449 



the development of S. hampei is in no way interfered with. In the case 

 of coffee intended for consumption the processes of fermentation and 

 artificial drying seem to be fatal to the insect, which has been, however, 

 recorded from this commodity in Europe and the Belgian Congo, so 

 that watchfulness is necessary. 



If it be assumed that S. hampei is native to Java, the question of its 

 other food-plants arises. Mayne has reported it in the Belgian Congo 

 from Hibiscus and various Leguminous seeds, and Morstatt has taken 

 it from wild blackberry in East Africa. In spite of careful search, 

 however, no wild food-plant has as yet been discovered in Java. During 

 a number of experiments S. hampei bored into plants other than cofiee, 

 but did not breed in them. 



"^^ell " vn variations in the intensity of infestation appear to 



^o a cfecrease in the infesting power of the females. This may 



be owix ^ "^ inbreeding and parthenogenesis. The spread of infestation 



is probably clue more to a passive spread of the pest than to an 



active one. 



Up to the present, even in cases of severe infestation, the existence 

 of coffee cultivation has not been threatened by S. hampiei, but it is 

 possible that conditions may become less favourable. The author 

 thinks that estimated crop-losses of 25-40 per cent, are exaggerated; 

 in any case the yield of berries depends on too many factors to allow 

 of a definite allocation to any one of them. The loss of weight in the 

 beans may however average 10 per cent, where infestation has been 

 very severe. Infested beans are, of course, of inferior quality, 

 and in some cases half the crop may be thus depreciated 

 in value. This deterioration in quality is the chief loss due to 

 S. hampei. 



Among the remedial measures that have been advised are spraying 

 {R.A.E., A, fii, 751], the removal and destruction of infested berries 

 and all debris in the plantations and buildings, and the removal and 

 destruction of infested berries only. 



The author recommends the colleqtion of as many infested berries 

 a,s possible, especially in mixed plantations where C liberica and the 

 hybrid varieties act as trap-plants. Blackened berries should be 

 carefully removed in the early stages of an outbreak. The groimd 

 beneath the bushes must be kept clean. Spraying provides the sole 

 means for protecting uninfested bushes, and stomach-poisons, especially 

 lead arsenate, are the most suitable ; at present, however, no exact 

 data exist. Attempts to interrupt the life-cycle by removing as much 

 infectible material as possible do not seem very hopeful. The author's 

 conclusion is that suppression involves many practical difficulties, so 

 that prevention is emphatically better than cure. 



At the end of 1918 the Government coffee-seed garden at Bandelan 

 appeared to be infested with S. hampei, and this led to disinfection 

 beiag attempted. It was fomid that fumigation for 24 hours with 150 

 c.c. of carbon bisulphide (CS.,) per cu. metre killed all stages of the 

 beetle, but that the germination power of the seed suffered. The 

 trials were made with Cojfea dyhowskii — a variety allied to C. liberica 

 — which was the only kind available. It is possible that others may 

 prove more resistant, and perhaps a shorter period of fumigation and a 

 lesser strength of carbon bisulphide may suffice. 



(708) c 



