228 A COUNTRY READER. 



The female beetle lays her eggs singly on the 

 leaves and generally on their underneath sides. 

 The- larva when hatched bores into the leaves 

 and digs a passage, which at first is small, but 

 gets gradually larger. In fine weather, the larva, 

 in a week, has grown to its full size. It then 

 pierces the skin covering of the leaf, and falls 

 to the ground, and becomes a pupa. If the 

 weather is dry this may go on several times in 

 the year. 



The remedy for this pest is first and foremost 

 to keep the land free from the weeds which 

 attract the beetles, namely, Charlock, shepherd 

 purse, yellow rocket, treacle mustard ; also good 

 preparation of the soil, suitable manuring and 

 drill culture, since these conditions bring about 

 a rapid growth of the plants, and so push it 

 rapidly past the young leaf stage when it is 

 specially attractive to the beetle. 



A dressing of gas lime is sometimes very 

 beneficial. 



Cockchafer. The cockchafer beetles appear- 

 usually about May. In the evening they leave 

 the soil and seek the neighbouring trees. 

 They devour the leaves, and specially the buds of 

 the oak, horsechesnut, beech, poplar, willow, 

 cherry, and other forest and fruit trees, but 

 spare the lime and generally the morel cherry. 



In some regions where the insect is abundant, 



