Vol. XV. No. 364. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



123 



dark brown in colour, the other somewhat larger with a 

 metalic appearance, injure the potatoe itself by boring into 

 it and causing its partial decaj'. 



Reiiieihi'f. Both are difficult pests to control. Healthy 

 slips only should be planted, ai/d the potatoes dug as soon as 

 they are ripe. A rotation of crops will often free the land 

 of them. 



The foregoing indicates the manner in which the pests 

 and their treatment are dealt with. The chart contains much 

 useful information, but it would seem that the same information 

 in the form of a pamphlet or bulletin would be more con- 

 veniently used; and also in bulletin form the opportunity 

 would be presented of somewhat extending and amplifying 

 the information given above under certain headings, which in 

 the chart form have been curtailed, perhaps, too much. 



THE BANANA WEEVIL. 



In a recent number of the .Jamaica Gleaner, there 

 appeared a lecture deliverd at" Hope, by Mr. A. H. Ritchie, 

 B.A., Government Entomologist, on the occurrence of the 

 banana' weevil in Jamaica. This insect was also lately 

 'referred to in the Journal af the Jumnica Agiivulturnl 

 Socidy. 



From these references it appears that the banana weevil 

 (8plienophorus soididiif: = Cosiii.'jpoliies xordidn) has appeared 

 in some numbers in certain districts in -Tamaica. 



This insert appears to be very widely distributed 

 throughout the tropics of the world-, being found in Jamaica, 

 Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique and Trinidad, in the 

 West Indies; Brazil, in South America; and in the Philip- 

 pines, Fiji, Borneo, Sumatra, India, Queensland, and 

 Straits Settlements in the East. 



There are in the genera Metamasius, Sphenophorus, and 

 Cosmopolites, several weevils closely related to each other 

 and to Cosmopolifen fordid'i. which attack bananas in many 

 localities; but while these perhaps attack other plants also, the 

 insect which is now being designated as Costmopolitea !>ordida 

 appears to attack bananas only. 



In Fiji, the banana weevil has become seriously 

 abundant, and in 1912, the Government Entomologist, 

 Mr. F. P. Jepson, visited Java in quest of natural enemies 

 of this pest. He .was successful in tinding a Histerid beetle, 

 which in both adult and larval stages is predaceous on the 

 grubs of -the banana weevil. He .successfully introduced this 

 predaceous beetle into Fiji. 



In 1900, the banana weevil developed a serious attack 

 on plantains in Dominica, and more recently it has been found 

 in some numbers in" Martinique and in Trinidad. 



This insect would appear to be one which has been 

 carried from place to place in banana plants distributed for 

 purposes of propagation, and has probably existed for some 

 time in most, if not all, the localities where it now occurs. 



Its mode of life renders it a diflicult pest to control. 

 The egg, larval and pupal stages are pas.sed in or on the bulli 

 of the banana or plantain. The adults do not move far from 

 the place where they have lived and developed so long as 

 suitable food is available to attract the egg-laying female. 



The spread of the insect from one locality to another is 

 probably accomplished by the transportation of infested 

 suckers for planting, and its sjiread within any locality most 

 likely follows the killing out of infested stools, when the 

 adults would travel in search of fresh supplies of food plants 



The digging out and destroying of all stools of plantain 

 and banana found to be infe.sted, and the planting of suckers 

 free from infestation would a|)pear to be the only practical 

 remedies for checking the increase of the pest, at present 

 known. 



H.A.B. 



RE-AFFORESTATIONIN ANTIGUA. 



The re-afforestation plots planted some twelve years ago 

 by the Agricultural Department have, on the whole, made 

 good progress, and that situated in the boundary of the 

 Botanic Station now contains trees some 20 feet high. In 

 this plot there is growing a miscellaneous collection of forest 

 trees. These consist of Mahogany (Stviefenui Mahfvjoni), 

 AVhite cedar (Tecoma Leucoxylon), Willow (Casunrina, 

 eq II iseti folia), Logwood {H)iemiito.ryhiii c<t)upechianum), 

 Algaroba (Prosopis julijlora), and others. 



The plot at the Camp is composed of shallow stony soil, 

 and is situated in a wind-swept position. The trees here mostly 

 consist of mahogany, which have made normally good growth 

 in .spite of unsuitable environment, their average height being 

 between 10 and 12 feet. They are not so thickly planted as 

 those in the other plot, but the trees have borne seeds, and 

 a number of young seedlings are now appearing which will 

 greatly improve it in the future. 



These plots now clearly demonstrate that it is possible to 

 re-afforest wind-swept areas possessing soil of an indifferent 

 nature. 



In the Annual Report for the year 1911-12, the sugges- 

 tion was made that the re-aftbresting of the catchment area 

 of Wallings reservoir would ensure to it a more constant 

 supply of water. At the time of writing, a[)proximately -50 

 acres of this area have been planted. A fuller account of 

 this work will be given in next sea.son's report. (Report on 

 Botanic and Experiment Stations for 1914-1.5.) 



EUCALYPTUS IN DOMINICA. 



The following were added to the collection of Euca/- 

 lyptus, which brings up the number of species under obser, 

 Viition to seventy-six: Eurdh/pt.uii Boormanni, E. buptesiium 

 E. capitellatd, E. roriacen, E. Deanei, E. goniocalyx, 

 E. fasciculo.^ii, E. niegncarpa, E. ohtusifoliit, and E. pleu- 

 rocarpii . 



In view of the importance of certain species of 

 Eucalyptus as timber trees, the measurements of a specimen 

 of Eucdlypfuf eitri'jdora, which had to be felled in the 

 Botanic Gardens during the course of the year, are of 

 interest. The tree was planted eighteen years before: -- . 



Height of tree 106 feet inches 



Girth 3 feet from ijniund 7 



20 „ ,. ^ „ .5 3 



40 „ „ „ 4 



60 „ „ „ . 3 3 



At the height of 60 feet the trunk branched. 



Of the numerous species grown, it would appear, so far, 

 that none is likely to prove superior to, or indeed to equal, 

 Eumlyptuf. teretieorms and E. citriodtwa in rapidity of 

 growth, and in the production of timber. It was fortunate 

 that the kinds found to be best suited to local conditions 

 should have been amongst the earliest introductions to the 

 Botanic Gardens. (liepf>rt on Agricultural Department, 

 1914-15.) 



