December, ’24] 
SCIENTIFIC NOTES 
667 
At the last regular session: 
11. Program of papers and discussions. 
12. Reports of appointed committees. 
13. Miscellaneous business. 
14. Election of officers. 
15. Fixing time and place of next meeting. 
16. Adjournment. 
Article V 
Amendments to By-Laws 
Section 1. Changes in these by-laws may be made by a two-thirds vote at any 
regular meeting: Provided, notice in writing of the proposed amendment be sent to 
every active member at least two weeks before the date of the meeting, at which 
time it can come up for consideration. 
Scientific Notes 
Fumigating :Citrus Trees with Calcium Cyanide Dust. Tests are being conducted 
in California, Florida, South Africa, Australia and Egypt in fumigating citrus trees 
with calcium cyanide dust. The methods used are similar to the former method of 
placing a tent over the tree, but instead of using fumigating jars of liquid hydro¬ 
cyanic acid gas, calcium cyanide dust is blown under the tent, the normal humidity 
releasing the gas, thereby effecting a true fumigation. 
V. I. Safro 
Calcium Cyanide as a Greenhouse Fumigant. A new principle in cyanide fumi¬ 
gation of greenhouses and nursery stock that is being tested by workers is that of 
using a lower concentration of gas over a longer period of time (over night) as con¬ 
trasted with the former method of a higher concentration for a short period of time. 
In the sodium cyanide-sulphuric acid method only the latter principle could be 
followed because of the rapidity, violence and concentration of hydrocyanic acid 
gas evolved. 
Calcium cyanide by its property of gradual evolution of the gas permits of uti¬ 
lizing the former principle whereby the lower concentration of gas affords a wider 
margin of safety to the plants. V. I. Safro 
Control of Leaf Cutting Ants. The leaf cutting ants in tropical and subtropical 
America are receiving considerable attention by the agricultural authorities of a num¬ 
ber of countries. Successful tests by authorities of Cuba, Guatemala, Costa Rica, 
San Salvador, Brazil and Argentina have recently been made with calcium cyanide 
dust in the destruction of the colonies. 
The dust is blown into the colony through one or more openings until all the gal¬ 
leries are filled with the dust. Complete extermination has followed a number of such 
treatments. In some cases a second treatment has been necessary. The Harvester 
ant of the United States is being controlled by a similar method in a number of locali¬ 
ties. In the latter cases, however, calcium cyanide flakes are being used rather than 
the dust. One or more holes are bored into the mound and an ounce or two of flakes 
dropped in. It has not been found necessary to close the holes after treatment. 
V. I. Safro 
