INSECT PESTS AND HOW TO BEAT THEM Slack CLOTH\\B"ATmii r/t^y NCCrcKH/IL^C^TS/fPf rOff LLAffS, PEf" ^ "S^;"34t^ ""^^:z:^;"iJ^"^:Ssrx3E;^ TO REFERENCE 2. Centipede, an insect eater. Millepede, a plant eater. 3. Lackey 4. Gold 1. Moth Larva. Larva. Tail Moth 3. Mussel Scale on Moth 6. Winter Blossom. Garden 7. Common Ant. 13. Cabbage 14. Carrot 15. Garden on Moth Snail. Armadillo on Appl" Beetle. 8. Asparagus Beetle. 20. Mustard 9. Asparagus Fly. 21. Lady-bird. 23. Wireworm. 10. Cabbage 11. Beet I a. Ooion Root Fly. Mangold Fly. Fly. and Larva. Fly. Pill Insect, encouragtd or neglected ground. Beetle. 17. Insect-hunting Rove Flea or Hopper. 18. Turnip BmU*. 19. Turnip and Cabbage-flower 16. Apple Bark. Larva BORDER IN SPECIMENS 33. Black 34. BU"k Garden or B"aa Slug. Apkia. PESTS INSECT and HOW BEAT TO IncludingNotes Plant on and THEM Diseases, Soils Manures BY JAMES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS SARSFIELD OF IN EVERY INSECT TEXT THE LONDON C. ARTHUR HENRIETTA PEARSON STREET, 1919 LTD. W.C.2 DESCRIBED SB 6 05 ^\ V .v" 852203 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS LIST ILLUSTRATIONS OF PLATES PAGE 12. Common and 13. Asparagus, and 14. 14a Harmless Beet Butterflies and Mangold Pea, Lettuce 15. Bean, 16. Onion, Celery 17. Potato Pests and and Peats 54 Pests Cabbage 14b, 54 . 58, 60,61 Carrot Parsnip Pests 65 Pests 65 7'2 ..... 18. Winter 19. Apple, 20. Magpie 21. Myriapoda, 22. Leather 23. Beneficial 24. Indoor 25. Vine 20. Further Vine 27. Tomato Canker 28. Cucumber 29. The 30. Moulds 31. Potato 32. Turnip, Mangold, 33. Bean 34. Clover 35. Gooseberry 36. Apple 37. Strawberry Moth and Pear and Moth Fruit other Plum and Bush Bristletails 94 etc. 94 106 and 106 Greenhouse and 119 Eelworm Blotch and 126 Eelworm Knob 126 Kingdom 131 131 Diseases .... Canker, Pea and Mildew, Pear and Leaf Spot, and Cabbage 39. The 40. of 142 Fvingi 147 Raspberry and Soil Different Soils Beneficial Work Earthworms 41. A in Plant 42. Sections 43. Pig Tapeworms of of Leaf Kinds .... of and Cultivation Mechanism Structure Aphides 139 142 ..... Geological History Rust etc. Spot, 38. 139 Fungi Apple Scab, Diseases Bean Leaf Celery Sickness, Wheat Various 119 Pests Fimgi Diseases 44- 94 Diseases and Vegetable Lesson 85 Pests Leaf Five Pests Insects Grape and 72 85 Fruit -jackets. Snails, Pests Pests Pests Wireworms, Soil Tree and Rootlet Loganberr PREFACE old-time THE books who sage is no there subject of Insect for inspired remark, his books insects on " end in their of the in his mind various at there although of making I think, hardly, can Pests the had " wrote, the have of time of numbers are classes, those take which It is therefore pest question itself are relatively few. will prove of hoped that the present little volume to those value engaged in the production of food. main to a writer The on difficultythat comes pests is the up of of multitude examples those most with the which are likely to be met throughout generally, and the selection herein given will, I country with this requirement. trust, meet that The choosing notes of benefit soils on beginners, pests and resist out the and on diseases of the that ground is to added were manures best the the to way in health plant ensure for the first instance. regards the theories last chapter I offer As in the to who those for Pests as are a time-saver with us Vigilance Chart of this the conclusion In from as the to the grower. I must the the pubhcations ready assistance Smallholder in these for the at end here in the afforded by preparation of the JMiES October 1919. and been season. glance at the the importance a illustrate Board has of the height acknowledge of the index all times, and will there they are worth the subject, but in careful a and what interest purposes for use however at on student's a reference speedy added, take dwelt the help obtained Agriculture as well Editor of this and volume. SARSFIELD. Staff of INSECT PESTS AND BEAT THEM CHAPTER THE SMALLHOLDER of of has become the of of the name citizenship in this direction new more of various comes not of thanks will claim as the with object danger a handled unless on or to a in growers, spite of Authorities, no the great no of group of spite slow-coach the of in in who, man proud evinced was workers in feel to not with is there policy hterally worked have soil. land, the to that war wonderfully most This when that say arose ought important an on hard go with cope to and times, and and the going are to serious allotment Councils got to-day importance written nation who and with Now have the inexperience, wonders become Empire. than markedly growers initial been smallholder's the such growers British the call great worthy of commonplace a us upon to to from lines. intelligent came assist inevitably must It has PESTS INSECT pests become volume present endeavouring that insect has standpoint the that I AND subject THE TO HOW be a turned paragraph certain aspect of large number off in places important again the if we items the of with daily do in us, a and Things estabUsh small we vote mere paper. not our We situation. way our in INSECT 10 PESTS make these islandi policywhich must practically independent and self-supporting. of legislation But no will prevent caterpillars amount from eating cabbages. Here we are like the Barons great land the of the time the at Black The populationwere wiped out. danger to their purses, went a nice little law have more wages to to he had than half the goodly Barons, scenting Westminster and passed effect that the about Death, when workman no should received. hitherto They straighthome and paid double wages rather than let their neighbour sing a siren song to the few who left. They were economic men were up against an law, in face of which Parliament is powerless. It is the with natural laws, except that they are much same more drastic ; and if we complain of an insect pest which comes should cussedness," we along seemingly out of pure then went " remember that and a there definite is a definite remedy cause must be for its ance, appearfound sooner or mology, Clearly,then, a little sound knowledge of entopicked up by the grower in his spare time, is but and I shall not only interesting highly profitable, in the chaptersthat follow,avoiding endeavour to show such knowhow ledge the technical side as much as possible, be gained and how to apply it to the ends we can later. in have I was view. once introduced to a man who had given ordinary handicraft to chance his luck as a the grower's trade gardener, in the days when least paid of any calling.He did it because he his and didn't Yet from like his former up market the was hked it, work. this man, who had suirounded himself with everything his heart desired,from grape-vines to blackberries, orchids to mustard and cress, gave me the impression of being thoroughlydisheartened with it all. I felt He looked tired and overworked, with sorry for him. of a man who never the drawn has any rest appearance has time to tidy liimself up and on a Sunday, and never go out for a change. It made and as his real trouble was, PESTS INSECT AND SMALLHOLDER THE to find out want me were we 11 what going round the let out something together,I happened to about ointment, I entomology, when, Hke the famous found I had immediatelytouched the spot. friend at once began to pour out a My new-found real and host of both imaginary evils. To quote his he said, It's Hke this, words, as near as own possible, ever as sir,so soon you get a decent crop of anything, blarmed there's bound to be some creeping insect come along,and all your work goes for nothing." He establishment " ' described then and " any the 'em, then vanish shuffle and double back come as soon even as I insects also went on of others quite unknown ravages artful one else, uncommon acquainted with, the of many work the ' to expatiateupon to ' well was me blighters while indeed or ' you that look do at off and you've moved fresh." start Of course and the it is only sooner we speciesreferred to shall unexplainedthat is mysterious, get a working knowledge of the the in this book there the better for our food- variety,more beauty, more ingenuityand more danger in the insect world than in any other department of Nature. And it is inextricably mixed up with the historyof plants. In mentioned I could fact, as regards the person above that curiously see enough he had made exactlythe same mistake had happened to me I as many years ago when first began to study insects. had He clearlygone at the business of gardening from the elementarystandpoint, for growing plantslearn all about plants."I confess mistake was found it own quite as bad, but I soon my impossibleto get very far in the one subject Tvithout obtaininga working knowledge of the other. There is,therefore,the strongestreason why the grower should make himself something of an insect-hunter in than in which The the poHce more senses one. way crops. " We see that is more IS INSECT get hold of criminals is know more we more likelywe point of about are to turn up their weevil, a moth a to PESTS be able to chase records,and the or an aphis,the it down to the absolute disposal. chapters which follow, I propose to deal with the questionof insect pests from the smallholder's point in the chapter headings. of view and grouped as shown The illustrations will give the reader a clear idea of the of the creatures which are troubUng him, and appearance in the descriptions the actual size is expressedin inches. In the I have retained well known, the the country, and included name, on under the the Latin English ones sometimes one other name. hand, is one names, vary even The by in is because, as different parts of different insects scientific which " or each are Latin " insect is throughout the world. Before proceedingto deal with the pests categorically, readers to explain to many it will perhaps be convenient of insects,grouped in that there are Nine Great Orders various accordingto various authorities,under one ways of which the different families we shall presently or other meet with must and if we can come, recognizethe order to which well on the road to our are pest belongs,we discoveringits history. have Beginning, then, with the lowest forms, we pedes, or Myriapoda, many-footed creatures, includingCentiand the Armadillo. Millipedes, Pill insects,WoodUce They pass through no elementary stages in their are growth, and by some thought to be scarcelyinsects at all,but joint-bodied animals, or articulata,firstcousins to the spider. (SeePlate 1.) to the As a generalrule they are not very harmful gardener,as, excepting the milhpede, which gnaws at roots, they feed upon decaying animal and vegetable is objected to, such matter. Where their presence collected and removed. should be rigorously matter Fleas Next the Stjctoria, or Suckers, including come known " " The A Nine GweiAT Orders 5peC!Me:ns FEW Imsects. or each from Group. I. MYRIAPODA H. SUCTORIA qjS, HEMJPTERA Plate Wood-louse. Pill Insect. Armadillo or Ditto, rolled up. 3. 1. 1. 13. 4. 5. 6. Millepede. Ditto, rolled up. 7. 8. Human Flea. 9. Louse. " nits " of same, 10. Eggs or Louse. Hen 11. 12. Frog Hopper or Cuckoo Snowy Fly. 23. Mussel Scale Insect. 16. 19. 20. hair. Spit Insect. Cuckoo 22. 15. 17. 18. on or 21. 14. Centipede(Lithobiusforcipatus). Centipede (Geophilus longicornis). Frog Hopper Insect with wings closed. Pond Skater. j Water Scorpion. Water Bug. Rose Aphis. Black or Bean'Aphis. Pear Tree Bug. House Bug. Bean Thripa 2. Spit INSECT 14 PESTS and infest unclean Lice, which animals. These, like the precedingclass,are Apterous, or winglesscreatures. Their larva with more live in dirt. them than We need ourselves concern no suggestionof say that the mere them to turn cause up their eyes in pious the carryingof it out will cause them to turn to cleanliness will horror, and their toes, which is the point. now proceed to the Hemiptera, or Halfmay Wings, which embrace the various kinds of frog-hoppers, etc. These are pond-skaters,plant lice,water scorpions, true insects,and pass through several elementary stages before they are full grown. In the main they feed upon the juices of livingplants,and are distinctlyinimical to the farmer and the gardener. DiPTERA, or Two- Wings, are the gnats, midges,daddyblue-bottles and house flies, etc. long-legs, They undergo the customary four stages of the higher insects, viz., larva, pupa, ova, imago, or, in plain Enghsh, egg, and perfectfly. Some of the larvae maggot, chrysalis, studies. are aquatic and form very interesting Others, like the Blow infest in meat hot Fly, weather, whilst certain species the larvsB of other insects, are on parasitic chieflybutterflies and moths, i; (See Plate 2.) The Orthoptera, or Straight-Wings,consist of the crickets,cockroaches, earwigs,etc.,chiefly grass-hopper, devourers of plant life and therefore become pests. The terrible locust of the East belongs to this class. The up more to We " " larvae live beneath roots. other We which Certain the soil and voracious are crickets,however, hunt down eaters of flies and insects. now pass to the Neuroptera, or Nerve- Wings, etc. comprise dragon-flies, lacewing flies,caddis flies, The larvae are mainly aquatic,but in their perfect state these plantUce Next hunt msects and other the small famous down and destroy butterflies, species. MembraneHymenoptera, or fliei Wings, including ants, bees, wasps, ichneumon are Plate 2. T. Gnat. 10. 2. Wheat 11. 3. Midge. Moth-eatingEmpis Daddy-long-legs. or 4. 5. Blue-bottle Fly. 6. Insect-hunting Hover 7. Ribbon-footed 8. Cheete Hopper 9. Com Frit Fly. Common Brown Grass-hopper. " 12. Cockroach Black Be"U(." or Cricket. 13. House Hawk-fly. 14. Earwig. 15. Dragon Fly. 16. Caddis Stone or Fly. Fly. Fly. Citto,Maggot 17. Green iS. Common of sajB*. If Fly. Lace^vingFly. SsoivioaFly IX. COLE0PTE"A. ^ IS. 14- "7 Plate Humble 3. Saw-fly. Wasp. 4. Small 5. Yellow 6. Large Bean and Pea Weevil. Click or Skipjack Beetle. Cockchafer. 12. Beetle. 13. Whirligig Water Beetle. 14. Insect-hunting Ground Bee. 1. 2. 10. 11. Ichneumon Meadow Ichneumon Fly. Ant. Fly. Orange Tip Butterfly. 8. Yellow Underwing Moth. 15. 16. 7. . Mustard 3. Tiger Beetle. Two-spot Lady-bird. Beetle {enlargtd). 17. Rove iS. Asparagus Beetle. Beetle. 16 decayed vegetableand animal matter. so-called field fleas are reallybeetles. of two Pests are distinct kinds, indigenousor wood and " / PESTS INSECT 18 and exotic latter often are from introduced or the worst, abroad. when as which rabbit much a Zealand New into seed tobacco as In America and there condition home, new before. than dock, which common was other An- introduced who sold it rascallymerchant almost ineradicable. the thingbecame is the Gipsy Moth, as they know to by their cost, and so on. plans being interfered This finds English black rat, leaving the serious more is the case in its th* ov Australia,and the brown grey rat this country about a century ago and invaded in these in practicallyexterminated us Of native immigrant an congenialsurroundingsit usuallyrevels like the Many " a Natme with consider to seems and object retaliate to to her ingly. accord- last point. Why do itself. Because ? is simplicity The come answer ''pests In other words, knowingly or not, we invite them. we provide board and lodging on a grand scale which the is not slow to take full advantage of. new-comer We have therefore to fightfor our crop and defend it inexorable It is an law which has against its prey. brings earth the life. to for countless existed on us which ages. has our There not had is to The speciesat present no fightfor its place in instance",a fearfully originaldragon-fly,for clumsy arrangement something like four tennis rackets screwed to a ninepin,was hunted down persistently by the flyingdragons of the Liassic period. But it managed the principle that to hold on, on doggedness does it," and although they are now both extinct,the I suppose, children of the dragon-fly exceed in strength and variety those of its former is now foe, which representedby " a bat. it goes So are we on. going to The best wins, and let the insects win, or the question is, are we going to make food-cropssecure our hand at means resist to 19 by employing the natural attack, supplementedby the it is clear all events At artifices of science ? PESTS INSECT AND SMALLHOLDER THE must we divert, somehow, the first onset of the pest, so that, findingthe conditions unfavourable, it will be well kept exterminated. if not altogether in hand eases. fungoiddishealthy,microscopicplantis absorbing and tissues of a weak unhealthy host, varies her tactics in the Nature Here a juicesand the in the whereas of the case of the insects the case robust more our crop the better they Hke it. shall look further into the We close of the book, to it is as a questionof fungiat the subjectwhich is as important insects. as grower In the followingchapter I have the pests which under come troublesome are referred above the to necessary to and farmer that I have aids are the their those as upon crops. With regardto the various all of these of insect almost suggested, It will be seen, as often as The the first is because of as often be is in washes In the case done more and I think by that this kind children if efficacious than they the are use reason these, being automatic, for help,which structed properlyin- of chemicals any rate for the small checks I think it is obvious at dressings, of natural however, such manual possible Also etc. picking, pupa digging, put forward egg search,hand the encouragement of all natural checks. can groups study is just as specieswhich prey remedies well known. of the some stock, as they all farm to other or one included man. that highlyprofitable. I do not for aU insect profess to give a panacea far as my troubles, but so own experiencegoes, I convinced that the am handhng of the pest proper about question can only come by the food-grower and the insect student joiningforces. That is why, at the risk,perhaps,of some readers' patience, I have made are INSECT 20 this opening lesson deal issue, ; but the succinctly as " Insect somewhat chapter in Pests, PESTS rest as of the possible and how of work with to natural a I shall the beat history endeavour straightforward them." to II CHAPTER FARM Fly Horse " Fly Ticks The Ear-cockles WE to dealing injurious the first them it place would in learning, and than anything else. hurts a the for cause the handy good or vet., farmer the which acquaintance upon " Root " impossible saying his much with beasts the the 21 many suffer safest causes There he never and more and many, some but sends a of it know not always plan, of is stock to take without on. farmer are course their as always applies Of remedy. stock carry a ailments Their see that which days course to are necessary agriculturist,as the remark we species their of as be pre-war must of this is " Weevil and those to look the to Cricket Beetles it will whole In quite done a stock. eyes than truer " Corn Corn and earnest, attention to the be as animals farm and nothing used in story insects farm to farmers mainstay, with particular some English the up Weevil Mole Mustard " Bee " Moth. Turnip take now pay are is the and crops internal The Moth question rat " Grain " and Pigs Ribbon-footed " Midge" Wheat Aphis Corn Thrips" Corn Fly false or Clover " tril Nos- " " and crops Frit " and Fly Hessian " Moth Antler " field to Liverfluke " Warble Keds " external parasites, injurious Insects Eelworms Fly Poultry " Mite Ox " parasites Sheep " Green-bottles Tick and insects to Flies and Scab Tapeworms " Gad and Blue-bottles " due Ailmients " Fly Bot Sheep " pests stock farm, of Ailments PESTS httle these 22 INSECT PESTS Pi A PESTS FARM 23 to be usef ul,andso ailments is bound we shall here examine to the insect world. peststhat belonggenerally divide naturallyinto two These sections,viz. insects to stock and those harmful to field crops. injurious few farm a The diseases of stock numerous other many creatures fever anthrax, swine are besides and due to the attacks of instance For mouth foot and erysipelas, insects. by bacteria animal fungus; so is the viruses. Ringworm is an or trouble called hard tongue or lumpy jaw in cattle. Husk in the tubes of the or hoose in calves is caused by worms lungs,whilst the disease called redwater is due to the presence of a minute germ or protozoon in the blood. We are here, however, chieflyconcerned with insects, and stock pestsunder this head_are"_dmost.dw^^^ flies oF'twx" winged., take as our first example the Horse Bot Fly We may which is yello\^dsh in colour and somewhat [Gastrophilus equi), and tuberculosis disease,glanders caused are . Blue-bottle in appearance, in fact it has been called the Yellow-Bottle. It laysits eggs on the hair of Uke a and neck, and the maggots which the fore-legs, mane hatch from them find their way down the horse's gullet and so to the attach themselves where they finally interior, walls of the stomach and feed upon the juices full-fed they leave go, and pass out to lierein. When into glossybrown pupae, which hatch as complete bp the Sange Yellow-bottles in due course. all animals should be examined the Bot Fhes are of linseed oil and a After being out for the eggs, and thought to be estabHshed, a will be turpentine at grass also,if draught found beneficial once fortnight. The Gad-fhes and Forest-flies are insects of the same similar in appearance to house flies. These do not infest horses during the larval state, beingaquatic, but the females come in the hot weather to suck their tribe and blood, and cause draught horse is in great suffering some years. The of too often deprived ui^ortunately his INSECT 24 PESTS and sweeping tail,which were given him those flies, and whenever purpose of slashing flowingmane the express encumber him for such with harness limitations by should we endeavour for we to make rubbing down with a paraffin cloth and the fixingon of leafy twigs during the day time to give him chance some against the gad-flies. The Ox Warble Fly (Ilypoderma lineata)also belongs to the Diptera. Its habit is to hover about for a couple of hours or so at mid-day in the hottest time of the year, the flight ming being accompanied by an even, sustained humup sound. it any they will This with a a either milch cows, poor is the action summer is one of the insect This internal a upon attached firmly a It hatches of the judgment follow flies will not becomes serious a it may as in-calf, cause " or that is " bot by Such no means lives which as an female The A in sketch a day so of is shown or two that into a the animal this spiny licks and carries the young bot into its mouth the throat, thus reachingthe interior after so penetratingthe common the loss in the other. irritates the skin down its skin and on flylays her eggs of the legs, the hair,chiefly and each of claspers to the hair by means secretion. gummy it passes eflect either of which stream, flies : but larva oxen. time or and case, adult has parasiteof peculiaregg. maggot, which the placeand the enter stampeding,however, yieldin the egg and or should there. matter all. remarkable a be available,as the is perfectlyright and animal in shelter take alternatives them has know to seem causes without sound by instinct the meaning of it, them to stampede, suddenly rushing oflE apparent object or reason, and, if they can, cattle,who and This a wall of the becomes maggots gullet. The bot then changes smooth and slithery just Uke " of "blown" " meat, which are the of the Blue-bottle. able bot is now The young progeny about to wander the tissues of its host, at last among it There the flesh and the hide. just between settling moults and againbecomes spiny,as shown in the sketch. PESTS INSECT 26 Flies is at of Warble increase the the time when the perforatedand the maggot is about to drop to the ground. This may usuallybe done from February be squeezed out with the thumbs to April. The maggot can wards and crushed under foot, the wounds being dressed afterThis will have a distinctly v/ith mercurial ointment. there be a plague deterrent effect on these flies. Should skin is all dressed be of them, the beasts should of cart-grease and mixture itselfis black in colour,with paraffin.The whitish with over a Warble hairs,very Fly irritating coming against the skin. It has a blunt head and the outspread wings strong, thick legs,the size across being nearly an inch. (See Plate 4.) Sheep are subject to manj' insect parasites,our first case being the Sheep's Nostril Fly {Oestrusovis)which is of the same family as the Bot Fhes just mentioned. in colour, and lightishbrown It is hairy in appearance when inch across the wings measuring about an spread when insect out. The Warble Fly, which parasitesin these so do feed not larvae. This as has the head blunt-looking same arises in both their mature cases state from have no as the the fact that mouths, and all their mischief being wrought flies, however is more than as enough. The poor presentiment about of uncanny and as in the last case, exhibit the visits of the nostril fly, the ground or seeking on distress,rubbing their noses sheep have the same kind dusty placesin a desire to avoid attack. The nostril flies is curved and the egg, which pair in the early summer, or kidney-shaped,is laid around the sheep'snostrils. The maggot at first is white and slender,and has a pair of lever directed backwards, by which it can mouth-hooks its way the cause The and down up the nostril passages upper jawbone, where, of the the formation and into the cavities in they by settingup irritation, secretions that they feed on. nearly an inch long, whitish full-grownmaggot is about to pupate, it works and when striped, the nasal passage again,and is sneezed out its way to the on 27 PESTS FARM ground,there to developin a week or so into the winged insect. When sheep are restless and in poor condition, and nostril fly,the infected to due to be it is found be isolated and preventedfrom animals should at once sneezingout the maggots on to pasture. In the case of a be syringed valuable may sheep, the nasal passage and salt water with permanganate of potash ; or even the cut into and is better than cure, sinus Prevention maggots removed. be however, and may the accomplished by coating the sides of the salt troughs with tar and fish oil,so that the sheep, in Hcking the substance with smeared a over salt, get their noses of the attack will repel the which Sheep's Nostril Fly. (See Plate 5.) But we have not done with Dipterayet. We have had to of horses, and now come Yellow-bottles,in the case Blue-bottles and Green-bottles on sheep. These last House belongto the genus Muscidse, of which the common Fly is a conspicuousexample. The Green-bottle {Lucilia infests the skin and wool of sheep in the maggot sericata) wagging of the tail, stage, causing irritation,much from sores, with discoloration and discharge inflammation The familiar Blue-bottle consequent loss of wool. (Calliphoravomitoria)also varies its usual diet of dead or and putrid meat maggots of wherewith to find board these fliesare to woo L. Sericata,as and measures and famiHar lodgingon sheep. The to the angleras gentles, denizen of lake and stream. the unwary its name suggests,is a shininggreen fly wings. Like all its kind, it breeds rapidly and continuouslyduring the warm months, sometimes accompHshingthe complete white and within three weeks. The eggs are life-cycle in rV inch long. They are attached tapering,about clusters of twenty to the wool and hatch within a day in the heightof summer. When the maggot, full-grown, about I inch long,drops off to the ground and there just over f inch across the INSECT* 28 PESTS shiny,barrel-like pupa, from which it emerges fourteen in about days as a perfectfly. Cleanhness is the chief preventivemeasure, especially the about hind-quarters,as all these families of flies are attracted by dirt,in which they preferto lay their eggs. changesto a of birds and Carcasses putrefy,instead to small of its effects do month, it must when remedial both last not too, if left about being buried for propagatingcentres and beetles,will afford The sheep dip is of course but mammals, be than more the for and three of ants use flymaggots. preventive, weeks or a repeated. Badly infested sheep should be isolated and the maggots picked out, and when they have been destroyed,the placeswhere the wool is matted or the skin broken should with turpentineand paraffin, be shorn a littleand rubbed afterwards dusting with sulphur. Birds, notably the Willow and Wren the Whitethroat, who Hve on great service in catching these diet, perform The above sheep,but survey are by have we of them. no means the an insect flies. only pests that trouble sufficient space here to take a full have one remaining example among not We Tick, or Ked, all of which names signifyMelophagus ovinus, a degenerate tion great irritawinglessrelative of the house fly. It causes about J inch and loss of condition, and is a creature long,brownish grey in colour, and has the unusual property its far and them of retaining on as nourishing eggs the pupal state before they are deposited. Keds never as and after die if separated, leave the sheep'swool, or soon shearing-timeit has been noticed that they collect near The dip is the best cure the neck. (arsenicand soda) to be repeated at intervals of three weeks which must through unharmed. destroy odd pupae which have come or The true Sheep Tick is not an insect,but an Acarus that is the Tick, Diptera,and or Ixodes ricinus,and also be the cause to sheep,but can Mite known as faithful coUie that rounds them False it does not up. of much Ticks confine itself misery to the lay their eggs 29 PESTS FARM " " or nymph damp herbage and these hatch into a preHminary form which is very similar to its parent,but only has six legs,whereas the adult has eight. They fasten themselves on to sheep or other animals and feast when gorged and returning upon their blood, dropping off againlater for another orgy. They first appear in March, the hill and are commoner on and again in the autumn, pastures in the north than anywhere else. Here again dipping will be of service,if repeated,to catch those leave soon as as individuals who on are they away back. come (See Plate 5.) on " " We must on pass to the Scab, Dermatodectes ovis, prevalentin places. Let history. The sheep displaymuch Acarus, and is another which us now its just glanceat its attack restlessness under and affected parts the Scab Mite moves bite the they become sores, whereupon there to produce eggs and continue their off to a fresh place, is about 4'oinch The Mite, when evil work. full-grown, longand has eightlegscovered with hairs,its larva having only six,as shown in the sketch. It is not what one would Mites of similar appearcreature. call an inviting-looking ance in horses, but distinct in speciesproduce mange and the scab dogs and other animals, but the mange to their own host, so mites confine themselves particular from dogs will not produce scab on that mange sheep, with their own therefore get it from contact who must kind or by rubbing againstfence-posts, etc., where the able mites and their larvae have been deposited.It is a notifibe done under the Sheepdisease and dippingmust until order Scab of 1905. All the above are one There whose to us or two are internal is,for instance,the it reveals Indeed very curious one. all life is under the influence of to which history is the extent of sheep,but there parasites parasiteswhich claim attention. Liverfluke {Distomum hepaticum), external a to controlhng powers that are far beyond the wit of man fathom, working out a purpose we cannot guess at,because INSECT 30 the even be creatures seemingly negligible most invested creature's PESTS with " the A emaciated shadow " or no yes the earth. on continuance instance. " " of higher some Take to appear the present sheep is grazing on the hillside on a hot day, and feehng thirsty down to the stream for a drink. comes In less than a year that sheep is dead, having become an of what simple act of for such loss ? First Then we we of Fluke 'goingdown or Liver and take out return examine it. glassbead. microscope. Here Let a some ! was brook the to But how be can the answerable investigatewithout delay. shall test the water, and find it quite pure. shall have received the veterinarysiu-geon's report a We it or from Rot, obtained few bucketful a dissect us this ? so s the one of stream The tiny oval and We stream. bottom and biggerthan tiny snails,no some are What's half-dozen must it under put the Uver of the snail contains creatures like that shown exactlylike the largerdrawing of like parent, of the liver fluke ! It is simply a case like child." And yet sheep don't eat water-snails ? No, and we have here a strange hfe cyclepresentedto us, where two totallydifferent creatures, a sheep on the hillside and below are closely httle water-snail in the brook down a connected with one another by a third creature, a parasite elaborate chain of circumstances that requiresquite an to be fulfilled ere it can bring about its completeround of development. The Liverfluke begins its existence as a in the droppings of the sheep. minute egg, embedded It has been found that one female liverflul^e can produce over 40,000 eggs, so that there is plenty of margin for for these cases loss. Nature always providesabundantlj'^ where there are many chances againstthe young creature fish, ever reaching maturity ; as is also seen in, say, the codwtose countless thousands of ova are decimated and re-decimated again and again by enemies at every stage in the sketch, and which is " their entry into the world as market. for Billingsgate to the full-sized candidate of their career from spawn It is, PESTS FARM SI for the sheep,not only 100 to 1 but 10,000 chances hajjpily but where to 1 againstthe Hverfiuke egg reachingmaturity, wet these sheep droppings are on pasture some eggs are bound to get washed down levels where to lower Then, after hatchinginto streams. it searches out one a there are swimming embryo of water-snail,Limnax kind particular into its body, whereupon and these embryos produce the snail suffers from liverfluke, organisms similar to the adult parasite,with a mobile tail. At this stage they leave the body of the snail and iruncatula,and crawl up and bores attach its way themselves to of grass near and remaining blade a edge, losingtheir tail then unluckysheep which by some quiescentuntil swallowed Once arrived at the heightof its to drink. down comes in ambition inside the sheep'sliver,the fluke commences real earnest and sets up irritation and a distendingof the biliary ducts, with dire results. Although the sheep the does water's to be affected much appear for a short time even put on at not indeed is loss of appetite,debilitation first,and may flesh,the final stage and death. Sometimes departureof the fluke the same never are again. Remedial consist in keepingsheep as much as measures on possible dry uplands. It should always be remembered that the sheep as a domestic animal has been obtained by selective breeds from wild type, like a goat, whose a natural place was the sparse dry herbage on the among tops of the mountains. Sheep will be generallybetter if reared under conditions that more nearlyapproach the natural environment than on low-lyingground, which tends to produce foot-rot in addition, althoughwe have Marsh a strain,the Romney to breed, which would seem have become inured to conditions soft ground. on they get over it,on organism,but they I should have that the habit and eventual the mentioned in the of this creature egg-laying purposes animal bringsin another of case of the acarus tick off for moulting falling to retm-n to suckingon some other viz. the transmitcomplication, INSECT 32 PESTS tingof disease viruses from one to the other. This is seen in the case of Redwater in calves ; where the particularly Ticks, by suckingaffected beasts and passingto others,are considerable a is danger. The redwater disease however not transmissible to sheep,and so advantage can be taken of this fact to run sheep on ground where it has occurred, to attract the Ticks, which then disposedof in the dip. are Their Pigs are not worried with insects to any extent. troubles