WEEVILS 59 



It appears as a white, cottony mass, the insects in this 

 way protecting themselves, so that a wash passes over them, 

 and they can only be killed by rubbing in methylated 

 spirits of wine, in isolated cases, or by the use of Gishurst 

 Compound, applied with a rather hard brush, repeating the 

 application after ten days to kill the new brood. Not long 

 ago a painter's blow lamp was recommended as effectual, 

 such as is used to burn off paint ; but such a remedy 

 must be used with great care or there will be some danger 

 of burning the growing wood. As the Woolly Aphis hiber- 

 nates in the soil near the tree and in the uppermost roots, 

 they should also be searched for there in late autumn. In 

 severe cases an injection of bisulphide of carbon with 

 a special machine made for the purpose has been found 

 effectual. After the cankered places have been cleared of 

 this blight, cut the rough bark away and smooth the portion 

 over, so that new wood may cover up the affected parts. 



Weevils. These are difficult to destroy, as they feed 

 by night. The insects are of a dull, earth-brown colour, 

 which hide by day in the soil. They may be caught 

 by tapping the trees at night and shaking them on a cloth, 

 or by levelling a portion of the soil and placing on this a 

 flat stone, which, if lifted in the day, will reveal the Weevils 

 secreted beneath it. On first lifting they do not appear, 

 but after an interval they may be seen to move their legs, 

 and can then be picked up. They are most tenacious of 

 life, but they can be killed by scalding water. They re- 

 quire looking for, as they are the same colour as the earth. 

 There is also an iridescent day weevil, which can be shaken 

 down on sight. It is quite a small bug the size of a 

 ladybird. 



