8io 
TrlE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [June t, 1895. 
individual) ready for deposition. A careful examina- 
tion of the affected bushes over a large area, showed 
the work only of adult insects, the punctures being 
large and confluent ; and no young insects could be 
found here, nor did the shoots contain eggs. In one or 
two cases only more finely pictured leaves showed 
the work of immature insects : and here the young 
insects themselves were dislodged by shaking the 
bushes over bamboo screens. 
A consideration of these facts leads me to believe 
that the inseots are just now commencing to breed, 
in which case the young shoots will shortly be full 
of eggs, and evidence of a young brood will soon 
appear in the form of more numerous minutely punc- 
tured leaves. 
This will then be the most advantageous time to 
attack the pest. The eggs are embedded in the 
young stalks in the intervals between the leaves ; not 
on the old wood and leaves, as quoted by some 
authorities, (see Note No. 2). A pair of delicate knob- 
bed processes project from the extremity of the egg 
and mark its position, the egg itself being completely 
hidden within the stalk. I find that the eggs are 
usually deposited two or three in one spot. The 
young insect emerges on the 10th day after deposition. 
I would suggest that all affected fields should be 
heavily plucked at short intervals. This alone 
will insure the destruction of an enormous number 
of eggs. After the first plucking the bushes might 
be sprayed with a weak solution of Phenye, or Jaye'e 
Fluid, or diluted Kerosine emulsion, which would 
kill off most of the eggs left behind, and many of 
the young insects. I find by experiment that a 
mixture of 1 part of Jaye's Fluid to 150 parts of 
water is sufficient to kill the eggs : 1 part of Kero- 
sine emulsion in 60 of water is effective. The hair- 
like processes from the extremity of the egg-shell 
are said by Professor Wood-Mason to act as respira- 
tory organs to the developing ovum within. They 
will, therefore, be particularly sensitive to injury, 
and being prominent can scarcely escape meeting 
with any mixture properly sprayed on to the bushes. 
When the young insects make their appearance in 
any numbers, (as evidenced by the more finely punc- 
tured leaves) tarred screens will be found very use- 
ful for their capture. These should be held under 
the affected bush, while the branches are smartly 
shaken. The insects will be dislodged and fall into 
the wet tar. which should be freshly applied as 
often as it becomes dry or clogged with leaves. It 
will still be advisable to capture the adult insects 
by hand. They take wing when the bushes are dis- 
turbed ; but fly slowly, and are easily caught by the 
children employed for the purpose. 
I find that the insects are not attracted by 
light. A trap was designed with a bright re- 
flecting lamp and was set in the affected field 
at night, where Helopelties was in force; but 
though swarms of other insects were entrapped 
not a single Helopeltis was attracted by it. The old 
plan of burning bonfires at night is therefore proved 
to be useless. 
It was asserted by the Conductor that the insects 
flew away in clouds to the jungle each morning at 
sunrise and returned at sunset. But an examination 
of the supposed swarms of Helopeltis proved that 
they consisted only of small gnats and moths. 
I am of opinion that the Helopeltis remains on the 
tea both by day and night. 
The breeding periods should be carefully watched. 
An examination of the shoots on blighted bushes 
will reveal the progress of affairs. The eggs are, 
certainly, not easy of detection, except to the ini- 
tiated ; but the relative size of the punctures on the 
young leaves will give a clue to the development of 
the insect. 
I fully believe that if the above methods, viz., 
heavy plucking, spraying, and the capture of the 
immature insects, are systematically carried out Baiting 
the breeding period*, that the pest will not only be 
kept in check, but will be gradually exterminated. It 
is evident, however, that the presence of a field of 
low jat tea, in which the pest has so firmly es- 
tablished itself is a standing menace and source of 
Steps should be taken to lessen this danger M much 
as possible. For this purpose, I would suggest the 
planting of thick belts of quick growing trees, at 
moderate intervals, which will serve to localize the 
pest and prevent its spreading. The trees in these 
belts should not be lopped, but the brunches allowed 
to grow low down to form an affective screen. It 
might even be found advisable to plant up the whole 
of the affected area with timber trees. 
(Signed) E. Ehnfht Ban 
Note 1. Formula for Kerosine Emulsion; » lb. 
Common Soap ; 1 gallon Water (preferably soft) ; 
2 gallons Kerosine. Dissolve the soap in the water 
heated to boiling. Add the Kerosine to the hot 
mixture and churn thoroughly. The mixture should 
be of the consistency of cream on cooling. Dilate, 
for application, with from 10 to GO parts of water. 
Note 2. In Mr. Bamber's Work on Tea. it is 
stated, on the authority of Mr. R. B. Walker 
of Debrugurh, that the eggs are found on 
old leaves, never on young shoots. This is evi- 
dently an error of observation on Mr. Walker's 
part. I am the more convinced of this, ou 
reference to his full report on the subject, printed 
in "Indiau Museum Notes" (vol 1, p. 185). Mr. 
Walker here says : .... " Alicajis the old leaves have 
been found covered with eggs and never have I seen 
an egg on a younrj nhoot On one occasion I 
pulled a seed bearing branch off a bush and found 
33 leaves on it ; every leaf was smeared on both 
sides with eggs, and besides this the main branch 
itself and the smaller ones too had any quantity of 
eggs sticking to them." Mr. Walker must have 
found the eggs of some other insect — probably a 
moth — and jumped to the conclusion that they were 
those of the Helopeltis. With their peculiar form 
and the structure of the female insect it is imposible 
that the eggs of this insect, could have been " smeared 
on the leaves." 
REARING PONIES IN CEYLON OR 
SOUTHERN INDIA ? 
A South of India correspondent writes : — 
"Rearing ponies, I feel certain would pay, on the 
mainland of India near Paumben. I have passed 
through land with grass on which Ponies thrive. 
Judging by the Tats I saw in some places, and from 
the little I saw of Mannar and from what I hear of 
the country round on the Island of Ceylon, ponies 
should do well there. Mannar itself suffers from want 
of fresh water, but the soil is better than on the 
Indian mainland adjoining Paumben." 
Our correspondent must be reminded that up to 
a recent period the British (following the example 
of the Dutch) kept up a stud for breeding pur- 
poses on the island or Delft, off Jaffna, and the 
same island was celebrated for its cattle, the 
local native kind having been crossed with a 
tine breed imported from Surat. We must quote 
here a passage from Tennent of interest in con- 
nection with this subject and the North : — 
As, owing to the shallows, the Government steamer 
— the "Seaforth," on board which we were to be 
received at Jaffna, — was unable to approach nearer 
than the group of islands that he off the western 
point of the peninsula, w r e were rowed in one of 
the great canoes called ballams, or vallams through 
the channel of Kayts, under the miniature fort of 
Harninanisl, and embarked off the island of Anala- 
tivoe or Donna Clara.* We brought to, an hour after 
starting, at the island of Delft. " The portion of 
Ceylon," says Pliny, "which approaches nearest to 
India is the promontory of Coliacum, and midway 
between it and the mainland is the island of the Sun ;" 
* Donna Clara, who appears to havs been the chief 
owner of this islet in the time of the Portuguese, 
was renowned for her extraordinary size ; her chair, 
according to Ribeyro, was preserved in his time as 
the sole curiosity of the island : " et les deux plus 
gros hommes y peuvent tenir assis tves a l'aise e{ 
tre? m largV'T-kib: j. ch. ?xy, p. 190. 
