MONTHLY NOTES ON GRUBS AND OTHER CANE PESTS. 39 
Mr. Walker also remarked that the birds did good work on the 
beetles, which emerged over a very long period this year. 
The farm of D. and E. Mullans, near Hawkins Creek, though not 
showing the usual infestation from grubs, has a most interesting experi- 
ment with sulphate of ammonia. They applied the chemical to twenty- 
two rows in a field of Badila ratoons, using about 2 ewt. per acre. The 
treated cane is a beautiful dark-green colour, and about double the size 
of the remainder of the field, which is very yellow. The fertiliser was 
appled at just the right time, after the rains started in January. 
The farm of Combo and Co., which lies in the same narrow 
valley, shows no sign of grubs in the places where they have appeared 
every year. Mr. Combo told me that he eut the feeding-trees along the 
stream before the beetles flew in December. There are other feeding- 
trees, however, within half a mile to windward, so I presume that the 
late cultivation has done as much here in making the cane free from 
grubs. 
A visit to the newer cane areas far up the river on the Victoria 
side, revealed no infested fields, even where grubs did considerable 
damage last year. The dry weather has stunted the cane in places, but 
there is none of the characteristic yellowing caused by grubs. 
. Mr. E. Freeman, cane inspector at Victoria Mill, called my attention 
to a farm belonging to Mr. M. Deloughery, in the ‘‘Pocket,’’ which has 
produced seven crops of cane right among the trees, without any culti- 
vation. This farmer has had no trouble from grubs, and cuts 50-ton 
plant-crop. The feeding-trees are on every side. It is a case hard to 
understand, for Mr. Cole, on a farm alongside, cultivates his cane and 
has had trouble from grubs since the second crop on new land. The 
serub, with fig and other trees, is to windward, but Mr. Cole is having 
these cut out, so we shall have an opportunity to note the result upon 
future crops. 
Mr. W. Tooth told me that he has had trouble every year with grubs 
on his high ground, but none are showing this season, although feeding- 
trees are abundant to windward. 
Mr. Tooth says that the cane laying near the serub is not so badly 
infested as that on the ridge further back. This observation agrees 
with our experience, for the beetles naturally come to rest on these 
elevated spots. 
The distribution of grubs is not always easy to explain, but in 
every case where they have infested fields in former years there are 
feeding-trees to windward, within half a mile, to account for their 
presence. 
It is interesting to note that none of these infested fields are in the 
older districts, where the feeding-trees have been cleared away, though 
the land was infested in the early days. 
