126 



f Moved by Mr. Campbell and seconded by Mr. H. A. Hazell, that the 

 foregoing resolutions be adopted and submitted to the President of the 

 Planters' Club and the Chairman of the meeting, the Honourable C. 

 J. Simmons, with a request that they be printed and circulated with- 

 out delay to all proprietors and cane-growers, urging on them the de- 

 sirability of instructing the managers and others to take the necessary 

 prompt action, and that a copy of the resolutions be inserted in the 

 local paper, and a copy sent to His Excellency the Governor-in- 

 Chief, and to His Honour the Administrator with a request that he 

 will cause the same to be published in the next issue of the " Govern- 

 ment Gazette." 



(Signed) J. G. Coull, Chairman. 



28th April, 1894. 



INSECT PESTS. 



One of the most striking features of the reports that reach Kew is 

 the prominence still given to the injuries caused to sugar-cane by the 

 moth-borer (Chilo saccharalis) (figured in the Kew Bulletin, 1892 p. 

 153). This was first described by the Rev. L. Guilding from St. 

 Vincent specimens in 1828. There is little doubt that it has been 

 present in the West Indies for the last hundred years. It is now pro- 

 bably found in every part of the world where the sugar-cane is culti- 

 vated. The other Insect Pest is the shot-borer (Xyleborus perforans) 

 fully described with figures in the Kew Bulletin 1892 pp. 153-178. 



The loss sustained owing to the attacks of these insects must be 

 very large, and yet there is apparently little* or nothing being done to 

 lessen it. 



In a letter received from Mr. Henry Powell, Curator of the Botanic 

 Station at St. Vincent, dated the 23rd November last, he describes a 

 visit paid to several sugar-estates at the invitation of the proprietors 

 to examine the canes. In one instance he states : " During our inter- 

 view about half-a-dozen canes were brought in for our inspection, one 

 of which was riddled by the moth-borer.'* In a field of canes lately 

 stripped " the presence of the moth-borer which had not been observed 

 before, was disclosed in considerable numbers." Its presence in nearly 

 mature canes " can readily be detected by the yellow tops, showing the 

 cane to be injured beyond recovery." In riding through another 

 estate, " the presence of the moth-borer was seen on all sides, but on 

 two fields the borer and other pests had become thoroughly established." 

 In another instance " the canes were most luxuriant, but already the 

 moth-borer was playing great havoc amongst them and was steadily 

 on the increase." 



In the Leeward Islands the moth-borer appears to be equally rife. 

 Mr. C. A. Barber, F.L.S., Superintendent of Agriculture as lately as 

 the 16th April last, reported to his Government : " The fungus (Tri- 

 chosphceria) is our greatest enemy." Mr. Barber places the destruction 

 of the moth-borer " as the first duty of the planter." He goes on to 

 state, " it is almost impossible to obtain a cane of any variety un- 

 affected by the moth-borer . . . each moth I have captured has laid 

 50 to 150 eggs, and in one lot I hatched 97 per cent, of the grubs. 

 From this it will be seen that the supply is practically unlimited, I 



