284 Agricultural Gazette of S.S.W. [April 3, 1920. 



understand it. After washing the roots of the plants I dug up I could 

 "notice the cha'^ng on the bark, and in many cases could follow the distinct 

 ■corrugations along the roots caused by the nibbling of the well-developed 

 larvae. In this respect these larvae are almost identical with the apple 

 root borer, but as they are so small it is much more difficult to detect 

 their work. 



There are evidently two broods in the year, and the months in which emer- 

 gence chiefly takes place seem to be October and November for the first, 

 and February and March for the second. These dates may vary a little 

 according to the seasoa, but anyone wishing to operate should watch for the 

 very first appearance of the adults, and then start immediately. 



Mr. Spurway, to whom we are greatly indebted for his hearty co-operation 

 b)y permission to dig up young plants where necessary, has adopted a very 

 good plan to keep his young stuff free from this pest. He has secured a 

 large area of land, which enables him to keep on shifting his beds as the weevils 

 appear in any quantity, and at present he has one of the finest plots of young 

 (citrus trees I have seen for a good while, almost free from any trace of dicky 

 Tice. Now that we have located the habitat and have learned more about 

 "the habits of the larv^ae I have recommended that he surround the discarded 

 beds with low wire-netting, and place two or three clutches of chickens in 

 ■each during the emerging periods, leaving a few low plants in each area to 

 attract the weevils. Where there is other nursery work going on close by 

 dt will be necessary to enclose the hena in coops, and the coops should then 

 •be placed close to some of the young plants, to enable the mothers to teach 

 the chicks to scratch for the pupae, as well as to eat the adult weevils when 

 they emerge. 



During my investigation I visited two citrus orchards in a district that 

 tused to be very badly infected a few years ago. I examined the trees but 

 'Could only find a few isolated specimens. In both cases I noticed these 

 iplots had been enclosed and used as poultry runs, and then it occurred to me 

 that, perhaps, the fowls had learned more about the habits of the dicky rice 

 than we had, and that they had made good use of their knowledge. 



Some nurserymen claim tohave made good kills with arsenate of lead sprays. 

 I know many who claim that it is not at all satisfactory, but I feel confident 

 that if done judiciously it would prove a good remedy. 



Although the pest is a serious one and can be found in almost any part of 

 'Cumberland, it is not nearly so bad here as it was fifteen years ago. Possibly 

 this maybe due to the fact that other predaceous insects have been operating 

 freely on the weevil. In searching for the larvae, I found quite a number of 

 small carab beetles and Therevid fly larvae, which are both very carnivorous. 

 This will provide material for further study, as will other modes of treatment 

 that may suggest themselves, now we know more about the life history and 

 habits of the weevil. 



