Stone Fruits : Plums 



ii. 



attacked by Aphis, and fairly able to resist the "Silver Leaf" disease 

 (fig. 363). " 



Bryanston's Gage. It requires careful consideration before a market 

 grower plants any of the Gage tribe. Except in special localities most of 

 them are woefully shy bearers. The above is one of fair gage flavour, 

 of attractive appearance, and a good cropper in a warm sheltered position. 

 The same may be said of the old and earlier " Greengage " which has de- 

 liciously flavoured fruit of a deep yellowish green dotted with crimson. 



[w. G. L.] 



3. PLUM PESTS AND DISEASES 



The Red Maggot Of Plums (Opadia funelrana). One frequently 

 finds a reddish larva in plums and gages when ripe. This is the cater- 

 pillar stage of a small moth called the Plum- 

 fruit Moth (Opadia funebrana). The moth (fig. 

 364) appears in June and July. The female 

 lays her eggs at the base of the stalk, and the 

 larvae on hatching enter the fruitlet. The moth 

 is I? in. in wing expanse; the front wings are 

 purplish grey, clouded with smoky grey; at the 

 anal angle is an indistinct ocellated patch edged 

 with shiny pale grey and enclosing four black 

 dots. The larvae feed on the inside of the fruit, 

 especially around the stone. The colour varies 

 from red to chestnut red with yellow sides, and 

 some of the segments have dark spots. In 

 length the larva is about \ in. When mature 

 they leave the fruit, and many fall to the 

 ground; if so, they reascend the trees until they 

 come to some shelter. The winter is passed in 

 the larval stage under any shelter, mainly on 

 the trees, such as under cord, shreds, rough bark, 

 &c., in a cocoon very similar to that of the 

 Codlin Moth. In spring they pupate in this 

 cocoon. 



TREATMENT AND PREVENTION. There is no 

 method of destroying the creatures when once 

 inside the fruit, but the larvae may be trapped 

 in large numbers by placing pieces of manure 



sacking around the trees, the same as is recommended for Codlin Moth. 

 The bands may be removed and burnt in winter with the hibernating 

 larvae and cocoons caught up in the sacking. 



The Plum-fruit Sawfly (Hoplocampa fulvicornis). Plum fruitlets 

 are often attacked by the larvae of a sawfly in the same manner as the 

 Apple. The infested fruitlets have small holes in them, and so can readily 



38 



f 



Fig. 364. Plum Grub and Moth 

 (Opadia (Carpocapsa) funebrana) 



VOL. III. 



