184 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



September 



1902. 



INSECT NOTES. 



The Woolly Pyrol Moth. 



A largo aiva of green (Ires.siiigs is grown annually 

 in Barbados and has this year, as in some jn-evious 

 years, suffered heavily from the attacks of insects. 

 Whole fields have been destroyed by the caterjiil- 

 lars of the Woolly Pyrol Jloth and njiparentlv 

 little or 1,0 effort has been made to cheek this 

 destruction. There is a current belief that tlie eating 

 up of these green dressings is of no importance 

 as the vegetable matter reaches the soil after jiassing 

 through the bodies of the caterpillars, and thus is not 

 really lost to the soil. This would be true if the whoh' 

 (if tile niateiial of the j)lant reached the soil through 

 the catirpillar, and if as much vt'getable matter were 

 produced by the plant whethei- or no the caterpillars 

 ate its foliage. Unfortunately neitlier of these sujipo- 

 sitions is correct. 



1'his moth lives all the year round on a variety of 

 |)lants and does not increase to any great extent 

 until its food-plants (woolly pyrol and other green 

 dressings) are jihinted over large areas. The abun- 

 dance of its food suj)ply then leads to ra]iid increase 

 and the green dressings are gradually destroyed. As 

 was pointed out in the Cth. Lecture to Plantei's in 

 Barbados, in October 1901, this state of things need 

 never occur. If at tlie commen cement of the titfacl; 

 the plants were sjirayed witli Paris green or other 

 arsenical ]ioison, or if they were dusted with a mixture 

 of lime and Paris green, the first batch of caterpillars 

 would be destroyed and the attack checked a/ iln 

 outset. The matter is in the hands of the jilanter, 

 and if ln> followed tJiis course it is pro'jable that his 

 crop would attain its full growth and he would not 

 grow a stunted cro]} lo be cliietly consumed in feeding 

 hordes of caterpillars, which later become moths and tlv 

 away. 



Insects Attacking Indian Corn. 



Where ever Indian corn has been observed iu the 

 Lesser Antilles, insect attack has been a ]>rominent 

 feature. The piinci])al jiests noted are the following: — 



(1) The Mdih-hiirer cjf sugar-canc, which tunnels 

 in the stems and ears of the corn. 



(2) The C(,)v Kill' W(iim, a caterpillar which 

 destroys the leaves, and especiall}' the cobs, eating into 

 the latter chieHy at the upper end. 



(H) The Corn Ajthln, a somewhat serious t'orm of 

 ]ilant lou.si! found in gri'at numbers on the le.-ncs .■uid 

 leaf-sheaths. 



(4) The Corn Fhj, constantly present in great 

 immbers on the leaves and leaf-sheaths. This is a 



small grey-l)rown insect, very active, similar to the 

 cine Hy ( l)el/iliii.r). 



In addition to these four there are others of less 

 importance. The question of insect attacks on growing 

 corn appears to be neglected by planters. No reports 

 have been received of these attacks an<l no inquiries 

 have been n)ade as to the remedies. It is ])ropose(i 

 to study these pests in detail and j)lanters and t)thers 

 who may observe any insect attacking growing com 

 are rt-(piested to assist the Department by forward- 

 ing information and specimens. 



This jiroblem is quite distinct from that of the 

 insects attacking stored c<irn : this rjuestion is also 

 receiving attention and any information or specimens 

 concerning insects in stored corn will be of value. 

 There is no doubt that these pests can be combated 

 and there need not be so large a loss in the Indian 

 corn crop as there is at present. But until those who 

 actually grow and reap the corn are aware of the fact 

 that these ])ests are at work and will supply informa- 

 tion and specimens, it will not be possdile to assist 

 them to the full extent possible in the fight against 

 their insect enemies. 



Insects Attacking Sweet Potatos. 



The insect i>ests of the sweet jjotato have been 

 under observation during the past two years and some 

 information concerning them has been already pub- 

 lished. At the present time, a large amount of the 

 crop is lost from insect attacks. It is believed that this 

 lo.ss is pre\-entable, if planters and others will only take 

 the necessary precautions to secure the full yield from 

 their crops. 



There are recorded five scrit)us pests of sweet 

 ])otato including ' Scarabee' or 'Jacobs,' the Potato 

 .Motli. .-ind the Red Spider. These were dealt with 

 lullv in thi' (ith Lecture to Planters in Barbados in 

 October ]!)0I. In addition there are two serious 

 pests, as well as eight of minor importance. The sweet 

 potato crop is of such importance in Barbados and the 

 West Indies generally that it is desirable to obtain 

 as full facts as possible concerning its pests. Any 

 infoi'matioii respecting attacks of insects on sweet 

 ))otato will be of \alue, and all specimens forwardeil to 

 this Department will be carefully studied and will 

 materially aid in the investigation of these pests. So 

 far as can be seen, a small sum of niomy spent per 

 acre will be sutheii'nt so thoroughly to check most of 

 these pests that the outlay will be far more than 

 repaid in the increased yield. It is bad policy to grow 

 a crop and obtain only a portion of the possible yield 

 when a small outlay would secure a far larger yield, 

 and it is solely on this basis that any reeonunendations 

 are made with regard to the treatment of insect ])ests. 

 It is ho])ed that more attention will be ]paid to this 

 ]i<iint. A held of young jiotatos shoiild be most c.are- 

 luliy watched for signs of disease, as the remedies can 

 <inlv be successful if (iji/ilied e<(rlj/. In addition every 

 pl.mter should, .iiKi could, be familiar with these pests 

 so that he mav recognize the oiiset of the attack of 

 any of them. 



