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Insects severely attacked all maize. The chief pest is Dicranotropis 

 maidis (corn leaf- hopper). The eggs are laid on the terminal lea\'es, 

 which are sucked by the larvae, causing the plant to wither. Various 

 contact insecticides, carbolineum, tobacco wash, and whale-oil soap- 

 tobacco wash proved unsatisfactory, the latter alone showing 

 possibilities. 



Against Heliothis obsolefa (corn earworm) hand-picking and dusting 

 with either equal parts air-slaked lime and arsenate of lead or one part 

 Paris green to eight parts air-slaked lime are recommended. Diatraea 

 saccharalis (stalk borer) infested stalks of mature maize ; all infested 

 stalks should be destroyed after harvesting. A Syrphid, Toxomerus 

 politus (?) and Aphis maidis (corn aphis) also attacked maize. The 

 larvae of the former are found in the axils of the leaves and leaf- 

 sheaths of the ears. The latter is controlled by parasitic and predaceous 

 enemies. 



The most injurious pest of sweet potatoes is Euscepes batatae. 

 Sound sweet potatoes stored with infested tubers are attacked by 

 weevils, but fumigation for 30 to 48 hours with 1 lb. carbon bisulphide 

 for every 350 cli. ft. of space killed all stages of this pest. 



Cryptotermes sp. was found working in the sills of houses. One 

 part sugar to 20 parts white arsenic may be used as a poison bait, 

 and creosote and tars as wood preservatives. 



Batocera ruhus was found damaging fig trees { Fiats eJastica and 

 F. pedunculata) , mangos {Mangifera indica) and Carica papaya. 

 The eggs of this insect are deposited in May and hatch in 48-72 hours. 

 The larvae tunnel under the bark and into the soft wood. After seven 

 or eight months they pupate. The adults emerge two or three months 

 later, and feed on the leaves and branches. 



The leaves of Ricinus communis (castor beans) were infested with 

 CurytJmca gossypii, and the stems with Diaspis { Aiilacaspis) pentagona. 

 These pests can be controlled by contact insecticides. 



All vegetable crops were severely damaged by slugs ( V eronicella 

 occidentalis) . Dropping fresh-cut vegetable leaves between the rows 

 in the evening and destroying the slugs found the next day, sprinkling 

 a small amount of air-slaked lime round the plants, and hand-picking 

 at night were the remedial measures employed. 



Beans were heavily infested with Nezara viridida. Owing to 

 parasitic enemies Eiidamus proteus (bean leaf-roller) caused no serious 

 damage. One parasite {Chalcis sp.) is probably new. Beet leaves 

 were webbed together and skeletonised by Pachyzancla hipunctalis 

 (southern beet webworm). One part Paris green to eight parts air- 

 slaked lime, or equal parts of lead arsenate and air-slaked 

 lime, are recommended as a dust spray. The most serious pest of 

 cabbages and kohl-rabi was Plutella maculipennis (diamond-back moth). 

 The larvae skeletonise the leaves and retard the plant's growth; 

 Dusting with one part Paris green to eight parts air-slaked lime, 

 or spraying with 2 lb. Paris green, 6 lb. soap and 100 U.S. gals, water, 

 are recommended. Slight damage was caused by Pieris {Pontia) 

 monuste (southern cabbage butterfly) and Aphis brassicae •(cabbage 

 aphis), predaceous and parasitic enemies controlling the latter. 



The larvae of Diaphania hyalinata (melon worm) seriously injured 

 cucumbers, melons and squashes by defoliation and boring into the 

 vines and fruit. Dusting with one part Paris green to 8-10 parts air- 

 slaked lime, or equal parts lead arsenate and air-slakecl lime, is 

 recommended. Natural enemies controlled Aphis gossypii, attacking 

 cucurbits. 



