541 



were buried with a considerable quantity of nitrolim. It is obvious 

 from these experiments that the burial of prunings at a depth practi- 

 cable on estates is rather an encouragement than a check to the 

 increase of the insect. Experiments with paints and sprays indicate 

 that coconut oil cannot be used in any form of emulsion against 

 X. fornicatus owing to its effect upon the tea bushes. Dihitions of 

 the emulsion with 90 per cent, of water had similar bad effects. A 

 mixture of Ceylon soap and resin in equal proportions with the addition 

 of fish-oil gave a successful emulsion. A similar mixture prepared 

 by the Government Fisheries Department at Tanur was effective 

 when additional resin was used. It is hoped that this mixture may 

 be obtained in large quantities from India and may prove successful 

 when applied to pruned bushes as a paint in concentrated form and 

 to the lower parts of unpruned. bushes as a spray. 



Fluted Scale [Icerya purchasi). — Trop. Agriculturist, Peradeniya, li, 

 no. 2, August 1918, p. 102. 



In the quarterly report of the acting entomologist for April- June 

 1918, a serious outbreak of Icerya purchasi on Acacia was recorded in 

 the Dimbula district, Ceylon, and was summarily dealt with. Novius 

 (Vedalia) cardinalis was received from South Africa, but the 

 importation was unsuccessful owing to the length of time occupied 

 on the journey. 



SwAiNE (J. M). Studies on the Relation of Forest Insects and other 

 Factors to Forest Regeneration. — Agric. Gaz. Canada, Ottawa, v, 

 no, 9, September 1918, pp. 860-861. 



The influence of forest insects upon the mortality of developing 

 timber is being studied. This is recognised as a serious question in view 

 of the small proportion of balsam and spruce trees in Eastern Canada 

 that attain a second growth yielding timber of any size or value. 

 The important insects affecting spruce are Polygraphns rvfipennis, 

 Ky., as well as several other species of bark-beetles, and Tortrix 

 {Harmologa) fumifcrana, Clem, (spruce budworm). Those affecting 

 balsam [Abies balsamea] are Pityoldeines sparsus, Lee. [Tomicus 

 balsameus) (Eastern fir bark-beetle), a species of Pissodes and T. fmni- 

 ferana. If it should prove that bark-beetles cause a large percentage 

 of the excessive mortality, as they are believed to do, it ought to be 

 possible to avoid much of the loss by slash burning and utilising the 

 slash as a trap for destroying the swarms of beetles attracted to it 

 during the first summer following the cutting. A series of exjieriments 

 has been initiated by which it is hoped to obtain the percentage of 

 dying trees killed by insects as the trees develop, and the percentage 

 of these killed by individual species of insects, with details of their 

 habits. It . would also be discovered exactly how effective slash 

 burning is in checking the insects infesting young growth. 



Jack Spaniards.— .4^ric. Neivs, Barbados, xvii, no. 427, 7th September 

 1918, p. 279. 



It is reported that Polistes annularis (Jack Spaniard), introduced 

 into Montserrat from St. Vincent in 1910, has been plentiful for 



