298 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



THE RASl'HERR\' ClALl. 1- LY— (Dastrophus Turgidus). 



ASSET gives a brief description of this gall fly and its pro- 

 ducer in the Canadian Entomologist, Vol. 2, p. 100. His 

 specimens were collected in the State of Connecticut, and^ 

 although found in Ontario from Essex to Ottawa, very few 

 notices of it have been published in Canada. 



This gall has been more or less common on the 

 stems of the wild raspberry, Ruhis Strigosus, and on the 

 cultivated varieties in the County of York during the last 

 thirty years ; and during this period it has occasionally increased so as to do 

 noticeable injury to raspberry gardens. In one instance, near Toronto, the 

 gardener took the galls to be knots, and when trimming cut them out and 

 threw them into a fence corner. Of course, this did no good, and it was not 

 until he was advised to burn them that he was able to rid his garden of the pest. 

 The producers, as is the case with many gall producers, increase with astonishing 

 rapidity, and were it not for the opportune — though gruesome — services of three 

 species of parasites, raspberry culture in Ontario would soon come to an end. 



But, as it is according to the order of nature that plant-eating insects are 

 held in check by parasitic species, we generally find this check sufficient ; unless 

 natural relations are disarranged, usually by artificial means, such as the clearing 

 of forests, the draining and cultivation of land, the introduction of foreign plants, 

 and in various other ways. And so it is when conditions are unfavorable to the 

 due increase of parasitic species, the leaf-eating species increase, and farm and 

 garden crops are devoured, unless by some artificial means the balance of para- 

 sitic to phyophagus species is re-established. 



It has been estimated that in the Province of Ontario there is an annual 

 loss of over $500,000 from the attacks of plant-eating insects, and many think 

 that our mildly paternal Government might do a good deal more in preventing 

 this controllable waste ; for, indeed, to an intelligent and thinking community» 

 as fruit growers and farmers, it is a very culpable waste. 



And it should be considered an important duty by all who are engaged in 

 garden or farm culture, to be able to recogni7,e plant eating and jvarasitic species 

 at sight, and to keep a strict watch over them, carefully noting their respective 

 increase or decrease. -Ml this is very easy, especially to school boys and school 

 girls, who should be carefully instructed not to destroy nor injure beneficial 

 insects ; for, indeed, the protection of these is of greater importance than the 

 protection of insectivorous birds. To carry out these suggestions in the case of 

 the raspberry gall, is especially easy. In the first place, the gall is usually large 

 and easily seen —often over two inches long and three-quarters of an inch in 

 diameter — covered with short prickles and of the same color as the bark of the 

 cane. They may be readily recognized from Fig. 71. 



