134 PICTORIAL PRACTICAL CARNATION GROWING.. 
most cases of leaf attack, careful attention will enable the grower to 
detect signs of the maggot in time to pick it out with a needle. In 
many instances the maggot eludes all vigilance till the mischief is 
done ; it does not always kill the plant, but a plant with its centre 
eaten out is spoiled for flowering. The maggot is to be found at all 
seasons, but principally in the autumn and winter, and is most 
prevalent in cold, moist seasons. 
In the case of leaf infection the maggot works its way down 
under the outer skin of the leaf from the blister-like spot before 
named, eating and leaving a whitish brown track down the leaf. If 
the crown leaves of the plant or shoot be given a slight pull when 
the maggot has eaten out the centre of the stem, they will usually 
come away in the fingers. In that case the shoot must be taken off 
at its first joint, and if sound the maggot is in the point pinched off, 
but if the stem has a small hole in it the maggot has passed on and 
must be followed. This can be done with a knife, cutting the stem 
open and killing the maggot ; the plant, though crippled, may live. 
When the attack is in the crown leaves of the main or side 
shoots the plant must be pinched back until the maggot is found. 
Two sometimes work together, so that when one maggot is extracted 
it is well to make sure that another is not left. Sometimes the 
maggot can be got out without breaking off the main shoot. 
The wise plan is to carefully watch the plants for the maggot, 
operating directly the blister spot and whitish brown track are seen, 
so as to extract the maggot before it gets from the leaf to the main 
stem. Superficial glances are no use—every plant and every shoot 
must be carefully observed, even when no track is seen on the leaf, 
ANIMAL ENEMIES. FIG. 64 (NEXT PAGE).—THE CARNATION MAGGOT. 
G, a seedling Carnation affected with maggot: 7, leaves normal and healthy ; 
s, side shoots not usually affected until some stem is formed; ¢, an 
infected leaf, showing the track of the maggot downward in the tissue 
and eating out the stem, the upper part being readily pulled out with 
the fingers; w, the central axis or growing point, which may easily be 
pulled out when the maggot has eaten the stem through ; if left it turns 
yellow and withers, the plant loses its central stem and growth above 
the maggot attack. 
H, a shoot of Malmaison Carnation affected with maggot: v, stem; w, leaves 
not affected; x, central growth stationary, but quite green and normal, 
A leaf in the early stage of infection: y, the point where the egg is laid 
on or in the leaf; z, the tunnel made in the leaf tissue by the maggot ; 
a, the point where it must be extracted with a needle before reaching 
the stem. A leafina later stage of infection and with the maggot in 
the stem: 4, the point where the egg was deposited ; c, the tunnel made 
by the maggot in eating its way to the stem ; d, the maggot in the stem 
—it has eaten out the heart, and the upper part of the shoot can be 
readily pulled out at the joint below e. 
I, the Carnation fly, Hylemyia nigrescens: f, the perfect insect ; g, the larva 
or maggot; /, the pupa, all shown of the natural size and also 
magnified. 
