194 



A NEW WAY OF USING CARBON BISULPHIDE. 



We have not yet seen any notice mi this country of the point brought 

 out by the president of the Lyons Viticultural Society in a recent ad- 

 dress to the effect that vaseline is not only an excellent solvent of bisul- 

 phide of carbon, but that it also produces the power of penetrating the 

 soils and of woody tissues in a most remarkable manner. Bisulphide 

 after having been taken up by vaseline liberates itself progressively 

 and then vaporizes. The action of the vapor is thus prolonged through 

 many days. The strength of these vapors is far less than if the bisul- 

 phide be used alone, but the effect is of much greater duration. In 

 warm climates, where if the bisulphide were used alone the vaporization 

 would be exceedingly rapid, its use with vaseline will be of great benefit, 

 although adding somewhat to the expense. 



RANGE OF PYRALIS FARINALIS. 



As is the case with other insects of similar habits, this common Meal- 

 worm Moth is very widespread. The British Museum Catalogue in 

 1858 records it from England, Germany, the whole of Europe, Madeira, 

 United States, Nova Scotia, South Africa, Cape of Good Uope, and 

 Australia. We mention it at this time for the reason that Mr. J. G. O. 

 Tepper in his papers on "Common Native Insects," published in the 

 Garden and Field of Adelaide, South Australia, states that this moth 

 is very commonly met with in out-houses, kitchens, and even on trees 

 in the field. He says : 



Whether it is native or introduced is hard to say, as the writer already met it 

 about April, 1854, as commonly as now in the country. 



It seems to us that it is without much question an European species 

 imported into Australia and the rest of the globe, as it was noticed by 

 the older Geofifroy and by Linnaeus. 



KIND WORDS FROM ABROAD. 



Mr. A. M. Pearson, chemist to the Department of Agriculturs of 

 Victoria, in a lecture on " Science and Farming," published in Bulletin 

 No. 3, Department of Agriculture at Melbourne, makes use of the fol- 

 lowing expression: 



Science has also lent its aid iu the direction of overcoming plant diseases and insect 

 pests, and I think it must be acknowledged that the Americans, more especially the 

 Department of Agriculture at Washington, have taken the lead in this direction. 



ON SOME GALL-MAKING INSECTS IN NEW ZEALAND. 



Under the above caption Mr. W. M. Maskell has published a short 

 paper iu the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute for 1888, in which 

 he describes certain galls upon Olearia furfuracea, a native shrub, 

 known by the settlers as "Ake-ake,"and by the Maories as "Akepiro." 

 Mr. Maskell has reared from the galls a dipterous Insect and a hymen- 



