ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 93 



The refuse from this operation is of the nature and consistence of India "rubber and may 

 be of commercial value. 



" Notes on Insects of the Year," by Messrs. Webster and Mally, recorded interest- 

 ing experiences with several of the common insect pests. The negative results of a series 

 of experiments with kainit, against the insects attacking the roots of the grape, caused 

 considerable discussion, and the need for fuither experimentation along this line was 

 pointed out. 



A paper by A. H. Kirkland on " Preparation and Use of Arsenate of Lead," detailed 

 a method of preparing this insecticide at a cost of about seven cents per pound. Work 

 against the gypsy moth was mentioned, and the condition of the infested region was 

 reported as generally better than that of last year. This undertaking, however, is still 

 handicapped by insufficient financial support. 



"A Malodorous Carabid," by Mr. Barrows, gave extensive notes on the annoyance 

 and discomfort caused by the almost unbearable odour of this insect, Nomius pygmceus. 



Among the papers read by title only, owing to the absence of their authors, but 

 afterwards presented in the official report of the meeting, was a very valuable one by Mr. 

 Marlatt, of the Division of Entomology, Washington, entitled "Notes on Insecticides," 

 from which the following extracts are taken : 



Soap as an Insecticide. 



There is no more unsatisfactory substance to work with against insects than soap, 

 for the reason, previously pointed out, of the extreme uncertainty of the composition and 

 characteristics of any brand that is secured. The most earnest efforts on our part to get 

 manufacturers to make a definite brand of soap which approached our ideal, and to keep 

 the stock at a uniform and reliable strength and character, have been entirely unsuccess- 

 ful, and we have not been able to get any two consecutive lots of soap having the same 

 characteristics or value for insecticide purposes. 



Pure Kerosene. 



The discussion of this substance at the last meeting of the Association led to some 

 additional experiments on our part with the use ot pure coal oil or kerosene on plants. 

 Various trees, including young and vigorous peach, pear, cherry and apple trees, euony- 

 mus bushes, and some old bearing peach trees, were thoroughly sprayed with pure kero- 

 sene early the past spring, with one exception, bef >re the buds had begun to swell. In 

 the case of two large bearing peach trees the blossom buds were swelling and opening and 

 these trees were also badly infested with Diaspis lanatus. The other plants, with the 

 exception of the euonymus bushes, were healthy and free from all insects Much to my 

 surprise and astonishment, no ill effects of any moment resulted in the case of any of the 

 trees sprayed with kerosene. In the case of all the trees spraying was continued just 

 long enough to moisten the pLnts thoroughly, but not to cause the oil to run down the 

 trunks and collect about the base, and with the young trees the soil was carefully mounded 

 up and pressed about the crown to avoid all danger of the oil collecting at that point. 



The pear trees treated, and also the peach, came out in full bloom, the opening of 

 the blossom buds not being at all interfered with by the oil bath. After the bloom fell 

 the peach trees treated with pure oil made much finer growth than untreated trees. 

 This may have been in part due to the more favorable location of the trees, and possibly 

 also to the fact that in the treatment with the coal oil the eggs of Aphides on the trees 

 had been entirely killed, whereas on the untreated trees a very bad infestation with plant 

 lice developed early and checked the growth of the trees, killing some of them. No 

 Aphides, however, appeared on the sprayed trees. In the case of the pear trees particu- 

 larly, and also the apple, the unfolding of the leaf buds was very noticeably delayed as 

 compared with untreated plants, the buds seeming to open up much more slowly, and 

 for two weeks at least the difference was very marked. Very soon thereafter, however, 