are mostly confined to swine fever,anthrax, and whilst foot and mouth disease, if it occurs erysipelas, amongst pigs,may be the precursor of a serious outbreak cattle. These however, as already stated, are among beyond the scope of this book, although I shall have to refer to Tapeworms in a later chapter. If I attempt to deal with all the insects round, and about a farm, this chaptermight well be extended shall have ten times its present length,but we to in to to were conclude this livestock section with a brief reference to poultryparasites. Amongst insects the birds are attacked and Lice (Mallophaga) but there are by Fleas {Pulicidre) also Mites (Acarino). A specimen is shown of each kind in Chapter I, dirt is of parasite. As has been mentioned , the but friend and an thrum additional of all these creatures, the enemy will be found by adding pjrredeterrent powder their litter themselves There cleanhness to naturallyby are in addition form of nematoide and intestinal or means internal in the nests. of the dust itself The by Fowls rid bath. of poultry, in parasites round-worms, troubles. attaches trachealis) or which cause gapes {Syngamus Gape-worm the the circular mouths the to windpipe, sucking its blood and especially causingmuch pain,which may often end fatally, in young chicks. Cleansingroosts, nests and runs with interior hot lime of the wash bird's should suspected. Affected turpentinepassed up cough up the worms be resorted to as soon as gapes is a brush of birds to be isolated and and when down their throats. they become mature, The and birds thus INSECT 34 in run aneglected picked Intestinal birds cause either (See up. danger of the is increased, as PESTS the Plate infection of worms their eggs or be may 6.) of the genus worms to become ravenous Heterakis about still suffering loss of condition. intestinal healthybirds The also occur, and their food whilst full of development takes place within the fowl, and it be expelled by a dose of Thymol in the form of one may grain in a dough pillmorning and night. Bees are a specialstudy in themselves, and subjectin of parasitesand disorders,chief their turn to numbers them being the dreaded Isle of Wight disease,and among insects Brood Bee Pest. Then or come -"the Foul the proper, consist worm it is which of those and young, the former those here purpose which on prey our attack which the These examine. to and the bees themselves. Of the hive {Galleria Honey-comb Moth coloured insect measuring about an a dull brown cerella), larva lives upon the inch across the wings, and whose A drawing is of the cells,so spoilingthe comb. wax of shown there both is and moth damage is done by but this cicatricosis), the the larva. larva of The the insect also devours feeds same Oil Beetle during their bee-keepers watching for them (Seepage 57.) upper hand. insects these The bees themselves in their mature have state, a minute larva establishes itself between abdomen in the manner shown of {Meloe the bee's egg and prepared by the the bee-bread upon unsuspectinghive-dwellers for their young ones. consist mainly of removing and measures afterwards kind dial Reme- ing destroy- larval state, and before they get all the body parasites insect whose coleopterous the segments of the bee's in addition in the sketch. The insect {Stylopsdalii)is of the form indicated in the larger drawing,an extracted larva beingalso represented.These formerlysupposed to belong to a special parasiteswere Twistedorder of their own, or called the Strepsiptera, itself FARM PESTS very good description.Fortunately I also givea drawing curious than harmful. is Wings, which they are more a of queens and (See Plate speciesof its kind. Foul-Brood, or drones. It is the the only 7.) kiUs the young Bee-Pest,which is caused cells, in their lives among {Braula cceca) which of the Bee-louse hair of the thorax The 35 bees bacterial disease among the to science as Bacillus pluion,and by larvse and pupae, known a its presence is indicated by a characteristic gluey smeU, The larvse appear yellow or transpaient instead of the All infected sections white of the healthyones. gUstening and hives should and be The be charred over with a painter's lamp scrupulouslycleaned. dreaded Isle of Wight disease is caused by a a protozoon called Nosema microscopicanimal parasite, within the bee itself, apis. It carries out its Ufe-cycle causingthem to sicken off and die. Here again the most scrupulouscleanliness both in and about the hive, and of the drinkingwater, will lessen the chances particularly of infection. Where a colonyhas to be cleared off,it should be burnt, so that the disease may other hives ; strong liquidammonia not be transmitted will put the bees to to merciful end in the first instance. The diseased hive should also be charred over inside for the same reason. Various drugs have been tried as preventives and cure of a the Isle of but an sprays the bees takingit in their candy, Wight disease, absolute specific has not yet been found. Recently of oxygenated water have been tried with some but success, placethe maximum hives in such the to resist the a of all to my mind is to positionthat they wiU get the of light, sunshine,which particularly health-giving rays that will enable the bees amount contain We the best treatment disease in the first onset. pass from live-stock Here I shall take one to field (and hive-stock) crops. outstandingexample in some detail, viz, that of the Turnip Moth, as showing in what the pest nuisance comes about. We wiU, way now INSECT 36 take the Clover we however, With shape of weevil. in and our less in or first uninvited whole Throughout the of doors, in out In last. more shall find that these small beetles pests we so a crops find PESTS many some form their order. guest in the of with us, both other even to the or are fact, weevils,to which I shall have times, are not to be put off in any way. enterpriseand persistenceis an and the farmer alike. the grower Clover Weevils, of which The one species,attack all kinds of study of our excellent there are to recur Their example more to than leguminous crops, the called the Striped Bean and insect shown, sometimes Weevil Pea {Sitoneslineatus) being the commonest. about \ inch in length, and is greenish-grey It measures in colour, the thorax being often stripedwith fightand dark shades. the eggs are latter laid Both beetles and their maggots are ful, harmof the plants. The roots feedingon the in early spring close to the roots of the by the adult females which have been hibernating throughout the winter months in litter around corn and These haystacks and other odd nooks and corners. produce small white maggots, root-feeders throughout brood May and June, eventuallybecoming the summer These insects may be effectually checked of weevils. by collection of fitter and fikely a rigorousand constant wild herbage in the shape of vetches and other weeds. from is also subject to attack Clover Eelworms, a known minute as animal, allied to the intestinal worms, Tylenchus devastatrix,which feeds within the tissues of of one of the forms of clover the plant,and is the cause sickness,and it passes to and from several crops. {See field strawberries in ChapterIV,) Eelworms remarks on also attack oats, onions, daffodils, hyacinths and other garden plants. Where the groimd is infested with them it should be gas-limed. Grass Land, as we might suppose, is at times subject and attacks from moths to severe insects,principally crop FARM PESTS 37 INSECT 38 beetles,and these feed which divide themselves leaves of the the on PESTS their destructive at into those once and grass those which work the roots in the among soil. In the first category are the larvae of many butterflies and them the whole series of our moths, among Browns, Ringlets, Heaths, SpeckledWoods prettyMeadow on carry and Graylings, but winged state may preponderance of the the there these moths, such are alongthe All of and the which Then Common starts feeders,but grass as up itself in the in against Butterflies. Drinker, hides are set-off a and Square-spot Rustics, Shell field and these the harmless, as Cabbage as Wainscot, the Flounced the pretty little Yellow passes bush. act even the all are and one blackberry generally innocuous. Then and we here there are Crane Fly, but Antler The acres as of may Wireworms is looked we the Cockchafer, also the with under the have the Light and We need Antler Moths. head of either of the root-feeding depredationsof the last overwhelm Moth the is not merely known, Continent, and even of pasture have been damage moth and the activities the moths about the and I shall deal Among devour the roots, discriminating. Among beetles Wireworm these Arches, the Ear first three, all. them insects which more the dreaded hardly trouble on be must we of Soil Pests. Dark to those come in this but feared, whole country destroyed by the unseen this quiet, brown-winged insect, which often done be attributed that to by mentioned above. I said, with in Sweden, and countries,particularly upon, as The advent terror it comes in of this European with great in in battahons, but suddenness, not in droves, nor whole armies, advancing almost by routine, from field to field and slope to slope,yet out of sight,destroying as it goes, leavinga shrivelled, parched wdlderness behind jt, A case observed in England many years ago in the of proillustrates the mode cedure, of Skiddaw summit the level patch on of neighbourhood where could be seen a 39 PESTS FARM Keswick the town from even found to assuming a burnt-up be the work of the This was appearance. could be Antler Moth, and the progress of the caterpillars vast off from day to day, in addition to which marked down as of rooks followed them they advanced. numbers like that ? Of course case a to do with we What are although Nature that be remembered it should quiteruthless about taking away, as gives back again eventually. is often rule she ingly unsparstance In the present ina end of August, to migrate and likely erratic in its movements is somewhat whilst the devastated pastures will to another locality, again all the richer for its visitation. This may grow or grazier be thought a poor consolation for the farmer who has to depend upon his annual crop, but a knowledge will prevent the wasting of of these broad principles efforts on merely palliative precioustime and money The rook is the farmer's best friend or quack remedies. fore for soil insects,and works for nothing,and it should therethe be moth, which allowed to emerges stand the at the natural enemy to open the it is possible as Wherever Antler Moth. and be facilitated, its useful work may the to use ground then followed by newly-turnedsods of the the exposure frost and wet, which is fatal to moth of lime and alternate of the pupse. troubles several insect where is Our next subject Cork, First there is the Frit Fly {Oscinusfrit)a await us. of loss chiefly minute dipterousinsect which is the cause in oats, but also with wheat, barleyand other cereals. with fly is only yV i^i^h long, shining black length, yellow legs. The maggots, about the same and provided with mouth-hooks at the head narrow are by which they mine their way into the heart of the plants. This larva pupates within the plant itself and of April. The the first brood hatches out in the month important thingis to get the oats either winter-sown or This INSECT 40 in the growth In so flies the fact is too of March, stimulating the to resist attack, as it has been shown that as will in the are or by the their eggs is mown. the last year, obhged The end first lay far advanced flies the attracted are they of broods the before ground PESTS green grasses There are shoots. if the on a corn succession being in September, when raise their to tender last brood on wild of Frit Fly trouble are shown by pale spots on the green leaves,which then become reddened be a stuntingor or withered, and there may failure of the whole plant. In July, if the flyis established, the summer will attack the grain itself, brood in northern latitudes where particularly ripeningis protracted. A badly infected crop must be ploughed in of the plants,the time deeply,choosing,by examination when the maggots are mostly half-grown,as this will off the whole cut generationwhen there is no chance grasses. symptoms of its continuance. Our Corn Fly or example is the Ribbon-footed Gout which is very injurious Fly (Chlorops tceiiiopus), in some to wheat and barley. The insect appears seasons in May and June, layingeggs on the spathes or sheath of the young The maggot then passes down the stem ear. below the ear and feeds at the base of the first joint, changing to a brown, cylindrical pupa in July,the second brood of flies appearing within month. This brood a plants,to hatch out passes the winter within the corn the following consists of winter spring. The treatment or earlyspringsowing,as in the last instance,and keeping down couch grass, which is an alternative food plant. In next addition, all refuse threshing time remove the next be from an infected it is also burnt, and crop as far field should as advisable possiblefrom the at to site The Ribbon -footed Corn occupied by the present one. in the shape of a pretty little Fly has a natural enemy ichneumon Ccdinius niger. This diminutive, flynamed daintyinsect is about J inch long with flowingantennae INSECT 42 smooth. The The either. same PESTS should measures be Wheat adopted for operationsto Midge confines its flowers only. the wheat Wheat, as might be expected,is subject to the careful of many attentions insects besides those already described There is,for instance,the Mole Cricket (Gryllobelongingto the Orthoptera,and which ialpa vulgaris), of our is one largestinsects in this country. It is more inches in length when full grown, than two and it leads subterranean of its a life,tunnellingabout, by means in the soil at the roots of plants. powerfulfore-legs, Mole Crickets like sandy soil best, and they are not limited to a vegetariandiet,feedingto a considerable strictly extent out upon " of their other insects and worms, but in the carrying earthworks they make no bones about " that gnawing through any roots The sexes pair in the middle laid in a of June, about 350 eggs round cell,connected little smooth neat their progress. impede being with surface of a curved gallery. Contrary to by means cricket Hves on the generalrule of insects,the mother her offspring, which she does with great to nurse up Not to spoilher children with too much care. attention, in the habit of eating is however, Mrs. Mole-Cricket the of them numbers in their household will eat increase The at from time " In time. to fact, the rule or yourself, you." This odd propensity curbs the in their numbers, or there might be dire is, Just behave mole crickets are just Hke small young first,and feed voraciously on the tender They the wheat. the unnatural one have a above natural described, in our undue results. black ants rootlets of too, enemy, mother as well little as furry friend,the Mole himself, who is said to be very fond of their own mother! them, quiteas fond, indeed, as ifhe were With regardto natural deterrents,it has been found that a very away, of paraffin and slightdressing, as these Crickets have a abhorrent is particularly paraffin ashes keen sense to them. will drive them of smell,and (SeePlate 9.) PESTS FARM 43 one Thrips {Thrips cerealium), sub-order allied a of the Thysanoptera,or Tassel-wings, than onemore to the Aphides. The Corn Thrips is not in colour. These tenth of an inch long,black and brown the grain in the ear, feeding insects get rightin among of an its soft juices after the manner aphis. All on should be severelykept down, as they afford the weeds has been and support after the corn Thrips house room (See Plate 8.) reaped and during the winter months. remarks The same apply to the Corn Aphis {Siphonoof which is shown givingboth a sketch phora granaria), These insects breed the winged and wingless forms. and hide up months profuselythroughout the summer on broom, furze and ground weeds duringthe cold weather. We shall find Aphids or Plant Lice turning up so many times in the to also known a to that little into Lepidoptera Among economy does a that it will not be necessary their study here. (See Plate 8.) of this book course further go with Corn there is the Then feed insect the upon notorious roots, but wheat shortly,when in detail. The good deal dusky white of can we Grain Moth damage insect Turnip Moth is I shall deal examine its {Tinea granella), the in barn. It is . brown with spots, which grainstogether,feedingon the kind of damage is done The starch therein. same by Weevil the Corn so. only more {Sitophilus granarius), loss. Their larvae for much The weevils are responsible Both Moths bore into the grainand so destroyits value. and Beetles retire,on reachingmaturity,to the corners in the granary that they and any dusty hiding-places cleanliness is the best means find. Hence scrupulous can of destroyingthese pests. (See Plate 9.) Ear-cockles of Wheat is caused by an internal parasite, of the eelworm to Clover and tribe,which is so injurious other crops. order, the NemaThey belongto the same spinsa web toidea,as fishes. The to the bind the intestinal Ear-cockles of worms cause a animals, gallto birds form on and the INSECT 44 PESTS ripensand falls to the ground the larvae within escape into the damp soil where they live on until a fresh crop appears. They are able to Various poisons have live on grasses as an alternative. and the best remedy for been tried,but without success, wheat, and a when serious attack follow with We have the ear the straw, lime (See Plate 9.) burn is to potatoes. now given both it is likelysome than of most account the field and pests of Wheat, more short a on in the will be one the soil,and of the barn, but saying that the chief enemy has, after all,been left out, viz. the rat. We are only dealingwith insects here, but nevertheless of considerable question is one gravity which have been the we ought to just glance at. Numberless suggestionsfor deahng with it, from the first Boobythe rat trap which artful rodents atj to the latest wink wanted who the the to start a used walk to of a million populationen masse, afterwards skins in the shape of furs and muffs rat cats' and of the American grandiosescheme ranch round cats, to absorb sellingoff the for the ladies ! chapter, the present rat in this country is the grey or brown variety{Mms decumanus), a heavy-builtanimal measuring 8 or 9 inches in length of body. The native English varietyis Mus and shmmer creature, bluey-black rattus, a smaller colour underneath, and has recently above and of lighter the means been on the increase. by Shippingis of course mentioned As which rats another. in have Both our been first introduced speciesconvey the from one bubonic country to plague. regard to the various schemes for rat reduction, whether they be in the shape of traps, poisons,viruses and professional catchers,these to my mind do not strike in natural at the root of the problem, for I am a beHever With laws and natural remedies. It seems to me that the rat by keeping the natural balance and by making high-class under better control for one thing, not We must for another. rat food uncommonly scarce questionwill be solved PESTS FARM but countryside, sweep away from the useful little animals birds such half give them value the if chicks young Of vermin. course subsist upon they will take chance. Moral, don't Think, for instance,of the half they have a of sombre rather preserve such the Stoat,and and Owls, which a chance. Barn alone. Owl of the symbol Barn and other and rats, mice Weasel the as Hawks as 45 This wisdom, will save inestimable bird, farmer a whole a singleseason, and yet it was at one chief delightto stringit up on time the game-keeper's collection of the bough of a tree along with a gruesome sack of dead bats a moles and peoplewe smart in order The are. show to net what world the result is that have we a question. (See Plate 9.) rat The be in corn domestic ferret is as kept in captivity, out of doors. an albino it is unable It is a useful animal important of all, we must granariesbetter,so that no rat there,beingthus compeUed to go most find its food We or will now pretty insects There are its fate have are several a as the case only to winter in England for rat-hunting.But polecatand build can out may look at the Mustard often very barns our and possiblyharbour into the open, to be. Beetles. destructive with species,but two can of them are These this crop. the principal viz. Phaeclon beiulceand Meligethes ceneus. offenders, The latter insect is also injurious to turnipflowers and other cruciferous plants,being known a consequence as the Turnip and as Cabbage Flower Beetle. They eat the blossoms,both as beetles and duringthe larval stage, in droves from one field to another migrating larvae and beetles working together, there beinga succession of broods,from May onwards. P. betulm,the Mustard Beetle proper, is shining blue or bluey green in colour,and about \ inch long. Its larva is also shown in the sketch,and when fuU-grown is nearlyJ inch long, rather hairy,dull yellow or smoky sometimes grey, spottedwith black,whilst the head also is black INSECT 46 M. is often cBneus the found last-mentioned PESTS on mustard in company with does similar damage, insect, and reducingthe yieldof seed. It of an inch long, varying in colour from black to dark green or violet,with a brassygloss, white quite a neat little thing. The larva is yello\^dsh or pale grey. (See Plate 9.) Both beetles lay their eggs on the opening buds, on which the larvae feeds, afterwards dropping on to the eatingthe flowers is only one-twelfth and soil to pupate. The best treatment so consists in beating or shaking out the adults into vessels containing paraffin,although equallygood work can be done by boys with butterfly nets, shaking the flower-heads free of beetles ; the nets, been obtained, being when a quantityof beetles has thus be used wet, The nets may shaken into boilingwater. this prevents the insects from crawlingout. as In badly infested fields it is, however, desirable to plough in the whole crop deeply,so as to bury the eggs before they can to maturity. The eggs are yellow, come like the We flowers,and must now turn pests. Turnips and our consequence attention Swedes will as a difficult to to field answer I shall deal see. root-crop this with purpose, in the Mangold pests to be the next seem chapter. Turnips and Swedes specialquarry of destructive insects, almost as much the cabbages of the kitchen so as garden. We have the Beet and ever howmoths, to which must be added aphides, saw-flies,and two-wing flies. Turnips suffer the most as a rule, and it has even been noticed that where a bad attack on this crop has occm'red, swedes are more resistant,if not altogetherimmune, once more both beetles and although growing close by. The damage done to turnips and swedes by aphids and compared with two-wing flies is almost negligible the other three consideration may types of insects be left to be mentioned, and dealt with under their other FARM PESTS 47 headings. The first serious pest is the Turnip Saw-fly spinarum). This is a small brown insect related {AtJialia to the Wasp tribe, and measuring about f inch across the wings. The damage done consists solelyin the larvae or voracious habits of the niggers,"which known be instantly by their dark colour,numerous may about legs and curious habit of curling themselves attitudes as in various they feed. They are barely inch long when an full-grown.The final stage takes being enclosed place in the soil,the white pupa within a brown Eggs are laid by the females pupa-case. small incisions in They make during May and June. of their saw-Uke the soft parts of the leaf by means is placed in each and one slit,with a weapons, egg drop of irritant fluid which excites the sap towards that portionof the leaf and thus affords the young saw-fly fullsustenance. out on to the surface when They come *' grown and appear as shown in the sketch. In a bad plough in deeplywhen the pest is small a scale, however, syringing with tobacco-water is recommended. (See Plate 10.) beetles There three outstandingoffenders among are which make their placeof turnipsand swedes generally case the only cure half-grown.On business and is to convalescent home all in one. These are, Turnip Flea or Hopper {Phyllotreta nemorum), the Turnip Gall Weevil and the TurnipMud Beetle (Ceuthorhynchus pleurostigma), tions {HelopJwrusrugosus). The first two divide their attenplants,and the amongst the various cruciform third confines itself to the turniponly. I shall have to deal with the Turnip Gall Weevil under cabbage pests in the next for it is chapter,as responsible the kind of injmy wrongly called club root, so we will take the Flea here and see how induce him to best we hop it." may This insect is barelyan eighth of an inch long,blueblack or green-blackin colour, and it causes immense injuryin some years by eatingoff the seed leaves as soon in their order of demerit, the wretched " 48 INSECT PESTS INSECT PESTS stage,and the next 60 the resistant to be at sown Last, but which two, distance a by a no very from the site of least,there means small and turnipsshould the previousone. lot of a the moths, of fairly largeone, will suffice. are The Back Moth dainty little Diamond {PhUellamacubeen a source of anxietyto the lipennis)has sometimes farmer with regard to the turnip crop, and its hordes of whole fields to devastate have been known caterpillars of cabbage, rape and swedes. The insect is about ^ inch monds dialong,lightbrown in colour, with the three white " " shown as out hedge mustard on two or the sketch, and from hatches eggs in the pupae which have and similar weeds. of the undersides more broods in a wintered The The charlock, on females leaves,and season. first brood the lay their there larvae may be are green is contained and I inch long when full-grown. The pupa lime and within Soot a pale yellow silken cocoon. natively dusted the plants will check these insects,or alteron be sprayed with carbolic acid and they may (See Plate 10.) paraffinemulsion. The enemies Diamond-Back among Moth, however, has many the birds ; gullshelpingto keep them natural starUngs, peewits,ploversand down. Also it has an ing interest- mon foe among the insects in the shape of a small ichneuflycalled Limneria gracilis.This tiny yet beautiful creature, like the rest of its kind, does, unnoticed, work highestvalue. A larva, well grown, for instance, be feedingaway unconcernedly,thinkingof nothing may mon, but the food in front of it,when our daintylady ichneuwith glancinggossamer above, wings,hovers silently her ovipositorof needle-like sharpness trained for She ahghts swiftly,and in a singlemoment action." into the caterpillar's has driven it straight skin, making ado to carry on the good work without off at once more elsewhere. The start, or twitch itself caterpillar may and go on feedingas before, round, as at a pin-prick, it is doomed, for an but henceforward deftly egg was of the " FARM placed in PESTS 61 the made tiny wound by the ichneumon. 13efore long the caterpillar will developa peckishness about its food, with an appetitewhich it cannot satisfy for the other larva inside it, alwayscareful to avoid biting a vital part of its host,has to be broughton to maturity When the ichneumon full-fed, larva destroysthe moth " larva and bores its way out to pupate and perfectfly. It is thus that Nature for the Diamond-Back Moth. check across similar many of them of cases " emerge provides the We shall parasitism as we as a true come proceed hymenopterousinsects like this ichneumon' some dipteroushke the common It is more house-fly. and moth ^''^''ybutterfly is thus .f"/??^^^^,*^^* attended by a fateful shadow in its pMh, although they have some all been identified. The attack is the larval stage, but there in are actual itself tmy egg being parasitized not by nymenopterous a nearlyalways cases stillmore of the minute enemy. Our concluding example is the infamous Turnip Moth (Agrohs segetum) whose larva,one of the so-called surface caterpillars," from the habit of hiding under a clod duringthe daytime,works ^rn^J^"^'^ around and cut-worms so The Turmp m this a ong of range will,in fact,eat mto the the e is a and country such havoc. In America allied species,which of the eat plantsattacked. and vexed question long-standing its depredations extend over quite plants,wild and cultivated. The larva anythingsucculent, but burrows greedily turmps wherever cut-worm peciallyamong gardener of the stems sever Moth " will be they can be found. It betrays characteristicsin the flower-garden the asters, where the long-suffering grieved to unaccountablywither up plant! his most prized and die. A the '^' '""'^^^ ''^^^^ '^^ --""e, see glancHtstl tL on/^^T'-uT be completely gnawed through ^''wf will and th. ''"^'^^"* ^^^ "^^r"^^d 1 lifFl ^th them ^".' with httle of soot and or a ring alum in advance PESTS INSECT 52 The moth about measures 1-|inches the across fore- wings, which are variable in both colour and markings, the prevaiHng scheme being greyish-brown,with several darker, ear-like spots and indistinct dark an hind-wingsare pearl-whitein clouded border in the further distinction case in the the male and of the other antennae, border. pearlwith There sex. those The of the a is a male being stronglyciHated or feathered, the female's being the veins of the hindwiry and plain. In both sexes wings are picked out in black. (See Plate 11.) Eggs are laid in June on a seedUng,close to the ground. Turnips,Carrots, Mangolds, Radishes and Cabbages are all attacked. The larva is not exactlya pleasant-looking affair,pale smoke-colour shghtly tinged with pink and with variable dark stripes.It is nearlytwo inches long full-fed. The stem-gnawing is a youthful accomwhen phshment. Later on it seeks out the turnipsand bores rightinto the interior. A specimen of the class of work done is shown in the sketch. The caterpillars usually winter either inside the turnipsthemselves, in pass the which case they are able to feed during mild weather, else beneath A few strays the soil in a torpid state. or and pupate in the autumn, may out moths as in days.. The females of this autumn parable brood, however, are usuallybarren, a case almost comThe bulk to the surplusof drones in a bee-hive. of the larvae change,to a glossybrown pupa in the month of May, the moth coming out in June for the summer the of hatch course few a brood. Now what are we to do in a case like this ? Let us of expense being tedious we must again,I think, admit that here laws. instance of interference with Nature's is another seek Each the true has creature Turnip Moth first of all,and cause its natural subsists scale. Nature Nature evokes roots. the food providedfor Man grows roots on it. a The grand Turnip Moths to a similar extent. and of rooks, partridges greaternumber grows a on at FARM starlings enough ? kindly this In reasonable We the soil and is a he why the remedy turnips for ourselves. balance, the sheaf of for shall '' his Surely own hard too we way her in wonders encouraging rather the the out thought when ! want work but with the We Natm'e let Moth Turnip the with then 63 Man grubs. and birds, the destroys these eat to PESTS keep by birds, corn in wisdom is beaks the Turnip plain Then interfering them giving their afflicted is not the " cold to a months penetrate. Moth within bounds. must claims theme leave now of of the my farm and vegetable next chapter. field garden, in order which to must consider form INSECT PESTS III CHAPTER GARDEN Significance of the I Carrot, pests some of showing what pest problem. Cabbage Mangold and take attack pests Parsnip round a pests " Beans " Potato survey Aphides " Peas and pests. of the common crops, and for the purpose it is the mere than deeper significance of gettingrid of something way All " ordinary garden our fact of of Story " lengthwith one of them is in my opinion the real aspect matter a and of Nature Methods " Other " Beet " to propose insects that As problem Celery, Onion NOW deal at to pest Butterflies Cabbage Asparagus " the PESTS a of the problem of discovery of an which bothers us much at easy the pests and parasitesare working is not yet by any means out a definite plan which fully clear it is the scheme is a compUcated known, although for each particular even subject. one, of mammals, For instance, in the dispersal including present moment. ourselves, over the various continents and islands of globe,parasiteshave played a very important part, whilst speciesnow extinct, like the mastodon, as soon fulfilled and they became their purpose it were as was as the " back would numbers," were got rid of in ways first have that no one guessed at. In fact this question of pests and parasitesaffords a strikinginstance as to how often is. very deceivingthe apparentlyobvious Think of the mastodon, raging in his might through at 55 INSECT 66 primeval jungle. He the He like straws. PESTS tears trees up and them flings mighty beasts like the bear the sabre-toothed and tigerthat impede his progress, and eats up whole plainsof herbage. Clearlyit would to want seem something pretty big to get rid of such an animal. Yet what do ? She accomplishes does nature her task by the apparently negHgibleaction of a small attacks of a the certain fly, coupled with puny biped, physicallyhelplessin comparison, but possessed down of brain. a The forests and those gores latter creature determined was for prairies himself. to occupy He dug pits his blood, he brought his drank for the mastodon all the week (without coupon), he learnt family meat fire and draw pictures the wall,and he brought to make on little collection of wives those tigerto his modest home tooth necklaces, anklets and leopard-skins which were of their wardrobe. So passed eleitems the favourite was phas 'primigenius,while early man learningthe of agricultureand all rudiments embroidery. And of a fly. So you see there is something to be because thanldul even motor-buses Walthamstow fare from to say if it isn't the is going matter positionto-day with regard to insect pests. is going on, often unseen and unheeded, though which we always insignificant, ought to understand This not that Ealing to-day. Who littlethings of life that to ? most Work of pests after all. In fact presence say that mainly because of that flythere are in the Strand, and you can take a tenpenny for in the might we green and we is the ourselves preserve See remarks in the future. expect to and on ensure Warble tenance sus- our Fly, page 24. The methods of nature endlesslydiverse. Nothing the curious exhaust her infinite variety. Witness can historyof the liverfluke in sheep, described elsewhere. of her expedients are most incredible, Again, some instances of which we are may have to notice as we go on. INSECT 58 be to seen dense be black obtained PESTS by use of pale yellow and scales. UVRCe ICHNEUMON CaJ0on^ Flv DuTreRFLV WHITE Mcja (Fcmaac) block has no spot-* M found u-r^,, c"ien)ei" fron "CHNfcUMOIV/ 60 the R.Y uo. '-ADvQiCO(rw.vi^ CASB*"Ot APHIS vw- Platk 14. Large Cabbage White Butterfly. historyof these insects is closelyconnected with feed so that of the cabbage plants on which they now voraciously. by the Surelyno one walking along a stripof common and noticingfor the first time the littlewild brassica sea plant would recognizein it the parent of our magnificent drumheads, savoys, kohl rabi, etc. ? We might suppose that Nature had thought about it a good deal too, and marked out the cultivated cabbage as a sort of insect of of some paradise,judging by the riddled appearance The our crops. Of course the riddled else,for those who appearance fail to look over neglect, nothing spells the leaves for butterfly plantis young, or to use soot and salt water stilllater,will lose the later,or hand-pick the caterpillars majority of their cabbages. But these mechanical methods only palliate.They do not take us any further towards settlingthe thing. Where then does the real cure lay ? We know, of course, eggs when the PESTS GARDEN natural least two insects,in addition to the cuckoo and there that are at 69 of these