214 



The Port and Railway Inspection Department has during the 

 above period examined 6,527 shipments, more than one-half of which 

 were found to be infested with injurious insects. Interceptions of 

 particular importance were those of the black fly on two occasions, the 

 sweet potato scarabee [Eiiscepes batatae] from the British West Indies, 

 the sweet potato weevil [Cylas formicarius] in many West Indian 

 shipments, and a new mango disease and mango leaf-infesting insect 

 from India, while in many instances scale-insects which are rare or 

 not present in Florida were prevented from entering. 



Parcel Post Inspection, begun on 1st November 1916, resulted in 

 9,183 parcels ■ being inspected, of which 845 were non-deliverable, 

 while 292 were treated and passed. 



The sweet potato weevil [Cylas formicarms] [see this Review, Ser. A, 

 vii, p. 21] is a pest that threatens to destroy the sweet potato growing 

 industry of Florida, as well as the supplying of many millions of 

 sweet potato plants to the growers of other States, a business which 

 brings into Florida annually a sum of between £15,000 and £20,000. 

 Remedial measures advocated are : — Field rotation in planting, use of 

 weevil-free plants, elimination of "hold-over" plantirg, destruc- 

 tion of morning-glory vines as far as practicable, thoroughness in 

 harvesting, fumigation of harvested tubers, destruction of badly 

 infested tubers, prevention of weevil damage in storage, destruction 

 of self-sown plants in spring, and the avoidance of very early planting, 

 together with the strict enforcement of the quarantine rules to prevent 

 the further spread of the pest. This weevil has recently been found 

 infesting two species of morning glory not hitherto known to be 

 attacked by it in Florida, viz. -.—-Ipomoea pandurata, growing on high 

 sandy land, and I. littoralis, growing along the sea-coast. 



The banana root borer {Cosmopolites sordidus) was first discovered 

 in Florida in December 1917, and its control by means of the careful 

 inspection of banana plantations, followed by the uprooting and 

 burning of all infested banana plants and the trapping of any escaping 

 weevils is being vigorously prosecuted, since the insect also attacks 

 sugar-cane and its future presence in the State might seriously interfere 

 with the development of a large sugar and syrup producing industry. 



The area in Florida infested by the cotton boll-weevil [Anthononms 

 grandis] has gradually increased southward and eastward owing to 

 the migration of the adults by flight, a spread that cannot be pre- 

 vented and that results in the insect invading new territory each 

 year. The enforcement of quarantine measures, however, which 

 prohibit the removal from weevil-infested territory of cotton seed, 

 seed cotton, bolls, Spanish moss, maize in the cob and certain other 

 materials, except at certain seasons and under certain conditions, 

 has undoubtedly prevented the establishment of the pest ahead of 

 the advancing line of migration. 



It is essential that the quarantine measures now in force for the 

 exclusion of the pink bollworm [Pectinophora gossypiella] from Florida 

 should be continued, since it is not yet certain that the Texas out- 

 breaks will be eradicated [see this Review, Ser. A, vi, p. 544]. 



The enforcement is still continued of the various quarantine measures 

 to prevent the introduction into Florida of the avocado weevil [Heilipus 

 lauri], gipsy moth [Porthetria disjxir], brown-tail moth [Nygmiu 

 phaeorrhoea], Mediterranean fruit fly [Ceratitis capitata], Mexican 



