731 



Garden pests included Baclrocera (Dacus) ferntginea and Dacns sp., 

 which were very prevalent throughout the year. Attempts to control 

 them by spraying the plants with lead arsenate and sugar from time 

 to time did not seem to give any appreciable results. The cabbage 

 moth {Crocidolomia hinotalis) ; the artichoke moth {Porpe bjerkan- 

 drella) ; the fruit fly {Ceratitis capifata) ; the codling moth {Cydia 

 pomonella) ; the Rutelid beetle, Adorelus versutus ; Icenja seychelkirum 

 {" pou blanc ") and many other pests were reported as causing 

 much harm to vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants. Good 

 results were obtained by the use of insecticides. 



Among insects attacking legimiinous crops, the " pois sabre " 

 caterpillar {Argyroploce rhynchias) was very prevalent in different 

 localities, causing in one instance the wholesale destruction of 

 several fields. Its life-history has been worked out and it is possible 

 that it may be controlled by handpicking the eggs. 



A census of the area infected with Phytalus smitlii was made as 

 usual in May and showed that this pest had not spread further. The 

 infestation was found to be less severe in some localities and more 

 so in others, where many young virgin fields suffered severely. The 

 digging out of larvae was vigorously pursued and the numbers indicated 

 by the census tests were found to be accurate. Before the beetles 

 began to emerge, a meeting was held, which was attended by the 

 proprietors and managers of the sugar estates situated within the 

 infected area, and the following agreements were made : — (1) That 

 the estates would pay a monthly contribution of Rs. 100 for the 

 employmient of a special gang whose duty would consist of catching 

 insects in the fields after the public have left them. A gang of thirty 

 men was employed under the supervision of a special employe and 

 succeeded in destroying up to the end of December 621,091 insects. 

 (2) That estates should also employ special gangs. These gangs have 

 captured 452,351 insects. (3) It was also agreed to cut lines through 

 the waste lands overgrown with indigo, " herbe conde " and other 

 shrubs in order to facilitate the capture of the beetles. Tall trees 

 bordering certain fields were to be cut down and other small plants 

 grown to attract the insects to definite spots, where they would be 

 more easily destroyed. Most of these recommendations have in part 

 been carried out and the destruction of the pest has been facilitated. 

 (4) It was decided that beetle buyers should be selected to work under 

 the control of the Department. They were supplied wath stamped 

 measures and were bound to use special cases and tins for storing the 

 insects. By this means the public was fairly treated and it was 

 ascertained that insects were not taken to non-infested localities. 

 The number of insects destroyed in 1914 was 38,816,417 ; in 1913, 

 34,122,063 were captured. In 1914, 6,694,300 larvae were dug 

 out from the most seriously infested fields at Maison Blanche and Mon 

 Rocher, giving a total number of 45,510,717 insects destroyed during 

 that year. The number of insects caught increases yearly, and more 

 stringent measures will have to be taken against this scourge in the 

 near future and infested estates will have to be called upon for further 

 assistance in the campaign. Another consignment of the Scoliid wasp, 

 Tiphia parallela was received from Barbados in August. A certain 

 number of adult insects were obtained ; some of them have been 



