Jan.  f,  1897.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST, 
449 
adulterated  manures. 
A matter  wliicli  lias  for  sometime  been  engaging 
tlie  attention  of  jirominent  members  of  the  Plant- 
ing Community  in  Ceylon  is  that  of  adulterated 
manures,  and  from  what  we  hear,  we  should  not 
be  sui'iirised  it  the  Hon.  Mr.  Christie  brought  it 
before  the  Legislative  Council  on  an  early  occa- 
sion. We  have  not  before  us  at  the  moment  a 
copy  of  the  Agricultural  Eertilizers’  Act  which  is 
in  force  in  England,  but  we  are  informed 
that  its  operations  have  had  a very  benelicial 
effect.  Of  course  there  is  much  more  occasion 
for  such  a law  in  the  old  country  than  here  on 
account  of  the  extent  to  which  artilicial  manures 
are  used,  there  ; but  tliis  is  a distinctly 
Agricultural,  communitj’’,  and  if  it  can  be 
shown  that  our  planters  suffer  in  any  way  on 
account  of  the  quality  of  the  manures  with 
Avhich  they  are  supplied,  we  think  the  Legis- 
lative Council  might  very  well  consider  how 
far  the  provisions  of  the  Home  Act  may  be 
utilized  here.  It  may  be  pleaded  that  the  busi- 
ne.ss  in  manures  here  at  present  is  very  small. 
Granted  that  it  is,  is  that  any  reason  why 
the  business  may  not  develop  ? ; and  is  it  not 
wiser  to  take  protective  measures  in  time  than 
wait  until  the  evils  have  arisen  ? P>y  some  we 
know  it  is  felt  that  there  will  be  a dilticulty 
about  securing  a sufficiently  independent  man  to 
act  as  chief  analyst  umler  such  an  Ordinance 
as  the  Act  that  has  been  passed  in  England. 
Difficulties  exist  in  order  to  be  surmounted,  and 
we  cannot  think  that  the  one  mentioned  is  an  in- 
superable one.  In  this  connection  the  name  of  Mr. 
Cochran  naturally  occurs  to  us.  Of  large  experi- 
ence in  analytical  work  and  proved  ability,  he  is, 
we  believe,  sufficiently  independent  in  character 
and  position  to  perform  with  satisfaction  what 
may  be  required  of  him  under  the  provisions 
of  such  an  Ordinance  as  we  are  referring  to  ; 
and  we  aie  certain  that  if  he  were  soundecl 
0:1  the  subject  it  would  be  lound  that  the  expense 
of  carrying  out  the  law  so  far  as  his  work  is  con- 
cerned, would  be  comparatively  trifling.  A well- 
known  planting  colonist  of  considerable  standing 
in  discussing  this  matter  was  most  emphatic 
in  expressing  the  opinion  that  manure  was  as 
essential  to  the  success  of  the  planting  industry  here 
as  it  was  to  agriculture  at  home  and  that  manure 
dealers  should  bo  bound  to  sell  on  analysis, — ad- 
ding “ the  way  we  are  practically  swindlc<l 
at  present  is  monstrous.”  The  case  of  a planter 
whose  experience  in  purchasing  manure  has  left 
him  “ a sadder  and  wiser”  man  has  been  men- 
tioned to  us.  According  to  our  information  a 
certain  firm  handed  to  him  an  analysis  showing 
2‘dO  per  cent  .sand  in  the  manure  and  said  fhali 
what  they  would  supjily  would  apiiroximate  to 
this,  though  not  prepared  to  guarantee  the  analy- 
sis. Out  of  a large  jiarcel  purchase*!  on  the 
.strength  of  this,  four  analyses  were  made  which 
showed  tlie  per  centage  of  sand  to  range  from 
28  per  cent  to  35  per  cent.  J.egal  advice  was  taken 
on  the  matter,  and  we  understand  that  it  was 
stated  that  no  guarantee  having  been  given 
no  rebate  could  be  allowed.  We  merely 
give  the  alleged  facts  as  they  have  been 
brought  to  our  notice,  and  wesliall  look  forward 
with  much  inteicst  to  the  decision  in  the  case 
which  we  understand  will  come  before  the 
Kandy  Court  at  an  early  date.  The  case  n il  I 
no  doubt  be  regardeil  as  a test  one,  and  show 
wdiether  the  ordinaiy  law  can  be  relied  upon  to 
rrotect  planters  in  transactions  of  this  nature. 
n the  meantime  it  is  well,  we  think,  that  pub- 
lic attention  should  be  directed  to  the  advisabi- 
56 
lity  of  provisions  like  those  in  the  Fertilizers. 
Act  being  aj  plied  to  Ceylon,  and  we  shall  be 
glad  to  hear  what  our  planting  correspondents 
have  to  say  on  the  subject. 
^ 
LADY  BIRDH. 
