31 



In this proportion it does no injury to the foliage and instantly destroys 

 every bug which it touches. 



BARBADOES SUGARCANE MITES. 



In Bulletin No. 40 of the Eoyal Kew Gardens (April, 1890) Mr. A. D. 

 Michael reports upon the mites found on samples of diseased sugar-cane 

 sent from Barbadoes by Mr. John R. Bovell, superintendent of the 

 Dodd's Botanical Station. According to Mr. Bovell, cane affected with 

 mites yields only one ton of sugar per acre as against three tons per 

 acre from healthy cane grown on the same estates under the same con- 

 ditions. Mr. Michael found upon the canes four classes of mites, viz: 

 (1) Histiostoma rostroserratus, a follower of decay. (2) Several imma- 

 ture Gamasids, ])redaceous species. (3) Damceus or Notaspis sp., in small 

 numbers only. (4) Two species of Tarsonymus, the larger of the two 

 being identical with the species found by Dr. Bancroft destroying sugar- 

 cane in Queensland. For this is proposed the name Tarsonymus han- 

 crofti. This is the principal enemy. 



As remedies Mr. Michael recommends Dr. Bancroft's plan of steep- 

 ing the canes before planting lor twenty-four hours in a solution of 1 

 pound carbolic acid to 100 gallons of water, and suggests the use of a 

 mixture of powdered sulphur in soap and water. This application 

 should be made two or three times at intervals of a fortnight. Burning 

 the debris is also recommended. 



A REMEDY FOR CABBAGE WORMS. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller, agricultural editor of the New York Sun, finds that 

 the following treatment deters the Cabbage Worm : 



Two quarts of coal tar are put into au open vessel, which is set in the bottom of 

 a barrel, and the barrel is filled with water. In forty-eight hours the water is im- 

 pregnated with the odor of the tar, although tar is not dissolved in it. The water 

 is then sprinkled abundantly on the cabbages, and the odor penetrates every por- 

 tion of the head, killing or driving away the worms. As the water evaporates, no 

 Btaiu or odor remains on the cabbage. The same quantity of coal-tar can be made to 

 impregnate several successive barrels of water. 



LONDON PURPLE. 



The Gardeners'' Chronicle of February 15, 1889, published an article 

 uuderthis caption which shows that London purple is less known in Lon- 

 don perhaps than in any other place. Spraying with this substance 

 having been urged in this journal, some of its correspondents wrote to 

 inquire what it was and where it could be had. The editors surmised 

 it to bean arsenical preparation, and weresure that they could find re- 

 ferences to it in any authorized dictionary of chemistry or i)harmacy. 

 They were disappointed, however, and then applied to chemical authori- 

 ties, "to scientific chemists of high repute, to manufacturing chemists, 

 pharmacists, but all to no avail. Finally Mr. Holmes, of the Pharma- 

 2902— No. 1 3 



