1900] PEAR GNAT MIDGE. 67 



The following note, sent me on June 7tb by Mr. Crawford-Moore, 

 from Nightingale Hall, Edmonton, N. (which was accompanied by 

 samples of infested little pears, about half to three-quarters of an inch 

 in length), shows bad presence of the maggot as a regular orchard 

 pest : — 



" I shall be very much obliged if you will tell me what kind of fly 

 produces the grubs in the pears, a sample of which I send you, and 

 what course should be taken to prevent the damage. I have a large 

 orchard, which I have lately taken to, and the Pear trees in it are all 

 affected in this way. There are a great many Pears on the trees, 

 which look fairly healthy, though they have been much neglected for 

 some time." — (J. C.-M.) 



The following notes, for which I am obliged to Mr. James Hiam, 

 of The Wren's Nest, Astwood Bank, near Eedditch, show serious 

 prevalence of mischief from D. pyrivora : — 



" The Pear Midge Maggots have been very destructive this season; 

 one large grower told me he had lost ninety per cent, of his crop, and 

 another — who took to Mr. Gibbons', late Chairman of the Evesham 

 Pests Committee — estimated his loss at seventy-five per cent. In 

 other cases not a single Pear escaped attack." — (J. H.) 



The following short note, extracted from "Agriculture" in 'The 

 Times ' of Monday, July 9th, 1900, gives interesting information as to 

 the serious extent to which the mischief from Midge attack was 

 noticeable : — 



" Pears are not, as a rule, over plentiful. The season did not suit 

 some of the early kinds, and the Pear Midge, Diplosis pyrivora, has 

 been unusually prevalent. Under many trees the little deformed pears 

 lie thickly on the ground, with their cores perforated by tiie larvae of 

 this insect. 



Prevention and Remedies. — These turn for the most part on the 

 circumstance of the maggots falling to the ground from or in the fruit, 

 and burying themselves a very little beneath the surface, where they 

 go through their changes to the perfect Gnat Fly. 



The infested little pears may easily be distinguished by their 

 stunted lumpy growth, often accompanied by black or blackish spots 

 or patches. Where these attacked fruits are in reach, they should all 

 be picked oft" before the time has come for the grubs to leave them and go 

 down into the ground, and they should all be destroyed [not merely 

 thrown aside). 



Where the fruit cannot be reached for hand-picking, some good 

 may be done by shaking down ; and this is the point in orchard Pear- 

 growing, as shown by the past season's observation, which is particu- 

 larly needing attention. By spreading cloths under the trees, and 



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