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in Ceylon, The roots are attacked by a Cockchafer grub, 

 Lepidiota pinguis which attacks roots of all kinds of trees 

 including' Hevea. 



One correspondent had lost 3,000 plants in one clear- 

 ing, apparently all young trees. The grub burrows in the 

 ground and bites through the roots. He recommends the 

 use of "vaporite" a patent insecticide sold by the Strawson 

 Company. It is dibbled into the soil 1 to 1-| oz. at about 

 the distance of 6 inches from the stem, and gradually dif- 

 fuses a vapour through the soil which destroys the insects. 



Nitrate of soda, applied at the rate of from 1 to 2 oz. 

 for each plant was also found effective. 



Termites do not affect the Ceylon trees as they do 

 here, as Termes gestroi does not occur there. 



A longicorn beetle grub burrowing into the root is also 

 recorded. It burrows up the tap root into the stem which 

 breaks off at or below the level of the ground. On the 

 stem, the Bark-eating Caterpillar {Comoeritis pieria) is 

 mentioned. It rubbles the bark and resides in a silken web 

 composed of bark fragments and their own excretar. It 

 really does no harm as it only eats the outer cork. (It or 

 an allied species is not uncommon here). It can be brushed 

 off the tree by hand. The short hole borers are mentioned 

 but in all cases at present, these insects can only attack 

 dead wood, patches on trees killed by some fungus or some 

 such injury. A bark eating beetle (Moechotypa verruci- 

 collis) was accused of girdling young Heveas nibbling the 

 bark in a ring round the stem. It was found however that 

 the trees attacked were already dry from the attacks of a 

 fungus. When the animal was allowed to bite a healthy 

 young tree, the latex choked its mouth and it fled and would 

 not try again. The Cut worm (Agrotis segetum) an omni- 

 vorous moth caterpillar was reported as damaging seed- 

 lings, but seems generally to prefer other herbage. 



Locusts of different kinds attacked the young bark, 

 and the leaves. Poisoned baits are recommended made of 

 1 part Paris green 2 parts Salt and 40 parts fresh horse- 

 dung with sufficient water to make the mixture soft without 

 being sloppy. 



The ends of stumped plants, constantly die back for 

 a short way leaving a dead stick on the end and small bees 

 and wasps sometimes use this to put their nests in, burrow- 

 ing down the pith. The only possible danger from this is 

 the continuation downwards of the decay. This may be 

 obviated by stumping immediately above the node, and in 

 any case the dead bits when dry should be always removed. 



