HISTORY OF THE I5LIGHT IN TRINlUAlJ. 31 



E. E. A. Francis in February 1879 reported on some blighted canes 

 from Orange Grove Estate and the soil in which they were growing. He 

 found the cane ash deficient in silica and the soil deficient in lime and 

 in bad physical condition. (Francis 1881). 



1873-1885. 



According to Tripp (1908) Mr. Hart when speaking of the outbreak of 

 blight in 1889 (q.v.) stated that the froghopper " had been in evidence 

 intermittently for sixteen years previous." 



Mr. J. P. Bain, a local Agriculturist, speaking in 1916 said that he 

 remembered froghoppers doing damage thirty-five years before, and Mr. 

 Sanderson, another old Planter, said in 1918 that he distinctly remem- 

 bered the froth of the froghopper on the cane roots forty years previously. 



1886. 



Urich, discussing the outbreak of blight in 1906 (Urich 1906) said that 

 he distinctly remembered an attack of blight in 1886. 



1889. 



This is the first year in which we have a record of the froghopper in 

 association with blight. Hart (1890) reported on an outbreak in 

 Chaguanas in November 1889. He noted that the effects of the insect are 

 most severe after a long period of wet weather succeeded by a sudden 

 drought. He mentioned that the roots were rotten but the cane itself 

 was healthy and would probably recover with suitable weather, and a 

 foot-note states that this actually did occur. The outbreak appears to 

 resemble in every detail those occurring to-day. 



Later Hart (1906) stated that the outbreak of froghoppers was followed 

 in this year by an attack of Trichosphaeria or Rind-fungus. 



1890-1892. 



This period marks the beginning of the "breakdown" of the old 

 Bourbon Cane. Various theories have been advanced as to the cause of 

 the widespread failure. Blandford (1892) attributed it to shot-boi*er 

 beetles and .says that within the previous two years they had caused a 

 loss on some estate of 30 per cent, of the crop. 



It is now generally accepted however that the breakdown was due to 

 the introduction of the fungus Coiletotrichum falcatum causing the 

 "Red Rot" of the stem. Nowell believes that this disetise was introduced 

 from the East. 



1894. 



On 14th August, 1894 a special Committee of the Agricultural 

 Society "viewed with alarm the serious spread of insect and fungus 

 pests among the canes," and suggested getting the services of an expert 

 to investigate them. (Hart 1896). 



1896. 



Urich writing in 1906 said that an outbreak of blight in the Cha- 

 guanas district about ten or twelve years previous had attracted atten- 

 tion. 



1900. 



In August of this year there is the first mention of froghoppers in 

 •the canes in the letter book of the Manager of Tarouba and Harmony 

 Hall Estate. 



