268 



areas. It was found that dipping or spraying plants in arsenicals 

 had practically no effect on the weevil. Growers are urged to let 

 pigs or sheep clear up potato refuse in the fields after harvest, to plant 

 runners of the ^'ine instead of slips and to destroy the latter, these 

 methods being found the most efficacious in producing good sound 

 tubers in the new crop. Strawberry plants were infested wath white 

 grubs (Lachnosterna), Pamera sp. and red spider. The two last- 

 named were successfully sprayed ; white grub control is only just 

 being undertaken. Murgantia histrionica, Hahn (harlequin cabbage 

 bug) did considerable damage to cabbage, turnips, etc., in gardens. 

 Early trap-crops of mustard were destroyed when fully infested by 

 the insects by means of pure kerosene oil. A large grove of privet 

 that was being destroyed by these bugs was sprayed with a caustic 

 potash whale-oil soap and red engine-oil emulsion, which acted as a 

 repellent as well as destroying many of the adult insects. Against 

 Diabrotica vittaia and D. duodecimpunctata on cucumbers, canta- 

 loups and watermelons in early spring, a mixture of equal parts of 

 tobacco dust and lime gave some relief, but thorough spraying with 

 Bordeaux mixture .(4:4: 40) showed the best results. Epicauta vittata 

 (striped blister beetle) was destroyed on lucerne and tomatoes by a bait 

 consisting of 25 lb. wheat bran, 1 lb. arsenic, 1 quart molasses and 

 about 1 U.S. gal. water. The best measure against Contarinia {Dip- 

 losis) sorghicola, Coq. (sorghum midge) is to plant sorghum early, so 

 that it has time to produce seed before the w^arm nights when the pest 

 oviposits. Other remedial measures are the burning of Johnson 

 grass, which is the principal host-plant, in the fields, winter destruction 

 of seed heads and fumigation with carbon bisulphide of all seed kept 

 through the A\-inter. The numbers of Oncideres texana (twig girdler) 

 on pecans and other trees were greatly reduced by collecting the 

 beetles and cutting off twigs containing eggs. Lagoa pyxidijera 

 (flannel moth) and Automeris io on hackberry and other shade 

 trees were controlled by spraying with 1 lb. lead arsenate in 25 U.S. 

 gals, water. Thyridopteryx ephemeraeforinis (bag worm) damaged 

 evergreens and pecans. Removing the winter bags and spraying the 

 spring brood with lead arsenate gave satisfactory results. 



Ohlexdorf (W.). Notes on Rhinoceros Beetle {Orydes rhinoceros, L.), 

 injuring Palms in South Texas. — Ninth Ann. ReptCommiss. Agric, 

 Austin, Texas, 10th September 1916, pp. 20-22. [Received 

 6th April 1918.] 



Reports from various districts show that Orydes rhinoceros ovipo^ts 

 in manure heaps, dead palms, or other decaying vegetable matter in 

 moist situations during the summer. The length of the stages in its 

 life-history are unknown, but adults emerge from February to May. 

 The only food-plants known in southern Texas are maguay and palm, 

 of which the former seems to be preferred. Young and tender palms 

 are always preferred to older ones. Various methods of control are 

 suggested, but must be tested before any of them can be recommended 

 as economic methods, such as trapping the beetles with lights or 

 kilHng them in their burrows by fumigation with carbon bisulphide. 

 The latter method has given varying results ; the Hquid poured into the 

 burrow is said to kill the tree in many cases, while rags soaked in carbon 



