418 BUSH-FRUITS 



been found to reduce the amount of bloom. Infested nursery 

 stock can be most effectively treated by hydrocyanic acid gas, but 

 this is a dangerous insecticide, which should be used only by those 

 who know perfectly well how to do it.* Late experiments at Cor- 

 nell and in New Jersey show that the pest is easily destroyed in 

 summer by a spray of kerosene and water. At Cornell, one part of 

 kerosene to four of water gave efficient treatment. 



THE GOOSEBERRY FRUIT-WORM 



Zophodia grossularice (Pack.). Order Lepidoptera. Family 

 Phycitidae. 



Pempelia grossularice, Pack. Riley, Mo. Rep. 1:140. Myelois convolutella, 

 Zell. Thomas, 111. Rep. 7:251. Dakruma convolutella. (Zell.), or 

 (Hiibn.). Saunders, Ins. Inj. Fruits, 357. Weed, Ins. and Insect!., 101. 



The larva of this moth works within the fruit of the gooseberry, 

 and sometimes of the currant. The moths appear early in spring 

 and deposit their eggs on the surface of the very young fruit. 

 The larva bores into the fruit and eats out its contents. When 

 one berry is disposed of another is fastened to the now empty 

 shell, and the worm bores its way into that one. Several fruits 

 may be thus destroyed. The larva commonly reaches maturity by 

 the first of July, when it is a pale green caterpillar, about three - 

 fourths of an inch long, with a small, pale brown, horny looking 

 head. It then descends to the ground and spins a thin cocoon 

 among fallen leaves and rubbish, within which it changes to a 

 chrysalis, remaining in this condition until the following spring. 



Remedies. Infested berries color prematurely, and can be 

 hand-picked, taking care that the very active worms do not 

 quickly leave the fruit. If chickens are allowed in the field 

 after fruiting time, they will consume many of the chrysalids. 



THE IMPORTED CURRANT BORER 



Sesia tipuliformis (Linn.). Order Lepidoptera. Family Sesiidae. 



Comstock, Man. of Ins., 261. Mgeria tipuliformis, Linn. Saunders, Ins. 

 Inj. Frts. 336. Cook, Rep. Mich. Hort. Soc. 1890 : 106. Irochilium 

 tipuliforme (Linn.). Fitch, N. Y. Rep. 3 : 423. 



This is a slender, rapid-flying, wasp-like, dark blue moth, half 

 * See The Nursery-Book as to use of hydrocyanic acid gas. 



