December, 1912. 



447 



Remedial Measures- 

 Some spraying experiments undertaken show that commercial lime- 

 eulphur used in the proportion of 1 to 15 will free a tree from ants 

 for six months and that arsenate of lead in the proportion of 5 lb. to 50 

 gallons of water acts as a preventive against them. The spraying of tall 

 trees is not quite easy, but it can be done very well by a good coconut 

 picker. The apparatus used consists of a good barrel pump, 50 feet of 

 I inch icdia-rubber hose and a rod of about 10 feet. The man ascends 

 the tree carrying the rod attached to his belt. Arrived at the crown he 

 stands up against the stem by means of his climbing loop and does the 

 spraying. 



The insect locally called rhinoceros beetle (Strategus anachoreta) is 

 occasionally injurious to young plants by burrowing from beneath into 

 the soft tissues of the plant and destroying the bud. An application of 

 lime around the trees after planting out appears to protect them. 



The fermenting tissues of a coconut palm affected by bud rot 

 attract quite a number of insects. The palm weevil and bearded weevil 

 have often been mentioned in connexion with bud rot, but they are 

 never found in the rotting bud. The insects more likely to transmit 

 the disease are the scavenger flies whose larvae live in the decomposed 

 bud. 



THE EFFECT OF SOIL AERATION ON PLANT CROWTH. 



C. Hunter, B.Sc, who has contributed an interesting paper to the 

 Proceedings oj the University of Durham Philosophical Society states 

 that as a result of the various experiments which have been carried out 

 with the object of investigating the connection between soil aeration and 

 plant growth, it has been found that— 



The circulation of the air in the soil affects the development of the 

 root system and through that the development of the sub-aerial portions 

 of a plant. 



The production of artificial air currents in the soil appears to be bene- 

 ficial to plant growth. This point is at present undergoing further 

 investigation. 



These experiments were undertaken at the suggestion of Professor 

 Potter. 



SESAMUM. 



Bulletin No. IS of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, 

 states that Sesamum, called Teel iu India from its Sanscrit name, is 

 exported as Gingelly to Mediterranean oil mills and Great Britain to the 

 extent of about £2,000,000 a year. These plants have been tried with 

 great success both at Beagle Bay and at Port Darwin. Several varieties 

 are grown ; the black-seeded one contains 40 to 50 per cent, of oil which 

 is clear, limpid, has no smell and does not become rancid. The white- 

 seeded sesamum is used as an article of food. The residue left after the 

 extraction of the oil affords an excellent stock teed. The crop is easy 

 to grow and deserves attention. 



