12'Z 



RED SPIDER, 



tips of the feet are a few processes, like excessively fine pin-headed 

 bristles, which help these " Spinning Mites " in arranging their webs, 

 and in holding firmly to them. 



Whether the " Eed Spider," best known as seriously injurious to 

 Hops, and scientifically named Tetranychus tehtrhis, is precisely the 

 same as that of the Lime tree, and which also infests French Beans, 

 and is named (from the first-named habitat) Tetranychus tiliarum, is a 

 point on which there is some difference of opinion amongst specialists, 

 but does not appear to be of importance for practical service. The main 

 characteristics of the Lime tree attack are the quantity of fine web spun 

 over the trunks and branches of the trees, and also on the under side of 

 the infested leaves (thus giving the shiny appearance mentioned above 

 to the large area of webbed surface), and also the enormous numbers of 

 the Mites which are sometimes to be found heaped up in yellowish 

 masses round the base of the trunks of the trees. 



One instance of very severe attack to Lime trees was reported to 

 me some years ago, but otherwise I do not remember hearing of it as 

 a serious matter until the two following observations were sent me in 

 the autumn of last year (1892). 



On the 22nd of September, a note was sent me from Springfield 

 Place, near Chelmsford, by Mr. Thomas Jackson, in which it will be 

 seen that the above characteristics, that is, the masses of Mites round 

 the bases of the trees, and also the shiny, or slimy, appearance of the 

 trees, are especially mentioned. Also the injury to the leaves is noticed, 

 which is sometimes very great, or total ruin, for the Mites are known 

 to congregate so thickly (chiefly) on the lower side of the leaves that 

 the leafage is yellow over with them, and the mischief caused by the 

 great quantities of the punctures, and also consequent loss of sap, 

 causes the destruction of the leaves. 



Mr. Jackson wrote, on September 22nd, that he was sending "some 

 specimens of a blight which has attacked some young Lime trees here. 

 At present the old trees, of which there are some very fine ones, are 

 not affected ; those that are, being about ten inches in diameter, a foot 

 from the ground. 



"He cannot be quite certain if the blight begins from the stem 

 nearest the ground, or from the foliage, but the form it takes is as 

 follows : there is a band of yellow colour on the ground round the stem 

 of the tree, about an inch broad, resembling somewhat a piece of gold- 

 lace ; this is a mass of living creatures, very minute, which spread all 

 over the bark and branches, which are covered with a kind of cob- 

 webby slime, like the trail of a snail, and the insects cover the leaves, 

 which soon wither away." 



Mr. Jackson further noticed that his gardener had tried Gishurst 

 soap and water, mixed with petroleum and quassia chips, with other 

 remedies, but all seemed of no avail. 



