432 SPICES 



CHAP. 



N. Mukerji says the out-turn of turmeric boiled and 

 dried comes to about 16 maunds per acre, but as much 

 as 50 maunds has been obtained. The prepared dry 

 turmeric may fetch as much as 5 rupees per maund. 

 The cost of cultivation comes to 50 rupees. 



PESTS 



There are but few pests recorded as attacking 

 turmeric. Injuries caused by a species of thrips is 

 mentioned in the Indian Museum Notes, vol. i. p. 109. 

 The thrips is a very small black insect, which attacks 

 the leaves. The eggs are laid on the back of the leaf, 

 and the insect when hatched sucks the sap of the leaf. 

 They become rolled up and turn yellow, eventually 

 dying. This spoils the crop, as the rhizomes are not 

 developed. The insect is known in Madras as " Sulta- 

 thegulu." It is suggested that the best way of dealing 

 with the pest is to destroy it by the use of whale-oil 

 soap solution, in the proportion of 1 Ib. of soap to 4 

 or 5 gallons of water, or Pyrethrum powder may be 

 used ; 1 ounce of Pyrethrum in a gallon of water. 



The turmeric moth (Dadessa evaxalis). The cater- 

 pillar of this little moth inhabits the stem of turmeric 

 and other plants of the family of gingers, and is often 

 troublesome, boring up the leaf-stems and causing them 

 to fall and die. It is about f in. long when full grown, 

 smooth, except for fine scattered hairs on its back and 

 sides. The head and the first segment are black, the 

 body of a pale semi-transparent pinkish colour, with 

 grey or black dots on warts down the back, and a row 

 just above the spiracles on each side. A pink line just 

 above the spiracles runs the whole length of the body. 



The insect lives in a burrow in the stems, and can 

 be detected by the exudation of its excreta from the 

 holes in the stem, and the withering of the leaf. The 

 chrysalis is about 1 in. long, and remains in the tunnel 

 bored by the caterpillar. The moth, which is 1 in. 

 across the wings when expanded, is entirely ochre- 



