_0S4 PEAR. 



Mr. Cornford wrote as follows, with specimens also forwarded: — 

 " My Pear trees have been infested this year by larvae of I know not 

 what." ..." They are shiny black, except when they are about 

 to change into the chrysalis state, when they become a dirty yellow." 

 . "The second brood is now f?i endemics about six weeks after 

 the first; I thiak I have one pupa, but am not sure." 



On the 31st of August, Mr. Cornford wrote further : — " I have not 

 succeeded to any extent in getting many chrysalids, but have one or 

 two which I think have made a sort of cocoon with fine saw-dust. But 

 out of about twenty which I put to burrow when they seemed ripe, I 

 have not as yet found more than two or three in the chrysalid form." 

 Mr. Cornford further remarked of the grubs, " they are still appearing 

 on the trees, from the smallest to the full-grown size, but the imago I 

 have failed to find." 



This (apparently) second appearance of brood is attributable to 

 irregular date of pupation (i. e., going into chrysalis state of the larvas) 

 in the preceding year, or to irregular development from this or other 

 cause, of the Sawfly parents during the summer of attack. As a rule, 

 there is only one brood in the year, though the appearance of tlie 

 grubs, from various causes, may range over a period of three or four 

 months. 



A few days later, Mr. Cornford added the further note showing the 

 great amount of the infestation : — " I did not want you to trouble 

 yourself to return the box, &c. I have only too many specimens even 

 now, though my gardener has spent no end of time in clearing, or 

 trying to clear, the trees of the pests. Yesterday I found one 

 specimen on a Plum tree." 



Peevention and Eemedies. — These are based on two special points 

 in the habits of the larvae. These grubs, or " Slugworms," have a 

 power of exuding a coat of slime when annoyed by lime, or other dry 

 dressings, being thrown on them, but they can only repeat this process 

 a few times, therefore if anything like lime, or powdered gas-lime, or a 

 mixture of these is thrown on them, the grub can moult it off once, 

 but a second application of it so soon after that the grub has freed 

 itself of the coating, and yet has not had time to re-form the internal 

 supply of slime to protect itself with, will probably completely clear 

 the pests. If more than a few hours are allowed to elapse between the 

 dressings, it is very likely that the second may fail; but if properly 

 managed, two dressings are usually successful. 



Syringings of the usual insecticides, as soap-suds, soft-soap mixtures, 

 tobacco-water, lime-water, &c., have all been found useful in getting 

 rid of the grubs ; so also has shaking down the Sawflies. They have 

 been found to remain for a short time motionless after -being shaken off 



