RASPBERRIES AND BLACKBERRIES. 29 1 



like those of the butterfly, the knob usually terminating in two 

 bristles. These insects jump as briskly as a flea, from which 

 characteristic they derive their scientific name. The particular 

 species in question was called by Professor Riley the ' Bramble- 

 Flea-louse {Psylla rubi^'),^ in the American Entomologist (Vol. I., 

 p. 225). It has increased rapidly during the past half-dozen 

 years or more, and unless fruit growers make a more vigorous 

 fight than they have yet done, it will soon get the mastery of 

 many blackberry plantations. The only practical method as yet 

 discovered for checking the ravages of this insect is to cut off 

 the ends of the infested canes and burn them. This operation 

 should always be performed either in the morning or during cool, 

 wet weather, else many of the insects will escape ; and at all 

 times the severed shoots should be immediately dropped into 

 bags, and in them carried to the place where they are to be 

 burned, and there emptied into the fire. If every one having 

 blackberry bushes in their gardens would practise this method 

 of destruction, this pest would soon cease to do much harm." 



There are species of borers and gall insects that attack 

 these two fruits, but as yet they have not become formida- 

 ble. All infested canes should be cut out and burned with 

 their contents, or else the pests may so increase as to cause 

 much injury. 



The larvae of the Selandria rubi, an insect nearly related 

 to the imported currant worm, and known as the raspberry 

 saw-fly, is destructive in some regions. It is semi-transpar- 

 ent, and so like the foliage in color that it could scarcely be 

 detected, did not the ragged, perforated leaves indicate 

 both its presence and its mischief. This worm measures 

 half an inch in length, when fully developed. It has two 

 black eyes, like spots, upon a green head, and usually a 



^ "It cannot be distinguished from Psylla tripundata, Fitch (Cata- 

 logue of Homoptera, etc.), and, what is most singular, the same spe- 

 cies is very common on pine-trees all over the eastern part of the 

 continent, from Florida to Canada." 



