THE 



GARDENER'S MAGAZINE, 



OCTOBER, 1837. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. A Series of Articles on the Insects most injurious to Cultiva- 

 tors. By J. O. Westwood, F.L.S., Secretary to the Entomological 

 Society of London. 



No. 8. The small Ermine Moth. 



The injuries to which our fruit trees are subject may be di- 

 vided into four kinds: — 1st, those by which the young shoots 

 and buds are destroyed ; 2dly, those by which the leaves are 

 affected or consumed ; 3dly, those by which the fruit, in a more 

 or less mature state, is destroyed ; and, 4thly, those by whicii the 

 bark is damaged. Perhaps the second of these injuries is of 

 the most ordinary occurrence, and of the greatest extent ; for it 

 must often necessarily happen, that, should the fruit remain unat- 

 tacked, the destruction of the leaves will prevent its coming to 

 due perfection. 



Of the leaf-destroyers, the most injurious species are those 

 which live in society, enclosing themselves in a common web, 

 which they either enlarge from time to time, or quit for the pur- 

 pose of forming a larger domicile, in a situation where they can 

 obtain a more abundant supply of food than in that which they 

 have left. There are many species of these webbed caterpillars; 

 and their effect is sometimes so extensive, that not only is the fo- 

 liage completely consumed, but the fruit entirely destroyed, and 

 the branches enveloped in so strong a tissue of webbing, that 

 the young shoots, which the tree may possibly possess the power 

 of throwing out, are impeded in their growth, and unable to force 

 themselves through the web with which the branch is enveloped. 

 The apple tree appears to be more especially liable to this 

 species of injury. At the commencement of the month of July 

 last, I observed this devastation carried to a lamentable extent 

 in the apple trees with which the road sides between Abbeville 

 and Paris are planted, and which for miles were completely de- 

 foliated. The branches were covered with webs, and not the 

 least portion of green was to be seen; the webs were suspended 



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