132 THE CULTURE OP THE GRAPE. 



Insects. — In Massachusetts, there are but few insects that 

 feed upon the grape leaf. The rose bugs, the past jear or 

 two, have been troublesome, and, in some sections of the United 

 States, they are very much so ; being sometimes so numerous 

 as to eat, in a few days, every cluster of fruit buds, or of 

 blossoms, upon the vine. The most effectual method of de- 

 stroying them is by hand ; covering them (when wet with 

 dew in the morning,) with wood ashes, or lime is said to ans- 

 wer, repeating the apphcation two or three times. Spreading 

 a cloth over the vine, and filling the space around under this 

 with tobacco smoke, will cause them to fall, when they can be 

 destroyed by pouring suds made from whale-oil soap upon 

 them. 



The large green worm (commonly called the potato worm,) 

 is, in some localities, very injurious later in the season ; when 

 in large numbers, it is such a voracious creature it will 

 soon eat all the fohage of a vine. When it is known to 

 be at work, which will be by the leaves being rapidly eaten, 

 all but the stems, it must be sought for and destroyed. 

 It will be found, commonly, on the under part of the leaf 

 next to the one last eaten ; it is usually of the same color 

 as the leaf, and, unless you observe carefully, it will escape 

 you. 



The thrips, small white insects that infest the under side of 

 the leaves, are not so injurious as would seem by the spotted 

 appearance of the leaf. Smoking, or syringing with tobacco- 

 water, will destroy them ; they injure the looks of the vine, 

 giving the foliage a diseased appearance. Wide-mouthed 

 bottles hung amongst the branches, (one every two square 

 feet,) and filled with sweetened water, -will collect and destroy 

 large quantities of moths, and other insects. These will re- 

 quire to be emptied every few days, or the dead insects on 

 the surface removed. 



In the grapery, the two years past, the common red cater- 

 pillar has been exceedingly annoying. The white moth lays 

 its eggs on the under part of the leaf, and the first notice you 



