287 



successful ; (2) fumigation with carbon bisulphide, the liquid being 

 poured into openings of the nest ; the weakness of this method Ues 

 in the fact that the liquid is quickly absorbed by the soil and the fumes 

 are Uberated too slowly to be efficient ; (3) fumigation with sulphur 

 dioxide ; here also some of the fumes escape as soon as pressure is 

 released, since the compound is lighter than air. The method used 

 by the author was that of forcing vaporised carbon bisulphide into the 

 ant-hill. A jet of air was liberated at the bottom of an enclosed volume 

 of carbon bisulphide. The mixture of air and bisulphide vapour was 

 passed through a tube out of the generator and into the galleries of the 

 nest. In laboratory tests workers ceased movement in 33 seconds and 

 soldiers in a slightly less time. In the field, about 2 htres of bisulphide 

 were used in a day. This method appears to be more rapid, convenient 

 and to give more lasting results than the sulphur dioxide method. It 

 should be tested in other districts in which leaf-cutting ants occur and 

 its effectiveness against other earth-dwelhng insects requires to be 

 investigated. 



Talbert (T. J.). Some Work of the Extension Entomologist in Kansas 

 and Missouri. — Jl. Econ. Entom., Concord, ix, no. 9, April 1916, 

 pp. 287-290. 



The chief duty of the extension entomologist is to acquaint the 

 gardeners and farmers with facts concerning the habits, life-histories, 

 injuries and control of insects. Field meetings and demonstrations 

 have proved to be exceedingly valuable, since the insects can then be 

 studied under natural conditions upon their food-plants. During 

 June 1915, Meliana albilinea, Hb. (wheat-head army worm) appeared 

 in injurious numbers in central Kansas. The author visited infested 

 districts and was able to describe the habits and Ufe-history; he 

 suggested the use of poisoned bran mash as a control measure. Many 

 acres of wheat were saved in this way. An outbreak of the Hessian fly 

 [Mayetiola destructor] in Missouri during August and September was 

 controlled by similar measures. 



Haseman (L.), An Investigation of the Supposed Immunity of some 

 Varieties of Wheat to the Attack of Hessian Fly. — Jl. Econ. 

 Entom., Concord, ix, no. 2, April 1916, pp. 291-294. 



The Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor] has been abundant in the 

 Mississippi Valley during the past few years and has caused severe 

 losses every year among wheat growers. Prehminary investigations 

 were carried out in 1915 to determine whether the fly breeds more 

 abundantly on some varieties of wheat than on others, or whether 

 certain varieties are able to resist attack better than others. Three 

 varieties of wheat were used, namely, Fultz, Fulcaster, and a sup- 

 posed immune form. Infested self-sown wheat was introduced among 

 these. Examination a month later showed the following amount of 

 infestation :— Fultz, 2-72 per cent. ; Fulcaster, 1-46 per cent. ; and 

 supposed immune form, 1*7 per cent. A second examination showed 

 that Fultz was again more heavily infested than the other two varieties. 

 It therefore seems proved that some varieties are more severely 



