No. 1. ] Fruit Trees. 69 



flattened dorsally in the middle, this flattening being carried on to the 

 anterior portion of the thorax. Latter with a crescent-shaped anterior 

 edge and tapering to a blunt point behind with longitudinal rows 

 of pits on them. Legs black, tarsi yellowish brown. Ventral 

 surface black. Long. $ T %th inch ; ? slightly larger. 



This insect was reported from Katha in Upper Burma by Mr. J. 

 Messer, Deputy Conservator of Forests, as being particularly dest 

 tructive to fruit trees and ornamental shrubs. In his letter dated 7th 

 April 1903, Mr. Messer wrote, ' I send you specimens of a beetle which 

 is particularly destructive in Katha this year though I have observed is 

 for years past. It attacks fruit trees particularly, vis,, peach, plum, and 

 mango (most of all), and it is not averse to certain ornamental shrubs 

 in the gardens here. It eats the leaves, leaving only the mid rib and 

 devours the flowering shoots wholesale, leaving only the bare stems- 

 The damage seems to be done only by the imagoes, and I have seen 

 nothing yet of larvae or pupae/ 



In a letter dated 12th March 1903, written in reply to queries 

 asking for information upon this latter point, Mr. Messer stated that 

 the insect was just beginning to be numerous again upon the fmir 

 trees in his garden. 



It is thus apparent that the mature insecb is to be found early 

 in March, and the question to be answered is where does it lay its 

 eggs, for it is probably egg-laying towards the end of March or early 

 in April. Also where do the young larvae live and how long is 

 spent in this stage ? Is there more than one generation in the year? 



Remedies. — Until more is known about the insect the question of 

 the best remedial measures to be employed must necessarily be held 

 in abeyance. Spraying the trees with Paris-green poison solution 

 would, if done carefully, kill off the beetles, but such could only be 

 undertaken whilst the trees were still flowering or had only quite 

 young fruit upon them. Once the fruit had reached or nearly 

 reached a pluckable size (even if still green and unripe) spraying 

 with poisons must be discontinued. 



3. Longicom Grubs* 



Order, Coleoptera, Family, Cerambycida. 



Some undeterminable longicom grubs were sent by the Director, 

 Land Records and Agriculture, United Provinces and Oudh, as 

 injurious to young mango plants in the Deccan. They were said to 

 bore into the branches. In the absence of. adult beetles no identifi- 

 cation of the pest can be made. 



Remedies. — When young plants are badly affected by internal 

 boring insects of this nature, the best plan, if the plants are at a 



