— r7 — 
The spraying of peach trees with a decoction of poisonous mush- 
rooms (l kg. to 10 liters of water) was recommended to destroy peach 
aphids in France,— Anonymous (5) • 
This mushroom has been used in Europe as a fly poison for hundreds 
of years, — Chesnut ( 87 , p. 13). 
This fungus was used formerly as a popular insecticide. It was 
bruised, steeped in milk, and the milk exposed as we now expose ar- 
senical flypaper. — Dlyth and Rlyth ( 64 , p. 426). 
The poisonous qualities of this fungus probably depend on the 
presence of volatile matter and the alkaloid amanitine (muscarine) • 
An extract of the whole funrus is likely to prove effective against 
all kinds of gnawing insects and their larvae.— Gomilevsky ( 164) • 
Comments by reviewer . — Since poisonous mushrooms are extremely 
toxic to people and appear to be also to certain insects, toxicolog- 
ical studies should be made with various orders of insects. If the 
poisonous fungi prove to be wxrtti while, they might be cultivated as 
we now cultivate the edible mushrooms. 
AMANITA PANTHERINA Fr. 
This fungus was used as a fly poison.— Lyons ( 248 , p» 29). 
CHARACEAE 
(Algae— -ot on eworts) 
CHAR A FOETIDA 
An active principle isolated from this alga was toxic to mosquito 
larvae. In action it appeared to be similar to derris. — Howard ( 204 , 
p. 10). 
CHARA FRAGILIS Desv. 
Ponds in which this alga grows naturally were free from mosquito- 
larvae. It was lethal to four species of Culex larvae, and the lethal 
action seemed to be closely pssocipted with hi^h pH. The pH seemed 
to vary directly with photosynthetic activity. Tests with the dried 
plants also showed a marked lethal action.--l'atheson ( 271 , pp. 35-06) • 
Char a is grown widely in India in paddy fields and in pools. It 
is said to destroy mosquito larvae. Alcoholic extracts and water 
suspensions had no effect on caterpillars •--Puttarudriah and Subramaniam 
(312). 
