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THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



December 20, 1902. 



INSECT NOTES. 



The Orange Bark Weevil. 



( Cri/j)f<'rliijiiili ii'-< s]'.) 

 An iiiteiusting iii.scct was found attacking <.iiange 

 trees in Cienacla in lOOO, and as it is likely to be found 

 not only in Grenada but elsewhere in the West Indies, 

 a short account may prove interesting. 



Fic. 18. The Orange B.a.rk Weevil. 



Bec-tic, from above iuid from the side, iibout luitiuv.l size. 

 Grub, from tlie side, half natural size. 



Tile weevil in (juestion is a small brcjwnish insect, 

 about halt an inch in length: the head is small, 

 prolonged into a curved beak which is usually concealed 

 under the Ixidy. The thorax is brown with a spar.se 

 covering of .^mali, whitish scales that givt' it a dingy- 

 white apjiearance. The wing cases are huge, fitting 

 closely to the body, of a dingy whitish-biown. The 

 legs are long, and the under .surface (jf the body has 

 huge white scales which give it a beautiful appearance 

 un<ler a magnitying glass. 'I'his beetle lays eggs on, 

 or in, the baik, and the little givib that hatches eats 

 into the bark and connn<>nces to eat the wood below. 

 In time it forms a neat cylindrical ]iit, extending into 

 the wood, about 4 inch deeji, and { inch in diameter. 

 In this pit the grub lives undisturbed. 



The grub is white an<l fleshy, with a large heiul 

 armed with powerful jaws. It has no legs and remains 

 in this pit till it is fully grown. Then the grub makes 

 a thin, tough cocoon, and turns to the chrys.dis. Fiom 

 this the perfect weevil emerges, eats through t!ie thin 

 bark over the pit and conies out. 



The weevils' may bo found on the branches and 

 trunk of the tree, and their colour is .so much like that of 

 the bark that it is no easy matter to find them. 



Foituiialely, the insect needs to be very numerous 

 before it becomes seriously destructive, and it is not a 

 <lifhc\dt matter to destroy it if it is found to be attack- 

 ing a tree. By tapping the tree with the ])oint of a 

 jienknife, the pits are easily found, and when found, cjin 

 be cut open am! the grub or chrysalis kille<l. If this is 

 not satisfactory, a good ])lan is to paint the trunk .and 

 large branches with the following mixture : — 



C'rufle carbolic acid one jiint 



Whale oil soap 2 tt). 



Clay 

 Mix the Soap with one gallon of hot water. Stir in the 

 carbolic acid (Phenol), add 10 gallons of water anil 

 enough clay to thicken it : two applications .>-hould be 

 made with mteivals of one to two weeks between. This 

 mixture kee])s l)eetles fi-om coming t() lay eggs and 

 kills anv giuhs that may be in the tree. It also has a 

 beneficial effect in destroying lichens and other growths 

 on the bark, though it does not injure the latter. It is 

 also wise to whitewash the trunk and branches of 

 neighbouring trees so that they may not be attacked. 

 This insect is one of those minor pests that are rarely 

 troublesome excejit in the case of a few trees her(^ an<l 

 there, but do become destructive when orange trees 

 are j)lanted in any number. Its work is so ciiaracter- 

 istic that the pest is not likely to be mistaken, and the 

 above descripti<in and figure may help in dc'termining' 

 its identity in case of doubt. 



Specimens of similar insects attacking orange and 

 lime trees should be sent to the Head OHice for deter- 

 mination, as the records of all such cases are of value. 



GARDEN NOTES. 



Giafting: or Budding Tape. 



The following simple method of making grafting, 

 or budding tape is taken fi'om the Bulletin i>f Misrcl- 

 IdiK'oii.s I iifiiriiiKtiini for October 1U02, issued by the. 

 Botanical Department, Trinidad: — 



'.Materials: --(1) White cotton tape, I inch wiilo ; 

 (2) liees-wax I , 



(.!) iship.s pitch I ' ' 



Directions: — Put eijual parts {}, lb of each is snUicient 

 for about 1") yards of ta|ie) of bees-wax and sliips pitch in a 

 small niet<d or earthenware ves.sel with a wide mouth, and 

 lie:it over a fire, .stirring a,s the two constituents melt 

 together. Tiien jilunge a piece of tai)e of convenient length 

 into llic li«|ui(l, keeping hold of one end with the linger and 

 thumb. \Vitli the other hand hold two .small pieces of wood 

 on each si<le of the outer end of the tape, ju.st in front where 

 it is held by finger and thumb. Then pull the tape through 

 between the two pieces of wood so as to remove extra wax 

 and distribute it evenly over the tajic. .\s each piece is 

 dipped, it should be hung on a wire to dry. It will be cool 

 an<l ready for use in a few niiiuites.' 



(V)nunenting on the above the Editor, Mr. .1. H. Hart, 

 writes: 'The black tape used by electrical engineers for 

 covering wires is a useful substitute. As it is packed in 

 airtight tins, it can bo kept in i.'^>rid condition for lengthy 

 periods.' 



Analysis of Volcanic Dust. Through an over- 

 sight tiic last two lines in the analysis of volcanic dust, given 

 on pa.ge 270 of the Aijiicitltuntl Nni's, are meiiningle.s.--. 



Headers arc re(piestcd to place asterisks or other marks 

 to denote that of the pota.ssiuni oxide (iK)tiUsh) present, 

 027 was soluble in one Jicr cent, solution of citric acid. 



Similarly of the phosphoric aidiydride (phosphoric acid) 

 the proportion soluVilc in one per cent, citric acid wa-s 

 ■02s per cent. 



