291 



North America prior to tliis appearance in San Francisco. The reme- 

 dial measnres recommended by M. Danysz are summed up as follows: 



(1) Tliorouo-hly to insufflate the mill with a powder composed of pyretlirum 

 strongtheued with nico/ine, whenever the moths are seen, especially at these three 

 times of the year: April-May, July-August, and October-Novemher; that is to say, 

 at the times when the moths issue from the cocoons in the greatest numbers. 



(2) To whitewash the ceiling and walls of the mill, as well as the interior walls of 

 the apparatus, at least once a year, in May. 



(3) To clean regularly, or at least twice a mouth, th<' conduits of the elevators and 

 especially those which carry the refuse away, by means of 8i)ecially devised brushes. 



(4) To disinfect the empty sacks by subjecting every one either to the action of 

 heat or of bisulphide of carbon for at least twelve hours continuously. 



Legislation Against Insects. — A summary of the laws which have been 

 enacted by corporations at different times and in different countries for 

 the enforcement of measures against destructive insects would farnish 

 some very interesting comparative data. Still more interesting, how- 

 ever, would be an intelligent statement of the results which have fol- 

 lowed such legislation. The paucity of beneficial results resulting 

 fi'om sound enactments may be due either to the inefficiency of the 

 officers appointed to carry out the law, or to popular prejudice against 

 the legal provisions and a consequent tendency to shirk and evade 

 them where possible. Both causes almost invariably cooperate. The 

 fact of comparatively poor success in the past, however, should not be 

 used as an argument against wise legislation and an attempt to enforce 

 it. We have frequently had occasion to advise restrictive legislation, 

 and more frequently to urge cooperative work on a large scale, but 

 regret to state that only in a comparatively few instances has this 

 advice been followed to such an extent that the fullest good has been 

 accomplished. Too often the lais.sez /aire policy has intervened. Yet 

 we continue our work, having faith in human nature and particularly 

 in the intelligence of the average American citizen. We prefer active 

 opposition to total indifference, but it is more discouraging still to have 

 the merit of a suggestion accepted by intelligent persons who, never- 

 theless, refuse to assist in carrying it out for the reason that they fear 

 that indifference and carelessness on the i)art of others will interfere 

 with complete success. 



xls an instance in point, a prominent California horticultural and 

 agricultural journal, after reprinting in full our article upon the Potato 

 Tuber Moth {TAta soJaiieUa), in commenting on our advice relative to the 

 necessity for strenuous efforts to stamj) out the insect, goes on to state 

 that it is not reasonable to supx)ose that the work will h^ done or that 

 it is liossible to accomplish it even if all potato- growers do their duty. 

 The case is cited by the editor i3rincii)ally as an instance '' of tlie little 

 good that may be expected from the enforcement of anti-pest quarantine 

 laws.'- It is true that the result of attempts at insect legislation in 



