128 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



more young and fibry roots, it lias been invariably found 

 that they have begun at the points of the roots, and 

 devoured upwards towards the bole of the vine. 



It is also quite evident that, like red-spider on the 

 leaves, it thrives best in a dryish warm soil. Having 

 decided to thoroughly stamp the pest out by removing 

 the whole border, I did not as usual cover the outside 

 border with wooden shutters early in October ; and, 

 owing to the enormous rainfall of the autumn, the soil 

 was of course unusually moist and cold outside. The 

 most careful examination of the roots outside in this cold 

 damp medium did not lead to the discovery of an insect 

 on the roots up to the arches of the front of the house. 

 The pest, however, was found in swarms on the roots to 

 the very point at which they left the protection of the 

 stonework, where the soil was much drier, and here there 

 was an abrupt limit to their extension. On the same 

 roots not one was found beyond the arch, in which case 

 it is clear they had worked from the inside along the 

 roots, but in any case did not advance into the damp 

 soil, proving that the insect does not like cold and wet. 

 Prompted by this observation, some pieces of roots literally 

 covered with the insects were steeped in clean soft water, 

 and they were all dead in from forty-eight to sixty hours. 

 So that any one receiving vines who has any dread of this 

 pest, would do well to steep them in a tank for four or five 

 days. I also found that three hours' exposure to 4° or 6" 

 frost effectually destroys it ; and pieces of fresh roots 

 densely covered with it were left exposed to the air in 

 the vinery, and in two days they were all dried up and 

 dead. Boots were also done up in brown paper without 

 any soil, and they died in the same space of time ; in 

 fact, seemed to evaporate. A few drops of carbolic acid 



