113 



As regards remedial measures it is suggested that two adjacent 

 rows of tea bushes along those ridges swept by the south-west monsoon 

 should be allowed to run to seed, as they would make a most efficient 

 break to the flight of the adults of Homona coffearia and prevent 

 their spread. When the pest is thoroughly established in these bushes, 

 it can be destroyed by the use of insecticidal sprays, which would do no 

 damage to the seed-bearing trees, nor depreciate the value of the 

 tea as is the case when bearing bushes are sprayed. The bushes can 

 be pruned after having served their purpose for a few years, and when 

 grown in this manner form a more impenetrable barrier than dadap 

 [Erythrina] or Grevillea. 



Cultivation of Castor. — Trop. Agriculturist, Peradeniya, li, no. 5, 

 November 1918, pp. 297-301. 



In this paper which forms Leaflet No. 11 of the Department of 

 Agriculture the following pests of the castor-oil plant in Ceylon are 

 recorded. — Dichocrocis pundiferalis, Gn., the caterpillars of which 

 attack the fruit capsule or flower-shoot, within which they pupate ; 

 Achaea (Ophiusa) melicerta, Dr., the caterpillars of which feed on the 

 leaf, a few individuals being capable of completely defoliating a tree, 

 and the total life-cycle of which occupies from 23 to 62 days ; Empoasca 

 flavescens, F. (green fly), which causes curling and distortion of the 

 leaves, but is not very destructive to plants grown as a field crop on 

 a large scale. Other insects which do damage as leaf-feeders are : — 

 Prodenia litiira (littoralis) (tobacco caterpillar) and Ergolis taprohana 

 (castor butterfly). 



In some parts of India dusting the plants with ashes is practised 

 as a preventive measure, this being practicable only on a small scale. 

 As the large-leaved varieties have proved more immune to attack, 

 the planting of these is recommended where large areas are devoted 

 to this plant. 



Black-headed Caterpillar of Coconuts {Nephantis serinopa).~Trop. 

 Agriculturist, Peradeniya, li, no. 5, November 1918, p. 308. 



The only practical way of dealing with the Microlepidopteron, 

 Nephantis serinopa, a pest of tall palms, is to remove the afEected 

 fronds and leave them on the ground for 3 weeks, thereby checking 

 the pest and at the same time allowing its Hymenopterous parasites 

 to complete their development. Probably the same result could be 

 obtained with less injury to the palms if only the pinnae were cut off, 

 leaving the centre ribs. 



The Pink Boll Worm at Ba,Tba.ios.—Agric. Neivs, Barbados, xvii. no. 

 433, 30th November 1918, pp. 376-377. 



A mixed cargo of cotton seed and cassava that recently arrived at 

 Barbados from Para, Brazil, was refused landing owing to the cotton 

 seed being infested with Pectinophora (Gelechia) gossypieUa (pink 

 bollworm), several adults of which were found in the hold. A small 

 part of the cargo, other than cotton, that had been landed was reshipped, 

 it being probable that the whole cargo would be transhipped in the 

 bay for ultimate conve3'ance to England. In such a case even when 



