98 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Fig. 122.— V-Moth (Halia 

 Wavaria). 



and might be hand -picked by women or chil- 

 dren having their hands protected with gloves 

 to protect them against the hairs on the cater- 

 pillars; or the latter may be swept down on a 

 cloth by means of a light besom and destroyed. 

 They are sometimes in such swarms as to de- 

 foliate the trees. 



V-Moth (Halia Wavaria). — The fore-wings 

 of this moth are pale-gray, with a violet tint, 

 and have four dark markings near the front 

 edge, and the second one unites with a central 

 spot, forming a V. They 

 measure \\ inch or 

 slightly less in expanse. 

 The pale -green cater- 

 pillar appears in May, 

 devouring the leaves of 

 Gooseberries and Cur- 

 rants, and has four wavy, 



pale-yollow lines on the back and one on each 

 side. It is followed by the perfect insect in 

 July. 



Remedies. — When the caterpillars of this moth 

 are neither very numerous nor widely extended 

 in a plantation of Gooseberries, women or chil- 

 dren may be employed to hand-pick them. It 

 sometimes happens, however, that they com- 

 pletely strip the bushes of foliage. White 

 hellebore and Paris-green would in such cases 

 prove expedient and effective remedies, but 

 being highly poisonous, objection might be 

 taken to them, especially in the case of early 

 Gooseberries intended to be gathered for use 

 in the green state. The blossoms of different 

 species of Pyrethrum are ground to powder and 

 sold under the names of Persian insect-powder 

 and buhach. The latter is a Californian pro- 

 duct, and is considered the best, but both are 

 good insecticides when obtained pure, and are 

 not poisonous except to insects. Either of the 

 powders named should be obtained from reliable 

 dealers, the infested bushes syringed with water, 

 and then dusted with the insecticide. 



Winter Moth {Cheimatobia Brumata). — The 

 male of this moth measures slightly over an 

 inch in expanse, and the fore-wings are grayish- 

 brown, with several slender and darker lines 

 across them. The female has only rudimentary 

 wings, and being little else than a bag of eggs, 

 is obliged to crawl up the stems of trees to lay 

 them. This occurs during October, November, 

 and December, intermittinglv sometimes, ac- 

 cording as the weather is mild and open, or the 

 reverse. The caterpillars are pale-green, or yel- 

 lowish or clouded, with four slender yellowish- 

 white lines, and commence their depredations 



on fruit and other trees as the leaves and 

 flowers are expanding in April and May, and 

 which they forthwith set to devour. Later on 

 they tie a few of the leaves together for the 

 sake of shelter and concealment, from whence 

 they issue forth at intervals to ravage the trees. 

 They are termed " loopers " from their peculiar 

 habit of forming a loop with their body while 

 walking. The most forward of them are full- 

 fed by the end of May, and commence letting 

 themselves down to the ground by a thread, and, 

 burying themselves, remain in the soil till they 

 reach the perfect state in October. They keep 

 ascending the trees from dusk till a late hour in 

 the evening. 



Remedies. — The cultivator should aim at keep- 

 ing the ground beneath the trees perfectly clean, 

 the heads of the trees properly and timely 

 thinned, and the trees themselves at proper 

 distances apart in plantations and orchards, as 

 a preventive measure. The principal and most 

 important remedy is to intercept and catch the 

 females when they commence the ascent of th„ 

 trees. This is done by putting a band of sticky 

 material round the trunk about a foot from the 

 ground. Nothing is better than good cart-grease 

 plastered rather thickly in bands 6 inch to 

 9 inch wide, upon broad strips of grease-proof 



Fig. 123.— Winter Moth (Cheimatobia Brumata). 

 1. Male moth. 2. Female. 3, 4. Caterpillar (natural size). 



paper previously tied to the trees. The paper 

 will prevent injury to the bark, which might 

 happen through the choking-up of interstices, 

 thereby preventing the access of air. This 

 should be commenced at the end of September, 

 and carried on till the end of December, renew- 

 ing the grease when necessary, and removing 

 the females caught lest others should walk across 

 them as over a bridge. Every five females 

 caught will prevent the laying of a thousand 

 eggs or more. Tar is also useful for the same 

 purpose, but is more dangerous to the health 

 of the trees. Another sticky material some- 



