53 



refuse, cotton seed, etc., to which the insects will be attracted in num- 

 bers, when they may be killed by drenching them with hot water. This 

 is an old remedy, recommended by Glover many years ago. In No. 7 

 seven species of scale-insects are mentioned, while in No. 15 some little 

 consideration is given to the subject of the new Sugar-cane Pin-borer, 

 to which we have just referred in these pages. Mr. Cocker ell agrees 

 with us that the insect is not a prime cause of damage to the sugar 

 cane, but follows injury due to other causes. 



AN EXPLODED REMEDY FOR THE PLUM CURCULIO. 



We are surprised to notice still going the rounds of the press an ac- 

 count, often with editorial indorsement, of a curculio remedy which has 

 long since been proved unavailing. It consists in tying corncobs 

 soaked in molasses on the branches of the tree to be protected, and the 

 theory is that the insect will lay its eggs in the sweetened corncobs in 

 preference to laying them in the fruit ! 



Another of these utterly worthless pseudo-remedies which, we regret 

 to say, has found space in some of our most valuable journals, is of prac- 

 tically the same nature, except that in place of corncobs the writer 

 advises the use of tomato cans filled with a mixture of molasses, vine- 

 gar, and water. 



Those of our readers who are interested in this subject are referred 

 to our Annual Report for 1888, where will be found sixteen pages (pp. 

 64-79) devoted to remedies for this pest. 



GOOD WORK OF THE TWICE-STABBED LADYBIRD. 



The California Fruit Grower has published the statement that Mr. N. 

 W. Motheral procured in 1890 a number of specimens of Chilocorus bivul- 

 nerns in San Diego County, and placed them in some orchards in Tulare 

 County which were infested by the San Jose Scale {Aspidiotus pernici- 

 osus). They did not appear to multiply greatly until last spring, when 

 immense numbers appeared simultaneously and completely cleared the 

 orchards of Tulare County of the scales; trees which had not been 

 sprayed being as comiDletely cleared as those which had been sprayed. 



NOTES ON OHIO COLEOPTERA. 



We have received from our esteemed correspondent Mr. Charles 

 Dury, of Cincinnati, Ohio, a consignment of specimens, mostly Cole- 

 optera, for the collection of the U. S. National Museum. The follow- 

 ing abstract from his correspondence is of special interest as bearing 

 on the life-habits of Coleoptera : 



In regard to Valgus, we always take canaliculatus, by beating vegetation, mostly 

 Haw Apple, while we always find squamiger under bark or about dead timber — the 

 form with the prolonged pygidium is always found on dead timber. I never exam- ^^ 

 ined this pygidium, but supposed it was a protruded ovipositor. I see on \o6kimfi^^Z\ 

 closely that it is a prolongation of the pygidium. * '^ ' In regard to the suppoii^k^X 

 larvse of Dry ops, they were from a small stream in Kentucky and found adheringi^i»^ 



A ^ 



