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The most important are preventive measures in dealing with 

 this potato pest. See that the seed is free from grub or eggs. 

 Always destroy all grubs in infested potatoes, and burn all haulms 

 as soon as possible after the crop is dug. Never leave " wormy 

 potatoes " lying about. 



THE RED MITE (Bryobia pratensis, Garman). 

 Description and Life History. 



From April to early summer a reddish tint will be frequently 

 noticed upon the bark of both apple and pear trees, but chiefly the 

 latter ; sometimes, when the trees are badly infested, even the stakes 

 are thickly covered. Upon examination with a lens, it will be found 

 that this is caused by countless numbers of tiny, round, crimson 

 eggs, clustered together in every curve or irregularity in the bark. 



Later on, when the buds burst out into leaf, these little 

 creatures hatch, leaving an empty white shell behind, attack the 

 leaves from the underside, sucking up the juice of the tree, and 

 causing them to become mottled and fall off prematurely. 



This inite is about twice the size of the " red spider," of a 

 bright red colour, with four pairs of legs, the front pair much 

 longer than the hind ones. 



Heavy rains seem to destroy great numbers, and though this 

 pest is so common and numerous in many orchards in some parts of 

 the State, it does not seem to make much headway or do much damage 

 in this country, yet in some parts of America it is looked upon as 

 very destructive to fruit trees. 



Remedy. Clean cultivation. In winter, dress limbs with No. 

 6 ; later on, 15 or powdered sulphur. Two or three dressings during 

 spring and early summer. 



RED SPIDER (tetranychus or telarius). 



It is a misnomer to call this insect a spider, as in reality it is a 

 mite and possesses only six legs at first. The colour which it 

 assumes seems to depend greatly on the sort of food it is living on. 

 It has been called a spider simply from the 

 webs which it spins over the trunks and 

 branches and under the leaves, giving a 

 glassy appearance to the surface. They are 

 able to move quickly over this web. Some- 

 times they are to be found in masses, a quarter 

 of an inch thick, on the underside of the 

 leaves. They are almost omnivorous, and 

 attack not merely hops, but apples, almonds, 

 and vegetables of all sorts. The eggs are 

 attached to the webs, and can easily be 

 detached by brushing with a hard brush. 

 Let it be borne in mind that as the mites 

 congregate on the underside of the leaves, 

 spraying is always difficult and more or less 



