114 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



INSECTS TO WHICH VINES ARE SUBJECT. 



Bed-Spider (fig. 11). — Until the advent of the 

 Phylloxera, this was the most formidable insect to 

 which vines are generally subject. It is far more 

 troublesome on some soils and in some seasons than 

 others, being worst on hot gravelly soils and in dry 

 localities, and least prevalent on moist soils. It 

 thrives best in a hot dry atmosphere, and is far more 

 common where hard firing has to be practised early 

 in the season. On vines that start naturally in April 

 and May, and that do not require much fire-heat to 

 ripen the crop, it is generally not much to be feared. 

 "Whenever it makes its appearance on the foliage, the 

 best way is to attack it immediately — before it spreads 

 — with a 'sponge. Put as much Fowler's Insecticide 

 into warm soft water as will colour it, and with this 

 sponge every leaf on which it first makes its appear- 

 ance. It generally appears at some particular spot 

 near the heating apparatus ; and though sponging it 

 off may seem a slow process, yet an active hand can 

 soon go over a great number of leaves ; and, in the 

 long-run, I have always found this to be the least 

 laborious method. After the sponging, if clean water 

 is easily got, give the vines a vigorous syringing for 

 a few days in succession. Keep a look-out for the 

 insect constantly after the first attack, and deal with 

 it in the same way. There is no doubt that con- 

 stantly syringing the vines is the best preventive, and 

 syringing is much to be preferred to the destruction 

 of the foliage by spider. In some waters, however, 

 there are deposits which discolour the grapes, and it 

 is very undesirable to use water of that description 

 unless the sediment can be filtered out of it. Sulphur, 



