253 



just above the surface of the ground, on which it often alights to poke 

 about among the grass, or on the bare ground. 



Though possessed of a very formidable sting, the Burrowing Wasp 

 never uses it except in self-defence, or to assist it in overcoming its prey 



An observer in Porto Hico gives a very amusing account of the 

 habits of this insect. He states that alter digging a burrow for its 

 nest, it goes in search of a grasshopper, wliich it partially disables 

 with its sting, then mounting on its back, rides it up to its own grave. 

 Should the hole prove too small to receive the grasshoppw. it drives it 

 away, while it enlarges the hole to the required size, and then brings 

 it bick to De buried. 



ON THE BUDDING OF MANGOES. 



By T. J.Harris, Agricultural Instructor at Hope Experiment Station. 



With a view to turning to profitable account the enormous amount 

 of plant energy that is more or less wasted in Jamaica annually in the 

 production of Mangoes of inf^^rior quality, experiments in budding 

 have for some time been conducted at the Hope Experiment Station 

 resulting at last in success. 



It is easy to foresee that in the near future Jamaica will be in pos- 

 session of carefully arranged orchards of tlie best kinds of mango trees; 

 the cultivation will cost practically nothing, and the cost of careful 

 picking, packing, and shipping should not amount to very much. 



The first work to be undertaken is to bud over the large common 

 mango trees that are already growing, though the laying out of 

 orchards with seedling ^tocks might be started at the same time; 

 these latter would take some six to eight years after budding to bear, 

 whil-t the old stumps would quickly replace their tops with the wood 

 from the bud and bear a fairly large crop in two or three years. 

 The trees should be cut down careluUy — with a cross cut saw to pre- 

 vent bruising and splitting of the stump — to within two feet of the 

 ground; the cut pared smooth with a kni'e or plane, and tarred; a 

 number of shoots will very quickly spring from the stiimp and these 

 must be thinntd out to three for budding up -n, tking care to get 

 them as near the top as possible ; as soon as they are three-quarters of 

 an inch in diameter at the base, they will be ready for budding. 



The operation of budding involves the application of one or two 

 principles that are not generally known, and a detailed explanation 

 would, therefor^^ be of use in many instances where mere practical 

 directions would fail. Most trees have what may be termed n growing 

 season and a resting or dormant season. In the growing season, be- 

 tween the wood and bark, the existence of the cimbium layer becomes 

 apparent; this is made up of several layers of thin-walled, rapidly 

 growing and dividing cells. 



On the removal of a piece of bark it will be found that a part 

 of the delicate cambium has remained on the wood, and part comes 

 away with the bark; and if thes* two surfaces of thin walled cells are 

 exposed to dry air for a few minutes they will wither and die ; but if 

 immediately replaced and firmly tied, will just as assuredly grow to- 



