25 



Remedies. 



Spraying with the kerosine emulsion and other washes recom- 

 mended to be used against scale insects, will be found effective in the 

 case of aphidae. 



III. Sings and Snails, 



Included among the pests that citrus growers have to contend with 

 are the slugs and snails. Their attacks are easily detected by the line 

 of slime and excrement they leave on the plants they have been at- 

 tacking. The slugs are perhaps especially injurious to young orange 

 trees. They are seldom seen doing their work of destruction, as they 

 chiefly feed at night. During the day they are in some cool retreat, 

 probably hiding in the grass roots near the tree, or under stones or 

 logs of wood, or some other available shelter. But after sunset they 

 crawl out, and often do great damage to nursery and other young 

 citrus trees that may have been set out to grow. 



They appear generally to eat the young shoots and leaves first, and 

 do much damage by eating the bark off the stems, sometimes killing 

 a tree entirely. 



Less, destructive than these, but also resp msible for injury, is the 

 very common large white-shelled snail, H$lix aspera. 



Remedies. 



When slugs and snails are doing much damage to Citrus plants, it 

 is a good plan, when possible, to run a few pigs through the grove. 

 Pigs will devour every slug and snail that they cm get at, but care 

 must be exercised to see that the pigs do not plough up the land too 

 much, and so injure the trees. For this reason China pigs would be 

 the best to employ for the purpose. 



White lime has been found of use against these pests The earth 

 should be stirred some two or three feet round ihe tree, and good lime 

 spread on the surface, and the stems of the plants white- washed. 



The potash manure known as " Kainit," destroys grubs and cater- 

 pillars, and has been found to be useful against snails. As an experi- 

 ment, some of it might be sprinkled round the trees instead of lime. 



In the case of snails that are possessed of shells, much can be done 

 by hand-picking, as they are easier found than slugs. 



It will be well in conclusion to remark, that growers throughout the 

 Island would do good service to Citrus culture if they studied the ques- 

 tion of the attacks of scale insects andoth^r pests on their trees, and the 

 effects of the different remedies used against them, an l communicate 

 the results to the Curator of the Museum from time to time ; for, while 

 much of the knowledge and experience brought to bear on these pests 

 in other countries will be of great value and assistance here, it must 

 be remembered that our soil and climate are different, and therefore 

 in some cases modifications in treatment may be found beneficial. 

 Therefore the accumulation and report of such matters to the Mu- 

 seum, would help to bring about a system of treatment best adapted 

 to our needs, and benefit all concerned in the development of the 

 growth and culture of Citrus fruits in Jamaica. 



