46 ANNUAL Report. . } waa © 
planting, and should also burn the moss or straw in which they wooinaae Pa 
When the worms have once become established, there is no other remedy than — 
to pick them from the bushes, where they very soon betray ‘themselves by ‘ts 
holes they gnaw in the leaves, and to dust the leaves thoroughly with . 
White Hellebore. gee 
Native Currant Worm—Description and Habits. 
We are troubled to some extent by a Saw fly larva, closely allied to the one 
just described, which occurs throughout the more northern States, but only 
occasionally becomes a serious pest. This is the ‘‘ Native Currant-Worm,” 
(Pristophora grossularia, Walsh.) This worm is somewhat smaller than the 
imported species, and of a plain, green color, with a black head. It does not 
gnaw holes in the leaves but feeds from the edges. Like the former species it is 
double brooded, but the second brood passes through all its transformations, and 
early in the fall the flies, both sexes of which are black—lay their eggs upon the 
twigs of the currant and gooseberry bushes—not upon the leaves like other the Saw 
fly. Hibernation therefore takes place in the egg state. This species probably 
originated upon the wild gooseberry and still prefers the gooseberry to the cur- 
rant, but during some seasons is quite destructive to both. 
Remedy. 
Usually, however, its natural enemies, in the shape of various cannibal insects 
and parasites, keep it pretty well in check. Whenever observed in destructive 
nunibers a liberal dose of white hellebore powder will rid the bushes of its pres- 
ence, 
Other Worms. 
Besides these hymenopterous pests, the currant and gooseberry are sometimes 
considerably injured by the attacks of various caterpillars of the ‘‘measuring- 
worm’’ or ‘‘span-worm”’ family. Among these is a handsome “looper” of a 
bright-yellow color adorned with white lines and showy black spots. It is when 
full grown, an inch or more in length, of cylindrical form, and has but two pairs 
of prolegs in addition to the six pointed thoracic legs. This worm makes its 
appearance during the latter part of May, and feeds upon the terminal leaves 
and the racemes of flowers or setting fruit, sometimes seriously diminishing the 
crop. When full grown it conceals itself among rubbish around the roots of the 
plant, or burrows slightly underground and changes to a naked, oval, shiny- 
brown chrysalis, from which in about two weeks the moth escapes. The latter 
is Of a dingy yellow color, having the wings marked with several indistinct leaden 
colored spots. The antenne are feathered. This moth may often be seen flut- 
tering about the bushes in the daytime, during the latter part of June or early in 
July. It is then engaged in placing its eggs on the main stems or large branches 
of the plant, where they remain without hatching until the following spring. It 
is easily kept in check by picking the worms from the leaves, or capturing the 
sluggish moths in a net. 
Several other species of ‘‘measuring-worms’’ are found on the currant and 
gooseberry, but these seldom occur in such numbers as to do serious damage. 
A large, dark, spiny worm is frequently found upon the plants under consider- 
