NEMATUS RIBESII AND ABRAXAS GROSSULARIATA. 291 



small, and gives ample time for rain before picking ; one heavy 

 shower will wash every particle of hellebore from the leaves and 

 fruit. If no rain, the syringing with clean water will prove 

 effectual ; at least that is my experience during the many years 

 that I have used it. 



If, however, there is any objection to the use of hellebore 

 another remedy, perfectly harmless, is as follows : — Syringe the 

 bushes with clean water, and when wet dust them with fine sifted 

 coal-ash ; it is advisable to throw this with the hand up under the 

 foliage as much as possible, leaving a layer of an inch deep on the 

 ground under the bushes. This is a west-country remedy, and 

 is only effectual during dry weather. 



John N. Still.. 

 Broadleigh Down, near Tiverton, Oct. 26, 1891. 



The use of hellebore in the way advocated by Major Still 

 being new to us, we referred the matter to Miss Eleanor Ormerod, 

 who has kindly written concerning it as follows : — 



" I cannot at this minute recall any information being sent of 

 the use of hellebore in fluid form (i. e., as a syringing) as a means 

 of destroying gooseberry caterpillars, but so long ago as 1879 

 I had notes of it as being exceedingly effectual if applied as a dry 

 dusting. But also the effects on the eaters of the gooseberry fruit 

 might be, and in one case were reported to have been, so extremely 

 serious, in consequence of the fruit not being cleared of the 

 poison before it was made into a tart, that I have been most 

 careful as to bringing this remedy forward. I noticed it in the 

 first edition of my ' Manual,' but with cautions. Of course, when 

 applied in solution, such a much smaller amount is given that the 

 risk is greatly lessened ; still I do not like to have anything to do 

 with recommending poisonous applications where there is risk of 

 their remaining on either fruit or leafage to be used for con- 

 sumption of man or farm-stock. There is no difficulty in keeping 

 down gooseberry sawfiy attack, if the surface soil is skimmed off 

 during winter to the depth at which the little cocoons lie, and this 

 infested soil is carried away and destroyed. This is a regular 

 working gooseberry-grower's remedy for the sawfly attack, and I 

 should say that it would be just as serviceable (with a little 

 adaptation) in getting rid of the caterpillars of the other goose- 

 berry pest, the "magpie moth." If the ground where they are 

 wintering is removed, and an eye given to the bushes to remove 

 such as may be hanging in their leaf-cradles, it makes a deal of 

 difference in amount of attack." 



Eleanor A. Ormerod. 



Torrington House, St. Albans. 



