124 STRAWBERRY. 



species as those that injure Strawberries to Mangold roots, with a 

 figure of Pterostichus (=:Steropus) madidus, a kind found especially 

 present at the roots ; and also figures showing the manner in which 

 Mangolds were eaten off below the top of the root. 



The beetles are for the most part about half an inch or rather more 

 in length, although one species, CalatJms cisteloides (not figured, but 

 much like the others in shape), is smaller, being only from about a 

 quarter to half an inch long. The colour is for the most part black, 

 although, in the case of Harpahis rujicornis, it appears to be of a 

 yellowish tint, from the wing-cases being covered, whilst the specimens 

 are still fresh and uninjured, with a golden or greyish down. This 

 kind also differs from the others noticed in being furnished with ample 

 ivivgs, usually folded away under the wing-cases, but which are some- 

 times freely used for flight of such large numbers of the species on 

 summer evenings, that their numerous appearance is described as a 

 " swarm." The other two of the larger kinds of beetles have the 

 wings entirely wanting; in C. cisteloides the wings are wanting, or 

 imperfect. 



Full details of all information sent up to date will be found in my 

 Annual Reports for 1894, 1895, and 1897; and a condensed account 

 giving the chief points in my ' Handbook ' of injurious fruit insects 

 and remedial measures published in 1898. But amongst these it was 

 only during the course of last year, and too late for insertion in my 

 Annual Report for 1897, that we had information as to what is really 

 the most important part of the whole matter practically ; that is, 

 observations of measures that could be trusted to for preventing beetle 

 attack, or for checking it when present. Therefore I refer again to 

 the infestation in order to insert these, of which the two first are 

 especially valuable, as giving accounts, on excellent authority, of very 

 successful use of easily carried out broadscale measures of trapping 

 and destroying these fruit pests. 



Prevention and Remedies. — It was on July 19th in the past 

 season that Messrs. Laxton (Brothers), of Bedford, were good enough 

 to write me as follows, and, on my request, granted me permission to 

 make use of the information with their name appended : — 



" We are pleased to be able to report that we have almost entirely 

 destroyed the beetle pest which played such havoc with our Strawberry 

 crop last season. We purchased a large quantity of cheap pudding- 

 basins, early this spring ; these are let into the ground, level with the 

 surface, at distances of a few yards apart, and kept them baited with 

 pieces of lights and sugar-water. When the weather was dry we often 

 caught half a basinful of a night, until the number gradually diminished 

 to two or three, and now none at all. It is a laborious process, but 



