40 CURRANT. 



fruiting canes of the year. I have not hitherto observed developed 

 Scales upon canes of the year's growth. 



" Yesterday and to-day (December 1st), since receiving the letter 

 you wrote me, I have searched the canes of this year's growth, and 

 have found what I think to be the larvae before they have lost the 

 power of locomotion. 



" I send you as a specimen the whole cane cut off at the grouud 

 (severed into lengths for convenience of posting). I counted a dozen 

 larvae, which apparently are turning into the fixed stage, so closely 

 placed together upon the cane as to cause the outer edges of the 

 Scales to touch. When I first saw them there were many more, so 

 disposed upon the young pale green tender bark as to give the appear- 

 ance of a brown streak some five-eighths of an inch or more in length, 

 and perhaps three- sixteenths of an inch at its widest, tapering away 

 at each end to a few detached larvae. Others were irregularly 

 scattered about. The colour, a true chestnut, somewhat dark but 

 bright (' Handbook,' p. Ill) ; but they were very active, and gave me 

 no opportunity of accurate measurement. ... I have disturbed the 

 bark as little as possible, the tear at the place where the larvae were 

 found being caused by my finger-nail in searching. Having found some, 

 I did not look further, but send the whole cane to you. 



" I suppose the fully-developed Scales having been found early in 

 1897 pointed to the infestation occurring at least in the preceding 

 year? In my letter to you of the 7th or 8th inst., I attributed my 

 not having found the Scale before 1897 to lack of observation." 



In Mr. Lavender's previous letter he had mentioned that the Scale 

 was "too plentiful upon the Red and White Currant bushes," and 

 also present, though to a much less extent, upon the Gooseberries ; 

 and in his letter, quoted above, of December 1st he further observed 

 relatively to this point : — 



" With regard to the Currant and Gooseberries, the Scale is chiefly 

 upon the under side of the branches, as stated by you ('Handbook,' 

 p. 112), — upon the Gooseberries so much so that an ordinary observer, 

 standing and looking down on to a well-grown, pruned, and open bush, 

 would think it clean ; but, on raising the branches, or, better, placing 

 oneself in such a posture as to be able to see upwards through the 

 branches, the infestation is seen in rows and small clusters, single 

 file rows predominating. 



" Yesterday, and for the first time, I found the Scale upon some 

 Black Currant bushes. I am almost sure my Black Currant bushes 

 have not before been infested. The Scales are perfect female ones, 

 but not so fine as those sent to you upon the Easpberry canes." — 

 (W. J. L.) 



On examining the pieces of Raspberry cane referred to by Mr. 



