502 



Ritchie (A. H.). Annual Report of the Government Entomologist 

 for 1918-1919. — Jamaica Dept. Agric. Ann. Rep. Jor Year ended 

 31st March 1919, Kingston, 1919, pp. 26-30. 



Sugar-cane cultivation was greatly interfered with and in certain 

 districts proved a complete failure owing to the ravages of Elaterid 

 grubs. As lengthy ratooning is the chief cause of insect trouble, 

 resting the land or rotation of crops is advised as the best remedial 

 measure, together with the burning of infested stools. If immediate 

 replanting should be essential, all measures should be taken to ensure 

 rapid estabhshment of the canes so as to resist wire-worm attacks. 

 A serious outbreak of white grubs occurred, but their abmidance 

 depends on the weather and the humidity of the soil. During the 

 autumn rains a large number of grubs were attacked by a fungus, 

 Isaria ritcliiei. 



Two consignments of the Histerid beetle, Plaesius javanus, were 

 imported from Java to combat the banana root weevil. Cosmopolites 

 sordidus, Germ., but as most of the beetles died on the way further 

 shipments will have to be made to ensure their estabhshment. 



The coconut scale [Asjndiotus destructor] was prevalent during the 

 year ; lime- sulphur 1 part to 15 parts of water is advocated against it. 

 An ant, Cremastogaster hrevispinosa, was responsible for the colonising 

 1 of mealy bugs on cacao, necessitating systematic gathering of the 

 nests. Other pests included : Saissetia Jiemisphaerica on Citrus ; 

 Aleurocanthus woglumi (black-fly) on limes ; a fruit-fly, Anastrepha 

 fraterculus, Wied., on mangos ; and Pidvinaria pyrifarmis on avocado 

 pear. Cajanus indicus (pigeon pea) was severely damaged by 

 Macraspis tetradactyla, which destroys the blossoms, the larvae of 

 this beetle being found in decaying coconut stems. C. indicus was 

 also attacked by Hemicliionaspis minor, but this scale is seldom seen 

 if the crop is treated as an annual. 



Yams {Dioscorea sp.) were severely infested with a weevil, Palaeopus 

 costicollis, Mshl. {dioscoreae. Pierce). The only preventive measure 

 known is the careful selection of yam heads at planting time. AU 

 infested tubers should be destroyed when the crop is gathered. The 

 treatment of young yam heads, prior to planting, with hme-sulphur 

 against Aspidiotus hartii, Ckll. [see this Review, Ser. A, vii, p. 56] 

 has proved most efficacious. Potatoes from Canada were infested 

 with pupae of a Drosopkila. 



Other miscellaneous pests included an imdetermiued Scolytid 

 attacking maize cobs in the field ; Peregrinus maidis (corn leaf-hopper) 

 attacking maize in large numbers ; Eudamus proteus (bean leaf-roller) 

 attacking Jerusalem peas {Phaseolus mungo, var. radiatus) ; and Dia- 

 pliania hyalinata and D. nitidalis on cucumber and pumpkins. Flour 

 was heavily infested with Silvanus surinamensis and Tribolium 

 confusum. 



Fernald (H. T.). Report of the Entomologist for 1918.~31assa- 

 chusetts State Dept. Agric., Bostmi, Department Circ. 3 (November 

 1918), 1919, 8 pp. [Received 23rd September 1919.] 



The apparent decrease of injury by Aspidiotus perniciosus, Comst. 

 (San Jose scale) was probably due to the severity of the winter, as the 



