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the institution of prizes for essays and by similar means a wide- 
spread interest in economic entomology is being roused. » 
Professor P. CARMODY was appointed Director of Agriculture 
in 1908, and the writer was appointed entomologist under the 
Board of Agriculture in January 1909. It may here be mentioned 
that the Board of Agriculture, of which the Governor is President, 
consists of planters and others interested in agriculture. Besides 
advising the Government in matters agricultural, the Board has 
its own staff consisting of a mycologist, an entomologist, agricul- 
tural instructors and inspectors. It also possesses a well equipped 
laboratory where research work is carried on by its employees. 
The entomological work that is done at present is principally 
devoted to agricultural pests, but work 1s also undertaken in con- 
nection with Insects in relation to disease, and also in co-operation 
with the Education Department to help in the scheme of nature 
study, successfully inaugurated by the Inspector of Schools, Lieu- - 
tenant-Colonel J.-H. COLLENS, V. D. The details of the work done 
is best discussed under different headings. 
Agricultural Work. 
Besides reporting on specimens sent in by planters, special visits 
are paid to plantations where practical demonstrations are given 
in spraying and controlling Insect pests. Special investigations 
are also carried on. It is hardly in the scope of a paper like this to 
consider all the Insect pests affecting our cultivations, but one or 
two may be mentioned. The main product of the island is cacao, 
the fields of which harbour many Insects ; in fact these estates are 
the entomologist’s best hunting ground. 
Fortunately most of the Insects found there are not injurious and 
on the whole, with one or two exceptions, Insect life is fairly well 
balanced, there being a fair proportion of natural enemies always 
present. The most serious pest is the Cacao Beetle (Steirastoma 
depressum), which seems to affect young trees in recently opened 
up districts. Cacao Beetles eat the bark of trees, and their larva 
destroy young branches of the trees. The tender young leaves of a 
cacao tree attract quite an army of Caterpillars and Beetles of 
several families, which, although they do not constitute serious 
pests, require watching. In the same manner the leaves attract 
gnawing Insects, the flowers and young pods are injuriously 
affected by many sucking Insects. The Leaf-hopper (ZZoriola 
