January z, 1889 ] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
477 
2. In comparing the returns from correspondents, 
there appears to bo a concensus of opinion that 
" disease " has only shown itself to be prevalent since 
the beginning of the year 1885 ; but it is recorded 
by one gentleman aB having existed Biuce 1876. 
8. There would .appear to be Homo districts which 
are somewhat affected by attacks of the beetle men- 
tioned by Mr. Morris in his annual report for 1881 
as being prevalont in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, 
but the general complaint is of trees affected (I) by 
an insoot known as the scaly blight, and (2) by a 
"diseaso" which sproading from root upwards com- 
pletely destroys tho tree. 
4. Tho well-known fact, that many trees of tho 
palm tribe do not show the effects of the injury for 
lengthened periods after it has taken place, and the 
facts gathored from the replies of the correspondence 
as to tho nature and progress of the " disease," would 
lead to the conclusion that its origin is owing pri- 
marily to the succession of dry seasons experienced 
during the last few years. 
5. Neaily all correspondents agree that the 
"disease" proceeds from tho base of the tree up- 
wards which would tend to show that tho injury 
proceeds from the root. In all indigonous plants the 
most vigorous part of tho troo and that possessing the 
most vitality is tho centre (known in palms as tho 
cabbago) and consequently it would not suffer so 
soon as the other portions through which tho sap 
cannot pass so freely. 
6. Trees which have suffered from drought or 
injury of any kind are woll-known to be more liablo 
to the attacks of insects thau those in a healthy 
state, and consequently the attacks of the scaly blight 
may bo looked upon as the effect and not the cause or 
the disease. 
7. The " ticaly blight" is an insect belonging to 
the order C'umiiltP, nnuiy species of which infest 
plants in all parts of the world. The females 
are usually shield-like or convex above and concave 
or flat on their underside, being furnished with 
mhiate legs which when the insect is older become 
part of tho body. On the underside of the insect is 
a sucker which pierces tho enticle of plants aud 
extracts their jniceB. Soon after impregnation tho 
eggs are deposited and the female dies, her body be- 
coming a shield for the protection of the eggs, their 
power to increase being enormous. While young 
both sexes are alike, but the male larva produces 
two winged insects. 
8. The determination of the particular insect which 
infests the trees has not been decided, but it is pro- 
bably nearly allied, if not identical, with Aspididtus 
nerii or " oleander scale," also known as the South 
Sea Hose. 
9. Though the attacks of this insect may be looked 
upon as a secondary matter, still it does withoutdoubt 
contribute to the death of the trees, and hence it is 
necessary to take measures for its removal whenever 
practicable or it may become so numerous as to attack 
aud by the multitude of its numbers attack and dcs. 
trov healthy trees. 
10. The means used to destroy similar insects on 
cultivated plauts in Knglnnd though probably not ap- 
plicable generally to trees of such height as tho coco- 
nut may, if made known to planters, lead to tho adop- 
tion of some pi m by which the numbers of ibis insect 
may ho successfully diminished, One method is to 
apply a mixture which will effectually schI up tho insect 
for a sufficient longth of time to kill them : others 
are the use of an emulsion of keroseue oil or the ap- 
plication of spirits of turpentine (but it is probable 
that the use ol tli< latter would ho precluded bore 
on the score ol expense) ; another is to brush them 
off the surface wi'ha hard brush nod \ i> freeh 
mI ti i .» irds wit h stn ng soup suds; while, >> t another 
is to cut up bar soup into pieces and affix i' t.. different 
parts ol the tree, so that it would bo distributed through 
the medium ol the ruin. The mixture spoken off m y 
he made a« follows:— Stiff clay 0 pait»; (lower of 
sulphur 1 part ; suit soap I part ; soot or ust.ii. 1 p>\rt ; 
quicklime 1 part. Mix with water and thin adl 
I part in loo of kerosene oil, and apply to every portion of 
the urfsce with n brush in the sum,- niaum r us paint. 
11. To young trees probably, some modification of 
these remedies may be applicable, but in case of old 
trees where this pest has made great headway, it is 
doubtful if they oan be successfully employed, and tho 
only course would appear to he to fell aud burn the 
tree at once, especially as it appears that no instance of 
recovery after being once severely affected has yet 
been observed. 
12. It would bo also advisable to cut away as much 
as possible of tho infected portions of young trees and 
burn them before the application of any remedy, it is 
however to be mentioned that this precautionary mea- 
sure has already been adopted by many correspondents. 
13. Among the specimens examined were some 
showing channels made by a small boring coleopterous 
insect about \ of an inch in length of which 1 found 
several perfect specimens and numerous larva, but 
as it belongs to a class which is generally found among 
dead or decayed wood it would not appear to be the 
cause of any serious injury, but had doubtless merely 
found a congenial home in the dying leaf, stalks aud 
wood of the coconut tree. Many of the specimens that 
were received were also made into sections and 
microscopically examined under a high power to see 
if any fungoid growth had contributed to the death of 
tho tree. Only those fungi were present which 
we would naturally expect to find on any decaying 
vegetable tissus and more of tbem wero found travers- 
ing the intercellular spaces. From one correspondent 
a portion of the " cabbage " sent as a specimen was 
also covered by numerous acaridoe or mitos aud tho 
larva of a dipterous insect was found in the softest 
part : these also would naturuliy be found on any de- 
caying vegetable matter, but they are mentioned here 
to show that due consideration has been given to every 
particular as given by correspondents. 
14. The attacks of the larger beetle which infests 
the district of St. Elizabeth's might probably be held 
iu check by destroying them in their channels by the 
application of bi-sulphide of carbon and then plugging 
the entrance and by systematically destroying the 
insects by hand picking whereever seen. One of the 
larger beetles attacks the plant in its youngest stage, 
first entering the ground and then piercing the heart; 
these should be carefully searched for and may ofton 
be destroyed by forcing into the orifice by which they 
enter a piece of stiff iron wire. 
J 5. In view of tho foregoing the tendency of tho 
enquiry is to show as before stated that the " disease" 
is plainly referable to the past dry seasons, aud that 
no great alarm need ho occasioned by its occurrence, 
and i hat it is probable that with the return of normal 
seasons it will entirely disappear. 
16. I would recommend, however, on a recurrence 
of drought that the ground around the tre< s should 
be well dug for some 3 or 4 yards iu diameter and 
then be covered with a good mulching of stable 
immure or vegetable refuse about a foot iu thickness 
to couserve aud retain us much moisture in the soil 
as possible during dry periods, and at the same time 
to afford nutriment to the tree. An application of 
salt ur brine to the roots of trees which are not 
exposed to saline influences would probably be very 
beneficial. (Signed) J. 11. Hakt, 
Oovt. Ciuchoua Plantations, Jamaica. 
HOW TO PUSH CEYLON TEA IN AMERICA, 
ENGLAND, Jta. 
London, E. C, 10th Nov. 1888. 
Dkah Sir, — I enr^n o a letter which Mr. Murray 
has asked me lo i ad and forward with remarks. 
There is much in it with which 1 •giee. If the 
Tea Pond its waj to give Mr. Murray 6,000 lb 
with no restrict on ad to gratuitous distribution, 
bat conditional upon his purchasing I'J 000 lb. for 
the American market, and thus obt titling 18,0001b. 
88 per cent below market rates, I believe it would 
bo a good thing both (or the grown and Mr. Murray ; 
and, if tho Tea Fund should see its way I p Mr. 
Murray in the way of advertising, 1 think it would 
bo a step in Iho right ditccliou, because iu ibis 
