288 



The Spraying of Plants. 



FIG. 54. Four-lined loaf-bug of currants, adult. 



part of May. While young they are bright red in color, but 

 later more black appears (Fig. 55). The adult insect may be 



found during Jims 

 and July. The in- 

 sects attack the 

 leaves at the tips of 

 the shoots, sucking 

 out the juices. This 

 causes the forma- 

 tion of small,brown, 

 angular areas of 

 dead tissue (Fig. 

 56), which at once 

 indicate the pres- 

 ence of this bug by 

 giving the leaves a 

 characteristic spot- 

 ted appearance. 



Treatment. The 

 insect is extremely active during the day, but in the early 

 morning it may be 

 jarred from the cur- 

 rant or gooseberry 

 bushes and caught 

 in pans containing 

 kerosene. Kero- 

 sene emulsion, con- 

 taining at least 9 

 per cent of the oil, 

 will destroy the im- 

 mature insects, but 

 it must be made 

 still stronger to kill 

 the adults. The 

 young insects 

 should be destroyed 

 if possible. A third 

 way to overcome 

 the pest, and perhaps the best one, is to cut off the tips of the 

 shoots which carry eggs and then destroy them. 



FIG. 55. Four-lined leaf-bug, immature form. 



