864 RASPBEHRY. 



hundred pounds, and specimens forwarded from tins ground 

 in 1879 were identified as 0. jncipcs. 



These weevils fed on the biislies by night, and towards 

 dawn went down and hid themselves beneath the surface of 

 the earth, or under stones, &c. As all the remedies tried had 

 proved useless, a number of wooden trays were constructed, 

 the inside of which was smeared all over with tar ; and after 

 dark one man held a tray beneath an arch (arch-training 

 being the plan used) ; another, whilst carrying a lantern, 

 gave the bush a smart tap, and the weevils fell into the tray ; 

 the tar held them prisoners for a time, and after the tray had 

 been placed under a bush or two the weevils collected were 

 killed by pouring boiling water upon them. Thirty or forty 

 persons were thus employed, and each bush was thus treated 

 three times. An immense number of weevils were caught, 

 estimated at hundreds of thousands, and it was hoped, by 

 continuing this plan, to avoid much future loss. — (J. T.) 



On a small extent of ground the use of a common sweeping- 

 net has been found to answer for clearing bushes after dark. 



The commonly-adopted method of destroying these weevils 

 in vineries and peach -houses is to spread cloths below the 

 boughs, and shake the beetles down on them at night ; then 

 gather the beetles together and destroy them with boiling 

 water. This plan is equally applicable to standards, and, 

 with a little management, to wall-fruit trees ; but it should 

 be borne in mind that, as they drop when frightened, opera- 

 tions must not be begun until the cloths are placed ready. 



It is recommended by Mr. Malcolm Dunn, of Dalkeith, that 

 a white sheet should be laid under the boughs the day before, 

 and a large and bright light used, so that when the beetles 

 fall they may be easily noticed ; otherwise, if no sheet has 

 been spread and the light is dim, many of the beetles are 

 almost certain to escape, from their colour being so like that 

 of the ground. 



Another method is for two people to hold a sheet below the 

 boughs, and for a third to shake and then bring a light to 

 catch the beetles by ; but the above-mentioned plan is better. 



Getting rid of the maggots is a most difficult task, but it 

 was found by Mr. Malcolm Dunn that watering with a 

 "strong solution of ammoniacal liquor and common agricul- 

 tural salt is effective in preventing the increase of this pest." 



Where the ground was empty, a scourging dressing of fresh 

 gas-lime would probably clear the pests ; but commonly they 

 lie by their food-plants which would be killed by such treat- 

 ment. 



Skimming off the uppermost four inches of soil for about a 

 foot, in front of the walls on which the trees were infested, 



