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THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST PHY TALUS SMI TBI IN THE 



COLONY OF MAURITIUS. 



By H. A. Tempany, D.Sc, 

 Director of Agriculture, 



and D. d'EMMEREZ de Charmoy, 

 Entomologist. 



(Plate V.) 



The following paper contains an account of the campaign which has been in pro- 

 gress against Ph'/talus smithi during the past 8| years. The history of the pest 

 in Mauritius and the measures which have been adopted for its control are of interest 

 both from an entomological and from an administrative point of view. 



Published accounts of the pest are contained (1) in a monograph, prepared by one 

 of us at the time of its first appearance in the Colony, and printed in Mauritius ; 

 (2) in a paper on the introduction of Tvphia parallela into Mauritius, from Barbados, 

 for the purpose of the control of the insect, published in the Bulletin of Entomologi- 

 cal Research (iii, pp. 93-102), also published subsequently as a Bulletin of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, in Mauritius ; (3) in the annual administrative reports on the 

 Department of Agriculture in Mauritius for the years 1913-1918 ; and (4) in special 

 reports on the progress of the work of control which have been prepared from time 

 to time for presentation to the Government and to the Board of Agriculture in 

 Mauritius. 



As, however, the information is scattered, and many of the reports and papers are 

 difficult of access to the general reader, the following summarised account has been 

 prepared for publication. 



Historical. 



The first record of the appearance of Phytalus smithi as a pest in Mauritius occurred 

 in the month of July 1911, on lands of Mon Rocher Estate adjoining the Royal 

 Botanical Gardens, Pamplemousses. Once the pest had been detected, it became 

 apparent that damage on a very considerable scale was being occasioned thereby, 

 many fields of both plant and ratoon canes being found to be almost totally des- 

 troyed by the grubs. 



The insect was apparently imported into Mauritius, either from Barbados or South 

 America, probably in earth containing rooted sugar-canes. The exact date of its 

 introduction is uncertain, but it is probable that it must antedate its discovery as 

 a pest in the Pamplemousses district by five or six years at least. 



Its observation in Mauritius was followed by prompt and energetic measures for 

 its control, which have been continued up to the present time. The efiect of these 

 (687) E 