enemies other birds. One in the enormous name flyrejoicing tiny ichneumon of Microgasterglomeratus,and the other, which goes for the Small White, a dipterousspeciescalled E. Vulgaris, like a house-fly. Occasionally a somewhat caterpillar itself for as it creeps is seen lookingvery sick and sorry of into a corner. Presentlywe notice numbers away tiny silken yellowobjectsall over the empty skin of the of the the cocoons are unfortunate grub. These out of microgasterand perhaps fortyor fiftywill come is a larva. one these littleyellow cocoons, the destroying hold the White Butterwill presently flies ichneumon friendly This Httle flyis Nature's censor the in check. on undue increase of the largerinsect. In it we have a very for this pest,just as the plagiator real cure flyshown on that Plate 8 keeps down the Corn Aphis, so much so have talked about the Large Cabbage White naturahsts without one day becoming a scarce butterfly.Certainly have been the tiny ichneumon, cabbage crops would unmanageable long ere this. is also attacked by The Small White Cabbage Butterfly H. Fulvipes, with yellow legs ichneumon a hght-coloured and glassywings measuring about I inch across. If we The avoid will do well to familiarize himself grower with the general form of these useful flies. All these stronginsects looking,black, black and red, or bright-colom-ed should be left to carry (See Plate on their beneficial work 3, Fig.6, for the lested. unmo- usual outline of an ichneumon.) The Cabbage Tribe, as I said,are subjectto numerous bad one pests in addition to the butterflies. Another is the Cabbage Moth larva whose {Mamestra brassica) eats into the very about dark smoky heart of the 1| inches grey in sures plant. This insect meathe fore-wings, which are across with sepia colour,mottled over INSECT 60 marblings,the hind wings being smoky brown, paler at they jointhe thorax, and having the veins the base where picked out PESTS in dark lines. of the leaves and soon The egg is laid on the hatches into a brownish unpleasant-looking caterpillarwhich cocking up its head and tail when does not activities. The food true of the have plants native habit a of weeds, and it may stunted Enemy of There divertingits Moth Cabbage become yellow, disturbed. method sure any several other goosefootand these be to seem has side under- is dock, be that down and O't Of ~"i"ia Plate Small Ha. Cabbage Butterfly,etc. demands changed by agriculture's Moth to the largerfeast comes an insect varied which is well able diet,but unless cabbage and kale armed as offensive,for this well, and spoilsfar more or moth night-flying evidence. The eggs the beginningof the may water. be washed In the out course the at find distasteful to than our a way it, we tiresome it eats. season, weak of its making be and our to is wasteful As is not salt and growth resort must should, however, with of creature perfectinsect summer Cabbage the so It is expense. itself to a accommodate to can we and a so Noctuid much sought in for at later the larvae water, this larva or Ume- undergoes 61 PESTS GARDEN and changes that applyto all lepidoptera moults its skin periodically. (See Plate 14b.) has its ichneumon The parasitein Cabbage Moth the vringa than ^ inch across P. Fumata, a flynot more with black body and red legs. the customary Plate Cabbage Moth and 14b. Snowy Fly, etc. is glossybrown, about of this moth pupa long,and it is found in the soil during the autumn The winter. exposed bantam If the ground be opened they in hundreds, and every domestic to a peacock,will gobblethem up may | inch often and be bird, from a with avidity. badly infested,it should afterwards be gasMmed in winter, but ordinarily the constant opening up of the soil should be sufficient. As regardsthe action of frost,this is only fatal to insects that have first become of dry frost will kill pup89 sodden with water. No amount or hibernatinginsects. This is a littledetail that is not often reaUzed, so that the working of the soil must be done several times at favourable opportunities. The Turnip Gall Weevil (C. pleurostigma) also attacks is known false club. what as cabbage plantsand causes This weevil belongsto the genus Rhynchopora and is only i inch in length. The female piercesthe outer sldn of the If a field is INSECT 62 stalk with which her sharp ovipositorand increases in obtains board and growth is about Birds PESTS size as the lodging four larva swelling, causes a grows, and combined. The it thus period of weeks. the natural enemies and should Turnip Gall Weevil, includingthe jackdaw, chaffinch,starhng and magpie, which do good work in pickingoff the adult insects. In a badly infested field however, whether it be cabbages or the crop, which is not be-fouled so much as stunted turnips, as as soon by their presence, should be consumed possible, are stalks and waste of the at be once burned. The should be grown far as possibleaway from as the infested site. (See Plate 14b.) Root Fly serious Cabbage (C. brassica)is a more next crop This is dipterousgreyishinsect a Httle smaller attack takes placewhen the plants a house-fly. The quite young, just as we have flattered ourselves we matter. than are havd got rid of a club the nuisance. The laid in are eggs Apriland May just above the surface and for this reason felt discs are good, placed around the roots and resting the soil. The and weak, are on maggots, being bUnd incapableof crawlingover and under the disc to get at their work, and so spray is also used. Root Fly Rove say The natural acid emulsion three or kinds also about Snowy found of which a soil Cabbage among the destroy this A. fuscipes shining black in colour. them. (See Plate 14a.) attack cabbage. I shall have something later. them Fly, moth-like on as of the enemies They are largestof minute sketch Carbolic again to birds,are in addition Aphides to The Beetles, two insect. is the die. or Cabbage creature. Powdered Several are Wing, shown in is a the their of the leaf,where they make blightand their tiny larvae suck the the underside appearance juicesof the as white plant. The insect breeds in situ all the year, in the summer, and can be preventedby the principally it has gained Where of the soap and quassiaspray. use PESTS GARDEN 63 Soot may hold all infested leaves should be burned. also.be dusted on the outside leaves. (See Plate 14b.) a king of vegetablesis liable to attack two insects,the Asparagus Beetle and the Asparagus Fly. The Beetle (C. asparagi)is yellow and the wingblack in colour,with the markingsof a cross on The Asparagus. mainly from Eggs laid in June are called the it is sometimes whence cases, on the heads cross-bearer. shoots, and later and featheryfoliage.There are several broods in a causing season, accordingto the weather, heat of course to breed them more rapidly. The larvae eat into and the heads as they come disfigure up, both beetle and larvse also gnawing the stems and devouringthe round green all over the plants. mess seeds, leavinga stickybrown During the winter the beetles go to sleepunder stones old turf, the cosy refugeof and in rubbish, particularly the upon thousands of small insects in the cold weather. Infested heads should be burned, and the beds dusted with powdered lime. Ladybirds and Lacewing Flies so many of these devour largenumbers ducks will also readilyconsume whilst poultryand larvae, them and are ful harm- not foliage.Again, hand picking,if asparagus tedious,is at least effective. (See Plate 13.) to the is glossybrown Asparagus Fly (P. poeciloptera) in appearance, the wings having waved markings of the colour. They emerge out of the ground from April same until the middle of July and laytheir eggs beneath onwards the scales of the new heads,the maggots afterwards boring into the plant and working downwards. Small wooden The rods with coated trap the a of mixture and tar flies in considerable numbers and cartgreasewill keep the pest bounds. (See Plate 13.) and Mangold Beet Pests. These within to the attack Silver Y the case a common (P. gamma) like fore-wing is of crops are known moth day-flying from the Greek with most a conspicuousmark letter y. moths, on subject as on the each eggs are laid,as the under side of the leaf, The INSECT 64 PESTS in June, and the larvae eat into the succulent parts at the crown of the root. No better plan exists than egg search, at any rate for small-holders,as althoughit needs the destruction of a sharp eyes (a chance for the children) of batch than fiftyto seventy-five eggs at a time is more worth the trouble of findingthem, and of course practice makes The need be crushed between ova perfect. simply the fingerand thumb. These larvae feed at night and must be sought with a lantern, so that there is all the for emphasizing egg search. more reason Pupse remain in the soil during the cold season, and if poultryare run to the ground when on freshlyturned up they will perform the double service of feedingthemselves and riddingthe soil of the Silver Y. (See Plate 13.) The Beet Fly {P. hetm) lays its eggs on the stalks of leaves,the maggots forming burrows in the tissues,thus weakening and exhaustingthe plant. It is dark grey in black colour with hairs, the wings being transparent. broods occur each year, pupae remaining in the soil Two until the spring. DandeHon, docks, thistles and such weeds harbour these plantsmust the occurrence Beans beetles Peas. Here weevils which and and all leguminouscrops. and after pods, even to find They a blackish are home happy exist till as a beetle. water egg or The test, as comes amongst in colour, brown pairingin June lay their eggs on making their way into the blossom by the a the young itself for white pea and emerges affected seeds maggot ing the followcan be covered dis- they will float,the sound Buoyant seeds should not sinkingto the bottom. be sown. (See Plate 15.) Another bean pest is Theips ones them first of all the small have we Out of each this purpose. which feeds within the bean season enable along,wherefore they should be kept out of neighbourhood. In a badly affected field to prevent be pulled up and destroyed, of a second brood. (See Plate 13.) the crop comes the immediate the files and sometimes [F. robuaia), INSECT 66 called Black in length ; seen on The which or an Plate eggs are is very without the weather comes. PESTS Thunder Fly, They are less than ^ inch enlarged drawing of the adult insect is 15. laid in June, and hatch out into a larva similar in appearance to its parent but wings. They are active on the plants for four weeks, subsequentlypassing into the earth about the following to pupate, and emerge season as full-grown thrips. The damage done by these insects consists of maiming the flowers and often preventing fertihzation altogether.The soil is the best place in which to meet On small them, ploughingdeep and hming in the winter. such soil fumigant as napthalenemay be used areas some but the burning of the haulm is not of much effectively, avail for thripsas they have usuallyleft before the plants are Change of site will of course happen in any case. up. We to the Aphis come now {A, rumicis). Plant lice are the most form of blightand are met common with all over the country. Each plant has as a rule its own particularspecies. On Plate 1, Figs, 17 and 18, will be seen the Black Bean or Aphis and also the Rose Aphis, which represent the generalform of these Hemipterous insects. The female Aphis passes the winter on furze clumps, where she deposits eggs, which producewinged individuals. These proceed to the scene of action as soon the warm as I always find there is a weird suddenness in the appearance of Mrs. Aphis,againstwhich it is well to be prepared by gettingemulsions and sprays in working order long before the usual time. Every spring there is that when there is not the slightest psychologicalmoment indication of anjrthing untoward likelyto happen. You still evening, are absolutelycharmed, on some warm, with the limpid air suggestiveof a vesper bell. Mrs. You Aphis ? Good heavens, there is no such person. all rightthis year at any rate. are of that Beware vesper bell. You thee." 67 PESTS GARDEN evening, in spite of the trust her not, she's fooling still warm, In other words, will find she has " come like a thief in the night,and afterwards you may get out your quassiaor petroleum and spray well, spray thoroughly,indefatigably,but in vain. Had only dispersedthe petroleum an evening you ^Irs.Aphis would have said all sorts of horrible earlier, and all that, but thingsabout you, and your coarseness she would have gone away. aphidesare the weakest The of insects but they singly, and the fearful rate of increase. conquer by sheer numbers will drown A thunder-storm millions,but their numerical day. Both the strengthis up again with the first warm criminatel to be produced indiswinglessvarieties seem and in some mysteriousway certain females It is lay eggs, whilst others bring forth live young. advisable to pinch out the tops of the plants, as only the winged tender time and shoots for are attacked. that the effective Remember sprayingis beforethe attack, as described above. Weeds should not a preventive,as be allowed to remain in the vicinity. (See Appendix A.) Here the larva of the Ladybird Beetle (C.bipunctata) does us yeoman service,spearingthe aphides with its sharp mandibles and disposingof great numbers. Ants may also be seen these insects and even fondling carryingthem up and down the plant,but in this case it is of no benefit to the grower. The aphides exude a fluid which have a great liking ants sweet for. Fanciful and refer to the people talk of ants keeping ''cows" '' fondUng process as the act of milking them. The aphides and weevils here treated of are also addicted to Peas, but the tiny yellowish, black-headed maggot found in the pods of our marrow-fats when they the children of the Pea Moth are gettingripe are {G.pisana),a dehcate creature with daintywings of a French grey colour tipped with black and measuring " INSECT 68 about and ^ inch then into the earth go the be cleared away word a Provided or there sparrows, for green and black and cocoon emerge should is best tuce. given about Letplants have reallyescaped young will be plenty of scope here also it is largely aphis. But of course two now may fault if mischievous own spin a season 15.) the from our to The haulm followingJune. pea the crop is gathered and directly (See Plate Perhaps They^feedthroughout the across. therefrom burnt. PESTS be birds Hke the sparrow have seedlingsor the plantsare entirelyspoiltby bhght. It is always the slovenlygardener who gets crowded out with these troubles,but unfortunately he worries his more dihgent neighbours with the overflow meetings of his pests,a case for supervisionand penahzing. Early dressingsof soot should be apphed to lettuces and after wet renewed weather. The Ladybird larva should againbe hailed as a friend. Hats off to the Ladybird in fact, even though she happens to be a gentleman, for that is how thingsgo in the insect world. Also the larva of the pretty green, golden-eyedLacewing Ely, which is larger and dark purple in colour, is just as useful in this respect. (SeeFigs. A and B, Plate 15.) Lettuces are subject also to depredationsfrom the Yellow and comes Underwing Moth, whose caterpillar does its wretched work at night,hidingduring the day our under a clod in colour on in chink in the wall. It is either green and about 1| inches long, with dark or the back, changing in the autumn to the earth. The moth is beautiful a or brown streaks brown pupa enough, the measure fore-wings,which nearly 2 inches across, being of fine ochre with darker marblings,the hind or under-wings brightyellow with the bold black margin. For treatment see remarks to the Silver Y. The tific scien- Tryphaena pronuba. (See Plate 3, Fig. 8, and Plate 25.) The Careot Fly {Psila rosce)is a shining black or name is GARDEN PESTS 69 greenishinsect about I inch long,which appears with both carrots in springand playshavoc in bad seasons of and parsnips. The female lays her eggs on the crown the young favouringthe time when the root, especially that the soil is opened out by thinning. It is beheved then. Probably scent of the carrot attracts the flymore this is from the bruisingof the roots, and it is therefore advisable to thin earlyand all at once, and hurry the bringa fresh visitation. crop, as each time it is done may Trenching will expose pupae to the elements, and gasHming in winter is also good. (See Plate 15.) dark in and Allotment-holders last year to remember of the crop was London around the Onion spoiled.This Fly, is a as a had cause great portion dipterous insect, resembUng a house-fly,grey in colour with brownish the stripeson the thorax and nearly | inch across wings. The eggs are laid either on the neck of the onion and down the soil close by. The maggots burrow or on emulsion and feed on the bulb. Soil spray with paraffin soot dressingare applied,but they must be constantly of soil and earthing the after wet. renewed Firmness cal onions up to the neck in the earlystages are greatmechaniuseful as natural Small birds like the wren are foes of the onion fly. The scientific name is C. cepeioaids. (See Plate 16.) Fly Another small dipterais the Celery {T. onoporthan insect measuring shghtlymore a dark-winged dinis), the precedingexample,which lays its eggs in the middle of May on the green leaves of the plant, where a swollen blister presentlyshows the existence of a fly maggot. should be pinched out, care These being taken not to the leaf. If any leaves are removed split they should be burnt. The pupse in the soil should be exposed to the birds,starlings being very fond of them. Trenching is said to bury the pupse too deep for them to find their way out again. (See Plate 16.) As aheady stated,the Carrot Fly also attacks Parsnip. rum. INSECT 70 PESTS is also the prey of the Garden This crop however Swift Moth {Hepialuslupulinus)see Plate 16, which laysits eggs , ground or under the feeds throughout the winter the on but fore the across outline stumpy Ghost moth indicated, and of which itself. This root gets its of with beautiful from white sooty black. are Hence, when of grass or the stalk of search in the first instance a natural check a the sides under- flyingat and nowhere as it settles flower. a Egg and piecesof potato inserted in the will attract the yellowish -white, with the wings above, blade As whitish the fact that to start up suddenly from it appears vanish in the same mysteriousway as soon a unusual the brown are inches IJ measures are name is injuriousto Hops, dusk on and autumn wings being smoke-coloured Moth has which -wings, hind markings, the pale fringe. male the on Moth, which is more smaller cousin, and its The in the Ghost the not leaves must soil brown birds and be near resorted by moles traps as headed to, pillar. cater- devour both pupae of these Swift Moths, and they are also destroyed by the action of certain parasitical fungi. larvae and We now almighty for which Potatoes. chief enemy of the spud in this country is the fungoid disease Bordeaux mixture is used. (See pages to come " The " principalinsect pests consist of the Garden Swift Moth the already referred to, and Rosy Rustic {Hydraecia micacea) and to a less extent Death's Head Hawk Moth. the The Rosy Rustic which the fore-wings, measures nearly 2 inches across in colour, crossed by a broad reddish brown band are rich dark of very brown. The hind wings are dingy should feed by rights This moth grey, palerat the base. Mare's Tail. Sedge and similar coarse on weeds, but readily devours the succulent potato haulm. It is simplyanother 132 case to of 135.) The diversion plant. The eggs from are a natural laid around to a cultivated the stems, in which food- the feeds, caterpillar it must the immediate 6 inches measures scientific is known about the with too common, comparison. in It is almost chattering cry, and looking skull mark the on moth, the a locust as base which There cited a the bears top of the thorax of trees. be a banana, and a it utters a strange largeas ominous- which squeak of a regarded with by the fearsome, there being of for'such ideas. The huge pupa the nately is fortu- and rice field may noise like the makes a it its name, the insect has been for which reasons soil at " depredationsare soon make them quite can startled When The its of few a card. curious very a as elephant One show. brave " though apparent, seeing that wings caterpillar This atropos. country rich are also is the abdomen. as Acherontia is name not the largestinsect, our banded and beautifullymottled and lighterbuff tints. The hind deep chocolate are yellowwith black bands, a dipterous soil during the or in colour, brown as afforded are fore-wings,which the across the Moth, Hawk Head Death's in out vicinity should ichneumon by rooks and starUngs,and the parasites. The pupa remains winter. (See Plate 17.) The pinched be remedies Natural burnt. and cleared be whence in Weeds found. when and 71 PESTS GAKDEN course is may a no be gives mouse, stition superfoundation found natural in enemy fly measuring over an large ichneumon the wings. (See Plate 17.) inch across garden The foregoing examples represent the principal ing pests I thought it best to include the turnip in the precedchapter, as although it is fairlya garden crop, still well as swedes, are perhaps rightly the larger sorts, as grouped as field crops. The following chapter will take up quite a different aspect of the subject in dealing with Fruit Trees. in the . form of a 72 INSECT PESTS INSECT 74 PESTS cling. The case of the small boy in the apple tree,and the expressionon his face when he manages to escape, is even more convincing." So the first house in a tree, where was were dining, bedroom all in and and drawing althoughwhen hard one, times came had to hide in caves the ground under we and shiver in a heap together while glacial storms swept the have never golden age, we reallyforgottenour away pristinecondition, or rather the record of it is indelibly stamped into our minds, for our thoughts and feelings, bad and dreams good ones, childish fears and grownup all index of which has are an superstitions something gone on in the past. I suppose every one first of fruits,the one considered. will agree that the apple is the could least spare, all things we fruits may be fashionable tive, distincor Other they may even apple,to my mind, Let ought be to be free from to but refreshing, stillthe first. comes endeavour us and rare see and what healthy apple tree protectedagainst. We need a lands, as that lies within the and generallyspeakingapples province of horticultuer, are though it be only a apples to insects, even crab. varieties and Standards, bush espafiers are all liable to attack, though the modern practice not into go the various trees planting dwarf chance fruit-growermore of Of course sudden of handling them give the effectively. fruit crop in a climate like ours, with its reversions of frostyweather in late spring,must A tree is like may a that small universe harbour a cannot we in and itself, population more fullyrealized. The know, largelyinsects and mites. various to seem the always be precarious,but apple would than is help. even modest and numerous inhabitants They a may are, be as we inside wood-borers, in the bark or on it,as beetles be and scale-pests, spider or moth-eggs ; or they may leaf-rollers, bud-borers, flower -eaters, fruitleaf-miners, the tree as eaters fungi. There or are also stem-borers, leaf-cutters and root-eaters. Our first example is the Wood (Bsculi).It is and plainblack in colour, but there that noticed I have white Leopard Moth It creature. handsome a 75 PESTS ORCHARD is a {Zeuzera elects to be livingspecimens in beautiful shot-blue effect newly-hatched. the wings, about The female measures 2| inches across and appears in the heightof summer, remaining close to the tree whilst her smaller mate usuallyhas a jauntaround the lightedlamp-postspreparatoryto the celebration of their nuptials.The eggs are laid on the bark, and hatch out into a caterpillar which, as in a few other curious butterflies and with cases scheme and This moths, has in the adult moth. as there when spots, especially black the about feeds moth throughout the is,to an the colour same It tunnels into the wood winter. extent, rather maligned. Indeed Newman authorityof naturalists like Edward so who state that the damage done is never great as to permanently injurethe tree, but that appleswith this we have the moth in them have trees unaffected. been known to bear even better than Fruit-growersmust, however, be guided by their own conditions are always changing. If a tree as experience, should be badly affected a little salt and water poured into the galleries would fetch out the larvae or kill them, and a watch might be kept for the females during July and August. (See Plate 18.) Coming to the bark, we have the tiny beetles of the belongingto the group of the Xylophagi genus Scolytus, or Wood-eaters. Of these the commonest is the Fruit which affects apple, (S.rugulosiis), pear, tunnels plum, cherry,peach and other trees. They make in between and the bark, and are more the wood partial to sickly, The Fruitdecayed trees than healthy ones. Tree Beetle is only | inch in lengthand shiny black in with yellowish head and brown colour,the larva legless, Tree Bark Beetle INSECT 76 PESTS The is quite white. The beetles lay their pupa eggs in May, inside the bark, and a second brood may As to treatment, remember that appear in the autumn. jaws. decayed wood is greatlypreferred, so that be left about pruningsshould heaps,and infested branches should be cut off and burnt. A coatingof soft soap and washing-soda acts as a deterrent againstthe boring of these beetles. (See larva and beetle on Plate 18.) The Woolly Aphis, Apple Root Louse, or American BHght are the names given to an aphid known to science Schizoneura in as lanigera,which is usually abundant old and neglectedorchards where lichens and mosses have covered the trees, althoughit sometimes turns up in new plantations.The insect is so small even when full-grown not in often be sent it may from one nurseries,and even that The Woolly Aphis stock from young country to another. feeds, like all its kind, by piercing out on of its drainingoff the sap by means times proboscis. The wound produced by WooUy Aphis someaid to the growth of canker an serves as fungi. The insect is oval in shape and scarcely than ^ inch more in length,the colour being yellow at first and then purple brown. parous, They are both winged and wingless,and vivialive. (See Plate 18.) i.e. produce their young the outer Natural Flies and tissue and of this pest are found among the Hover larvae of Ladybirds ; whilst the Tits, enemies the the Blue Tit, do especially down. (See Plates 15 and The It is Mussel Scale frequentlytaken examination object very is caused by with like a a is in keeping them a of the strangestof all insects. growth on the bark, but an pocket mussel good 18.) one for lot of a lens will show shell,hence the a name. dried-up This tiny creature called Mytilaspis pomorum belonging to the Hemiptera. The males and females in outline and in size,the latter being about differ slightly I inch long. Very few people have seen the male scale as they are scarce, the females beingselfcomparatively a ORCHARD 77 PESTS in a This creature is evidently in most cases. fertilizing transitory stage of evolution. minute and very active. About The larva is six-legged, eighty are produced by one female, who thereupon dies and the young grubs live inside her dried-upouter casing. When full-fed they come out from the scale and disperse, fixingthemselves by their proboscesto the trunk of the Males undergo tree, when the business all starts de novo. sort of pupal state, and emerge a as winged creatures. (See Plate 18.) As neck regards natural enemies, the Tits, the Wryand Scale and the Treecreeper all eat Mussel should be encouraged in every garden. Certain small out also prey on them, but withHymenoptera (chalcididce) doing much good. Washing the trees with a solution of paraffin, soft soap and caustic soda is recommended. the Aphis Turning to the leaves,we have of course again. For these, however, see Appendix. I shall now take Winter Moth the {Cheimatohia the black on detail,as it is very much brumata)in some list of orchard pests,and we will try to look into some of the which causes Fruit will not lungsof a devourers This have made ripen tree, and moth worst about an wings, which are extremelyvariable in two no specimens being alike. The scheme is grey-brown in the case of with are several transverse paler,with much wavy The darker a example are the of leaf- (See Plate 18.) Moth. measures it is. leaves, which without the first and is the Winter Httle it what darker inch across the their markings, generalcolour the fore-wings hind wings The bands. border and sundry concentric lines. female moth is almost those she possesses wingless, beingmere stumps, quite useless for flight.On the other hand she is very nimble of foot and spends her time run^suitors are ning about on fences,whither the fluttering attracted. INSECT 78 Why is at a the females are PESTS of little story in evolution in wingless? moths some which we may as Here well look passing. These moths usuallyin are their adult stage duringthe insects cold season, dormant and most most when are between birds have to go hungry. The obvious connexion be seen. these two facts will at once Clearlythe comparatively female would considerable want heavy-bodied wing- her about, and would therefore be a most conspicuousobject for the famished robins, thrushes and females result those who As were a wily sparrows. to carry expanse privilegeof continuingthe tion were picked off,and so selecrace, whilst the giddiergirls of ages these apterous has brought about in the course all that remain disused wing-stumps are females whose of their former to remind them soaringcapabilities. blessed with the Winter Moths in Why have we been enough hide to up had the " " our orchards ? It is not because we have robbed these thorn, food, for their larvse eat whiteblackthorn, birch,hornbeam, oak, hazel and other creatures of their natural apple,pear, plum and cherry. have where It is another we case departed from the We have substituted a superior ordered path of Nature. forest trees, well as as these Uttle moths for the wild food, and as a consequence flies come gailyto the feast,exactlyas the Cabbage butterdo in garden. There, however, the good deal to say in the matter kitchen the parasitehas a that is to our advantage. to some Winter The Moths, although preyed upon and subjectsfor extent flies, by muscid and ichneumon of such caterpillars as that of the Dunbar the cannibaUsm Here, I fancy, Moth, are not yet so well under control. stage. Presently are we witnessing the intermediate will say Nature Stop ! to the Winter Moths and then other fly will be found ichneumon or increasingby an until the plague of green caterand thousands pillars hundreds is a thing of the past. ichneumon " " PESTS ORCHARD Meanwhile, let us not 79 If onlywe forgetthe birds. would httle birds Hke the grasp the fact that insectivorous and the Tits ought not to have been Wren Golden-crested should do a great deal to render our driven away we female The from immune orchards leaves her fence when Moth Winter larvae. of these attacks the ready to greenish to place her up the tree-trunks Banding the trees with eggs in the crevices of the bark. be done in November, must of tar and cart-grease a mixture will be the moths and repeated to keep it fresh. Thus crawls lay and Pruning prevented from gettingup into the branches. aU then until after be must Christmas, as by delayed The dead. are eggs have been depositedand the moths After this nothing further prunings should be burnt. be done can pickout than eat their way as and The of the so may of this pupae ground at cleared and Arsenical be noted the jarringwill dislodgenumbers lower themselves by their silken be collected and destroyed. be sought on the surface moth may the base of the trees in June away the trunks the whole blows the until November for the fowls. the female that wind bullfinches to the sprayingof that tree, so and . rubber-covered mallet which of caterpillars, threads the titmice larvae which will soon eggs or newly hatched into the buds in spring Later on," beating" if the with cloth- or is struck tree a any is useful to leave is useful,but laysher moth of it must be it should eggs all over done. Even larvae from thread-borne the then place to place,and I would therefore rather emphasize constant vigilanceat the various times indicated above. There other Winter are Moths, such as the Mottled Umber and the March Moth (A. cescularia), {H. defoliaria) which They In attack fruit trees and are also harmful in woods. have scribed dewinglessfemales, and treatment as above also applies.