FESTS 95 



larvae, which hatch out of them in about a fortnight, 

 are white, fleshy grubs, i i to 2 inches long, with strong 

 mandibles, and large, horny heads, six legs in front, 

 and swollen bladder-like extremities ; they lie in a 

 curled-up position in the soil. They remain in the 

 larval state for three years before changing into the 

 beetle form, during which time they do much damage 

 to the roots of grass, strawberry, apple, plum, cherry, 

 nut and other trees. 



Remedies. — The beetles are sometimes found in 

 sufficient numbers to make it worth w^iile shaking 

 them off the trees on to cloths, and destroying them. 

 They seem to shelter during the day, especially on 

 isolated trees, and this facilitates collectino; them. 



Vines 



Mealy Bugs {Dactylopiiis citri and D. longispinus). — • 

 Mealy Bugs are scale insects which are devoid of a 

 scaly covering. They attack vines and other plants 

 under glass in this country ; their presence can be 

 easily recognised by the white mealy coating they 

 produce. 



Remedies. — Clean the bark, and paint it with 

 methylated spirit. The most certain way of clearing 

 a house of these pests is by fumigating with hydro- 

 cyanic acid gas. This will have to be done twice, at 

 two weeks interval, and is best done when the vines 

 are dormant, but it may also be done when they are 

 in leaf. In the latter case the proportions of cyanide 

 taken should be reduced to about half the minimum 

 mentioned on p. 40, namely, to i oz. of sodium cyanide, 



