SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 1 
In addition to the Coccus indicus there is quite a large number of 
insects belonging to. other families—bugs, flies, moths, and beetles— 
which are known to prey upon one or other species of prickly pear. 
Some of them attack by feeding on the pear, and some act apparently 
by local poisoning. Some exert a detrimental influence by mass action, 
while others. again attack the flowers. and prevent the development. of 
fruit. These Pilati: are to be found in parts of America: Professor 
Johnston expressed the opinion that in Mexico might be found a 
number of useful insects. Another promising field was Uruguay and 
other parts of South America. In the Argentine, for instance, there 
is a moth which preys in the larval stage upon the prickly pear, and 
WILD COCHINEAL ((Coccis sae newsteadi) ou Head, cochinelifer a, rae 
Ww est Indies. (From Report of the OT Ind. . Prickly Pear Travelling Commission.) 
it fends so ravenously upon the fleshy material of the big joints that 
the plants cannot repair the waste, and die. Professor Johnston saw’ 
instances of such destruction along the foothills of the Andes, but he 
was too late to catch the insects at work. At Buenos Ayres he found 
what seemed to him to be a similar agency in operation. These 
‘organisms he considered to be well worthy of consideration. 
The Travelling Commission also found at least one fungus disease 
which was capable of seriously retarding new growth. Given certain 
conditions which would obtain during a moist summer in Australia, it 
is felt that the fungus would cause heavy loss of growth. 
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