(See Plate 18.) some parts the Vapourer Moth {Orgyiaantiqua)has too been found troublesome. This is a summer moth with a INSECT 80 PESTS winglessfemale and is very common where it feeds mostly upon the leaves males The all of are about measure rich red-brown a inch an in London of the the across colour,with parks, plane trees. wings,which white one spot on the hind margin of each fore-wing. This is the littlemoth which flies madly about in an odd, jerky fashion, during July and August, even in the heart of the City. Its mate is clad in plaingrey, and never leaves the web-like coeoon in which, as a jet-blackpupa, she passed the winter, and it she lays all her eggs. These cocoons over usually may be found under the copingsof walls, and the baby Vahatched, at once drop to the ground, often pourers, when having to crawl an astonishingdistance for their first will meal, or possiblytheir second, for many caterpillars eat the empty egg-shell by way of a start in life. These after the first change of skin, are clad in a caterpillars, the back and elaborate Hvery. All down most gorgeous they are adorned with tufts of yellow hair, looldnghke a of shaving brushes stood on end. The generalcolour row is gre3dsh-brownwith yellow '' slashings and crimson " buttons at the of hirsute And envy. grey appendages which female aU this may without any with embeUished side,the whole scheme a Assyrianking might an hatch out into a modest well little wings ! not must we forget the Lackey Talking of liveries, Moth {Bombyx neustria),whose larva, one of the so-called the Gold-tail, **tent" which are caterpillars, among Brown-tail and other moths, is often injuriousto apple the southern trees ; it is in fact widely distributed over countries and the frequentlyfarther In the orchards Midlands, but is not met with so north. of our home counties this larva is apple,pear and plum trees, but principally the apple. It spinswebs all over the trees, givingthem a sicklyunhealthy appearance. This caterpillar ia even more showy than that of the addicted to PESTS INSECT 82 largemoths are recorded as feedingon the leaves of the apple,includingthe Dot, the Elephant, the Eyed Hawk, the Tiger,and the Lobster Moth, whose sets up its head and tail when odd-lookingcaterpillar startled,and possesses the pecuUar filament appendages to the crustacean which give it a resemblance it is named after. These insects,however, all belong to the natural fauna of the country and reallyneed not be considered in the lightof pests. Beetle is also injuriousto the leaves The Cockchafer of apple trees, but I shall deal with that insect in the and milUpedes chapter on soil pests,where wire-worms Various which are other Coming the Apple attacks will be considered root-eaters flowers the to Blossom bloom the fruit,we and Weevil in such in full. find (Anthonomus pomorum) a way often as a mark V-shaped Its larva is being prominent yellow with feignsdeath a brown shaken when on head. off,and which and drop off. grepsh down, the wing-cases. The the all to be mistaken of frost,causingit to wither insect is only I inch long,black with for the action This first of trees beetle itself should be The for it,a cloth being spread out underneath. culpritsmust be swept up quickly,as when they think beaten worked their little dodge has scutter long enough they begin to off. in months, the weevils hide away turf and lichens,so that chinks of bark and among mosses, to the wise is sufficient in this respect. Spraying a word During the winter the trees caustic with alkali in February is also useful. Incessant stronglyrecommend as the natural which The readiest enemies deserve way in the It Tits,Wagtails and the Tree-Pipit, notice. {Psyllamali) is quiteanother kind is reallya poor relation of Mrs. Aphis,but Sucker Apple of insect. I with weevils, and necessary the beatingof the trees in the spring of catchingthem. They also have is vigilance PESTS ORCHARD 83 of walk in life by the extent up for its humble damage which it does. The creature is only ^ inch long. It attacks leaf-buds,foHage and flower-buds,the most makes serious by being of the course failure of the the buds Its presence is shown open and by their being last. to dirty,stickystuff called honey-dew." During its larval state the Apple Sucker hops about have wings. both sexes but when full-grown like a frogfly, In colour they vary between yellow,green and red, and the females are brighterin tint than the males. The until and continues egg-layingbegins in the autumn They hatch November, the young shoots being covered. in the springand become by the middle of May. full-grown the apples should be used directly Paraffin emulsion be repeated have been gathered and the operationmay again in the spring. that be mentioned As regardsnatural remedies it may is fond of Apple Sucker and is a the Golden-crested Wren with covered " a well-behaved,harmless for. Tits also The little bird which help,but in the case should be cared of pears they are ripefruit. Wasps are regardedwith aversion by almost every one of two in the country, on account outstandingfaults, viz. the power unhke to sting at will,and repeatedly, bees, which stingonce in self-defenceand then are usually killed by their companions. Wasps also,of course, play havoc with the plums and other ripefruit. Their saving graces, if they have any, Ue in the fertihzation of flowers and the devouringof other insects, for instance the Small White Butterfly.The Common builds Wasp (F. vulgaris) nest undergroundout of paper-hke material a wonderful usuallyunable as a home grubs. and are hot tar. builds woods. a to resist the for the Here queens remain and nurseries for the young dormant they during the winter sought out by country folk and destroyedwith Another species, the Tree Wasp (F. norvegica) nest suspended from the boughs in remarkable It is not so common the preceding. as PESTS INSECT 84 to fruit and flowers,are Earwigs, injurious with hay in inverted flower pots. best trapped experiencedthe disgustwith which one and has discovers the goodly apple rotten at the core crushed the offendingmaggot, if present,underfoot, as been brought to hght. This is usuallythe soon as it has Moth work of the Codlin {Carpocapsapomonella) wliich the fore wings, being dark about measures J inch across brown with lines, and the hind wings a wavy grey tint of grey-brown. (See Plate 19.) uniform The moths hatch out at the end of May and flyat dusk, when the female lays her eggs singlyon the young fruit, else on the leaves and twigs. The or grubs enter the and eat away the pulp applethrough the calyxor eye the core. The around period of growth is about four weeks, when it bores its way out again and turns into a dead leaves. brown chrysaUsin a chink of bark or among and harbouring should All rubbish be cleared away crevices opened out as much as possible.An alkaline in the spring of Lead is useful. Arsenate winter-wash Every has one " " " " that this must but remember is also recommended, has fallen or there be done until after the blossom be danger that which the of alkaline real spells Rotted cores wash success may In bees. poisoningthe any not will I think case to the vigilance is best, added againstall these troubles. also be the work of the Apple Saw- {Tenthredotestudinea).The maggots of this and often confused, but the Codlin the precedinginsect are the Sawfly Moth has only eight pairs of legs,whereas above of ten. In colour the Sawfly is black boasts about It measures reddish yellow underneath. and | the wings. (See Plate 19.) inch across at the beginning of adult fly leaves the cocoon The May when the trees are in flower and sits on the blossoms. Sticky fly-traps might be suspended in the trees in fine fly weather. after which The egg is laid the fate of that on the blooms, apple is sealed. one on The each, period ORCHARD PESTS 85 INSECT 86 of PESTS growth is from four to six weeks, when the grubs leave the fruit and go into the ground. Sprays have not been found very successful in this instance and therefore great in soil fumigatingin winter should be resorted diligence destroythe pupae at the base of the trees. Our study of the Apple may be concluded with a brief reference to the Pith Moth {iMverna atra) which burrows into the shoots of the young trees and causes much damage It measures at times. about inch the front | across, wings being often quiteblack, with a few white streaks, the hinder wings grey, with long and beautiful fringes. is flesh-coloured with dark-brown The caterpillar head, and the pupa bright brown. The moths come out in July and layeggs on the leaves, to, to where the larvae feed for into the shoots blister indicates Winter in which short time they pruning and then bore away A small pass the winter. search for the said bUsters (See Plate of the foregoinginsects stated, to pear, plum has been the destruction and their .presence. the best remedies. Many a are tute consti- 19.) also destructive,as and cherry trees, and be used againstthem. the same measures These may trees have, however, other pests peculiarto themselves. An illustration is given of the Pear Midge (Diplosis deHcate pyrivora)a grey creature barely J inch long. It is capableof much damage by attackingthe young fruit, the female drivingher long ovipositorstraight into the from fifteen to twenty calyxand there depositing anjrthing out By the middle of June the larvae,which are witheggs. and nearly J inch long,leave feet,yellowish-white, the fruit and bury themselves in the ground, spinning and emerging as midges the following silken cocoons spring about the middle of April. A sketch is shown of a young fruit attacked by this pest. (See Plate 19.) The best remedy in small gardens is hand pickingand of the midv/a}^in generation affected its career. pears, Here which cuts againthose off a with PESTS ORCHABD 87 soil dressing dwarf trees score a point. On a largerscale, Gas lime with kainite will kill the larvae in the autumn. be very finely is nor is no good unless it can pulverized, spraying. In bad cases, where the drastic very few pears are Ukely to reach maturity, the whole crop and burning it would of sacrificing course into of continuance deprivethe Midges of their means to be said for there much the next season. Another trouble in pear cherry orchards and is the Slugworm, which is the larva of the Pear and Cherry maggot Sawfly {Eriocampalimacina),a disgusting-looking the leaves of pear, damson, cheiTy, which gnaws away as peach,plum and appletrees. They are also known " snecfs.' adult The flymeasures grey with a The larva, which dusky are black. covered looks with | inch across the wings,which transparentborder, the body being with a becomes soon first, protective ugly green sHme, and indeed is white at like a slug gone wrong very much It is about the influenza. ^ inch or a long tadpole full when although it has ten pairsof feet,it cannot get in fact. In later sluggish along very quickly,distinctly size,and life its appearance is discarded, and buff. The to saw (See Plate adult up is somewhat depositingeggs week, and there changes to the slime yellow or 19.) earlyJune, leaves, sHttingthrough the flies come the colour its improved,as therein. are in out The larvae several broods in a hatch and proceed tissues and in about a season. As the pupae are in the soil at the base of the trees, this with a Canterbury hoe should be got up in the autumn and broken finely, quickhme being worked in thoroughly. In bad this soil should be removed and burnt. Poultry,if penned beneath the trees, would pick up the larvae in the autumn as they fall. for the Pear and Plum Trees sometimes afford a home cases Figureof Eight Moth It is not {DilobacceruleocephoJa). INSECT 88 serious as the as loth to include midges it as a PESTS and I and sawflies, pest. At the time same almost am it is mon com- throughout England, and leaf -eaters can do a lot of if left unchecked. harm (See Plates 19 and 26.) The moth, which appears in September,measures about leaden brown I J inches across the forewings, which are in colour, with a mother-of-pearl gloss,and contain the of eight. The hind wings curious white marks like figures are dingy brown with a black blotch on the lower angle. which is full-fed in June, feeds naturally The caterpillar, the whitethorn, and also on blackthorn,allied to the on with yellow stripes and is grey-green plum botanically, side. the at The they the of dwarf case adopted We must now there more The cause natural for our to so here us take to the fruits of the have been rule that may the battle base a this wide for other would attention our field and than The in. come the pupae which months. turn in the measures pests would be found to bush pests seem case of there fruit. to be largetrees. is, I beHeve, the reduction goes. the raspberryfirst of all. bramble and where an found is to the This dewberry among family,with Rubus made. also be would in of the In by the increase of cultivated areas. of meeting the situation,at only method straightinto the enemy's carry the war flora present, is aUied is September, whence observed, and hand pickingin soil at the very troublesome cases camp, Let the summer even most with the Here if trees deal with to during the shoots on be removed may serve laid are eggs which indeed plant is our wild crosses be taken as a fairlycertain It may insect feeds upon the wild relative it the cultivated fruit,and half upon look for these thingsin advance. The Raspberry Moth whose larva {Lampronia rubiella), is known is most destructive as the Stem-bud Caterpillar, 90 INSECT PESTS The Raspberry or Clay-colouredWeevil {Otiorhynchus is the best known of the weevils and laeetles which picipes) attack raspberries, and a description of it may be given of checkingwill serve for the others. here, as the method It is about so I inch long,and bro-wTi or clay-coloured, that it is difficult to see it on the ground. Nature is of the onlyadept at camouflage, and striking evidences course of the fact meet at every us This little weevil turn. has wings and is in the habit of feedingat night. The larva is whitey-brown in colour with a brown head. The the eggs are laid in the ground, and the grubs feed on roots from midsummer to spring, when they change into the eyes. a white They attack pupa with black spots over other plants,such as vines, strawberry,mangold, many be added to which various peas, beans and turnips, may flowers both in greenhouses and in the open air. Drastic soil dressings are necessary where the pest has got a firm hold, using gas-hme, and where the crop can this be moved situation the followingseason to another no should be done. be borne and The tits,blackbirds and mind, as and o"E to their nests with carry them (See Plates 20 and 24.) young. now await come our to currants, where attention. currant, gooseberry,rose, and to which of the cultivated. insect found plum in the Current and and Currant commonly other on trees, both of the mussel case therefore Scale, if it exists,is factor in their economy. inch of creatures number scale, this is allied,the females of this strange group Hemiptera have the unusual quahty of being sexually complete male As a to feed their which is first of all the There Scale (Lecanium persicce), an wild should they are very fond of these weevils, sand-wasps (Odyneri) kill or paralysethem in certain We thrushes The self-productive. evidentlya very insignificant The long,and has legsin the larval stationary in maturity. They fix partlydetached portionsof bark in Scale is about state but themselves order to -^'o becomes under pass the winter, when the bushes 91 PESTS ORCHARD should sprayedwith be caustic (See Plate 20.) which is the Currant Next Sawfly (Nematus ribesii) perhapsis justas well named the Gooseberry Sawfly,as soda wash. the other. bush as much as it leaves its mark on the one The in some seasons. They clear the leaves off altogether larvse,which are green with black spots,have the twenty pillars, caterall sawflylarvae from moth which distinguish legs who only have sixteen, and nearly an inch green chrysaUs are It changes into a full grown. sure and the adults,which meawithin an oval brown cocoon, out in May. nearly| inch across the wings,first come The several broods in the season. eggs are There are long when of the leaves, and so Various Uttle need be said as to how to deal with them. but I recommend the caterpillars, sprays are used against In lime water only, sprayed all over the bush. veins laid along the conspicuously strong the winter soil for with some also good plan is inches to the bushes beneath all the surface remove and replacesame (See Plate 20.) fresh. The a Currant Gall IVIiteis not an insect,but an Acarus, produced from eggs, but undergoing no preliminarystages of development. The present which affects currants and gooseberries species{Eriophyesrihis) and so can scarcelybe is only yjo inch in length, without a seen pocket lens,but its effects are apparent the from which Big Buds enough in the shape of the plantssuffer in the springand which afterwards dry up these tiny creatures and die. Incredible as it may seem, calls itself insect which an have a still tinier parasite, afraid I cannot but I am convey Tetrastichus eriophyes, minute creatures " " rather the smallness of this any notion as to the size,or larvae eat Currant Mites, or how you little helperwhose of Our methods its presence is rumoured. box it when control are chiefly change of site for the new bushes when burned, althoughsprayingwith soft soap added and sulphur in the springtime may be tried. These, the old ones are INSECT 92 PESTS pickingof swollen buds, are all we can do at is more to him present, and again,success likelyto come who is early on the job. (See Plate 20.) The Magpie or Gooseberry or Currant Moth (Abrazus is well known to everybody. This is the grossulariaia) dainty creature which flitsabout all over the garden and lays its eggs on practicallyevery shrub without any regard to flavour,shape or size. The larvae must be able to eat anything, but the fruit-grower is only too well to the hand aware of the way it defoliates in which and gooseberries.Black eats away his best currants yelloware the colours which characterize this insect through all its stages, another exceptionto the generalrule. I would recommend egg and three here two search here again,as they are laid, or there, in prominent positionson the top of a leaf,and the Magpie females will do it under your very eyes if you them fine sunny watch in the garden on a morning in July or August. The grubs hibernate during the winter of their hiding-places the dead out and come among leaves in spring to spin a silken cocoon in which they Hand ing pickchange to a glossyblack and yellow pupa. of great value. is also of course (See Plate 20.) in the shape of the Currant ClearThere is a wood-borer a gnat-Uke creature which wing Moth {Sesiatipuliformis) It is not in the shoots of red and the wood half serious as and the Bud as black currants. Mite, nor prevalent so be detected by the brittleness of the but its presence may shoots,which if broken o"E will disclose the maggot within. The be Weevil Nut seen from in the weapon the head with which are the most " beating out is curious a insect,as will picture. It is provided with a mighty shape of a bodldn-like growth in front of hazel nut on which it piercesthe young the before, weevils difficult of insects to grapplewith, and are legion. There has not been enough it subsists. their numbers " (B. nucum) As for them of the bushes has in the should been stated past,and a shaking systematic be taken in hand as a check to ORCHARD Weevil. Nut the and length last Our find is the The insect nut-brown in will case insect of month leaves and and Cockchafer, the long or plants. the to two as knock during plovers devour devastatrix), it for proUfic is it the worms therein. goes subject of in of and best putting to (See and Plate to method down then a them is hand starlings, Plate 20.) Eelworm | inch long, The adult dead tissues they as with cope or are this other weeds are of deaHng with catch uprooting 20.) of in Stem and hatching, plantain The the as destroy taken plant. the roots and only difficult very with (See the remain the Rooks, the roses soil, the at also to to Like shrubs creature before grasses, readily numbers. may becomes one large tissues eelworm. artful grubs. tiny a time some Clover, by the which eggs soil eelworm eel into the also are and trees being of eats deaHng soil the gulls lay affected of plants it of from and worms pest. beetles dispose bores where the to as in in stage diet. hves insect method to which very best varied a this years, winter {Telenchus the three the Strawberry in of gas-liming the them, larva The out liking adult well as we ful beauti- destructive plants in where most a the however strawberry evidently turnips, auraia), inch 20.) Strawberry, the reaches is | Plate (See {Cetonia It of flowers about colour. which June. 93 measures of that Chafer golden-green the be Rose green PESTS crop it with which the u INSECT PESTS CHAPTER PESTS SOIL Tails Bristle or Thysanoura Millipedes Myrlapoda Crane or Leather-jacket " " Insects " Beetles " THIS chapter need with met that the Fly Soil to in the general,and which Bacteria " infest and Beetles Slugs and " " chafers Cock- " Earthworms an of as we insect pests which grouped under the alreadytreated of elsewhere. manifestlyreferable to these we must now speak. class they belong,may veniently contwo carnivorous, and are long one, over are Soil insects,to whatever under be considered those Click and Snails " be not insects, however, soil in and Wireworms Tails Spring or of the many been soil have particular plantsthey Certain CoUembola " Centipedes. " shall find are useful V distinct those heads, viz. which devour herbage. first. Of these it is well plant-eaters those which merely devour again to distinguishbetween decayed vegetablematter, and those which deliberately There attack the living tissues. classes of are many We will take insects and other which creatures find sustenance on decayed vegetation; and this function is certainlya useful one, although speaking generally the creatures themselves fact has are caused of an the This last unpleasantappearance. popular prejudiceagainst Spring95 66 INSECT PESTS the tails,Woodlice, Pill Insects,and Centipedes. Still, to prevent their is perfectlysimple. way appearance Keep your garden, your holding,and your clean and tidy. To allow rubbish absolutely is to ask for WoodUce wood, etc., to lie ask to such for in in and come and about establishment of doors to allow everything should down that ought to of be mud ever. to well think weathered " holder's small- when kept passage of rain, and mould. and Indoors, dust and damp. always trjdngto the as that any at home. gardener'sand are as At themselves free from kept of man, last for " unobstructed be people seem make the the elements works the Some must accumulation Remember tools, planks of the on creatures, to prevent old ground and become damp, is Beetle larvae,Slugs,Snails,and Spring-tails, Everything out allow to : poultry-run to lie about a rate good coat of paint they never give it why decay sets in, thought, and then wonder bringingalongthe creepingthingswhose status on Nature's Board of Works is simplythat of scavenging. A moment's reflection upon, say, the geological fact that the granite cliffs which hold up Niagara are six inches worn away for countless every year (and this has been going on there is in anyages) will show how little permanence thing unless for that we our own we do, even Hfetimes, are constantly tidying up, and making good." If this is done, however, scavenger insects will be kept in their true place,in the woods and forests, where Nature's a second wear face of Nature. " Ufe can go on undisturbed. Thysanoura, or Bristle Tails,are a lowly branch of the Neuroptera,and are apterous or winglessinsects, having six legs,as well as the bristle-hke appendages, at both to leap ends of the body, which enable them They undergo no metamorphoses in their very well. which is found Bristle-tail, development. The common The in outhouses, in the opened, under damp chinks boards, of sashes or at the which backs are never of ward- PESTS INSECT 98 segments to the body, each bearing thirtyor more two pairs of legs,an important distinction between this in many which ficial. beneare pest and the centipedes, ways It is pale yellow in colour, and curls up like a disturbed, being slow moving and watch-spring when encouraged where sluggish in habit. MilHpedes are and bad cultivation has been allowed. ground is neglected, holder must therefore act the pohceman The allotment far as Millipedesare concerned, and by the aid of a so along please until, like hoe, persistin his pass off muttering Weary Willie and Tired Tim, they move else. If this is not enough, powdered naphthasomewhere lene boUed should be tried, or potato traps, afterwards Poisoned and given to the fowls. potato traps should be employed,in my sary never opinion,as it is quiteunnecesthen be used for the poultry. and they cannot are " We " As was pass to Beetles. beetles and their larvae now in all circumstances, so find that the soil has its and otherwise. beneficial and " the otherwise notorious so has name however, The that you a CHck is of great deal of or the the mencement, com- everywhere surprisedto be is which Wire worm, cent of which he is inno" him. to well as found not the at Coleopterousdenizens, both The outstandingexample of plenty of damage may are need we course attributed been and " stated Give a dog a bad In this case, is well deserved. hang him." opprobrium Skipjack Beetle, as from its habit of full grown, againstthe top of the thorax, and so when this insect is called clickingits abdomen turning a somersault, belongsto the genus Elateridse,which include the fireflies several EngHsh species, There countries. are of tropical in their larval state as all very similar and all known Two Agriotes wireworms. only need be mentioned Their historyis as hcemorrJioidalis. lineatus and Athous months on follows. Eggs are laid during the summer " pasture land, beneath wireworms feed and the roots travel about of which the resultant in the soil for as long PESTS SOIL 9d encroachingon field and garden They crops, attackingpotato,carrot, beet, parsnip,etc. also tunnel up into the stalks of the tomato, a plant from the depredationsof is tolerablyimmune which must insects. For natural remedies we mainly depend and winter ; summer on moles, which eat the wireworm and insectivorous birds, notably the meadow pipitand suited for getting beaks are specially whose the starling, three as out a a to five years, Where soil insects. length of time, and strong dressingof a is field has been grass for up for cultivation should be given in the being broken gas lime in the springby 3 winter, followed under of naphthalene planting.This ozs. yard,previousto sowing or of The should be effective against mre worms. pupa this pest is white and easilyinjuredby the lajdngopen to the ground where of the soil, so that turningpoultryon newly dug is useful. The beetles usuallyhatch in June and July. (See Plate 21.) is Cockchafer The or May bug {Melolontha vulgaris) quite as bad as the foregoing,and its white grub is it is turned looked upon with disgustwhenever up from to the square " beneath work the roots for trees,as There of meadow a space well as are of three it does its fell grass, where It also attacks fruit years. hops, flowers,corn, and vegetables. the several kinds of Chafer beetles, including Garden, Rose, and Summer Chafers, all of which are of Melolontha of crops. The sketch its larva and pupa will given an inimical to the roots vulgarisand " idea of the largestof this family and measures 1| inches from the tip of the snout to the end of the abdomen, and although the body is black, it is that when covered with a yellow down so newly out it female burrows The into the has a hght appearance. earth, and lays her eggs in batches of ten to twenty-five, there being perhaps seventy in all. The larva and pupa are quite white. During their long hfetime these grubs do an incalculable amount of damage to vegetation, and form of them all. It is the 100 INSECT when are they just as forest PESTS beetles after the third year they as emerge destructive in defoliating plants,fruit and trees. Systematic beating destruction of the beetles themselves that be must followed in be in opened out plovers,and gulls,who must the bad autumn will pick is the for the trees of the methods one year, and the ground for rooks, starhngs, out the larvae in large In addition, heaps of turf,htter,etc.,may traps,and should be frequentlyturned over numbers. used a of as be for white grubs which collect therein. Gas Ume and kainit as dressings be used, the former in the winter. may Also, when hoeing,a watch should be kept with a view to hand-picking. (See Plate 3, Fig. 12, and Plate 22.) Another the soil nuisance larva of the oleracea).There is the Leather Daddy-long-legsor are several kinds Jacket, which Crane of Crane is fly {Tipula fly,more brightlycoloured than the greyishbrown insect familiar to everybody, but they are not common so as Tipula oleracea. Plate and Plate 2, Fig. A, (See 22.) The larva is about an inch long,brown, with a small head which be drawn back into the body, and poscan sessing the strong jaws which are responsible for the root injuriesso often complained of. The female crane-fly land in August, lays her eggs, 200 to 300, on meadow and the grubs feed all through the winter, often coming out on mild days in January, when they are soon taken by some hungry bird. The pupa is as long as the larva, and, as outline the all pupae, has traced on of the future insect. Gas with hme the best treatment, soil as possible, to preceded by as much and give the starlings who of Leather are very fond farmer, harrowing and rolhng has the grubs out, again to be Snails and slugs are not often are 80 a word a great nuisance or two here Jacket. taken the into insects but to about surface its outer in winter opening of rooks Later the the chance, a for the on, effect of is bringing birds' larder. molluscs. They gardener,however, and be acceptable. them may the SOIL PESTS 101 and Snails (Helicidce) families, Slugs(Limacidce) and belongto the class Invertebrates, allied, closely The are two animals or The with commonest backbone. no is the Grey Field Slug {Limax species devastates all kinds of crops from grass and the young to corn, and also destroys plants, flowering shoots of bush fruit. The generalform of the mollusc There is also the Black Slug,the in the sketch. is seen the as Yellow or House Slug,and a small kind known which agrestia), Slug. They are all of much the same Root-eating of remedies form and the same apply. The method of eggs, which are laid during propagationis by means Bulb the or months summer in the soil or The rubbish. in batches occur under milky in colour,and eggs are circular, of ten to fifteen. Needless to say, moisture is indispensable to slugsand snails,which are aHke also in that they do their mischief by night,the former hidingin during the daytime. This be taken advantage of by placingcabbage habit may the evening,and the ground in"^ and lettuce leaves on takingthem up earlythe next morning, when the slugs be captured and which have crept in underneath mav given to the fowls. (See Plate 22.) Snails are quite an familyin their way. interesting Some of their shells have very beautiful markings,and collected for that reason. Also, structure, and are in France,snails reared on a milk diet are particularly esteemed a dehcacy for the epicure. English people do not fancy them rule. The Common Garden a as Snail {Helixaspersa)is a destructive creature, feeding greedilyon the tender green shoots of vegetablesand almost indiscriminately flowers, ; the dahlia for instance, will often have its first shoots with Its acrid flavour, gnawed off by these creatures so as to spoilthe plant entirely.The eggs of the Snail,laid in batches in the earth,are white and similar to those of the Slug. There between the young of these molluscs IS Uttle to distinguish the earlystagesof their development. in crevices and under stones " In addition Snail, which clover to PESTS INSECT 102 earlyin appears and Snail, there is the Wood Garden the to pasture the ; spring,and is harmful Strawberry Snail, scarcely to strawberrybeds and in the long,and troublesome the flower garden, and the Banded Snail, with a conical on shell, white with purple-brown stripe,a nuisance I inch hillsides and Snails As a than matter sea. honest more are Slugs,as they visible. the near feed above in depredationsthan are nearlyalways their ground and their control is a much consequence that of Slugs. (See Plate 22.) from suffering crops are dressingof lime and soot should Where either snails be easier or slugs Powdered given. alum will Idll them, but it is rather too expensive to use except for choice plants. In greenhouses, cotton-wool of pot plants will prevent snails the stems tied round and slugsascending to gnaw the young shoots. Thoroughly foul land may be gaslimed in winter to clear it of Slugs. of Slugs is the principalnatural The thrush enemy and Snails,being an extremelyuseful bird in this respect, and also are blackbirds as starlings.Poultry, ducks, water-rats, moles, hedgehogs,frogsand toads, are fond of them, as also is the tortoise,kept as a pet by some The of its insect -eatinghabits. gardeners on account glow-worm, described later,attacks and devours snails. of the injuriouscreatures We dealt with most have now found in the soil,which stated are vegetarianin diet, as whether it be the decayed or growing tissues that they a feed on. Coming to who perform the useful class,these are mainly beetles, handy service in connection tion with the soil and its inhabitants,though we have in addithe Myriapoda, which the Centipedesamong may be taken at first. Centipedes are once distinguished from casual to the observer, by their even Millipedes, and one hundred with extreme a as wriggles activity, all sorts of SOIL twists and them up they vanish from The in the soil. PESTS two 103 sightwhenever commonest turns one forms, Litho- shown in and Geophiluslongicornis are forcipatus the sketch. They are carnivorous in diet, feedingboth on slugs, decayed animal matter as well as upon worms, other small creatures. beetle-larvae and They do not pedes undergo any definite metamorphoses ; the young centihowever usuallyhave fewer legsthan the adults, the obtainingof additional pairs of legs as they grow biu3 to be their idea of distinction in the world. older appears previouslystated centipedeshave only one in the case feet to each segment, againsttwo As this constitutes and the chief structural pair of of millipedes, difference Some Centipedesare phosphorescent at night,a rare qualityamong British insects,of which the Glow-worm, or larva of a beetle called Lampyris is the best known noctilus, example. The word Lampyris Glow-worms means shinytail a very apt description. useful to the gardener,as they feed on Snails, attacking are them alive. The female them boldlyand devoiu-ing glow-worm beetle is wingless. (See Plate 23.) There are as many tribes among useful as injurious the of Coleopteraand here are a few selected at random between them. " those " whose as larvae Hve well as harmful in the soil and creatures earthworms prey upon their own and among (See Plate 23.) First there is the Telephoridse family,which include -coloured beetles, some red, some blue,which bright many country boys used to call soldiers and sailors. Others other are orders. brown khaki, not and these " to have we may suppose for the duration " gone into but possiblyfor merely all time. They are the most pugnacious of all insects, another. one everythingand everybody,including fighting Their diet is chiefly and soU larvae. earthworms Then there is the Tiger Beetle or Sparkler(Cicindela beautiful gold green above, and coppery campestris), below, with yellow spots on the tops of the wing cases. INSECT 104 Its larva is a curious PESTS object,whitish largehead and humped it Hes the ground where on any haplesswire worm back. in colour It makes in wait httle with a traps in and suddenly pounces or daddy-long-legs passingby. The odour of some beetles is the reverse of pleasant, but in the case of the Tiger Beetle, a lovelyscent of sweetbriar denotes its presence. This beetle frequentssandy soil. (See Plate 23.) The Ground Beetles,the Carabus family,are all useful. A common is shown. species{Carabus catenulaius) They spend aU their time hunting and devouring small insects and never touch also applies vegetables. This remark . to the Rove of the Beetles, several of which feed on the pupse Fly. (See Plate 23.) Sexton beetles {Necrophaga) perform the useful function of dismembering and burying putridanimal matter, such as Cabbage dead Root moles, weasels, birds,etc., which are taken down piecemeal into the soil as food for their young. Then there are Dung Beetles, the commonest of which is the Clock or Flying Watchman Stercorarius) (Oeotrupes which utilizes cowdung and such material for a similar (See Plate 23.) purpose. All the insects and creatures aforementioned are what in the soil. Apart from these, be seen however, soil is full of life which cannot by the human not cases even by the aid of the eye, in some highestpowers of the microscope. These beingsinclude useful functions and play the bacteria,which have many a important part in the process of plant growth. very than the fighting Armies of bacteria,much numerous more forces on the recent battle fronts of Europe, are constantly and on engaged in creative and destructive operations, failure the results from time to time or depends success everybody may readilysee The soil is,in a word, a little universe. grower. It is the livingsoil in a very real sense, and I hope to about it in another chapter. Certain say something more to " the go ahead " peopleat one time made a greatfuss about 106 INSECT PESTS VI CHAPTER PESTS GREENHOUSE Causes failures of Greenhouse other and Beetles Moth Gothic " of the Pests " Vine Line ^White " Vine " Weevils Moth Dart " Moths Tortrix Moths Ermine Moth Underwing Scab Tortrix Vine and Grape Mealy Microlepidoptera and Hornets Louse The terrible Wasps Grape Bug Mite Red or Spinning Spider Friendly Sand-wasps White Rot Mildew Diseases Powdery Figs Fungoid of Eight Moth Other Fruits and Figure Pine-apples and Woodlice Canker Cucumber Pests Aphides, Thrips Yellow " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " Cucumbers, on Blotch in the Knob Root " Eelworm of the first the Tomatoes White " or forward of his commencement the career EngUsh cHmate are brought home real and often very exasperatingfashion. how ground, some even or tomato the he the At over. gardener should notice He before. weather little bit Snowy things that the novice to is the possessionof of the the Cucumber " Leaf Fly Ants " Greenhouse. ONElooks At and Melons it to him He some in had some bloom one's very cursed a and more time, if haply the same pass by cinerarias has does now gardening a greenhouse. terrible vagaries at budding conservatory when snow a is on and the neighbour who points with joy to Ms' have not plantsactuallyin fruit when a germinated,he draws in his breath 107 quickly, ^drops INSECT 108 is in his whatever / must A hand, and says tensely, It is enough, " glass," have of start PESTS sort some be must made somehow. Even if it only be a couple of old window-sashes over a hole in the ground, stiU the magic word glass conjures up visions of beautiful thingsto come, ing