363 



The fact that this insect has, since 1880, been known to seriously in- 

 fect corn as well as sugar cane and the fact that recent experiments in 

 the cultivation of sorghum in Louisiana have shown that this crop is 

 even more badly damaged than the corn crop, renders the destruction 

 of this insect a more complicated matter in our Southern States, i)er- 

 haps, than in other cane growing countries. In our 1881 experience 

 the proportion of borers found in the tops was comparatively small ; 

 yet we recommended the burning of these tops as a necessary step in the 

 way of prevention. The large majority of borers we found in the por- 

 tion of the cane which is crushed in the mill, so that in ordinary seasons 

 the planters keep the insects in comparative subjection without effort. 

 The principal place of hibernation on the plantation which we visited 

 (Dr. Wilkinson's) was in seed cane which was laid down in ^^flatmat,^' 

 and we have every reason to believe that if our three recommendations 

 of selecting the seed cane from that least damaged by borers, laying it 

 down in furrows, and burning all infested tops, are followed, the dam- 

 age from this insect will be reduced to a minimum. Where much corn 

 is grown upon the same plantation great care must be taken to burn 

 the stalks and stubble durinor winter. 



Paris Green in England. — The conservatism of English fruit-growers 

 seems at last to be in a fairway to be overcome, largely through Miss Orm- 

 erod's energetic efforts. She has just put out an eight-page leaflet entitled 

 " Paris Green (or Emerald Green) : its uses and methods for its appli- 

 cation as a means of destruction of the Orchard Moth Caterpillars." 

 It seems that a conference of fruit-growers was held at Evesham in 

 February, 1890, and a committee of experiment was formed of gentle- 

 men personally interested in the subject in order to try the effect of 

 different sprays on Orchard Caterpillars. At the several meetings of 

 the committee held at different times during the year, the experiences 

 related showed a great deal of uncertainty regarding the effect of all 

 the applications tried except Paris green. Miss Ormerod has brought 

 together from the accounts of these experiments, from the reports of this 

 Department and of the experiment stations, and more particularly from 

 matter communicated to her by Mr. James Fletcher, Dominion Entomolo- 

 gist of Canada, a very handy little summary of the best methods of 

 application, precautions to be taken, and proportions to be used, from 

 which it appears that the foliage in England is, on the average, compar- 

 atively nonsusceptible to the effects of the arsenic, and that the pro- 

 portions which should be used are about the same as those which have 

 been found best for Canada and our Northeastern States. 



Insecticide Experiments in Massachusetts.— Mr. S. T. Mavnard, Horti- 

 culturist of the Massachusetts Experiment Station, in Bulletin No. 11 



