520 



most severely attacked. Mealy bugs were prevalent around the base 

 of the fruits ; the inter-relation of weevil and mealy bug is considered 

 worthy of closer attention. As a preventive against weevil attack, 

 new pineries should be established outside or remote from existing ones 

 and the young slips for planting should be proved to be sound, without 

 any burrow passing from parent to slip and without any jelly-like 

 exudation. A careful watch should then be maintained ; any injured 

 plant or fruit should be forked out and chopped open, careful search 

 being made round the leaf -bases and in the jelly for adult weevils, 

 which should be picked out and killed. Examination should be 

 systematic and clean culture should be practised. 



Ritchie (A. H.). Coconut Beetles. — Jl. Jamaica Agric. Soc, Kingston, 

 xxi, no. 7, July 1917, p. 269. 



The Rutelid beetle, Macraspis tetradactyla, L., a specimen of which 

 was taken from the heart of a coconut palm, is reported to have 

 caused considerable damage during the year. Very little is known of 

 the life-history and habits of this species, and these require further 

 investigation. Adults may be killed by applications of arsenate of 

 lead or other arsenicals to the heart of the coconut palm, and this 

 treatment should be supplemented by an attack on the breeding places. 

 If arsenate of lead is not procurable, 1| lb. calcium arsenate may be 

 substituted in place of 2 lb. lead arsenate. 



Anstead (R. D.). Annual Report of the Deputy Director of Agricul- 

 ture, Planting Districts, for the Year ending 30th June 1917. — 



Planters' Chronicle, Bangalore, xii, no. 34, 25th August 1917, 

 pp. 422-425. 



Scale-insects were troublesome on coffee and Coccus viridis occurred 

 generally, although less abundantly, than in previous years. Early 

 rains encouraged the growiih of parasitic fungi, which largely controlled 

 the scale. Ants are now sprayed and destroyed regularly and are 

 fairly under control. The most successful spray for scale-insects has 

 been fish-oil resin soap as manufactured by the Madras Fisheries 

 Department. The coffee borer [Zeuzera coffeae] has been less prevalent 

 than in previous years, and appears to have definite cycles of 

 occurrence. A tiger beetle (CoUyris) was reported for the first time 

 during the year as boring in coffee stems [see this Review, Ser. A, v, 

 pp. 121, 164] ; this pest has not yet attained any importance. 



Tea was attacked by Helojjeltis, which is particularly troublesome 

 during the monsoon months, when spraying is impossible. Spray 

 fluids are considered useless in the case of a bad attack ; a combination 

 of spraying at the beginning of an attack, hand-collection and cultural 

 methods are the only successful means of control. The author 

 emphasises the advantage of pruning large areas in time for the young 

 foliage to develop before the attack of Hehpeltis begins. Limacodid, 

 Contheijla rotunda, was reported for the first time damaging tea, but 

 the caterpillars were controlled by pruning and hand-picking. The 

 butterfly, Terias silhetana, made a sporadic attack on Albizzia and 

 the tea beneath it ; this attack was easily controlled. 



