II. A. BALLOU — NOTES ON INSECT PESTS IN ANTIGUA. 63 



of, say, ten or twelve years of age, this scale Was so abundant as to be causing 

 serious injury. Where the trees are oldest (some 30 or 40 years) many have 

 died out and others are dying. 



In the case of the older trees, the infestation is often more severe, but the 

 trees being better established have not actually died to quite the same extent as 

 noticed amongst the younger ones. A characteristic feature of the attack of this 

 red scale is that the scales often, if not generally, completely cover the lime 

 fruits before the attack on the leaves and branches is serious enough to attract 

 attention on the part of the casual observer, although a planter accustomed to 

 dealing with this insect would perhaps be aware of its presence some time before 

 this happens. 



At the time of my visit these limes had experienced, in common with Antigua 

 generally, a most severe drought. I am of opinion that this scale-insect is 

 essentially a dry weather scale, that is to say, in dry situations it develops and 

 spreads much more rapidly than under conditions of moisture. I am not aware 

 that there is any fungus associated with moist periods or moist conditions which 

 exercises a check on this insect, and must only conclude that the young are 

 probably very easily washed off the plant by heavy rains while they are still in a 

 free, moving condition. 



One conspicuous result of severe attack on the lime fruits is that they split 

 open, and this splitting is possibly to be accounted for in the following way. 

 Enormous numbers of these minute insects sucking the juices from the skin of the 

 lime cause it to become incapable of growth, and when, on the advent of rain, the 

 fruits attempt to increase toward their normal size the pressure produced by the 

 growth of the interior of the lime causes the skin to burst. 



The occurrence of the orange red scale (A. aurantii) has been recorded several 

 times since Mr. H. M. Lefroy first mentioned it in the report on his visit to 

 Antigua in August 1900. Mr. Lefroy expressed in strong terms the danger 

 from this pest. I mentioned it in my report on my visit in 1906, and again in 

 my report in 1911. 



I believe this insect to be the cause of the most serious injury from which the 

 limes are suffering, and in the absence of efficient natural control, some artificial 

 remedy must be used to enable the limes to recover. Accordingly, I arranged 

 with Mr. Tempany for certain trials to be made in the use of insecticides, 

 suggesting " Scalo " prepared according to Mr. Moore's formula, the application 

 being made by means of the Autospray, a compressed air sprayer. 



Other scales which were noted on limes during the visit to Antigua are as 

 follows : — Purple scale (Lepidosaphes beckii), snow scale (Chionaspis citri\ lantana 

 bug (Ortliezia insignis) and West Indian red scale (Selenaspidus articnlatus). It 

 is of interest that the green scale was absent, or at least not noted, and that there 

 was very little black blight. The scales mentioned are of general occurrence on 

 limes in Antigua, but at this time they were not present anywhere in unusual 

 numbers. 



At one spot, limes which had not been cultivated for some years have been 

 cleared of bush, and they appear to be in good condition and but little troubled 

 by scales, although the red, purple and white scales are all present. In another 

 case also limes which have been recently cleared of bush are in much better 



