The Currant Fruit Fly. 237 



In three gardens the gooseberry drops were not gathered 

 because the bushes were growing in high grass. As these 

 bushes had been neglected for years the yield of fruit was very 

 low. 



The seven currant and two gooseberry bushes treated with 

 arsenate of lead without diluted molasses resulted in a total 

 loss of all of the gooseberries and only four quarts of currants 

 were picked. 



After the bushes had received 7 applications of the poi- 

 soned bait spray, some of the currant and gooseberry leaves 

 began to show evidence of spray injury on June 20. Some of 

 the leaves turned yellow, speckled with small brown areas (Fig. 

 15, H) and later dropped from the bushes. On the other hand, 

 the currant and gooseberry bushes sprayed on the same dates 

 with arsenate of lead mixed with water without diluted molasses, 

 showed no evidence of spray injury. 



The following formula of the poisoned bait spray with the 

 use of a so-called "quick killing di-plumbic arsenate of lead" 

 burned the foliage of currant and gooseberry bushes so that 

 many of the leaves turned yellow and dropped : 



Arsenate of lead 3 oz. 



Molasses 1 gal. 



Water 2 gal. 



The cost of the insecticide for eight applications of the 

 spray to 100 bushes not including labor amounted to $.65. The 

 additional cost of four applications of the bait to the vegetation 

 surrounding the commercial garden and to the shady localities 

 amounted to $.46. 



There was some evidence to show that the fruit fly was 

 attracted to the poisoned bait. During the application of the 

 spray an occasional trypetid was observed feeding on the bait 

 which was spattered on the outside of the bucket. In a ninnber 

 of instances, after reaching down to the bottom of the bucket 

 to determine whether the arsenate of lead was in suspension 

 and upon withdrawing the hand, a specimen alighted on the 

 arm to feed on the poisoned liquid. 



In the season of 1915, the poisoned bait spray was tested 

 in a currant and gooseberry patch located on a farm. Twenty- 

 two gooseberry bushes were in an orchard and 13 currant bushes 



