414 The Introduction of Farmers' Telephones, [aug., 



(1) By shaking the beetles off the plants into troughs coated 

 with tar, or into vessels containing paraffin. 



(2) By dislodging and trapping the beetles by dragging 

 tarred sacking just above or between the voung plants when 

 the beetles are observed on them. The strips of sacking 

 must be light, in order not to injure the plants. 



(3) By spraying the infested crop with arsenate of lead, 

 which may be obtained ready for use in the paste form, and 

 may be employed at the rate of 4 lb. of the paste to 100 gallons 

 of water. It may also be prepared by dissolving 35 oz. pure 

 or crystallized arsenate of soda in 50 gallons of water, 

 dissolving 70 oz. acetate of lead in 50 gallons of water, and 

 mixing the two solutions ; or by dissolving 20 oz. dry, crude, 

 or commercial arsenate of soda in 50 gallons of water, dis- 

 solving 70 oz. acetate of lead in 50 gallons of water, and 

 mixing the tw^o solutions. 



(4) It has been observed that later in the year the beetles 

 sometimes migrate in great numbers to other fields, and if this 

 be noticed a shallow trench should be dug across the path of 

 the migrating swarm ; if the trench be kept tarred many beetles 

 will be caught, notwithstanding the fact that they have wings. 



(5) After an infestation the stubble may be burnt over 

 before ploughing in order to destrov hibernating beetles. 



An interesting experiment in the direction of introducing 

 into the rural districts of this country special "party" line 

 telephones for the use of farmers and 

 An Example of other rural residents, such as were 



annual rental for each telephone on such a line, has been 

 provisionally fixed at £2^, with an unlimited local service 

 during the ordinary official hours at the Post Office. 



The Brandsby system has been in use since November last, 

 and appears to be giving satisfaction to the subscribers, who 

 have now the benefit, under certain conditions, of all the 

 facilities afforded by the telephone system. 



The telephones have been used to an appreciable extent 

 for (a) local calls to other subscribers who rent exchange lines 

 at the ordinary rates, {h) intercommunication among the 

 party-line subscribers themselves, and (c) trun'k calls. 



the Introduction 

 of Farmers' 

 Telephones. 



described in the Journal for July, 

 191 1, p. 326, is being tried in the 

 Brandsby district of Yorkshire. The 



