80 ORCHARD AND HOPS. 



based on the circumstance of their falling down when they are out at 

 feed at nitjht if a light is suddenly flashed on them, more particularly 

 if the plant (as in Kaspberry growing), or the infested bough, is sharply 

 jarred at the same time. If a tarred board or tray is held below to 

 catch the falling beetles, two men may thus clear the pests by 

 thousands, one holding the tarred board, and the other flashing the 

 light and jarring when the board is in readiness below to receive 

 them. Whether this plan (or a modification of it of holding an insect 

 sweepiug-net below }^art of the infested plant, and thus collecting 

 large numbers of the weevils by successive applications) would answer 

 with Hops does not seem at all sure, but there are various other 

 forms of Mr. Gardner's plan of trapping which might be worth trying 

 as being effective with other crops without so much trouble in 

 preparation. 



One plan consists in smoothing the ground round the infested 

 plants, and then laying some large clods of earth about ; under these 

 the weevils are found in large quantities on the following day, and can 

 thus be collected and destroyed. Pieces of board, or tiles, will answer 

 as well, or probably any waste material, such as useless pieces of 

 sacking, so long as there was no smell about it that might be repulsive 

 to the beetles, and which gave a dark place of shelter. In the course 

 of the past season, amongst observations sent of successful treatment 

 in getting rid of this kind of weevil from young orchard trees, the 

 plan was mentioned of putting down small pieces of " bagging " every 

 few yards, and examining them every morning. 



The great difficulty in treatment in the case of Hop-grounds 

 appears to be how to smooth the ground and fill up the cracks in or 

 by the Hop-hills, so that there should not be clods for the beetles to 

 shelter under, or crannies for them to go down into, and so evade the 

 trap-shelters. In Mr. Gardner's plan (see p. 79), it will be seen he 

 attended very carefully to this point. 



In regard to getting rid of the maggots, it has been found that a 

 strong solution of ammoniacal liquor, and common agricultural salt 

 has been of service in preventing increase of the infestation ; also 

 kainite, which sometimes answers excellently in destroying small 

 larvfB lying near the surface of the ground (for reference, see Index), 

 might be of service. But not having myself personal knowledge of 

 Hop cultivation, I only make the suggestion as to possible use of 

 dressings under submission, lest they might injure the Hop roots. 



The maggots lie near the surface of the ground by the food-plants 

 of the beetles during the winter, and are large enough to be observable 

 if carefully looked for by someone interested in the matter, and if 

 the surface of the hills could be safely disturbed during the winter, 

 so that the infested earth could be thrown aside and exposed to 



