1899] PEAR GNAT MIDGE. 95 



year I picked and burnt all diseased fruits, and this year it does not 

 seem quite as bad. I noticed that one lot of trees which was heavily 

 limed on surface (quick-lime) last autumn have not suffered nearly as 

 much as another lot which were not dressed with lime." 



On May 16th, 1899, m the past year, Mr. Williams was good 

 enough to forward me the following notes, with specimens again 

 accompanying, as confirmatory of the attack being certainly that of 

 D. pyrivora. It will be seen from the observations that the amount 

 of attack was very much lessened by the treatment of dressing with 

 kainite, and of picking and destroying all diseased Pears. 



"I am glad to say that, owing to carrying out your advice of last 

 season, as to using kainite around infested trees, and ruthlessly picking 

 and burning all diseased fruit, the attacks this year have very much 

 diminished, and I hope by next season to almost stamp out the pest. 

 I note one remarkable coincidence every year — that ' Louise Bonne of 

 Jersey,' which is our earliest bloomer here, practically escapes alto- 

 gether, while two of the latest to flower — ' Pitmaston Duchess ' and 

 ' Williams' Bon Chretien ' — always suffer the most. This would seem to 

 show that the midge can only operate on fruits at the very earliest stage 

 of their existence. I have again noticed the almost entire immunity of 

 trees on walls, no doubt owing to earth around them being kept well 

 hoed, and so always on the move in summer."' — (H. H. W.). 



" P.S. — I have just had a look over two trees side by side, both of 

 which promise a good crop ; on one of them, ' Louise Bonne,' I 

 gathered only two infested fruit, while on its neighbour, ' Pitmaston 

 Duchess,' over fifty diseased Pears were picked. The former tree 

 flowered fully a fortnight earlier than the latter." 



On May 16th, 1898, specimens showing attack of this Pear Midge — 

 that is, of Diplosis pyrivora — were sent me by Mr. H. F. Getting, from 

 The Gardens, Glewstoue, near Ross on- Wye, Herefordshire, requesting 

 information as to the cause of the small brown or dark velvety-looking 

 spots on the small Pears enclosed. 



It will be seen from the following reply to my enquiries which Mr. 

 Getting favoured me with on Jan. 5th, 1900, that it was considered 

 too late in the season to apply the kainite, and lime was tried instead, 

 which appears not to have had any deterrent effect. It is worth 

 notice, in this as well as the preceding note, that "Pitmaston 

 Duchess" is reported as a kind of Pear peculiarly liable to this Midge 

 Maggot attack : — 



** I reply to your questions to the best of my ability. 



" Diplosis pyrivora. When you kindly gave me some advice in 

 1898 how to deal with this pest, it was too late to apply kainite. 

 Therefore, I thought I would give a heavy dressing of hot lime in the 

 winter, which I did. 



