122 COFFEE I ITS CULTIVATION AND PROFIT. 



roots of such plants, and not as a rule on those of 

 trees and shrubs. But the larvae would make their 

 way from the roots of the weeds to those of the 

 Coffee plant. Whether hardening the surface of 

 the ground around the plant, so as to render it 

 difficult for the female to deposit her eggs, would 

 be of any efficacy is a point for the planters to 

 decide for themselves in view of the welfare of the 

 plant at the time. Mr. McLachlan professes him- 

 self unable to suggest any chemical poison for the 

 grub, although he thinks that dilute kerosene oil 

 might be tried. He advises, " above all things, " 

 to encourage insectivorous birds to the fullest 

 possible extent, and adds that a flock of crows 

 probably destroy more grubs in an hour than would 

 be possible by any artificial means in a week ; the 

 systematic catching of the perfect insect or larva is 

 also suggested as beneficial, and hand - picking 

 should be resorted to where labour is cheap. 



G. F. Halliky, the " Champion of Weeds," 

 says : 



" Weeds are a perfect cure for grub. A few years ago, 

 the upper part of Maria Estate (Lindula) was very bad with 

 grub ; the proprietor allowed it to get rank, so that the grub 

 should have something to feed on, and not eat the roots of 

 the Coffee, and the cure was perfect. If we are not allowed 

 to cultivate the green crop for Coffee that Nature provides, 

 then Indian corn is the next best we can grow, provided 

 the stalks are 'buried before the pods form, but ' white weed ' 

 kept in bounds is undoubtedly the best. In former years, 

 if one looked at the back of a healthy Coffee leaf, he could 



