246 [September, 



published the record of that species from New Zealand nine years ago,* and it has 

 been repeatedly noticed since. — E. Metrick, Eamsbury, Hungerford : August 5th, 

 1890. 



[We hope this very petty controversy will now end. Some allusions in Mr. 

 Smith's last note, and in Mr. Meyrick's present one, have been omitted by us as 

 being personal, and outside the limits of courtesy. We think there have been hasty 

 assertions and conjectures on both sides. No one is better able to give an opinion 

 on the Lepidoptera of New Zealand than Mr. Meyrick ; and we feel sure that Mr. 

 Smith, or any other entomologist in the colony, has only to apply to him in order to 

 receive the best information. 



In these days of " scientific accuracy," it is difficult to avoid criticism : — 



" If there's a hole in a' your coats, 

 I rede ye tent it : 

 A chield's amang you taking notes. 

 And, faith, he'll pront it." 



Very true, Robert Burns ! 



Moral : (1) Try to avoid having holes in your coats. (2) If the detector of a 

 " hole " would communicate privately, in a friendly spirit, witli the owner, it would 

 often (not always) save strong language in print. — Eds.] 



Phylloxera in the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens at ChiswicJc. — We 

 regret to announce an outbreak of this pest in so important an establishment. The 

 following extract from the Report of the Proceedings of the Scientific Committee 

 of the Royal Horticultural Society, meeting on July 22nd last, gives a concise ac- 

 count of its discovery, and of the means suggested for its destruction :— 



" Mr. Morris called the attention of the Scientific Committee to the appearance 

 of this disease, and invited the Members to pronounce as to the ti'eatment of it, as 

 it is undoubtedly present in one (isolated) vinery in the Chiswiek gardens, containing 

 young plants from Hungary. It was first observed on a single plant at one corner, 

 but both root- and leaf-galls have been found on another plant at the other end. 

 Although the presence of the Phylloxera would suggest the opportunity for a careful 

 series of investigations and experiments, yet it was tlie opinion of the Committee 

 that it was far too serious a matter, and they were unanimous in counselling instant 

 destruction of everything growing in the house. The following pi-occss was sug- 

 gested, and will be carried out at once : — (1) Syringing the whole of the interior of 

 the fabric, as well as the ground and vines, with water, then to burn sulphur, the 

 presence of the water being desirable in order to absorb the sulphurous acid gas ; 

 this process is to be repeated. (2) To burn every part of every plant, as well as to 

 calcine the soil thoroughly. (3) To remove and burn all rotten or defective wood 

 that may be in the house. And lastly (4) to have the whole of the wood work well 

 scraped and repainted. It is hoped that these suggestions will be useful, and followed 

 out elsewhere, should the Phylloxera appear in other gardens." 



It will be seen from the above Report that the pest appeared to be strictly 



* Mr. Meyrick gives ua no reference : pcssibly he alludes to his citation and description of 

 the species iu Trans. New Zealand Institute, vol. xv, p. 61, puWished in 18»3, which has beeu 

 overlooked by Mr. Smith.— Eds. 



