236 



KuLKARNi (G. S.). The "Murda" Disease of Chilli {Capsicum). — 

 Agric. Jl. India, Calcutta, xvii, pt. 1, January 1922, pp. 51-54, 

 2 plates. 



Experiments have proved the " Murda " disease of chilli {Capsicum) 

 to be produced by the same mite that causes the " Tambera " disease 

 of potatoes [R.A.E., A, viii, 409]. One spraying with lime-sulphur 

 wash is sufificient to control it on chillies, provided that the spraying 

 is done as soon as it appears. Besides the food-plants mentioned 

 [loc. cit.], the mite also occurs on Zinnia, Dahlia, Tagetes, Mirabilis 

 jalapa. Cape gooseberry, Amarantus polygonus and Physalis minima. 



The identity of the mite causing these diseases has not yet been 

 established, but it is thought to be a Tarsonemid. 



Urich (F. W.). Entomologist's Reports ^or 1919 & 192^.— Kept. 



Dept. Agric. Trinidad & Tobago for 1919 & 1920, Port-of -Spain, 

 1921, pp. 14-24. [Received 8th March 1922.] 



The short dry season of 1919 so equalised the distribution of natural 

 enemies and their hosts that the usual pests were not serious, and 

 sugar-cane pests were the only troublesome ones in 1920. 



Cacao pests in 1919 included Heliothrips {Selenothrips) rtihrocinctus 

 (cacao thrips), which was not serious, and Stirastoma depressum 

 (cacao beetle), which only attacks exposed and wind-swept fields in 

 the northern districts^ of Trinidad, but is widely distributed in the 

 south. A campaign was undertaken against this beetle in the Moruga 

 district, and lead arsenate for spraying was supplied free of charge to 

 small proprietors. Other measures included the cutting out of the 

 larvae from the trunks and limbs of sound trees, and the destruction 

 of all dead and dying branches, which places are usually selected for 

 oviposition. There was a small outbreak on cacao of a small grass- 

 hopper, Coscineuta sp., which is indigenous to Trinidad, though it 

 usually only attacks balisier and banana leaves. It was controlled 

 by poisoned bran mash, collection in nets, and insectivorous birds. 

 Parasol ants [Atta'l were kept in check by the use of carbon bisulphide. 

 Brassolis sophorac (coconut butterfly) in 1919 attacked young palms 

 among the canes, and in 1920 caused some damage to cacao. In both 

 seasons the eggs were parasitised by two species of Hymenoptera, 

 and the pupae by a Chalcid and a Tachinid. 



Sugar-cane was practically free in 1920 from Tomaspis saccharina, 

 but moth borers [Diatraea spp.] were present as usual. It is proposed 

 in future to plant the bulk of seedhngs in April instead of May, though 

 they are then more liable to be cut by mole-crickets, which may 

 usually be avoided by means of protective bamboo collars. Sweet 

 potatoes do not usually give large crops, mainly owing to the stem- 

 boring caterpillars of the moth, Megastes grandalis, and in 1918 

 experiments were made of dipping the cuttings in Bordeaux mixture 

 and lead arsenate before planting, and spraying twice with this 

 mixture at a month's interval. A higher yield resulted in both cases. 



QuAxjER (H. M). New Work on Leaf-curl and aUied Diseases in 

 Holland. — Kept. Internal. Potato Conf., R. Hortic. Soc, london, 

 1921, pp. 127-145, 6 plates. [Received 8th March 1922.] 



The occurrence and development of leaf-curl and allied diseases of 

 potatoes in Holland are discussed, and the methods employed to obtain 



