 

 April 1920.] 



Some account of Anurapliis (Aphis) baheri, Cowen (clover aphis) 

 in Idaho has already been pubhshed [R.A.E., A, vi, 399J, Red, 

 alsike and to some extent white clovers are attacked in Idaho. When 

 present in small numbers the Aphids usually occur under the stipules 

 of the clover leaves. The injury to the clover plants consists of a 

 stunting of their growth, causing them to ripen prematurely, killing 

 flowering branches, blighting seeds and covering the seed with honey- 

 dew, thus lowering the market value. 



Weather conditions are probably the greatest factor in the natural 

 control of A. baker i. During severe winters the Aphids are largely 

 destroyed ; unusually rainy periods encourage the fungus, Enipusa 

 {Entomophthora) aphidis, HofE., which causes the death of large numbers. 

 Other natural enemies include two Hymenopterous parasites, the 

 larvae of Syrphid flies, a number of bugs and a small red mite, an<l 

 (probably the most important) several species of Coccinellids. 



Close pasturing of red clover and alsike fields during autunm, 

 winter and early spring, is the most effective check on the clover aphis 

 as yet known. Grazing during spring and early summer, or close 

 grazing after the hay crop has been removed, will greatly help in 

 preventing injury to the red clover seed crop. The Aphids can be 

 destroyed completely by submerging the clover fields for from G to 

 10 hours just after the hay crop has been removed. Present evidence 

 indicates that no injury to the clover results from flooding in early 

 spring. Clover cover-crops in apple and pear orchards should be close 

 grazed in early September to prevent the Aphids from ovipositing on 

 the fruit trees. Patches of self-sown clover should be close grazed or 

 destroyed. 