a smiUng wife beambaskets of earlyradishes and lettuce, over the children and cress free,gratis browsing from punnets of mustard and for nothing off father. The newly-dug plot is all trimmed of seedHng onions, up ready to receive battaUons to come cabbage and sprouts. The young tomatoes are wheeUng out like a squadron of cavalry whole weeks before the man who has no glasshas had his sleepless nights rewarded by the first pale sign of a seed-leaf in " " his frost-bound boxes. sashes is in the morning, and to walk seen bold gaze Indeed of look yet, somehow conservatory that about others six that glorifiedbicycle sheds lumber Before room. of this I may causes between a with a in the firmer tread eye with the things. other, for or is world the does And with the window- man his business to who one the a there success either are one not greenhouse or are usually used, or become and workshops, occasionallya to define the proceedinghowever well disposeof the distinction as greenhouseand conservatory a ; so if we want be nasty nice let us say that a greenhouse is a glass structure where the actual growing is done, a conservatory to being where the " with a ornamental more but similar kind of erection permit ourselves with all due modesty to do ourselves showing off." Let us, however, content the greenhouse,and the conservatory will look we after itself. Of course is because was it a the it proved failure ? cases is that there was not why reason the a a greenhousebecomes failure in the first season. I believe the main derelict Why fault in dozens chosen, or aspect was wrong enough attention paid to the vital of perhaps question of temperature, which if any which case thermometer ventilated be kept absolutelyconstant is to be obtained. allowed to become These tures struc- midday midnight, in very hot at correspondingbig drop at A if plantssicken or die. wonder it is no should be placedat each end, the placewell suffer to must success sometimes are and of measure 109 PESTS GREENHOUSE a when the sun is up and to before the fire seen for the night. Class your plants accordingto the retiring to the temperature they requireand grow them as near lightas possible. attended to, But supposing all this has been carefully of failure,viz. the ravages of ingenuityin gettinginto a greenhouse or there is stillanother insects,whose ground frame think there is no cause extraordinary. You cranny through which the is sometimes nook or may tiniest possiblycreep. He will be there all the One same. patent thing about insects is their very abiUty to enter or escape through incrediblysmall holes in comparison to their size. In my earlydays,Uke many got hunting,and frequently boys, I used to go butterfly parasitecan in the brambles, so that after a few accidents of this sort a needle and thread was always part of my equipment on these expeditions. It had been most the net torn exasperatingwhen, having captureda fine Painted Lady, I found her whistlingaway through the net and across the clover with a merry laugh,as much as to say, Thought Yet the hole through which you'd got me, I suppose ? her ladyshipmanaged to squeeze would scarcelyhave allowed a halfpennyto pass. That is how With a greenhouse it is a they get out. of gettingin. It is surprising how the news case spreads through the insect world as soon as your latest model of the CrystalPalace is erected and the workmen have left. One would think there were and editors flyingjournalists with to wireless full particulars a bristUng antennae in advance. And of course if you go and profortnight vide in a tropical temperature an arctic climate you must " " 110 INSECT PESTS expect thingsto happen and stiffen your sinews accordingly. You must desire for a greenhouse justifyyour by defending it againstall comers. Cockchafers mil blunderingly collide with the glassin compUment to its liquidclearness and retire with certain Waterbeetles will alight language and a broken nose. with grace and spend lots of time endeavouringto take headers into the Hmpid depths which strangelyresist all their efforts,and are only induced (upon reflection) to seek some sensible pond wherein they may rest their aching jointsand tell a few friends their opinionof mankind fraudulent If we have been as copyistsof Nature. so misguided as to put up our structure on the ground without itself, buildingdwarf walls of concrete or brick, with cement floors and plant beds of thoroughlycleansed soil,we shall have the worshipfulcompany of wireworms assisted by youthful may-bugs fullyaUve to the possibilities of root-eating and stem-boring just as much in advance If our of house lightand need a handy many the season is built with a as heavy are the selves. plantsthem- rafters that exclude the great deal of putty, these will also afford retreat for the eggs of the red spiderduring its quiescent period. Mealy-bug, thrips,white scale, woodlice, the winged females of green and white fly,the and fungi will all find snug spores of mildew, canker homes in such tiny cubby holes as the lappingsof the glass,sash openings, door frames, struts and skirting boards, if any of these are ever allowed to harbour the merest suspicion of dirt. Moral : Have your panes of of putty or else glass as large as possible,a minimum as patent glazing,framework hght as is consistent with strength ; then swill out frequentlyall such harbours of trouble above referred to : givea coat of paintor creosote at favourable opportunitieswhen the house is at rest. " The is milk-white more than cleanhness a foible of of the successful nurseryman pride. professional He has GREENHOUSE had PESTS learn in the hard to school of 111 experiencethat it is absolutelya sine qua non. In this chapter I propose to take the principal greenhouse and describe the subjects(except flowers) pests Hable to suffer from. Needless to say our first they are example is the Vine. From the days of remotest the Vine has been antiquity brated inseparablyassociated with man, and it has been celein song and story,simile,metaphor and allegory all nations in all ages. As a source of inspiration among to poetry and reHgionthe Vine has exercised the highest attributes of our kind, whilst in the discovery of the fermentation of its juicesand the abuse of such has lain of much the cause human vice and misery. With such a wide range and longhistoryit was able inevitthat the Vine insect and Hke countries artificial means finer varieties should other become the home of innumerable parasites,more in particularly England where we have tried to obtain by a permanent supply,home-grown, of the of the grape that are indigenous to southern chmates. If it can unnatural of, as be said that drink they gout and were other heavy wines such as port are an for an Englishman,and when partaken formerly,in large quantities,produce diseases,it is equallytrue that the black in order grape and all exotic kinds need the greatest care to ward off the enemies and ailments that will undoubtedly assail them. At the same time no of ambition is man likelyto go short of a good vine because of the trouble requiredin lookingafter it,for at least the claims of the sick-room should be borne in mind, even if the dinner table goes short. The pests of the Vine 1. Beetles. A be enumerated may Scarabid soft tissue of the as follows {Anomala vitis)devours leaves. Another : " the tiny species will destroy the roots. {Emolpus vitis) Some halfdozen kinds of weevils, of which the Black or PESTS INSECT 112 Weevil sulcatus)is the worst {Otiorrhynchus offender, feed during the larval stages on the adults upon and regalethemselves the roots as Vine leaves. also add the Cockchafer We must young and the Click Beetles (Wireworms). 2. Moths. of the largermoths {N. typica),the larvae of several The leaves,e.g. the Gothic UnderLine Dart the Yellow White {A. tritici), and the Buff wing {T. pronuba), the White and S. hihricipeda). Ermines {S. menihastri eat vine tiny moth called the Grape Tortrix (Conchylisambiguella) which spins up in second and feeds on the flowers in springtime, a moth brood of the same boring into the fruit 3. Then there later on. is a Hemiptera. Among these which {Coccus vitis), we have infests the the Grape Scale bark, as weU as (C. adonidum), an insect which from abroad, while the most has been introduced the Mealy Bug deadly Louse roots 4. pests is seen which {Phylloxeravastatrix) of and all grape the Vine attacks both in leaves aUke. Wasp the Hornet (F. crabro)are of ripe fruit. at the time the chief offenders Certain Sand Wasps {Odyneri) are predacious Hymenoptera. Here of {Vespisvulgaris)and upon the Vine Weevils courte above the Common referred to. Spideror Spinning the underside on Mite, which breed so profusely of their vital of the leaves and deprive them juices. and fungi. 6 Mildew wigs I might perhaps have included Aphids, Thrips,Earand Flies,but these have been dealt with already will apply. remedies under other heads, and the same As will be seen, this is a prettycomprehensivelist that might have to tackle in the case of the vine, and as one we 5. Leaving insects,we come to Red INSECT 114 water above. as PESTS Wherever weevils be number, taken are found of their "lie advantage may by shaking them into a cloth or propensities and gatheringthem (See up for destruction. A beetle known as Anomala in any doggo" umbrella Plate 24.) vitis feeds upon the soft It is,however, more mon com- tissues of the leaves of vines. Europe than in England, and is related to the sacred Scarab, formerly worshipped by patra's Cleobe seen the Egyptians,drawings of which on may The insect is only about J of an inch in Needle, length and behaves very much Uke a weevil. Its larva for weevils applies. lives in dung. The same treatment as attacks the roots small beetle,Eumolpus vitis, Another and causes injury which at times prevents the formation in of and shoots new ^ of south the inch an in of may kill the even length. The vine. It is about vigilancewhich will be keep out the weevils will also upset the calculations of Eumolpus. (See Plate 24.) chafer Two remainingbeetles which attack vines are the CockIn greenhousesthese should and the Wire worm. combated be successfully by the cleansingof the soil by of the May-bugs and the entrance renewal each season, coverings which preventedby the use of gauze window of birds and are employed also as a bar to the entrance exercised wasps We to who now come after the pass to the fruit. Lepidoptera,where varied if not All attention. a awaits our company very distinguished First there is the Gothic {N. typica) moths. of them are rather has the Its caterpillar is a leaf-eater. which unusual habit of commencing life as a tree-feeder and later on descending to feast upon winter greens and lowin itself occurs growing herbage generally.The moth be and June during the breeding season, which may extended two months, lays eggs on the underside over of the vine leaves and other fruit foliage.During their selves are arrangingthemgregarious, youth these caterpillars in a curiouslyformal fashion side by side as they eat the away the At withers cuticle of the leaf,which outer consequence. 115 PESTS GREENHOUSE of the end foliage when autumn, in selves gets scarce, they separate and proceed to establish themon docks, plantain,etc., as well as on cabbage and They are about 1 1 inches long when crops. pale brown in colour, smooth, with a shiny full-grown, The pupal change takes placein the late autumn head. other green with the ground. We are here concerned in its youth, and by far the best remedy is egg caterpillar search, but faihng that, spraying with carbolic soap the beneath induce should emulsion the marauders tracks make to jungle outside at an early stage in their career. The moth measures If inches across the fore- wings,which are deUcatelymarbled in grey and brown, the hind wings being of a uniform grey colour. The body is stout, as for the with long, slender between the distinguish antennae to The but, Hke a and are male this is one, pointed. There moths, of which Noctuid most appearance. fringe his feelers, boast of the Uttle bit of on may the moustache White which moth Dart Line has been in Chapter III as a are usuallyroot- Both these insects pest of the Lettuce. The feeders,but vine-leaves are also eaten. dark brown hind wings thorax, and IJ inches across with palerbrown are whitish have of this moth sides being dingy The moth at the middle when a the White Line the which are fore-wings, and white markings. The base, where they join the smoke-coloured border. The pillar cater- is smooth, mottled brown on top, the green with a pale grey lateral stripe. end appears of the of August they pupate at common leaf-buds with the Yellow Under- leaves of the vine,in common wing Moth, which has been dealt with measures it. see both damage to and Dart man, young is another {A. tritici) known is Uttle in outward sexes of the pre-war weak magnifyingglassis necessary in order to The the and in July the larvse month, until and the in the soil. end Egg are eggs feeding from of search the on laid the season, the leaves INSECT 116 PESTS digging up the pupae from the roots are the best of checking these moths. methods (See Plate 25.) Moth The Ermine common {8.menthasiri)is stillmore troublesome. and more Everybody has seen this woolly, is conspicuous on which extremely active caterpillar, to bolt every leaf throughout the day and yet manages out of reach at the first signof danger. Entomological and books Ermine larva is comwill tell you that the White mon low herbage. generally everywhere and eats everything, although quite true, this is scarcelydefinite enough, and it certainlyought to be scheduled as a vine and the in London pest. I have noticed, particularly But suburbs, that this larva, and also that of the Buff Ermine (S. lubricipeda)which is very similar, but of a richer, in to grape addicted darker brown, are vines, as much glass. The first brood of moths May and lays eggs on dock leaves and feed in company other weeds, where the young caterpillars off singly,often to great for a time and then wander distances, and feed on anything good that is going. It is surprisinghow they get into the places that they do, houses estabhshingthemselves with ease, if not grace, in greenwhen and among or changing their pot plants, of our take possession skin or about to pupate, they even With and home. house regard to vines, spraying will off be shaken not larvae,and they must injure Ermine into a cloth or umbrella, picked up with gloved hands The weband dropped into a jar of salt or alum water. air as open in out hatches the hke found cocoons, crannies whenever under about seen. in corners of greenhouseor garden,should The natural enemies nooks or rooms be of the and destroyed foregoing but there usuallyDipterous or two-winged flies, tage. advanof employing these to our method is no practical be encouraged, Owls and bats, however, should of as they hunt down and devour considerable numbers moths. (See Plate 25.) night-flying A small Tortrix moth, C. ambiguella,is also a leaf-eater moths are PESTS GREENHOUSE vines. on Tortrices, although a The 117 minor group of rate up for their size by their prohfic is a moth It does not follow that because of increase. be ignored. In fact it is just these small in size it can that are apt at firstto be overlooked, creatures diminutive moths, often make which and in many damage because especially to cope it is too with, of horticulturist more do the cases we are it is not least able seen until the difficulties that attend their study is due the fact that the historyof these tiny insects has been rather neglected, so that there is always the chance the To late. and food-growerdiscovering they will go to the trouble the to science if something new of boxing and observingstrange little insects whenever an (See Plate 25.) opportunityoccurs. called by the entomologist These very small moths are life stories are Their exceedingly Microlepidoptera. and diverse,as much so as those of beetles. interesting In the Tortrices we have those moths which roll or twist up the leaves and buds of oiir fruit and forest trees, or lay their eggs in the calyx of the flower in order that work its way into the fruit hatched the grub when may have alreadyseen and feed out of sight. We one or two the Orchard examples among pests. The word Tortrix leaf -twister), which twister a name (i.e. simply means there are aptly expresses their general habits. Then the Tinea, among which we get the Clothes Moths on account whose much so naphthalene and camphor has to woollen be purchased to protect our attire, furs, feathers,etc. The Deltoides or Snout Moths, so-called of the extremelylong palpi which the account on cover proboscis; the PyraHdes or Meal Moths, which worry the miller ; the Crambites which or we Veneers, among find the insect which bee-keepers have cause to remember, Moth viz. the Honeycomb other groups. are (C. cerella), Finallythere are the Pterophorior Plume Moths, whose wings are so spHt up that they look like feathers and are quite devoid of any coveringmembrane. " " INSECT 118 will be As PESTS it would realized, be impossibleto take even families here, considering of all these briefest survey that the labours of Henry Stainton the alone any filled thirteen have of the one favourable plan is to " conditions watch may when their the British Tinea good-sizedvolumes, although " micros on we up in full force under least expect it. Our best turn and methods break the chain at spot. If it is a leaf-miner,spray the foliage early enough, when nearly full out, and so kill the first If it is a brood it hatches. twister as gather up all If it is a the nests with the greatest care and burn them. the weak " fruit eater, clear out pupse from the so'l,and so forth. The Vine chinks " of bark and under Tortrix, C. ambiguella,alreadyreferred to, chrysaHs,which lies in crevices about and seeking the springtime,fluttering The to lay its eggs one buds on which by one. young caterpillars spin several flower-buds together and gnaw them cluster, thus about, soon passing on to another doing great damage. They feed for about a month, and from which then in June they hatch spin up a cocoon, out as moths a fortnightlater. (See Plate 25.) Now begins the worst injury,for the second brood attacks all the unaffected fruits, layingeggs on the stalks, the larvae boring into the grapes and thereafter behaving in apples. The second pupation Uke Codhn much moths the loose bark where takes placein among they pass the winter. Sprayingwith caustic potash and careful removal The moth is the treatment. of convenient hiding-places itself is,like most Tortrices,a dainty httle affair,about buff with these being creamy the fore-wings, f inch across light sepia markings, and with a broad band, almost from the front margin. The hind black, taperingdown wings are white with smoky grey outer margin,beautifully fringed. Not to be diverted with the beauty of the moth, we must keep busy with potash and scraper if we wish to first appears of bark, in out of the GREENHOUSE PESTS 119 keep it in check. it is hardly hkely so burnt. the As is grape that eggs that much of the in searching springtime larvae in should be removed all sillien webs should be made even as earlyas possible, generation considerable loss of grapes Passing from moths subject to attack from though in that we now, certain off the second to cut it may mean season. particular find the grape vme is of the Hemiptera. For Grape Scale {Coccus vitis)and the Mealy the instance done be can size and regardsthe second brood, their presence betrayed by a blueish spot on the fruit, endeavour an microscopicin are presence enough, and is evident in the The But for them. and PESTS INSECT 120 cochmeal (C. adonidum), relatives of the famous of commerce. insect They infest the bark, and both be disposedof by paintingwith methylatedspirit may or turpentine. (See Plate 26.) Neither of these pestsare so deadly or serious,however, the terrible Grape Louse as [Phylhxera vastatrix)which belongs also to this order of insects,and it will be worth while our studying this pest a Uttle more closely. of which of the As in the case a variety {A. Aphids, turns vitis)of course up on vines and should be met in Bug with time and the more even spray, phylloxerapresentsa remarkable of reproductionthan elaborate scheme ascribe may it gets itself its relative ; to which cause, by the way, we the firm hold it has upon a vine house once established. details The feeders from (See Plate 25.) are as leaf and or the same has There is a on the " be root- great-grandmother, less wingviz. offspring, and winged leaf-eaters Uke herself, infesting is to carry may bud distinct classes of two Lice eaters, both kinds being produced female. The is reproductionscheme complexity itself. who follows -."Vine good " work above whose root- mission ground. Both these to females, always. The first can continue reproduce females, aU root-infestingand aU wingless. children The are second producesa winglessfemale and this time a INSECT 122 PESTS in March, can be responsible for 23,000,000 before October is out. descendants The insect was first mencing from brought vineries since America, 1865, and is has been now common known in EngHsh enough throughout world. the The are chieflyrepresented by Hymenoptera the Hornet Wasp {V(Spa vulgaris)and Common the (F. crabro) against which nest-destroyingcampaigns are famihar enough throughout the country. There is,by the way, a friendlygenus of Sand-wasps, Uve in walls and dry places,Odyneri by name, which which them, go hawking after weevils, pouncing upon them and to death carryingthem away bodilyas stinging food for their young. The guished Odyneri are easilydistinfrom the common as they have no yellow wasp the abdomen. belts across (See Plate 24.) I should favour mentioned have also that there is in count one millepedesin that they feast upon the rootfeeding vine louse, though most folks would think it scarcelysufficient warranty for welcoming their presence. Leaving insects we have stillto notice the Red Spider or SpinningMite (Tetranychus)which has almost as much of reproductionas the Vine Louse. It laysits eggs power in between the ribs of the leaves, and the spidersare in from ten to fourteen days. Tobacco tion fumigafull-grown is helpful and can be done whilst the plantsare in the drastic methods, such as cyanide house, other and more or sulphur poisoning,having to be arranged for when everything has been cleared out. (See Plate 24.) Our of reference of this the to of notice First Vine pests so a to grower. there is the from ailment %vith concluded fungi,as althoughoutside the province insects as chapter,they are often as troublesome or Powdery which a plantparasite spiralis), over be may on the United wild Mildew is States,where grape as well as of the supposedto it on occurs as Vine have a cultivated {U. come natural forms. GREENHOUSE The fungusappears the on as delicate white a 123 PESTS tops of the leaves and also on powder in patches young shoots and Spraying with potassium sulphide should be repeatedas occasion requiresand all diseased leaves and Dust with flowers of sulphur fruit collected and burnt. also. (See Plate 25.) fruit. Then there branches Bordeaux and folks have Rot, which is White eats its way into attacks foliage. fungus never deal with it,as many will effectually districts of France in the wine-growing fruit. This mixture noticed Italy,where bunches of grapes may be seen coated with the blue verdigris which to the uninitiated looks at first as though the remedy were reallythe disease. It is washed off quite easily. The greenhouse is capable of providingus with the much-prized green figsin England,whilst the pine-apple itself is the perquisite afford to spend a of those who can also Pines of course are sovereignto get half-a-crown. in specialpits on a hot-bed, but they are very grown costlyto produce. Both crops are subjectto Mealy Bug and " and White done " Scale, which can be met with kerosene sion, emul- time. The above remarks also fruiting trees such as peaches,apricots, oranges, before apply to fruit mulberries,nectarines,etc. On all these trees a lookout should be kept for Tortrix moths well as for scale and as aphis. The Figure of Eight Moth, described in the last chapter,is also likelyto turn up, and I give a drawing of its larva for identification on Plate 26.) Next to cucumbers. Here we come are Aphis again, well as Red also all of which as Spider. Thrips occur, have been treated of. Woodlice also give trouble unless routed out, and it is hardlynecessary to say any rigorously more The about Canker that. attacks cucumbers, melons {M. citrullina) and greenhousetomatoes. This fungus betraysitself by of the stems of the a greyish white sicklyappearance which may often be killed outright. It is one of plants, INSECT 124 PESTS artificial state of things an penaltiesof introducing such as obtains in a glasshouse, and the moist and warm is essential to its development. Spraying environment the plantswith hver of sulphurwill prevent the spread of the disease,and those plants badly attacked should be has to be pulledup and burnt. The Board of Agriculture this fungus appears. notified whenever (See Plate 27.) Another disease of Cucumbers and Melons is Ctrcos'pora the melonis, better known Leaf as Blotch. It presents the shown in the sketch,the spots beingpalegreen appearance in size gradually, at first and increasing turninggrey and then brown with a the fruit about come that spots be examined a tinyforest strong magnifyingglass, the trees where If these brown in colour. are the minute the spores which are will be seen, stalks of the fungus,and drop off when ripeand blow Why do fungi elsewhere. carry on their work It will be found in this way and spoilour crops ? it is pale,ill-grown, in most emaciated cases plants to predisposedfirst of all to get the fungi,and the Nature of the latter is simply a case where occurrence steps in, by her agent, to destroysuch plants. What we to do is to have prevent the healthy plants getting infected,mainly by removing all weak stuff,and as a precaution using an emulsion of soft soap and potassium sulphide. (See Plate 28.) which are It has been noticed in the case of cucumber and melon air lose the to the open plantsremoved that the fungus and put out new fohage,thus indicating disease has been induced purelyby the artificialconditions that too rapid existing. We should therefore remember growth at the expense of robustness is a dangerouscourse for ourselves and our neighbours. leaf blotch Root and that Knob tomatoes. Eelworm is also hable See remarks pests. The roots the first symptom assume at end the form to attack of cucumbers chapteron shown in the orchard sketch, being a dropping and witheringof the of the whole followed by Hmpness and collapse foliage, 125 PESTS GREENHOUSE eelworms young which increase in size until they become 7V inch in length, pear-shaped.They then lay eggs on other parts of the their worm-hke re-assume root on a fresh plant and or knobs plant. The shown Soil infested carbohc acid solution form. left to that act on two must be saturated successive twice in and fortnights, is Gas Ume for at least six weeks. second remedy. It should be noted a and other plants weeds many of eelintermediary hosts for the preservation where for its appearance which fact will account clover, grasses and as worm, as badly the out sweeten employed contain it could not have been otherwise explained.(See Plate 27.) fungoiddiseases half the battle in avoiding cleanHness spoken of at consists in the scrupulous them a the beginning of this chapter,and before re-stocking house a fumigation of sulphur is a good thing as an absolute fungicide. conclude our chapterwith the White or Snowy We may to science as Aleyrodes Fly,a hemipterousinsect known inside both is of common occurrence which proletella, bage the greenhouseon tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.,and on cabin ChapSee remarks and other crops out of doors. ter be III on cabbage pests. In houses the blightmay fumes. with tobacco removed (See Plate 14b.) Some are a great peoplethink that Ants (Formicidae) nuisance, though I cannot see why, except in the case of which gets into cupAnt (F. domestica) the Httle House boards left uncovered. where jam and honey are business of the yellow and the black ants The main of find in greenhousescrawhng up the stems which we the plantsis to hunt for small beetles to eat and aphides Loosened of their honey dew. to milk paths and afford in old structures skirtings spaces behind shrunken them house room. Naphthalene and seaUng up such is wanted. (See Plate spaces with putty will do what 3, Fig. 5, and Plate 26.) In all these " " 1^6 INSECT PESTS VII CHAPTER FUNGOID and Important peculiar position What " is a ? Fungus favourable Fungi of development the to of Method " PLANTS OF DISEASES in the Vegetable Kingdom tions Condireproduction of parasitical fungi " " root Club diseases Potato checking their action Swedes and Heart rot of Mangolds or Fingers and Toes Clover Bean and Pea Celery and Parsley Leaf Spot Fungi of White Rust Onion Sickness Corn Fungus Fungi and Cankers Mildew Apple Cabbages Gooseberry Disease Diseases Leaf Spot Raspberry Strawberry Means of " " " " " " " " " " " Silver Leaf. of fungoid question THEstrictly speaking an in the seen insect book. case At of the Vine diseases that one of " " " the and in the last within comes time, same other plants is of the as we not vince prohave greenhousesubjects to find both insect chapter,the grower fungus pests in close proximity even though they and is bound be in any way associated with one another. not may For this reason therefore it has been thought advisable to take a few which attack short outline as To We the to best of the prominent examples of fungi and destroy crops and fruit,and give a of their life historyand some suggestions way answer in which to combat their activities. well ask, what is a fungus ? this questionbest by lookingat the position begin with, we can more may very in life which fungi occupy, and as it will be worth while examining it one then, the VegetableKingdom Briefly, 127 pecuhar little closely. it is a a is divided up 128 INSECT into four great Orders with the lowest of PESTS Plants,as follows,commencing : ^"1.Thallophyta, Simple, celliilar,flowerless plants,including all the Sea-weeds, Algae, and Fungi Cryptogamia Lichens. Beyophyta. Simple flower-bearingplants. or such "1 Concealed Liverworts as 3. Pteridophyta. Flowers. or or " I I Flowers it Club the on ; Flowers," and " underside of the tails, examples, Ferns, Horse- Mosses. Flower [*"Spermaphyta. Plants embracing all -! Visible Now is fronds and Phanerogamia Mosses. Spore-bearing plants whose fructification leaves and and Grasses seed-bearing and Vegetables," Herbs, Cereals Bushes Trees. from this list that the appear of Plants described were almost a sideshow might perhaps first three Orders to have compared with the last, where we seem all that is generallymeant roped in practically by the word it true so as vegetation. This is by no means however, as the algaeand fungi,which, according seems, to our arrangement, belong to the lowest order of plants, selves, together comprise a whole unexplored universe in themwhich the microscopehas done so much to reveal. Between the Fungi and the higher orders too, there is, shall see, a great gulf fixed. it is amongst Now as we these minute of plants or plant organisms that many our or diseases common plant ailment, and so found we whether shall do it be well to an animal just glance details of fungus growth before speaking of the particularexamples given in this chapter. (SeePlate 29.) Although fungi belong to a lowly order, they are part of a very important group, the speciesof which far outnumber still insufficiently the higher plants, and are is a fungus like ? What word comes from The known. the Latin and means mushroom, that favourite esculent, of which, with the toadstools and puff-balls, the form at the are is familiar to all. But take, for instance, that curious INSECT 130 PESTS though they be chemically identical with the vegetablesthat will support it. If this were not so the tabloid lunch would be a in the standing dish City to-day. But we human beings,Hke the rest of the animal creation, are supported by the assimilation of carbon, iron,salt,etc.,and above all starch,so that calling has more in it than meets the a stiff-necked generation us But have must these we things in a bulky and eye. and fish being merely a vegetableform, meat of course transmuted vegetable. We require them bulky because not happy unless they are the walls of our stomach are small distended, not to say gorged, although many a also require We boy may have long views on that score. these thingsin a vegetableor other organicform because could not digest their equivalent off the chemist's shelf. we in aU plants, It is clear then that it is the chlorophyll except fungi,which enables the whole fauna or living on." this earth to creatures on Except fungi! carry in the beginningof ChapterIII. That's justit,and as we saw as regards insects,here we have another case of the obscure and unnoticed parasitecarryingon work which is vital future and may be even to our shaping our destiny,for are obligedto subsist fungi,containingno chlorophyll, Those fungi organicmatter either livingor dead. upon feed upon which deca3dng tissues reallyperform the them function of removing agents, for they transform once again into their originalelements, but the fungi which support themselves upon a livingplant or animal alone, even " " " are and inimical therefore and diseases. These, as come under indicated the above, head are, of pests without appearingto do so, very often in control of the situation, if not actuallyrulingthe roost. We fungi are a plant group which see, then, that stand quite by themselves, the species, through being devoid of chlorophyll, being compelled to subsist either another livingorganism or upon something which upon has lived before. FUNGOID DISEASES OF PLANTS 131 INSECT 132 This is where their grower's point of of native importance This tuberosum. America, which South from in comes Take, for instance, the view. Potato, Solanum PESTS plant been has the common is really a introduced during the past four or five hundred short period in the scale years, a relatively is able of evolution. In England the almighty spud of the months to continue its growth during about seven it has to be protectedfrom the rigourof the year, when all the positionof the If only that were seasons. spud human would be fairly beings secure, as long as there were to store and protect it,even though it might never become at this point another native plant. But a party has something to say, one Phytophthora infestans,who has into other most countries " " " " them to see power comes What, along and says, respected. P. infestans if I know it." Away he goes to Solanum here ! Not of invisible agents,and good-bye to release his miUions strong views, backed with up the " crop by the time their fell work. potato your have done The suffer from to these we must of our the case break the which trouble in order our to the apply the crops of insects. chain of us. arrive as we In the Hke plantswhich attacks of fungi,and to meet to the managesame principles ment is potato, however, have Phytophthora and a only of the one have seen word let be to us find necessary out where in to development in the plant parasites study hfe histories Again we must the weak at spot at which to apply check. The life historyof a variations,is somewhat fungus,althoughthey show as follows many : Spore,a simple cellular body, practically invisible,and capableof being blown about by the merest puffof air until it alights upon Sometimes takes and root it the host plant, where grows. all different, three host plants, there are two or even yet the fungi on each are merely preliminarystages in the Existence commences in the form of a DISEASES FUNGOID developmentof the its circle returns PLANTS OF havingcompleted which parasite, same to the first once For instance, the more. spots called "cluster-cups" little red barberry was classed once the ovals orange-coloured was called Uredo as jEcidium found