62 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE 



Mealy-bugs on rice at Balasore have been identified by 

 Mr. E. Ernest Green as Ripersia sacchari niger. 



3. Sugarcane. The work of rearing cane-borers was 

 continued, fresh affected cane, maize, juar, millets, wild 

 grasses, etc., being collected and the borers and their para- 

 sites reared out. Several broods of moths, bred from known 

 parents themselves reared in both cane and juar, were also 

 reared to ascertain the variability of certain characters. 

 As material accumulates it seems to become increasingly 

 evident that the cane-borers are two or more species of 

 Diatrcea, which may occasionally attack juar, maize, etc., 

 and that the normal borer in these cereal crops is Chilo 

 simplex which is rarely found in cane. Further collection 

 and study are required of material from all parts of India 

 as the question of identity is of importance as regards con- 

 trol. 



From observations made at Tharsa Farm, in the Central 

 Provinces, it seems that there is some possibility of reduc- 

 ing the incidence of borers (in this case principally 

 SchamoVius) by varying the time of planting the cane. 

 With this view a small experimental plot of half an acre 

 under both thick and thin varieties of cane was planted by 

 the end of October 1915. 



Two Fieldmen were detailed to assist the farm in selec- 

 tion of cane setts for planting in February and March. 



Observations on Pyrilla aberrans were written up and- 

 submitted for publication as a Memoir (now in the press). 



The sugarcane Aleyrodid (Aleurolobus barodensis) was 

 reported from Tharsa as doing considerable damage to* 

 canes in the experimental plots. Measures for control were- 

 suggested and a large amount of material was also collected 

 and reared to find out whether any effective parasite was 

 present; but no parasite of any importance was obtained. 



Papua depressella has hitherto been noted as boring 

 principally in the roots of cane, being mostly in evidence 

 in the ratoon crop. This year it exhibited a new habit by 

 attacking new shoots of newly-planted cane in the early" 



