16 " APPLE. 



with the matter oozing out taken off and biirnt, so I think all the 

 grubs in this way have been destroyed ; and the Apples, a large 

 number left, are perfectly sound." — (E. M.) 



Prevention and Eemedies. — On the 19th of May, Mr. Coleman 

 wrote regarding the first step in the preventive operations, namely, 

 preventing egglaying : — " There is nothing that can be done at the pre- 

 sent moment but to go for the ily in the blossoms. Amongst bush 

 trees the task would not be so great as at first apparent. They are 

 not in such vast numbers as some other insects, but one fly will pierce 

 many Apples. 



" As the flies in captivity died in a week or so, though supplied 

 with trusses of blossom, and they could not be found in the open after 

 fourteen days, it would appear that the life of the fly is contemporary 

 with the period of the blossom only. This is quite enough, however, for 

 a destruction of fruit out of all proportion to their numbers." . . . 

 " The destruction of a single fly is worth the trouble. 



" After the blossom has fallen, the best thing to do would appear 

 to pick out the spot-marked fruits where within reach, and spray the 

 trees and young fruits with some poisonous substance, as Paris-green, 

 which would probably kill many on attacking the second fruit. The 

 removal of the earth beneath the trees and burning it, may avail in the 

 case of large orchard trees, but would cause some chagrin to the 

 gardener whose trees (bushes) should have a mass of fibrous fruiting- 

 roots close to the surface, or at least above where the cocoons would 

 be or amongst them, it would be a very destructive remedy. For my 

 orchard, the soil being clay, the trees are moulded like large anthills 

 round the base. These little mounds where the cocoons lie are full of 

 fibres, on which rest the hopes of fruit production versus wood 

 growth. 



" There is no doubt it is the cultivated grounds that are most 

 affected ; grass orchards do not suffer much." — (W. C.) 



With regard to the treatment of disturbing the ground as a means 

 of destroying the cocoons, it will be seen that as at Walton, from the 

 nature of soil, the breaking up the surface was a requisite operation, 

 the remedy could be carried out satisfactorily, Mr. Murray noted : — 

 •' I have found much benefit in continually stirring the ground, keeping 

 it very friable. As our soil is light and sandy it cakes, and becomes 

 like brick in very hot weather which prevents the small roots obtain- 

 ing any nourishment, and so formerly our Apples have failed in that 

 way as well." — (R. M.) 



Where trees are grown under the circumstances above mentioned 

 (or under any circumstances by which the root fibres lie so near the 

 surface, that disturbing the surface soil is injurious to them), it would 



