A USEFUL WORK.

Otago Witness, Issue 1866, 26 August 1887, Page 8

A USEFUL WORK.

An Account of the Insects Noxious to Agri-

culture and Plants in New Zealand— The Scale Insects.

Another useful publication has been issued from the Government Printing Office at Wellington, in the shape of 'a work on the insect pests with which New Zealand horticulturists have to contend. The work, which deals with the coccididse, or scale insects, has been compiled by Mr W. W. Maskell, F.R.M.S., Registrar of the University of New Zealand, from the *' Transactions of the New Zealand Institute " and other works published in Europe and America, and is published by the State Forests and Agricultural department, under instructions "from the Hon. Mr Ballance, Commissioner of State Forests. As only one section of the pests to whose ravages our gardens are subjected are dealt with, it is explained that a second volume will be necessary. As the latter will deal with such subjects as the pine blight, the American blight, the black leech, the cabbage caterpillar, the turnip fly, the various aphides on roses, the grass grub, the codlin moth, the borers, weevils, wireworms, &c., it is likely to prove of more general interest than the volume under notice, which should, however, be invaluable to practical men, owners of orchards, and students of natural history. We trust that the second volume will be issued with as little delay as possible, and predict a large sale for it if it as attractively got up as the first one.

The characteristics, life history, and metamorphoses of the family coccididoe, are entered into so minutely that even amateurs could scarcely fail to recognise the pests dealt with, but in order to make assurance doubly sure the various subdivisions, genera, and species . are shown in every stage of development by means of a very large number of excellent coloured illustrations, which occupy no fewer than 23 pages. A complete index of plants and the coccididte attacking them is also given, while chapter V deals exclusively with the remedies recommended for fighting the pests, their method of application, &c. Particular stress is laid on the necessity for selecting the dead winter time for applying remedies, it being pointed out that the eggs of the insect have not been hatched out then and the whole brood can be destroyed at once. " Anyone who wishes to extirpate coccids must make certain that he has destroyed the eggs — a fact which is quite ignored by numbers of those who talk glibly of their own success What should be aimed at (in the case of deciduous trees) is a kind of painting of the treej>'but with a thin coating of the fluid, so as to close the pores as little as may be, while at the same time the brush clears away as many as possible of the scales and their enclosed broods of insects and eggs. . . . A week or two after the first application the scales left on the tree should be examined, and if the eggs are not killed a second coating of the fluid should be applied." This method is not practicable with evergreen shrubs, and it is consequently necessary to resort to spraying. A long list of fluids for spraying or painting the affected trees is given, a kerosene emulsion apparently receiving premier place. In addition to the method published in these columns some weeks ago a very simple method of making the emulsion is given. Heat some milk to nearly boiling point, and mix with it twice the quantity of kerosene; churn violently for from 10 minutes to half an hour, according to temperature, until a creamy, thick fluid is obtained; dilute this with nine or ten times the quantity of water. It is necessary to stir frequently when spraying, a fact which seems to indicate that it is not so good as the kerosene soap emulsion.

The book is neatly bound in cloth, and is obtainable from the Government Printer, Wellington, the price being ss.

It is useless to attempt the cure of any disorder, if the blood is allowed to remain impure. Neuralgia and rheumatism are traceable to a disordered condition of the blood, and in numberless cases have been cured by taking a few bottles of Ayer's Sarsaparilla. — [Advt.]

— A burglar who was on trial for having broken into a house, pleaded in extenuation that he spent at least three hours of his valuable time, and did not secure anything in return. " That is an injustice which shall be remedied," replied the Judge, " I'll reward you with five years' free board and lodgings."

— " I have here a letter directed to the prettiest woman in the house," announced the chairman of a woman's rights meeting. Four reporters on the front seat were trampled to death in the rush for the speaker's stand.