282 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



August 27, 1904. 





INSECT NOTES. 



St. Kitt's-Nevis. 



The following extracts, taken from Mr. Ballou's 

 report on his recent visit to St. Kitt's-Nevis, contain 

 interesting references to insect pests which were found 

 to be prevalent in the presirlency : — ■ 



ST. kitt's. 



Tlie Botanic iStatioii, from its location and the nature of 

 its soil, sutfered severely from the lack of rain. The dry 

 weather was especially favourable to the development of 

 scale insects. The return of favourable growing weather, the 

 completion of the plans for planting new trees and shrubs, 

 and the removal of a few useless specimens, together witli the 

 application of insecticide renjedies which I sugge.sted to 

 ]Mr. Shepherd, will, I believe, make this station even more 

 attractive than usual, with a minimmn of insect pests. 



Many of tlie scales ordinarily to be found in these 

 islands were .seen on the [ilants at the Botanic Station, mo.st 

 of them in comparatively small numbers; a few, however, were 

 found in some quantities. Among the latter may be men- 

 tioned the purple scale (Mz/tilaspis ciiricola) on orange, the 

 guava mealy scale (Pulvinaiia ficiis), the common shield 

 scale [Lecaniii'iii hespei'iduiii) on star apple, and the smaller 

 snow scale {Chionaspis minor) on hibiscus. 



On the Hibiscus and Imbricaria hedges where the small 

 snow scale was abundant a small, black lady-liird was found 

 in large numbers. Tliis insect was actively feeding on the 

 scale and is jirobably very valuable in helping to keep down 

 this [larticular scale. The lady-bird has not been determined, 

 liut it is closely related to the PentUlia which has been so 

 useful in the United States as an enemy of the San .Jo.se 

 scale. It may be jjossibie to introduce this lady-bird to other 

 islands to assist in keeping down certain .species of scale 

 insects. 



Cotton during the past year was seriously injured by 

 the lavages of the cotton worm (Alefia argillacea). The 

 damage done was very severe because of the scarcity 

 of Paris green at the time it was most needed. 



The leaf-ljlister mite {Erioplqu's (/ossi/pii) has been 

 present and occasioned .some loss in the cotton cro}>, but has 

 not been .so serious as in ]\[oiitserrat, where it tir.st came to 

 notice. Occurring as it did sinuiltaneously with the severe 

 attacks of cotton worm, it caused more sericais damage than 

 it otherwise would have done. 



At Conaree estate an interesting experiment in growing 

 cotton among plant canes was noticed. An account of this 

 experiment was given in the Ac/riculfunil A'l'ivs (Vol. Ill, 

 p. 213). At the time of my visit (July 8) this cotton was 

 very vigorous in appearance with many bolls and Howers, and 

 apparently very little diseased. The leaf-blister mite was 

 present, but on oidy a small proportion of the plants. It 

 is of interest that these plants had been growing about seven 

 months before the leaf-blister mite was noticed, although 

 careful watch had been kejit for it, and in July only a few 

 of the bottom branches showed the effects of its presence. 

 It may also be mentioned that this cotton had not been 

 attacked by the cotton worm. 



NEVIS. 



During the past year the cotton worm had been a 

 serious pest ; the cotton stainer had appeared in some parts 

 I if the island, and the leaf-blfster mite had also done some 

 damaiie, but it did not occur in all i)arts of the island. 



At Maddens estate I visited a j)lantatiou of cacao in 

 one of the valleys on the mountain .side. The plants were 

 strong and vigorous in appearance and were, for the most 

 part, free from disease and pests. A few plants, however, 

 had been attacked and the leaves more or le.ss damaged. 

 No pest could be found at work and the injury was assigned 

 to a small snail which is very common at that place. Lime 

 and Paris green and lime were reconimeded for trial as 

 remedies. The plants seemed to be attacked only in the 

 vicinity fif the foiitjiaths. 



The Brown Ant in Porto Rico. 



The Brown Ant [Sohnopsis r/einiiidta) is a .serious pest 

 in the orange groves of Porto Rico ; and the Porto Rico 

 Agricultural E.xperiment Station has recently issued a special 

 Circu/iir (No. -1), entitled ' Control of the Brown Ant in 

 Orange Orchards,' of which the following is a brief 

 summary: — 



These ants feed on small seeds, dead insects, and the 

 honey wa.\ of the scale insects. They make their burrows 

 at the foot of the trees and ajiparently do no damage until 

 they have ac(juired a taste for the gum of the tree. From 

 that time on, they seem to prefer the tree gum to the 

 secretion of the .scale insects, and to obtain it they not only 

 make wounds, but keep old wounds open by gnawing at the 

 edges, so that they are not able to heal over. In this way 

 trees are sometimes entirely girdled and killed. This pest 

 is considered to be next in seriousness to the scale 

 insec'ts, and already severe damage has been done to the 

 citrus orchards in Porto Rico. A large nund^er of remedies 

 have been tried, and two of the best are recommended. 



dinlh' Paint. — This is a sticky, waxy mixture for 

 covering wounds, to keep out air and water and prevent 

 rotting of the wood, and to stop the passage of the ants up 

 the trees. It is made as follows : 4 parts of conunon rosin 

 and 3 [larts (liy weight) of raw linseed oil are melted together 

 over a slow tire and Ijoiled for ten minutes. After removal 

 from the fire, but while still hot, this liquid is beaten up with 

 a small quantity of cold tobacco tea (about -i pint of the 

 tea to 3 pints of the rosin-oil mixture). The addition of the 

 tobacco tea will thicken the brown licpiid to a yellowish, 

 semisolid wa.x, which should retain its extreme stickiness for 

 two to four days when applied to the trees. 



A ring of this wax, about 2 inches wide, around the trunk 

 just above the ground, and a second ringaliout 6 inches above 

 the first will prevent the passage of the ants, so long as the 

 wax retains its sticky proi)erties. 



It is very valuable also for covering wounds of all kinds 

 whether made by insects, gnawing animals, or by pruning. 



Ant Killer'. — For exterminating ants in their nests. 

 This is made of rosin, 2 parts ; washing soda, 1 part ; tobacco- 

 tea, 1 part. Boil all together over a. slow fire, stirring slowly, 

 till all the rosin is dissolved. After simmering about fifteen 

 minutes, remove from the fire and add, little by little, 10 to 

 '•5 parts more of tobacco tea, stirring ra[iidly for five minutes 

 or more. A few spoonfuls of this mixture, applied with a 

 coarse syringe at the top of an ant ne.st, will kill the ants 

 without injuring the tree roots. It must be mixed to just 

 the right consistency, however, for if too thick it will not run, 

 and if too thin will soak into the ground and will not follow 

 the galleries of the ant nest. , 



