341 



in the Gonlburii Valley, and a cheap remedy would be of great service. I have heard 

 of arsenic as being a remedy. Would it be safe to apply a handful of the poison 

 around the roots 5" Would it bo likely to injure the trees ? — [George North, Numurkah, 

 Victoria, Australia, January 21, 1881), to Charles O. Montrose, Editor Victorian 

 Farmers' Gazette, Melbouriie. 



REPI.Y. — Regarding the letter from your correspondent in Numurka, who wishes a 

 remedy for the damage done by White Ants to his fruit trees and vines, I may say 

 that if his determination of the insect is correct he ought not to have much difficulty 

 in remedying the damage, providing the habits are similar to those of similar insects 

 in this country. In the orange groves of Florida considerable damage has sometimes 

 been done by our common White Ant (Termes ^avipes). We find it invariably attacks 

 wood buried in or lying upon the ground and that its central nests are rarely discov- 

 ered, but generally exist in deeply buried roots or under very large stumps and logs. 

 The workers extend their subterranean galleries for immense distances and it is 

 therefore practically impossible to trace them to a source and thus break up a colony. 



They damage living trees by eating away the baric about the collar and root, and 

 growing wood is only attacked by them under exceptional circumstances, when there 

 is no dead wood or when thej" wish to escape from the heated soil. Recently trans- 

 planted trees or those planted too deep, or those which have too much earth heajied 

 about the crown or are diseased from any cause, invite attack. Their work is readily 

 distinguished by the fact that the walls of the galleries are always lined with a layer of 

 comminuted wood which gives them a characteristic mottled appearance. Their en- 

 trance galleries are under the surface of the ground and under cover of other material, 

 for they never expose themselves to light. The decaying stumps and roots of forest 

 trees on newly cleared land form a source of supply and should be carefully and thor- 

 oughly removed from vineyards or fruit orchards. JVIulches of decaying wood should 

 not be heaped about the base of the tree. Wherever White Ant attack is suspected 

 the earth should be removed from the alfected parts and the ground should be exposed 

 to the depth of several inches, and the dead wood and hark should be cut oft" with a 

 knife. A liberal application of hot water will destroy those which can not be reached 

 with the knife. Pyrethrum and kerosene emulsion in extremely diluted solution can 

 be applied with success, but the latter should he used with great caution. Trees 

 which have been girdled may be saved by inserting scions hetween the root below 

 and the stock above, reestablishing the connection between the two. A poultice of 

 mud and cow dung applied to the atfected part will protect it and assist in the for- 

 mation of new bark. — [April 15, 1889, to Mr. Chas. O. Montrose, 222 Russell street, 

 Melbourne, Australia.] 



The Toad vs. Cockroaches. 



I have read your publication on " Insect Life" with much interest. The article in 

 No. 3, page 67, on "Injury done by Roaches," etc., suggested to me to call your at- 

 tention to a sentence in my book on " Quince Culture," page 133, where I say : "Poul- 

 try are supposed to omit from their bill of fare some of our insect friends, and it is 

 probable the birds do likewise; but all insects are devoured hy the toad, which will 

 clear your room of cockroaches over night, just as he will your garden of the vilest of 

 your insect foes." Now is the breeding season for the toads, and they can easily be 

 found in abundance in almost every little pond or puddle of water. The tree toad 

 that tells ot coming raiu all through the summer by his song is able to climb with the 

 agility of the fly, having a foot of similar construction, and is also a most valuable 

 insect destroyer. — [W. W. Meech, Vineland, N. J., April 9, 1889. 



White Grub Injury to Stravrberries. 



* "* * I will mail the white grubs with this. I do not know the scientific name 

 of the insect — we only know them as the white grub. I would like to know if there 

 is any better method of exterminating them than digging them up. My brother pur- 

 23105— No. 11 2 



