Vou X"VI. No. 399. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



251 



During this period a total of 2,500 parasites (adults, 

 larvae and pupae) were received in Porto Rico, and about 

 1,000 were liberated. Most of these were scoliid wasps 

 belonging to the genus Tiphia. 



At the same time an attempt was made to introduce 

 into Porto Rico certain parasitic fungi known to attack hard- 

 back beetle-! and grubs in other countries. 



One .species {Botii/tis tenella) was introduced from 

 Europe, where it is supposed to have been successful against 

 the larvae of melolontha. 



The other species, received from Hawaii, was the well- 

 known green muscardine fungus {Metanliiziuni anisopliae). 

 Spore material of this species was grown in cabinets on large 

 scale by the plant pathologists (mycologists) of the station 

 Mr. J. R. Johnston and Mr. J. A. Stevenson, and liberated 

 in the field. The results have been very variable. 



This same fungus has been used on a very large scale 

 against the sugar-cane froghopper in Trinidad with good 

 results. 



DIAPREPES ABBREVIATUS. 

 (An omission.) 



During a recent visit to St. Lucia a few specimens of 

 a variety of the weevil Diaprepes alyf/revia'.us were taken on 

 the leaves of lime trees At first these were thought 

 to be quadrilineitus. On returning to Barbados these 

 specimens were compared with the specimens of qwtdri'in- 

 eatus in the collection recently sent back by Mr W. D. 

 Pierce, from Washington, and found to be distinctly different. 

 It was then discovered that these St. Luci i specimens belong 

 to the variety piunHitus, only one specimen of which is in the 

 collection. A reference to the Agriculturat A^etvs for June 

 16, 1917 (Vol. XVI, Xo 39-5, p. 186) showed that ihe name 

 punctaius had been oinit'ed from the list of Diiprepes gvien 

 there. This name .should therefore be added after the 

 variety qtiadrilineatus and opposite the locality St. Lucia, 

 so that the line will now read 'St. Lucia | quadrilineatus; 

 punctatus. I " ". 



J.C.H. 



PROTECTION OF FISHERIES IN 

 TRINIDAD. 



To prevent the wholesale and wanton destruction 

 of small fish within its colonial waters some very 

 important regulations, which might with advantage be 

 adopted and enforced in other West Indian islands, for 

 it is a matter of common knowledge that the supply of 

 fish has decreased within late years, are published in 

 the Trinidad Royal Gazette of June 28, 1917, and 

 were passed under the provisions of Section 3 of the 

 Fisheries Ordinance, No. 39 of 1916. In view of their 

 general usefulness they are reproduced in extenso 

 and are as under: — 



(1) The nets to be employed in the waters of the 

 Colony within one marine league of the coast thereof shall 

 be the following and no others: — 



(1) Drift Nets. — For catching mackerel, king fish 

 and other large fishes. Length of net not to exceed 

 £00 feet. Width at centre not to exceed 1-5 feet. 

 Mesh not to be less than 7 inches in circumference. 



(2) Large nets for catchin;/ Mullet. — Length not 

 to exceed 900 feet. Width at centre not to exceed 

 12 feet. Mesh not to be less than 5 inches in 

 circumference. 



(3) Small nets for catching Mullet. — Length not 

 to exceed 900 feet. Width at centre not to exceed 

 9 feet. Mesh not to be less than 5 inches ia 

 circumference. 



(4) Pocket seines for catching mixel white fish. — 

 Length not to exceed 900 feet. Width of pocket not 

 to exceed 1.5 feet, tapering to 9 feet. Mesh in the 

 pocket not less than 3 inches in circumference at 

 end of pocket. 



(5) Pocket seines for catching prawns. — Mesh not 

 to be less than 1 inch in circumference. 



(6) Cast nets.—YoT catching bait. Length not 

 to exceed 6 feet. Mesh not less than 2 inches in 

 circumference. 



(b) In all other fishing grounds in the Colony: — 



(1) Gar seines for catching fish other than Cavalli 

 or Jack fiih. — Lengtli not to exceed 540 feet. 

 Width not to exceed 1 2 feet at centre. Mesh not- 

 to be less than 2 inches in circumference. 



(2) Cavalli nets for catching Cavalli. Lenath 

 not to exceed 750 feet. Width not to exceed 

 36 feet in centre. Mesh not to be less than 

 7i inches in circumference. 



(3) Jack fish net for catching Jack fish. — Lenuth 

 not to exceed 600 feet. Width nor to exceed 24 feet 

 at centre. Mesh not less than 2 inches in circum- 

 ference. 



(4) Cast nets for catching bait. — Length not to 

 exceed 6 feet. Mesh not less than 2 inches in 

 circumference. 



2 a. — The use of any such net for a purpose o'her 

 than that specified in the last preceding regulation shall 

 be unlawful. 



(b). The onus of proving that a net in which are 

 found fish which it is unlawful to take in any 

 such net shall be on the person using the same. 



3. Xo fish less than 1 2 inches in length of the following 

 kinds, viz : King fi.sb, Spanish mackerel, Grouper, Codfish, 

 Pomfano, Sorb and Pargue, shall be taken or sold or exposed 

 for sale. 



4. No fish less than 8 inches in length of the following 

 kinds, viz: Cola, Red fish (Vivanot, Walliacke, and Tete- 

 ronde), shall be taken or sold or exposed for sale. 



5. Xo oysters shdl be taken or sold or expose! for 

 sale during the months of May, June, July and August 



6. No oysters or shrimps .shall be taken within the 

 area formed by a lino drawn from the mouth of the Dry River 

 on the East to the mouth of the Diego Martin River on 

 the West. 



Solar Ovens — In view of the scarcity of coal or 

 wood in many subtropical regions, such as Egypt, the 

 Punjab and the Karoo of South Africa, it is interesting to note 

 the report recently made by Sir F. Nicholson, describing 

 valuable expsriments in the employment of solar ovens. 

 These consist of stout teak wood boxes, blackened inside and 

 fitted with a double glass top. Tliey are suitably insulated, 

 and with this simple apparatus a temperature of from 240° 

 to 275' Fahr. is eai^ily obtained during the middle of the 

 day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m , and 290° with the aid of a single 

 glass mirror. The oven once constructed, the Journal 

 of the Royal Society nf Arts ioT May 11, 1917, points out, 

 c"sts nothing, and for all mere baking or cooking purposes it 

 is a very efficient and cheap utilizatir.n of sun heat, suitable 

 for many applications. The disadvantage attached to the 

 process namely, the hours possible for hot meald being 

 reduced to those in the hottest period of the day, must not be 

 overlooked. 



