63 



There are other beetles that sometimes infest vineyards and gardens, but they so 

 rarelj' do any important injury that they are very little known. The drab-colored 

 Quaker-bug '(Palidnota Panctala) is formidable in appearance from its large size, but 

 is pever so numerous that it can not be suppressed at trifling cost by picking them 

 from the leaves wbile performing the other operations. A row of dark spots (puncta) 

 on each side give its distinctive name. (Plate No. 75.) 



The steel-blue flea-beetle {Haltica Chalyhea or Oleracea) is one of a class, differing 

 in color, sometimes met with, causing damage by burrowing in the buds and girdling 

 the extremities of tender shoots. No more satisfactory remedy has yet been proposed 

 than that for the rose-bugs, but it is not often that these call for any attention. Plate 

 No. 76 is a magnified representation- of the Haltica Chalybea. 



A very minute insect called Eed Spider (Acarus Tellarius) is one of the most 

 troublesome insect-enemies of plants under glass, and especially of the grape and peach. 

 If taken at the beginning, thorough drenching with water so that the leaves, on both 

 their upper and lower surfaces, may be kept ivet for a considerable time, will destroy 

 them ; but after they have gained an established lodgment, it is difficult to get rid of 

 them, even by washing both sides of every leaf with a sponge and soapy water repeat- 

 edly. In very dry weather these insects spread from the houses to the trees in the 

 garden or nursery, and especially to the pears, and at length to the vines, if they are 

 close to the infe.4ted trees and have become enfeebled in their action. The vines with 

 leaves in fall, vigorous, healthy action, remain free from their attacks. Syringing 

 thoroughly, as soon as attacked, v/ith whale-oil soap-suds is a certain remedy ; half a 

 pound to six to ten gallons of water is sufficient, the object of the soap being chiefly to 

 make the water adhere to the leaves for sufficient time to accomplish its object. 



The mealy bug {Coccus Adonidum) is another enemy that is common to houses and 

 gardens, but less frequent in open culture. These are little troublesome in the open 

 air, except when lodged in the branches of unripe fruit, where they present the appear- 

 ance of small flocks of cotton. A dilution of soap or a solution of potash will dislodge 

 and destroy them, if applied early with a syringe, and without injury ; but later, both 

 leave unpleasant marks upon the fruit. It is only in the garden that annoyance is 

 likely to occur from these insects, and a very little attention at the beginning will 

 entirely destroy them. At first, the mother is seen like a small mound of white meal 

 or mold, and remains fixed with her eggs or young under her, when a touch with the 

 end of a stick of the size of a pencil will destroy them all. The Pyrethrum is an effect- 

 ual unobjectionable remedy, and the same may be said of sulphur when properly 

 applied, as it should be, in invisible quantity from an efficient sidphurator. 



The most important of all the insect enemies of the vine is the Thrips, or " leaf- 

 hopper," {Tettigonia Vitis,) and more to be dreaded in the vineyard than all of the 

 others together. It is a very small insect, light green in color at first and during its 

 feeding {suclcinrj) stage, but becoming beautifully marked and variegated when its 

 transformations are passed and its wings are grown ; it flies and leaps with great 

 agility, and is not easily caught or driven away. It makes its appearance sometimes 

 before the end of May, and continues to multiply until the end of the season, feeding 

 upon the under side of the leaves, often until their action is greatly impaired or quite 

 lost. 



The crop is never destroyed by these insects, but it is not unfrequently greatly 

 injured in quality, and the ability of the vine for the next season lessened. 



A remedy by fumigation with tobacco smoke is easily applied, and effi?ctive for 

 a few vines in the garden or on the side of a house, making a tent by joining sheets 

 together to confine the smoke, but in the vineyard this is impracticable. 



Syringing with a strong decoction of tobacco, and also with a dilution of whale-oil 

 soap, has been tried, also the two mixed, increasing the strength until the leaves were 

 destroyed, without making much impression upon the Thrips. 



Five years ago they were very troublesome with me, but disappeared under the 

 use of sulphur, as applied for mildew, and gave no farther trouble until the past season. 



