794 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



or through an abrasion in the skin. They eat their way throughout 

 every portion of the tubers, causing complete destruction and decay. 



As many as fifty to one hundred larvae have been found in a single 

 tuber. Growing potatos only in sandy loam and clean culture gener- 

 ally seem to be the best method of control, and it is most necessary to 

 destroy by burning any infested potatos and haulm. — V. G. J. 



Potatos, Importation of (Agr. Jour. Cape G.H. vol. iv. 

 No. I, July 1912, p. 125). — The Department of Agriculture notified 

 potato importers that after July 1, 1912, potatos imported from 

 oversea would not be sorted as in the past, but would be fumigated 

 with formaldehyde gas. A fee of sixpence a case would be charged 

 for the treatment. The instruction continues : " Any consignment 

 found on arrival to be infected with black scab or warty disease will 

 not be accepted for admittance into the country, and any found infected 

 with bacterial disease may also be excluded. A sworn statement 

 from the consignor setting forth the place of origin of the potatos 

 will be required with respect to each consignment. A statement 

 from the Department of Agriculture of the country of origin certifying 

 that black scab has never been known to exist within five miles of the 

 place of origin will also be required unless the Government of the 

 country of origin has assured the Union Government that the disease 

 named is non-existent in its territory, or unless the consignee produces 

 a certificate from the Government of the country of origin certifying, 

 within a period of nine months, that no case of the disease has been 

 known in the country, shire, or other such territorial division in which 

 the declared place of origin is situated." — A. A. K. 



Psylla, Pear, Susceptibility of Eggs to Spraying Mixtures. By 



P. J. Parrott and H. E. Hodgkiss (Jour. Econ. Entom. vol. v. pp. 193- 

 194, April 1912). — Lime-sulphur was used at winter strength for 

 the destruction of the eggs of the pear Psylla, but the results are 

 mixed up with those obtained by the autumn spraying against the 

 adults, and do not, therefore, appear conclusive. — F. J. C. 



Quebracho Wood and its Substitutes. By C. D. Mell and W. D. 

 Brush (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., Forest Service, Circ. 202, May 23, 1912). — 

 This wood yields a valuable extract which is much used in the tanning 

 of leather. Rarely growing in quantity, the Quebracho is found in 

 isolated specimens four or five to the acre — rarely more. It grows 

 50-70 feet high and is from 2 to 4 feet in diameter, and the wood weighs 

 78 lb. per cubic foot, and is remarkably hard, strong, close-grained, 

 and yellowish white in colour with a pretty rosy-pink tinge. — A. D. W. 



Radio-Action, Influence of, on Germination. By I. Croche- 



telle (Rev. Horl. pp. 484-485, Oct. 16, 1913 ; 1 ill.). — An interesting 

 article dealing with the stimulating effect of radio-active bodies on 

 the germination of seeds. — C. T. D. 



