INSECT AND OTHER PLANT ENEMIES. 



99 



times used is birdlime. In any case choose a 

 smooth part of the tree for the band, so that it 

 may fit tightly and so prevent the female moths 

 from crawling through beneath it. At the 

 winter pruning, collect and burn all the rubbish 

 with the view of destroying what eggs may be 

 upon it. Scrape the trunk and branches, 

 clearing them of moss and lichens, which should 

 also be burnt. Watch for the earliest appear- 

 ance of the caterpillars in spring, and lightly 

 spray the trees (if not actually in bloom) with 

 Paris-green or London-purple at the rate of 

 1 lb. of either (but preferably Paris-green) to 

 200 gallons of water kept thoroughly stirred all 

 the time while being applied. A little finely- 

 powdered lime added to the solution would 

 reduce the danger or entirely prevent injury to 

 the tender foliage. The usual prescriptions are 

 1 lb. of Paris-green to 150 gallons of water for 

 the full-grown leaves of Apples and Pears, 

 200 gallons for the Plum, and 300 gallons for 

 the Cherry and Peach. Even then some harm 

 to the leafage may result, but the addition of a 

 little lime reduces the risk of scalding to a 

 minimum, even when less water is used than 

 here given. Kerosene emulsion, as prescribed 

 for Slug-worms, may be used instead of Paris- 

 green, but for greater safety 20 gallons of water 

 may be added to each gallon of the prepared 

 emulsion, and used in the form of a fine spray. 

 Soft soap, quassia water, and dilute mixtures of 

 petroleum and water are sometimes used, but 

 they are not very effective after the caterpillars 

 are fourteen days old. When nearly full grown, 

 they may be shaken down upon cloths spread 

 beneath and destroyed. Encourage starlings, 

 titmice, and various other insectivorous birds 

 which feed upon the caterpillars. Ducks, 

 chickens, and other fowls are said to be useful 

 in orchards about the time the caterpillars are 

 full-fed and descending to the ground to 

 pupate. Immediately after the fruit has been 

 gathered, quick- or gas-lime may be scattered 

 over the ground, and forked in to a depth of 

 3 inches or 4 inches to destroy the pupae. 

 In orchards, the Strawsoniser may be used to 

 scatter the lime, and again in winter to dust 

 the trees with lime to destroy moss upon the 

 trees as well as the eggs of the moth. 



Woodliceo — There are several closely-allied 

 crustaceans, popularly termed woodlice or slaters, 

 which are often very destructive to various kinds 

 of plants, especially when young or in the seed- 

 ling stage. Armadillo, vulgaris is smooth, of a 

 dark leaden colour, convex on the back, with 

 seven- jointed horns, and rolls itself up in a ball 



when alarmed. Oniscus asellus is smooth, grayish- 

 brown, or of a leaden colour, with rows of yel- 

 low or buff-coloured spots on the sides and back, 

 and has eight- jointed horns. A third one, Por- 

 cellio seaber, is of a slaty hue, with seven-jointed 



r^c- 



Fig 124.— Woodlice. 



1. Poreellio seaber (natural size). 2. Armadillo vulgaris (natural size). 

 3. Do. rolled up as a ball. 4. Antennae of Poreellio seaber. 5. Do. of Ar- 

 madillo vulgaris. 



horns, and is rough, with small raised points on 

 the back. 



Remedies. — Houses and frames are most liable 

 to be infested by woodlice, so that every crack 

 and crevice in the walls and elsewhere should 

 be cemented or stopped up to prevent them 

 finding shelter. Traps may be laid about for 

 them in the shape of pieces of Turnip, Potato, 

 Carrot, or fruit, near the plants to be protected. 

 Hollow stems or pieces of board laid about also 

 act as traps, which should frequently be exa- 

 mined and the enemy destroyed. Valuable 

 plants may be protected by standing them on 

 inverted pots in saucers or vessels of water. 



Yellow -tail Moth (Porthesia aurijfua). — ■ 

 The fore-wings of this moth measure 1^ inch to 

 If inch in expanse, and are satiny-white, with 

 a dark spot near the hinder angle. It has a 

 tuft of yellow hairs at the tail; hence the name. 

 The caterpillars are black, with three small humps 

 on the back, three red stripes along it, and another 

 above the feet on each side. They feed on the 

 Apple and other trees during May and June, 

 and are followed by the perfect insect in August. 



Remedies. — As this insect is closely allied to 

 the Brown Tail Moth, the same remedies will 

 answer in both cases. 



Eoot Enemies. 



American Blight. — For description and 

 remedies see under Bark Enemies. 



Brassy Onion-fly (Humerus emeus). — The 

 perfect insect is a two-winged fly of an olive-green, 

 with a brassy tint. The body is thickly covered 

 with short hairs; the transparent wings have 

 pitchy nerves, and the shanks are rusty at the 



