1907.] 



Miscellaneous Notes. 



3ii 



under the Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops Order of 1885 ; and (b) the number of 

 Councils of each class who have not made any such regulations. Out of some 1,800 

 urban and rural districts, Regulations are in force in all except 36 Borough Councils, 

 126 Urban District Councils and 165 Rural District Councils. 



Specimens of Gall-Midges. — Few families of flies {Diptera) possess greater interest 

 than the Gall-Midges (Cecidomyidce), and apart from its scientific interest, this family is 

 one of great economic importance as is evidenced by the presence of such forms as the Pear 

 Midge, the Hessian Fly, the Pea Midge, the Wheat Midge, the Willow Gall-Midge, 

 and many others injurious to different crops. At the meeting of the Association of 

 Economic Biologists, held at the Imperial Institute, London, on July 4th, Mr. Walter 

 E. Collinge (of the Department of Economic Zoology, University of Birmingham) 

 read a paper on the subject, and the Board are informed that it would greatly assist 

 Mr. Collinge in his further investigations into the life histories, structure, &c, of these 

 insects, if entomologists, horticulturists, farmers, and others meeting with specimens 

 of the insects and their galls would send them to Mr. Collinge at the University of 

 Birmingham. 



Abnormal Raspberry Canes. — Some specimens of raspberry canes, which presented 

 an abnormal appearance, were received by the Board at the end of June. The 

 abnormality was found to be due to an over-development of periderm, caused by an 

 excess of moisture at the roots. 



Destruction of Nettles. — Where nettles prove troublesome around buildings, in 

 pastures, &c, they should be forked out, so removing the creeping underground 

 stems. This should preferably be done in spring, when a liberal dressing of salt 

 should be applied to the infested spots. 



Knapweed. — The weed known as Knapweed {Centaurea nigra, Linn.) is some- 

 times troublesome, and spreads in impoverished soils, especially if allowed to seed. 

 If practicable, seeding should be prevented by early cutting, and the soil should be 

 manured. The manures to be employed will naturally vary, according to the locality, 

 but in general the following mixture is likely to be beneficial : — f cwt. sulphate of 

 ammonia; 3 to 4 cwts. superphosphate; 2 to 3 cwts. kainit per acre. This should 

 be applied every year, until the grasses become improved and vigorous, when the 

 Knapweed will be choked out. If farmyard manure is available, a dressing might 

 be given in the second season instead of the artificial manures named. 



Importation of Plants into Turkey. — The regulations of the Turkish Ministry of 

 Agriculture prohibit the introduction of plants into Turkey, but the Foreign Office 

 have been informed that, in view of the non-existence in England of Phylloxera, the 

 Ministry of Agriculture will be prepared to make an exception in cases where a 

 certificate of British origin, granted by a British local authority, and legalised by a 

 Turkish Consul, is produced, containing a statement to the effect that no vines exist 

 in the neighbourhood of the district from which the plants come. The Ministry in 

 such cases, on receiving due notice from His Majesty's Embassy, would insruct its 

 Inspector to grant a visa sanctioning the entry of the plants in question. A certificate 

 declaring them free from Phylloxera would not be considered sufficient. 



Method of Selling Barley in the East of England. — The practice of selling barley 

 by weight or by weighed measure (quarter of 448 lb.) appears to have entirely 

 supplanted the older method of selling by the Imperial measure at several corn 

 markets where inquiries have been made. At Bishop's Stortford, Chelmsford. 

 Darlington, Norwich and Cambridge, practically the whole of the barley sold in 1891 

 was, according to a return furnished to the Select Committee on Corn Sales, 1893, 

 sold by Imperial measure, whereas the weighed measure of 448 lb. to the quarter is 

 now universal. At several of these markets the latter measure has been customary 

 for some years, but at Norwich it was not until 1905 that the Imperial measure was 

 finally abandoned. At Chelmsford the change is said to date from October, 1903. 

 At York, Berwick and Lincoln the weighed measure seems to have been in use 

 in 1891. 



