78 



ing in May last, that it is unnecessary for me to make any remark 

 on this point, except to observe that the time of appearance is 

 likely to depend very much upon the season. 



The emergence of the moths from the chrysalis state, in which 

 they had remained during the winter, will bo hastened by warm 

 weather, and, on the contrary, retarded by a cold spring. 



It is most probable that there are two generations in the season. 

 The first originates from the chrysalids which have passed the 

 winter in that stage. These attack the earliest fruit and pass 

 through their transformations in a few weeks, the moths produced 

 therefrom laying their eggs on the later fruit. This second gene- 

 ration only gets as far as the chrysalis stage towards the end of the 

 summer, and remains in that state till the ensuing spring. 



As to means of destroying these pests, I would recommend in lieu 

 of the paper suggested by Mr. Dobson, that old bagging, strips of 

 blanket, or some such materials be used. I only recently found 

 quite a multitute of similar larvas, which had spun their cocoons in 

 some woollen material which was lying on some spars of timber 

 with the bark on. 



To render any such plan efficient, it would be well to scrape the 

 rough bark off the trees previously to fastening on the material to 

 be used, so as to ensure the caterpillars spinning on or in the sub- 

 stance applied. This should be tied tightly at the upper end, to 

 prevent the grubs from ascending beyond it, but be left tolerably 

 loose and in creases or folds at the lower portion. 



For catching the moths, a plan I use for capturing insects might 

 be adopted with advantage. This is to have a wide-mouthed 

 funnel of tinplate, say 12in. to 15in. across the top, with the tube 

 at the lower end about lin. in diameter and Sin. long. Stand this 

 in an earthen jar or other vesse], arranged so that there is no outlet 

 except through the funnel. In the jar may be some coarse sawdust 

 or chaff, in which the insects get entangled, or hide themselves. 

 Hang a lantern over the centre of the funnel so that it is partly in 

 the funnel. The moths, attracted by the light, strike the glass 

 and fall through the funnel into the jar, whence they cannot 

 escape. They may be destroyed in the morning by placing the jar 

 before the fire, or in an oven for a short time. With this appa- 

 ratus, which I occasionally use for capturing nocturnal beetles, I 

 often take great numbers of small moths at the same time. 



Scattering old bags or similar things about on the ground under 

 the trees would no doubt lead to the capture of a great many 

 larvae, especially of those which, lowering themselves, or falling, 

 from the trees at some distance from the trunk, might travel off in 

 some other direction in search of suitable shelter where to spin 

 their cocoons. The ground should previously bo cleared of all 

 other rubbish which might afford shelter. The bags should be 

 taken every ten days and be dipped in boiling water, or have some 



