752 



and the benzine treatment for the latter, have been successful. The 

 caterpillars of Metadrepana glauca, Hmp., and of Parasa sp., continued 

 at intervals to defoliate coffee trees ; their attacks were best checked 

 by a Paris green spray. The most commonly occurring scale-insects 

 were : Dadylopius {Pseudococcus) citri, Risso, Coccus {Lecayiiunt) 

 'viridis, Green, Coccus (L.) africanus, Newst., Stictococcus gowdeyi, 

 Newst., Ceroplastes ceriferus, And., and Selenaspidus articidatus, Morg. 

 Whale-oil soap and kerosene emulsion sprays were successful against 

 these pests. Cutworms were fairly prevalent during the year. One 

 example of a coffee root-borer was received, probably the larva of the 

 Anthribid beetle, PJdoeobius catenatus, Kolb. An as yet unidentified 

 coffee-root scale-insect has been found in different parts of the 

 country. 



iVmong cacao pests, several reports of Toxoptera theobromae, Schout., 

 were received ; it may be controlled by a whale-oil soap spray. 

 Adoretus hirtellus, Castn. (cacao beetle) has done considerable damage 

 in one or two cases. Ceratitis punctata, Wiecl. (cacao fruit fly) has not 

 caused much damage. Cacao was attacked by Stictococcus dimorplms, 

 Newst., and Pseudococcus sp. The former was parasitised by the 

 Noctuid moth, Eublemma costimacula, Saalm. Gryllotalpa africana, 

 P. de B., Gnjllus bimaculatus, de G., and G. gracilipes, Sauss., were also 

 injurious to coffee. HelopeUis sp. (mosquito bUglit) has made its 

 appearance in Uganda. 



Among rubber pests, the bee, Trigona clypeata, Freise, was sometimes 

 found in the smaller branches of Hevea which had died back or been 

 killed. Damage to healthy wood is not considered probable. 



Among cotton pests, a small attack of the grasshopper, Zonocerus 

 variegatus, L., was reported and Paris green in powder form was advised 

 as a remedy. Earias insulana, Boisd. (spiny boll worm), Leptoglossus 

 membranaceus, F. (leaf-footed plant bug) and the cotton-stainers, 

 Dgsdercus nigrofasciatus, Stal, D. pretiosus, Dist. Oxycarenus hjalini- 

 pennis, Costa, and 0. gossypinus, Dist., were all as numerous as in 

 previous years. 



Balls (W. L.). Notes on an Internal Disease of Cotton Seed.^Agri- 

 cultural Neivs, Barbados, xiv, no. 350, 25th September 1915, 

 p. 314. 

 Observations made in Egypt by the author in connection with a 

 supply of pure strain cotton-seed showed that the diseased condition 

 of some seed could be traced to Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (cotton- 

 seed bug). The percentage of seed which failed to germinate was 

 proportional to the duration of the time during which the cotton-seed 

 had remained on the plant. For equal times of exposure, the severity 

 of the damage was proportional to the abundance of 0. hyalinipennis. 

 The proportion of damaged seed amoimted in extreme cases to 98 

 per cent. Examination for fungi or bacteria introduced through the 

 punctures made by the insect failed to reveal their presence. Further 

 tests made by exposing healthy seed to the bugs for one or two weeks 

 showed that their salivary secretion was poisonous in some way 

 and continued to destroy the cells after the proboscis had been with- 

 drawn. It is therefore probable that the damage done by these 

 insects is due rather to the poisons left behind than to the nutriment 

 removed. 



