370 



DISEASES AND INSECTS. 



the trees carefully in February or March, at pruning time, 

 and destroy the clusters of eggs by cutting otf and burn- 

 ing the branches on which they are found. The next is 

 to destroy the caterpillars in their tents after they are 

 hatched. There are various ways of doing this, according 

 to people's fancy and ingenuity. The quickest and most 

 effectual method is to take a ladder, ascend the trees, and 

 remove every nest with the hands. The early morning 

 should be chosen, when they are in the nests. Some put 

 a round brush on a pole and put it in the nests, and by 

 giving it a few turns web and all are removed. 



8. The Cherry and Pear Slug. — This is a most destruc- 

 tive insect. They appear in June and July for the first, 

 and a second brood afterwards, small, slimy, dark-brown 

 slugs on the upper surfaces of the leaves of the cherry 

 and pear. They devour greedily the parenchyma of the 

 leaves, leaving only the bare net-work of veins. In a 

 short time growth is completely stopped. 



Stocks for budding require careful watching, for a day 

 or two of these slugs may prevent them from being worked 

 that season. We destroy them by throwing fine earth 

 taken up with the hand among the trees, and by ashes or 

 slaked lime, when the earth is not sufiiciently dry and 

 fine. The caustic properties of lime and ashes render 

 them more certainly destructive to the slug, and they 

 should always be used in preference to common earth, 

 where only a few trees are to be gone over. 



A liberal syringing with the tobacco and soap liquid 

 recommended for the aphis, but in a weaker state, is ser- 

 viceable after the ashes and lime. It must be remembered 

 that one application will seldom be sufficient. Some es- 

 cape even to the third or fourth; but in all cases the war- 

 fare should be sustained whilst one remains. Like the 

 aphis they are generally most troublesome in warm and 

 dry seasons. 



