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THE AGRICQLTUKAL NEWS. 



September 16, 1911. 



INSECT NOTES. 



AN INSECT NEW TO THE WEST INDIES. 



According to information contained in a paper entitled 

 A Keport on a llecent Addition to the Insect Fauna of the 

 West Indies, by Dr. A. Fredholm, which appeared in the 

 Proceedimjs of the Ar/ricultural Society of Trinidad and 

 Tobago, an insect has been discovered in St. Croix and in 

 Trinidad which may prove to be a troublesome pest, if it 

 becomes established and spreads to other islands. 



The insect referred to is JJartocera ruhiis, Linn., and the 

 account of its occurrence given herewith is taken from the 

 paper referred to above. 



liartocera ritlitisis a large beetle of the Longicorn group, 

 commonly called the long-horned borers. It varies in size, 

 the body being from 29-55 mm. (1^ to 21 inches) in length, 

 and about one-third as wide as long. The antennae are 

 slender, and much longer than the body, and the legs also 

 are long and slender. 



In colour, this insect is dark-brown on the dorsal surface, 

 marked with reddish or yellowish spots, the scutellum being 

 white. The under surface is covered with a fine, greyish- 

 yellowish pubescence, with a wide, white stripe on each side. 



The insect is a native of Asia and Eastern Africa, where, 

 with other species of the genus, it is of fairly common occur- 

 rence. There are, of course, many long-horned borers which 

 are native to the West Indies and other parts of tropical 

 countries, but this genus is not a native, and occurs only as 

 an introducad form. 



The specimens from St. Croix were forwarded by the 

 Secretary of the Agricultural and Commercial Society of 

 Trinidad and Tobago, to Washington, where the identifica- 

 tion was made by experts of the Bureau of Entomology. 



Mr. August Busck, an agent of the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology of the United States Department of Agriculture, who 

 visited the West Indies in 190(i, obtained two specimens of 

 Bartocera rul/us, but as all the recorded species were at that 

 time known from Oriental region.s, the data supplied to 

 Mr. Busck were doubted at Washington. 



Bartocera rnlus has apparently existed in St. Croix for 

 .some three years, but the manner of its introduction is 

 unknown. The larva is a borer in the wood of living trees. 

 In the East it is known to attack trees of several natural 

 orders, generally those the wood of which is rather soft. 



Jfr. Petersen, who found this insect in St. Croix, states 

 that he knows it to attack avocado pear, mango, and rubber 

 (Ficiis ('/as<rVa) trees, and also a tree from which fishermen make 

 floats for their seines. In Trinidad this tree is known as 

 'bois flot', and the botanical name given for it is Ochroma 

 I.arjopus, Sw. ; in other parts of the West Indies, it is called 

 'bombast mahoe', or 'down tree'. 



In Ceylon, the insect was in 1870, a very serious pest of 

 cocoanut.s, killing large numbers of young trees. Other 

 trees which would probably sutler if Bartocera should become 

 established in the West Indies are the silk cotton tree, trumpet 

 tree {fJecropia peltata), many species of Ficus, the hog plum 

 (Spondias lulca) and related species, the breadfruit, and 



jack-fruit, and the Central American rubber {Castilloa 

 elastica). 



Introduced pests are almost certain to become more 

 serious in their efifects in new localities than in those where 

 they have been long established, since their natural enemies 

 are not generally introduced with them, and those of similar 

 insects do not at once recognize the new forms as their prey. 



In view of these facts, planters throughout the ^\'est 

 Indies should keep a careful look-out for large grubs boring 

 in the trunks of trees, either those which are living or those 

 recently dead, and when such grubs are found, steps should 

 be taken to rear the adult insect in order that it may be 

 identified, and in the event of Bartocera ruhws being found, 

 energetic measures should be adopted for its eradication. 



FORESTRY IN HAWAII. 



A note on the forest policy that is being adopted 

 in Hawaii was given in the Ac/ricidtural Neivs, Vol. 

 IX, p. 87. The following additional information in 

 regard to the same matter is taken from the Report of 

 the Superintendent of Forestry, Hawaii, for 1910: — ■ 



Forestry in Hawaii is a matter which concerns both 

 private interests and the Government. Each manager of 

 a corporation owning or controlling land should look to it 

 that his forests are well cared for, and that waste or other 

 land, that cannot be utilized more intensively, is planted with 

 trees. And the people, as a whole, through their representa- 

 tives in the Legislature, should make adequate provision for 

 the proper care and development of the forest areas belonging 

 to them, but managed for them by the officers of their govern- 

 ment—the forests on government land. 



Specifically, as regards the government forests of Hawaii, 

 provision should be made by adequate appropriations for five 

 main branches of forest work: — 



(1) For the proper maintenance and protection of the 

 existing native forests — through the fencing of forest reserve 

 lioundaries, the care of the forests and their protection from 

 trespass by forest rangers, and a special fund, to be used only 

 in case of need, for fighting forest fires. 



(2) For the planting of open places in forest reserves, 

 and of other government lands, where the growing of a forest 

 is the best use to which the land can be put. 



(3) For the extension and better equipment of the system 

 of sub-nurseries and local distributing points for the giving 

 away of trees. 



(4) For the' introduction and experimental planting ■■( 

 economically desirable trees and shrubs new to the territory . 



(5) For the general administrative and routine expenses 

 of the Division of Forestry in carrying out these several' 

 branches of work, and in its more strictly technical investiga- 

 tions, such as the work being done in connexion with the 

 herbarium; it being understood that the allotment for this 

 last section should be sufficient to include provision for the 

 publication of results. 



A report received from tlie Agricultural Superintendent, 

 St. Lucia, show that the planting of limes is continuing in ; 

 the island, and that there arc indications that the cultivation 

 will be taken up by peasant holders as soon as they are cer- 

 tain of being able to dispose of their crops to the larger 

 producers. 



