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Commercial Gardening 



Fig. 359. Young Pear Fruits 

 attacked by Maggots of the Pear 

 Midge 



A, Fruitlet "bottled". B, Section 

 of fruitlet, showing white mag. 

 gets within. 



blackish-grey, two-winged midge with yellow hairs on the thorax. The 

 wings have few veins and are dusky with fine black hairs, the halteres 



yellow. The female has a long ovipositor, by 

 means of which she lays her ova deep in the un- 

 opened blossoms. 



The mature maggots either fall from the fruit- 

 lets, which may crack, or the fruitlets may fall to 

 the ground and decay in either case the larvae 

 enter the soil and pupate there, remaining be- 

 neath the trees until the following spring, at a 

 depth of 1 to 2| in. 



PREVENTION. All infested fruitlets should be 

 picked off in May or early June, and destroyed 

 with the maggots in them. Surface soil may be 

 removed in winter to a depth of 3 in. and burnt 

 or buried, or replaced by fresh soil. Spraying 

 has no effect on this fruit pest. The use of the 

 hoe during the summer months would expose the 

 chrysalides to the birds. 



The Pear-leaf Blister Mite (Eriophyes pyri). 

 This acarus is related to the mite causing the Big Bud in the Black 

 Currants, but it lives in a different way. 



The mite is the cause of the numerous pale blister-like galls one fre- 

 quently sees on Pear leaves. These leaf galls are each caused by a single 

 minute Eriophyes which enters the leaf by the stomata or breathing pores. 

 In the soft leaf tissue they breed, and as the tissue becomes destroyed 

 they spread farther and farther over the leaves and branches. The galls 

 turn black later, and the whole leaf may die or more usually falls off. 

 Young fruitlets are also attacked and ruined by small reddish blister-like 

 galls being formed on them. 



The acari all winter under the bud scales, and as soon as the buds 

 commence to burst get out on to the leaves or blossoms and enter the tissue. 

 For many years this mite did little harm, as it increased so slowly, but 

 recently it has spread in some places with great rapidity, and has done 

 much damage. 



TREATMENT consists of late winter spraying with the following: Quick- 

 lime, 6 Ib. ; sulphur, 3 lb.; salt, 3 Ib. Mix these together and enough water 

 to slake the lime. Whilst still hot add more water and boil for forty-five 

 minutes, then add sufficient water to make up to 10 gall. 



Another wash is made by adding to the above 1 lb. of caustic soda. The 

 soda and lime are mixed together and slaked in hot water in which the 



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sulphur has been incorporated. This requires no boiling. If the pest con- 

 tinues it is necessary to summer spray with paraffin jelly. 



Other Pear Pests. The Wood Leopard (Zeuzera pyrina), Goat Moth 

 (Co.svsus ligniperda), Lackey Moth (Clisiocampa neustria), Vapourer Motli 

 (Uryyia antiqua), Winter Moth (Chelinatobia brumata), Mottled Winter 



