544 DISEASES OF CULTIVATED PLANTS 



by Green in Ceylon, in nurseries and also on plants on tea 

 estates generally. It was afterwards observed in Assam and 

 in India, doing considerable damage to the tea plant. The 

 effect of this mite is to give a bronze appearance to the 

 foliage, as if sunburnt, but they retain their shape. June 

 seems to be the worst month for its attacks. At this 

 time the affected leaves fall off the bushes wholesale ; the 

 result is an immediate decrease of leaf; the bush is checked 

 in development, and a so called hide-bound condition results, 

 necessitating heavy pruning at an earlier date than otherwise 

 necessary. The young mites, which are very minute, are 

 greenish semi-transparent, pear-shaped, tapering to a point 

 behind. The adult mite is a dull purple-coloured insect, with 

 five white ridges of a waxy material running along the 

 back, and a similar ridge surrounds an hour-glass-shaped 

 space in front of the body. 



One part of kerosine emulsion in eighty parts of water, 

 or one of phenyl (carbolic acid) in two hundred and forty 

 parts of water is recommended. The nurseries should be 

 watered with the mixture in the evening, and with pure 

 water on the following morning, unless rain should have 

 fallen during the night. 



Plants removed from the nursery for planting should be 

 dipped in the mixture. The stem and leaves only should be 

 dipped, not the roots. 



Watt, Sir George, and Mann, II. H., The Pests and Blights 

 of the Tea Plant, Ed. 2 (1903). 



Tea mites. Much valuable information respecting mites 

 that injure the tea plant in India and Ceylon is contained 

 in the following work. 



Green, E E., Roy. Bot. Gard. Ceylon, Circular Ser. 1, 

 No. 17 (1900). 



Cecidophyei schmardae (Nal.). This mite causes an abnormal 

 growth of the whole or part of the inflorescence of Campanula 

 glomerata and C. rapunculoides, which results in the produc- 

 tion of what is termed virescence, the flowers being replaced 

 by hairy, distorted, green structures. 



Bulb mite {Rhizoglyphus echinopus, Michael), also known 

 as the 'Eucharis mite' or 'Bulb mite,' attacks bulbs and 

 tubers of various kinds, as tulip, lily, hyacinth, onions, 

 eucharis, potato, dahlia, etc. It has also proved destructive 



