[ 444 ] 24 



To the above euemies of the codliug Avorins must be added, upon the 

 testimony of Mr. George AY. Shaw, of (xarden Grove, Iowa, the well 

 known Arma s^yhiosa, or Soldier-bug', which is known to be such an 

 effective destroyer of the larvjc of the Colorado potato-beetle. Mr. 

 Shaw Avrites to me that he has actually seen this predaceous insect (or 

 possibly an allied species), in a number of instances, spear the codling- 

 worm with its sharp probocis, and draw it out from its burrow in the 

 apple. This interesting statement rests at i>resent, we belie\ e, solely 

 upon Mr. Shaw's testimony. 



FUNGUS ON CODLING WORMS. 



We occasionally find codling worms dead in their burrows, and cov- 

 ered with mould. Mr, "Wier stated to me that he had met with so many 

 instances of this kind that he had come to the conclusion that they are 

 often destroyed by some kind of fungus. It seems to us a more jiroba- 

 ble explanation that these larvje had i)erished from some other cause, 

 and that the mould was a j)osf mortem production. 



SUIVEVIARY OF EEIVIEDIES. 



We will briefly recapitulate the principal measures to be adopted ^"ith 

 the view of destroying the larvte of the Codhng-moth : 



1st. Destroy the icorms in their n-inter quarters. — This we have shown 

 to be an excellent rule so far as it is i)racticable. It is in this way that 

 we derive our principal aid from birds, especially the Downy and the 

 Hairy woodpeckers. 



2d. Pick the wormy apples from the trees by means of a wire hooJc at- 

 tached to the end of a pole. — The wormy applies are distinguished by the 

 little mass of rust-colored castings which adhere to the withered calyx. 

 This is also an excellent practice. Every apple thus gathered in the 

 early part of the season contains a Avorm, and its destruction may pre- 

 vent the propagation of a large number of worms of the second brood. 



M. Gather the idndfall apples from the ground, or let sheep or 

 sicine have the range of the orchard. — Where it is convenient to let the 

 domestic animals run in the orchard, it is well to do so. The apples will 

 thus be economized, and by gathering- them almost as fast as they fall, 

 a considerable number of worms will be destroyed. But unless the 

 gathering of wind-falls can be accomplished in this way, the method is 

 scarcely worth the time and labor which its practice requires. And this 

 . is for two reasons : first, because a large proportion, probably more than 

 half, of the worms leave the ap])les before they fall ; and secondly, be- 

 cause the worms which remain have usually nearly attained their growth 

 and are about ready to leave the a])ples at the time of their faU, and 

 therefore, to be at all effective, the apples must be picked up as often as 



