190 THE MINIATUEE FEUIT GAEDEN 



as to interfere with the passage of the sap, and clear 

 out some of the central pith. It is rare in this country. 

 A good preventative to their attacks is said to be soft 

 soap, reduced to the consistence of thick paint by the 

 addition of a strong solution of washing soda in water, 

 and applied to the bark on a warm morning, so as to 

 allow it to dry well. 



II. Hymenoptera (Bees, Ants, Sawflies, &c.). 

 The Gooseberry and Currant Sawfly (Nematus ribesii) 

 is of a yellow or orange colour, the head and thorax 

 being marked with black. The four wiugs are trans- 

 parent and iridescent, the fore ones measuring about 

 half an inch across, from tip to tip. The female fly 

 first appears about April, and lays her eggs along the 

 midrib and large veins of the gooseberry and currant 

 leaves. The larva is bluish-green with black dots, the 

 segment behind the head and the last but one a deep 

 yellow, the head and last segment black. They may be 

 seen clasping the edges of the leaves with their forelegs, 

 while the last half of their bodies is turned up in the 

 air. They do great damage to the leafage, and often 

 cause much loss. When full-fed they crawl down the 

 stems of the bushes ■ and turn to piipse underground. 

 There are several broods during the summer, the late 

 ones remain in the larval state underground in their 

 cocoons through the winter, and turn to pupge and then 

 to perfect insects the following spring. The caterpillars 

 on the bushes should be hand-picked as soon as seen. 

 The bushes may also be dusted with flowers of sulphur. 



