55 



Reports on the State of the Crops in each Province of Spain. — Bol. Agric. 

 Tecnica y Economica. Madrid, ix, 1917, pp. 71-92; 163-185; 

 251-277; 354-375; 711-733; 809-824; 916-965. [Received 

 4th December 1917.] 



Locust control in the Province of Madrid was begun in the month 

 of January, the Mnistry of Agriculture inaugurating a vigorous 

 campaign for the destruction of the eggs in infested areas, and calling 

 upon all local committees and persons interested to carry out the 

 necessary measures of ploughing and cleansing the land in order to 

 avoid the necessity for costly and less efficacious methods of control 

 against the hoppers in the spring. This campaign continued until 

 April, 2,177 acres being found infested, of which 1,315 acres were 

 treated. In Cuenca, an official notice published in August appealed 

 to the local authorities to report upon any localities where locusts had 

 hatched, so that these areas could be treated in the following winter. 



Phloeothrips oleae caused considerable injury in various olive- 

 gro^^dng provinces, this pest being the principal factor in determining 

 the value of the olive crop. Fumigation with hydrocyanic acid gas 

 has been almost universally practised under the inspection of the 

 Ministry of Agriculture, those trees which it was impossible to treat in 

 this manner being sprayed in April wath arsenate of lead. The crop 

 in some provinces has proved to be the most abundant that has been 

 known. 



For Aphids on almonds, which began to appear in April, a spray of 

 1| per cent, each of soap and petroleum is recommended. 



Vine pests included Clysia ambiguella, Haltica and Sparganothis 

 filleriana, which last was found heavily infesting some districts in May, 

 while the second generation of C. ambiguella was particularly 

 numerous in some localities. Colaspidema sp., which threatened to be 

 a serious pest of lucerne fields in Gerona [see this Review, Ser. A, v, 

 p. 373], was exterminated before the end of June. Apples in Vizcaya 

 were severely attacked by Eriosoma lanigerum and Hyponorneufa 

 malinellus. Lymantria (Liparis) dispar caused great damage in 

 Caceres, and Pieris brassicae was a serious pest of green vegetables 

 in Huesca. 



Artigas (C. M.). Sobre los Azufres precipitados (negros). [A Note 

 on Precipitated (Black) Sulphur.] — Bol. Agric. Tecnica y Econo- 

 mica, Madrid, ix, no. 100, April 1917, pp. 326-328. 



Precipitated sulphur is recommended where arsenates have not 

 been used as an insecticide against the larvae of Haltica. and other 

 insects that live on the surface of the leaves, besides being a control 

 for Oidium. 



Comes (H.), La Profilaxia en Patologia vegetal. [Prophylaxis in 

 Vegetable Pathology.] — Bol. Agric. Tecnica y Economica, Madrid, 

 ix, no. 102, June 1917, pp. 508-514. 



As the quantity of sugar, so much sought after by insects, increases 

 in vegetable tissues, there is a corresponding diminution in the organic 

 acids ; it follows therefore that the acidity is the plant's defence 

 against animal enemies. Of these acids, the most toxic is apparently 



