323 



sugar-maple, sassafras, hazel, huckleberry and shade trees, and the 

 only known remedy is the careful cutting and burning of the infested 

 stems. The red spider, Tetramjchus telarius, L. (himaculatm, Harv.), 

 the tulip soft scale, Eulecanium tuUpiferae, Cook, the maple false 

 scale, Phenacoccus acericola, King, the cottony maple scale, Pulvinaria 

 innumerabilis, Rathv., Macronoctua onusta, G-rt., and the apple 

 maggot, Rhagoletis 'pomonella, Walsh, were unusually scarce, but 

 Lepidosaphes ulmi, L., (oyster- shell scale), Leptobyrsa explanata, 

 Heid., (rhododendron lace-bug), Gastroidea cyanea, Mels., the Agar- 

 istid, Alypia oclomaodala, F., Hemileuca maia, Dru., and Ceratomia 

 catalpa, Bdv., were plentiful. Serious damage was caused to pine 

 trees by Tonmeyella pini, King, a scale-insect new to New Jersey, 

 and to blackberries by the Psyllid, Trioza tripunctata, Fitch. Gcde- 

 ri'ceda lufeola, Mull, (elm leaf-beetle), Melasoma scripta, F., on 

 poplar, Saperda Candida, F., (round-headed apple-tree borer) and 

 Anisota senatoria, S. & A., on oak, were reported. Crambus vidri- 

 ragellus, Clem, (corn-root web-worm) infested maize on land which 

 had been under pasture for several years previously. 



The report concludes vnth detailed accounts, including numerous 

 tables, of investigations on--(l) The destruction of the mushroom 

 spring-tail {Achorentes armaium, Nic), which shewed that carbon 

 bisulphide, although the best insecticide, cannot be used, as it seriously 

 injures the mushrooms. (2) The control of the strawberry weevil 

 {Anthonomus signatus, Say), the best method being a mixture of 

 powdered lead arsenate and sulphur in equal parts. This weevil 

 was found to hibernate among the moss, Dicranum scoparium. 

 (3) Coatings against the peach borer, none however giving satis- 

 factory protection. (4) The effect of moisture upon high lethal 

 temperatures. (5) Potato dusting and spraying. 



Mally (C. W.). On the Selection and Breeding of desirable Strains of 

 Beneficial Insects. — S. African Jl. Sci., Cape Town, xiii, no. 5, 

 December 1916, pp. 191-195. [Received 24th May 1917.] 



It is claimed that in South Africa the fluted or cottony cushion scale 

 or Australian bug, Icerya purchasi, has been successfully controlled by 

 the introduction of the Coccinellid, Novius cardimdis, which is a rapid 

 maturing species, although a slower indigenous species, Aulis foetida, 

 had previously done good work in checking it. These two species 

 differ in their relation to chmate, N. cardimdis being able to stand heat 

 better than A. foetida, with the result that it has exterminated the 

 indigenous species in the southern part of the Cape Peninsula. On the 

 other hand A. foetida, which is better able to bear cold, is found further 

 north where N. cardinalis has failed to establish itself. 



In 1900 another Australian Coccinellid, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, 

 was introduced into South Africa in the hope that it would establish 

 itself and control the vine mealy-bug, Pseudococcus capensis. It was 

 however found to be too large to enter the cracks in which the mealy 

 bugs hide, while a smaller indigenous species was severely handicapped 

 by the attacks of a parasite. The solution seems to lie in finding a 

 strain of this species which is distasteful to its parasite. In 1915 the 

 question was under discussion of introducing N. cardinalis into 

 Mauritius against Icerya seycheUarim, which was only just kept within 



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