562 



ENCiXLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



Control 



The control of this pest is not so dif- 

 ficult as it would seem in view of the 

 fact that arsenical sprays cannot be used 

 upon the tender marketable shoots be- 

 cause of the poisonous effects to the con- 

 sumers. 



In the spring when harvesting the 

 shoots it is advisable to leave some of 

 them for the beetles to lay their eggs 

 upon; cutting and burning these before 

 the eggs hatch. Another practice is to 

 keep all the seedlings except a few for 

 traps, cut down. Upon those left the 

 beetles will collect in great numbers and 

 may be easily killed. In the spring or 

 after they are covered with eggs the 

 plants should be cut down and burned. 



As soon as the crop is harvested the 

 seedlings and feathery plants should be 

 thoroughly sprayed with arsenical sprays, 

 which will serve to kill many of the ma- 

 ture beetles before they go into winter 

 quarters. One pound of lead arsenate to 

 sixteen gallons of water has given excel- 

 lent results. 



Dusting air-slacked lime of pyrethrum 

 upon the larvae or spraying plants infest- 

 ed by them with kerosene emulsion or 

 tobacco extract are exceedingly effective 

 as the larvae are very delicate. Brushing 

 to the ground also destroys large num- 

 bers of them. Burning the rubbish in the 

 winter destroys many of the hibernating 

 beetles. 



>'atnral Enemies 



The young of the ladybird beetles, Me- 

 ■giUa maculata and Hippodamia convergens, 

 prey upon the young larvae. In the east 

 the spined soldier-bug (Podisus macu- 

 livejitris Say) and the bordered soldier- 

 l3ug (Stiretrus anchorago Fab.) as well 

 as certain other insects also feed upon 

 the larvae. 



E. O. EssiG 



Twelve-Spotted Asparagus Beetle 



Crioceris 12-pujictaIa L. 



Description 



A trifle larger and stouter than the 

 common species, uniformly reddish in 

 color, with 12 black spots on the wing 

 covers. Eggs are attached by their sides 



instead of ends, usually on old plants in- 

 stead of young shoots if such are avail- 

 able. 



Character of Injury 

 Hibernated beetles feed on shoots in 

 spring. Later beetles and larvae prefer 

 the berries. Larvae seem to feed almost 

 exclusively on the berries. Cut all plants 

 down to the ground in early spring, and 

 cut new shoots before eggs hatch. Allow 

 some shoots scattered over the field to 

 grow larger than others and most of the 

 eggs will be deposited on these. When 

 they are well covered with eggs cut and 

 burn and allow other shoots to grow 

 for same purpose. Spray with arsenate 

 of lead late in the season when cutting 

 period is over. Chickens and ducks will 

 devour many if given the run of the 

 sarden. ^ ^ Gossard, 



Wnoster, Ohio. 



Australia 



Orchards and Frnit Gardens 



Fruit growing has made rapid progress 

 in Australia during recent years, the 

 area devoted thereto having increased in 

 the past ten years by no less than 56.936 

 acres. The states in which the increase 

 was most marked were; Tasmania, 17,- 

 900 acres; Victoria, 12,731 acres; Western 

 Australia. 12,668 acres; and South Aus- 

 tralia, 6.529 acres. During the same 

 jieriod the Queensland fruit-growing area 

 increased 5,738 acres, while in New South 

 Wales a slight increase of 1,310 acres was 

 exhibited. 



The varieties of fruit grown differ ma- 

 terially in various parts of the several 

 states, and range between such fruits as 

 the pineapple, paw-paw, mango, and 

 guava of the tropics, and the strawberry, 

 the raspberry, and the currant of the cold- 

 er parts of the temperate zone. The prin- 

 cipal varieties grown in Victoria are the 

 apple, pear, peach, apricot, plum, and 

 cherry. In New South Wales citrus fruits 

 (orange, lemon, etc.) occupy the leading 

 positions, although apples, pears, peaches, 

 cherries, plums, and apricots are also ex- 

 tensively grown. In Queensland the 

 bananas, oranges, pineapples, peaches, ap- 

 ples, mangoes, and plums are most large- 



