109 



pupa and cocoon. In Okayama, on the south coast of western Japan, 

 there are 5 annual generations, the caterpillars of the last of which 

 hibernate ; and as Nodzu has recorded 4 from the north coast, it is 

 evident that this is due to the influence of climate. The first adults 

 appear late in April and caterpillars may be seen boring as late as 

 mid- October. In orchards caterpillars in varying degrees of develop- 

 ment are found throughout the summer and up to late autumn. In 

 field cages the life-cycle varied from 26 to 37 daj^s. The moths fly 

 at twilight, at which time mating and oviposition occur. As a rule 

 the eggs are deposited on the leaves, but the fruit of the pear is often 

 chosen. The number of eggs per female varies from 5 to 65. The 

 egg-stage lasts from 2 to 4 days, the larval stage, 11 to 15, and the 

 pupal stage, 6 to 10. C. molesta prefers young peach shoots, but it 

 readily adapts itself to other plants and may infest widely different 

 Rosaceae. According to Murata, the apple, peach, cherry and 

 Japanese cherry are attacked. The authors noted oviposition on Pyrus 

 sinensis, P. communis (pear), Prunus mume, Japanese cherry, common 

 cherry, apple, plum {Prunus domestica) and sand cherry {Prunus 

 puvimura) and were also able to breed C. molesta on all these except 

 apple. The nectarine is less severely attacked than other peaches. 

 It was also possible to rear the caterpillars on the fruit of apple, peach, 

 pear and Pyrus sinensis, so that the fruit of the two last-named are 

 doubtless also attacked. The injury done by C. molesta is described 

 [see this Kevietv, Ser. A, vi, pp. 369, 378]. 



Illingworth (J. F.). Work of the Division of Entomology. — 18th 

 Ann. Rept, Queensland Bur. Sugar Expt. Stations, Brisbane, 22nd 

 October 1918, pp. 24-29. [Received 2nd January 1919.] 



Progress is recorded during the year in the work of controlling 

 grubs infesting sugar-cane, largely in consequence of increased know- 

 ledge of their habits. Much emphasis is laid on the importance of 

 humus-forming material in the soil as a factor in their control. 

 Laboratory experunents of placing megass in the soil of potted cane 

 plants had very encouraging results, the grubs preferring to feed 

 upon this organic material rather than upon sugar-cane roots. The 

 conservation of trash on red volcanic soils is recognised as a difficult 

 matter, but it must be done unless a great deal of time is to be given 

 up to green manuring. The waste from the latoon crop should be 

 worked in and this followed with a heavy green crop of maize or beans 

 before the soil is used for sugar-cane. At one mill all the waste is 

 composted by building up layers of all the by-products from the 

 mill and the compost is left for about a year before it is put on the 

 land. About 20 tons of this are applied per acre and the cane shows 

 a marked increase in growth where it is used. Late plantiag is also 

 of considerable importance in infested areas [see this Review, Ser. A, 

 vi, p. 526], but will only succeed on soils that are so easily drained 

 that they may be thoroughly worked in December and January. 

 It is the thorough cultivation during the flight of the beetles that 

 effects control, late planting only facilitating this. It is found 

 that the more deeply rooting varieties of cane are better able to 

 withstand attack by grubs, and are far more resistant to the borer 

 beetle [Rhabdocnemis obscura] than some of the more usually grown 

 varieties. 



