42 SCALE PESTS OF COFFEE 



wiped out. There is thus in most estates a definite 

 alternation of favourable and unfavourable seasons which, 

 provided the rains a,re normal, gives no chance of continued 

 multiplication and sustained injmy. 



Combative Measures. 



In the earlier stages of infection in Mysore, when no 

 more than a dozen estates were infected, two objects were 

 kept steadily in view : — (1) to detect the source or sources 

 of infection, (2) to stamp out the pest from the estates 

 where it had appeared-. The measures taken with 

 regard to the first of these objects have already been de- 

 scribed. With regard to the second, many planters took 

 the heroic measure of cutting out and burning all the 

 infested plants as originally advised by Lefroy\ Plants 

 were cut down, the dry leaves on the ground were placed 

 on them and the whole heap burnt on the spot. In some 

 estates they were carried in gunny bags to a central 

 place where the burning was done. The bag used was 

 each time soaked in an insecticide before it was carried 

 back to the estate, so that any bugs on the bag would 

 be killed. Both these methods were found not to work 

 satisfactorily. The movements among the infested plants 

 and their handling during these operations could not be 

 done without the constant danger of young bugs getting 

 on to the coolies and thus being carried to uninfested 

 portions of the estates. The less objectionable was the 

 first method. Even this left much to be desired. The 

 spraying of the plants in the infested patches and those 

 around was soon found to be the combative method open 

 to the least objection. 



Detection of Infection. 



The correct identification of the pest caused a good 

 deal of difficulty at first, but planters soon became familiar 

 with its characteristic features. Even when the bug is 

 correctly identified, the detection of infection requires some 

 skilled observation. But, for practical purposes, it is suffi- 

 cient to look for plants which are blackened more or 



^ Loc. cit., page 13. 



