20 JOUIUNAL OF THE J)ErARTME.\T OF AgKICULTIRE.^ -TuiA', 1922. 



Wattle Bagworm. — Many Natal wattle plaiituiions have suffered 

 seveily with bagworiu this season. Mr. J. IT. Holler, of Sandj'- 

 mount, in a letter to the Division, states that in his locality the 

 insect is practically confined to the trees along the outside of the 

 plantations, and in prominent places, facing JNew Hanover, where 

 the insect has been far more abundant. He recognizes this peculiar 

 distribution as evidence of the spread of the insect by the wind, and 

 revives the suggestion that screens of eucalyptus or other immune 

 trees might be used for the protection of wattle plantations. It 

 seems Ciuite probable that in some, if not all, seasons such screens 

 would catch no small proportion of the wind-borne worms under the 

 topographical conditions of some localities, but it is doubtful if they 

 would be efficient in the generality of cases. Prom his observation 

 when long resident at Maritzburg, Mr. C. Fuller came to the opinion 

 that the young insects were borne largely by the warm berg winds, 

 and commonly carried rather high in the air. These winds bloAv 

 strongly for some hours and cease suddenly, and it was his idea that 

 perhaps after having been carried many miles the insects fall some- 

 what abruptly when the wind drops. Where the land rises consider- 

 ably from a valley in which the pest is bad, it would seem that 

 screens of immune trees on the heights might catch many of the 

 insects being borne by the Avind, but in most places the insects prob- 

 ably reach vegetation much more from above than from the side. 



The Cycad Looper. — E ncephalartos and other Cycads are subject 

 to the attack of a looper caterpillar, Zerenopsis leojjardino, Feld. 

 The Natal Entomologist states that these loopers have been very 

 prevalent lately along the Natal coast. The adult moth lays her eggs 

 in clusters of 50 to 185 on the plant, and the caterpillars confine their 

 attention to the young tender leaves. Tliese attacks disfigure and 

 stunt the plant, a serious matter with the slow-growing Cycads. 

 Arsenate of lead poAvder, 2 ounces in 4 gallon of AA-ater, has proved 

 a successful control measure. 



Thrips Defoliating Avocados. — During May, 1922, an outbreak 

 of thrips (sp. undet.) came under notice on some avocados groAving 

 near Nelspruit, in the eastern Transvaal. All stages Avere present 

 in great numbers, and on some trees the attack had been so severe 

 that whole branches Avere leafless. The trouble is characterized by 

 patches of yelloAV leaAes, Avhich ,show up contrastingly against the 

 bright green of the normal foliage. 



AGR'NOMY. 



" Sahara " Yellow Dent Maize. — A farmer in the Lichtenbuig 

 District obtained some time ago from this DiAasion about 100 lb. of 

 "Sahara" yellow maize for experimental purposes. In reporting 

 he states that the mealie in his experience is the only drought- 

 resister in his district. "I planted," he Avrites, "the 100 lb. in 

 black turf soil, Avhere no mealie Avill thrive during periods of 

 drought. The 100 lb. gave me a yield of one hundred bags of 206 

 lb. each. We had good rains up to the end of December last, but 

 since then we had no rain, and towards the end of February the 

 cracks in tne land Avere from 12 to IS inches deep, and not a particle 

 of moisture is visible. EA'erybody was surprised at this. This is 

 quite a true statement, which I can prove." 



