33 



CURRANTS AND GOOSEBERRIES. 



foliage. They will frequently strip a bush of its leaves in a few 

 day's time if left to themselves. Figure 22 shows the worms at 

 work in the latter stage of their growth. When full grown they 

 are three quarters of an inch long. There are two broods of these 

 worms ; the first appearing before or about the time the fruit is 

 ripe, and the second two or three weeks later. The mature insect 

 is a fly somewhat resembling the housefly {Fig. 23). 



Remedy.— Powdered hellebore mixed with its bulk of flour 

 may be dusted on the plants when the foliage is wet, or it may be 

 uscnI at the rate of one ounce of powdered hellebore to a gallon of 

 wa"^r and be sprayed on the foliage. Used in either way it is a 

 vey*^ cheap, effective and easily,applied remedy. But hellebore is 



Fig. 22. — Currant worms {Nemaius ventncosus) at work on the *«t»tJi,^ 



quite poisonous and is not safe to use when the fruit is ripe, 

 although no danger will exist if several days should elapse after 

 the application before the fruit is gathered, and a light shower 

 after the hellebore is applied will remove all danger from it. Py- 

 rethrum insect powder is a good, safe and effective remedy when 

 applied just at night, but it is very expensive and diflficult to obtain, 

 of a good quality, at any price. 



Where these insects have made their appearance the first in- 

 dication of them should be watched for in following years and 

 great care taken to destroy the first brood each season. Growers 



