122 



of tbe rootlets. This proved on investigation to be a fungus disease 

 of tbe vine. 



APROPOS TO HOT WATER AS AN INSECTICIDE. 



Our esteemed Kew Zealand correspondent, Mr. R. Allan Wight, writ- 

 ing as to the use of hot water as an insecticide, tells a rather remarkable 

 story as follows: 



An old lady of his acquaintance had a fine old grape-vine in her 

 garden which went over the wall and bore fruit in her neighbor's yard, 

 and she was spiteful enough to take the kettle off the fire and pour the 

 entire contents on the vine (she dared not cut it down, for botli houses 

 were rented from the same landlord). She failed of her purpose, for the 

 vine was not injured in the least. 



VALUE OF DEAD LOCUSTS AS MANURE. 



In a letter to us some time ago Mr. J. Birkbeck Kevins, of Liverpool, 

 gave an analysis of dried locusts from observations made by Edward 

 Davis, F. C. S., President Liverpool Literary and Philosophical Society, 

 as follows : 



Phosphoric acid (P2 O5) 



Tribasic phosphate of lime. 



Xitrofien 



Ammonia 



Without 

 wings. 



Per cent. 



1.92 



4.21 



10. 14 



12.31 



Wiugs 

 developed. 



Per ctinf. 



1.89 



4.13 



10.64 



12.92 



This shows that these dried locusts are as rich in nitrogen as meat, 

 guano, or dry blood, and contain euough phosphoric acid to greatly in- 

 crease its value as a manure, which English authorities estimate at j 

 about $25 per ton. 



THE INSIDIOUS FLOWER BUG. 



According to Garden and Forest for August 22, Triphleps insidiosus 

 has been doing considerable injur^^ among some of the Chryvsanthemum 

 collections near Boston this summer by piercing the ends of the shoots, 

 causing them to "go blind" and the leaves to curl up and wither. The 

 statement is made that i)ieces of cloth kept saturated with kerosene oil 

 bound around the ends of slender sticks and stuck in the ground 

 among the plants so that the saturated cloth is about on a level with 

 the ends of the shoots, seems to have the effect of driving away the 

 insects. , 



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