February, ’23] 
SCIENTIFIC NOTES 
97 
Wasco. An examination of the potato vines growing in sandy soil showed numerous 
ants tunneling in the stalks on April 16, 1919. In all probability, the potatoes were 
planted in the favorite nesting grounds of this ant. 
Prof. W. M. Wheeler determined the ant as a subspecies of the common “fire 
ant” ( Solenopsis geminata Fabr. subsp. maniosa Wheeler) and states that it is abun¬ 
dant in Southern California, especially in the environs of Santa Barbara, Pasadena 
and Los Angeles, in the Southern States and the tropics in general. It has on 
many occasions been seen to eat green vegetable matter, even strawberries, tender 
shoots etc., so that I am not surprised that you should have found it tunneling in 
potato plants. It is also a seed-storing ant. It usually nests in open, sunny, sandy 
places. This ant stings badly, hence its name “fire ant.” In Texas I have known 
the common form to kill young chickens. 
Henry H. P. Severin, Ph.D. 
California Agricultural Experiment Station 
Dengue Fever and Mosquitoes in the South. A severe epidemic of dengue fever 
swept the Southern States during the present season. This outbreak is probably 
the most severe the South has ever experienced, or at least the worst which has 
occurred in many years. While there have been comparatively few deaths due to 
the malady there has been tremendous economic loss and much individual suffering. 
According to morbidity reports the disease first appeared in Florida the latter part 
of May, and that state showed a large number of cases throughout the season. The 
number of cases reported reached the maximum during the latter part of September, 
although October reports are not available. The disease apparently entered Georgia 
from the south, being first recorded in that state on August 19. The disease was also 
recorded in Texas rather early in the season, the first cases (200) being reported from 
Galveston on July 17. From that point and other southern Texas cities the malady 
was soon introduced into various parts of Texas, and a great number of cases occurred, 
especially in the larger centers. In Dallas, for instance, up to November 1st a total 
of 3,476 cases were reported. Dengue was first reported in Alabama on August 26, 
in Louisiana on September 2, South Carolina on September 16, Mississippi on 
September 30, and Arkansas on October 7. At least a few cases of the disease also 
appeared in Oklahoma late in the season and some were also unauthentically re¬ 
ported from Tennessee. 
The yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti ) has been shown to be an effective 
carrier of this malady and it is probable also that Culex quinquefasciatus may be con¬ 
cerned. The former species was present throughout the Southern States in con¬ 
siderable numbers during the summer and fall, although apparently not much 
more numerous than usual. C. quinquefasciatus was also abundant, at least in some 
localities, but usually it is not as frequent an intruder in the house as the yellow 
fever mosquito. 
F. C. Bishopp 
A Repellant For Flat Headed Borers. For many years we have been searching 
for some repellant that will exclude flat-headed borers from apple and other trees. 
As a result of this search we have finally hit on the following mixture which seems to 
fill the requirements of the situation inasmuch as in our tests during three years just 
past the exclusion of borers has been practically complete. 
During 1922 the formula stood as follows:— 
