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bean, and rarely among the canes. The eggs have not 

 been found in the field. This suggests the planting of 

 Indian corn on lands where root borer attacks have been 

 severe, in order to furnish a hiding place for the weevils, 

 so that when they emerge they may be collected. 

 There can be no doubt that the destruction of large 

 numbers of the adults greatly reduces the number of 

 grubs which will attack the following crop of canes, and 

 if there were concerted action on the part of all the 

 estate managers in any district, the root borer in that 

 district might easily be reduced to comparatively small 

 numbers. 



Natural Enemies. The adult weevil, the parent of 

 the root borer grub, is probably preyed upon to a certain 

 extent by birds, toads and lizards. The grubs, during 

 the longer part of their existence as such, are very largely 

 protected from attack by the situations in which they 

 live, but when they are exposed on the surface in the 

 operation of hoeing or forking, or when the cane stumps 

 are dug out and broken up, they are readily attacked by 

 several species of ants, and eaten by toads and by birds, 

 especially by the Barbados blackbird (Qiiiscalus forti- 

 rostris). 



the shot borer (Xyleborus yerforans, Woll.). 



Coleoptera. 



This is a small, brownish beetle about ^-inch in length 

 It tunnels in the canes like the weevil borer, spending the 

 stages of egg, larva and pupa in the tissues of the 

 food plant. It is supposed that the shot borer causes 

 the chief injury to canes by providing easy means of 

 entrance for disease-producing fungi. There seems to be 

 some doubt, however, as to whether healthy canes are 

 often attacked. 



The shot borer has been known for many years 

 throughout the West Indies. It appears to have been most 

 abundant during those years when the sugar industry 

 seemed threatened by the extraordinary attacks of fun- 

 gus diseases. For several years very little has been 

 heard of the attacks of this pest in the Lesser Antilles. 



Control. The prompt destruction of all infected and 

 rotten canes, immediately after the crop is reaped, will 

 have the effect of reducing the numbers of the shot borer, 

 and checking its development and spread. 



