Ill 



Whenever the larvae of this insect occur as borers in 

 Castilloa they should be cut out with a sharp knife, or 

 killed by probing into their tunnels with a stiff wire. 



NUTMEGS. 



Nutmegs are commonly attacked by the mealv shield 

 scale (Pulvinaria pyriformis, Ckll.), which occurs on the 

 under side of the leaves, but does not often become a serious 

 pest. When young, the scales are very flat, green in colour, 

 rounded or ovate in outline (Fig. 128 j. The older scales are 

 brown, and the eggs are laid in a mass of white cottony 



Fig. 128. Mealy shield scale. 

 Enlarged. {Imperial Dept. Agric.) 



wax which raises one edge of the scale from the leaf, and 

 protrudes slightly. If it is found necessary to spray for 

 the control of this insect, any of the oily or soapy washes 

 will give satisfaction. 



BANANAS. 



Bananas are attacked by at least two species of white 

 fly, the more important of these being the white fly of the 

 palms (see Figs. 121 and 122), which occurs sometimes in con- 

 siderable numbers on the leaves of banana plants. It does 

 not often happen, however, that spraying is necessary, for 

 the removal of the old plants after the ripening of the fruit 

 serves to destroy a large number of the insects. 



In certain islands, bananas are subject to attacks of the 

 larva of a beetle which bores into the underground 



