30 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



When they have entered an orchard you must, to cope 

 with them successfully, be astir at day-break, because 

 before the sun gains power they are very sluggish and 

 are easily destroyed. Obtain some old sacks (gunnies 

 will do as well), cut them open, sprinkle them with 

 kerosene ; then shake the tree, gently if the fruit be on, 

 over the bags spread under the tree for the purpose. 

 When the bags are filled, which if the beetles are as thick 

 as usual it will take but little time to do, roll them up and 

 set fire to them. Another very good plan that I have 

 seen adopted is to have a large copper, in which boiling 

 water is kept, mounted on a hand- cart; this is to be 

 wheeled along under the trees, mostly cherries, and the 

 branches shaken gently over the hot water. 



If the day be calm, cloudy, and sultry, vast numbers 

 of the beetles may be destroyed by simply making a small 

 fire under the trees, and upon which green boughs or 

 damp grass could be thrown, as the beetles then usually 

 drop to the ground, when they can be raked up and de- 

 stroyed, and if the rake be dipped occasionally in tar or 

 kerosene, very few of the insects will escape either death 

 or mutilation. We have said that this insect attacks 

 cherries when in fruit and nearly ripe. I have never 

 heard of its attacking the fruit itself, but the leaves of a 

 cherry, or even a peach or plum, are rapidly stripped 

 from the tree, and, as a consequence, the fruit, more 

 especially if it be hot weather, becomes either burned, 

 scalded, or shrivelled. 



This beetle increases very rapidly, and copulates shortly 

 after leaving the soil. Fortunately for us it is but short- 

 lived ; it would appear, however, to be on the increase in 

 many parts of the colony. 



In places near the coast it usually appears about 

 October, often staying until the early part of December, 

 or in some seasons even until Christmas, when they take 

 their departure, their dead bodies being strewn over miles 

 in area, also along the shore. 



In the sandy districts of Oakleigh, Mulgrave, Chelten- 

 ham, &c., it is no unusual thing to see the shrubs for 



