228 



upon emerging from the egg, immediately attach themselves to 

 exposed roots or other tender parts of the plant and begin to 

 extract the juices, enveloping themselves with a protective covering 

 of superfluous sap, in the characteristic manner of spittle-insects. 

 At first the nymphs are found only near the base of the plant, but in 

 the third or fourth instar they ascend it and are sometimes found 

 in the axils of the leaves. Besides Parana grass, Guinea grass 

 {Pamcum maximum) is attacked when growing with it, and also 

 Andwpogon mnricatus and other undetermined grasses. In the 

 Experiment Station of Santiago de las Vegas, Sorghum halepense and 

 sugar-cane {Saccharum officinarum) have also been attacked ; if 

 infestation on sugar-cane develops, it probably will be sufficient to 

 clear away all grasses from the plantation. The insect is evidently, 

 however, a potential pest of sugar-cane and watch should be kept 

 for it. 



When a pasture is so badly infested that there is little chance of 

 saving it, it is best to burn it over, with sufficient intensity to reach 

 the roots where there may be eggs, and to include a certain area 

 around the infested parts. Light-traps for the adults have been 

 found useful in Trinidad. Drags, such as those used in the United 

 States against locusts or crickets, should be of the greatest use in 

 control, but as many of the pastures are on hillsides and interspersed 

 with tree stumps, etc., certain modifications would be necessary ; for 

 example, the front of the drag should be provided at the base with 

 one or several arched rods of cane or bamboo which would enable 

 it to pass over stumps and other obstacles. 



No insect enemies of M. bicincta are as yet known in Cuba that 

 would control the pest without damaging the plants, but the green 

 muscadine fungus (Metarrhiznim anisopliae), which has been success- 

 fully disseminated in Trinidad, exi ts in Cuba, and may prove a 

 valuable help in control if cultivated abundantly in the laboratory 

 and dessiminated in the field. 



Arango (R.). Algunas Plagas de nuestros Cultivos.— Citfta : Ojicina 

 de Sanidad Vegetal, Havana, Bol. 2, 1919, pp. 47-80, 3 plates, 

 19 figs. [Received 1st April 1920.] 



The black fly of citrus, Aleurocanthus tvoglumi, has been known as a 

 pest of citrus trees, and of certain species of mango and sapota trees, 

 in Cuba since 1915. A fist of 44 food-plants occurring in the Island is 

 given. 



When the first attempts were made in Cuba to combat the pest in 

 August 1916, the plants were sprayed with 2 gals, parafiin to 2 lb. 

 whale-oil soap, mixed in 1 gal. of water and diluted with 10 parts of 

 water before use. This solution killed the eggs, larvae and pupae and 

 also a good number of adults, but it proved very expensive and in 

 later treatment kerosene was substituted for the paraffin and common 

 yellow soap for the whale-oil soap, almost the same results being 

 obtained. When infestation is very heavy and the plants are beyond 

 saving in good condition, the mixture may be used much stronger, 

 the water being reduced to three parts. Some plants have been almost 

 completely defoKated in this way. But a few months later they put 

 out fresh foUage that was quite free from infestation. A cheaper and 



