10 



On some Enemies to the Coffee in the Straits Settlements. 

 Besides the fungus, hemileia, the coffee suffers to a smaller extent from several destructive animals* 

 among which are monkeys, musangs, a species of locust, the caterpillar of the bee-hawk-moth and a scale 

 insect. 



Of the monkeys the most destructive are the golden monkey (Jfacaciis sitlieus) and the black mon- 

 key (Semnopithecns sp.). The latter does not occur in Singapore but is common in Johor. These monkeys 

 eat the fruit whole, passing the seeds uninjured, and the seeds passed by them are stated to be the best 

 for cultivation. If this is correct it is perhaps due partly to the animals selecting the best fruit, but it 

 is possible also that the seeds aie absolutely improved by passing through the animal's body and so being 

 manured, as has been shown to be the case with seeds of hawthorn trees swallowed b\ turkeys. 



The musangs (Viverra malaccensis) are even more destructive than monkeys, and a good deal harder 

 to destroy, as they are strictly nocturnal and very skilful at avoiding traps. They may, however, be 

 caught in traps bated with pieces of bananas. On one estate, I am informed, that these animals eat a 

 pikul of coffee per diem. 



The locust is a large species of grasshopper not yet identified. It is about 3 inches long, Yellowish 

 green spotted with black. The hind wings are pink and very conspicuous when it flies, which it does very 

 briskly. It does not eat the coffee leaves, but injures the bushes by laying its eggs in the shoots. This 

 it dees by making a seiies of slits in the bark of the shoots spirally, in each of which cuts it deposits a 

 long narrow white egg. The larvae do not appear to injure the shoot at all, and probably leave the plant 

 as soon as hatched. The shoots, however, soon wither and turn black and finally fall off, and this is 

 certain evidence of the presence of the locust. As a rule it dees not do much h&rm, but under certain 

 circumstances it may become exceedingly abundant and injurious. It is quite a common insect here, but 

 I have seen it most abundant in Johor. It must be caught in butterfly nets, and destroyed. 



The bee-hawk-moth (Cephonodes hylas). — The caterpillar of this insect is very destructive to the 

 coffee by devouring the leaves, and clearing bushes with astonishing rapidity. The moth lays its eggs 

 upon the leaves of the trees, and the catei pillars quickly emerge and commence the work of destruction, 

 usually attacking weakly plants. When full grown tie larvae is about three inches in length and of a 

 brigbt green colour. The head is small and dull green, the next segment is ornamented with a number 

 of raised yellow dots, the rest of the body is smooth bright green, bluish above, along each side is a raised 

 pink line and down the middle of the back runs a double white line from the head to the tail meeting 

 behind the horn which, like most of the hawk-moth caterpillars, this animal has upon its tail. This 

 horn is curved and sharp, yellow with raised black dots. The last segment and hindmost feet are orna- 

 mented with raised yellow dots. The feet are furnishe with tufts of hair, but otherwise the caterpillar 

 is quite smooth. When full grown the caterpillar spins a web between the leaves and becomes a chrysalis. 

 It remains in this state for about a fortnight and then emerges as the moth. The perfect insect is verv 

 beautiful, it is about 1^ inches Ions, the body dark reen, the tail fan-shaped black and yellow. The 

 wings are perfectly transparent except along the edges, whiuh are of a dull dark red. It is very active 

 and not very easy to catch, flying briskly abot in the evening shortly befoie sundow i, and may be seen 

 sucking the honey from the coee flowers, which it probably fertilizes, but as there are many other 

 harmless insects which do this equally well it may be destroyed whenever met with without detri- 

 ment to the fertilization of the coffee. It is most easily destroyed in the caterpillar state. The larvae 

 should be picked off by hand and destroyed. They are most abundant in January, but I have taken it 

 full grown in December, and seen the perfect insect at several different periods of the year. 



The scale insect commonly called black blight ( Lecanium coffece ) is also very injurious at times 

 especially to weak plants. It may be destroyed by the application of phenyl, diluted with water till it 

 is of the consistence of milk or by shaking powdered lime over the leaves with a flower dredger. Phenyl 

 water can be applied with aid of a squirt of bamboo, or an ordinary syringe. Many of the scale-insects 

 are protected from most liquids suitable for killing them without injury to the plants, by the waxy 

 secretion with which they are covered, which prevents the liquid actually touching the insect's body, 

 but phenyl will penetrate the wax and attack the animal. The phenyl should be poured into the water 

 and stirred up till it assumes the appearance of good white milk. A kerosine emulsion is recommended 

 by the Editor of " Notes on Indian Insect Pests," vol. i. p. 7. An emulsion resembling butter can be 

 produced in a few minutes by churning with a force pump two part9 of kerosine wi r h one part of sour 

 milk or soap solution in a pail, emulsions made with soap solutions being generally found to be more 

 effective. The liquids should be at about blood heat. This emulsion may be diluted with from nine to 

 fifty parts of water which should be thoroughly mixed with one part of the emulsion. The strength of 

 the dilution must vary according to the nature of the insect to be dealt with as well as the nature of 

 the plant, but finely sprayed in twelve parts of the water to one of the emulsion it will kill most insects 

 without injury to the plants. It should be applied through a spray nozzle. 



The white or mealy bug ( Pseudococcus adonidum ) is not as common here, but is also injurious. It 

 should be treated in the same way. 



I have received some specimens of coffee branches attacked by a fungus from Johor. This is quite 

 jBk different kind to the hemileia. It seems to invade the bark of the branches filling them with a white 

 mycelium and eventually forming a flesh-coloured crust on the outside of the twigs, which are then 

 become black and rotten. It appears to be rather consequent on the death of the twigs from some other 

 cause, and though it might perhaps spread a little to heatlhy parts is not much to be feared. It gene- 

 rally appears where the bushes are very crowded, and where the branches overlap, or where the locality 

 is very damp. The dying and infected brunches should be cut off and burned. 



