98 PEAR. [1899 



" 2ad, By skimming off the surface soil round the trees, and 



removing it to a distance, where it was deeply buried in a pit ; and 



" 3rd. By dressing the ground heavily with kainite, and also with 



wood-ashes. 

 " Last year the gnat again made its appearance, but not to such an 

 alarming extent as in the previous years, and I again adopted the 

 treatment named in the first two paragraphs above ; but, lest a second 

 application of kainite might have an injurious effect on the roots of the 

 trees, I withheld that. 



" This winter I am trenching the ground under the trees as far as 

 practicable, being careful to have all the surface soil where there may 

 be any of the larva deposited, to a depth of several inches, removed 

 well into the bottom of the trench. 



"By following this treatment I hope in time to be successful in 

 exterminating the pest." — (G. B.) 



On June 9th, 1898, notes showing presence of severe attack of the 

 Pear Midge maggot on trees where there had been some small amount 

 of infestation in the previous year, were sent me by Mr. F. W. 

 Thomas, from Wannock Gardens, Polegate, Sussex, with specimens 

 accompanying ; showing (as in the preceding observation) that at this 

 date the ]J. pyrivora larvfe were leaving the Pears. On June 13th 

 Mr. Thomas further wrote, " I have done as you suggest, and have 

 gathered all the fruit I find affected." 



On Jan. 5th, 1900, in reply to my enquiry as to result of treatment, 

 Mr. Thomas favoured me witli the following reply, by which it will be 

 seen that he followed up removal of the diseased fruit by application 

 of kainite, and that the result of this treatment in 1898 was that in 

 1899 he only found six dozen fruits attacked. Mr. Thomas wrote as 

 follows : — 



" In reply to yours of the 2nd inst. re Pear maggot, I am pleased 

 to tell you I followed your advice and dressed the soil around the Pear 

 trees with a good strong dressing of kainite ; this was done in July, 

 1898. Last year I only found six dozen fruits attacked, which I 

 carefully picked and burnt. It was not at all a good year for Pears in 

 this district, but I noticed that all the fruits attacked were Williams' 

 Bon Chretien, and Beurre Hardy ; Souvenir du Congres, which are 

 planted in the next rows, quite escaping. 



" Thinking to be on the safe side, I again gave a dressing of 

 kainite to those trees which had the fruit attacked in July ; I am 

 afraid I gave it too strong to one tree, as I noticed towards the end of 

 the summer the tree looked as if it was going to die, and on examining 

 the roots a short time ago I found all the fibrous portions dead. It is 

 only the earlier kinds of Pears that have ever been attacked in this 

 garden." 



