55 



further tax upon its strength induced by these myriads of sap- 

 imbibing insects proved too great for the plant, with the result 

 that thousands of acres of cofifee land were abandoned or replaced 

 by tea. Some idea of the collapse of the coffee industry may be 

 obtained by comparing the annual export of coffee during the 

 period of attack. In 1881, 452,000 cwts. were shipped from Cey- 

 lon. In 1 89 1 this figure had fallen to 88,780 cwts. While, dur- 

 ing the past year (1902), the total scarcely exceeded 10,000 cwts. 

 "It must not be supposed that no efforts were made to check 

 the invasion. When the pest first appeared on any estate, indi- 

 vidual plants and small patches of affected trees were frequently 

 cut out and burned. But nothing stayed the progress of the in- 

 vader. The fact is, the insect being an inconspicuous one, by 

 reason of its color and small size, it was not noticed until it had 

 established itself in sufficient force to defy all efforts at extermina- 

 tion. All the old remedies that had obtained a (usually spuri- 

 ous) reputation as effective against the old brown bug were tried 

 without success. Affected trees were swathed in freshly cut 

 'Mana grass' (Andropogon nardus) . They were dusted with dry 

 lime and wood ashes. But all to no effect. Following out some 

 previous experiments with coal-tar applied to the roots, the writer 

 applied dilute phenol and carbolic powder to the soil below the 

 trees. The former application was at first thought to have 

 proved successful (see Report on Green Scale Bug, 1886, foot- 

 note to page 3). But subsequent and more extensive experi- 

 ments, carried out in the same way, negatived the earlier result. 

 The original experiment was on too small a scale to provide a 

 proper test. Lime and water, applied as a thin whitewash, by 

 hand, killed every bug with which it came in contact ; but it was 

 found impossible to apply it in a sufficiently thorough manner, 

 and the process was too costly in labor, when large acreages were 

 to be treated. The same remark applies to all other liquid ap- 

 plications. They were both costly and inefficient. Many fancied 

 cures owed their reputation to the death of insects from natural 

 causes. For, quite from the commencement, the pest had its 

 periods of increase and decrease. These periods vary in differ- 

 ent parts of the island according to the prevailing weather. The 

 bug flourishes best during the time of fine weather interspersed 

 with light showers. It objects to extremes, and usually decreases 

 both in the very wet weather and during times of excessive 



