234 



rooks, gulls, starlings and plovers are devourers of these caterpillars, 

 and should be encouraged." We would suggest that our correspondent 

 or any one interested should collect specimens of the caterpillers ana 

 the butterflies which lay the eggs from which they are hatched and 

 forward same to Mr. J. E. Duerden the Curator of the Institute 

 Museum who will, we feel sure, give the matter his attention and 

 possibly may be able to suggest effectual means of dealing with the 

 pest. — Ed. Gleaner.] 



In your issue of the 13th inst, I notice a letter from a correspondent 

 on the subject of Caterpillars destroying grass. 



In the United States the " army worms" are one of the best known 

 of insect pests. Usually they do not occasion much loss, feeding upon 

 the leaves of grass, etc., but sometimes become so numerous that they 

 move along in " armies," eating everything before them. The cater- 

 pillars are of a greenish colour with longitudinal bands of yellow, gray, 

 and black. When full-grown in about a month from hatching from 

 the egg they enter the ground, and make earthen cells for themselves, 

 from which in about a fortnight the handsome brown moths emerge 

 and lay their eggs between the sheaths of blades of grass. 



In the northern States one or two broods appear in the year, but in 

 the south there are two or three in the season. 



The most usual remedy is to burn the grass. To prevent their mi- 

 gration from field to field, boards are set up on edge inclining to- 

 wards the caterpillars, and smeared on the upper edge with tar. On 

 lawns probably the most effectual plan would be to run a heavy roller 

 over the grass, crushing the caterpillars as they are feeding on the 

 leaves. Another plan is to turn in poultry and pigs. Still another 

 method is to sprinkle with Paris Green mixed with flour in the pro- 

 portion of one part to eighty ; caterpillars eating grass on which this 

 is sprinkled would be at once killed. 



I am, &c, 



W. Fawcett. 



Department of Public Gardens, 

 15th October, 1896. 



[Institute of Jamaica — Museum Notes.] 



In the daily papers of the 13th inst., appeared an account of "A 

 Plague of Caterpillars" which is leading to very considerable damage, 

 particularly in the districts ranging from Gregory Park on to Spanish 

 Town, where thousands of acres of grass have been swept away. The 

 Gleaner suggested a number of extremely good remedies, abstracted from 

 the "Journal of the Board of Agriculture." On the 17th inst., Mr. 

 Fawcett, the Director of Public Gardens, referred to the matter stating 

 the conditions in the United States in connection with the " Army- 

 worms," and suggested suitable remedies for attacking the caterpillars 

 here which belong to the same group as the American pests. Several 

 correspondents have also contributed to the Museum information and 

 material from different parts of the island. One writes as follows : — 



