410 



THE AQRICULTDRAL NEWS. 



December 20, 1913. 



INSECT NOTES. 



FRUIT FLIES. 



During recent years fruit Hies have come to be 

 recognized as serious pests, either actual or potential, in 

 every country where fruit growing is an industry of any 

 great importance. 



The serious injuries to the fruit and the considerable 

 losses in crop value which have resulted from the attacks of 

 these pests have led to the enactment of quarantine ordin- 

 ances in many countries directed against the importation of 

 important species of fruit tlies which are new to those 

 localities. 



The fruit flies belong to the natural order Diptera or 

 two- winged Hies, and to the family Trypetidae. The 

 Trypetidae are Hies which, as far as is known, generally 

 deposit their eggs in or on the tissues of plants: the fruit 

 Hie.s .select ripening or ripe fruits for this purpose; the maggots, 

 which hatch from the eggs, live in these situations till 

 Tull grown, and then pupate in the same place or in the 

 ground. 



The most widely distributed and most destructive of all 

 these insects is the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata). 

 It is against this insect that the provisions of recent laws in 

 Hawaii and Porto IJico are chiefly directed. It was this 

 insect ako which was a serious pest in Bermuda a few years 

 ago. It is also a pest of importance in South Africa, 

 Australia and the Mediterranean countries. Tryj^eta ludens, 

 which is known as the Mexican orange worm, is also a pest 

 of importance in Mexico, and a rigid quarantine is enforced 

 to prevent its introduction into the citrus cultivations in 

 California. 



In the Lesser Antilles, neither Ceratitis nor Trypeta 

 appear to be known. The common fruit flies, of which there 

 are several species, belong to the genus Anastrepha, and they 

 attack guavas, sapodillas and other fruit. 



In the Journal of Economic Entomology for October 

 last, there is an article by H. H. P. Severin, Ph D., entitled 

 The Life History of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly (Ceratitia 

 rnpitatd, Wied.) with a list of fruits attacked in the Hawaiian 

 Islands. 



In this list are the names of thirty-eight plants, among 

 which are to be found fourteen besides the citrus group 

 and the guavas that occur in the West Indian islands. 

 The following names are taken from the list mentioned: — 

 Sour sop {Anona mwicata), sugar palm (Aretiga sacc/iari- 

 fern), papaw (Carica pajxiyii), star apple [Chrysophylluni 

 minito), citrus fruits such as oranges, grape fruits, manda- 

 rine orange, lime, etc., Liberian coffee (Cojf'ea liherica), 

 Tose apple {Engeniu jamhos), fig {Eicus carica), mango 

 (Mangif'va /jirfz'ra), banana {Musa Cavendishii), prickly pear 

 {Opuntia tuna). Avocado pear {Perxra gy-atissiiwi), yellow 

 oleander, lucky bean tree or milk bush (Tfieretia nerifolia), 

 and several varieties of guavas and almond {Terminalia 

 Calappa). 



It will be seen from this list that there are food plants 

 in these islands in sulHcicnt variety to enable an introduced 

 peat of this kind to establish itself. In any island, therefore, 

 where it is hoped to develop a fruit industry, every precau- 

 tion should be taken to prevent the introduction of any 

 fruit flies, and further eflbrts should be made to learn as 

 ranch as possible regarding the native species of these 

 insects, especially with regard to the following points: the 

 different kinds of fruit Hies, the fruits attacked, and the 

 , «'xtent of the injury done. 



LEGISLATION IN REGARD TO PLANT 

 IMPORTATION 



In Mauritius, a proclimation has recently been issued 

 by His Excellency the Governor specifying the conditions 

 under which plants, certain manures and timbers may be 

 imported into that Colony, and absolutely prohibiting the 

 importation of earth and leaf garden mould, forage and 

 timber with the bark on. 



This Proclamation is No. 81 of 1913. dated August 6, 

 issued under the provisions of Ordinance No. 4 of 1910, and 

 it repeals Proclamation No. 24 of May 3, 1912. 



As already stated, Proclamation No. SI of 1913 abso- 

 lutely prohibits the importation into Mauritius of earth and 

 leaf and garden mould, dung or animal droppings (except 

 guano), forage and timber with the bark on. Grape vine 

 cuttings and plants are also prohibited except when covered 

 by a certificate from the P>oard of Agriculture (or other 

 competent authority) of the country of origii., that the vinesi 

 have not been exposed to the infection of Phylloxera for 

 the six weeks prior to the date of shipment. 



In connexion with the importation of sugar-canes or 

 cuttings thereof, and live plants of all sorts including roots, 

 tubers, cuttings and grafts, these are all absolutely prohibited 

 when packed or shipped in any description of soil. 



Sugar-canes or cuttings thereof, living plants or 

 bulbils of Agave or Fourcroea and tea plants, may not be 

 introduced unless written permission has previously been 

 obtained from the Director of the Department of Agriculture, 

 upon whose discretion lies the issuing of such permits. The 

 Director of Agriciilture may attach conditions to the permits 

 and may limit the number of plants, cuttings, etc , to be- 

 introduced. 



The Proclamation provides for the inspection at the port 

 of entry of (a) sugar canes or cuttings thereof, (b) live 

 plants of all sorts, including roots, tubers, cuttings, grafts 

 and buds, and (c) fresh fruits from all countries except the 

 Dependencies of Mauritius. If, on inspection, these articles, 

 are found not to be free from insect pests, they may be 

 ordered to be destroyed or to be subjected to such disinfection 

 or treatment as the inspecting officer may prescribe. 



Papers on legislation affecting the importation of plants 

 and the disinfection of imported plants appeared in the 

 Wc.xt Indian liulletin, Vol. X , pp. 197 and 349, respectively 

 showing what had been done in the matter up to that time 

 (1910), in the West Indies. The Government of Mauritius 

 would appear to be well advised to give attention to this 

 matter in connexion with the re-organization of its Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture and the Proclamation now under notice 

 seems to deal thoroughly with the necessities of the case. 



From a table of statistics given in the tjveenslani 

 Agricxdtural Journal (September 9, 1913) it is seen that the 

 number of horses bred in Ivussia and the United States of 

 America is far larger than in other countries. In 1912, the 

 United Sutes contained 20,509,000 horses, Argentina (1908 i 

 7J million, Germany (1907) about 1.', million, Canada (1911;, 

 about 2,200,000, G'reat Britain and Ireland (1911) had 

 about the same number as Canada. British India (1910i 

 possessed just over 1.^ million horses. The fewest horses 

 are found in South Australia which contain.* only just ovei' 

 200,000. 



