1904.] The Colorado Beetle in Hereford. 435 



Experiments have been carried out from time to time with a 



view to discovering a cure for the Currant Gall-Mite infestation, 



which is dealt with in the Board's Leaflet 



The Black No x The subject has recently been in- 

 Currant J J 



Gall-Mite. vestigated by Mr. W. E. Collinge, M.Sc, 



Lecturer in Zoology at the University of 

 Birmingham. In 1931 Mr. Collinge sprayed some small bushes, 

 which were badly infested, twice a week with a solution composed 

 of : — Sulphur, 2 lb. ; soft soap, 251b.; water, 50 gals. The sulphur 

 was made into a gruel with water, the soap mixed with 5 gallons 

 of boiling water, and the two mixtures added together and well 

 stirred, after which sufficient water was slowly added to make: 

 50 gallons. The results obtained were very encouraging, mites, 

 being found on fresh buds only on one bush in 190 1. In 1902 

 no mites were discoverable on the bushes, but being near some 

 infested bushes they were again sprayed. In 1903 they were 

 still free of the mites, and also early in the present year no 

 trees bore abnormal buds. The experiments were on a small 

 scale, but it is proposed to continue them on a larger scale. 



A small amount of success has also been obtained by hand- 

 picking infested buds in small isolated plots, but it is strongly 

 recommended that all infested stock should be burnt, and the 

 utmost care should be taken only to replace them with cuttings 

 after conclusive evidence that these are not infested. The 

 Board will be glad to receive any information concerning 

 experiments made with the spray mentioned above. 



The Board think that a brief account of the circumstances 



connected with the discovery of some specimens of the Colorado 



Beetle in Herefordshire may be of interest 



The Colorado to agriculturists. 

 Beetle 



in Hereford During the first week of July two beetles 



were left by a stranger at the Free Library 

 in Hereford. Subsequently it was suspected that they were 

 Colorado Beetles, and the circumstances were reported to the 

 police, who communicated with the Board, to whom the two 



M M 2 



