CHAPTER I. 

 Introduction. 



In 1901, the Imperial Department of Agriculture issued 

 Pamphlet Xo. 5. entitled General Treatment of Insect Pests. 

 At that time, the Department had recently begun to deal 

 with the problems presented through the attacks of insects 

 on crops, and consequently the information then published 

 was of the most general character. The ten years which 

 have since elapsed have brought about a much wider knowl- 

 edge of the insects which occur in these islands. 



It may be well to remind readers of this book that the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture has-been in direct rela- 

 tionship with the agriculture of the British islands of the 

 Leeward and Windward Colonies, and Barbados, and that 

 references to the Lesser Antilles will be understood to apply 

 to these Colonies only. 



The crops gro<vn in the West Indies are much the same 

 as they were ten years ago, the principal difference being in 

 the standing of the cotton industry, which was then enter- 

 ing upon an experimental trial. It need not be statecb. here 

 what measure of success attended these trials, nor the 

 rapidity with which a profitable industry was established. 

 As a result of the rapid increase in the acreage of cotton, 

 insects which previously were not recognized as pests, and in 

 some cases even were not known to science, have assumed an 

 important position as serious pests. 



Further study of the conditions in reo-ard to the culti- 

 vation of other crops has also led to the recognition, as pests, 

 of insects which formerly were entirely ignored. 



In the following pages an attempt is made to present a 

 general account, in popular language, of insects and their 

 allies (mites and ticks) which are of importance. These are 

 arranged in groups according to the plants or animals 

 which they attack, and in many instances information is 

 given as to their natural enemies. 



In addition to the remedies and control measures which 

 are suggested in connexion with the account of each pest 



