and its Ravages o?i the Vine. 295 



years, and of which I have enquired of gardeners and others, 

 without learning any thing material relating to it. 



" In a green-house, attached to my residence at Hackney, in 

 the year 1809, I planted forty-four vines, of various descrip- 

 tions, inside the house. They grew vigorously the first year, 

 and produced famous shoots, and they were pruned in the 

 autumn of the same year ; looking, as I did, in the spring of 

 1810, for a tolerable crop of fruit: the buds of the vines began 

 to swell, but scarcely produced a shoot, and those only of the 

 weakest description. Concluding that something was wrong at 

 the roots, I examined one, and found that the roots had been 

 completely eaten off by an insect resembling fig. 67. a, in p. 158. 

 of your communication, in very large quantities; some of them 

 were similar to fig. 67. d, in p. 158., and a short time after some 

 appeared on the vines similar to fig. 67. g, in their perfect state; 

 appearing first, when young and at coming out of the ground, of a 

 pale ash colour, and afterwards becoming darker, and nearly black. 



" About eighteen years since I came to my present residence, 

 and have been constantly annoyed by the same insect, to a 

 greater or less extent. If I find my vines drooping, either in 

 the border or in pots, I invariably find the grub, fig. 67. d, above 

 referred to, at the roots. The grubs come out of the ground in 

 May, and then feed on the tendrils, or footstalks, of the leaves, 

 or the extreme ends of the shoots of the vine. They are scarcely 

 ever found in the day, but are very active after dark, always 

 disappearing before daybreak. 



" I have been in constant consultation with my gardener, an 

 able man, who has been with me many years, respecting this 

 insect, but we can hit on no method of destroying it. We have 

 found it in abundance in the root of the Cyclamen persicum; 

 and we have lately lost a fine plant of the Jfdiantum pedatum, 

 in consequence of its ravages. I now and then find a straggler 

 on the vines on the walls, and on other trees ; and, occasionally, 

 we find many of the old roots of the strawberry destroyed by 

 the same insect. 



" I should observe that it seldom does much damage to 

 vines after the first or second year ; and that it confines itself 

 mostly to the young vines newly planted, or to vines in pots. 

 My gardener has never found it on the roots of succulent plants. 



" I send you some of the insects in a tin box; also some of 

 another description, which I constantly find on the vines ; but 

 these last do not appear to do any mischief. 



" If you could point out any mode of destroying them, you 

 would be doing a favour to, 



" Sir, your very obedient servant, 



" Wm. Linwood. 



« Enfield, June 8. 1837." 



u 4 



