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MiLLiKEN (F. B.). The False Chinch-bug and Measures for Controlling 



it. — U.S. Dept. Agric, Washington, D.C., Farmers' Bull. no. 7G2. 

 21st October 1916, 4 pp., 2 figs. [Received 24th January 1917.] 



A severe outbreak of the false chinch-bug (Nysius ericae, Schill.) 

 took place in Kansas and Colorado during May and June, 1916. The 

 number of generations produced annually depends upon the 

 temperature, the latitude and the season. At Garden City, Kansas, 

 there are at least five. The adults of early spring and late autumn 

 oviposit in the surface cracks of the soil. In the hottest weather 

 this is effected in the flower-heads of various plants. The larvae 

 feed almost exclusively on weeds, especially pepper grass {Lepidium 

 virginicum), shepherd's purse [Capsella bursa-pastoris), thyme-leaved 

 spurge {Chamaesyce serpyllifolia), Russian thistle {Salsola tragus), 

 sage brush {Artemisia tridentata) and Monolipis nuttalliana. If drought 

 prevails, the adults will attack cultivated crops, especially Crucifers, 

 turnips or beets, and have been observed feeding on maize and 

 kafir corn. 



The control measures advised are : The destruction of the wild 

 food-plants, preferably by burning, or by the use of a strong-blast 

 gasoline torch. The torch used should be a powerful one costing 

 £3 or £4. A spray of 1 lb. fish oil, or strong laundry soap, to 5 gals, 

 water is effective when used on adults attacking cabbages or sugar 

 beets. For turnips and radishes, 1 lb. of soap to 10 gals, water with 

 ] part nicotine sulphate to 1,000 parts of water may be used. For 

 plants the resistance of which to soap solution is unknown, the 

 latter spray should be used. A special type of sticky shield is described 

 with a beater, on to which the adults may be driven. All remedies 

 should be applied at the beginning of an attack. 



Brown (K. B.). The Specific Effects of certain Leaf-feeding Coccidae 

 and Aphidae upon the Pines. — Ann. Enlom. Soc. of America, 

 Columbus, Ohio, ix, no. 4, December 1916, pp. 414-421, 2 plates. 



Chionaspis pinifoliae. Fitch, is a conspicuous and wide-spread pest 

 of pines in North America and is particularly common on transplanted 

 trees. In the eastern States, its most important host is the white 

 pine, Pinus strobus, while it has done great damage to the Monterey 

 pine, Pinus radiata, in California. It is entirely a leaf feeder, and is 

 usually to be found on the flat surface of the needles, though in 

 serious infestations it may also be found on the rounded surface. 

 The amount of damage it does is in direct proportion to its numbers. 

 The records for Pinus radiata in the Stanford arboretum indicate 

 that approximately 5 per cent, of leaf-tissue is destroyed by this scale. 

 This injury, added to that caused by other pests of the Monterey 

 pine, such as Diplosis pini-radiatae, Snow, and Physokermes 

 insignicola, Craw, so weaken the trees that they fall an easy prey 

 to Scolytid beetles. The process by which C pinifoliae, in common, 

 with other members of this family and of the Aphididae, uses its 

 saliva to dissolve a passage through the hard cell-walls of the leaf is 

 described. 



Aspidiotus abietis, Schr. (the black hemlock or pine scab) is another 

 Coccid of economic importance affecting Conifers and does great 

 damage at times. 



(C359) Wt. P5/131. 1,500. J. 17. B.&F.Ltd. Gp.11/3. a 



