1 70 Commercial Gardening 



outlay except for labour, as the pots will last several years, and the plants 

 are often grown on shelves where nothing else will succeed. For several 

 months, when the plants are once plunged outside, no attention is required, 

 and a market can generally be found if the fruit is first class. There is 

 always room for the best on top, and that is where the " Sovereigns " are 

 to be found. [A. j. B.] 



2. STRAWBERRY PESTS AND DISEASES 



Strawberry Ground Beetles (Harpalus ruficornis, &c.). At least 

 four kinds of ground beetles, often called Bat Beetles, attack ripening and 

 ripe strawberries. 



The commonest is the Red-legged Strawberry Beetle (Harpalus rufi- 

 cornis), which is \ in. long, black, with red antennae and legs, the wing cases 

 with faint lines upon them and covered with fine golden-grey pubescence; 

 beneath are a pair of fully developed wings. 



Another, Pterostichus vulgaris, is black, with black legs, and has no 

 wings, and is f in. long. 



These beetles have all very similar habits. They are nocturnal and 

 crawl or run about on the ground, but the Red-legged Harpalus may fly. 

 During daylight they hide away in crevices in the ground and under 

 stones, &c. They frequently form circular openings to the surface like 

 earthworms. The beetles occur in May, June, and July. They lay their 

 ova in the soil, and the active larvae feed upon slugs, insects, earthworms, 

 &c., in and upon it. The larvae have six long legs, prominent head with 

 large sickle-shaped jaws, and the back of their bodies protected by hardened 

 plates, and on the last segment are two pointed, horn-like processes, and 

 below a single extensile fleshy kind of proleg. The beetles eat the skin 

 of the green fruit, leaving many of the seeds; but when the fruit is ripening 

 they feed on the seeds, and countless numbers may be found on the ground 

 in the beds that are invaded by these beetles. Many Carabidae are purely 

 carnivorous. 



PREVENTION. The beetles are easily trapped by sinking jam pots or 

 pudding basins in the soil here and there, and placing in them pieces of 

 meat and sugar water. The beetles are attracted to these baits, fall in, 

 and are thus caught. 



Moles and Hedgehogs feed upon these beetles. The latter do much 

 good in Strawberry beds in this respect. 



The Garden Swift Moth (Hepialus lupulinus). The roots of Straw- 

 berries are attacked by the white caterpillars of this moth, which appears 

 in May, June, and July, and is seen at dusk flying with a curious pendulum- 

 like movement over plants and grass. In size it varies from 1 to 1 in. 

 in wing expanse. The fore wings are pale fulvous brown, with a pale 

 almost white streak running from the base to the inner margin, and this 

 is continued from the inner margin to near the apex; the hind wings are 



