448 kj:pokt oi" office of kxpkuimknt stations. 



IVIftVftjifiu'z. Olio Viiriotv of Viim In'ouyhl fi-om the l)()tiiiiic irardiMis at 

 St. (n'or^c. (ii-«Miacl!i. was hadly aliVctcd with /l.sy</V/A>//^s- /larfii. 



Tlio Miiiuitc leaf lioppor {/''//> jxtif.sat //Htfi) lias hccn the severest 

 iiiseet eiuMiiy of beans and eowpeas; spraying is almost useless. A<j<tll!(( 

 temUa and several rettij^oniids have also injured heans and other small 

 erops. 



A lejiidopterous stem l)orer has destro3'od main- jjlants in the hean 

 plats and has greatly hindered the growth of the horse }»eans. 



The bean leaf beetle {Cerotoma deHt'icorn'ai) i.s common. 



PluteUa )ii<(ciil!j)e))nis wa.s very al)undantoii eab])age at Kio Piedras; 

 it was controllcHl })y repeated applications of "slug shot" i-einforced 

 with paris green. 



A Ilea beetle {Slystcna hasfdis)^ in company with a root fungus, has 

 ruined a plat of Russian sunflower at the station. 



Larvw of a weevil (apparently Sphenophorus) were observed in 

 sugar cane at Ponce. 



Protoparce Carolina occurs commonly on tomato and tobacco 

 throutjhout the island: the larva? are usuallv killed bv a thrust of a 

 knife made from a Maya {B romelia pinguhi) leaf. 



The melon worm Pyralid {Dlaphanm Ji)/(il!)intn) has proved a severe 

 pest throughout the 3'ear, both at Rio Piedras and Ma^-agiiez, on 

 squash, cucumber, and melon; while small the plants can l)e kept from 

 serious injur}^ b}' hand picking the young larvte in the buds and new 

 leaves, but when the plants are mature this becomes a laborious task. 



PLANT PARASITES. 



Several species of Loranthus are conunon on various fruit and timber 

 trees; in the vicinity of Ponce man}' fine trees were noted killed or 

 dying from the parasitism of a white-fruited Phoradendron. The 

 calabash {Cref^centla cujete) is very frequently attacked. 



A dodder (Ousei/ta americaind) Avas with difficulty eradicated from 

 a plat of alfalfa in the trial grounds of the station at Mayaguez. This 

 species occurs commonlv on low shruijbery, especially along the sea 

 shore. 



Bromeliads and orchids are occasionally found on colfee; these do 

 little or no damage to the host, though causing a shabby appearance. 

 Lichens and liverworts, however, undoubtedly injure the leaves and 

 bark of coffee by retaining excessive moisture, obstructing respiration, 

 and furnishing a foothold for various fungi; since these plants thrive 

 only in very humid situations, the "opening up" to more light and 

 better air circulation will soon ameliorate the condition of the "mos- 

 siest" patch of trees. 



The (Tuama {hi<j(i Imirhut) is very freciuently affected with a peculiar 

 disease of the peduncle. This organ becomes excessively l)ranched 

 and, each branchlet being distorted and abbreviated, the infertile mass 



