

BUGS, INSECTS, ETC.— REMEDIES FOR. 



which would be made by an ordinary pin. 

 From each of these holes, a narrow, 

 yellowish, elongate egg, runs slantingly 

 across the pith. The twigs or canes thus 

 punctured almost invariably die above 

 the punctured part, and the injury thus 

 caused to vines is sometimes consider- 

 able. 



But by far the worst habit of the Tree- 

 cricket is that of severing grapes from the 

 bunches just as they are beginning to 

 ripen, and it sometimes cuts off an entire 

 bunch, or so thoroughly excoriates the 

 stem that it fails to ripen its berries. 



Remedy. — The crickets themselves 

 should be crushed whenever met with, 

 while the vineyardist should make a 

 business of searching in the winter time 

 for all punctured twigs, and by burning 

 them, prevent their increase in future. 



STRAWBERRY LEAF-ROLLER, and 

 Other Insects. — Insects are more injurious 

 to the strawberry than any disease that 

 has yet appeared. 



12. — Strawberry Leaf-Roller. 



The most destructive of these is proba- 

 bly the larva of the common May Beetle, 

 formerly called Melolontha, but now 

 placed in the genus Lachnosterna. The 

 grub (larva), when fully grown, is about 

 an inch and a half long, and three-eighths 

 thick, nearly white, with a brown head, 

 and commonly called the White Grub. 



These grubs are usually more numer- 

 ous in old dry pastures and meadows 

 than elsewhere, because their principal 

 food is the roots of different kinds of 

 grass. The old sods afford protection 

 against the birds and worms which de- 

 vour them ; consequently they often be- 

 come very abundant in such places. If 

 these grass lands are plowed and planted 

 with the strawberry, the grubs will attack 

 the roots, and, if numerous, will destroy 

 every plant almost as soon as it is put in 

 the ground. In some sections of the 

 country the white grub has materially 

 checked the cultivation of the strawberry. 

 The only remedy with which we are ac- 

 quainted is, to occupy the ground with 



some crop which requires considerable- 

 hoeing and cultivation, for two or three 

 years before planting with the straw- 

 berry. 



The grub is said to be three or four 

 years in attaining its growth, and by 

 continually manipulating the soil they 

 are exposed to the attacks of birds, and 

 many are destroyed by crushing ; besides 

 this, the beetles will seldom deposit their 

 eggs in freshly disturbed soil. 



Mr. Harris, in his "Insects Injurious to 

 Vegetation," says "that this white grub is 

 the larva of the May beetle, which is so 

 often seen flying about in the evening* 

 It is of a chestnut-brown color, smooth,, 

 but finely punctured — that is, covered 

 with little impressed dots, as if pricked 

 with the point of a needle, each wing-case- 

 has two or three slightly elevated, longi- 

 tudinal lines ; the breast is covered with 

 yellowish down. The grubs are greedily 

 devoured by birds; the crow being ex- 

 ceedingly fond of them. 



Wire "Worm. — 



The wire worm (lulus), which belongs 

 to the Myriapods or many-footed worms, 

 sometimes attacks the roots of the straw- 

 berry, but we have no accounts which 

 show that they have as yet been very de- 

 structive. Frequent plowing and thor- 

 ough cultivation are the most effective 

 means of destroying them. 



Snail or Slug. — 



The snail or slug, which is so abundant 

 and destructive to the strawberry and 

 other garden products of Europe, has 

 found its way to this country, and is 

 now quite plentiful in some gardens near 

 New York. These snails are great gour- 

 mands, and will destroy the strawberry 

 fruit in quantities if they become very 

 plentiful. Hand-picking, or destroying 

 them with lime, is a pretty sure way of 

 getting rid of this pest. 



Plant Louse (Aphis). — 



The Plant Louse (Aphis), or Green 

 Fly, as it is usually called, sometimes be- 

 comes quite numerous upon the roots of 

 the strawberry, particularly when the soil 

 is quite loose and open, so as to admit 

 them readily to the roots. Upon these 

 they congregate in immense numbers, 

 sucking the juices of the plant, and there- 

 by effectually checking its growth. A 

 liberal application of dry ashes or refuse 



