770 THE FLORA OF NORFOLK LSLAND, 



with increasing severity unless approved means for combating 

 them are seriously studied and adopted. 



Reference to the original report of Lieut. Governor King in 

 17^8 onward (see Hist. Rec. N.S. Wales, Vol. ii ) shows how at 

 the very beginning of settlement he was troubled with pests. 



The American Potato Blight (Botyrifis ivfestans) is said to be 

 a recent pest, but it is already prevalent. The haulm withers 

 ri^ht down in a day, and the potato is found to be spotted and 

 then rotten. The Islanders are in the habit of saving their own 

 seed and planting the same patch year after year. The remedies 

 are fresh seed and fresh ground. 



I noticed Mealy Bug on Oranges and Lemons, and Black Scale 

 on Lisbon Lemons. 



Curl-leaf was observed on some Peach trees. 



Maize occasionally suffers from rust. 



Onions are liable to rust, and also to the attacks of a scale 

 insect. 



Water-melons, kc, are liable to attacks by aphis. 



Imported snails are very destructive. 



Yiscum articulatum, a native Mistletoe, is very destructive to 

 Peaches, Oranges, and some other trees. The branch should be 

 cut out between the end of its parasitic roots and the stem of 

 the tree. The Islanders do not, however, appear to take any 

 steps to check it. 



On the other hand, the Cofifee-plant is free from disease. 

 There are no snakes, leeches or ticks. White ants are absent, 

 and mosquitoes are very rare, 



SUMMARY OF RESULTS, 



Additions to the Indigenous Flora, 



Norfolk Island presents few physical difficulties to the botanical 

 explorer. The following appear to me to be new records for the 

 Island; it does not include one species new to science. 



