479 



Derbyshire. The grasses which were found to serve as food- 

 plants were Aira caespitosa (tussock grass), Nardus siricta (mat- 

 grass), the young shoots of both species having been devoured 

 early, so that only the bro^\^l and dead blades of last year's growth 

 were visible. Other plants attacked were Anthoxanthum odoratum 

 (sweet vernal), Festuca ovina (sheep's fescue), Agrostis alba (fiorin), 

 Juncus squarrosiis (heath rush), Luzula sp. (wood rush) and Carex sp. 

 In the author's opinion, in pastures surrounded by walls a trench or 

 sprayed belt would be necessary only where there were gateways or 

 breaks in the walls. Experiments were made with coal-tar waste 

 products, some of the heavy, medium and light oils being tried and 

 also an arsenical waste product obtained in the manufacture of 

 sulphate of ammonia. All these substances acted as contact insecti- 

 cides. Wash oil, when mixed with a large proportion of water to form 

 an emulsion, acted as a powerful insecticide and seemed an effective 

 barrier for a spray-belt. A fortnight after spraying the attack had not 

 spread beyond the belt, and while no definite deductions can be made 

 from this preliminary experiment, it seems possible that such belts 

 would limit infestations. 



HuTSON (J. C). Insect Notes. — Agric. News Barbados, xvi, no. 388, 

 10th March 1917, p. 74. 



In the abstract of this paper which appeared in this Review, Ser. A, 

 V, p. 257, the sweet potato weevil {Cylus formicarius) was erroneously 

 recorded as a pest of sweet potatoes in Barbados, though in dealing 

 with its distribution, it was correctly stated to be unknown from the 

 Lesser Antilles. 



LEGISLATION. 



Precautions against Fire-Blight. — JI. Agric, Wellington, N.Z., xiv, 

 no. 5, 21st May 1917, p. 416. 



As a further precaution against the introduction of pear-blight, or 

 fire-blight of the pear {Bacillus ainyhvorus), into New Zealand, an 

 Order in Council, dated 16th April 1917, has been issued, prohibiting the 

 importation of pear, apple or quince trees or of cuttings, buds, or any 

 other portion of any such trees, except the fruit, from any country 

 or place in North America or Japan. From any other country or 

 place shipment is prohibited unless the consignment is accompanied 

 by a certificate to the effect that fire-blight of the pear does not exist 

 in the country of origin. The Order also makes incidental amendments 

 to the existing regulations. 



Regulations under the Destructive Insect and Pest Act. — Canada Gazette, 

 Ottawa, 28th July 1917. 



By an Order in Coimcil on the 17th July 1917 the Regulations of 

 1914 under the above Act were repealed and amended regulations were 



