172 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



The weather at Rutherglen was fearfully hot (105° in the 

 shade), and I noticed that the bugs were sheltering themselves on 

 the under side of the leaves of the vines, also under the clods of 

 earth around the stems ; but owing to the great heat, which caused 

 the insects to be very active, we could do but little towards find- 

 ing out when their eggs would likely be deposited. As it was of 

 course impossible for me to remain and watch their movements, I 

 have suggested a series of experiments, which Mr. Knight, with 

 the co-operation of many of the growers themselves, will carry 

 into effect, and will report to me as soon as possible. The next 

 thing to be done, and the most important of all, was to discover 

 some remedy that would kill the insects without injury to the 

 plants or fruit. I have already stated that material had been 

 previously sent up by me, and, with the exception of the benzole, 

 had been tried by Mr. Knight, who found that they were not 

 to be depended upon, at least when the fruit was on the trees, 

 and as a last resource, I thought of my 25 years' experience in 

 the use of benzole as an insect destroyer, and resolved to give 

 it a trial. One trial alone proved its efficacy, as when forced 

 through the Crawford triple-nozzle spray, scarcely a single insect 

 survived, and after three days' exposure to a roasting sun, the 

 grapes, although nearly ripe, were found to be perfectly uninjured, 

 and these, also a number of the dead insects, were brought in to 

 a meeting of the local Horticultural Society, and at which Mr, 

 Kwight and myself were present by invitation. 



Having proved the success of the benzole treatment wherever 

 tried, I returned to Melbourne after an absence of six days, the 

 following being the result of my observations : — 



1. That the insect may be held in check, providing the 

 remedies are applied at the proper time and in a proper manner. 



2. Concerted and prompt action on the part of those interested 

 is an absolute necessity. 



3. That each one who has had an interest to defend, do some- 

 thing, however small, towards the destruction of these little pests, 

 as a slight expenditure, if applied judiciously, may te the means 

 of saving a subsequently heavy outlay, to say nothing of losses. 



4. As any information bearing upon the habits of our insect 

 friends and enemies is always valuable, it would be of great 

 importance could we secure the co-operation of farmers, vignerons, 

 orchardists, &c., and that any information concerning the life- 

 history of any of the insects be forwarded to the department. 



5. To bear in mind the words of a great American writer, who, 

 in speaking on this subject, said that if a man wished to become 

 a practical grower and tiller of the soil eternal vigilance against 

 insect pests must be the price of his success. 



In concluding these few notes I may say that, in my opinion, 

 this wretched little bug is the worst pest which I have yet met 



