96 



check this injury in the early autumn it is advisable to spray before 

 pruning. Oil emulsion is the most reliable spray, but cannot with 

 safety be applied to peach trees so early, and for this reason lime- 

 sulphur 1 : 15 is preferable. 



General recommendations for summer sprays are as follows : — On 

 pip-fruits, for codling moth [Cydia pomonella], leaf roller [? Tortrix 

 postvittana] and pear slug [Eriocampoides limacina], arsenate of lead 

 powder 1 lb., or paste 1| to 2 lb., to 50 gals, water. For bronze beetle 

 and brown beetle, f gal. resin solution should be added. For woolly 

 aphis [Eriosoma la,nigerum], Black leaf 40, 1 to 800, combined with 

 arsenate of lead. For red mite [Tetranychus] and other sucking insects. 

 Black leaf 40, 1 : 800 ; lime-sulphur, 1 : 100 or 1 : 120, or atomic 

 sulphur, 10 lb. to 100 gals, water, combined with arsenate of lead. On 

 stone-fruits, for red mite, whale-oil soap and atomic sulphur, 8 lb. 

 to 100 gals, water. 



Lesne (P.). Carabides nuisibles aux Fraisiers. [Carabids injurious 

 to Strawberries.] — Jl. d^Agric. Pratique, Paris, xxx, no. 26, 

 27th December 1917, pp. 504-505. 



Among the Carabids there are a number of genera that are normally 

 phytophagous, such as Zabrus, Ditomiis, etc., or omnivorous, such as 

 certain species of Amara, as well as some carnivorous species that 

 devour the sweet pulp of certain fruits ; these include Carabus, 

 Calathus, etc. Beetles of both categories are found attacking the 

 ripe fruit of strawberries, especially PterosticJms melanarius, 111., 

 Steropus madidtts, F., and Calathus fuscipes, Goeze. Oplionus ruficornis 

 attacks only the seeds, but the slight wound left on the fruit in tearing 

 these out is however sufficient to cause a rapid deterioration, and these 

 attacks have been known to ruin as much as one-fifth of the crop. 

 In the forests of Central Europe 0. ruficornis also devours the seeds of 

 conifers and other plants in the seed-plots that are covered with boards 

 to protect them from the attacks of small rodents and birds. Seeds 

 of Madura aurantiaca have been devoured on more than one occasion, 

 proving that this species is definitely phytophagous. 0. ruficornis is 

 nocturnal, flying freely on warm summer nights, and can travel some 

 distance to reach its preferred food-supply. Harpalus distinguendus 

 is another Carabid that has also caused damage to strawberries in the 

 neighbourhood of Poitiers. 



The question of controlling these Carabids on strawberry beds has 

 not been solved. The straw that is laid on the ground to keep the fruit 

 clean unquestionably encourages the presence of nocturnal insects that 

 find shelter in it during the da}^. It is considered probable that traps 

 might be advantageously used in such cases : handfuls of grass or 

 squares of matting kept in a moist condition and scattered in the beds 

 would doubtless attract many insects and allow of the capture of a 

 number of them each day. 



Reports of County Horticultural Commissioners.— Mi^Z^. Bidl. Cal. 

 State Commiss. Hortic, Sacramento, vi, no. 11 & 12, November- 

 December 1917, pp. 415-482. 



This bulletin contains an article from each of the county horticultural 

 commissioners in the State of California, the subjects being as varied 



