254 Insect Pests. 



the end of April, so that that would be the best time to wash with 

 any good aphicide. Autumn washing, as soon as the damsons are 

 gathered, would doubtless do much good, but spring washing, when 

 the lice are all out, would tend largely to decrease this pest and 

 save the loss to the damsons. Of course, we shall always have 

 attack coming from wild primes to the hops, and even a few from 

 direct development on the hops. Lime, salt and waterglass wash 

 stops the eggs hatching. 



It will always be impossible to entirely prevent this pest, as it 

 breeds on wild prunes and thence migrates to the hops, and so back, 

 perchance, to usually uninfested damsons. The eradication of sloe 

 and bullace should, of course, be aimed at near either hop or fruit 

 plantations, but at present this seems impossible. 



We can do much to prevent damage in damsons, however, by 

 washing them, just before the buds burst, with the lime and salt wash 

 for a couple of years, for this undoubtedly prevents the young from 

 escaping from the egg-shells, just as it does with the plum aphis. 



Should this not have been done, if the trees are seen to be badly 

 infested, a good spraying with tobacco wash should be given them. 

 If this is considered too expensive, then, in the place of it, use the soft 

 soap and quassia wash. 



THE SLOE AND DAMSON GALL MITE. 

 (Eriopliycs jxidi. Xalepa.) 



The leaves of the sloes in the hedges and also of the wild bullace 

 are frequently seen to have the edges of the leaves galled. These 

 marginal galls are paler than the leaf, rather roughened and often 

 velvety in texture. These galls are formed by a mite formerly known 

 as Phytoptus attent(tus of Bremi (1). 



I have now and then found it on the damson, but am not aware 

 of it having done any appreciable damage. Nalepa (2) mentions it 

 on Pr unv.fi padiix, and Houard (3) on Prv.nux insititin, Pnuius domes- 

 ticu*, Prunus spinosus, Amygdalus i-omnmni* and also Prunus padus. 



I have notes of it on damsons in Kent, Surrey and Devon. 



BEFERENCES. 



(1) Murray. A. ' Economic Entomology. Aptera,' p. 359. 



(2) Nalepa, A. ' Zur Systematik der Gallmilben,' p. 55. 



(3) Honard. C. ' Les Zoocecidies des Plantes d'Enrope,' p. 556 (1908). 



