64 



where there is no possibility of danger, otherwise, lead chromate should 

 be used. The Arctiid, Diacrisia obliqua, Wlk., was found to attack 

 Glycine soya (soy bean) and Desmodmm sp. in Assam. Other crops 

 which it is known to attack, are Crotalaria juncea (senn hemp) and 

 Arachis hypogaea (ground-nut). The eggs are laid on the underside of 

 the food-plant in batches and take about four days to hatch. The 

 larval stage lasts about three weeks ; pupation takes place in the 

 ground and after 10 days the moth emerges, having completed its life 

 cycle in about five weeks. It is easy to collect the young caterpillars 

 when they are still gregarious. Lead chromate may be used as a 

 spray. If the plants are badly attacked, they should be hoed up 

 directly the caterpillars have descended to pupate, as this will destroy 

 large numbers. The Pierid, Catopsilia pyranthe, L., defoliates Cassia 

 fistula (sonaru trees) in Assam and also attacks Sesbania and probably 

 other Leguminosae also. C. fistula, is usually grown more for ornament 

 than for shade, and spraying could only be effected by means of a 

 power sprayer. Another Pierid butterfly, Terias hecabe, L., has been 

 reported from the Duars and Assam on Sesbania aculeata, which, in a 

 bad attack, may be completely defoliated ; Albizzia stipulata (sau 

 tree) was also defoliated. The control of this pest is a difficult matter. 

 In the case of S. aculeata, lead arsenate or lead chromate might be 

 applied, if it can be done without spra5ang the tea also, but for 

 A. stipuhta a power sprayer would be necessary. Fortunately the 

 attacks of this pest seem to be sporadic. The Pentatomid bug, 

 Coptosoma nazirae, Atk., is found in large numbers on Tephrosia 

 Candida (boga medeloa). The only remedy, should the pest become 

 serious, would be hand collection, insecticides being of little or no 

 value. The Coccid, Eriochiton theae, Green, has long been known as a 

 pest of tea, but recently specimens have been received from the Western 

 Duars on Erythrina indica (dadap) and from the Eastern Duars on 

 Cajanus itidicus (Arhar dal). In both cases the pest commenced on 

 the green manure plant and later attacked tea. When it occurs on 

 E. indica, the caustic soda spray advised against scales on tea [see this 

 Review, Ser. A, iii, p. 490] may be used, but in the case of G. indicus, 

 the treatment would have to be confined to spraying with resin 

 solution. 



Andrews (E. A.). A swarm of locusts in the Darjeeling and Terai 

 districts. — QtrJy. Jl. Scient. Dept. Ind. Tea Assoc, Calcutta, 

 Part iii, 1915, pp. 63-67. 



In July 1915, the author witnessed an invasion of the Darjeeling 

 and Terai districts by Schistocerca (Acridium) peregrina, Oliv. Even 

 in cases where the locusts settled everywhere, the injury done to tea 

 was very small. The bulk of the damage to tea appeared to be due to 

 the enormous amount of excreta on the leaves. Other plants were 

 however stripped more or less completely. The home of this locust 

 is in the sandy deserts to the west of Afghanistan and Baluchistan, 

 whence it periodically swarms over India. The consensus of opinion 

 amongst the planters of the Darjeeling Terai seemed to be 

 that the last swarm to invade that district appeared in 1891, although 

 one or two stated that there had been a small swarm since. According 

 to Stebbing, a swarm spread as far east as the Brahmaputra river in 

 1901. 



