^^CT 2 1920 



Urbahns (T. D.). The Clover and Alfafa Seed Chalcis Fly. —U.S. 

 Dept. Agric, Washington, D. C, Bull. 812, 31st May 1920, 20 pp., 

 8 plates, 2 figs. 



The life-history of the Chalcid, Bruchophagus funebris, has aheady 

 been noticed [R.A.E., A, iii, 185 ; vi, 139, etc.], but in Southern 

 CaUfornia the development begins earlier in the year and the trans- 

 formations tend to be more rapid ; adults may even be active in small 

 numbers throughout the winter. This pest occurs in practically 

 every locality in the United States where either red clover or lucerne 

 seed is grown to any extent. It is easily carried from place to place 

 in infested seed, and spreads along the wild lucerne plants that grow 

 on the edges of fields, while infested seeds may be washed down streams 

 and carried, with the water in irrigation canals, all over the country. 

 The adults are often carried some distance by wind. This insect is 

 often responsible for a loss of from 50 to 400 lb. of seed per acre. 



Control is chiefly attained by cultural methods ; and, owing to 

 the rapid dispersal of the adults, community action is the most effective. 

 All lucerne growing in waste areas should be burnt over in late autumn 

 to destroy hibernating larvae. Seed fields should be harrowed in 

 winter, for if the infested seeds are covered with damp soil, they will 

 mould and prevent the development of the pupal or adult stages. 

 Irrigation in early spring produces a rapid growth of lucerne which 

 is cut as early fodder, leaving a stronger growth to take its place for 

 seed ; while at the same time the humid atmosphere over an irrigated 

 field accelerates the emergence of the pest from seeds of the newly 

 forming crop, which would otherwise become sufficiently dry to force 

 many of the larvae into a resting period. All self-sown lucerne on 

 waste ground should be cut at the same time, that is before the 

 actual seed crop begins. The fodder crop should be cut closely, and 

 clusters which have escaped the mower may be disposed of by turning 

 five stock into the field. The seed crop should not be allowed to stand 

 too long, or the insect may pass a complete generation in the earher 

 pods and infest the later ones in much greater numbers. In the 

 south-west, where it is possible to grow two seed crops a year, the 

 results of the second are usually very disappointing and unremunerative 

 on account of severe infestation by this pest. 



Bruchophagus funebris is attacked by several Hymenopterous 

 parasites, including Te^msiic/ms bruchophagi [R.A.E., A, v, 189], Liodon- 

 tomerus secundus, L. perplexus, Eutelus bruchophagi, Habrocytus 

 medicaginis [R.A.E., A, v, 18], Trimeromicrus maculatus, Tetrastichus 

 venustus, Liodontomerus insuetus and Eupelmus sp., though the 

 economic importance of the last three is not estabhshed. The larva 

 of a midge, Lestodiplosis sp., also apparently destroys the larva of 

 B. funebris. 



MacLennan (A. H.). Report of the Vegetable Specialist for 1919.— 



loth Ann. Rept. Ontario Veg. Growers' Assoc, 1919 ; Toronto, 1920, 

 pp. 14-16, 1 fig. 



Black heart in celery was exceptionally serious owing to the very 

 large numbers of tarnished plant bugs [Lygus pratensis]. Black-leaf 

 40 (1 pint to 50 U.S. gals, of water with 2 lb. of soap, or up to as much 

 as 1 pint to 10 gals, in severe attacks) checked the injmy considerably. 



(701) Wt. P1850/163 1,500. 9.20. B. & F.Ltd. Gp,ll/14. a 



