SOME INSECT PESTS IN THE WEST INDIES. 



57 



an efficient measure of prevention, it would be quite impossible to adopt 

 this method in places which are situated at great distances from the 

 railway. 



Slugs Desteoting Para Eubber Plants, Hevea hrasiliensis , &c. 



In certain portions of the Island of Jamaica both the Para Eubber 

 {Hevea hnisiUfusis) and the Central American Eubber {Castilloa 

 elastica) are being planted in considerable quantities. At Chapelton 

 about 10,000 young plants of the former, mostly from one to three and 

 a half years, though not a few of greater age, have been established, 

 chiefly in the cacao plantations. On the same estate about 1000 

 Castilloa are also under cultivation, and, as in the former case, are 

 intended ultimately to serve as shade-trees for the cacao, as well as 

 for the production of rubber. 



Quite a large percentage of the young Para trees had their foliage 

 badly injured (fig. 37) by a large flat slug which occurs in great 

 numbers, especially in the Chapelton district. 



Previous to my visit all efforts to discover the cause of the injury 

 to the trees in question had failed, and this was scarcely to be won- 

 dered at, seeing that the slug, like most of its congeners, proved to be 

 a night feeder, and that it concealed itself during the day sometimes at 

 a considerable distance from the scene of its nocturnal feasts. Having 

 failed to trace the depredator during the day, arrangements were made 

 to inspect the plants late at night, when one had no difficulty in dis- 

 covering many of the huge slugs feeding upon the leaves. In one 

 instance three examples occurred together on. a young tree whose 

 crown of leaves was scarcely two feet from the ground. Subsequently 

 a careful search was made for the diurnal retreats of these animals, 

 and with the aid of a native negro they were found concealed beneath 

 the moist " trash " covering the stems of the bananas. They were not 

 found elsewhere, though they must of necessity find other suitable 

 places of concealment where similar conditions as to moisture prevail. 



Though the slugs showed a marked partiality for the Para rubber 

 leaves, it was quite evident that other trees v/ere also attacked. The 

 leaves of the older cacao trees had not escaped their ravages, and the 

 Bissey nut or Kola (Cola acuminata) also showed evident signs of 

 their attacks, sometimes at a considerable distance from the ground. 

 The plants which suffered most were the young Hevea hrasiliensis, 

 especially those which had been planted a few months previously. 



The writer had no opportunity of testing any measures for the 

 control of this pest; but the following remedies were suggested: — ■ 



1. Spraying with Paris Green (poison) and water, the strength to 

 be determined by experiments. 



2. Dusting with Paris Green and lime in the proportion used for 

 cotton; normal strength, one part Paris Green to six of lime. 



3. Tying barriers or bands of cotton wool round the stems of tlie 

 young trees. 



