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plate and wood cuts, has now been published on behalf of H.M. Stationery 
Office, by Messrs. Eyre and Spottiswoode, price sixpence. 
has undertaken investigations extending over a considerable period, and 
he has consulted the available literature of injury to casks in all parts of 
the world. The chief injury to beer casks in India is undoubtedly done 
by the non-European casts perforans, although it is admitted that, 
in rare instances, casks e of uns TA i eed ave been found to be 
attacked by species of the | Eur ropean Try Beer casks shipped 
to India have not been attacked by X3 Moone sd ry ns in this country, 
nor on the voyage, but, apparently, after their arrival at their destination, 
This has happened owing to the unsuitable character of some of the “ go- 
downs” in which they have been stored. The insects were at first 
‘in th 
ords: **I agree with the elicit of the Inland Rétei Laboratory in 
Believing that with proper care in the management of go-downs in India, 
attention to cleanliness, and strict observation of casks stored, so that 
clean hogsheads shall not be placed near unsound ones nor in infected 
stores, further a ent ae will hardly be necessary to prevent loss from 
the attacks of Xyleborus perforans." 
“Russian Thistle” in the United States.—This is a name given 
to a variety of the Sia deni Salsola Kali. The ordinary form 
inhabits saline districts in nearly all parts of the world, including the sea- 
shore of eastern N. America, from New England sout thward to Georgia ; 
elds or become 
but it has never spread into cultivated fi lesome as a 
weed in any of the Eastern States. is, however, a variety 
Tragus, tr by cem as a species, which is at home in the south 
east of Europe some meanus this has been introduced into the 
Western States of N. pr ear where it flourishes so well and reproduces 
itself from seed with pem astonishing prolificness as to threaten to become 
one of the very worst weeds with which the farmer has had to contend, 
In the Report of the {United States] Secretary of Agriculture, for 1891, 
p- 356, pl. 10, it is described and Laetus and some account given of its 
history and rapid vmware in America. It seems desir able, in the 
interests of agriculture in our colonies saa elsewhere, to direct special 
attention to this weed, , though, doubtless, the various Agricultural Societies 
wil have warned their members against it before this. In Australia 
poii it would misi spread with equal rapidity,once it had obtained 
a footing. It is an annual plant and therefore not difficult to exterminate 
are no signs of this, as yet ; and the Agricultu ral | ae enia of Nebraska 
has jectiéd (Bulletin of the Experimental Station, vi. pp. 67-77 with five 
plates) a very elaborate account of this noxious weed, and suggestions for 
suppressing it, even go oing so far as to propose that an Act be passed to 
entorce owners and holders to destroy it. Such an Act is already in force 
in some States against the “ Canada Thistle.” The : following extract will 
give some idea “of the eres of the damage it is doing :—“ In South 
Dakota it has now become so abundant that the damage this year (1893) 
hasbeen estimated at al iion dollars, and so firmly is it established 
