544 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



this to be the case, I can only add that the cure must also be the 

 same. 



The insect enemies of the Peach and Nectarine are not very numer- 

 ous, but are sometimes very troublesome. Green-fly is perhaps the 

 chief of these. As the cultivation of the Peach and Nectarine as hardy 

 trees places them in a position in which they cannot be easily fumi- 

 gated, the best means to adopt to destroy this little pest is to keep 

 the trees thoroughly syringed, adding a little tobacco-juice for a few- 

 times should the enemy appear powerful. Thrip, should it make its 

 appearance, may be destroyed by the same means. 



Red-spider (Acarus telarius) is an enemy not so easily disposed of ; 

 yet the trees are not liable to its attack if the roots are moist enough 

 and the branches frequently syringed. To destroy it, heavy and fre- 

 quent syringings are the best cure. 



The caterpillar of the figure - 8 moth (Episema coeruleocephala), 

 which is very troublesome at times upon Peach-trees, by eating and 

 destroying the foliage, should be picked with the hand, and at once 

 destroyed. 



The Tortrix AVceberiana, or Plum-tree tortrix, is sometimes injuri- 

 ous to the Peach ; but as I have spoken of it when treating of the 

 Plum, it is not necessary to do more than name it here. 



The Tenthredo populi, or Poplar saw-fly, makes its appearance 

 about the end of April. It is a large insect, larger than an ordinary 

 house-fly. The female arranges her eggs, which number about forty, 

 in lines along the surface of the leaves. In a few days these produce 

 a whitish grub, which shelter themselves within a web which they at 

 once begin to spin. As their period of grub-existence extends over 

 six weeks, it will be easily perceived that a very few females in spring 

 may be the cause of much damage to the Peach, as the young all have 

 to be fed upon the fresh and tender leaves for that period. At the 

 end of that time they drop to the ground, form cases in which they 

 bury themselves beneath the surface of the soil until spring, when 

 they emerge perfect insects, to become the parents of another genera- 

 tion of Peach-tree depredators. The fly ought to be killed as soon 

 as found in spring, the eggs searched for upon the leaves and de- 

 stroyed, while the surface-soil of the border ought to be removed in 

 winter to the depth of 3 or 4 inches and burned, in order to insure, 

 as far as possible, the entire destruction of the whole family. 



Earwigs (Forficula auricularis) are generally very destructive to the 

 ripening fruit. To destroy them, cut bean-stems in lengths of a few 

 inches, placing them on the ground and among the branches. Into 

 these the enemy will retreat, and from thence are easily blown into a 

 bucket of water prepared for their reception. 



