127 



have observed as many as 12 in my own drawing-room in a couple of 

 hours, although, there is no cane field immediately to windward." 



A valuable summary of information respecting the moth-borer is 

 given in Indian Museum Notes, Yol. L, pp. 22-27, pi. ii. The means 

 hitherto adopted to get rid of it are given in the following extract : — 



A large number of remedies has been proposed for the pest, and it 

 seems to be pretty well established that it can be to a great extent 

 controlled by the burning or burying of all the discarded tops, and clear- 

 ing the fields of all waste sugar-cane stalks after the crop has been 

 taken ; for, as the insect passes the winter as a larva inside the sugar- 

 cane, if these are destroyed, there are not moths in the spring to lay 

 the eggs which produce the next year's borers." The waste tops, how- 

 ever, should be carefully gathered together and removed from the field 

 before being burnt, for if they are burnt carelessly on the field itself, 

 many predaceous insects will be liable to be destroyed, which take 

 shelter in the ground and assist in reducing the number of the pest. 



" The following may be noticed among the remedies that have been 

 suggested : — 



" Guilding recommends that all the dry and useless leaves, under 

 which, he says, the moth lays its eggs, should be stripped off ; he claims 

 that this treatment has been found effective in removing the pest. 



" Porter quotes the practice of " introducing a pinch of quick lime 

 into the heart of the young cane" for the destruction of the pest. 



" Westwood notices that in Jamaica in 1841, the ravages of the 

 borer were to a great extent checked by allowing the refuse to accu- 

 mulate upon the grounds, and burning them there, the old roots sub- 

 sequently throwing up more vigorous shoots. 



" Miss Ormerod in writing of the pest in British Gfuiana about the 

 year 1879, quotes the practice of cutting back the cane below the sur- 

 face of the ground, covering the plant with mould, and adding a hand- 

 ful of lime. The cutting out of the affected canes was tried on one 

 estate over 246 acres, the result being considered satisfactory. In this 

 case the canes cut out were put through the mill and sufficient rum 

 and megus obtained from them to pay expenses. Miss Ormerod also 

 quotes the practice of steeping the cane for 48 hours in water before 

 planting it, a treatment which was thought, on one plantation where 

 it was tried, to destroy the hibernating larvae without injury to the 

 cane. It appears from the inquiries instituted in British Gruiana, that 

 it is a mistake to burn the refuse sugar-cane on the fields themselves, 

 as this destroys the ants, which, when unmolested rendered valuable 

 assistance in keeping down the pest. The plan therefore approved was 

 to burn the refuse cane after collecting it in heaps, outside the fields. 



" Dr. Riley recommends burning all "tops" during the winter so as 

 to destroy the larvae which hibernate in them : selecting seed-cane 

 from the least infested portion of the plantation and laying it down 

 in furrows during the winter, covered with earth as deeply as should 

 be found possible without inducing decay, and only uncovering it as 

 it is wanted in the spring for planting out, thus preventing the egress 

 of moths from the larvae which have hibernated in the seed-cane. 



Roth writes that "he has kept the pest under control in Queensland 

 by sending boys with sharp pocket knives along the rows of cane. 

 The boys spotted the dead or dying shoots and cut them off as close 



