RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES. 289 



for a new, high-priced variety, and before I was aware of it 

 every plant had been devoured. They rarely injure large, 

 fully matured plants, but are often very destructive to those 

 recently planted, especially if set during the summer. You 

 cannot catch them ; for, as your hand approaches a leaf on 

 which they cluster, they scatter with a sudden bound, and 

 are at once lost to view, so nearly do they resemble the 

 color of the ground. Slight dustings of dry wood-ashes 

 impede their feeding somewhat ; but I think we must cope 

 with this insect as we do with the Colorado or potato bee- 

 tle. It must be poisoned. Paris green, of course, will fin- 

 ish them speedily, but such a deadly poison must be used 

 with great care, and if there is any green or ripe fruit on 

 the vines, not used at all. Hellebore, London purple, to- 

 bacco dust, may destroy them ; and when little chickens can 

 be employed, they are a sure remedy. 



" Black eyes," or the receptacle turning black, is caused 

 by light frosts, to which the open flowers are very suscepti- 

 ble. If one's strawberry bed wxre in bloom, and there was 

 a prospect of a frosty night, I think the blossoms could be 

 saved by covering the bed with four or five inches of straw 

 or hay, and raking it off again as soon as the temperature 

 rose sufficiently high in the morning. 



Without doubt, new diseases and enemies to the straw- 

 berry wall be developed in the future, and as they come 

 we must experiment till we find some means of mastering 

 them. 



RASPBERPaES AND BLACKBERRIES. 



These two fruits are so near akin that they are subject to 

 the attacks of the same diseases and enemies. The most 

 fatal scourge of red raspberries that I have seen is what is 

 called at Marlboro' the curl-leaf; and, if unchecked, it will 



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