308 JOUENAL OF THE EOYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



which appears to be confused with Schizophragma hydrangeoides, which 

 is figured to show difference. The third illustration reproduces a photo- 

 graph of part of a plant covering a wall 20 metres long and bearing a 

 profusion of fine flowers. Vigorous and hardy in France. — C. T. D. 



Importation of Tetrastichus xanthomelaenae (Bond.). By 



L. 0. Howard (Jour. Econ. Entom. i. (1908) 5, p. 281). — The European 

 elm-leaf beetle (Galerucella luteola) was imported into America in 

 1837 and has recently spread to a great extent. It has no natural 

 enemies in America, but in Europe there are two or three egg-parasites 

 of this beetle and its near relatives. Among them Tetrastichus xantho- 

 melaenae was found by Marchal to have stopped the ravages of the 

 beetle on the elms round Paris, where it had been very destructive, 

 skeletonizing the leaves. Dr. Marchal's description and interesting notes 

 are translated and added to this article. Eggs parasitized by the insect 

 were obtained and conveyed to America in 1907, but the parasites were 

 dead on arrival. Others were obtained in April 1908, and these were 

 successfully reared, and after multiplying were liberated where the bettles 

 and their eggs were abundant. They began to breed and are apparently 

 multiplying rapidly, and the writer considers there is every hope of keeping 

 the beetles in check by means of this parasite.— F. J. C. 



Inoculation and Lime in Growing* Alfalfa. By H. A. Harding 

 and J. K. Wilson (U.S. A. Exp. Stn., New York, Bull. 313; February 

 1909; figs, and maps). — The authors show that on American soils the 

 application of lime and inoculation with the appropriate nodule-producing 

 bacteria is followed by a greatly increased growth of lucerne (or alfalfa). 

 The inoculation was performed for the most part by means of soil from 

 fields where the bacteria were abundant. — F. J. C. 



Insecticide, Use of Cyanide as an. By R. S. Woglum and 

 Wm. Wood (Jour. Econ. Entom. i. (1908) 6, p. 349). — Pouring a solution 

 of one ounce of potassium cyanide in one gallon of water into nests of 

 ants was found successful in destroying them. The solution would 

 probably be much safer to use for such purposes than the solid substance, 

 as there would be no chance of animals picking it up from the ground. 



F. J. C. 



Insects Injurious to Loco Weeds. By F. H. Chittenden (U.S.A. 

 Dep. Agr., Bur. Entom., Bull 64, pt. 5 ; figs.). — The insects living on 

 Astragalus mollissimus and A. Lambertii are described. The poisoning 

 of sheep feeding on these plants on the semi-arid plains of the West of 

 America has been attributed to the insects living upon the plants ; but it 

 cannot be due to them. — F. J. C. 



Insects that Carry Disease. By L. 0. Howard (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., 

 Bur. Entom., Bull. 78 ; May 1909). — This masterly account deals with 

 the important question of the enormous economic loss arising from the 

 unchecked development of mosquitos and house-flies. It shows that in 

 seven years 1900-07 an average of over 12,000 people died annually 

 through malaria in the States, and the germs of this disease are carried 



