415 



reconimendations are given from the point of view of grub control ; 

 practical financial considerations may require the early harvesting 

 and milling of badly attacked canes in order to avoid loss in weight 

 and quality of the cane. The planter must decide which course to 

 follow. Maize grown as a trap-crop for grubs should not be expected 

 to yield grain, and all the plants, not only the obviously injured ones, 

 should be pulled up. 



Although wild birds feed upon the grubs, they are not likely to be 

 present in Antigua in suJSicient abundance to exert much influence on 

 their numbers ; the common Gaulding is however abundant in certain 

 localities and is worthy of protection. Parasites in Antigua seem 

 to be of little value, but even when present in abundance the control 

 exerted by natural enemies is only partial. In Barbados, Pliytahis 

 Ysmithi] is parasitised by Tiphia \^Mmllela\, but the control is so 

 incomplete that the pest is spreading and the damage increasing 

 year by year. 



The influence of root disease in cane injury is discussed [see this 

 Review, Ser. A, vii, p. 335] and the crop system practised in Antigua 

 is described. The importance of drainage as a fundamental in 

 agricultural practice for the production of vigorous, healthy plants 

 is also insisted upon. 



Cotton in Antigua has been seriously attacked by cotton-stainers 

 [Bysdercus] during the past season and in many localities by the 

 flower-bud maggot \Contarinia gossypH], which appeared about 

 October and seriously aflected the production of flowers and bolls 

 for some time. The stainers induced serious attacks of internal 

 boll disease during the latter months of the year. The campaign 

 against the wild food-plants of the stainer is being carried on. In 

 St. Kitts and in Nevis the cotton-stainers left the cotton fields in 

 swarms, flying to the mountains. When followed up they were 

 found in only one locality, at an elevation of 800 ft., where small 

 colonies occurred among grass and other plants. These were found 

 near to two silk cotton trees, which however had no pods. The 

 fields that the stainers had left were very hot and dry and it seems 

 probable that they had migrated in search of cooler and more moist 

 conditions. In the case described the small number of stainers 

 found would have little bearing on the infestation of fields in the 

 coming season, but if the silk-cotton trees on the mountains produced 

 seeds in abundance and the weather conditions were suitable for 

 the stainers to breed, a very large number might develop. These 

 observations indicate that careful watch will have to be kept on these 

 haunts of Dysdercus in the mountains in connection with the attempt 

 to control the pest by the destruction of the wild food-plants. 



The attacks of the cotton worm [Alabama argillacea] in Nevis were 

 sufficiently serious to necessitate a special investigation [see this 

 Review, Ser. A, vii, p. 372]. An attempt was made to introduce 

 Polistes annularis (Barbados wild bee) into Antigua and Nevis to 

 destroy the caterpillars of this moth, but the experiment was not 

 satisfactorily carried out and cannot be considered conclusive. It 

 will probably be repeated, but it is evident that precautions will 

 have to be taken against introducing with these wasps a Pyralid 

 moth, Dicymolomia pegasalis, that infests their nests [see this Review, 

 Ser. A, iii, p. 736]. 



