98 



AUSTRALIAN SUCxAR-CANE BEETLES AND THEIR ALLIES. 



(35) 1904. Colonial Sugar Refining Co.— Notes on the Means of Checking the 



Grub Pest. Printed Circular, 1st November, 1904. 



The foHowing methods proved inadequate for coping with 

 the pest : — 



1. Collecting beetles. 



2. Cutting down feeding-trees. 



3. Collecting grul)s when ploughing. 



4. Sowing fungus. 



In 4 the efforts appeared to be abortive; 3 did good; 4 probably 

 the best, but not extensive enough. Of 1,500 beetles, 62 per cent, 

 were females. First week after emerging, no recognisable eggs; 

 third week after emerging, one-fourth had recognisable eggs. 

 Eggs about 20 on an average. Several sets may be deposited,^ 

 maximum 60 eggs. Grubs come to the surface under trash 

 during wet weather; 25 kerosene tins of grubs picked up in 

 this way from two acres, i.e. 100 gallons of grubs; one gal. =1,300 

 grubs, weight 8* lb.,zii65,000 grubs per acre. If no trash is 

 present the grubs collect under the cane-stools, hence do more 

 damage to the crop. 



(36) 1907. Colonial Sugar Refining Co. — Pests. Ann. Rept. 1907, 15-33. 



Discusses tremendous loss occasioned by grubs, especially in 

 the Hamblcdon district, i.e. 20,000 tons cane during 1906-7,= 

 £20,000 net. Grubs worse on well-drained land. Discussion of 

 experimental control measures — carbon bisulphide, moth-balls, &c. 

 Review of knowledge of life-history. The period 1897-1907, 

 Homebush Mill, Mackay, collected 21,822 lb. of beetles; very few 

 collected 1904-7, aiul croi)s fairly free. Review of history at 

 Hambledon, p. 32. 



(37) 1907. Tkyon, H. — Salt as a Remedy for the Cane Grul). QUI. Agr. Journ. 



xviii, 360. 



Discusses experiments, which proved negative. 



(38) 1908. Colonial Sugar Refining Co. — Grubs. Ann. Rept. 1908, 27-39. 



Loss of cane 40,000 tons at the five Northern mills. £2,800 

 spent for destroying 31.73 tons of beetles. Also £1,000 spent at 

 Mulgrave Mill for collecting; 6d. to 2s. per qt. or lb. List of 

 feeding-plants. Exact notes on application of carbon bisulphide, 

 p. 34, from Mossman to Mulgrave. Remedy usually applied too 

 late. Eurojiean collecting figures, p. 38. 



(39) 1909. Colonial Sugar Refining Co. — Grubs. Ann. Rept. 1909, 43-52. 



During 1908-9 approximately £50,000 loss from grubs in the 

 Cairns district. £1,500 spent for jjieking 14 tons of beetles and 

 2 tons of grubs. Notes on injecting cyanide, p. 47. Experiments 

 at Goondi with sorghum for the poisoning of grubs proved 

 negative, p. 50. North found least damage on liest cultivated 

 farms, pp. 52-3. 



(40) 1909. Gibson, Alfred. — Fowls and the Grub Pest. Aust. Sugar Journ. i, 



184. 



An extensive experiment, using travelling fowl houses, &:c. 



(41) 1909. Tryon, H.— a Cane Grub Parasite. Aust. Sugar Journ. i, 79. 



The mites infesting the grubs were held not responsible for 

 their deaths, Lynwood Estate, Isis district. 



(42) 1909. Young Bro.s., Messrs. — A Cane Grub Parasite. Aust. Sugar Journ. i, 



29. 



A mite attacking grubs. 



