ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND FACTS FOR THE PEOPLE. 389 



are applied. Camomile flowers are said 

 to be very obnoxious to fleas, and to drive 

 them away. Persian insect powder, which 

 is the powdered flowers of Pyrethrum 

 roseum, or caucasicum, rubbed in among 

 the hair, will drive off the fleas, but the 

 animals, when operated upon with it, 

 should be taken out of doors, as a small 

 portion of this powder paralyzes the fleas 

 only, and if they fall on the carpet they 

 are apt to revive in a few hours. The 

 animal, after an application of the Persian 

 powder, should be well washed with soap 

 and water. The flowers of feverfew, 

 camomile, and even of ox-eye dairy have 

 a somewhat similar effect, but much 

 slighter, and when applied to common 

 liouse-flies appear partially to paralyze 

 them. 



THE SPOTTED PELIDNOTA.— This is 

 the largest and most conspicuous beetle 

 that attacks the foliage of the grape-vine, 

 and in the beetle state it seems to subsist 

 entirely on the leaves of this plant, and 

 of the closely allied Virginia Creeper. 

 Though some years it becomes so abund- 



Fig. 31. — The Spotted Pelidnota. 



ant as to badly riddle the foliage of our 

 vineyards, yet such instances are excep- 

 tional; and it usually occurs in such 

 small numbers, and is so large and clum • 

 sy, that it can not be considered a very 

 redoubtable enemy. 



Its larva has, for a number of years, 

 been known to feed on the decaying roots 

 of different trees, and is a large, clumsy 

 grub (Fig. 31 a) bearing a close resem- 

 blance to the common White Grub of our 

 meadows, and it differs from that species 

 principally in being less wrinkled, and in 



having the chitinous covering (or skin, so 

 called,) more polished and of a pure 

 white color, and in the distinct heart- 

 shaped swelling above the anus (Fig 31 

 d). Towards the latter part of June we 

 have found this larva in abundance, in 

 company with the pupa (Fib. 31 d), in 

 rotten stumps and roots of the Pear. In pre- 

 paring for the pupa state, the larva forms 

 a rather unsubstantial cocoon of its own 

 excrement, mixed with the surrounding 

 wood. The pupa state lasts but from 

 eight to ten days, and the beetle (Fig. 31 

 c) is found on our vines during the months 

 of July, August and September. It is not 

 yet known how long a time is required 

 tor the development of the larva, but 

 from analogy we may infer that the insect 

 lives in that state upwards of three years. 



Remedy. — It is easily kept in check by 

 hand-picking. 



HESSIAN FLY.— The > eggs of the 

 Hessian Fly are deposited in longitudinal 

 creases in the blade of the plant of wheat, 

 barley, rye, etc., in autumn and spring. 

 These eggs hatch in from four to twenty 

 days, according to the state of the weath- 

 er. The larvae or grubs crawl down, 

 working their way between the leaf and 

 main stalk till they come to a joint, where 

 they remain and suck the sap. They at- 

 tain their full growth in from four to six 

 weeks. The pupa is formed in the same 

 place, its outer covering or puparium re- 

 sembling a flaxseed. The winged insects 

 appear in April and May, and lay their 

 eggs in wheat and other cereals. Curtis 

 says that feeding the wheat off with sheep 

 in winter might possibly save the crop 

 from the Hessian Fly. Dr. Harris rec- 

 ommends the same as a partial remedy. 

 Mr. Herrick states that the stouter varie- 

 ties, of wheat should be chosen, and the 

 land kept in good condition. If fall 

 wheat is sown late some eggs will be 

 avoided, but the risk of winter-killing will 

 be incurred. Great numbers of the pupae 

 may be destroyed by burning the stubble 

 immediately after harvest, and then plow- 

 ing and harrowing the land. Steeping 

 the grain and rolling it in plaster or lime 

 tends to promote a vigorous growth, and 

 is, therefore, beneficial. Quicklime strew- 

 ed over the field immediately after the 

 grain is cut would doubtless destroy many 

 of the pupce. 



