1907.] Insect, Fungous and Other Pests. 



i55 



obtained from 8| to 24 per cent, interest on the capital 

 outlay. 



Lack of experience and knowledge on the part of practical 

 farmers form perhaps one of the principal obstacles to the 

 execution of work which is on every ground desirable, and it is 

 the recognition of this fact which has led to the establishment 

 in Germany, Austria, and elsewhere of experiment stations and 

 farms. These serve as centres for the dissemination of 

 information and advice on the subject, and, besides providing a 

 demonstration of different methods, conduct actual trials on a 

 practical basis and carry out scientific research. . 



A number of specimens of insects and fungi are submitted 

 to the Board for identification, and as the information which is 



fungous and other pests which are not dealt with in the Board's 

 leaflets or which appear to be of general interest, together with 

 notes of the apparent prevalence of any species. 



Ants. — Several complaints have been received of ants attack- 

 ing the apple, plum, black currant, &c, enquiries coming from 

 Tewkesbury, Ilfracombe and Llanarth. In combating ants, 

 the best results have been obtained by the use of bisulphide 

 of carbon. The insects should be traced to the nest, in which 

 a hole should be made with a blunt stick to a depth of 1 to 2 feet. 

 Into this hole about 2 oz. of bisulphide of carbon should be 

 poured, and the hole stopped up with a lump of clay. The bi- 

 sulphide of carbon vaporises and the poisonous fumes suffocate 

 the inmates of the nest. The operation should be carried out in 

 the evening, and if the nest is a very large one several holes may 

 be advisable or a second treatment may be necessary. If the ants 

 are spread over a considerable surface and cannot be traced to 

 their nest, then holes should be made in the infested soil at inter- 

 vals of a yard, and into these the bisulphide should be poured. 

 At the time of carrying out the operation the soil should neither 

 be very wet nor very dry. In a wet clay soil the fumes diffuse 

 too slowly, while in a dry light soil they diffuse too rapidly. 



Notes on Insect, 

 Fungous and Other 

 Pests. 



supplied as to treatment and preventive 

 measures may be useful to others, it is 

 proposed to insert in the Journal month 

 by month short notes on those insect, 



