78 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



some neighboring plant, then seeking among the bushes some suitable place to 

 lay its single egg. 



After coming from the pupae they soon mate, and the females commence to 

 lay their eggs, one at a time, just above a bud or small branch. The eggs soon 

 hatch, and the almost microscopic larvae immediately bore to the center of the 

 stem, and then their period of depredation commences in earnest. Daring 

 this stage, which lasts until about the first or middle of May, they seem to eat 

 unceasingly until they attain their full size. When full grown the larvae are 

 about one-half of an inch in length. They are white with brown legs and 

 head, and have a dark line running along the back. 



Having now bored a hole from six to twelve inches in length, running both 

 upwards and downwards from the entrance, he is ready to pupate. They first 

 bore a hole for an egress through the hard part of the stem, only leaving the 

 thin liber or bark ; now turning his head toward the opening he scrapes to- 

 gether a few chips, forming a rude cocoon, and soon changes to the pupa 

 state. They remain as a pupa but a few weeks, when they come out as the 

 imago, or adult moth. 



Thus they go on through the cycle of their existence, increasing year by 

 year until, unless checked, they will do, as they have already done, serious 

 injury to the currant crop. 



The insect enemies of this pest are very few. I have, however, succeeded in 

 raising several small, fly-like ichneumons from pupae collected this spring. 

 These are small, a little over a quarter of an inch in length, and are of two 

 species closely resembling each other, but can be distinguished by the antennae, 

 or feelers, one species having joints colored white instead of black, as are the 

 antennae of the other. 



These ichneumons seem to be on the increase, as this year we have raised 

 thirteen from forty of the pupae. Last year Prof. Cook raised three, and the 

 year before that found none, although he raised about fifty moths. Let us 

 hope that they may so increase as to keep this pernicious insect in check. 

 They infest the larva and pupate in the pupa, thus so weakening it that they 

 fail to develop. In view of the fact that the natural enemies of this borer are 

 insufficient to keep it in subjugation it becomes necessary that we should resort 

 to some more efficient means of protection. Something must be done, as they 

 have already done great damage in some gardens, and where neglected the 

 bushes may be entirely ruined. I have taken two insects from the same stem. 

 The larva is effectively protected by the currant stem, and kind Nature has 

 furnished the moth with a protection in its close resemblance, when on the 

 wing, to a wasp. A bird when it once has caught a wasp by mistaking it for a 

 moth makes no more experiments. 



As the larvae are protected from any poison when at work by the stem of the 

 plant there is but one more remedy applicable, and that is "hand-picking." 

 This has proved very effectual on the College grounds. 



Early in the spring, before the leaves appear, the bushes should be carefully 

 looked over, and all stems having a hole in the side be pruned away and 

 burned. If a delay is made until the leaves are grown many of the moths will 

 escape and thus part of the benefit is lost. 



In speaking of insect remedies C. W. Garfield said that lettuce growers at 

 Grand Rapids preferred tobacco water from sweepings as being stronger than 

 that from stems. 



Prof. Cook, in reply to a question concerning crude carbolic acid, said that 



