carefully counted on 100 selected leaves, and for every louse on 

 the leaves washed with soap and quassia there were two lice on 

 the leaves washed with soap alone. After the second and third 

 washings the ratio was still greater, and the results showed that 

 soap and quassia is much more effectual than soap alone as a 

 wash for hop aphis. 



A patent paraffin soap wash was also tried in comparison with 

 soap and quassia, but proved very inferior. The value of a solu- 

 tion of soap as an aphicide is due to the fact that the solution is 

 ^capable of forming a lather, and when hop leaves and aphis are 

 Washed with this, it wets them and forms a thin film over their 

 surfaces, and so covers up the breathing pores of the lice, which 

 are, in consequence, suffocated. The piesence of the paraffin in 

 this wash prevented the soap solution from forning a lather, and 

 consequently in this case the soap did not help to kill the aphis. 



WALTER ELGAR and JOHN POWELL. The trials of Hop-drying Plant, 

 1909. Journ. of the R. Agric. Soc. of England, Vol. 70, 1909, 

 pp. 196-205. 



In response to the Society's offer of 100 as a prize for the 

 best hop-drying apparatus, there were four entries. 



In the Regulations which were sent to the several competitors 

 features which were considered of special importance were set out 

 as follows: 



Efficiency of work. 



Adaptability to different kinds of existing oasts (unless the plant 

 is self contained). 



Facility of regulating heat and draught, also for cooling. 



Time required for drying. 



Construction. 



Prime cost. 



In order that the trials should be as complete as possible, it 

 was arranged that they should be continued throughout the whole 

 period of hop-drying, and during that period each kiln was in the 

 charge of two observers who kept accurate record of all that trans- 

 pired at each casting, including such items as quantity and des- 

 cription of fuel and quantity of sulphur used, etc. 



After various personal inspections and most carefully going into 

 the figures and details and weighing up the various reports con- 

 clusion was that Mr. Shew's plant was the best. 