segetum. They 133 bramble on grasses on now are or herberidis,and and known corn to be graminis, or Wheat plant,Pwccmm IVIildew. In the full-gro\vTi fungus there is often little and between to distinguish flower, judging root, stem by ordinary standards, at least in the tiny organisms of a The cells are all much here dealingwith. are we muchness, being a collection of thin-walled boxes of substance which is the basis protoplasm,the gelatinous and one the same of all life. examplesare Some and mildews, which endless Plate 30 of familiar moulds illustrate the simplicity and yet the shown on varietyof fungalgrowth. It will be noticed that in all these objectof the little round and plantappears marked bodies this is in fact the to *' be the examples the main productionof the s," which are the spores, case. released from the tiny,invisible spores, once parent plant,from which they are often expelledwith a sudden jerk, float about in the atmosphere and are wafted to decayingmatter, or on to the soil or the host plant on as the case ment may be, until conditions favour their developinto full-grown the to same fungi carry on process This explainsthe in their turn. otherwise once more unaccountable of a fungus disease where appearance least expected. The offendingspores may rested have dormant indefinite period,or for an been blown have along by chance in the breeze. It is always at the spore stage that we seek to must These break is done the once chain and check these they germinate. How troubles,as the harm is this to be plished accom- ? Now if there is one thingabove all others that fungi INSECT 134 hate it is carbolic But appearance. Are we able then to avoid as in which and as a one They also so apply soil dressing on to plant to administer the crop the acid is carboHc only be like vanish does injuryto put in. The which need are acid. PESTS life this dose itself ? as the vacant treatment magic at its in general! in such The safest way form with soap emulsion an field before the is,however, brought into play a a plants drastic in very bad cases. A and better scheme, for which obtains the same much general use result at on a largescale, less cost, is to ground evenly with powdered quicklime a to go in. month before the plants or seeds are so or This has the double advantage of improving the ground it follows that and warding off fungi spores. Whence it is on the well-managed soils that plants escape these things,givingthem that rapidand vigorousgrowth which is unfavourable to the germinationof parasitical diseases. I now to take a short general survey of the propose common fungi which attack fruit and vegetablecrops. The subjectis a big one, and I can only deal with it in the briefest way within the limits at my disposal. first. Among field and garden crops the potato comes The dangerous exotic, as it has been called, is subject the most fifteen or twenty fungoiddiseases in all, to some prevalentbeing : Potato disease, Corky Scab, Dry Rot, disease,Wart Skin Spot, Leaf Curl, Silver Scurf and Rust. to the botanist The first-mentioned,known as Phytobhght," has phthora infestans and to the farmer as Plate 31, the the leaf shown the generalappearance on on the of the fungus itself under microscope appearance being also indicated. portant of fact Potato Bhght has had a very imAs a matter effect on English history. Possibly,if it were asked, who brought about Free Trade, nine out of ten Richard Cobden," which would peoplewould answer spread the " " DISEASES FUNGOID It be quite wrong. Irish potato famine at 135 the author infestans, of the consequent Corn beyond the pale of pohte of 1845, and took the matter Riots P. was PLANTS OF once the " is upon peoplecried out, The Hunger caused famine The was time to drop talldng. it was us by'pinfestans out alone,which swept hke a scourge throughthe late crop of potatoes to Ireland and reduced short weeks, leavingsix in two of putrefaction mass one milUons of peopleto face the winter on practically nothing. occurred before ot No such deadly warning had ever almost solely the dangers of leavinga largepopulation dependent for their food upon a riskyexotic plant. At When debate. " that time of the httle very to-day,by Blight,but Bordeaux mixture, " known was we may of the nature and cause the aid of sprayers and claim to largeextent a that bUghted. No country, however, should time be entirelydependent for its sustenance at any its food value is. The the potato, excellent as upon which we should pin absolute faith upon only food-plant the " is bhghter is wheat, which Homer If that ever fails us on calls " the marrow of men." of the grand scale,the position indeed. human at large will be precarious race With and Burgundy regard to the use of Bordeaux mixture for potato disease,it should be pointedout that these remedies cannot cure, they are only a protection watched againstattack. Hence the crop must be carefully and the sprayingmust be done in time. It should be started at the end of May for earhes in the West of England,in the middle of June for late crops there and in South Wales. The *' In a word, follow the a Riviera season wherever " counties and the Sunny South want it before the end of June, London and the Home Counties by the middle of July,and further north before the end of that month, in aU cases the leaves soon as as and haulms well developed. It must be repeated are you are. at times in the event Wart "The Disease of or heavy rains. Black Scab of is potatoes mor^ INSECT 136 serious PESTS difficult to handle and gainsa hold is due to and It endohiohcum. lives potato, the than Blightwhere it as Synchytrium the fungusknown a as parasite within a cells being stimulated into like Club Root of turnips,the subdivision much are being entirelydestroyed. Here again we of the cells the active tubers in the of the invisible spore, which may dormant remain the soil for years ; it may be conveyed on the boots hands m of the grower from by birds, a pig if the it may animal or latter which placeto one pass has small As from and that carboUc is most but likelyin in the can should in come so case be always be mainly over a effectual. many when seed-tubers should disease-resisters bad a difficult This is the soil. treatment above, the pest stated fed cheap method, a the area the the of all diseases to eradicate of dropped body of through the spoilttubers, on harmless been be is a criminal offence. way said that Wart Disease is the most by It has been for want ; it may another ways, planted,so chosen wherever Among earhes these are King George, Great Conquest. Among lates try Abundance! Admiral, or Langworthy. (See Plate 31.) ease is a milder disCorky Scab {Spongosporasubterranea) it has occurred. Scot and the of potatoes, more country. It is prevalent in the wetter parts of usually confined to the outer skin, but in penetrates canker. severe forms the flesh and becomes a Steepingthe seed if affected in a solution of to a gallonof water) (about a dessertspoonful formahn will clean it,and regards soil,it should be ascertained of hme, which, as it happens, there is an excess whether favours this particular fungus. If so sulphateof ammonia be appHed. should Dry or Winter Rot of Potatoes, caused by Nectria dried solani,happens when the tubers are insufficiently after storing, with the result that they shrink and collapse, as becoming in a short space Other fungi. Kainit,if it of time can be a culture ground for got,is a good artificial INSECT 138 PESTS their cycle penetrate the tissue to commence is fatal to the Fingers and of life again. Lime Toes disease,and the ground should therefore be dressed with ordinaryslaked Ume, powdered and spread evenly. This is better than the ground lime sold,as it is cheaper and contains no impurities. (See Plate 32.) The Heart Rot of Mangolds and Swedes, and of Sugar in this country as in France, Beet, is not so common they but soon have cases been badly infested. germinatesfirst on the and the leaves wilting, root the a whole field with every The fungus, Sphaerellatahifica, stalks and upper part of the plant, of finallypenetratingthe crown of destruction work the root, where of known goes on of out ugly black decayed mass. be left long about On no account should diseased roots fed to animals, but burnt to ashes as soon or as possible. this Red Beet is hardly ever attacked disease,and by therefore,be grown where this fungushas occurred. may, sight,leavingthe We we now interior Beans to pass an and Peas. These crops, as adopted by particular might expect, have been specially Plate 32.) speciesof fungi. (See Bean Rust {Uromyces fabce)is familiar enough. It occurs form both on of a broad leaf spot and as runner in shown beans, and the sketch, takes the the fungus itself being a collection of simpleegg-shapedcells. Two kinds of spore are shown, much enlarged,representing two stages in the growth. Sprayingdoes not injurethis that so fungus, and all bean haulm should be watched The compost burned. diseased portionsmay be at once heap is very valuable to the grower in these days, but every a care should be taken that it is not allowed to become fungal nursery. from Pod of the French and they do from Rust. the pods in the form presence Beans suffer severely Canker, Colletotrichum lindemuthianum,than Scarlet Runners more its first appearance on patches,which indicate the It makes of dark rooted spores. These soon cause the FUNGOID DISEASES OF PLANTS 139 iS3 O INSECT 140 bean to become its way ripeningand PESTS and stunted into withered,as fungus the plant prevents the of the pod which is desired. Bordeaux fattening mixture at half strengthor Uver of sulphurmixture to 4 gallonsof water) until the pods are half (1 ounce eats will ward grown affected and tissues the off this trouble. nospora of this To the naked eye it is appearance. the pods and is not hkelyto be much on unattractive dirtygrey bloom it is the appreciated,as leaves and that pods of the cause of year that calls up (See Plate 32.) are carried In similar to the above. somewhat winter the through beingan annual, of the on it follows that no of this should be as well be lost not " the on likelycards as burnt. collected and however, be useful a week or is the spore the must resting-spores leaves among The or should the weeds before full-grown. Leaf Spot of Celery comes The Bhght, and is called Septoriaapii. wild all affected strength Bordeaux so pea, find importance and grower, " Half Peas, all seeds, and decayed haulm, dead allied leguminousplantssuch as vetches. dish Aylesbury of case sanctuary among a wilted choice a fungus diseases other numerous yellow and of many memories deprive us time There bines an a not duck. sketches show The (See Plate 33.) healthy pod respectively. are subjectto Mould or Mildew, caused by Peroshows a highlymagnified view vicicB. The figure parasite,which presents under the microscopea Peas at the and will, plants are the head under the It has been on of the of the augmented use of this its first appearance vegetable. The Leaf Spot makes suffuse the as dirty greenish-brown spots, which soon increase of whole The late,on surface account of the fungusthen whole plant. As leaf and passes down cause it to the stalks and wither so away. ruins the enlargedsection,it behaves like potato blight, much worming its way in between the plantcells and so down to the vital parts. This explains shown in the OF DISEASES FUNGOID 141 PLANTS the damage is done. spray after and then the delicate threads or be there first, must find their way into of the fungalgrowth cannot of usingthe futility the We mycelia the outer celeryseeds themselves them, i.e; resting-spores, upon teleutospores, skin of the leaf. The have may solution in a weak it is advisable to steep them whence will kill the fungus before sowing, which of formaUn be used for spraying Bordeaux but not the seed. may the field,but as stated, everythingdepends upon the on (See Plate 32.) and An alhed Leaf Spot disease also attacks Parsley, also. remarks will apply in this case the above " word before." have Here a we pass to Clover Sickness. disease arisingfrom two looks Hke of what one case and withers The clover yellows different causes. entirely in patches,and this is brought about by (1) Eelaway worms (seeChapter IV under the head of Strawberry) We now 93.) (See page (2)the fungus Schlerotina trifolium. and closer examination A that the eelworm plants will show by a swelKng distinguished of the fungus no such case of the affected trouble is in the of the stalks,whereas swellingoccurs, but dark-coloured excrescences will be (See sketch.) The fungus itself is small megaphones. shown also, cmiously hke so many A spore-bearing myceUum is also indicated,containing eightspores which will presentlybe released to carry elsewhere. on (See Plates 20 and 34.) solution would certainly CarboHc emulsion or formahn is not kill this fungus in the soil,but such treatment feasible on a large scale. The Une of action,therefore, is by way of starvingthe fungus out, in other words keep infected land free from leguminous crops of aU kinds for some instead,and years, puttingin potatoesor corn found on the roots. " " the soil will be Wheat and other cereals graminis,or Black It freed. are Rust, to which beginsits curious historyas by Puccinia alreadyreferred. often attacked a I have spore which is released 142 INSECT PESTS "Q 3 .^-^}V; a O at J "/J t- Z "* O ^ o DISEASES FUNGOID in the straw from springtime on OF which on and this spore will onlygerminate leaf. Here it takes to itself a new a PLANTS it has been barberryor appearance, 143 resting, bramble that of "cluster-cup,"and poses as a different plant,once by way of showing having claimed a different name, advances, do if it tries. As the season what a fungus can each producinga chain of these cluster-cups fructify, tidious new orange-coloured spores. The latter are just as fastheir Hne of develojfment as about their chosen their old home abandon for they now on predecessors, the bramble-bush, and insist upon being promoted as the blades in thin hnes and proCom Rust, penetrating ducing this time posing more, orange-coloured spores once is getting Uredo segetum. Finally,as the season as on, be that these fancy tricks may and it is just possible to discovered, they think they would hke to go home roost again,so they put on their dark thingsand show in the form of dark lines more, up as P. graminisonce alongthe ripestraw, allready for business in another year. Corn is attacked by several fungi in addition to the includingBunt and Smut, which appears hke foregoing, grainsof soot in among the ears ; White-heads or Takethe corn bleached appearance ; assumes a all,where and of Barley and bhndness Oats, but there is As regardstreatment for no space available for these. corn fungi,most farmers elect to face a certain percentage of loss each year rather than lay out money on expedients which may not save their cost. This is practical wisdom far as it goes, but wherever as a fungus has had a serious effect it would be as well to study the progress of the disease from spore to spore again,and then launch an offensive againstit at the most hkely period. In the the " case of Black while, would " Rust, for instance,the time for this,if worth be justwhen the bramble are cluster-cups about to show Bordeaux all adjacenthoston up, when plantsshould arrest the thing in time, A long rotation also tends to discourage these fungi.(See Plate 34.) Onion schUideni)is Fungus {Peronospora districts. It takes many bloom the on the foliageof is ruined. the bulb of PESTS INSECT 144 A the the a in lilac-coloured if attacked plant,and sketch parasite under of form the common young of the appearance microscope. Dusting with is shown sulphur is the best measure against Onion Fungus. (See Plate 33.) with White Cabbages sometimes get badly deformed Ume Rust and on the underside of the This leaves. destructive aU over the world. fungus,Cystopus candidus, is common It is reallya parasiteof Shepherd'sPurse, on the leaves be seen. of which the clusters of spore-bearers may Where the fungus attacks the stalks of both wild and takes place,which cultivated plant an ugly malformation is a hotbed of disease for the next generation of cabbages. Such distorted leaves should therefore be systematically This burned and weeds like Shepherd'sPurse eradicated. fungus thrives,like most of its kind, in damp situations, and cabbagesplantedin a fairly dry,open placeare most likelyto escape injury. (See Plate 33.) A few examples of fruit fungiwill perhaps be found of value. Among these the outstanding example is the American [Sphcerithecamors-uvce), Gooseberry Mildew has in late years country to such an extent which Acts under that it is the fruit in this subjectof several ParHament, and figuresas a notifiable disease penaltiesfor non-compHance. (See Plate 35.) of American white bush devastated or Mildew summer, presents two and the brown well-marked or winter forms, the stage. In summer spore-production.The of spores are, however, dehcate, and a spell dry weather does as much as anything else to check their increase. which is the real menace, It is the winter,or resting-spore, from frost, it can remain either on the bushes,immune as or in the soil, perhaps for a year or so, and stillgerminate. growers be taken The by fruitgreatest precautions must both cases there wherever is this disease occurs, as the spores may INSECT 146 leaves. will be with home a of dark olive the bark and the tops of the green on Later on, when these leaves fall,black spores formed, and these will disperseand eventually gular patches find the on them fungus on fruit is bruised and the reallydetrimental, fruit and apple PESTS retards shown Scab, but in or the the its market fruit,specimensof the latter It is being shown. skin broken it fastens when growth. sketch that is price,at The Scab itself food only when becomes on value young of the scarcelyreduced all events in by the pre-war days, the trees in on might be seriouslyaltered. Bordeaux springwill prevent this disease gettinga serious hold. the rightwiU be seen to be covered The leaf shown on with regularround spots. This is the Apple Leaf Spot also a brown {Sphceropsis malorum), a fungus which causes The secret of spore productionis shown rot of the fruit. in the microscopicsection of a leaf through the middle times it will of a spot, and as it is magnifiedabout fifty be wafted these tinybodies may how easily be understood from about place to place. All fallen material should be carefully gatheredup and destroyed,whilst Bordeaux in the spring, should be used where mixture necessary just after the petalshave dropped. (See Plate 36.) is so important cultivation of field Strawberries The of be made in these days that a passingreference must a common injury that the plants suffer in the form of or a Strawberry Leaf fragarice, fungus called SphcBrella in the illustration, the aspect shown Spot,which assumes reddishthe colour of the spots being first brown or brown, and later a white spot appearing in the centre of the ruddy patch. The white spot itself is bounded by of red ring,which a givesthis disease the popular name Bird's Eye Spot. The effect of Strawberry Leaf Spot is the the yieldof fruit and weaken to materiallyreduce plantsfor the followingseason, but it may be prevented by careful watching and an early spraying with either liver of sulphuror Bordeaux, to be repeatedat intervals FUNGOID DISEASES OF PLANTS 147 Eh CO ^ P INSECT 148 until the flowers to the novice mixed with PESTS Here appear. that it is would again I point out always advisable to look at the side of the question. It is comparatively easy money to prescribea remedy which will be effectual,but quite another matter to prescribeone wiU appeal to a which This may sound a bit contradictory, but man. practical little thought will show that after all a grower's best a friends are his observation and his judgment, which cost gain. into the barnothing,and may save him a lot of money But these faculties must be used constantlyto be of real benefit,and guide him as to when and in what circumstances to call science to his aid. cal A good mechanihelpon strawberrybeds consists of mowing down after fruitingtime and subsequently burning the dry leaves straw the over field. This has been found vigour to the plants and is inimical to the Leaf Spot Fungus. (See Plate 37.) Both Raspberriesand Loganberriesare subjectto the also depredationsof Henrlersonia rubi, a fungus which attacks wild roses, brambles and other indigenousrosaceous plants. In both this fungus assumes cases a lurid, purpHsh colour at first,and then, having killed the bark, the winter aspect is grey or dingy white, the spores appearing black spots. (See Plate 37.) minute as and Infection mostly takes place on unharmed canes in at fruiting wood come time, so that spraying cannot as a remedy unless the crop is to be sacrificed. This to add extreme the spraying of brambles if in the immediate cut down should be resorted must measure and to at a bad case, and likelywild plants other vicinityshould be in be done. All canes burnt. once commonly Apples,cherries,peaches,apricotsand more plum trees have in recent years been subjectto Silver Leaf. This is a mysterious ailment which has now been traced which internal fungus called Stereum to an purpureum, lives and fructifies within the wood itself. \ DISEASES FUNGOID does There the in tree of being natural a sheen, trjdng to to die and the takes place loss. (See When the is culprit colour shrivels to off be and needless and and their trees, fungus it and dead if its stage total a the it be cannot with paraffin in tillage activities. of damp soil be and have covered the cutting Also, destroyed, up, so watch tree. once grubbed means a by the at situations, will that locahzed of parts released. such essential speU fungus the be any purple dry a to The is brings spores silvering should bark. young by is fungus this during combated wood they flourishes and in the when of affected the fired stumps drainage for burning dead milHons consequently kept of however, weather, be of but leather, as cannot say, begin final results and and branches The a cells the another, one the and view, to causes and to tissues, surface the on Wet spraying, the fructifications dead, tough disease should The and again This as is exposed away. life instead 35.) tree now appearance sickly. itself trunk the themselves exhibit in -within Plate looks the of the Presently really tree with leaves, from away die. soon in 149 matter the that spaces themselves elbow the present air to PLANTS much only green, due leaves the be to instance, first silvery thus look not OF have must with that effect earth. improved of couraging dis- INSECT 150 -Mil '. AWT} lntASauvS oJa "mg PESTS \n y MSN eMfttVIM ? * ui L. 5 = 4 ^ S U 5 A' 00 ", Is O AVT3 Jma VIII CHAPTER OF COMPOSITION Soils " favourable plants assimilate action of nutriment rather " of its view. the hfe soil health take which First has of so an inanimate so fresh water of what a of soil humus How " " The in this series of books, naturahst's a I shall try to show as something which shall be the best learn able but is aHve something to vitalityof how, if cultivate the plants therein. be much we Correction " bad supplement anything soil on subjects to written enhance to as root planet. siu-face good Importance substance, and history,"we is soil For may matter no or to Needless tell of in a to say column the questionreadily the past history a sense what portionof the earth's be a hard rock, soft ground, bed, the indeHble record answer soil is in take, whether bottom produced ? long a story too of our or this way ground itself print,but we enough by saying that or " been In of all,how it would and Conditions " drainage questionof soil purelyfrom the than of a intended is not Smallholder either in the treat produced Earthworms that to examine between Difference " THIS chapter we Effect " of texture point of soil is How composition to plant growth their and SOILS it ocean has happened before is for ever there. Of what value is this knowledge to a grower it is ? Of course not in strictly a geologist necessary for him to become order to grow corn or cabbages,but apart altogether 151 INSECT 152 from PESTS interest which smallholders intelligent and growers as a body cannot help takingin all that into the modus operandi an concerns insight Uvingthings, of nature does help in catering for the welfare of the the active anxious produce. begin with, then, soil,with a marvellous history contained in each tinyparticle, consists of two main substances, the organicand inorganic.Of these,the latter, is the result of both chemical and mechanimineral portion, cal processes carried on through countless centuries of For instance,before there was time. any soil as we know it to-dayon this infinitesimalbut highlyimportant portionof the earth's surface known as England,there We need not go into the details the parent rock. was of the many tions changesfrom submarine to dry land condithat are indicated in any quarry cutting, clearly be left to the geologist as it will not helpus much, and can to study ; but to-day,after all these various changes, through almost interminable lengthsof time, certain he immediately underneath our soil, parent rocks now of that soil! and determine to a largeextent the nature is divided into England and Wales, broadlyspeaking, bands of surface strata. Altogether six or seven principal our country has been highlyfavoured by nature, for and a more there is a greatervariety completegeological crops To we are to sequence here than is found in any other similar tract in the whole world. in their correct Taken at order, we will commence the Old Red Sandstone, which underhes the greater portionof the West Country,Bristol and the South Wales belt rightacross districts and also extends in a narrow of the Scotland from the Firth of Clyde to the mouth Tay. All these districts are orchard country, whence it is inferred that fruit growing is most over profitable sandstone. Next we get the limestone and millstone grit,which characterizesthe landscapeof the Pennine Chain, and INSECT 154 deposit. In PESTS fact, Lyell,the famous called geologist, the associated this and strata Eocene, which simply "recent." Of itself London means Clay is barren and unkindlyas a growing medium, but as there are numerous and it has been highlycultivated caps of sand and gravel, in times past by a numerous population,it generally yields good results. The London Clay and Eocene north of the Downs depositscover another broad triangle, this area embracing the Thames Estuary as far as Whitstable on the south side,and extendingnorthwards along the coast Yarmouth, the inland Hmit to or apex of the trianglebeing at Basingstoke,A second area, a strip about twenty miles wide, exists to the south of the Downs, and extends along the South Coast from Selseyto Purbeck, and passingunder Southampton Water, reappears in the northern half of the Isle of Wight. of Clay itself is made up of the decomposed particles various older rocks, trap, basalt,greenstone, etc., which down depositedat the mouths of former rivers in bygone ages and pressed together by their own weight, often embedding shells,flints, into a solid mass. pebbles and plants indiscriminately to Cornwall, is merelydecomposed China clay,almost peculiar gram'te. in brief how the soil in England is We have now seen various founded on geologicaldeposits,and these are of the soil in each particular bound to affect the nature not that the rock bottom place,but we must suppose absolutelydecides the composition of a soil,for many in the past, and are other agencies have been at work Let us study for indeed always in operationeven now. No. 1 gives us the sections shown. the two moment a of the rocks in the foregoing strata mentioned description of England as they were deposited. If this originally known have condition of thingshad obtained we should littleor nothing of the crust of the earth beneath us, but crumplings and outseeingthat elevations,depressions, have been carried and SOILS THEIR AND COMPOSITION 165 the matter, bursts of volcanic forces have had their say in truer view of what we should us a much Section No. 2 gives and paida visit to some ment, escarpfind if we turned geologist Plate 38.) or clifi, sea quarry cuttingto-day.(See of the effect that the cracking be seen It will at once is to give of the various strata over up and doubling to the surface which it would not otherwise have variety enormous the geologist had, besides lending aid in bringing he could not else have observed without It willalso be seen from the sketches very greatdifficulty. in each case, and is called that the top layeris the same small fragments drift." This is made up of materials, and of rocks,distributedby such minor forces as glaciers or the action of rainwater and frost,the wearing down up strata which " of the scoureddenudation by rivers and the depositing and this drift process has material in other places, away given the top surface of the presentworld a further alteration of character. In Section No. 3 we may observe the whole process, the parent rock, (6) the subsoil where (a) represents formed partlyof decomposedfragmentsof the rock and of time this In the course of drift deposits. partly of for innumerable generations animals,which, by their hfe and death and subsoil affords plantsand a home of their remains the admixture forming (c)which we call the "with it,are constantly top soil. The shading marked (t) between the top soiland the subsoil, represents level what is called the "water-table," i.e.the general and at which it drains to which surface water percolates, If this to a river basin. away to lower land and finally the surface,the roots of plants water-table is too near will be will be injuredby the damp sour Hence deep soil,and thus growth diggingwill place the the soil out of harm's way, besides aerating l^^srater-table mpid dispersingthe stagnation.Should the land be be ensured by the laying ^neav}'-, proper drainagemust the effect of which will be to make the of soil pipes, tf checked. PESTS INSECT 156 ground healthyand the plantsvigorousin growth and the attacks of pests or diseases. On capableof resisting lightland little drainageis required,and its texture will be much improved by the tippingof clay on it,an operation, is which financial not a however, propositionon a Plentiful large scale except in specialcircumstances. of dung will be wanted all sandy soils, whereas on dressings in the case of clay,soot and lime should be given the preference,the former as a plant food, and the latter to (ordinaryquicklime)being used as a disintegrator lightenthe groimd. We how have now seen varietyof soil is given to a of the many changes in its geological country by reason history,and how soil itself is gradually formed under the action and of wind weather organicremains of plantsand animals livingon and the accumulation in the countless generationsof Soils generally its surface. be classified into five main divisions,viz. sand, clay, may Peat is almost entirely loam, peat and chalk. decayed (See Plate 39.) vegetablematter. it of the and least fertile of all soils,if left to itself, of water-washed of the heavier particles is the Sand consist rounded as they are deposits. These particles, like so many pebbleson a small scale,are too looselyheld togetherto retain moisture or afford firm root-hold for the plants. of former rocks consists of the minutest Clay particles in suspension and deposited which have been carried away alluvial as mud at of old rivers. mouths the The smallness of be easilydemonstrated by putting particles may and noticinghow long Uttle clay into a glassof water these a it remains would This clayis have water, termed group become failure to made Had discoloured. " tried transparent again readilyin precipitate of at use we a milk," of tanks, whence clean at once. the case kaohn works, where is through pipesto run the sand it of china clayand a central after the process of solidification, it is despatchedto and saucers. hold too and sour. to water soften acid should be lime is there and it,after which sandy If a cold them stated the as A ones simpletest cup and add Uttle hydrochloric takes place, fizzing ous should there be an omindressingshould be appUed all is well,but a good quickhme stillness, at working, and poured on. into cups renders of hot lime to break them up. is to take a little clay in a sourness enough much of reverse moisture, which They need admixture for much the are 157 be turned to potteries the Clay soils by themselves and COMPOSITION THEIR ANB SOILS once. sand and clay. The between happy medium beau ideal of all gardenersand growers is to have a deep as dark loam to work in, a they like to loamy loam or call it,with plentyof humus decayed organicmatter is thus fortunately with it. If a grower incorporated is a Loam " " situated for him, as with all other and to correct them be made efforts must as near possibleto the compositionof half his work soils constant bring them as is done loam. is Marl a hardish substance, formerlya lightclayand West a the marl well worked very fertile soil. Persons Country for the first time must becomes On of lime. mingled with a certain amount surface it decomposes,and hence when now to travelling the noticed the have suddenly marks the entry into Devonshire. marl soil provides good arable and fruit ground. speakingcome being a hybrid soil does not strictly a main heading,as it is reallya mixture of clayand red soil that This Marl under chalk. Peat occurs where there has been generationsof plantsto a mass spot,thus accumulating continuous same matter. It is almost devoid of Hme an opportunityfor live and of die on the decayedvegetable or chalk and is as of the chalky the admixture consequence sour, requiring it a element with grit to make satisfactorygrowing a INSECT 168 medium. PESTS Peat and soil is also very therefore attention logged, waterprone to become sliould be paid to its thorough di-ainage. is composed Chalk, our last class, of countless myriads of shells of sea animals of the cretaceous period,and it may wherever be found, whether the top of a high on under the London hill, or in the valley, or deep down Clay storingup water for our artesian wells,it is a sure signJ 1 that the sea was at that spot. In fact the bottom once of the Atlantic at the present moment is having future chalk country deposited there grain by grain,where, some day,perhaps,herds of sheep will graze and the sound of their bells will meet the Usteningear. Chalk provides, as previouslymentioned, a damp and cold soil,best suited for grass land, but where there is an overlay of tivation drift we get a good growing medium, with thorough culthe parent of lime,is indispenschalk itself, as able in any soil. Both allotment and smallholders make should selves them- and to possible, chemist. do this it is not necessary to call in an analytical Conduct in the followingsimple the experiment yourself On a mild, fairlydry day dig up a spadefulof way. soil at random. Of this weigh out a couple of pounds famihar and the with their soil as soon as take it home sealed up in a tin box. Now investigation.Divide the soil into two 1 lb. each. Let one half remain in the box commence portionsof for reference. spread it out on a flat baking tin and di'ive off all moisture by placingit in a moderate oven. Weigh it then on a postalbalance and you get Book it. Now the loss by moisture. gather up your shovel sohd stufiE carefullyin a clean kitchen (when isn't looking)lay it gently over mother a bright fire Cool off slowly and weigh again. and heat to redness. What The loss will representorganicmatter. you want of the mineral ingredients. is the nature to know now Take them and shake up well in a largebottle of water. Take the other and 159 liquidinto another vessel. The sand will be left at the bottom. Weigh them. off the brown Pour small stones and COMPOSITION THEIR AND SOILS and filter it. The discoloured water your So far so the filter paper wiU be clay alumina. shall probresults we tabulate our But when we ably take Then stuff on good. find that What we are short that odd half about by It is ? ounce of small amount a weight. highlyimportant a