THE APPLE BEETLE. 85 



Prevention and Remedies. 



As this new pest is a very active flyer, it behoves 

 growers to be on the alert, and to use the spraying pump 

 as soon as ever the fruit is properly set ; and, as the use of 

 London Purple has proved so efficient against the codlin 

 and light-brown apple moths, there is no reason why it 

 should not act with good effect in combating the ravages 

 of this beetle. (It would, of course, be unwise to use any 

 spraying material whatever whilst the blossom was still 

 on the trees, as such an application would in all 

 probability prevent the proper and regular setting of the 

 fruit.) Before and after the unaffected fruit has been 

 gathered, it would be well to at once pick off' and destroy 

 by l)urning all infested apples ; and, in the event of any of 

 the perfect insects being concealed beneath the loose bark 

 or the crevices of the tree, after removing any lichens, 

 loose bark, and other hiding places for insects, the tree 

 should have a thorough spraying with either the "Kerosene 

 Emulsion," "Resin Compound," "Quibell's Disinfectant," 

 or any other well-tried solution. 



The good old plan of " painting " the trees with a 

 coating of lime and sulphur is not to be despised or set 

 aside for some of the more active remedies. 



There is one thing which should always be re- 

 membered in treating trees against the perfect insect, 

 because it is a well-known fact to entomologists that a 

 large proportion of the whole group of the curculionidce 

 and allies are, in the beetle stage, very tenacious of 

 life, so that no reasonable amount of spraying (except 

 perhaps with Benzole) would have much effect upon 

 them, so we must tackle them whilst in the grub (or 

 larval) stages. 



Adhere to the good old rule — viz., to keep the orchards 

 as free from weeds, rubbish, and litter of all kinds as 

 possible. The tufts of greyish-looking lichens before 

 alluded to (and often called by growers moss) being a 

 specially secure hiding-place for insects of all kinds, clean 

 these off' the trees at once, and, after having done so, 



