10 July, 1916.] Insect Pests of Fruit, Flowers, and Vegetables. 435 



from plant to plant depositing their eggs. Poisoned baits can be used, 

 which are made as follows: — Bran, 10 lbs. ; molasses, 4 lbs. ; Paris green, 

 4 ozs. The whole is to be made into a paste or dough, and placed, in 

 small pieces about the size of a nut, amongst the tomato plants; this 

 will destroy cutworms wholesale. The tomatoes themselves should be 

 sprayed with arsenate of lead, but should be washed before using. 



Cutworms. 



of 



These moths, which are found in countless thousands in all parts 

 Victoria, are known as " Bogong," and "Take-all" moths. The 



Fig. 12. — The Tomato Moth. 

 {Ilcliotliris armifjera, Ilubn.) 



caterpillars not only destroy 

 wheat and other grain 

 crops, but attack vegetable 

 and garden plants, esipeci- 

 allv carnations, dahlias, and 

 rose buds. One species, 

 A gratis munda, " the 

 Bogong moth," was re- 

 garded as a great delicacy 

 by the Aborigines, and an- 

 nual trips to the Bogong 

 and other ranges were 

 taken, where the moths 

 could be obtained in thou- 

 sands. The Bogong moths 

 crowd on the surfaces, and 

 also in the crevices of 

 granite rocks in incredible 

 quantities; to procure them 

 with greater facility, the 

 natives used to make 

 smothered fires underneath 

 these rocks, and about 

 them the moths collected, 

 and were suffocated with 

 the smoke. After they had 

 collected a large quantity, 

 the blacks proceeded to pre- 

 pare them. According to 

 various authorities, the fol- 

 lowing procedure was ob- 

 served : — A circular place 

 was cleared ii,pon the 



ground, of a size proportional to the number of insects to be prepared : 

 on it a fire was lighted and kept burning until the ground was con- 

 sidered to be sufficiently heated, a\ lien the fire was removed, and the 

 ashes cleared away. The moths were placed upon the heated ground, 

 and stirred about until the down and wings were removed. They were 

 then placed upon pieces of bark, and winnowed to separate the dijst 

 and wings from the bodies; they were then eaten, or placed in a wooden 

 vessel called a " Ctililian." and pounded by a piece of wood into masses 

 or cakes resembling lumps of fat. These were smoked, and kept good 

 for a fairly Inng period. The first time this diet is partaken of by 



