E. A. ORMEROD — PREVENTIOJf OF INSECT-rNJTJRY. 7 



As examples of those effects of weather, it is stated hy Schmid- 

 berger that in 1816 the appkvhuds Avere attacked for nearly three 

 weeks, " because the cold fog and rain checked the progress of the 

 sap already in motion, and therefore the buds, Avhich were already 

 swollen out, were for several days prevented from unfolding, and 

 scarcely a blossom was found that was not pierced." That year 

 there was no apple-crop. In 1817 the sap did not begin to flow 

 until nearly the end of April, and on the IGtli of May the api)le- 

 trees were in full flower ; laying time was thus cut short and the 

 blossom was beautiful. 



It is also mentioned by John Curtis that these little beetles 

 sometimes occasion great loss to the grower, " especially in cider 

 counties in backward seasons," and here it seems to me that we 

 get to the point where the lesson learned from weather-influences 

 may be applied. In our cider counties there are tracts beauti- 

 fully managed, but also localities where, sometimes from neglect, 

 sometimes from mis-applying the view that "trees bear best on 

 their upper surface," the orchards are so thickly planted that the 

 trees meet, or grow into each other so completely that the top is 

 nothing hut surface, as far as flowers are concerned. Perhaps some of 

 the members present may have stood on the chief mound of the old 

 Roman Station of Caerwent, the Venta Silurum of Antonine's 

 ' Itinerary,' about six miles from Chepstow, and looked down 

 during the month of May on the surrounding orchards in what has 

 been well described as " a sea of blossom." It is a sight of no com- 

 mon beauty from above ; but passing beneath this flood of bloom, 

 I found, when I knew the locality, the precise state of things 

 produced artificially which Curtis' and Schmidberger's observations 

 show is congenial to the apple-weevil. Here, and in the many 

 localities where trees are allowed to run up together so that direct 

 sunshine, and also free play of air under the trees and amongst the 

 boughs, is too much shut out, the buds on the lower branches in 

 the shaded parts come on slowly, and thus lengthen out the blossom- 

 ing-season during Avhich they are available to the weevil for egg- 

 laying. We imitate the state of things produced by wet cloudy 

 weather, whilst if the trees were kept in healthy progress in the 

 sun and air, we should be much less at the mercy of the weevils, 

 and also the army of apple-tree vermin such as American-blight 

 aphis, scale-insect, and many others, which thrive, or are hidden 

 from observation, and so get a-head in such spots. The effect of 

 hea-\-y rainfall after heat and drought in destroying some kinds of 

 caterpillars has long been known, and whether this occurs from 

 the external effect of the moisture or from causing a sudden flow 

 of dilute sap unwholesome to the creature, does not as yet seem 

 clear ; but the same effect might be brought about to a serviceable 

 amount at least in garden-cultivation. Other meteorological in- 

 fluences may also be imitated. 



"Whatever good we may gain from the many different kinds of 

 treatment which may be necessary for forestalling or keeping down 

 insect-attack, one point is incontrovertihly of immense importance, 



