118 CACAO 



numbers on a rose garden was recently noted. They 

 disappeared in a few days. The attack was coincident 

 with the cutting of an area of bush land in the immediate 

 vicinity. This insect probably belonged to the genus 

 Euthrips and comes near to Euthrips ulicis calijornicus, 

 Moulton. 



No. 17. "Red Spider," Erythrceus telarius. — This 

 insect is at times found attacking cacao in unshaded and 

 arid spots. It may be effectually controlled by copious 

 syringings with clean water or soapy wash. It seldom 

 appears except in sun struck spots and spreads little in 

 moist and shaded situations. Thrip has been recorded as 

 an enemy of Red Spider. 



No. 18. " Mites " or Tyroglyphidce. — There are probably 

 as many or more distinct species of mites occurring in 

 tropical countries, as in the temperate zone. No satis- 

 factory study of those present in the West Indies has yet 

 been put on record, so that there is little material for 

 comparison. One species has, however, been observed in 

 fungus-infected cacao pods in large numbers, and has been 

 shown by the writer to be a destroyer and carrier of the 

 spores of Diplodia cacaoicolui the brown rot fungus. These 

 insects are, therefore, to be considered both destroyers and 

 distributors. It is clear that they destroy, for the micro- 

 scope demonstrates it from excreted matter. Left to the 

 mites and to small fungus-eating beetles, pods containing 

 millions of spores of Diplodia, have in the end been 

 completely cleared of infective material. These mites 

 appear in great numbers in heaps of broken cacao shells, 

 but if these are properly covered, little infection is to be 

 feared from the pile of material left, or from the few spores 

 they may distribute. Far more infection is to be expected 

 from a single dried pod hanging upon a tree where the wind 

 is able to carry its spores day by day into all corners of a 

 plantation. Mycologists and entomologists have hitherto 

 insisted on the absolute destruction of the refuse pods from 

 the field. Many planters have at the same time held the 

 opinion that pods on the ground afforded little opportunity 



