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grub turns into a small white moth. We found them laying eggs 

 just like those on the coconut leaves about Tanjong Kling. (This 

 is probably another insect as the moths bred were not white). The 

 Malays say they will all disappear in a month or so and that they 

 come every year. I have never noticed the trees looking like this 

 before. The Malays do what they can by lighting huge fires under 

 the trees but apparently without being able to stop the pest. " 

 Smoking the trees thoroughly seems about the best method of 

 dealing with this class of insects. Spraying with an insecticide, 

 such as phenyle, would probably be the most effective way of deal- 

 ing with them but at present there are no spraying machines in 

 the country which are sufficiently powerful to throw the insecticides 

 high enough to deal with the coconut palms. 



I have never noticed this pest any where myself, but coconut 

 planters should keep a look out for it. 



TOMATO DISEASE. 



Growers of Tomatos here frequently lose the whole stock of 

 plants just as the fruit is showing signs of ripening. Usually in 

 new ground the grower finds the first crop excellent and wonders 

 why others do not always grow them. The second growing on the 

 same ground comes up strong and apparently healthy, till just as 

 the fruit is ripening the whole plant suddenly withers. This is due 

 to one of the parasitic fungi which attacks the plant usually quite 

 young, but does not kill it till the plant is full grown. The ground 

 being now infected future attempts at growing tomatoes there are 

 usually complete failures. 



Experiments in dealing with these fungus diseases were made 

 not long ago by Mr. GEORGE Ml'SSEE of Kew Gardens, and he 

 gives the following practical directions for treatment. (Journal 

 Royal Horticultural Society) — Commence watering the tomato plants 

 when a fortnight old every third day with a solution consisting of 

 i oz. of sulphate of copper dissolved in 50 gallons of water. After 

 treating for 6 weeks as above commence watering everv fourth day 

 with a solution of 1 oz. sulphate of copper in 35 gallons of water. 

 The sulphate of copper should be pure and rainwater used if 

 possible. 



It is shown that the copper does not affect the fruits, and that no 

 mure occurs in treated fruits than in untreated ones. It may be 

 pointed out that the fruit itself should not be touched by the 

 sulphate of copper for fear of accidents, and that these experiments 

 having been made in a cold country where the growth of the tomato 

 plant is much slower than it is here, it will not be necessary to keep 

 the treatment on so long. 



Editor. 



