INSECT ENEMIES 75 



gages," is probably one of the best sorts for keeping 

 as described above. Angelina Burdett (see gages) 

 "if allowed to hang till it shrivels becomes a perfect 

 sweetmeat " (Hogg). 



INSECT ENEMIES 



1. APHIDES are often a great trouble. There are 

 three sorts or more, one called the plum aphis. They 

 attack in spring and cause the leaves to curl up, and 

 so check growth. Steep 4 ozs. of quassia chips in a 

 gallon of soft water for twenty-four hours. Dissolve 

 2 ozs. of soft soap in this mixture, and add to the 

 infusion. Apply by a painter's brush, and carefully wash 

 the under side of the leaves (Rivers). On a larger 

 scale : " Boil I Ib. of chips in a gallon of water for twenty 

 minutes, strain off the chips and add 38 gallons of water. 

 Put I Ib. of soft soap in a gallon of water until dissolved, 

 then add to the rest. Apply by a syringe or sprayer. 

 Where the foliage is young follow the spraying by syring- 

 ing half-an-hour afterwards" (Castle). Tobacco water 

 made as follows is also a good remedy: "Pour soft 

 boiling water at the rate I gallon to 2 ozs. of the 

 strongest shag tobacco, allow it to stand till cool. Its 

 efficacy is increased by dissolving 2 ozs. of soft soap in 

 each gallon at the time it is poured on the tobacco" 

 (Wright). This mixture may be applied with some 

 force by the garden engine. The great point is to 

 syringe or paint with one of these remedies as soon as 

 the evil is perceived. 



2. RED GRUB is often very injurious. The moth 

 measures about J inch across, the caterpillars are pale 

 red, with brown neck and black head. They pierce 

 and drop with the fruit, seek shelter in the bark, where 

 they spin a cocoon and pass the winter. If the trees have 

 been scraped, then washed with a mixture of lime and 



