BED SPIDER. 123 



About three weeks later, that is, on the 11th of October, enqinry 

 was sent to me by Mr. Samuel Berger, of Bragbury, Stevenage, 

 regarding the nature of an attack of which specimens were sent 

 accompanying, which proved to be of " Red Spider," clustered in great 

 numbers on leafage and other material, in the sample package sent. 



Of these Mr. Berger remarked, " Tliey have attacked three Lime 

 trees in an avenue of about thirty trees. The trees in question are all 

 affected on the same side facing east, and only on that one side. The 

 appearance of the trees on the side affected is as if they had been var- 

 nished, quite smooth and glistening." 



Here again it will be noticed the peculiar shining or glistening 

 appearance of the attacked surface is mentioned. There is much 

 variety in colour, or shade of colour, of the so-called " Eed " Spider, 

 which may run from yellowish white to orange, or different shades of 

 red; but in the case of the Lime " Red " Spiders which have come 

 under my own notice, the colour has appeared to me to be of some 

 tint of yellow. The specimens sent me by Mr. Berger were of a good 

 orange or yellow colour. 



Looking at the point of sulphur being one of the regular applications 

 used by Hop growers for destruction of " Red Spider," and also of the 

 serviceableness of soft-soap wash in adhering, and so choking up the 

 fine webs, together with the contained eggs and Mites, I suggested 

 trial of the " Chiswick Compound " (noted at various places in this 

 Report) ; and in a note from Mr. Berger, sent on the 13th of October, 

 he mentioned that he was, that day, liaving the trees sprayed with a 

 solution of soft-soap, but that as soon as he could get some of the 

 compound named, he would have them dressed with this, and would 

 let me know result of the treatment. 



On the 16th of Nov., Mr. Berger favoured me with the following 

 satisfactory report: — "We have found the 'washing' of our Lime 

 trees with the Chiswick Compound you recommended, has got rid of 

 the Acari. The soft-soap wash sprayed from a garden engine was not 

 nearly so effective." 



From the above observation the soap and sulphur compound seems 

 to meet the difficulty as well as could be wished, but if instead of pur- 

 chase, it should be wished to prepare a somewhat similar mixture on 

 the premises, the difficulty of dissolving the sulphur may be got over 

 by using sulphuret of lime. 



The following is a serviceable recipe : — Take four ounces of 

 sulphuret of lime, and two ounces of soft-soap, to each gallon of 

 hot water, the soap and sulphuret to be well mixed, and the hot 

 water then gradually poured on, the mixture being well stirred whilst 

 this is done, and used when cool. This may be used for spraying, or 

 well rubbed on to bark; but I believe the "compound" mentioned 



