210 



Insect Pests. 



cateqjillars spread out over the liuslies and devour the foliage whole- 

 sale. The larva', shown iu the accompanjaug photograph reach wlieir 

 mature about Ih inch. Iu coloui' tliey are creamy-white, spotted and 

 marked with lilack and with orange-yellow at the sides. About the 

 end of June tlie larva; are ready to pupate. They then fix themselves 

 by a small mass of silk at the tail end to a leaf or twig or to any 

 substance near the bush, and change in a delicate cocoon to a black 

 pupa with three golden-yellow rings to the body. From this con- 

 spicuous pupa the adult appears in duly and August. 



I'EEVENTIOX AXD TrEATMEXT. 



Needless to say all tlie deliris of dead leaves should be "flared" 

 out of the plantation, in dry ^veather, where tins pest is pre^■alent. 

 This nia)' easily Ije done liy a, pai'afliu torch. 



[A. r. n. liuituiii. 



FIG. Uil.— TCHNEU:\r(.)N CriCOOi^S FliO^r CATERPILLAit OF ^[AGrlE :\[("'TH. 



Ground beneath infested bushes should lie well prong-hoed in late 

 winter, and a heavy dressing of soot and lime ^^•ill often he tViund 

 beneficial. Some gn.iwers liax^e found that smearino- cart-grease or 

 Stockholm tar ar(nuid the stems in early spring has prevented the 

 larvas that have left the liushes from returning. Whitehead records 

 this as haviug been particularly successful in Gloucester after an 

 attack in 1881. Tliese preventive methods are ^\■ell worth con- 



