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ONION 
The onion tlirips (Thrips tabaci Lincl. ) was' generally present during 
the drier periods and was often very" injurious to onions from January 
to July. 
Cutworms (lloctuidae) were injurious to onions at Rio Piedras and 
Cayey in onion seed bed during January and in the field from November 
to March. 
POTATOES, IRISH AND SfElT 
Around 300. acres of Irish potatoes were grown in the Island during 
the year. An inspection tour to demo strati on plots at Comerio and 
Barranquitas late in February when the crop was fairly well along showed 
e. fair amount of flea-beetle ( ZCpltrix cuctimeris Harr. ) damage, a few 
leaf hoppers.. (Sipqasca fabae Harr.). an( 3- a few aphids (Aphiidae). 
The sweet-potato weevil ( Cylas f crmicarius Fab. ) was present and 
frequently very injurious in apparently all parts of the Island. 
A leaf miner ( Agromyza sp. ) has been found in several localities 
and while fairly common in some patches of sweet potatoes is of only 
minor importance. 
ALFALFA 
A moth ( pichomeris piperata Wlsm. ) was first found in Porto Rico 
last year (1929) reducing the crop of alfalfa up to at least 30 per cent 
on a 2-acre experimental plot under irrigation at the sub- experimental 
plot at Isabela. The leaves are webbed together by the caterpillar and 
skeletonized. It was not present, however, on a small planting at Rio 
Piedras. 
A loaf-miner, A~ronyza sp. , was common in the field at Rio Piedras 
during the early summer but apparently not ab^andant enough to be 
injurious to alfalfa. 
co^f:a 
The cowpea pod and stalk borer (P uadella cistipennis Byar) was 
re.ared from pods at Rio Piedras in May. 
The tobacco budworm ( Heliothis virescens Fab. ) larvae were fairly 
common, eating' large holes" in the pods at Rio Piedras in May. Moths 
emerged June 1 and 2, 1930, from papae formed from May 20 to May 23. 
The lima bean pod borer (Stiella zinchenella Treit.) was reared from 
cowpea pods at Rio Piedras in May. 
