489 



March.\l (P.) & Prillieux (E.). Rapport phytopathologique pour 

 Tann^e 1914. [Report on phytopathology for the year 1914.] — 

 Ann. Service des Epiphyties, Paris, iii, 1916, pp. 1-30. [Received 

 19th September 1916.] 



The Director reports that, in spite of the War, the services of the 

 station were carried on throughout the year 1914. It was found 

 desirable to address a circular to export nurserymen drawing attention 

 to the fact that three times during the winter of 1913-14 the nests of 

 Euproctis {Liparis) chrysorrhoea (brown-tail moth) had been found in 

 the U.S.A. on trees imported from France, and urging the greatest care 

 in preventing recurrence. Rewards to workmen engaged in packing 

 trees for export has been found the best method of providing against 

 nests being sent with the trees. The inspection on the Italian frontier 

 at Ventimigha has been working since 15th November 1913 and 

 jasmine seriously infested with Aulacaspis pentagona was intercepted. 

 Cephus pygmaeus is reported to have done much damage near Orleans 

 at the end of July and the stubbles were found to contain numbers of 

 larvae near the roots. Mayetioh avenae did damage near Vienne, one 

 of the first places in which it was reported. Chlorops was abundant 

 in the valley of the Loire. Colaspidema atrum, though less abundant 

 than usual, did a good deal of damage ; in the Haute-Garonne it was 

 exceptionally late, not becoming serious till the end of June ; cyana- 

 mide applied in June gave good results against it. The larvae of 

 Tipula spp. caused serious injury to pastures and forage crops in some 

 of the northern Departments. In the Aisne the beet crops suffered 

 seriously from the attack of Atomaria linearis and round Orleans from 

 wireworms. Artichokes near Perpignan were seriously attacked by 

 Agromyza abiens and the crop greatly reduced in consequence. This 

 pest has also been found on cardoons near Montpelher. The same 

 artichoke-growing areas suffered much from Depressaria subpropin- 

 quella var. rodochrella, H.S., pupation of which occurred in the first 

 half of April. The market-gardens in the South suffered as usual from 

 Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa {vulgaris), but the injection of carbon bisulphide 

 into the soil at the rate of about 300 lb. per acre gave excellent results. 

 In the Department of Loiret long wood battens are laid along the 

 borders of the vegetable plots between holes in the ground filled with 

 water ; the insects collect under the wood in the night time, fall into 

 the water and are drowned. The buds of beans and of a number of 

 market-garden and ornamental plants near Perpignan were seriously 

 injured by the Tortricid, Cnephasia wahlbomiana, L. ; this insect has 

 been reported on flax in Holland, on hops in Bavaria, and on strawberries 

 in Sweden, but this is the first occasion on which it has been recorded as 

 a pest in France. The celery fly, Acidia heraclei, did much damage in the 

 Gers, and Kakothrips (FranJcliniella) robustus injured peas, though as it 

 appeared late, the first sowings gave a normal crop. AntJionomus 

 pomorum and A. pyri did much damage in the apple and pear-growing 

 districts, as also did Hyponomeuta padellus and H. malinellus. Great 

 quantities of the caterpillars were found, chiefly on black- and white- 

 thorn. As the adults which emerge at the end of June may oviposit 

 on trees cultivated for export in adjoining nurseries, special measures 

 have been ordered to clear the hedges of caterpillars, though these are 

 not carried out as they should be. Euproctis chrysorrhoea and 

 Lymantria dispar were generaBy scarce and no invasion worth recording 

 (C327) Wt.Pl/106. 1,500. 12.16. B.&F.Ltd, G.11/3. a 



