294 



crop aiTords some protection. Birds, particularly starlings, are very 

 useful in controlling the grubs. When the adults are feeding, a spray 

 of Paris green is efficacious in destroying them. 



Jepson (F. p.). Report on a Visit to the Rewa River Plantations. — 

 Deft. Agric., Fiji, Suva. Pamphlet no. 25, 1916, 4 pp. [Received 

 15th May 1917.] 



The banana borer {Cosmopolites sordidus) was found to be less 

 prevalent than it had been three years previously, its comparative 

 absence in 1916 being probably due to an exceptionally wet season. 

 Among the conditions that conduce to the spread of this pest are : 

 poor drainage ; neglect in planting only clean and healthy suckers ; 

 the planting of bananas on the same land for many successive years 

 without a change of crop, or leaving the same crop in the ground too 

 long without replanting ; neglect of thorough cultivation before the 

 first planting ; planting too close ; leaving on the ground or ploughing 

 in borer-infested stems and stumps. Scale-insects were found to some 

 extent on every estate inspected. The best time for spraying is from 

 September to March, during which time the insects are dormant. The 

 only species found on bananas during this visit was Aspidiotus 

 destructor Mask, {transparens, Green). A small leaf-moth and a fruit- 

 piercing moth were also observed, but as fruit for export is always 

 cut green, the presence of the latter Avas not important. 



The coconut-leaf moth {Levwma iridescens) was prevalent in most 

 districts, but the trees attacked were in isolated positions. The 

 coconut-leaf miner {Proniecotheca reichei) was found in two localities, 

 though probably present in most districts, and was also found destroy- 

 ing the foliage of the ornamental palm, Livistona sp. Aspidiotus 

 destructor was found on coconut leaves, but was not plentiful 



A new imdertaking, that of rubber-planting, has been begun, and 

 the rubber seems to be remarkably free from insect attack except 

 for one case of leaf-miner, and on another estate a little scale infestation. 

 Species of Coccids identified were Chionaspis dubia, Mask., on maiden 

 hair fern, C. citri, Comst., on Caladium sp., Aspidiotus destructor 

 on avocada pear, popple-nut, papaw, and ginger. 



An unsuccessful search was made for the Histerid beetle [Plaesius 

 javanus) introduced three years previously [see this Review, Ser. A, 

 ii, p. 507 ; iv, p. 53] but, as its development is slow and very prolonged 

 and its habits are entirely nocturnal, the failure to locate it is not 

 considered surprising. 



Ehrhorn (E. H.), Division of Plant Inspection. — Hawaiian Forester 

 and Agriculturist, Honohdu, xiv, nos. 2 & 3, February & March 

 1917, pp. 41-42 & 67-68. [Received 16th May 1917.] 



During the month of January, a package of walnuts from Korea 

 was intercepted and destroyed, as the nuts were infested by the 

 larvae of a moth. 



In February, a Coccid {Phenacoccus azaleae) was found on azalea 

 from Japan. In the soil round a Thuya tree from Japan were found 

 24 weevil larvae, a few ants and an earwig. 



