218 



viously they died off. I attribute this as much to the insecticide quality 

 of the salts as to the fertilizing effect. I also learned from some farmers 

 who used the potash that they were not troubled with the root louse, 

 which in some parts of South Jersey is quite a serious pest. 



My experiments were made to test the killing power of the substance. 

 Kainit and muriate were dissolved in water at the rate of 1 ounce to 1 

 pint and sprayed on various species of aphides, against all of which it 

 proved Effective. It killed all the mealy bugs on greenhouse camellias 

 without injury to the plants, and was eflective against Julus sp., which 

 wereiujuriug potatoes. Larvae of the cabbage maggot died when placed 

 iu soil moistened with the mixture, where those in a pure-water moist- 

 ened soil were unaffected. Against hairy larvae the applications were 

 ineffective. 



I tested it for injury to plants, and found the muriate somewhat inju- 

 rious to tender leaves, where kainit did not affect them at all. The 

 kainit, on the other hand, is slightly more eifective against the insects. 

 I would not recommend this against insects in general, but to reach 

 underground species I think it will prove an effective remedy. 



A number of growers have this year kept their cabbage clear of the 

 larvae of Pieris rapce by using lime, either fresh, air-slaked, or in the form 

 of a dry hydrate, flrstsifting it and then dusting on the plants when wet. 

 Lime makes a good fertilizer, and almost every farmer has it. It is the 

 simplest way we have of keeping this species in bounds. 



The president stated that the use of fertilizers as insecticides was not 

 new. Lime, salt, etc., had been used extensively abroad and in this 

 country, while caustic soda and the potash salts were extensively used 

 of late years against scale insects, especially in California. It is inter- 

 esting to have a confirmation of older experience, and to draw attention 

 once more to the subject by such valuable local trials as those enumer- 

 ated by Mr. Smith. 



Mr. Howard read a paper entitled : 



THE HABITS OF PACHYNEURON. 



By L. O. Howard. 



[This paper is withheld for publication in No. 1, Vol. II of the Proceedings of the 

 Entomological Society of Washington.] 



In discussing this paper Mr. Harvey said that the gray birch in his 

 locality was badly infested by a scale which seemed largely parasitized. 

 He asked how these might best be bred. 



Mr. Howard replied that these parasites were very easily reared. 

 Their period of development is short and there are many broods in the 

 course of the season. By confining a lot of the infested scales the para- 

 sites would soon make their appearance. 



Mr. Wood worth asked how these parasites should be prepared or 

 whether for purpose of identification they are best left unmounted. 



