Miscellaneous. 



254 



[March, 1912. 



very distinct and somewhat rare species. 

 It is not considered an imprfcant pest of 

 the tea plant. Our local species (Tach- 

 ardia albizzice) has beeu recorded from 

 the cacao tree ; but I have seen only two 

 instances of such infestation, and in 

 neither of these instances was the effect 

 upon the tree appreciable. I am not 

 personally acquainted with the Indian 

 lac insect in its natural habitat, and 

 cannot say what effect it has upon the 

 trees upon which it is cultivated; but 

 from my knowledge of our local species, 

 I do not anticipate that it would serious- 

 ly retard the growth of the 'Inga Saman' 

 tree. 1 think it is possible, however, 

 that the natural growth of this tree will 

 not be well suited to the cultivation of 

 the insect, but that specially pruned 

 trees will have to be prepared for its 

 reception." 



The Imperial Entomologist to the 

 Government of India has been good 

 enough to express his opinion on the 

 same points as follows : — 



"The species of lac found on tea in 

 India is not the same as that met with 

 on Ber (Zizyphus jujuba), Palas (Butea 

 frondosa), and Kusumb (Schleichera tri- 

 juga). As we have no specimens of 

 lac on cacao and rubber from Ceylon, 

 we cannot say how far the two species 

 are related to each other ; but, so far 

 as our experience of India goes, there 

 is no likelihood of the Ber, Palas, and 

 Kusumb species transferring themselves 

 to cacao and rubber. It is true that the 

 lac insect considerably lowers the vital- 

 ity of the tree on which it grows. The 

 species found in India on Pithecolobium 

 dulce and P. saman also breeds on 

 Albizzia lebbek and Nephelium litchi. 

 The safeguard against killing the trees 

 by continuous inoculation will be to 

 give them sufficient rest, and to pollard 

 them carefully. Another alternative 

 will be to divide the traes into three 

 working blocks and to cultivate the lac 

 insect (Tachardia albizzice, Gr.) every 

 third year in each block." 



Mr. A. Madanayake, Agricultural In- 

 structor, while on a visit to Henarat- 

 goda heard of the ravages of a cater- 

 pillar on paddy at a village called 

 Amunugoda, about six miles off, and 

 proceeded to inspect the infested fields. 

 Large areas were found to be badly dam- 

 aged by the pest, which was found to be 

 eating down the plant, leaving, as a rule, 

 only two to four inches standing ; but in 

 some places the plants had been entirely 

 destroyed. Specimens secured by the 

 instructor were submitted to Mr. Green, 

 who furnished the following report :— 



"The pest of paddy plants is the 

 caterpillar of a smali Pyralid moth, 



named Nymphula depunctalis. This 

 insect has been reported as destructive 

 to rice plants in India, Burma, and the 

 Malay States. It occurs also in Africa, 

 Java, and Australia. The caterpillar is 

 aquatic, and beathes under water by 

 means of external filamentous gills, 

 which are disposed in tufts on each 

 side of the body. It lives in a case form- 

 ed by spinning together the edges of 

 sections of the leaves of the plant. 

 These cases retain the water and enable 

 to insect to crawl up to the upper parts 

 of the plant without drying up. It is 

 unable to live without moisture. Conse- 

 quently the best means of checking the 

 pest is to drain off the water from the 

 infested fields and allow them to remain 

 dry for from 24 to 48 hours, or as long 

 as possible without affecting the health 

 of the plants." 



Specimens of anatto leaves (Bixa orel- 

 lana) were submitted to the Government 

 Mycologist, who found them attacked 

 by a fungus— Ovularia bixce. 



Mr. Madanayake, Agricultural Instruc- 

 tor, reported on the diseased condition of 

 large patches of coconuts near Padukka, 

 and forwarded specimens, which were 

 submitted to the Government Myco- 

 logist, who reported as follows : — 



"The leaves are attacked by Pestalozzia 

 palmarum, a very common leaf disease 

 of coconuts and other palms. It is rather 

 more prevalent than usual just now, 

 probably owing to more than ordinary 

 infection during the prolonged rains. As 

 a rule, it occurs only on the older leaves ; 

 if it attacks the young leaves, it is a 

 sign that the tree is not in good health, 

 and requires cultivation and manuring." 



Mr. N. Wickremaratne, Agricultural 

 Instructor, reported as follows in sub- 

 mitting specimens of diseased coconut 

 fronds :— 



"I inspected some coconut trees on an 

 estate in Kalahe, in Galle, said to be 

 attacked with some disease. I submit 

 specimens of leaves, roots, &c The estate 

 in question is about 2£ miles (in a direct 

 line) from the sea. The trees are about 

 eight years old, some in bearing and 

 some not. The land is hilly. The soil 

 varies in character, and trees in several 

 places on different soils are attacked. 

 The disease was detected about two 

 months ago. There are rubber trees 

 three to four years old among the 

 coconuts. Dark brown spots first appear 

 on the leaflets, which ultimately become 

 dry and break away, leaving only the 

 ' ekels," The lower branches are first 

 attacked, and the disease travels in- 

 wards. In course of time the tree dies. 

 I had one of the trees uprooted and 



