507 



Mackie (D. B.). The Application of Vacuum Fumigation to Fresh 

 and Packed Dates.— Mt/di/. Bull. Cat. State Dept. Agric, Sacra- 

 mento, ix, no. 8, August 1920, pp. 321-324, 2 figs. 



The advantages of vacuum fumigation as compared with the or- 

 dinary process are discussed. The apparatus here described was 

 successfully used for the destruction of Plodiu interpuncteUa (Indian 

 meal moth) and Silvanus surmamensis (saw-toothed grain beetle) in 

 packed dates. The fruit thus treated may be eaten immediately 

 upon removal from the fumigator as all traces of the gas are removed 

 by freely circulating air through the mass for five minutes after 

 mechanically withdrawing the gas. 



NouGARET (R. L.). A Termite Pest of Vineyards. — Mfhli/. Bull. Cal. 

 State Dei^t. Agric., Sacramento, ix, no. 8, August 1920, pp. 327-330, 

 3 figs. 



Reticulitermes hesperus is recorded as injuring vines. The insects 

 apparently breed in Arundo donax, a plant that is grown along ditches 

 to serve as a windbreak. Infested vines should be pulled up, and a 

 good-sized hole dug on the spot, the earth from which should be scat- 

 tered so as to expose the termites to the sun. Vines with healthy 

 roots may be planted in the same place in the following spring. The 

 windbreaks should be cleaned up, and all dead or infested material 

 should be burned. 



SwAix (A. F.). Argentine Ant Control from an Economic Standpoint. 



" — Mfhlg. Bull. Cal. State Dept. Agric, Sacramento, ix, no. 8, 

 August 1920, pp. 333-338, 1 fig. 



In operations imdertaken against the Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex 

 Jtumilis, in Southern California, the poison used consisted of 12| U.S. 

 gals, water, 2 oz. tartaric acid, 100 lb. sugar, 6 oz. sodium arsenite 

 dissolved in a few pints of lukewarm distilled water, 20 lb. strained 

 honey and -i oz. sodium benzoate dissolved in water. 



Experiments show that a cheap grade of honey is quite satisfactory, 

 provided that it is boiled for several minutes before straining to prevent 

 crystallisation. Boihng for an hour prevents souring of the product. 

 No ants were found two weeks after the poison was placed on infested 

 trees, and no individuals were seen even on very warm days in the 

 next winter. One treatment is apparently sufiicient for at least two 

 seasons, and the cost is little more than \d. per tree per year. 



WiLKAxsKY (T.). The Danger of Indiscriminate Introduction of 

 Foreign Plant Varieties.— J//'/?/^. Bull Cal. State Dept. Agric, 

 Sacratnento, ix, no. 8, August 1920, pp. 339-340. 



The danger of increasing insect infestation in Palestine by grafting 

 on to imported olive stock is emphasised. The pests recorded as 

 infesting imported French varieties of olive include the beetles, 



