272 THB PEACH AND KBCTAEINB. 



plum tree tortrix, and the garden chafer are the most destructive, and, 

 being of considerable size, are readily seen, and maybe picked off by hand. 

 The moment a leaf is seen to be punctured a search should be made for 

 these caterpillars, and renewed until found, though the tomtit and the 

 sparrow may often have been before the cultivator in clearing off these, 

 to them, sweet morsels. 



Frequently, too, a sharp eye may detect on peach trees something Uke 

 a small dense spider-like web. This is produced by the grub of the 

 peach saw fly, and should be collected and burned before they have time 

 to spread. The larvse should also be picked off when on the feed. A little 

 perseverance in hand-picking will speedily clear even large peach trees of 

 these pests. 



The garden weevil is even more destructive at times thaw either of the 

 foregoing. This small black beetle hides itself in the earth by day, and 

 comes forth at night and devours buds, young leaves, fruit, or shoots — 

 in fact, any part of the peach sufficiently soft for its somewhat hard 

 mouth and voracious stomach. A night hunt, aided by a powerful bullseye 

 lantern flashing suddenly on them while on the feed, and expert eyes and 

 fingers will soon lessen their number. They may be aJso sought out and 

 found by day in holes and crevices of the wall, under the bark, and 

 behind branches, and especially in holes in the earth aronnd the roots of 

 trees. It is seldom that either of these insects do much harm, unless in 

 cases where the walls are old, the soil more or less exhausted, and the 

 cultivation somewhat neglected. However, as there are not a few 

 exceptions, it is well to keep a sharp eye on the trees, and the moment a 

 leaf is seen punctured, eaten, twisted, or blistered, examine it carefully 

 for caterpillars, beetles, or larvee. 



XVI. — Snails and Slugs. 



Of insects that prey on the fruit of peaches and nectarines, may 

 be named first in order, though not in destructiveness, snails &nd 

 slugs. In old gardens in damp situations these often do serious 

 mischief. Their traces, however, may be easily seen by the slime they 

 leave behind tbem, and it is an easy matter to find them when feeding 

 on the luscious fruit at night, or, better still, hid Up in some damp 

 comer by day. A frequent dust of lime over the border, or a cordon 

 of lime laid at the base of the wall or around the bole of the 

 trees, will, as a rule, be a sufficient barrier to these creeping lovers 

 of peaches. 



