With Further Notes on the Pyralid Moth Borer of Cane. 
On 30th December another plantation at Kamma was found to be 
rather badly attacked; and finally, on 5th January, a very decided 
infestation was observed at Pyramid on a selection near the Mulgrave 
River, the soil being a medium clay-loam of a yellowish-brown colour. 
The cane on the latter selection was cut 13th December, and averaged 
about 20 tons to the acre. By 5th January, 1920, the ratoons (‘ Badila’’) 
were over a foot high, and in many cases from five to ten in a single 
stool had been destroyed by this borer, twenty to a stool being the 
highest loss recorded (see table on page 14). Four ‘“‘dead-hearts” out 
of eight obtained from one stool contained larve, while from one 
hundred “‘dead-hearts,” a portion only of those occurring on about a 
square chain, I secured no less than thirty-seven larve of the T'ineid, 
and five of Polyocha sp. 
In view of the foregoing evidence we cannot, I think, do otherwise 
than include the former species amongst our more serious Insect pests 
of sugar-cane. 
Apparently plant cane is very seldom attacked by it, whereas the 
entire area of a field under ratoons may be more or less affected by this 
moth-borer. 
Upon revisiting the patch of three-weeks-old first ratoons, dis- 
covered at Meringa on 13th December to be badly infested, I found 
that during an interval of thirty-nine days the cane as a whole had 
made good growth, heavy rains having proved beneficial. It was 
noticeable, however, that over rather extensive patches, where this 
borer had previously been much in evidence, many stools were under- 
sized and carried only from two to five canes, which, although in the 
first instance presumably weakly and of late growth, had apparently 
forged ahead after the destruction of earlier suckers. 
Nature of Injury. 
Outwardly, the damage to young ratoons corresponds in general 
appearance with that caused by our common WNoctuid moth-borer, 
Phragmatiphila truncata Walk., the destruction of the central or heart- 
leaves being a conspicuous and certain indication of internal trouble. 
Upon removing the few short basal leaves surrounding the bottom 
of an affected ratoon one or more tiny pinholes in the side, near or under 
the ground, are usually discernable, and if the shoot be pared away 
with a sharp knife at this spot a narrow section of its internal basal portion 
is seen to have been devoured transversely across the stem at one or more 
places in such manner as to completely sever the central core. The 
vascular tissue immediately above the seat of this injury soon reddens 
and gradually decays upwards throughout the length of the ratoon, 
while the heart-leaves, deprived of their normal supply of moisture, 
quickly wither and turn light yellowish-brown. In some instances the 
