144 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[May, 



Bun, that was the real autlior of the (hiniage. As 

 for myself, I have on this account entirely quit 

 the hussiness of srowing strawberries." 



The only modes of fighting this new and very 

 destructive foe of the strawberry— which, how- 

 ever, seems to be confined to northerly regions 

 — are, first, to plough up either in the S])ring or 

 in the Fall, such patches as are badly infested by 

 it, by which means the pupa? will probably be 

 buried and destroyed; and second, not to pro- 

 cure any plants from an infested region, so as to 

 run the risk of introducing the plague upon 

 your own farm. 



We annex brief descriptions of this insect, 

 both in the perfect and larval states. We are 

 indebted to the distinguished English Micro- 

 lepidopterist, H. T. Stainton, for the generic 

 determination of the species, and for the further 

 remark that " it is closely allied to the European 

 Anchylopera comptana (Manual, Vol. II, p. 225), 

 which feeds on various Rosaceae, such as Pote- 

 riwn sanguisorba, Potentilla vema, and Dyras 

 octopetala." [I have since ascertained that it 

 is identical with comptana, and therefore proba- 

 bly an importation.] 



ANCiiyLOPERA FKAGARi^, new specics — head 

 and thorax reddish-brown. Palpi and legs paler. 

 Antennae dusky. Tarsal joints tipped with 

 dusky. Front wings reddish-brown, streaked 

 and spotted with black and white, as in the 

 figure. Hind wings and abdomen dusky. Alar 

 expanse, 0.40-0.45 inch. Described from nine 

 specimens. 



The larva measures, when full grown, 0.35 of 

 an inch. Largest on the first segment, tapering 

 thence very slightly to the last. Color varying 

 from very light yellowish-brown to dark olive- 

 green or brown. Body soft, somewhat traaslu- 

 cent, without polish ; the piliferous spots quite 

 large, shining, always light in color, contrasting 

 strongly in the dark spec imcns with the ground 

 color. Hairs, especially lateral ones, quite stout 

 and stiff. Spots arranged in the normal form, 

 segments two and three having none, however, 

 on their posterior half, as have the rest (see Fig. 

 80, h). Head horizontal, of a shining fulvous 

 color, witli a more or less distinct dark eye-spot 

 and tawny upper lip. Cervical shield of the 

 same shiny appearance. Anal segment with 

 two black spots (see Fig. 80, d), at posterior 

 edge, being confluent, and forming an entire 

 black edge in some specimens. Legs prolegs, 

 and venter of the same color as the body 

 above. 



CARBOLIC ACID FOR INSECTS. 



RY T. T. SOUTIIWICK, HOrUKSTKlt, N. Y. 



The time hsis almost come again when "the 

 little bu.sy bugs" will open up their Summer 

 campaign, and dispute with the "lords of crea- 

 tion" for possession of the "fruits of the earth." 

 Allow me thus early to call attention to an arti- 

 cle, the merits of which everybody knows, but 

 which many dare not use — I refer to carbolic 

 acid. Prepared as indicated, it cannot, I think, 

 hurt the most delicate house plants, and it is 

 sure to kill insect life. 



My plan of preparing is as follows: — I obtain 

 crude carbolic acid ; I use it in this form because 

 it is stronger and better for the purpose, and 

 costs but very little (about 25 cts. per gallon, I 

 think). I pour a quantity of this dark crude 

 acid into a quantity of good strong domestic 

 soft soap ; stir well together, and allow to stand 

 lor a few hours. I then test the compound by 

 mixing a little of it with soft water. If too 

 much acid has been added, oily particles of car- 

 bolic acid will be observed floating on the sur- 

 face. This shows that more acid has been put 

 in than the soap will incorporate or "cut," and 

 more soap should be added to balance the ex- 

 cess of acid. No more definite rule can be given, 

 as so much depends on the strength of the soap. 

 Two or three tablespoons full of the acid to a 

 quart of soap may be first tried. I prefer to 

 make as strong with acid as the soap will per- 

 fectly cut. A very little practice will enable 

 any one to compound it correctly. The refined 

 acid may be used when the crude is not at hand. 

 When prepared as above, make a moderately 

 strong suds, and apply with syringe or sponge. 

 In using on very delicate plants, should any fear 

 be felt for the plants, they can be rinsed off after 

 a few minutes. My first and eminently success- 

 ful use of this compound was some years since, 

 on a block of young cherry trees, some fifty 

 thousand in number. The black aphis " came 

 down like the wolf on the fold," only "they 

 came not as single spies, but in whole battal- 

 ions." It soon became an interesting question 

 as to who was the proprietor of this particular 

 block of trees— myself or the "bug Ethiopian." 

 A disinterested observer of judicial turn of 

 mind, judging from the general appearance of 

 things and the very " at home " air assumed by 

 the bugs, would have said they had the best case. 

 He would, at least, have been compelled to admit 

 they had "nine points of the law" (possession) 



