XIII 
WHEAT, MAIZE, COFFEE 
123 
essentially suited to our requirements. Rietti does not 
give a very high yield, nor do the reports from England 
speak too highly of its milling qualities ; though locally 
it is considered excellent. The way to fight and finally 
defeat rust lies obviously in breeding a wheat which 
will prove resistant in the local conditions, and it may 
even prove necessary to breed a succession of varieties 
so that a new variety will be ready to replace the last 
should it succumb. On this work Mr. G. W. Evans 
of the Agricultural Department has been busily 
employed for two years ; and it will be borne in mind 
that owing to the existence of the double season this 
is equivalent to four years. It is reported that there is 
already one rust-proof hybrid in existence, a matter of 
congratulation both to Mr. Evans and the wheat¬ 
growing settler. 
In a very minor degree insect pests have caused 
trouble—two varieties in particular being responsible 
for considerable damage. The first is a small variety 
of beetle which attacks the young wheat and chews or 
sucks the sap just below the ground level. The 
beetle, lying concealed by day, emerges in countless 
numbers by night and in one case destroyed 200 acres 
in a few days. In this case they were tackled with 
singular energy and skill by Mr. Anderson, chief 
entomologist to the Agricultural Department, and 
completely demolished. This end was accomplished 
by the broad-casting of poisoned bait (Paris green, 
bran, and sugar). It was estimated that over two 
million beetles to the acre were destroyed. The 
second pest was a species of green fly which attacked 
the young plants. The damage, though serious, was 
not so disastrous as in the case of the beetle. Un¬ 
fortunately, no absolute means of annihilation has yet 
