-97- 
The seeds have long been used as an insecticide and fish poison 
in various tropioal countries. The toxic principle is called pachyrhizid, 
and the ground seeds had a high efficiency against the striped flea beetle 
and aphids in China. During the summer of 1942 yam bean seeds were wide- 
ly used there in the control of several insect pests of staple food crops. 
Tests conducted in New York State gave promising results against the bean 
aphid and Mexioan bean beetle.—Hansbery and Lee ( 181 ) • 
PACHYRHIZUS TUBEROSUS (Lamb.) Spreng. 
The seeds were used in Venezuela for, killing vermin.— Greshoff 
( 170 , p. 57). 
PHYSOSTIGMA VENENOSUM Balf . Calabar bean. 
Semen physostigmatis had no effect on the caterpillars of Prodenia 
litura {?•) •— DoBussy (76). 
Eserine (physostigmine) , the alkaloid in calabar beans, is very 
poisonous to higher animals. In some respects its physiological action 
is similar to that of nicotine* A 0.2 and a 0.1 percent emulsion of 
eserine killed 100 and 56.6 peroent of the bean aphids, respectively.— 
Tatter sfi eld and coworkers (393 ). 
Extracts were not repellent to the Japanese beetle.— -JSetzger and 
Grant (277). 
PISCIDIA ERYTHRINA L. Synonyms: Iohthyomethia piscipula (L.) Hitchc .; 
P. piscipula Sarg. Jamaica fish poison. Jamaica dogwood. 
The powdered bark had considerable effect on fly larvae. --Cook 
and Hutchison ( 103 , p. 4) • 
The Jamaica dogwood is used by the Carib Indians as a fish poison, 
and a decoction of the bark as a cure for mange on dogs .--Gif ford ( 156 ) . 
Extracts from this plant were not repellent to the Japanese 
beetle.— Metzger and Grant ( 277 ) . 
Extracts of the Jamaica dogwood, daisy flowers, and Tephrosia 
pisoatoria were tested against codling moth larvae, but none of them ap- 
peared promising.— Siegler and Hunger (unpublished report) • 
PITHECELLOBIUM ELLIPTICA Hassk. 
Extracts of the leaves and bark of this fish-poison plant from 
Malaya were slightly toxic to the bean aphid.— Tattersfi eld and 
Gimingham (391). 
