370 



La Lutte centre les Insectes. — Le Progres Agric. et Vitic, Montpellier^ 

 Ixxiv, no. 26, 27th June 1920, pp. 614-615. 



The case is recorded of a severe infestation of Aphids on plum trees 

 in the vicinity of Paris, which was completely controlled towards the 

 middle of May by CoccinelHds that were reproducing with great 

 rapidity. In the region of La Crau the Moroccan locust, Dociostaurus 

 maroccanus, has been exceedingly numerous, and a vigorous campaign 

 was undertaken to prevent its spread to other regions. About 1,250 

 acres were heavily infested with eggs and these hatched over a period 

 of two months, beginning in April. The military authorities were 

 called upon to help in the campaign. The use of chloropicrin emulsion 

 was abandoned after a trial owing to the difficulty of apphcation. 

 Flame jets gave good results when the insects were driven towards 

 the apparatus, which operated over a surface roughly 20 yards long 

 and 1 yard wide. Poisoned baits of bran and molasses mixed with 

 arsenicals proved efficacious, especially in irrigated crops. Collection 

 of the insects in sheets is an economical method but requires many 

 beaters. The insects should be driven during hours of low temperature, 

 when their movements are slow, but not numbed by cold. They can 

 then be driven in compact masses towards the flame-jets. In the 

 canals the locusts can float for a long time without being drowned ;. 

 dams have therefore been constructed at which large numbers have 

 been collected. The locusts killed by poison are left on the ground 

 as a fertiliser ; those caught in sheets are made into compost or used 

 in the manufacture of nitrogen superphosphates. 



DiFFLOTH (P.). Culture des Groseilliers. — La Vie Agric. et Rurale, Paris^ 

 xvi, no. 26, 26th June 1920, pp. 424-428, 4 figs. 



The insects recorded as injurious to gooseberry culture in France 

 include Pteronus rihesii (gooseberry sawfly),which makes its appearance 

 soon after the young leaves, which it completely devours. There are 

 two, and often three generations in a year. A spray composed of 

 2 lb. lead arsenate in 100 gals, water should be used on the foliage ; 

 powdered hellebore mixed with slaked lime can be used against the 

 second generation, which appears with the fruit. Myzus rihis (goose- 

 berry aphis) deforms the leaves of the bushes and gives them a red 

 tinge. Nicotine solution should be used on the young shoots at the 

 beginning of the season and later on the leaves. The larvae of 

 Aegeria (Sesia) tipuliformis make tunnels in the branches during the 

 summer, hibernating in them and emerging in May or June as adults. 

 The only remedy is to destroy all infested branches. The larvae of 

 Ejpochra ccmadensis (yellow gooseberry fly) develop in the fruit, causing 

 it to drop before it is ripe. They then descend into the ground and 

 emerge as adults in the following season. There is no known remedy 

 for this pest. 



Brandes (E. W.). Artificial and Insect Transmission of Sugar-Cane 

 Mosaic. — Jl. Agric. Research, Washington, D.C., xix, no. 3, 1st May 

 1920, pp. 131-138. 



A series of experiments showed that mosaic disease of sugar-cane 

 can be transmitted by insects. The species tested did not come from 

 a country where the disease occurs, as the experiments and to be carried 



