246 [ DISEASES OF THE PEAR TREE 



Against the hybernating chrysalis it is recommended to 

 scrape off the loose or dead portions of the bark and 

 to whitewash the stem with fresh lime or to apply a 

 strong solution of sulphate of iron (green vitriol) ^ kilo 

 to 25 litres of water. Against the winged insect, or 

 rather against its eggs, it is recommended to spray the 

 trees when in bloom or soon after with arsenic mixture, 

 made by dissolving Swift's Arseniate of lead, \ to i-J- 

 kilos in 50 gallons of water. The drops of this mixture 

 which fall on the blossom effectually kill the egg or 

 the larva as soon as it is hatched before it has time 

 to penetrate within the fruit. A measure directed against 

 the moth on the wing, consists in placing among the 

 pear trees a barrel open at both ends, with the inside 

 besmeared with grease or turpentine or some other 

 cheap sticky substance. The barrel is placed on its 

 side, and in the evening a lantern is lighted within. 

 The moths are attracted by the light and remain 

 sticking to the sides of the barrel. 



The third moth is Zeuzera Aesculi Latr. (Zeuzera 

 pirina L.) which is a well-known wood borer attacking 

 the living wood of the pear, the apple, the quince, the 

 hawthorn, the service, the loquat, the pomegranate, the 

 walnut and occasionally the orange tree, besides many 

 ornamental trees. The moth is 2\ to 3^ c.m. in length. 

 Its colour is ivory white with the thorax and wings 

 dotted with many small steel-blue spots. The male 

 insect has large bipinnate antennae. The larva is 3 to 

 5 c.m. long, yellow with black dots in lines across the 

 body, its head being of a shining black colour. The 

 moth visits the pear trees at dusk and deposits the 

 eggs. These are laid singly on the stem and branches, 

 in any small irregularity of the bark. The larva tunnels 

 its way upwards into the wood and at times comes down 

 to enlarge the opening in the bark, through which 

 the excremental matter is cast out in the shape of 

 small reddish glomerules as large as a pin's head. The 



