55 



have been found boring into the pods of C. sericea in April and feeding 

 on the leaves of C. striata in May, and other species in June. Spraying 

 is recommended in cases where the leaves only are attacked. Though 

 it pupates in the soil, it cannot be destroyed by hoeing in the crop, as 

 the pupal stage extends over 4-G days only, and there are several 

 broods in a year. A ITyuienopterous parasite has been found attacking 

 the larvae and may prove to be of value in controlling the pest. 

 A. cribraria, Clerck, a closely alhed species, attacks the leaves of 

 Crotalaria sericea. There are usually three broods in the year. 



Euproctis scintillans, Wlk., is a Lymantrid moth; the caterpillars 

 of which attack mangos, various species of Hibiscus, sunn hemp, 

 linseed and castor, and have been found in June feeding on the leaves 

 of Cassia fistula. It has a larval period of a fortnight and a pupal 

 period of four days only. 



The Arctiid, Ulelheisa pulchelkt, L., is probably the worst pest of 

 sunn hemp in India and is very common in Assam. The eggs are laid, 

 either singly or in small clusters, on the lower surface of the leaves 

 of the food-plant. The larvae hatch in 3 or 4 days, pupation being 

 effected in a flimsy cocoon between the leaves of the plant, and the 

 moth emerging in from 5 to 7 days ; the whole life-cycle takes about a 

 month. The plants attacked are Crotalaria juncea, C. striata, and 

 other species. Remedial measures are very difficult, spraying and 

 hand-picking being useful on small plots, but impracticable in the 

 field. The chief hope of control Hes in the possible discovery of a 

 larval parasite, though spraying with lead chromate might be 

 of value. 



The larva of the Pyralid, Terasiia egialealis, Wlk., bores in the young 

 stems and shoots of Erythrina indica, having been found in January. 

 A closely allied species T. meticulosalis, attacks Erythrina in a similar 

 manner in other parts of India, the attack resulting in the dying 

 back of the shoots, which eventually break off. Infested trees should 

 be cut back to sound wood and the bored shoots burned. 



A small black fly, the larva of which feeds on the seeds of Cajanus 

 indicus in April, has been found to be identical with the species known 

 as the tur-pod fly or red gram Agromyza in other parts of India. The 

 eggs are laid in the mature flowers or very young pods, and the larvae 

 on hatching eat a groove round the seed. The larval stage lasts for 

 about a week, pupation taking place inside the pod, and the fly emerging 

 in a few days. Pods affected become distorted and twisted, their 

 collection and destruction being the only remedy known, though a 

 Hymenopterous parasite attacking the fly has been recorded. 



TuNSTALL (A. C). Spraying Experiments in 1917.— Qtrly. Jl. Scient. 

 Dept, Indian Tea Assoc, Calcutta, Pt. 2. 1918, pp. 38-45, 3 plates. 

 [Received 3rd December 1918.] 



A series of experiments to ascertain whether the spray fluids in 

 common use as fungicides and insecticides cause a sufficiently large 

 increase in the leaf of tea in normal health to warrant their application 

 is described. The results showed that the increases in yield were not 

 sufiiciently large to cover the cost of spraying, which therefore is of 

 no practical value. 



