U6 



THE AGlilCULTURAL NEWS. 



NOVEIIBEE 11, 1905. 



INSECT NOTES. 



Fiddler Beetle attacking Cacao. 



The fiddler beetle {rraepodts vittaius) is a wel'l-knowu 

 jjest of oranges in Jamaica, wliere it is now recorded as 

 also attacking cacao. A discussion appears in the BuUethi of 

 the Bepaiinwnt of Agrindture, Jan.aica, for October, from 

 which there woukl seem to be some difference of opinion as to 

 whether the beetle attacks healthy trees or only such as are 

 weakened by unfavourable conditions of soil, drainage, etc. 



Articles published in the Afjricidtwal Kevs (Vol. I, 

 p. 100; Vol. 11, p. 244; Vol. Ill,' p. 266) give accounts of 

 this insect and its attacks on oranges, and another article 

 (Vol. II, p. 298) gives an account of trapping the adult 

 beetles on sunflower heads, and it is recommended that these 

 be planted in the orange groves. Sunflowers should be in 

 flower from !Marcli to June, when the adults are most 

 plentiful. The blossoms should be inspected every day, and 

 the beetles collected and destroyed. 



Dr. Cousins recommends the hand-picking of adults, tiie 

 application of Paris green to the leaves to kill the adults, 

 and the use of carbon bisulphide in the soil at the base of 

 infected trees to kill the larvae. It would seem that iilanters 

 who .systematically carry out these recommendations should 

 not experience serious injury to their trees from the attacks 

 of the fiddler beetle. 



(juantity of infested material a tight bo.x or barrel with 

 a tight-fitting cover may be used. The material is placed 

 inside and carbon bisulphide poured into a plate or .shallow 

 dish at the top of the receptacle, the cover being quickly 

 put on and made as tight as possible. 



For dealing with large quantities fumigation may be 

 carried on in a tight room. Carbon Viisulphide is employed 

 in this way at the rate of 1 Bj. to 1,000 cubic feet of space. 

 For an ordinary flour barrel one or two teaspoonfuls (^ to 

 \ oz.) should be used. 



It should be borne in mind that carbon bisulphide is 

 a highly inflammable liquid. A lighted cigar or pipe or even 

 a glowing match is suflicient to set it alight, if brought into 

 contact with the vapour. As the vapour of carbon bisulphide 

 is heavier than air, the liquid should be placed as near as 

 possible to the top of a bo.x; or barrel u.sed for fumigating, or 

 on shelves 4 feet or more above the floor of the rotmi which 

 is being fumigated. Carbon bisulphide has a very strong, 

 offensive odour and is fatal to insect life. There is no danger 

 to the person using it, if only a small quantity is breathed, 

 the odour quickly passes away when esj)Osed to the air, and 

 articles of food or clothing, books, etc., are unharmed by it. 



Small fpiantities of flour, meal, and other foodstuffs may 

 be disinfected by being first passed through a fine sieve to 

 get out the beetles and larvae and then heated in an oven to 

 about 12.5° to 150° F. to kill the eggs. If the infestation by 

 these pests becomes severe, it will be necessary to repeat the 

 treatment from time to time. 



The life-cycle of the.se beetles occupies a very short time, 

 possibly only from six weeks to two months, and as breeding 

 is probably continuous all the year round in the tropics, it will 

 be seen that they are likely to increase in numbers very 

 rapidly once they Isecome established. 



Cigarette and Biscuit Beetles. 



Specimens were recently received by the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture of a small beetle reported to be 

 seriously injuring the boots and shoes in a Biidgetown store. 

 On examination this proved to be the cigarette beetle 

 {Lasioderma sciricoiiie). 



The cigarette beetle is a member of the family Ptinidae, 

 and is well known as a pest of cigarettes, cigars, and leaf 

 tobacco. In addition, it is known also to attack herbs and 

 drugs, such as ergot, tumeric, cayenne pepper, ginger, rhubarb, 

 etc., and foodstuffs. It has been reported as destructive to 

 silk and plush, and has at times been destructive to herbarium 

 sjiecimens. 



C)ther si>ecies of the family Ptinidae are very similar 

 in habit and ajipearance to the cigarette beetle. The drug- 

 store beetle {.Sitodrepa 2Mnicea) or biscuit beetle, as it is 

 commonly called, is a serious pest of stored foodstuff's, herbs, 

 drugs, books, hides, and skin.s, and it also attacks tobacco in 

 the same way as the cigarette bettle. These insects are 

 very small and inconspicuou.s, being only about -^^ inch in 

 length. They are not often noticed, but the damage they 

 do cannot be overlooked. Perhaps the most consiiicuous injury 

 is tliat done by the so-called book- worm, which lea\es small 

 round holes in books, card boxes, photograjihs, etc. This 

 injury is probably generally caused by the biscuit beetle or 

 a closely related sjiecies {Ptiiiusfir) and is most generally to 

 be seen in old books, the bindings and covers of which seem 

 to be a favourite food. 



In dealing with these insects carbon bi.^ulphide will 

 probably prove the most useful insecticide. The use of 

 carbon bisuli>hide has been fully explained in the 

 Affviadtural A'eu's (Vol. Ill, p. 29). For treating a small 



PARA RUBBER IN MALAY STATES. 



The Biiurd of Trade Journal of September 28 

 hcus tlie following note on the extension of the Para 

 rubber industry in the Federated Malay States: — 



The Peport on Experimental Plantations in the Federated 

 Malay States in 1904 states that agricultural interests in 

 those States is almost entirelj" centred in the cultivation of 

 the Para rubber tree. This cultivation has now got well 

 beyond the experimental stage, and there is no longer any 

 doubt as to whether the tree is suited to the conditions 

 obtaining in the Federated Malay States, or whether its 

 cultivation will prove remunerative. Tapping on a com- 

 mercial scale has commenced on several estates, the exports 

 for the year ending December 31 last, amounting to 105 

 pikuls (about 14,000 fc.) valued at over 828,000 ; but, as 

 the oldest estates are just coming into bearing, this amount 

 will be greatly exceeded in the near future. The prices 

 realized have exceeded the most sanguine expectations, 

 having averaged almost Is. per lb. more than 'fine Para,' 

 the price of which has advanced nearly 30 per cent, during 

 the last twelve months. The fact tliat 'jilantation Para' 

 advanced l.-i. 6c/. per B). during the year 1904, as against 

 a rise of Is. 2d. per lb. for ' fine Para ' would seem to show 

 that, in the opinion of the manufacturer, the value of 'planta- 

 tion Para ' increases on acquaintance. The report adds : 

 'There is little doubt, provided the quality is kept up to the 

 present high level, that, if the sui)ply of high-grade rubber 

 ever exceeds the demand, the cultivated product will be the 

 hst to suffer ; moreover, it seems more than probable that, 

 owing to its quality, the facility and comparatively low cost 

 at which it can be harvested, "plantation Para" will 

 eventually oust the native product from the markets.' 



