NOTES AND ABSTEACTS. 



647 



1911; 1 fig.). — The Indian meal moth {Plodia interpunctella Hbn.) 

 is a common and well-known pest, frequenting places where food- 

 stuffs and cereals are stored, the larvse feeding on meal, flour, and 

 grain, also dried fruits, nuts, chocolate, and seeds. 



When the shells of pea-nuts are broken by careless handling or 

 defective machinery the insect obtains entry to the kernel of the nut 

 and does considerable damage in the storehouses. 



Heat and fumigation are two very successful remedies. A tem- 

 perature of 120° for at least six hours is fatal to the insects, and 

 fumigation with hydrocyanic acid gas or carbon bisulphide gives 

 excellent results. — V. G.J. 



Insecticides {Rev. Hort. d Alg. p. 157; June 1912; figs.). — 

 Some formulae of insecticides and descriptions of various mechanical 

 contrivances for use in spraying or fumigating trees and shrubs. The 

 insecticides include several containing petrol, with substances such as 

 flour or clay, which tend to keep it thoroughly mixed with the water 

 during use, and several, combined with seal oil, resinous soaps, &c., 

 which give a coating of varnish to the leaves and so trap the insects 

 without injuring the vegetation. 



The first group includes the following : — 

 A. 1 kilo, damaged flour. 

 5 litres petrol. 



Carefully stir the fl.our into the petrol. When this forms a paste, 

 add, while stirring the mixture, 20 litres of water, boiling if possible; 

 stir energetically; make up to 100 or 200 litres as wanted. 

 JB. 2 kilos, dry clay. 

 5 litres petrol. 



Make a paste with the clay and water; add the petrol smoothly 

 mixed ; add little by little 10 litres of water. When thoroughly mixed 

 add 100 to 200 litres of water as wanted. 



In Algeria on many farms a certain number of the fruit of the 

 Sapindus are available. A decoction of this fruit makes a good and 

 easily made emulsion as follows: — 



Petrol . . . . . .. . 5 litres 



Sapindus . . . . " . . . 500 grammes 



Water . . . . . . .25 litres 



Pour the petrol little by little into the warm decoction of Sapindus ; 

 stir violently to obtain the emulsion, which comes like a white cream. 

 This emulsion keeps well and may be diluted with 100 or 200 litres of 

 water. 



For a soap emulsion use : — 

 Seal-oil soap or soft soap ... . . 500 grammes 



Boiling water ...... 4: litres 



Petrol . . . . ' . . . 8 litres 



Dissolve the soap by boiling; add the petrol, and pump at the 

 mixture until the creamy liquid shows no free petrol on its surface. 



