14 An Account of a New Moth Borer of Sugar Cane, 
The following table gives an idea of the degree of infestation 
mentioned as having been noticed at Pyramid. The cane examined 
was selected from three different spots on the plantation, two examples 
(1 to 8 and 9 to 16) consisting each of eight, and the third (17 to 20) of 
four stools, which in all instances were taken consecutively. The land 
was clay loam river-flat, and the crop planted 5 feet in the rows and 1 foot 
10 inches between the sets.* 
NuMBER, CONDITION OF GROWTH, AND DEGREE OF INFESTATION OF 20 STOOLS: 
or ‘ BapiLta”’ Txrrp Ratoons (ABOUT TWENTY-FOUR Days OLD). 
| 
| Number of Number of Number of Number of 
Total F Total Robust Rat 
Number of | Number of Bobust gitea be | Number of | Number of Shoots | killed by 
Stools. Ratoons in | apout18in.| —Moth- Stools. | Ratoons in | apout18in.; | Moth- 
Ten Stools. | high. borers. Ten Stools. high. | borers. 
= | 2 ! 7 
1 36 til 20 | 11 18 9 1 
2, a2 9 9 2, 33 10 | 7 
3 153 2, il 13 20 9 | 6 
4 27 Seti 12 14 22 8 - | 3 
5 27 8 | 5 1143) 32 12 9 
6 36 9 16 16 25 | 8 2 
U 1] 4 2 17 51 13 19. 
8 | 8 | 4 3 18 20 4 13 
9 | 30 12 15 19 28 5 10 
10 50 8 8 20 12 4 3 
| 
242 71 101] Ss | 261 | 82 73 
242 TA 101 
Totals for 20 stools .. “ie ae | 503 153 | 174 
It will be seen by the above that about one-third of the shoots in each 
stool examined had been destroyed by moth-borers, during a period 
of less than four weeks’ growth. In short, these figures point to the 
probability of more than half of our assumed ‘natural loss of 50 per cent. 
of suckers in a ratoon crop being brought about for the most part by 
this Tineid moth-pest. Presuming the average damage to such infested 
ratoon crops (including first, second, and third year suckers) to be 50 per 
cent. less than that shown in the above table, viz., 4 suckers per stool 
instead of 8—the infestation would then work out at about 11,000 to 
the acre, out of which we may reasonably suppose at least 10 per cent. to 
consist of robust ratoons, representing what might have been 1,100 mature 
sticks. 
In the absence of more extended investigation in various districts, 
embracing our first to third ratoon crops during at least six months’ growth, 
the preceding remarks, although largely of a provisional character, may 
yet be of some interest to, cane-growers. 
* This plantation was ploughed out a few weeks later, and the land replanted. 
