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Aukland orchardists. I published his views on the matter in an Auckland fowee 
paper, offering to give seeds to any applicant who cared to give the plant a trial. 
Somehow, perhaps through want of clearness in my language, it was assumed that I 
recommended the cultivation of the plant for the purpose of destroying the Codling 
Moth, and the matter was referred to in newspapers all through the colony, and I 
believe elsewhere as well. Personally, I never entertained much hope of the plant 
being of real use, and I see that you express a similar opinion in your pamphlet. 
The Codling Moth has done very serious injury inmany apple orchards here. But 
orchardists are beginning to recognize that if the trees are carefully sprayed with 
Paris green, and bandaged, the injury is reduced to a small percentage. It is, in 
fact, the old story of attention and careful culture versus neglect.—[T. F. Cheeseman, 
Auckland, New Zealand, December 31, 1891. 
A Sesiid Pest of the Persimmon. 
I send a small piece of the stem of the native Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) in 
which you will find a living specimen of a borer which is giving usa great deal of 
trouble in this district. The center of the stem is quite hollow from the ground line 
to a depth of 22inches. The piece sent was at a depth of from 17 to 22 inches below 
the surface and was growing in a perfectly perpendicular manner. 
What is the specific name of the borer and what can we do to destroy it? Many 
fine trees of Diospyros kaki on the native roots have died in this vicinity from this 
cause.—[J. W. Lever, Florida, February 20, 1892. 
Repty.— * * * Theinsect which yousend is an interesting species of the same 
group to which the common Peach-Tree Borer belongs. It is known as Phemonoé 
5-caudata. This insect, although previously known to bore into the Persimmon, has 
never been sent to us as a pest of economic importance. The surest way to get rid 
of it would be to dig up and burn every infested tree. If this be done the number 
will be so reduced that future damage will be slight for a time, but to protect other 
trees it may be well to remove the earth from around the roots, fill in with ashes, and 
mound up for some distance. The lower portion of the trunk may be still further 
protected by a sheathing of straw set upon end and tied with cord. The exact time 
of egg laying is not known with this species, but if it can be ascertained a still 
further protection will be found in washing the trunks of the young trees with Paris 
green and water in the proportion of one-fourth pound to 40 gallons of water dur- 
ing the egg-laying season.—[ February 24, 1892. ] 
A Cayenne Pepper Feeder. 
I mail you herewith larve of a moth and of an Anthrenus, together with the Cay- 
enne pepper in which they were found living. A specimen of the moth is also sent. 
These moth larve are quite injurious to Cayenne pepper in one of the drug houses of 
this place. They spin a sort of web, thus fastening many grains of coarse pepper 
together. The Anthrenus larve may be here simply to feed on the cast-off skins of 
the larve and the dead moths, but it looks as if this was at least a proof of the in- 
effectiveness of the old plan of sprinkling pepper on the floor under carpets to pre- 
vent the ravages of the carpet beetle.—[H. F. Wickham, Iowa, February 28, 1892. 
ReEpLy.— * * * The Anthrenus larve are those of 4. varius while the Lepidop- 
terous larve belong evidently to the genus Ephestia. The moth, however, was so 
badly damaged that specific determination is impossible. Lasioderma, Sitodrepa, 
and a few other beetles have been found in Cayenne pepper, so that your observation 
is not unprecedented.—[ March 9, 1892. ] 
An early Use of Kerosene. 
Much has been written lately in regard to the use of kerosene emulsion; do you 
think that the mixture referred to could possibly have been one? I quote verbatim 
from the Zodlogist (Newman’s), August, 1868, p. 1339: 
Heth es wer ve 
Oe) Se Pe cee 
