48 STRAWBERRIES 
the grower must keep a careful watch upon his plants, 
advice that is the more necessary as in the majority of 
private establishments and not a few market ones, straw- 
berries are grown upon shelves suspended near the roof- 
glass, or on the top shelves of a high back-staging— 
positions in which they do not come so directly under 
the eye of the grower as they would on the ordinary 
plant stages. 
Fumigation with tobacco paper or tobacco rag was 
formerly practised, but it was ever a somewhat risky and 
certainly a most unpleasant operation, and it was difficult | 
for any but the most experienced to fumigate sufficiently 
to kill green fly without injuring the tender growth. But 
we have advanced considerably during late years, and there 
are now on the market several vaporising compounds 
that have displaced tobacco rag, for if used according to 
directions given with them they kill green fly and do 
not harm the plants. Added to these advantages is one 
that all practical gardeners appreciate, z.e., that it is 
unnecessary to remain in the house or pit while these 
nicotine compounds are being vaporised. 
If lightly fumigated or vaporised once a fortnight, 
after forcing commences, strawberries can be kept free 
from green fly. On no account treat them while in 
flower, but as soon as the crop has well set fumigate 
again, but in no case must this be done after the fruits 
commence to colour or their flavour will be impaired. 
Grounp BEETLES.— There are a number of quite 
small ground beetles that may attack strawberries 
from the time the fruits begin to swell until all 
have ripened. Of these, three or four have become 
perfect plagues to market-growers in some few 
localities, though they can scarcely be considered 
as common pests. These are Harpalus ruficornis, 
Pterostichus vulgaris, P. madidus and Calathus cisteloides 
The first-named has wings and flies very strong about 
