562 



soon destroy ; when fully grown they measure half -an-inch in 

 length, and have a rounded oval head and thorax, with the body 

 much more slender, and cover themselves with a dark olive secretion 

 that gives them a very slimy slug-like appearance. 



They pupate in the soil beneath the tree when full grown, 

 forming a stout chrysalid, the perfect saw-flies emerging in about 

 six weeks' time. 



This is a pest introduced from America, where it does a great 

 deal of damage to pear, cherry, and other foliage in its larval state. 

 It is also regarded as a very serious pest in Victoria, but in this 

 State does not do very much damage, and is easily destroyed. 



It is very partial to the hawthorn, and when hawthorn hedges 

 exist it spreads rapidly. (From Agricultural Gazette of New 

 South Wales ; by Froggatt). 



Remedy. Wait till slugs appear, and then use Nos. 11, 12, 

 or 13 (see pp. 490-492). 



Dusting the foliage with lime is one of the cheapest and best 

 remedies, as the lime sticks to the slimy coat of the grubs and soon 

 destroys them. 



Where they are found to be very destructive to the foliage it 

 would be advisable to disturb the soil round the trunk of the trees, 

 or treat them with lime, so as to destroy the cocoons in the ground. 



PEAR LEAF BLISTER MITE (Phytophus pyri, Scheuton). 



!c~ j This remarkable little mite is hardly visible to the naked eye, 

 but j the galls it produces on the under surface of the leaves are 

 generally rounded, measuring under one-eighth 

 of an inch in diameter, but where the foliage is 

 badly infected, coalescing and forming a bigger 

 blotch. These galls always have an opening 

 about the centre on the under side, so that the 

 mites can escape on to the buds before the 

 leaves fall. This is a very curious, elongated, 

 cylindrical creature, with only two pairs of legs, 

 head tapering in front, and transparent in 

 colour. Opinions vary as to the amount of 

 damage that this mite does to the trees they 

 infest, but there is no doubt that they render 

 the leaves very unsightly, and by causing them 

 to fall before their time, denude the tree so 

 that the sun will affect it, and when the galls 

 are abundant the crop of fruit will be reduced. 

 (From Agricultural Gazette of New South 

 Wales ; by Froggatt) . 



Remedy. Clean cultivation. In winter, dress 

 limbs with No. 6; later on, 15 (see pp. 490- 

 492), or powdered sulphur. Two or three 



Pear Leaf Mite (Phytopus 



dressings during spring and early summer. 



