It Attacks A Variety Of Plants, But
More Particularly The Tribe Of Jessamine; Thus The Common
Jessamine, The "Gardenia" (Cape Jessamine) And The Coffee
(Jasminum Arabicum) Are More Especially Subject To Its Ravages.
The dwelling of this insect is frequently confounded with the
living creature itself.
This dwelling is in shape and
appearance like the back shell of a tortoise, or, still more,
like a "limpet," being attached to the stem of the tree in the
same manner that the latter adheres to a rock. This is the nest
or house, which, although no larger than a split hempseed
contains some hundreds of the "bug." As some thousands of these
scaly nests exist upon one tree, myriads of insects must be
feeding upon its juices.
The effect produced upon the tree is a blackened and sooty
appearance, like a London shrub; the branches look withered, and
the berries do not plump out to their full size, but, for the
most part, fall unripened from the tree. This attack is usually
of about two years' duration; after which time the tree loses its
blackened appearance, which peels off the surface of the leaves
like gold-beaters' skin, -and they appear in their natural color.
Coffee plants of young growth are liable to complete destruction
if severely attacked by " bug."
Rats are also very destructive to an estate ; they are great
adepts at pruning, and completely strip the trees of their young
shoots, thus utterly destroying a crop. These vermin are more
easily guarded against than the insect tribe, and should be
destroyed by poison.
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