24 Bulletin of the New York State Museum. 



reported as effectual against the root maggots of the onion and 

 cabbage, was tried. A bundle of burdock plants was gathered, cut 

 and pounded according to directions, and soaked in water over 

 night. With this infusion a dozen or more of the strawberry plants 

 in different parts of the patch were watered. Under two of them, 

 as special-test plants, living grubs were placed, that they might be in 

 a convenient position to eat the burdock- watered roots, if they were 

 so disposed. But they did not eat them, nor to this day have any 

 of the plants thus treated at that time been attacked. After the 

 lapse of about two weeks, wishing to see if the remedy was still 

 effectual, another live grub was placed in the soil, at the roots of 

 one of the special-test plants ; but he, like his predecessors, declined 

 the proffered roots. In the meantime, the untreated plants were 

 dying, one after another, from the loss of their roots, till now nearly 

 half the number have been destroyed. 



But the experiment already tried had given me such confidence 

 in the burdock remedy that the vacant places in the patch were 

 filled with new plants, and these, together with the untreated older 

 ones, were given a dose of burdock water. This put an end to the 

 attacks of the white grub for at least six weeks. Then two of the 

 late-set plants suddenly wilted, and were found to have their roots 

 partly eaten. With this exception, no treated plants have been 

 lost to this day. I am unable to explain the failure in the case 

 of these two plants. Possibly they may not have received so 

 thorough a wetting as the other plants. Notwithstanding their loss, 

 my confidence in the ability of the burdock remedy to protect the 

 strawberry plant against the white grub is unshaken. It may pos- 

 sibly be necessary to apply it twice in a season, but with the excep- 

 tion of these two plants, one application has been sufficient in this 

 case. It does not appear to be at all detrimental to the growth or 

 vigor of the plant. 



We may pass now to remedial measures, and first those referring 

 to the destruction of the beetle. 



Tree-shaking. — The May-beetle has a habit in common with 

 many other species of becoming gregarious, in times of its great 

 abundance, when it assembles in multitudes for the night upon 

 fruit trees. This habit permits of its destruction in large num- 

 bers, and the reduction of the following brood to the extent that 

 its eggs have not at this time been deposited, by shaking them 

 from the trees upon sheets spread underneath. Dr. Harris 

 records, that in this way two pailfuls of beetles were collected on 

 the first evening of the experiment — the number decreasing upon 

 following evenings until the fifth, when onry two beetles were to 

 be found. He adds : " The best time, however, for shaking the 

 trees * is in the morning, when the insects do 



