CHAP. XI. | THE CONTROL OF INSEI I PESTS OF CROPS. 



83 



food and consequently attack the next crop grown in the field 

 especially it this is weakened by stem-borers which have also been 



carried over in the stubble. As a general agricultural practice, 

 therefore, I would advocate the collection and burning of stubble 

 nt all cereal crops immediately alter harvest, the manurial value of 

 the stubble being more than counterbalanced by the danger of 



carrying over pests. But in this, as in all similar practices 

 co-operation is essential ; for, as pointed out above, it is oi verj 

 little use to practice clean cultivation in one field it" it is infected 



b\ adjacent or surrounding areas. 



Fig. 35.- Had cultivation from the point oi vie« of control oi Pests, old 



eluil. un stalks have been left in the field alter harvest, carrying over 

 ind atti i' ting termites. (Author's original ; 



Leaving the crop itself too long in the ground is another form 

 of the error noted above and is also a fertile source ot outbreaks ol 

 insect pests. Cambodia cotton is an excellent example ol this in 

 Madras where, tor the ^.tke ot a tew extra handfulls of inferior lint. 

 mostlj spoiled and stained l>> insect-pests, a cultivator will often 

 leave his crop standing in the ground until it is time to sow the 

 next year's crop, which is naturally badly infected at the very start 

 by the pests carried on by the old crop; the proper practice, of 

 course, is to pull out and burn all the old crop at least three < >r loin 

 months before the neu crop is due tor sowing in order that all the 

 pests of the old crop may as tar as possible be starved out during 

 the interval between the two crops. 



I, -A 



