36 The Strawberry Book. 



In the case above cited the rose-bugs seemed to come 

 from a piece of woods on the west of the strawberry 

 field, and they are noticeably more active in a bright, hot 

 day than in a dull one. I have noticed, late in the after- 

 noon, the air alive with rose-bugs the moment the sun has 

 shone out after a cloudy day, while before that hardly one 

 was to be seen. 



I presume there is no means of destroying these pests 

 except by hand-picking, and burning or scalding. The 

 novice who has secured a rose-bug should adopt no half- 

 way measures, but should have evidence of the bug's 

 actual death. I heard last season of a vigneron in a neigh- 

 boring town who picked from his vines in blossom time 

 about two quarts of rose-bugs, which he carefully buried, 

 stamping the earth firm over them. The next morning 

 he found, to his horror, that each bug had bored his way 

 to the upper air, and sailed off to fresh woods and pas- 

 tures new. 



Cut-worms, the larvas of various Agrotides, sometimes 

 attack the strawberry. I have, however, lost but few 

 from their ravages. Their presence is indicated by the 

 wilting of the leaves ; and the only thing to do is to 

 dig the worms out and smash them. If one is not found 

 near the plant he has cut off*, search must be made about 

 the roots of the next. 



The wire-worm (lulus) is said to be sometimes de- 

 structive to the strawberry, but I have never seen any 

 vines injured by it. Deep and clean cultivation would 

 perhaps be the best remedy. 



Common ants sometimes swarm upon the berries, but 

 may be disposed of by pouring hot water into their hills. 



I have seen a small green worm upon strawberry vines ; 

 the same, I presume, as that described by Fuller in his 

 Manual ; but I never found more than half a dozen, and 

 they did but little harm. If they should appear in large 

 numbers I should try sprinkling with lime or ashes. A 



