240 The Tkrt'p and Slug. 



numerous as undesirable. Let them alone for a few days, and you 

 will find, to your cost, that " somebody is here," for the beautiful green 

 foliage of last week now becomes of a dark-gray, or mottled color ; in 

 some cases I have seen it of dingy brown, the juices of the vine leaf 

 being sucked up or exhausted by the thrip. 



You should get rid of this pest as soon as possible ; he lessens the size 

 and flavor of the grape. 



Little rascal number two is a Black Slug^ and, like his brother- 

 depredator, is also found upon the under side of the leaf. This fellow, 

 if left to himself, will, in a short period of time, completely destroy a 

 very thrifty vine. I have seen the most promising and thrifty vine 

 utterly destroyed by the ravages of the black slug. Its destroying march 

 is like that of an army of caterpillars ; whenever you find these depre- 

 dators present, you must at once give them their quietus, or they will 

 give your grapes their quietus. 



I found, in July, 1S47, these little rascals had gained full possession 

 of my vines, and at once took measiu'es for their effectual removal. In 

 four days from the first application of my remedy I had not an enemy 

 to be seen. They were most effectually destroyed, both the aphis or 

 thrip and the black slug, and my vines, being free from these pests, 

 soon recovered their wonted greenness ; yet they were much retarded 

 in their future growth, and bore much less fruit than they would have 

 done had they been immolested by these insects. 



I used, to destroy the slug, strong soap suds, and made the solution 

 with hot water, and let it cool before using, and applied it, from a gar- 

 den syringe having a fine rose jet, to the under side of the leaves only, 

 repeating the applications twice each day until I expelled the ma- 

 rauders. Soap suds will effectually kill the slug, but not the aphis. 



To kill the thrip, or aphis, I used a decoction made from the leaves 

 of tobacco, and applied in the same manner as the soap-wash for the 

 destruction of the slug. A pailful of this preparation is sufficient for a 

 good-sized grapery. 



In making this preparation, you should be careful to have it of just 

 the right strength. It is best to make a quantity quite strong, and then 

 to reduce its strength by adding watei", applying it to a few leaves. A 

 few experiments enabled me to gain the requisite strength to kill the in- 

 sect, and not injure the vine. I have used these remedies since 1847, 

 more or less, and always with complete success. 



