Vol. XVI. No. 3S5. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



27 



applied, and must of course be adapted to the particular 

 soil conditions. As a general rule, good cultivation and 

 hygienic orchard management outht to be sufficient to 

 keep thrips and other insect and plant enemies in check; 

 but if planters feel that something else is needed to 

 control thrips while these measure^ are being put into 

 practice, then spraying with a eonj;act insecticide can be 

 recommended. 



E.xperiments have been made in Trinidad with contact 

 insecticides for thrips, and at present nicotine sulphate, or 

 Black Leaf 40, as it is called commercially, seems to be the 

 remedy most favourably thought of. It is generally used at 

 the rate of 1 in 1,200 to 1,400 or 1,600. Other insecticides, 

 such as kerosene emulsion or rosin wash have also been used 

 against thrips with good results, but Rlack Leaf 40* is 

 more easily kept in stock, and more readily prepared for 

 immediate use. 



In most countries where thrips has occurred year after 

 year in the .same areas, it is doubtless known by this time 

 approximately when and where the attack will begin. The 

 planter should therefore have everything ready to spray just 

 when the thrips first appears so as to check it before it spreads 

 too far; at this stage the area to be sprayed would only be 

 comparatively small, and effective control may result. 



Observations made throughout the dry season would 

 doubtless show to what extent these insects are to be found 

 on their alternative food-plants — cashew, almond, mango, 

 guava, etc.; also how far they remain on the cacao during 

 this period. If it is found that these plants really form 

 a menace to the cacao by habouring thrips during the dry 

 season they ought to be eradicated. Failing their destruction, 

 they should be sprayetl with Black Leaf 40, or kerosene 

 emulsion. 



X.\TUR.\L ENKMHK. 



A fungus was recently observed on the cacao thrips by 

 Mr. -I. C. Moore, and pointed out to' the writer during a visit 

 to Grenada. Specimens of this were submitted to Mr. W. 

 Nowell, Mycologist of the Imperial Department, who says 

 that this fungus is identical with that recently found attack- 

 ing thrips in St. Vincent. Cultures of this fungus have 

 been sent to Mr. Moore to be used experimentally against the 

 cacao thrips. An account of this fungus appeared in the 

 Agricultural News for December -30, 1916. 



It is not advised, however, that too much reliance should 

 be placed on the employment of this fungus. 



A predaceous thrips was found fairly well distributed 

 in Grenada, but only in small numbers. This insect is 

 larger than the cacao thrips, and is fehiny black with a straw- 

 coloured band across the middle of the body. It is usually 

 to be seen crawling busily over the leaves as if in search of 

 food but was never observe<l attacking the cacao thrips. 



I- 



SUM MAR'S . 



By way ot summary, it may be stated that the recom- 

 mendation.s made to cacao planters in order to control thrips 

 are: first to take every reasonable precaution to ensure the 

 health and vigour of the trees by sound cultural methods, 

 coupled with careful regard to the general sanitation of the 

 cacao orchanls; and secondly, to eiuleavourto control threatened 

 outbreaks by spraying when thrips jk first observed in inap- 

 preciable numbers on the trees. 



•J.C.H. 



* \nother nicotine preparation is manufactured by William 

 Cooper and Nephews, Berkhamsted, England. This is known 

 asV 2 Summer Fluid. 



CO-OPERATIVE AGRICULTURAL SOCIE- 

 TIES IN GREAT BRITAIN. 



The number of Registered Societies affiliated to the 

 Agricultural Organization Society of England on December 

 -31, 1916, was as follows.— 



Farmers' Co-operative Societies: — 



Purchase of Agricultural Fiequirements 213 



Dairy 38 



Eggs and Poultry 29 



Co-operative Auctions, Fruit Societies, etc. 27 



Total 307 

 Land-renting Societies (Small Holdings and Allot- 

 ments) 177 

 Credit Societies 48 

 Agricultural and General Co-operative Insurance 



Society 1 



Farmers" Central Trading Board 1 



Miscellaneous Associations 16 



Total No. of Registered Societies -5-50 



These figures do not include a considerable number of 

 depots under the management of societies. 



The societies in the other groups differ so much in their 

 scope and objects that it is better to consider them separately 

 under the special sections of this report devoted to their 

 work. Many individual societies have branch depots In 

 addition, by the end of the year, eleven Women's Institutes 

 had been formed. 



There seems to be an impression prevalent in some 

 quarters that the Agricultural Co-operative movement in 

 England and Wales is practically confined to the purchase 

 of feeding stuffs, fertilizers and other agricultural require 

 ments, and that but little has been done in connexion with 

 the disposal of farm produce. For instance, in the report 

 of the Departmental Committee to consider the Settlement 

 of Sailors and Soldiers on the Land, the following passage 

 occurs: 'The Agricultural Organization Society has endeav- 

 oured to deal with the question by the promotion of Agricul- 

 tural Co-operative Trading Societies, but though some of these 

 .societies have developed a considerable tradein the co-operative 

 purchase of requirements, there are very few cases in which 

 societies have been successful in organizing the cooperative 

 sale of produce.' In the statistics which appear at the end 

 of the report, it will be seen that the trade done by Dairy 

 Societies, Egg-Collecting Societies, .\uctions. Fruit Growers' 

 Societies, etc., is very considerable. But this does not nearly 

 represent the value of the farm produce which is sold 

 co-operatively. Many of the societies which were formed 

 originally for the purchase of agricultural requirements, and 

 are put in that group, deal with one or more classes of farm 

 produce. It is most difficult, however, to obtain accurate 

 figures to show the actual amount, owing to the wiy 

 the annual returns of many societies are drawn up and the 

 fact that their sales of all kinds are simply entered as one 

 total. Furthermore, sosieties buy outright from their farmer 

 members very considerable quantities of corn which are 

 absorbed into their general stocks, and do not appear 

 separately in the accounts. 



