476 



is slower and the larval stage lasts about two years. In captivity the 

 pupal stage lasted about ten weeks, the adults emerging towards the 

 end of April. Little is known regarding the length of life of this beetle, 

 but an allied species, G. siercorarius, is said to have lived as long as 

 three years and six weeks [R.A.E., A, v, 21]. 



Natural enemies include various birds. Remedial measures are good 

 cultivation in the spring and lifting and replacing sickly or injured 

 plants. All larvae and adults found should be destroyed. 



Second Annual Report of the Forestry Commissioners. Year ending 

 September 30th, 1921.— London, H.M.S.O., 1922, 44 pp. Price Is. 

 [Received 22nd July 1922.] 



Some account of the work done on insect pests is included under 

 the subhead of Research and Experiment. 



During November 1920 a special investigation into the biology and 

 occurrence of Chermes cooleyi was begun, from which it appears that, 

 although Douglas fir [Pseudotsuga taxifolia] is infested, it does not 

 succumb to the attack of this Aphid, and the destructive gall-form on 

 Sitka spruce [Picea sitchensis] does not exist in this country. A full 

 report is to be published shortly on the prevention of the further 

 dispersal of this pest and on measures for dealing with infested nursery 

 stock. Experiments in the control of Hylobius abietis are still being 

 continued ; the results so far show that bark-traps are superior to 

 hand-picking, and that decoy billets and pit-traps tend to prevent the 

 migration of the weevil from its breeding-ground. 



Minor investigations were concerned with Chermes on silver lir, 

 pine and spruce Aphids, pine wood-boring beetles, insects harmful to 

 poplars, Ips [Tomicus) laricis (bark-beetle) and Cladius viminalis 

 (poplar sawfly). 



Ehriiorn (E. M.). Report of Chief Plant Inspector, January 1922. — 



Haivaiian Forester & Agric, Honolulu, xix, no. 3, March 1922, 

 pp. 71-72. 



The pests intercepted include : From China, Aphis sp. on Caladium 

 tubers ; from Florida, Lcpidosaphes heckii on oranges ; and, from the 

 Philippines, Parlatoria pergandei on oranges. 



Scientific Department. — Planters' Chron., Coimbatore, xvii, no. 26, 

 1st July 1922, pp. 381-382. 



Cerococcus hibisci and Ceroplastodes sp. were found attacking 

 Tephrosia Candida. The attack was probably largely due to the long and 

 abnormal drought, but was almost entirely confined to young clearings, 

 there being very little under the shade of old rubber. With the onset 

 of rain the scales were attacked by a fungus and were also heavily 

 parasitised. Infested Tephrosia should be cut over at once ; the young 

 shoots coming up with the rain will then be clean and uninfested. 

 If the pest is serious the crop should be rotated with Indigo/era 

 endecaphylla, which makes an excellent cover, in young clearings. 



Tea was infested with Saissetia (Lecanium) hemisphaerica and 

 rubber was severely attacked by a black scale, possibly 5. nigra, 

 with the attendant sooty fungus. This attack, following a severe one 

 of Phvtopthora meadii in the previous year, caused a great deal of damage 

 to the trees. 



