502 Larch Saw Fly Attack in N. Wales, [sept., 



tion as to the companies which have been established for the manu- 

 facture of calcium cyanamide. A note on the same subject from H.M. 

 Consul at Berlin appears in the Board of Trade Journal (August 19th), 

 in which it is mentioned that in full working order the principal 

 German works at present engaged can produce about 21,500 tons of 

 nitrate of lime per annum. 



The number of samples examined at the Government Laboratory 

 for the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries in the year ended March 31st, 

 Anal ses at the I 9°9> was 2 >665, as compared with 2,303 in 



^ the previous year, and of these 1,901 were 



j samples of butter, margarine, and milk 



Laboratory. taken at the ports by tlie Customs officers. 



The principal chemist (Dr. Thorpe, F.R.S.), in his annual report 

 [Cd. 4,771, price 3d.], states that no sample of butter was reported as 

 containing foreign fat, while as regards margarine there were 14 cases 

 in which the legal limit for water was exceeded, but in no case was 

 there evidence of more than the legal quantity of butter-fat. 



Besides the samples of imported produce, a number of samples taken 

 under the Butter and Margarine and other Acts were analysed, as well 

 as 120 samples referred by magistrates under the Food and Drugs 

 Acts, and 35 samples referred under the Fertilisers and Feeding Stuffs 

 Acts. 



The Board of Agriculture and Fisheries are informed that temporary 



Dates of Shows at the s *! ows wil1 be held at the Brussels Exhibition 

 ■n i -n u-u-i.- °f I 9 I ° as follows : — Flowers, April 30th to 

 Brussels Exhibition. A/r , , . . t , *. ~ . 



May 3rd; fruit growing and market gardening, 



September 24th to 27th ; and flowers and chrysanthemums, October 27th 

 to November 2nd. 



With the object of ascertaining the extent and prevalence of the 

 Large Larch Saw Fly (Nematus Erichsoni) in N. Wales, the Board 

 have sent an Inspector to visit some of the 

 Larch Saw Fly larch plantations and to report. There are in* 

 Attack in dications that the infestation is fairly wide- 



ly. Wales. spread, and in order to fix some standard by 



which the intensity of an attack can be judged 

 and its economic importance measured, the following scale has been 

 prepared, which will be adopted in all future reports on the prevalence 

 of the pest. 



Highest degree of. intensity (prevalence). — Some trees already dead, 

 others with crowns thin and browned, numbers of defoliated twigs on 

 trees, general appearance moribund. 



Second degree. — No trees dead, no terminal shoots produced in the 

 current year, dwarf shoots thereby stimulated to sprout, forming fresh 

 green shoots in which eggs are laid. 



Third degree. — No trees dead, terminal shoots present, but numbers 

 attacked and eggs laid in them. 



Fourth degree — No trees dead. Terminal shoots present, and very 

 few attacked. 