We  are  glad  to  be  able  to  publish  the  following 
extremely  interesting  notes  by  Mr.  H.  0.  Newport, 
Honorary  Secretary  of  the  Lower  Pulneys  Associ- 
ation. The  thorough  manner  in  which  he  is  pursu- 
ing his  investigations  is  worthy  of  all  praise,  and 
in  view  of  the  possible  enormous  value  of  such  re- 
search, the  need  of  an  entomological  export  must 
be  patent  to  all : — 
NOTES  ON  LADY  BIRDS  AND  COFFEE  BUG  ON  TUB 
LOWEK  PULNEYS. 
The  following  letters  that  I have  lately  received 
from  Mr.  Waterhouse  and  Professor  Tryon  are  of 
sufficient  interest  to  publish,  I think. 
Mr.  Charles  0.  Waterhouse,  of  the  British  Natural 
History,  Museum,  does  little  more  than  corrobo- 
rate Mr.  Alcock  s identification  of  the  Lady  bird. 
Ghilocorus  nif/ritus,  but  Professor  Tryon,  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  of  Brisbane,  gives  a lot  of  very 
interesting  information. 
The  reason  why  the  specimens  of  Cri/ptolcemus 
31ontrouzeri  and  Hhizohius  Vcntralis  have  not  come  is 
here  explained. 
With  regard  to  Chiloeorm  nirjritus,  so  far  as  ex- 
periments have  gone  up  to  date,  they  have  been 
absolutely  unsuccessfully  tried  upon  both  the  Brown 
bug  {Lecanium  coffee)  and  the  White  or  Mealy  bug 
Pseudoccous  adonidum).  The  Lady  birds  have 
in  the  case  of  the  former  refused  to  touch 
the  scales.  This  is  only  natural,  as  it  is 
only  the  larger  and  stronger  Lady  birds  that  do 
prey  upon  the  hard  shelled  scales,  to  which 
class  Lccanitiiii  coffee  belongs,  and  there  are  not 
many  Lady  birds  that  will  do  so  at  all.  There  are 
other  flies  that  do  so,  but  these  are  more  of  the 
nature  of  Ichneumonidon  and  do  but  little  good  I am 
afraid. 
In  the  case  of  the  Mealy  bug.  Pseudococcus  adoni^ 
dum,  some  of  tliese  scales  were  put  into  the  bottle 
containing  the  Chiloconis  nigritus.  The  Lady  birds 
had  for  two  or  three  days  previously  not  had  any 
food,  and  on  this  scale  being  put  with  them  attacked 
it  at  once,  but  only  devoured  a very  few  and  shortly 
afterwards  died.  Some  were  let  free  upon  some  Atti 
trees  that  were  covered  with  this  scale,  but  these 
flew  up  to  the  tops  of  the  trees  and  were  lost  sight 
of.  Experim.ents  are  being  carried  on,  but  from  what 
I have  seen,  I doubt  if  ( 'hilocorus  nigritus  will  prey 
upon  any  of  our  coffee  sc.tles  but  the  one  I first  ob- 
served it  upon. 
The  Pseudococcus  adonidum,  however,  does  not  do 
one  tithe  of  the  damage  to  coffee  that  any  of  the  other 
scales  do,  and  of  these  especially  fjecanium  riridi  w'hich 
hns  so  rapidly  increased  in  S India  during  the  past 
year. 
One  Jj.ady  bird  au'^  =cveral  species  of  small  yellow 
or  pari,!- coloured  fi  e have  been  reported  tj  p-ey 
upon  the  .Brown  b g Lecanium.  coffee  and  one  Lady 
bird  and  seve -al  more  flies  upon  the  White  bug 
Pseudococcus  ar!  midum.  One  or  tw'o  other  predaceous 
insects  have  also  been  reported  to  prey  upon  the 
coffee  louse  [aphis  coffee)  and  tea  scale  bug  ((7/riwas;;ts 
thew),  but  so  far  as  lean  gather  none  have  been  re- 
ported as  destroying  either  Lecanium  nigrium,  BacUjlo- 
pius  adonidum',  or  the  Green  bug  Lecanmniviridi,ex~ 
cept  the  Black  Lady  bird  Chiiocoms  nigritus. 
This  Lady  bird  bas,  I am  glad  to  say,  increased 
rapidly  on  this  Estate  during  the  past  month.  I 
have  observed  it  in  all  three  stages  of  eggs,  larva# 
and  mature  insects  upon  the  coffee.  These  are  doing 
good  wuk,  but  are  not  increasing  as  rapidly  as  1 
shoubi  like  to  see  them,  and  certainly  not  as  rapidly 
as  ci’.hcr  of  the  two  Australian  Lady  birds  did  in 
Hawaii. 
When  the  Gri/ptolcemus  Montrouzeri  was  introduced 
into  Hawaii  first,  some  pains  had  be  takou 
