“Nutfall” In B.S.I.

Scientists Discover a Bug

pRIVATE letters from the Solomon Islands indicate that the mystery of “nutfall”—that strange disease which has destroyed large areas of good coconut plantations, and which is peculiar to the Solomons —is a mystery no longer.

Good work has been done by Mr. R.

J. Lever (Government entomologist) and Mr. F. Penman (of Melbourne, who is a geologist and soil specialist).

“They visited one of my plantations,” says a correspondent, “and I had a couple of palms felled for them. They soon found the bug that does all the damage —a green, turtle-backed gentleman about half an inch long. This explains why the place has been worthless and sterile for about eight years.

“I took them to the other plantation and showed them the line of demarcation between the good and diseased palms, which are rapidly spreading as the small Pheidole ant advances. They sent a boy up several non-bearing palms, and dis covered the same bug there.

“They told me that it not the ant itself that does the damage. What happens is that that particular species of ant destroys the bug’s natural enemies; so that, when the Pheidole ant is present on any palm, the bug increases prolific ally, and the value of the palm is des troyed.

“So far, they have not discovered a parasite to use against the pest, but they hope to, eventually.”

Major F. R. Hewitt, general manager of Lever’s Pacific Plantations Pty. Ltd., and Mr. C. V. Widdy, local manager, have given the scientists much valuable assistance and co-operation.