THE FIRE WORM OF THE CRANBERRY. 1 6 



structiou not only of the insects bat of all hope of a crop as well. After 



the berries have fully formed, the bog cannot safely be submerged, for tin- 

 hot sun would cause them to "scald." In one case in Cape Cod during 

 a heavy rain-storm a bog was partially flowed; the sun came out strong 



before the water could be all drawn oil': nearly half the ben 

 scalded. Yet the water can be advantageously used in two v 

 Where there is an abundant supply it should be drawn off very early, 

 say the middle of April or even earlier if the season is advanced. In 

 parts of a bog not submerged, larvae were found in considerable num- 

 bers on the 10th of April, and of these the imagines emerged June 2, or 

 thereabouts. 



Careful watch should be kept for the appearance of the larva-, and 

 when they are abundant and presumably all hatched, the water should 

 be put on for twenty-four hours or longer. No harm will be done by 

 allowing the larvae to feed a few days before putting on the water, as 

 they have only the old leaves, and do not eat off the terminal bud. 

 Flowing a second time at this season will do no harm, as the sun is not 

 hot euough to hurt the vines or the new shoots if they have appeared. 

 The period of time required for the larvae to hatch, varies with the tem- 

 perature of the air, and with the temperature of the water with which 

 they had been covered. This course has been tried b\ several growers 

 with complete success. The larvae are of course not all destroyed, but 

 so few survive that no great damage is done, and they can be treated 

 as hereafter described. Mr. Hopkins, of Hornerstown, reflowed his 

 bog late in June or early in Jul}' for the second brood. I am informed 

 that scarceh had the water covered the vines than the larva? began ap- 

 pearing at the surface; it is their habit whenever their habitation is 

 disturbed to slip out of the same and drop to the ground ; the water 

 was a disturbing element, and following their usual practice they 

 found themselves afloat. Only a part of the bog could be flowed, and 

 when the water.was drawn off, a line of dead larva:- was heaped on the 

 side toward which the wind had carried them. The weather was favor- 

 able, and there was no scald, but still a large portion of the berries were 

 destroyed. On July 10, I examined the bog and could easily trace the 

 line to which the water had reached. Scarcely a larva was found in the 

 flowed portion, while the high parts to which the water had not reached 

 were rapidly being eaten up. Last season, as I am informed, the in- 

 sects being plentiful, the bog was entirely flowed; the insects were de- 

 stroyed, but so was the crop. With a level bog and a large supply of 

 water, a bog could be safely flowed for forty-eight hours at any time 

 except when flowering, if a cool spell be selected for that purpose. 



Where water is scarce and the bog cannot be readily flowed, anot lie- 

 course must be pursued. Instead of drawing the water early, it should 

 be kept on as late as possible, and should be drawn off very gradually 

 from below. The reason for that is that the water becoming warm will 

 cause the development of the larva in the egg. and will then suffocate 