half-ounce, for it contains the volatile gases, carbonic acid, nitrogen, etc., and also, as monia, amour only a rough one, there wiU be small traces of that we iron, sulphur,magnesia and other elements have missed, whilst to complete the experiment we should put our filtered water into a clean fireproof pan method boil it off to get the soluble salts which small white residue at the bottom. and as is a Putting the whether of the three Organic together we soil is what our Moisture results soils are principal . . . Clay 2 3 4 8 Alumina Volatile matter, 3 soluble " " " I Totals texture oz. we of can our at 16 once oz. 5 " 3J 4 " " oz. 2J IJ 8 " " " salts and loss Thus : Loam. Grit Clay below to Sand. 2J . judge Rough analyses be. shown . substances able are it should will be found see to what soil,always aiming J " oz. extent at the 16 J " oz. 16 to correct " oz. the compositionof loam. We late question,how do plantsassiminutriment ? To save needless description, I propose to draw another little sketch or two, showing a plant, root and all,in the soil. In fig.1 we see a cauHflower which is growing in good ground, well tended. The latter point is highlyimportant,as, whether the ground be a rich nutritious loam, properlydrained and dug, now come to the INSECT 160 and sweet hungry it to full of sand carry humus, which on PESTS needs for even one season is it does escaping,as Where in the surface. will be sealed up and the and drink in summer it up. much better man's game, Notice same. how we the to by neglecting stunted Whence from time the from moisture not by cracks beneath will the hundreds it will be at the these cracks the soil is well hoed by the top soil and plantswill put out their be absorbed Then result if the ; how, also,the all-essential moisture and surface the only an empty, manuring to enable constant neglectto work it will be the second plant at fig.2 has been hoe it be whether or atmosphere. of tinyrootlets reahzed once hoeing is than watering,which is and merely cakes the surface worse a how lazy than (See Plate 39.) look again at fig. 1 and see what these tinyrootlets Now are doing. I have drawn one enlarged at (b) to show how they creep into the interstices between the mineral and to find out and holes in stones crevices particles, feed on the little pockets of organic matter, which arel of its i This is how the plant gets most in black. shown nourishment, the remainder coming from the air and sunlight,and also explainswhy plants flag when Unless it can Hfted and moved. be done by raisinga large ball of earth these rootlets,which are extremely brittle and dehcate, will become detached, and the plant will remain limp and helplessuntil they have had time I to get hold of the ground again. be constantly in soil must Clearlythen this humus to produce plantsyear by if we to continue renewed are natural is this managed ? The How method, year. endeavour to copy which must or we employ as much is very well expressed by the words kindly as possible, wastes Nature done with." when return never anything, neither does she exhaust or destroy,but merely changes things. We therefore, if we produce a whole lot of such crop, must cabbagesor corn on a field and remove ever. " " ' " " INSECT 162 PESTS according to swarming the so washing and feeding them, sex, age and males and virgin queens in mid-June and also witness the fine instinct by which may We on. they instantlyknow periods of foes well stranger separation,how hundreds of times they their friend or will own even fightto size and after the long death weight, as the marvellous and mystery of communal intricacy and action of this understanding. For the purposes cal chapter,however, we must regardants as merely mechanihelps in the aeration of the soil,and in this they not the only nor the most are by any means important as creatures. The premierplacein Earthworm, and this respectbelongsto the Common probably has a much longer more history than that of the ant, certainlyan even valuable certainly one, for,as previouslymentioned, we the fertiUty of the soil, and even the soil itself, to the | owe never-ceasingactivities of this lowly creature. When Darwin's attention was drawn to the apparently inexphcablechange in the surface condition of certain lands near his home the great naturahst began those patient and laborious researches which eventuallygave and his invaluable writingsupon us vegetable moulds often despised,garden worm placed the common, high this creature , up in the scale of creatures to mankind. I have known that who are of inestimable benefit thought they were doing themselves service good by destroyingworms, arguing the roots of plantsand are that they eat away therefore This is an entirely notion. eri'oneous injuriousanimals. I do not say that worms cannot or never injureroots if they be confined by accident on occasion, especially in a small space, say in a flower-potor window-box. Indeed worms are omnivorous, most things that come in their way are acceptable,includingroots and fibres. But commonly addicted to the chewdng they are more up of odd leaves lyingabout on the surface,consuming amateiu-s with 163 the of soil,and in any case largequantities to the small of their services is out of all proportion be laid to their charge. of damage, if any, that can Earthworm Common {Lumbricusterrestris) belongs them value amount The which the are Most animals, the AnneHdes, first class of articulated the to COMPOSITION THEIR AND SOILS of them being invertebrates only live in the the rule. the exception to an water, have that red Earthworm The Annehdes blood. itself are and Seaorders, (1) The Mud- worms worms (2)The Sand-worms and Sea-mice, (3)The Earth- divided into three worms, and Leeches. tentacles nor teeth. gills, of a gizzard, on by means large quantitiesof purpose neither eyes, have Worms The digestive process is carried and swallow they earth and gritalong with decayed woods subsist. When a for this which animal and fullgr^wnthe lengthof nearlya month of June foot. and sometimes are the odd which they upon attains earthworm matter common is in the breedingseason of eggs, propagation is by means within hatched the body of the The laid in their burrows parent, and sometimes young of both subsequentlyappear. ones leaves,roots, fibre, the adult and eggs, with A where drawing the is shown therein,the latter young (e)shows the head of a considerablyenlarged. Figure the shape of the mouth and also the bristles on worm, the segments, directed backwards, a contrivance by which force themselves their burrows and worms along soil. the Plate through (See 40.) Worms to the are mouth in habits, and lie as a rule close of their burrows. As stated, they have able to distinguish they nevertheless seem eyes, but the difference no nocturnal between fight and darkness. Darwin considered them to be completely deaf. There is nothing in their anatomy to represent auditory it is powers, that this may be true, but there is stiU a possibifity made development of instinct as yet up for by some unexplained. INSECT 164 Th e burrows into the of earthworms soil in mild feet in cold PESTS penetrate 3 cUmates, and latitudes. northern as 4 feet down or much It is in 6 as the or 8 constant subsoil in this way that the great value of the earthworm's service to mankind consists,as they line such burrows with their casts, the latter being the penetrationof swallowed and digestedsoil they Hve. These casts the gardener sometimes and form eyes other valuable them matter manure, askance which on although they when Worm morning all over his lawn. the tops of casts on occur throughout the world, even high mountains, such as in the Himalayas, where they attain great size,3 or 4 inches in height. sometimes worms, The generalresult of this constant activityof earthbesides aerating,draining and fertihzingthe surface mould of the globe,is in addition to change the it is true, but face of nature, slowly and imperceptibly Great stones left on the the process is always going on. disappear. top of the ground slowlysubside and eventually This is due to the bringingup of soil from underneath calculated that this burjdng It has been by worms. action may proceed at the rate of a quarter of an inch that although this a year, so it will readily be seen appear may on seem a mild moist very little in one season, in the course of time such as Ancient monuments changes must be made. Stonehenge and other druidical circles must eventuallybe completelycovered in by this agency. Worms givegreat aid to the denudation process carried as on by rivers and rain water running down hillsides, vast the soil is softened and rendered friable,so that it is easilycarried away to fulfilthe purpose of nature The dark in forming eventual new landscapeelsewhere. colour of soil is entirelydue to worms, who, hke most animals, are provided with a digestivefluid which is earth from acid. The something akin to hydrochloric the subsoil level,when swallowed, becomes disintegrated and changed from a bare mineral to a partially organic more SOILS The substance. and is as way grinding is one of new done of the the from immediate in benefit will It earthworm and from dales which no by wrought garden by of to soil as common negligible of growers, for also the more common Uttle soil observe for that the immoveable and features, they as small seeming forming the but very insignificant to change modifications like creatures as at ordinary a conclude with our a rate affairs present few notes too greater the this on that to heavy is The the subject. of bound are cropping than in carry process we manuring, programme bountiful a natural action. is called as endeavour must from that on, us perfectly a depart go a we restorative of state nature, we years for prepared can Wherever the follows of we exhaustion such the by not soUd so these thus hand much discover, soil by apparently the growth. to would permanent year our gift from as I this formation. been have fact worm. Having on it were look means to year that same trituration, in as soil of way and in, by are us, the would grow to called us the In anything is to what seen there plants hills be thus is in bird. a operations activity geologically, apart of stones mill- like acts up greatly helped is very whose earthworm, in substances, important and 165 contents gizzard mineral most rocks, take worms stomach the in of up that grit grinds COMPOSITION THEIR AND made means making and for up good I propose chapter that 166 INSECT PESTS IX CHAPTER How "" feeds plant a manoeuvre and THIS grows be is to a The " manures and short "' word " of form earliest inorganic manuring Green " The " Organic crops and " MANURES OF CHEMISTRY THE manuring for Manures " " manure or " " various fallowing chapter on again manures, " fore why and wherepoint of view of the is bound of the subject,and for this purpose one first to consider the problem of plant life and growth. able In fact the question of manuring is only understandof a by first examining the internal mechanism plant,so that we may see what actuallygoes on before take place. that perennial miracle, growth, can of the As an example let us take the common case from the " Bean Haricot and from try start to the process of its development grasp finish. I should like the reader to in the accompanying imagine that the figureshown bean Vv^hich has just got drawing represents a young its first pair of green further to are leaves, and we that we have taken and sliced a sharp raeor suppose the plant straightdown the middle and are looking at to its interior has been size,but which To cell drawn that about is is obvious. a of the is hundred one that true times convention, the necessary (See Plate 41.) begin with, then, process It structure. the formation, of process renewal and 167 each cell its natural reason for growth is the decay of these little cells. All cells,which are being fails to creature into PESTS INSECT 168 plants and animals constantlywearing renewed and of cells should Cells vital be that this understood as When of stantly con- the tissue,it dies and falls complete decay, revertingto It is therefore and away increased. its waste renew built up are elements. original renewal and re-forming the and assisted in every filled with or protoplasm,a mucous of water, carbon, composed gelatinous substance nitrogen and sulphur, which Huxley called "the physical basis of life." This apphes to both the the vegetable kingdoms. Vegetablesare, and animal rule by the animals as a however, distinguishedfrom fact that their cells are always enclosed in a definite of and or cell-wall,made comparatively solid box of which out material cellulose,the raw every plant way. are the structure, from tiniest blade of grass to the noblest be chemicallyreduced pine,is built. Cellulose can scientist has and water, although no to merely carbon back again yet been able to change these elements of remark into cellulose. The same course might apply to cane composition, sugar, which is of exactlythe same cedar and if it had have had coupon We see elements been easy to recompose grocer with that Carbon, we should not carefullyguarded that is by the way. plants are mainly composed of the Hydrogen, Ox.ygen, Nitrogen and present our week by week, but then it to a Sulphur, and if we think of the initial letters of these substances, C.H.O.N.S., it will help us to remember also occur small traces of Iron, Magnesium, it. There well as Phosphorus, and Salt (sodium chloride), as dwell in the Silicon. These the I.M.P.S., which are the soil, and good little imps they are, for when the air from ground is properly tilled,the oxygen with them to form combines important plant foods. does a Now, how plant feed ? Here is our bean observation if you like,in an growingaway merrily, INSECT 170 water) drawn up PESTS of the out soil. The from plant can, appropriationof these substances, grow from a small and simpleseed to a great and complex community cell structures. of specialized How is it done ? Is a plant (or an animal) the only thing that grows ? What the mere about a snowball at about floor to the size of bullock a rolls down which becomes dumpHng, a Or ! the hill and " places called largeenough visited we suppose ing commenc- one of those " and placed an dropping wells old flat-iron or other objecttherein, returning in course of time to find it not only apparentlychanged to stone, in size. Or take as a more but actuallygrown ready curious instance Jack by pane that short " beautiful the Frost space ferns " drawn the on window- singlewinter's night,growing in time with marvellous variety and in of a profusion. Are these plant ? cases all at Clearlynot, comparable for there is growth of a strikingdifference, to one the all mineral substances, snowballs, crystals, sedimentary depositsor what-not, grow by the substance the additions of on same outside; viz. that whereas " " plants(with animals)take on the inside of manner into ceU them convert aU into their " winding stair-case difiPerent substances material. This at once " and indicates gulf that divides life from inert mineral matter, for and the lime deposits the crystals were merely accretions, whilst the plant or the animal performs a miracle which cannot we explain,and we call it the miracle of growth. of lungs. We breathe said that plantsmust by means Well, look at the enlargedplan and section of a portion the of the bean leaf. (calledstomata) it passes into the The take of littlemouths numbers in air during Uttle chambers or pores brightsunshine and marked (c)which occur plantstructure, where carbon is extracted ing given o"F,exactlythe oppositeof the breath- all through the and sense oxygen process in animals, so of the word lungs. that They the leaves also act are in every a as collectively CHEMISTRY MANURES OF 171 leaf carry up and down onlydo this in response sap and nutriment, and can of the young buds which first begin to to the movement arteries of heart, for the veins and a spring sunshine, when the sap into full-sized hurries to their aid and expands them leaves analogous Again the surfaces of leaves are closely moisture to the skin of animals,for they absorb or exude in varying degreesby openingand closingthe stomata spoken of according to the changes of humidity and temperature. (See Plate 42.) respond to magic the . of , Furthermore the leaves act as a stomach inasmuch as they take in the nutriment sent up by the sap and accept as the case be, or rejectthe items on the '' menu may water the rejection, (theredoes not appear to be a chiefly wine list), being got rid of as mentioned above. How does the plant and its leaves perform all these largelya mystery, but turning things? It is of course again to our leaf section on Plate 42 we see that the inner " cells are filled with substance some This dotted. has been mentioned plantmiracle,in all shown or chlorophyll plantgreen, which before,and'in it Ues the clue to our for it has been proved that chlorophyll has a probabiHty, strange power of selection and analysisover the gases and which come to the making of a vegetable structure. liquids The cells shown in white on the top of the leaf,forming its covering, are simplyfilledwith air and are transparent. The green flesh of the leaf shines through,much as in the is case of an albino, like white a rabbit, where the eyes, being devoid of pigment, appear to be pink on account of the blood that shines through them. which enables a plant to feed upon It is chlorophyll inorganicsubstances, but this material also co-operates the sun's rays and is in fact rather hke a storage batterywhich absorbs the energy that pours down from with heaven in beams soon down the of tion lighton a brightday, so that fermentatakes placeall through the leafystructure and '' which thus grows windingstair of the plant, " 172 by INSECT of its power to convert mineral matter into new reason dissolved not the outside on cells PESTS as we in the saw the various gases cells within itseK and of minerals. case and These ply paradox to the mathematician, for they multithemselves by simple division ! The cell-wall contracts and parts off the protoplasm into two portions, each with a nucleus and the two or life-centre, halves, instead of wandering about in search of each other, as Plato said of human beings, straightway proceed to become full-growncells and perform a similar function in are a their turn. considers turn In fact it does itself the round and But " " say better not half," as You're which matter the " another other and the material raw sap-stream and build to some take and the hard others stem, cells in order to an secure central or described, and woody material up starch to the business last is the plants present as to store diverted are This corky some their atmosphere,just what new their insides with a from most endless can not go on buyers of market, the each requires, some so as to pack to form and sugar, and still of flowering and reproduction. interesting process of variety method continuance one stillkeep the process of cell division does the cells act as though they were indefinitely, peace. of them of their land of all, and and device in the next generation. The habit of the For runs ' Down plant determines instance in the httle its istics. leadingcharacter- nursery poem which : " in and violet grew shady bed, a modest ; its was bent, head, as if to hide from view. hung And wondrous a flow'r, with petals soft and rare. yet it was It might have graced a lovely bow'r, instead of hiding there. Yet there it was, content to bloom, in modest tints array'd, And there diffused sweet a perfume, within the silent shade. Then let me to the valley go, this pretty flower to see, I may That also learn to grow in sweet humility." Its stalk a green it the littleviolet chooses Here MAJSURES OF CHEMISTRY " a 173 green and " shady bed moisture, but in order to let the world (orthe bees)know that it is there,the flower and it loves coolness because the too -far. Hence carry its modesty perfume." The violet,i.e. the sweet violet, is not must ' * flowers which those ' ' employ a fragrantscent to insects for cross-fertihzation cousin, the dog-violet, just grows and in full sunlight, on " has no Other sweet of one tion attrac- whilst its purposes, the hillside flowers depend boldly on scent. an as ' ' of the fields, of colour, hke the poppy the outHne of them mimic flame." Some their briUiance all silk and " the peaseblossom,whilst tra-la flowers that bloom in the spring, are nearlyalways yellowin colour because yellowreflects the greatestamount of light, and so shows them up for as long a periodas the days are neither lengthynor at a time when possible Again, bright,and insects are few and far between. of such butterfly, a the as " there of are flowers which are have neither scent brilhance nor colour,as, say, flowering ivy,Hme, and fuchsias. These richlystored more with honey, as the bees cover, dis- soon by them as wages for the work of pollen mixing. Lastly there are flowers which are not so dependent upon insects,as tomato-bloom, garden poppies and others. In these the genitalorgans are placedso close togetherthat the waving of the plantin will hand the breeze or a gentleshakingby the human the pollenadheringto the desired spot and the ensure into the germinationpassingdown the tubes of the pistil and ovary AU which itself. these on is taken into are devices directed to the next one generation,and end, viz. the carrying as we again, see proves herself here also to be the grand mistress of arts and crafts. If she cannot get what she wants by asking,she will take it. If she cannot take it,she will Nature go and wanted flatter comes Different somebody else until the of its free own plantsfeed on thingthat will,so what are you different constituents is really to do ? in the INSECT 174 in soil and what varying proportions. to 18 poison is where This PESTS that be rich provender for another. in. We question of manuring comes one the It is clear then may judge,by making experimentsor by utihzingthe of others, what stituents proportions and what conexperience must are necessary Originallythe " for each kind ''manure" word of crop. oeuvre simply"man*' was referred to and rather than to the feeding tillage of the soil. Shakespearespeaks somewhere of the mind with industry," being manured meaning the appHcation of exercise, and not superphosphate, to the brain-pan. Minnehaha, the bride of Hiawatha, was the first Land " Girl. She maize with the the Httle crop of Indian pointedstick because she found it improved used a In that growth. of to scratch about simplepictureyou so that agriculture, have Girls of the Land the beginning to-day have merely gone back to their old love after all,and let us credit in this,viz. that whereas givethose earlyland girls it was firstthought of killing, reserved for the women men to inaugurate the first of the arts of peace. But then, the mere working of the soil soon became totallyinadequatefor the permanent raisingof crops, as was found the American be the to case States in the Southern Civil War. fact In that before itself war was ure simplybecause the settlers were too lazyto manthe land gave out their cotton plantations.When and thus came they justshifted on to virginsoil elsewhere, with their northern relations, at last into contact bringing caused their slaves with in to and slavery, keep them. No, land and we must The them. northerners did,and the southerners Then the fun is limited in area, alwaysrenew did not were believe determined began. the very much so in England, store of plant food as we This is done by the well-known go on from year to year. rotation system, by which one provides crop indirectly also and the food for the next, by adding manures. Manures are of two kinds,organicand inorganic.The former MANURES OF CHEMISTRY providedby principally are the 175 dung of animals from towns, meat, fish and vegetable birds,sewage refuse,blood, fat and other slaughterhousewaste, horns and and hoofs, etc., bones, fossils, hair,shoddy, seaweed and so forth. The are mostly chemical inorganic(orartificials) increases from of which by-products,the number j^ear all main under the and to year, come headings, they nitrates,phosphates,sulphates, potash. These comprise togetherall the foods that plantsneed out of the soil. in a short chapter Kke this deal with the One cannot but I have endeavoured compositionof all these manures, to show that the chemistryof the plantand the chemistry and if we succeed of manures two very intimate things, are with our crops it is because the rightfood and only that little study of the In our is available at the righttime. of a plant we that all the soluble salts mechanism saw and other food must pass up the central artery. Now It is true is not done by the roots. the discrimination they wander about to find sustenance, but they simply have to absorb whatever they find themselves in. In other box the is " in at the words, all sorts and conditions may come ofiice,but the choice lies with the authorities up winding stair." If a green crop wants nitrate,it no use for the Chairman burstingin simplyis, Can't come with six months, and It might be then The answer message. sit down and wait for five is not you, we'll talk it over." supposed times as we many it what it wanted liked that on we the in the way it is found impossible, the rotation SuperphosphatesLtd. to urgent an " see of same could grow a crop or as spot by justgiving of manure, but whilst this best in practiceto follow Uttle tables show principle.The following how in generalthis may be worked out, and althoughthe for considered a matter question of rotation is generally the farmer only, I have always thought it could be advantageouslyappHed by small allotment-holders to a done during the war, greater extent than was especi- INSECT 176 PESTS they intend to fightfor a permanent place as small plots one food producers. With can only rotate in concert with one's neighbours, and therefore satisfactorily closer association is needed in this respectas well as for the obtaining of other co-operativeadvantages. ally if The above tables show how the farmer and the allot- INSECT 178 these by a potato a for In the wheat the calcium calcium is calcium the slaked soil. an lime, go water which back chalk, into should be plant food, in breathing all extracting Beneath of sweet it form them the going, work carbonates, available by this '' their carbon with phosphates for the " a oxygen and support being on the its to nitrates, plant the desire to It process. is a soil, plants the good the contain (the leaves) elements of to di-oxide above keep the the in lungs the in carbon down to enable uniting in need they endeavour to soil place off, leaving stagnation, gas although wrong through must we air life-giving to air the long the sweetens that it is in from cheapest and sour of briefly is the This, be of each called given by air, is appUed the attracting remembered is the are part which ground di-oxide always which behind. to if the that is produced of one di-oxide of is oxj^gen, chalk, the exposure or carbon is viz. quicklime or all of carbon heated, of excess as becomes made Lime marble, three When result The soils. or to oxide with then was composition, carbonate. substance, all in carbon and mention chapter chemical same replaced farmers many which ground, limestone chalk, heating usually by regarded the lime of is again. previous importance is for crop fallow green which crop, cleansing available the days strenuous PESTS and surface. circulation continue in thus the its soil ing render- growth. X CHAPTER CONCLUSION remarks General it " A small and as to the of the countless here dealt with trouble to them. works, and service have with underhe to which the the I in there to one only be refer conclude general remarks pest problem, which the on I only them country hope not found to present the a of examples have out some part of the people now that made, still be may some can of small from choose to could selection another, whilst propose few a had holder small- and farmer It is obvious close. a lance vigi- methods long catalogue our familiar more in which to we brief than volume brought conclusion and action the for cause study, Nature the of the A beings" preventive of process Cooking " regard to example an pests human protection cases be of of life-histories will universal parasitism. of of now comparatively which motive means have WE and tapeworms of co-ordination best and great its immunity real and and pig liow question resourcefulness general the pest the of The complexity the insect section parasitism. of the on a larger little principles may be of reader. How have ought we to regard the pest problem ? We in the foregoing pages the seen ubiquity of insects and alKed numbers vast pests ; their resourcefulness ; their and of their sudden and unexpected variety ; the causes in plague proportions ; and have sidered conwe appearances of remedies. hosts As to the last point, I should like to say here that I hope no to reader will set to work artificial remedies mentioned all the use purchase and in this book and elsewhere, or he will take the giltoff the 179 180 INSECT PESTS . ^ -a (S H DO *i 5: 181 CONCLUSION gingerbreadof on the his I scene. find,too, and of farmers view long before profits growers that pest appears quite a common to pests. They any this is in relation of money, Yes, but you can't spend that amount say, of labour, on fighting pests. The devote that amount or pests had better by half take what they want and go." although the question of artificial remedies " Precisely, becomes and a to possibility practical more the allotment will find that I recommend an economical worker. them and standpoint, Yet the in all cases to look at the above vator small cultireaders thingfrom all to examine the and to seek out the natural for themselves life-history of control,which latter I have always remedy or method emphasized the importance of. small the questionof pests as a whole is only one Now section of the vast and universal subjectof parasitism. that I have described how It will be remembered pests actual the have constantlyappearedto be invested with not of a species or the continuance to determine power its change of form. the earth, at least to determine on This may not be actuallyso, although readers of that thoughtfulbook. Mosquito or Man, wherein are recorded Bruce and others in Nigeria, the researches of Sir David surmise than mere will see that there is something more in such a suggestion. have spoken of the ubiquity and resourcefulness We of the liverfluke in in the case of pests,and have seen Chapter II the extraordinaryexpedientsby which they We to secure a placein life for their progeny. manage of the Common have almost as good an example in the case Tapeworm {Tceniasolium)which forms such a strange hnk between human beingsand the Pig. The repugnance of eastern nations to the eatingof pork and the flesh of ance. ordinthan a religious animals is more unclean other of the penalty estimate correct from It arose a After all often paid for partakingof an unnatural food. and fruitto be vegetable said and done, we meant were " " INSECT 182 could eatingcreatures, and from of animal of so food if we without tried find all our eating meat. ance susten- kind Every contain the ova food may of some kind of worm. tapefrom eatingthe raw The dog will get them flesh fox sheep,the and At on. fanatical to such PESTS from the rabbit, the there is time same lengthsof live in the the the forest in need vegetarians.If we a primitivestate, we be and obligedto eat nuts The parallelneed not hand we can easilyeat no from cat be too cHmb to trees much obliged were should also get them. to meat, which rat to go to the On enlarged on. the the is other a ful powerif and it underthere is eat done we stimulant, great danger of tapeworm ova being taken in while still " their vitahty. retaining " discoveryof fire and cooking is,therefore,civihzed man's chief protectionagainstthese his teeth to decay prematurely plagues,althoughit causes from want of use. The habit of eatingraw sausages and ham, as done by the Germans, bringsits own penalty in than any other nation from the fact that they suffer more these ills. What reallyhappens is a or " " joint its embeds The " case of the Common creature is " or number vast in the Tapeworm : strictly speaking a colony of semi-independentanimals, every bud beingcompletein itselfand containing follows as collection *' The of eggs. mouth-hooks whole The in head, which the is very intestinal well wall small, and forming fresh almost ad libitum. When these are mature "buds they are the eggs subsequentlydispersed, of released and some them eventuallyfindingtheir way into the pig'sbody. and bore right into There they become resting-larvae," the pig'smuscles, brain or other organ, and are not a bit like the full-grownworm. If the pig died a natural death and was buried, these larvae would never develop. When, however, pig becomes cooked state, these resting pork and is eaten in a partially estabUsh themselves in their new larvae soon surroundings nourishes the concern " " as as CONCLUSION and complete tape-worms become Hfe up to continue the ding-proc bud- before. as A 183 drawing is shown of the various stages of development its continuance in whereby this creature secures The long odds againstit are made at our expense. for by its extreme fecundity,as in the case of the " Uverfluke, each of eggs. been going on always through the ages, and we are only just beginning,as it were, to feel our feet in the matter. Its range is quite universal and its ramifications so endless that I cannot attempt anything but a generalassertion here. The study of parasitism and that of evolution should be braced together; in fact without they will coalesce of themselves any help from When the early naturahsts us. found, say, ova, larvae forms of life established or embryos of hitherto unknown within the has be 1,200, may (See Plate 43.) there thousands containingsome Parasitism bud," of which bodies of worms, fishes,birds mammals or quite unaccountably, they propounded the theory of in the same in spontaneous generation,somewhat way which it was of frogs time believed that showers at one came down in a thunder-storm. This idea is now sidered con- to be exploded,although I think it is a dangerous in regard to natural thing to be dogmatic, particularly history, seeingthat so many arrangements, classifications and settled convictions have been turned upside down in the past. We have, however, at least traced out the of parasites real origins then thought to be actually brought into For the being by host question. human beings,dreadful instance, we sound, have to our in name no less than as 120 different it may species of includingnematoid, cystose and intestinal parasites, tapeworms and flukes ; acarid mites ; Crustacea ; dipterous, suctorial and mallophagousinsects of rare but fortunately occurrence, develop a very absorbinginterest in if to we did not take stern measures which ; most would of them certainly our personalaffairs keep them at arms' INSECT 184 PESTS length. Nowadays all or into and believe that nobody would willingly could be brought any of these repulsivecreatures being by a long-suffering biped of the genus homo, indeed it has breathe, the water hands, and the food and been now established that the drink, the dirt that gets we eat, simplyteem we with air on we our microscopic minute able embryo forms which under favourmight produce a serious state of things for an unfortunate victim. Then the number of species of parasites is hugelyin excess of the number of hosts,so that a terrible strugglefor existence between the two there is a great classes is always going on. Incidentally borderland neutral zone between or them, vv^hereparasite and host live togetheron equalterms ; as, say, the hermitspores, ova conditions and crab the This sea-anemone. " principle where each any such about as a whole so, I suppose mate mess- is indispensable to the other. settlement of the pest question can Whether come " call the we I quite unable am would caterpillars have to be to say ; but if rationed, and marriage lines of butterflies officially approved by the Ministryfor Nature ! For the present we can only