17 



A New Pineapple Pest of the West 



Indies 



In the Jonrnal of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, Vol. XX, 

 No. 8, August, 1916, and Vol. XX, No. 9, September, 1916, 

 notice is given of the appearance of a very serious pineapple 

 pest, a weevil, which destroyed practically 75 per cent of the 

 crop during the year preceding July 21, 1916. It attacks both 

 plants and fruit. 



The following is a copy of the articles above referred to : 



PINEAPPLES. 



New Weevil Injury in Above Rocks District. 



The Above Rocks Branch Agricultural Society recently raised 

 the subject of grubs attacking pineapples and the instructor, 

 Mr. A. P. Hanson, brought the matter to the attention of the 

 entomologist, Mr. A. H. Ritchie. These gentlemen paid a visit 

 to the district on Friday, the 21st of July, and as a result of 

 their investigations have unearthed another black weevil. It 

 will be recalled that Messrs. Ritchie and Hanson were the prin- 

 cipal figures in the black weevil of banana question in the initial 

 stages last November. Black weevils would appear to be their 

 specialty. 



From the reports by the entomologist and the instructor on 

 this visit now before us and from which we cull the following- 

 details, the weevil of pineapple is of serious importance as fully 

 75 per cent of the crop has during the year past been lost and 

 the growers of the district are truly alarmed. In former years, 

 settlers reckoned to make £8 to £12 from their pines but this 

 crop has not been worth the candle. Not only, however, does the 

 crop suffer but the supply of slips for replanting is becoming 

 limited. 



The weevil is large and black, about three times the size of 

 the banana weevil and of the same general build. The grub 

 resembles the grub of the brown weevil to be found in decaying 

 banana stumps, being legless (as all weevil grubs), yellowish 

 white, and with the peculiar swelling or bump on the posterior 

 third of the body, but growing to much greater proportions. 



So far the entomologist has been unable to get any evidence 

 of this attack being formerly known to well-known pine growers. 

 The growers in Above Rocks say they first noticed the trouble 

 three to four years ago and that it has been growing worse each 

 succeeding year. The question has now been raised for the 

 first time, however. The plants, it is stated, are in otherwise 

 splendid health. The attack is worst on the ratoon crop and 



