2 BULLETIN 192^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



there are some with which the visitor from the North is not familiar. 

 Among these may be mentioned a cucurbit, the "chayote" (SecMum 

 edule); the "lleren" (Calathea aUouya), a canna-Hke plant with edible 

 tubers; and the various members of the genera Xanthosoma 

 Colocasia, known as ''yautias," the latter known also as the 

 "dasheen" in the southeril United States. 



The following figures, taken from the Summary of Transactions in 

 the United States Customs District of Porto Rico, show the value 

 of the vegetables brought into Porto Rico during the fiscal year 

 ended June 30, 1912: 



Vegetables, dried, canned, and pickled, imported by Porto Rico during fiscal year ended 



June 30, 1912. 



Commodity. 



Domestic merchan- 

 dise from United 

 States. 



Merchandise im- 

 ported from for- 

 eign countries. 



• 



Quantity. 



Value. 



Quantity. 



Value. 





Bushels. 



179, 131 



16, 446 



141,797 



S543,577 



25,624 



164,410 



43,083 



15, 427 



Bushels. 

 7,315 



42,574 

 51,960 



821,020 

 33,224 

 48,682 

 12,571 

 82 703 





Potatoes . . 





All others (including pickles and sauces) 



















792, 121 





198,200 









These figures indicate that the cultivation of vegetables could well 

 be extended by those who have sufficient land at their disposal, and 

 further study of the various vegetable insects, especially as regards 

 control measures, would be of great importance in encouraging such 

 cultivation. 



THYSANOPTERA AND HEMIPTERA, OR SUCKING INSECTS. 



Thrips tabaci Lind. 



This well-known species, the onion thrips, has been found attacking 



onions. 



Peregeinus maidis Ashm. 



Where it occurs in abundance down among the imroUing leaves of 

 corn, as it often does in Porto Rico, this ''leafhopper" injures the 

 leaves so that they have the appearance of having been scorched by 

 fire. The presence of the ''honeydew" which they secrete is respon- 

 sible for the attendance of various ants and fhes. 



Jassid.^. 



"AgaUia tenella Ball," presumably Eutettix tenella Baker, was men- 

 tioned by Mr. Barrett in 1904 ^ as having "injured beans and other 

 small crops," and in the same year this species was mentioned on 



1 Barrett, O. W. Report of . . . entomologist and botanist. In Porto Rico Agr. Expt. Sta. Ann. Rpt. 

 for 1903 [U. S. D. A. Office Expt. Stas. Rpt. 1903], p. 448, 1904. 



