, 1908-06-27

the total length of time required for the
life cycle is about four weeks.
AS stated in the report on my visit to
Antigua in February, most of the cotton
planted previous to August Is made a fairly
good crop, while the greater part of that
planted from September l did not give q
crop A few of the earliest blossoms on
September cotton escaped attack, and again
blossoms escaped in early February. The
former of these gave q few hollis, which were
ripening in March. The few flowers which
escaped attack in February, resulted in bolls
which, ct the beginning OF April, had made
good development.
The first indication of the presence Of the
disease in Antigua was the excessive drop"
ping of the buds. Then it was found that,
in the case Of many of the buds, the bracts,
instead of remaining closed (appressed)
ABOUND the bus, had fared out IN a strlk-
ing manner, and on examination 1t
was found that all buds with FLAIR
ed bructs were infested, and | lately
discovered as the result of examination of
large numbers of buds that nearly all IN
footed buds becom 'fared' before dropping.
The conditions which have led up 10
this remarkable and very serious outbreak
Of this new pest can only be surmliseI, but
from evidence at 1huu III WOuAO GAAuV
the surmise is well founded.
In the first place the pest is probably q
native of Antigua, or at least not q recent
importation. This is borne out by the fact
that it appeared i'll all parts of the island
almost simultaneously and with q uniform
degree of severity. The fly is very fragile
and probably not capable of any long flight;
nor Of being carried far by the wind. Sec
1T o1-liAtNoo ~, A TfIrl1a
have been rather unusual for the past
eighteen months. Beginning with the
very heavy rainfall of September 1906,
Antigua has experienced wet and damp
weather in rather al unusual degree in
many parts, without perhaps recording q
rainfall much. if any, above the average.
This dampness, with the stronger growth
of the plants, the moister soil, and the great
tendency to weeds in The fields, gave the
maggots as they fell to the ground o better
opportunity of pupating han uAder the nor
NAL conditions in Antigua. 1t was noticed
on several estates that cotton fields III which
there was q tendency to damp sod, and
where a strong, vigorous growth OF plants
covered the ground, were more severely
attacked than the fields in which the SOL was
drier and the plants smaller. Whom, as
sometimes happened, there was a strong
tendency toward @ rapid growth OF weeds
on the damp soils, the difference was still
more noticeable.
Two small insects which belong to the
parasitic Hymenoptera were very common
IN all infested cotton fields. One OF these
1 found to be % very active enemy OF the
maggot in tue flower bud, and l believe the
other to be the same, but l have not yet
nrOved this point.
1t is likely that the sudden Improvement
in the condition of the cotton fields and the
almost total disappearance of the maggots
are due to the drier weather, and hot bright
suns of February, together with the beneh-
cial effects of the parasitic enemies OF the
maggots.
Up to the present time no remedial meas
ures have given definite results. Expert
ments have been started and it is hoped that
thew may give results that will be useful.
The use of Vaporite seemed likely TO be
beneficial, and several applications 81 this
material have been made. Vaporite IS a
proprietary material sold by Strawsons &Co'
England. It's object is the killing OF insects
in the soil, and it was hoped that during the
time When the maggots and the pupae were
in the soil, the effect of the Vaporlte FUMES
wo,ld be sufficient to- kill most OF these
insects. * oas
Cultural methods may reduce the loss
f.on, this form of flower bud dropping. ANY