101 



Zo He-spot Disease. This fungus-malady, first 

 noticed at Antigua, was prevalent both in the 

 Guantanamo district and thtit of Monte Tinaja, 

 near Quebra Hacha; in both instances affecting 

 0. diUenii only and causing a stunted habit as 

 well as bringing about the destruction of some of 

 the stem-joints. 



Superficial Black Spot {Perisporium wrightii) . 

 This malady was observed associated with dil- 

 lenii in the latter locality, as well as at Santiago 

 de Cuba. It had but little prejudicial effect on 

 its host-plant, producing merely a searious sur- 

 face m spots where it was situated. 



Shot-hole {Gloesporium lunatmn, E. and E ) 

 This disease was seen to attack, though not 

 stTiously, both 0. cubensis and 0. dillemi at 

 iiuiitiago. 



ISLANDS UNVISITED. 



For reasons already mentioned it was found 

 impracticable to visit many of the West Indian 

 Islands. The more important of these and their 

 Opuntia flora are now referred to : — 



CUEACAO. 



This has been spoken of as an exceedingly 

 dry island, and as one very rich in cactus growth 

 (Austen Clark). Dr. N. L. Britton, as the out- 

 come of personal investigation, has informed us 

 that the species to be met with there- are Opuntia 

 curassavica (L.), Mill.; 0. tunoides, Brit, and 

 Rose, ined. ; and 0. elatior, Mill. The last- 

 mentioned, he informs us, is distinct from that 

 recorded under this name by Burkill as occur- 

 ring in India. At Curacao there are both spine- 

 bearing and nearly spineless forms. Boldingh 

 (1909, p. 142) mentions that Nopalea cochineli- 

 fera is cultivated on this island. Hulst has re- 

 ferred to the occurrence of the destructive prickly- 

 pear moth, Melitara prodenialis, on this island. 



Margarita. 



Prickly-pear is said to grow in plenty here 

 (A. Clark — List of Flora in Proc. Boston Soc. 

 Nat. Hist.). 



Tobago. 



" Cactus" occurs plentifully on this island 

 (List— A. Clark). 



Grenada. 



"Cactus" occurs on the dry southern end 

 (List— A. Clark). 



St. Vincent, St. Lucia, and Montserrat. 



No information obtained. The two first- 

 named have a rather moist climate — a condition 

 unsuitable for most Opuntias. 



Martinique. 



The Rev. R. P. Duss has informed us that 

 0. tuna (Mill.), Duss _(= 0. dillenii, Haw.), 

 grows abundantly on this island; that 0. cochi- 



nehfcra, Mill., occurs there also, but that 0. 

 spinosissima, Mill., Duss (=0. triacantha, Link 

 and Otto), is wanting. 



Dutch Leeward Islands (St. Martin, St. 



Eustatius, and Saba). 



Boldingh (1909, p. 141, 2) records 0. triacan- 

 tha. Haw. ( ? 0. taylori, Britton) ; 0. tuna, Mill. 

 (— 0. dillenii, Haw.) ; and 0- ficus-indica, MiU., 

 as occurring on all three islands, and 0. spinosis- 

 sima, Mill (== 0. triacantha) as being found on 

 the two first-named of the group. 



St. Croix. 



Boldingh (p. 141) has mentioned that 0. 

 spinosissima, Mill., is to be found on this island 

 as well as on St. Martin and St. Eustatius. 



The Bahamas. 



According to the researches of Dr. N. L. Brit- 

 ton and Dr. J. N. Rose,- these islands contain 

 Opuntia hicayana, Brit, and Rose; 0. nashi, 

 Brit. ; and 0. millspancjhii, Brit. 



Turk's Island. 



These same authorities have informed us that 

 0. darrahl and 0. iveberi belong to this island. 



The Bermudas. 



This island harbours 0. dillenii, which not 

 infrequently is thornless under shade conditions 

 (fide Dr. Britton). 



Summary op Investigations in the 



West Indies. 



A large number of islands were visited, and 

 their prickly-pear flora examined as fully as cir- 

 cumstances permitted. 



In regard to the occurrence of destructive 

 insect enemies, only a small amount of evidence 

 was obtained. Various coceids, such as certain 

 wild cochineal insects and Diaspis, were met with 

 on some of the islands, but were not found to 

 injure the plants to any marked degree. Certain 

 lepidoptera, apparently species of Melitara and 

 Mimorista, occur in some of the islands, and have 

 the same destructive effects on prickly-pear as 

 do their allies in the United States. They, how- 

 ever, appear to be rather uncommon in the West 

 Indies. 



The chief maladies met with were the An- 

 thracnose or "Shot-hole" disease caused by Glceo- 

 sporium, and another apparently previously un- 

 described, which we have termed the "Zone-spot 

 Disease." Certain climatic conditions seem to 

 be necessary before these fungi can exercise their 

 maximum effect. The former disease is similar 

 to that met with in the United States. The 

 "Zone-spot" disease not infrequently brings 

 about the destruction of the attacked stem- joints. 



The methods of utilising cacti in the West 

 Indies Avould not be of much service in Queens- 

 land in counteracting the spread of prickly-pear. 



