82 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GAEDENING. 



pore and free from calcareous sediment, or there is 

 no fear of the spray reaching the herries. The last 

 resort is sulphm- mixed with milk, and applied to 

 the pipes when they are hot, in exactly the same way 

 as recommended for destroying mildew. But, where 

 it can be apphed, pure water is the best agent, as it 

 refreshes and strengthens the vines, while it weakens 

 the spider and eventually clears the house. 



Thrips {Thrips minutissima) (Fig. 33).— The 

 accompanying greatly-magnified figure represents 

 this voracious little enemy. It is a long slender 

 insect, dark brown, sometimes almost black. It feeds 

 upon the leaves of the vines, which it soon renders 

 useless for elaborating the sap, emd being a dirty 

 insect it soon spoils the fruit. Like the red spider, 

 it rejoices in a high dry temperature, and strongly 



remedy for summer use is methylated spirits applied 

 with a camel-haix brush, as the warmth draws them 

 out of their snug winter quarters under the bark. 

 Fir-tree oil and paraffin in a diluted form also pro- 

 duce instant death, but without imceasing attention 

 these remedies only scotch the enemy. As a winter 

 dressing gas-tar is now generally used in the follow- 

 ing way : — Having rubbed off all the loose bark, 

 well scrubbed the rods with strong soap- water, and 

 stopped the holes in old spurs with Gishurst com- 

 pound, paint every bit of the wood, young and old, 

 with the tar mixture, when the vines are thoroughly 

 at rest. As tar is very powerful and difficult to mix, 

 it should be carefully prepared as follows : — To one 

 peck of dry, sifted loam placed over the fire in an 

 iron pot, add half a pint of tar ; thoroughly Tni-ir the 

 two together, and add as much boiling water as 



Rg. 35.— Vine Beetle (OttarTii/ncus picipes). 



objects to water, but water silone wiU not 

 eradicate it. Fortunately, it is not so 

 generally met with as the spider ; indeed, it 

 is rarely met with in vineries from which 

 plants, especially Azaleas, are strictly ex- 

 cluded. If taken in time, sponging with 

 soap and tobacco-water will check its ravages and 

 destroy it ; but the most effectual remedy is fumi- 

 gating with tobacco-paper. This should be repeated 

 two or three times at intervals of ten days, in order 

 to catch the larvae as they merge into life. 



Mealy Bug (Dactylopius adonidum) (Fig. 34).— 

 This disgusting insect, like the thrips, is not so fre- 

 quently met with on the vine as the spider ; but, 

 unfortunately, it is becoming very prevalent where 

 plants are grown in the house. The white mealy 

 fluff, from which it takes its name, is an excretion 

 almost impervious to water, but it instantly melts 

 away under oils or spirits. This pest is one of the 

 most troublesome met with in vine-culture, and 

 hence the importance of excluding all suspicious 

 plants from the vineries. When once introduced it 

 •spreads from the branches, where it finds a secure 

 hiding-place, to the shoots, and thence to the 

 bunches, which it renders unfit for use. The. best 



Pig. 36.— Scale (Coccus vitis). 



will reduce the mass to the consistency of 

 cream. Apply when cold enough with an 

 old paint-brush. 



Pig. SI.— Mealy 

 Bug. 



The Vine Beetle {Otim-hyneus pieipes) 

 (Fig. 35). — This nocturnal worker, although 

 not very common in our vinerCes, sometimes does 

 serious mischief before its presence is detected. It 

 comes out at night, when all is quiet, and eats or 

 partly eats through the tender young leaders of the 

 vines. Sometimes they are only just touched or 

 blackened, but they never do any more good, and 

 have to be cut back to a sound bud below the injury. 

 Unlike some of our voracious enemies, this beetle is 

 epicurean in its tastes, aJways giving preference to 

 certain varieties of vines, if it can get them. The 

 best way to destroy it is to go quietly at night, 

 spread a sheet under the vines, and give the rods a 

 sharp shake with the hand, when they will fall upon 

 the sheet and be readily seen. 



Scale {Coccm vitU) (Fig. 36).— This insect is, 

 fortunately, not often met with in England, for it is 

 a most disagreeable scourge and very difficult to ex- 

 tirpate. If not taken in time it extends "from the 

 wood to the leaves, and thence to the fruit. As the 