take our share in the great struggle, which is what we are here for. The reason has a thick skull and why a negro an ebony skin is because his forebears fought and won a battle against the fiercest sunhght that pours down on this earth. The white man, helmet pith notwithstanding, the will Africa in that sense. conquer teach the negro not to live in uplifthis mind as weU we and humans, to change age of whatever in the one and race The ever, how- dirt, are wrong point is that all liable creed, are unending change that is goingon from \\dth the through creation in accordance This environment. pest and but imperceptibly, for althoughthere doing that. our may, squalor and and all of both year time civilize him, rightways as to the constant age He never or host, and with the other to determines both the alter from acter char- year to tendency all predominate. Take an the a distinct ex- INSECT 186 conclusion except sufficient as the on just charge PESTS is quite inconceivable to me conceit,and that is not grounds of mere The make whole realm against them. to a of simply teems with examples of lovelythingswhich not be explainedas only adaptationto environment, can which has become mouthed a catch-phrase much by would-be And expositorsat odd times. yet adaptation is no to environment fallacy. The secret is that it is only halfthe story. The other half we shall see presently, thereto. at least a humble Take contribution or again The Peacock one example by the way. Butterflyrests with its wings folded on a tree-trunk and no one can see nature it except with well have Now this effect may very eye. out of constant the weeding by trained a been produced those insects not so darkly ma.rked through capture by birds and other wonderful coloration subservience mere seeingthis protection. Any one first time, displaying utilityor to " brought find it easy to believe that here into her studio in a divine moment has gone out a work heavenly artistry. Those of ocellated spots of blue gorgeous with such red ground, dazzled " silken in the " white, and down, all this are beauty case " will sunlight, at least Nature sepia and enemies, but the surfaces suggests no upper insect alive for the itself in full and of the underside the on a question of a of many birds, for fawn, game clothed of with of chance. attraction,as sex both male and a on daringsweeps bases wing than more and brick- ebony, dusky Nor is happens female are explainsatisfactorily of this gloriouscolour scheme the formation given to a have stillonly described simpleweed-eatingbutterfly ; we here alike. the means Then, supposingwe to an end as can yet unknown. Further, if those placed under a high-power at objectiveso that the Avhole butterflycould be seen it is no once exaggerationto say that we should remain Are we spell-boundat the revealed grandeur before us. such matchless to say that beauty has been reserved wondrous wings could be 187 CONCLUSION with a* ages until the arrival of the biped brain to invent a microscopeto discover it ? I think not entirely.The unexploreduniverse just under our since it and moreover, eyes has been there all the time, contains such loveliness often side by side with what in uncleanness and degradato be such squalor, tion, our eyes seems then I say that the beauty,as well as the beasthness, the tlirough quitepatent to the creatures themselves, or to motive force,which is about the same thing. their spirit do not invest them with a soul,but the power and We must be the purpose Our Peacock behind them are almost Butterfly, they say, has to it. tantamount more than a sand thou- knows Who each side of its head. on eyes in one how the presentworld appears in its Hne of vision ? Are nerve-centre, or do they one those eyes all focussed on to us ? Or, in a than is vouchsafed more see infinitely hghtervein, may we ask whether the Peacock Butterfly, soaringup the Strand and into the Smallholder Offices would see 2,000 Editors busilyat work telUngthe land folk of Great Britain and the Colonies how to small-hold ? thing,and our of time is so great,that opportunityat every moment sance, instead of being a nuithis pest and parasitequestion, in disguise is reallyone of the greatestblessings It is part of the have. that we great Nature-drama, containingcharacters both good and evil. Evil courses will some day be traced to faults and excesses, and to civilisation being at variance with the generalplan,so and somehow, that in our pest problem lies somewhere to a door which, once unlocked, the key to human destinj^ what will open up the goldenage, and give to our race of us have yet enjoyed,viz. satiety.This is no mere none The dream of the fancy,althoughoften treated as such. The know fact is,we told little about that this the wolf shall dwell with Eastern seer the lamb that the lion shall eat straw like the ox, of an unreachable ideal,but of a great us telling was not ; who so us and in possibiliiy fore kingdom of peace. Let us therebeautiful thingsthat stillremain, even the final cherish those INSECT 188 though we cannot or our greed have What As has been for which essay should by stock, I do not field and neglect our regardto pestsas believe in a whole ? general particular species. to keep ourselves offensive for any preferenceendeavour our by lost. ever armed an our been those alreadystated. We and back should be done in then at win PESTS garden crops, interfere as a close as Httle as as possibleto natural conditions,and possiblewith the natural balance of life,for there can be no be it plant or great increase in any one species, animal, without a correspondingincrease in the control of it in some shape or other. The gistof the matter to this,that vigilance, and naturalization comes efficiency in all thingsis the surest guide to a better future. On the other hand, neglect of natural functions, civilized abuses which are hurtful organically, and production of abnormal and extinction,and types lead to degeneration without wearying the reader or layingmyself open to I should like to wind up the charge of much moralizing, by saying that wherever pests occur, nature study is needed, and a littleco-ordination of preventivemeasures and or preventive poUcy as the case may be between man will do all that is necessary to prevent a plague. man " On lines these we shall avoid regardingeverythingin also of having included insect the as the insect world in pest books Tortoiseshell scarce or by me look-out Yet as cousin for what later work a a I on was as was mistake of inimical,and glorious Butterfly(F. once brought such Elm fine specimen of which a polychloros), to bald the " a earlydays when I was on the luck." is commonly called beginner's astonished to see it givenin a standard in the " fruit pest ! of enemies, but the be, not the listing enhstingof friends,coupledwith the endeavour to secure Let our cure side for ourselves and our personalefficiency progeny, and animals in all the plants by side with the hke efficiency that minister to our support. The End. Appendix THE the Throughout and Aphids to remarks been made have references pages the following it is felt that but foregoing their this on QUESTION APHIS ways, particular insect as a creation's and fiftieth and varying according yeUow, red, brown, and diversity of habits What where inch an only in size black, green, colours, aphids of these combinations microscopist,and in their extreme absorbing study to the biologist,but good I I have been that He agree of ? refer pointed how out the upon attenuated course so go to know far is how to inquire as to of this " would " wish will grower may ruling determining species, be readily a aphids are answer an most of them. rid For of species between the to of one pretty objects to the for all this the " know one-tenth to is going too deeply into the something of its history. without helpful to be a at supremacy insect understood little but mysteries, subject it should Ranging from for bid food-crop. of our expense This well-kno\^^l the get in settled, the becomes particularkind of weather their annual great Aphis family make soon afford assistance them. combating As of be may him " that which pages really animal. or it crowd book, parasite has though plant reflection the obscure the roost it to is the apparently engaged in Growers sappy, will weak, whereas on aphids most, plants We resist attack. need however not hardy, sturdy plants theory to the dangerous length of visualizinga great carry our and Aphid C.-in-C. controlling his armies despatching them to the ends of the earth truth according to plan. The exact is that the weakly, soft plants have been the means whereby of ages the numerous aphids have developed, and in the course species of plants have led to differentiation in the parasites that affect them. 189 to 196 INSECt Indeed PESTS it is quitea mistake to suppose that aphids are just aphids whatever plantis in question. There are hundreds of different species,each favouring its own particularplant. When add the closelyrelated Psyllidm or we Plant Suckers, the list alone is formidable enough, but as soon moist as warm, and still weather arrives,their incredible tion powers of reproducbecome well-nighappalling. Plate 44. Aphides. Corn 1. Ditto, a. Aphis in soil. Aphis or Collier Blight. Ditto, winged form. Hop Aphis attacked by Lady -bird larva. Aphis, attached by Plagiator Fly. Aphis. 3. Cabbage Aphis. 4. Lettuce Ditto, vroolly-tailed 5. variety. and Growers not or their The are great Nature Aphis. form. 12. Woolly Aphis, winged 13. Ditto,wingless form. Plum Aphis. Rose Aphis. 14. stand little Aphide family were balance which asserts of and hordes Uncongenial weather their ranks constantly,but the gardener later. flower-lover have to take action beingusuallycompelledto on let their things course. commonest the the Pear Ditto, winged form. the earth if the on account, the farmer take Apple and beings in general would by flies thin parasitic and particularly the own 11. human itself controlled itself sooner 10. Bean 15. of continuance chance Lettuce kinds of aphids with which we have to deal Corn, Cabbage, Lettuce, Bean, Hop, Apple, Pear, Plum, and Rose, which are shown on Plate 44. i^i APPENDIX the Com do littledirectly against^ As stated the farmer can Aphis, whose Latin name which Siphonophora granaira, tunately has reached alarming proportionsin some years, but forhave a vigorous little ally in Ephedrus for us we which to polisho"E Plagiator,a minute ichneumon manages at least 90 per cent, of them. Fig. 2 shows this flyin the act will soon of depositing an egg in the aphid'sbody, which hatch and is its host. devour is green with black spots, Cabbage Aphis (.4,brassica) loss by and infests the undersides of the leaves, causing much sucking out the plant juicesand renderingthe plants sticky The foul with and is the spray A thing to lime or quassia againstthem. use insect curious more Powdered their excretions. is the Aphis {Pemphigus Lettuce and in that it possesses no cornicles or honey-tubes laclvoarp's) in habit, being a small copyistof the terrible is subterranean the roots Grape Louse, feedingat colour limed and sweetened Much to the best-known the Black and a Bean salad resist its attack. and worst hated Aphis field where our plants. It wingless.All ground should and yellow in of or Collier has this insect of all be is well plant lice is Blight {Aphis rumicis), " " home really got is a tragedy indeed, for when the tender tops have been destroyed the sooty myrmidons will pass down and thrust their suckers in along the edge of the young the end of pods, which means Beans be must to autumn sown fully resist your crop. Black Aphis,as whilst plantsthen enough pods are formed the of the tops. The Hop Aphis say on the become to hard and admit {Phorodonhumuli) has questionof more beer or of the impenetrable, pinchingout good a less than any deal to more Government control. It is palegreen master in colour with of the Kentish red eyes and fields were myriads of Two-spot Ladybirds which would it not lute be abso- for the vast relentless war good little beetles wage them. The extent to which these upon succeed is the measure of our crop, and here againis a case where Nature is recognizedas takinga hand in the struggle behalf. on our Fig. 9 in the plate shows a ladybirdlarva devouringa hop aphis. Flowers in the gardenreceive plentyof attention from these 102 INSECT PESTS insects and each has its own the best known beingthe species, inch in Rose Aphis {A. rosce), green in colour and about -c^^ size. The quassiaspray is the best argument with which to meet its attacks. kinds of Aphids, Fruit is of course productiveof special for much which, with their cousins the Suckers,are responsible loss of vigourin both bush and standard trees. stock-mothers In the Apple Aphis {A.mali)the queens or dark grey, the winged and active forms being green with are is green at firstand black heads. The Plum Aphis {A pni7ii) then dark grey when fullgrown. Both kinds have been known to feed on either tree, but they usuallykeep to those whose names they bear. Two-wing flies,Lacewings and Ladybirdsattack these . aphids(see Plate 15),and are of great assistance in preventing their attacks becoming dangerous in the followingseason, the twistingand witheringof fruit-tree leaves but wherever at be kept vigorously indicates aphis trouble the spray must which work. Lime-washing in spring also destroysthe eggs insecticides of quassia Contact the bark. laid all over are nicotine must be used after the blossoms have fallen and in time to prevent the leaf-curl happening. should be conNeither of these aphids above mentioned fused been with dealt on with the Woolly Aphis,which has often as though page 76, and is a different insect entirely, where abundant is harmful as the two more together. It attacks both root and branch, and trees have been neglected and the alkaline winter wash is necessary when the leaves have or fallen. of all creatures, as the most are prolific queens althoughthe egg is largein comparisontheykeep on producing But in addition to this it has been found that polythem. gamy Aphis where unusual trait among insects, a most practised, one mating usuallyexhausts the male. added to the readychangesof form by which These quahties, mittent they adapt themselves to varying temperatures and interrender it essential that no crop should food-supply, fulness be allowed to fall into a neglected state, so that watchever selves againstaphidesearlyin the season is a duty to ouras well as to our neighbours. is ILLS all InsectPests Fruit Trees,Flowers on and Vegetables, PHIS, Green and Black Fly,Psylla. Capsld A T Bug, Red Spider, etc. HIS perfectInsecticidealso destroys Caterpillars, S well as all SuckingInsects. KATAKILLA IS -poisonous; does non not injurefruit or your garden,orchard vegetables. L ET " or EST ND " Katakilla helpin allotment. you forget, placeyour order be preparedto now, and beat these pests. meet Seedsmen,Ironmongers, in by Nurserymen, Supplied Small cartons, to Large cartons, to Sole Manufactarers make 10 gallons of wash. of wash. make 50 gallons : NcDOUGALL 66-68 Bros.,Ltd., Port Street,Manchester. in Insecticides and Horticultural Preparations. Specialists Wrilt for special let/let on " Insect Pali" INDEX Acarid mites Adaptation to environment, Agriculture,primitive, 174 Alkaline wash, American Thrips how and 76 or 16, 67, 125, Ants, bean, 167 38, 39 161 Bees, 112, 120, 189-192 Weevil, Apple Blossom 145 Canker, Beet Pests, 76-86 Root Louse, Sawfly, Sucker, and 82 100 17, 34- mangold pests, 63 64 from immune Heart Rot, Beetles, and their larvae, 17 useful kinds, 62, 103, 104 76 63 82 36, 64 Click or Skip-jack, 98, 114 104 Clock or Flying Watchman, Cockchafer, 38,82,99, 110, 114 Bean 192 Aphis, 145 Armadillo, 79 sprays, Asparagus surface caterpillars, in soil, 104 Rust, stage or of and Smxuner Chafers, Ladybird, 67 63 pests, 114 75 99, 100 Ground, 104 175 manures, Pea, Bark, Garden 163 12, Asters, and 51, 62 Fruit mals, joint-bodied ani- or and Dimg, 104 Etimolpus, 111, 12 Articulata, first 116 138 or wingless insects, 14, 28, 43, 76, 96, 120 Barberry 14, and Red, Apterous Bacteria 79, caterpillars, Asparagus, Pear Artificial for 84 Scab, Arsenical Peas, 64 cockchafers, Fly, 146 Spot, 66 36 for weevils, 82, 92 and Bee diseases parasites,34, 35 163 Aphides, 43, 62, 66, 67, 76, 77, Leaf Fly, 64, Thunder Aphis, 68, 191 and for of, 45, 116 of, 116 Weevil, Black Beating grass, on or or Pea Beans 144 class, worm Moth Antler 1 74 caused, Gooseberry Mildew, Analysis of soil, 158 of a haricot Anatomy Annelides, Bats, iiseful work Bean Rust, 138 188 84 Blight, Civil War, useful work Owl, Bam sheep, 29, 31, 32 on Cluster-cups, wheat mildew, 45 Mustard, Oil, 34, 57 Rose Chafer, 93 104 Rove, Scarabid, 111, 114 Sexton, 104 Soldier 133, 143 195 and Sailor, 103 INSECT 196 Beetles PESTS Cellulose cont. " Tiger Sparkler, 103, 104 and Turnip Cabbage Flower, 45 Gall Weevil, 47, 61, 169 Turnip Turnip Mud, 47, 49 Weevil tribe, 36, 43, 47, 61, 64, 82, 90, 92,112, 113 or Big Bud of currants, Bird's Eye, Spot, 146 91 Strawberry or Leaf Bean Fly, Thrips Blight, 66 Blight (Potato Disease), Blue Clay, 153 Blue- bottles or known Bordeaux and Millipedes,distinction 98, Chaffinch, useful work Chalk soil, 158 Cheese mould, 129 of, 62 Chemistry of manures, China clay, 154, 156 167 Burgxmdy 123, 140, 141, 143, Flies, 23 or Civilization 27 mixttu'e, 90 or Clock or Moth, pests, 36 sickness, 141 96 Cluster Cups Snowy Fly, 62 Fly, 62 Root White Butterflies, 17, 57, 83 parasites of, 59 White Rust, 144 Caddis Flies, 14 disease Calves, redwater of, 23 Canker, on melons, cucvmabers, 123 on tomatoes and treatment first mildew, 133, 153 their and or spawn, 30 Case-wings, 17 Spring-tails,soil or insects, 97 Common Wainscot Moth, 38 Composition of soils, 151 of plants, 168 Conclusion, regarding pest blem, pro- 179 distinct Conservatory, greenhouse, Corn, Scab from a 108 of potatoes, 136 39 land, 177 Aphis, 43, 191 Fly, Ribbon-footed, Corn fruit trees, 145 Carbolic Barberry, Cockchafers, 38, 82, 99, 110, 114 14 Cockroaches, Codlin Moth, 84 Corky 32 on measures, Collembola or 104 143 Coal Coleoptera, 191 17, 59 Wing, Beetle, 117 of wheat stage Codfish Powdered 9S Skip-jack Beetle, Watchman Clover Thysanoura, Aphis, 190, 97 crops, Click Clothes 146 Moth, 112, 116 Bunt and Smut, 143 Bush Fruit, 88 Butterflies and Mothe, difference between, 17 and harmless beautiful kinds, 17, 38, 54 Moth, 18 vil, Raspberry Wee- or stock, 28 Ermine Cabbage 171 Nature, versus Clay-coloured with "gentles," as or plant green, fungi, 129 in absent tween, be- 103 Clay soil, 154, 156, 157 Cleanliness, importance of, with 135 Bot Buff and Collier Blow-flies, 14 or larvae Bristle-tails Centipedes, cell-walls, 168 12 Chlorophyll Birds, beneficial action of, 28, 45, 53, 61, 62, 69, 76, 77, 81, 82, 83, 89, 90, 93, 100, 102 Black and of soil,125 mushroom Carpomycetes, or puff-ballfungi, Carrot Fly, 68, 69 Celery Fly, 69 Leaf Spot, 140 129 and Rust, 133, Thrips, 43 Weevil, Cotton 40 141 43 wool plants from protectionof pot sings,102 for INDEX Fly Crane parent Daddy-long-legs, jacket, 38, or of leather- 100 Cretaceous deposit,153 chalk or Crickets, Moth larvse, Spit Insect, 13, 14 Currant Clearwrng Moth, Gall Mite, 91 Moth, 92 Sawfly, 91 in, 185 poultry, 32 Flies, Asparagus, 62, Daddy-long-legs or Cheese, 16 Crane, 38, 100 Crane Death's of, 59, 116 useful work Dispersal of Mammals, Dragon-flies,14 Moth, Drinker of Hot 55 38 potatoes, 136 Beetles, 104 Cockles of Wheat, 43, 44, Moth, 38 in the soil, 105, 162, Earthworms, 163, 164, 165 Earwigs, 14, 15, 84 in clover, 36, 141 Eel worms, corn, 43 cucumbers 124 and tomatoes, in strawberries, 93 Egg search, for pest destruction, 60, 81, 88, 91 Eggar Moths, harmless 81 Eocene deposits,154 Ermine Moths, 112, 14 23 Frit, 39, 40 Gout,- 40 Green-bottle, 27 50 Flies, 1 4, 1 1 2 Diptera or Two-wing Hawk, or Forest, ol Nature, 173 Devices Diamond-backed Moth, 16 Dragon, Empis 105, 162 Moth, 70 Hawk 62 Root, Caddis, 16 Carrot, 68, 69 Celery, 69 Summer Researches, Head Blue-bottle, 27 Cabbage 92 Fly, 14, 38, 100 Arches Dark Moth, 38 Darwin's 63 Bot, 23 Scale, 90 in Fleas, 12, Beet, 64 123, 124 Cucumbers, Cultivation, a simple lesson 150, 159, 160 in greenhouses, 123 Figs, Figure of Eight Moth, 87, 123 Finger and Toe disease of turnips on 81 Ear catchers, 45 rat as in 137 rotation, 174 Cuckoo, and Lackey Dung Ferrets, 14 Crop Dry 197 varieties, Lace wing, 14, 68 Green Hessian, 41 16 House, Hover, 65, 76 16, 40, 50 Ichneumon, Onion, 69 24 Ox Warble, Ribbon-footed Corn, 40 Scorpion, 15 Sheep's Nostril, 66 Thunder, Yellow-bottle, Flounced Rustic Foot of 23 Moth, 38 Flowers, characteristics of, 1 73 Rot sheep, Foul Flies, 23 Bee Brood or Four Great Forest Fresh-air and Orders pest, 34, for cucumbers treatment melons, 31 124 39, 40 FritillaryButterflies, 17 Frog Hoppers, 13, 14 Fruit Bark Beetle, 75 116 Farm 178 Fly Tree on 35 of Plants, 128 Canker of, 138 beans. Pod French Frit pests, 21 stock, 21 ; fallow, 176, 26 62 Snowy, corn, pests, 73-92 INSECT 198 Fumigation, with with sulphur, with tobacco, cj'anide, 121 125 Help of children, 19 Hemiptera, or Half- wings,14, 122 Hen Fungi, 112, 122, 128, 129, 130, Fungoid diseases, 19, 127-149 132 poultry, 32 in Gape-wonrxs pests, 55-71 Moth, on potatoes, 69, 70 Gas Lime, 125 Ghost Moth, 70 Swift 18 America, in Gnats, 14 Gooseberries, varieties mended, recom- 144, 145 Fly on parasites, 183 Indian 120 Insect, 112, 129 Tortrix Moth, 112, 118 Grapes, Hot-house, 111 pests of, 112 land, 36, Grease Banding 17 their four Irish Green-bottle Greenhouse, cavises Isle of Orders Groat stages, Potato Trade, gettinginto 175 manures, Insects, Nine 38 in 109 greenhouse, Inorganic of fruit trees, 79 Flies, 27 of, 12- 14 Famine and Free 135 Disease, 34, Bee Wight 35 failures, of Jackdaws, 108-110 beneficial Juliia pulchellua of, 110 construction near oai'ly agricultux'e, Ingenuity of insects a 14 Grass and Corn growing 174 Scale Grasshoppers, 122 Flies, 14, 40, 50 Immunity turnips, 46 (Phylloxera), 11 2,'"120 Louse Hiunan of swedes 43 Grape Aphis, 23 Ants, 125 Flies, 16 Hover Flies, 65, 76 Human Flea, 12, 13 past history of, 185 Ichneumon 40 corn, Moth, Weevil, 43 Fly, House 92 112, 114, 115 Grain Bot Horse T peste, 112, 122 wings, 14, 17, 112, Sawfly, 91 or Magpie Moth, Gout fruit as Hvunus, Gooseberry Mildew, Moth, 41 importance of, 160 Membraneor Hjnnenoptera, 145 Gothic Fly, Hornets Garden Gipsy Moth Hessian 112 13, 32, 33 Louse, Honey-bee, 17, 34 Hop Aphis, 190, 191 Honey-comb or Wax Moth, 34, 11 Flies, 23 Gad PESTS or action of, 62 Millipede,97 pests, 107-125 window of- gauze use coverings, 114 Ground Beetles, Growth of a Keds, on Knob Eelworm, sheep, 28, 29 124 104 plant, 168, Lacewing Flies, 14, 170. 68 Beetle, beneficial characteristics, of, 67, 68 Lackey Moth, 80, 81 Ladybird Habits of Plants determine 172 of, 166 Bean, anatomy Harmless butterflies, 17, 38, 54 moths, 38, 81 Hawks, useful work performed by, Haricot 45 Heart Rot swedes, of 138 mangolds and Leaf-blotch melons, of action cucumbers and 124 miners, 117, 118 Spot diseases, 140, 141, Leather-jackets, 100 146 Leaf- twisters and Leaf Lepidoptera, 114 or Scaly-wings, I7^ 199 INDEX " 191 Aphis, 190, Measiires Liassic Moths cont. and Flotmced 68 Lettuce, on Moth, Arches 38 of, in soil, 178 for beans, LiveripfSulphur Wash importance 140 Liverfluke Liver or in Rot sheep, 29, 30, 31, 58 157 Loam, 148 Loganberry Disease, Clay, 153 London Lackey, 80 Light and Dark Arches, Magpie or Currant, 92 Raspberry, Magpie Mangold Ciurant or Disease or Rot, 138 5.ids, egg-search, hand- Manual picking, etc., Manure, Manures, 19 174 "manoeuvre," chemistry of, 167-178 or Vapoiirer, 79 inorganic,174 organic and 79 May-bug Meal Mealy 99 Larva, 16 Midges, Microlepidoptera,117 MiUi pedes,root eaters, 12, 97, 112, 122, 129, 133, Mineral food, 129 Mites, Acarid, on sheep, 29 Mildew, on 122 Crickets Death's 71 Diamond-backed, 50 Drinker, 38 Ear, 38 Ermine, 112, 116 Figure 38 Clearwing, 92 Head, of Insect, 76 Beetles, 46 Scale Mussel Mustard Eight, or many-footed crea- tui-es, 12, 97 corn Wainscot, Common Currant on 129 Myriapoda poultrj',32 75 Shell, 38 Yellow Underwing, 68, 112, 115 Moths, harmless, 38, 81 Umber Moth, 79 Mottled Piiff -balls, 128, and Mushrooms 145 land, 42 action beneficial of, 70 Moles, 39 Moths, Antler, 38, Cabbage, 17, 59-61 Clothes, 117 Codlin, 84 Mole Leopard, Yellow 112, 120 123, 124 Bug, Melons, Winter, Wood 117 Dart, 112, 115 77, 78, 79 Line White Cockchafer or Moth, 117 Veneer, Moth, Marls, 153, 157 March 88 Rustic, 70 Shoot and Fruit, 89 Silver Y, 63 Snout, 117 Tortrix, 117 Tm-nip, 35, 43, 51 Rosy Moth, 92 Heart 38 Meal, 117 Pea, 67 Pith, 86 Flume, 117 14 East, of the Locust Swift, 70 Gothic, 112, 114 Grain, 43 Grape Tortrix, 112, 118, 120 Honeycomb, 34, 117 Ghost dressing,138 Lime Swift, 70 Garden poultry, 32 Light 38 Clay, 1 53 Blue or Lice, 14 tic, Square-spot Rus- Myxomycetes, or fungi,129 slime Natvu-al checks for pests,1 9, 59, 79 for crops and stock, conditions 188 Nature veraiia Civilization, 1 8 2, 46 butterflyand sweep, 14 Nerveor wings, Neuroptera, Nets, 153 Sandstone, Red New Nine Orders Great of Insects,12- 17 Nits, 87 or Noctuid, eggs or of lice, 13 Moths, Night-flying 60 INSECT 200 Notifiable PESTS diseases, 29, 124, 136, 92 Weevil, Nut Moths, Plume Pod 144 Canker French 117 of scarlet beans, Pond Skaters, Potatoes, 70 Oil Beetle, in bee-hives, 34 57 its life-history, Sandstone Red and fruit 152 growing, Fly, 69 Fungus, 144 Oomycetes, or parasiticaldisease Onion fungi, 129 Organic Orthoptera Warble Ox of, 45, Fly, Skin for 14 116 24 Protomycetes or Protoplasm, basis Butterfly,17, 54, Peacock Peas, 67, maggoty, Moth, 67 Pupae, searching for, 79, 87 186 Raspberry Moth, pests, 88, 86 or or Slug- Rats, Old 87 pests, 86, 87, 88 Pest question,55, 57, 179 Pests, indigenous and exotic, 18 18 89 as pests, 44 English 122, 123 Water in Calves, 23, 32 and artificial, Reproduction Aphis, 192 peats, 87 19, 181 168 of cells, 172 Com Fly, 40 crops, 46-52, 63, 68, 70 and uses of, 160 Roots, functions 192 Rose Aphis, 13, Chafer, on strawberries, 93 Rosy Rustic Moth, 70 of crops, 174, 175, 177 Rotation Tables, 176 Rove Beetles, 62, 104 Root Pith Moth, 86 Plant Lice, 14 mechanism, 168, 175 Plants, chemical analysis of, Remedies, natural Ribbon-footed 123 18 Butterfly, harmless Spider or Spinning Mite, 112, 112, 120 Pig troubles, 32 Pill insects, 12, 13 ? Prussian, Red they why Phosphorescent insects, 103 Phylloxeravastatrix, or vine louse, come and Admiral insect, 17 Red do 88 Red Soil, 157 Pineapples, 35 Loganberry diseases, 148 Clay-colouredWeevil, 90 and Bug, 13 Cherry Sawfly, Plum parasites of, Queen-bees, 145 worm, Tree fungi, 129 of all life,133, 67 Midge, Scab, Plum first ?l 168 121 140 Peat Colouring, 123 Peaches, and 122 Mildew, Vine Protective Parsnip pests, 69 Parthogenetic females, 76, 77, and Scurf, 137 135 99, 102 Parasites, helpful,91 183, 184 human, Parasitism, 181, 183 Tree spraying, Poultry, external parasites,32 internal parasites,32 useful employment of, 87, 89, Powdery Pear Silver Spot and times Wart wings, Straight- or Owls, \iBeful work disease, 132, 134 disease resisters, 136 Dry Rot, 134, 136 traps for soil insects, 98 disease, 136 pests, 73-93 175 manures, Orchard 14 Blight, 134 Corky Scab, 136, 137 Orange Tip Butterfly, 16 Old and runners 138 202 TortoiseBhell not Turf PESTS Butterfly, Water-enaila,30, pest, 188 a Tortrix Elm or INSECT Moths, 112, 116, 117 for weevils, 100 Diamond-backed Moth, 60 Traps, Turnip diseases, Flea 137 Moth, on on turnips,51 wheat Weevils, on Sawfly, 47 and animals, 102 soil insects, 102, 105 Vapourer Moth, and its wingless female, 79 diagram of, 128 Moths, on 43 117 Vigilance Chart for Smallholder, 112, 113 on grapes, on 90 raspberries, and Bunt Smut, Mildew or Midge, 41 1 43 Rust, 133, 141 43 pests, 42, White-heads or take-all, 143 Moth, 112, 116 Line Dart Moth, 112, 115 Rot of Vines, 123 or Snowy Fly, 62, 125 Wingless female moths, 78, 79 Winter moths, 77 White Ermine priming, Vegetable Kingdom, Veneer Stoats, beneficial of, 45 clover, 36 corn, Wheat Beetle, 45 Flower Swedes, 46 Finger and Toe, Anbury, Club Grub Root or Disease, 137 Two-wing Flies, 14, 59, 112, 116 Useful and action Beetle, 49, 50 pests, 46-51 Cabbage 40, 41, 49 Weasels roots, 43 153 offensive, 40, 41, 49 -Moth, 34, 117 Weeds, Mud Turnips Clay, Weed asters, 51 on and Weald Wax Hopper, 47, 49 Weevil, 47, 61, 169 or GaU 31 in connection with Liverfluke,30 Water in soil, 1 55 Table 86 Wircworms, 08, 114 Woodlice, 12, 97, 123 Wood Leopard Moth, Woolly Aphis, or 193 75 American Blight, 76 Vine, pests of, 111 Louse, or Phylloxera, 112, Mildew, Tortrix Weevil, 120 122 Moth, in soil, 105, 162-165 Worms, intestinal,in poultry,34 nematoide, in poultry, o- 118 116, 113 Xylophagi or Wood-eaters, 75 Violet, Sweet and Dog, 173 forces in the production of soil, 155 Volcanic Yeast 129 Yellow Underwing Moth, 68, 1 12, 115 Warble Fly, detection 24 of Shell ova on legs beasts, 25 Wart Disease Moth, Yellow-bottle 38 Fly, or Hoi"se Bot, 23 of potatoes, Wasps, 14, 83, 112, Watchman Beetle, Water-beetles, 110 Water of Scorpions,1 4 122 104 136 Zeuzera Moth, ceaculi, Wood Leopard 75 Zygomycetes, or mould fungi, 129 and Prinledin Great BritainhijButler " Tanner, Fronxcand London dew mil- PEST-PROOF HOW GROW TO Just as only PROFITABLE other and and grown " North " Wales results When stamina. if aS Bees' the the of export from Board Bees' the and is l-*lantS, ireeS, " " A.B.C. giving fuU roses and periodically spected in- comes quality below actually are ""-" 11 Bulbs, everything garden. Bees' fruit trees young milder quarters they ; the output enormous supply the home dema,nd. m outdoor in end This are that certified to-day to Bees' Ltd., Liverpool, for catalogues therein to nurseries Everything of this prices export J plain to by Uiagic. Write TM end of because of the average which is maintained to and an with Agriculture in accordance certified free plants regulations, and are plant pests. from old-time bleak from and trees Bees' ^^^ transplanted ^iurU''"'iVhw^an"d grOW the are by Spartan rearing in seasoned trees and plants possessing constitutions and disease-resisting the Atlantic susceptibleof many kinds of plant diseases- a on swept gales. Bees' in not " but " trees first by cultivating " plants are Nursery the are fatal foes. prevention best secured plants of robust health. is remedy by TREES. with of insects trees AND weakly constitutions disease, so weakly plants and to first victims The VIGOROUS persons succumb to PLANTS A.B.C. of Bulb etc. of Street,This typeTf tree, You in .."""''"" Seeds, '^"'3K certified Jf* tree Wul for ,^ find 1 the conditions, as from pests after examlna- Cc^^fJut. L'tfiet^k "^ of rahed ^*'^' .11 require you ^"^ ^"" """^' ^" p'^"*'- Rose Culture," price M., and Bees' Culture," 3d. are complete treatises, information bulbs. .IT Mill on the cultivation respectively of Kills Wire Moths, Sprinkled Leather worm, under "jackets, Grubs, Millipedes, Weevils. Fruit during Trees soil and destroys insects hibernating in the (American blight) which would and autumn root later ascend and spring insects attack fruit,flowers and leaves. Potatoes, etc., with SULPHUR. GREEN Onions with Green dusted Sulphur are kept free from attacks of flyand mildew. Fruit Trees during Winter with CALSQ. The Write Best Fruit Tree for prices and E. Cleanser. particulars R. Eclipse Works, to BUGGE, Westcombe Hill, LONDON, S.E.3 WEED "ACME" For Destroying Weeds, Carriage Drives, Garden KILLER Moss, etc., on Walks, Roads, etc. Awarded Gold Medal Anglo-AmericanExhibition ; commended by Royal Horticultural Society. " "ACME THE /^No.X c.. Size " ''^ 1 " [ ",3 Tin WEED Sufficientto make .. I 2 POWDER gallons ^ " " ", p"-"^ rnces 25 50 " .. 12i KILLER " I 1 ". 100 ,""2PP''cation. No. 3 carriage paid. 1 Strength in KILLERS WEED LIQUID 25, and 1 in 50. "ACME" application. Prices on SAND LAWN Marvellous effecton Fertilisesthe Grass Weeds and Moss on Lawns. 7 lbs., luxuriant needed. Lawns. No other 2/3 ; producing manure 56 lbs.,16/- ; 1 cwt., 30/- ; carriage paid on 56 lbs. ARSENATE OF LEAD PASTE 2/" "FUMERITE," for for per Death springuse. to Caterpillars. lb.,postage 6d. To be dug into the all ground vermin. destroying 17/6 per cwt., carriage paid. soil. EXTRACT COMPOUND OF BANDING CHIPS. WASH GREASE The ACME for Winter AND Prices and River ; Washing Fruit Trees. NICOTINE, PAPER. particulars upon QUASSIA application. CHEMICAL TONBRIDGE, And Pint.1/6; post free.1/10. INSECTICIDE. Pint, 1/6 QUASSIA-TOBACCO and "|--gcd., upwards. 3/6 ; carriagepaid on 1-gal. LIME-SULPHUR TREE QUASSIA. CO. Ltd. KENT Street, Bolton, Lanes. PROVEN WELL GUARANTFED AIDS. GARDEN Premier Seeds " EVERY ONE OF OUR SPECIALITIES: Seeds,Seed Potatoes, Manures, Pest Killers, Syringes, Sprays, etc., etc. " TO GIVE GUARANTEED USER SATISFACTION ARE Roses Scotch Seed Potatoes or "Premier" WRITE THE returned. money NOW FOR LISTS. Manures letus know of it. Itwill If you have any gardendifficulty and practical if our scientific can experience and Sprayers be a pleasure It is at the serviceof allgardenlovers. helpyou. "Demon" icide Insect- I'AIphol" "Climax" " Climax " Formerly Boundary Co; Ltd., CRANMER STREET, LIVERPOOL. Lawn Sand Ly tie's Lead Arsenate " Simplicitas Netting, etc. FARMING Price,5$. CONTINUOUS T. Barton, net M.R.C.V.S., Capt. R.A.V.C. DISEASE. AND Crown 8vo. Illustrated Cloth. ETC. FARMERS, Third N.D..^., N.D.D. (post fi^e 3s. loJ.). ING FARM- DAIRY TILLAGE AND CROPPING SMALL By T. WiBBERLEV, By (postagejii.V. Price 6s. net (postage^d.). FOR DAIRY Edition. ACCIDENT HEALTH, IN HORSE. Frank Second N.D.D. N.D.A,, CONTINUOUS OR LINES FARMERS. FACTORY LARGE FOR ON CROPPING By T. WiBBERi.EY, net "c. for FARMERS, SMALLHOLDEHS, BOOKS By Specialists. Garden and Laton m]. Established " THE LTD., SUPPLIES, GARDEN Weed Killer Edition, Crown 8vo. Price 3s. Cd. Cloth. FARMING. J. Price C. F.L.S. Newsham, 3". 6U. MADE FARMING Author of " Farming made Easy." Crown 8vo. Clofn. (postage 4^.). net EASY. fanning. By J. C. Newsham, invaluable guide for all those commencing Crown 8vo. Price 35. 6d. net Cloth. of "The Potato Book," etc. Author An F.L.S. (postago 4d. extra). FOR PROFIT. 8vo. Crown By E. T. Brow.v. net (postage4^.). POULTRY THE PIG: book ia this listmay Crown 15 REARING BREEDING, Spencer. By Sanders net (ijostage41/.). A"y Cloth, with Svo. full-pageIllustrations. Price is. AND (,J. HOUSING. Cloth, with 15 fuU-pageIllustrations. Price 3s. M. . be ordered through your or bookseller, will be ient on post-paid receiptof the pric* tnentioned by Publisher, "Smallholder" A. F. SOWTER, 16-18 Henrietta Street,London, W.C. Offices, INSECTICIDE 'ABOL' remedyfor allInsect Pests and Mildew The great NON-POISONOUS foliage. Roses and other plants. Imparts health and vigourto the smell. Clean and wholesome to handle. No unpleasant on ROYAL IN THE USED SYRINGES PATENT 'ABOL' BY RECOMMENDED SPECIALLY GARDENS. THE ROSE NATIONAL SOCIETY. The the Market. Varies the Gives a coarse, as desired. Economical and EfficientSprayeron most the spray from fine to medium or fine"mist-like" spray which hangsin the air and of density ^ so envelopestne and under surfaces alike. trated Please write for IllusTreatise on Garden Pests gratis and post free. Gives also full prices and the of particulars " den PopularGarSpecialities. "Abol" Pneumatic "Abol" Sprayers, Fertilizer, Soil Pest Destro/er, Killer,Shading, Worm Garden Hose, etc. may be had of allNurserymen, Seedsmen, Florists,etc., or Proprietors,E. So .INSECTICIDES A. White. Ltd., 10 BeltPaddock ring, Wood, Kknt. .5i|MEASURF. lip " % rliili'^'^liliiil |iCACH -TsMi'l: wmm..rjj^V\mintef FUNGfGIpE upper STONEHOUSE ALL BESTS others troubled and Gardeners INSECT PESTS by Insect Pests will find zmmmm^MaK^n^ THE a LICHTNING remedy sure Fly, Aphis, Red and Green against Caterpillars, Spider,etc., yet damage the beast,and will not there is no and it is harmless Completely soluble And the INSECTICIDE to delicate most Black man foliage. in water. better way of applyingit than by using SUPER STONEHOUSE SYRINGE well-designedand accurately made, fitted with double swivel nozzle and improved drip. Send for full particulars. STONEHOUSE LANE MILLS, London : B. W. PETERS, WORKS WEST Co., SPON BROMWICH 36-38, Hatton Garden. E.C.I.
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