Rcporfs to tJic l^oard of A gricHltiirc. 19 



to some extent for the rest of the ywir, and liihrriiate <lnnn>( the 

 winter under the hark of trees, and amongst ruhhi.sh, etc., nt the f'XJt 

 of lie<lj,'erows. 



It ai>iH'ai-s from observations made on th(! sjHMimi'ns sent from 

 Cottenham that the beetles do not leave the dead hlos-;um«( for 

 some ilays. 



Much good may 1k3 done hy colleeting, as far as jxtssilde, all the 

 ilead blossoms Ijeneath the tix»es (tirst seeing that all " cajtped blo«;«!um.s 

 liave fallen; if not, shake the remain<ler off the ti"ees) and burning 

 them. At the same time spniy the ground beneath the trees wkh 

 .stn:)ng soft soap and panift'm wa.sh, adiling double the amount of [taratlin 

 iisually employed. 



At present all we can do in this attack is to destroy the beetles 

 and so jnevent their inci-ease. This eau be done in three wavs : (i) 

 by that menti(»ned above ; (ii) by destruction t)f winter shelter by 

 use of caustic alkali wash ; and (iii) by jarring the trees when the 

 blossom appears in spring so as to shake off the weevils on to sheets 

 spivad beneath the trees, when they lan be swept up and destroved. 

 AVarm days should l)e cho.sen for this, pi-efendily with a S.W. wind. 

 This has been found to do cousiilemlde gtMnl where proiK-rly 

 carried out. 



Stress should l>e laid on the destruction of fallen disea.'ie<l idossom. 

 A few days, or even Ikmus, may be sutlicient for the beetles to escajK*, 

 and so give them every chance to continue their work ne.xt .season. 



Strawberry Beetles. 



A corresp<tndent of the lioard sent an euciuiry in September 

 •a.sking for infonnation concerning beetles that had lu?en verv 

 harmful among.st the stniwbenies in j)artst>f Norfolk. Tin' follnwin" 

 rei»ort Wiis sent in return : — 



Several sj)ecies of ground beetles attack stniwlx'rries, indudinu' 

 the following: Jlurptilus nifmirnis, Fabr. ; O muse us ni/i/drls, I.inn. ; 

 «y<rro/m.< inandiilns, Fabr. ; and Cn/nffiits risfr/nlfies, I'an/er. 



These licetles attack the iK^nies at night, \isually just when the 

 fruit is rii>ening. The in.sects ivmain under the earth, .<tniw, <ir 

 grass l)etween the rv\rs during the day, making holes in the soil and 

 having ri'gular runs ojH-'ning tlirough tin* litter. (liven fruit is also 

 attacked, the .skin l>eing tuiten away, the .seeds usually Iteing left 

 intact. There are nevertheless reconls (»f the .stM'ds al.so being eaten, 

 the ground being described as " coveivd with i jvowdery deiM.sit," 

 caused by the seeds eaten ofl' the benii-s 



c 2 



