874 
more when full grown, of a yellowish- 
green color, with a whitish line down the 
back and a broad white band on each side 
bordered with pale purple, below the spir- 
acles, and the pepper and salt currant 
moth (Lycia cognatana, Gn.), which has 
a large caterpillar two inches long, vary- 
ing in color from green to dark brown, 
and when at rest standing out rigidly, like 
many of the other span worms, so as to 
resemble a twig or the stem of a leaf. 
Neither of these latter caterpillars is a 
regular pest of the small fruit grower; but 
they occasionally appear in such numbers 
as to require attention. They are easily 
controlled by the same remedies as given 
above. JAMES FLETCHER, 
Ottawa, Can. 
Currant Stem Girdler 
Janus integer 
After the leaves have fallen so that 
the stems of currant are well exposed 
many among them are sometimes observed 
to have been pruned off across the top, 
and by splitting the cane, a tunnel is 
found running down the pith chamber 
for from four to six inches. The excre- 
ment or frass of the borers is scattered 
along the tunnel and after early Septem- 
ber the lower part of the tunnel will be 
found to have been cleaned out and is oc- 
cupied by the grub, enveloped in a thin 
silken cocoon. A passageway from the 
center to the bark is eaten out and by 
means of this opening the adult sawfly, 
into which the grub transforms, makes its 
way to the outside the following May. 
The sawfly is a close relative to the insect 
which lays eggs to produce the well 
known currant worm. It has four wings, 
a shining black body, and light brownish 
legs. The abdomen of the male is brown- 
ish yellow, while in the female the first 
half of the abdomen is of a reddish-orange 
color and the rest is black. This insect 
is known as the currant stem girdler. 
Remedy 
By cutting off and burning about eight 
inches of the tips from the girdled canes, 
any time during the occupancy of the 
tunnel by the larva, the insect will be con- 
trolled. H. A. Gossarp, 
Ohio Bulletin 233. 
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 
Currant Worm or Imported Currant 
Sawfly 
Pteronus ribestvi Scop. 
By far the best known of all the insects 
which injure currants and gooseberries, is 
the “Currant Worm.” The black spotted 
dark green false-caterpillars of this insect 
may unfortunately be found in almost 
every plantation of currants or goose- 
berries, every year in almost all parts of 
Canada. The white eggs are laid in rows 
along the ribs of the leaf on the lower 
side, towards the end of May. From these 
the young larve hatch and soon make 
their presence known by the small holes 
they eat through the leaves. Unless 
promptly destroyed, they will soon strip 
the bushes of their leaves, thus weakening 
them considerably so as to prevent them 
ripening fruit the first year, and also re- 
ducing the quality of the crop of the fol- 
lowing season. There are at least two 
broods in a season in Canada. The first 
appears just as the leaves are attaining 
full growth, and the second just as the 
fruit is ripening. The perfect insect is a 
four-winged fly which may be seen flying 
about the bushes early in spring. The 
male is blackish, with yellow legs and of 
about the same size as a house fly, but 
with a more slender body. The female is 
larger than the male and has the body as 
well as the legs yellow. 
Remedy 
For the first brood a weak mixture of 
Paris green, 1 ounce to 10 gallons of water, 
may be sprayed over the bushes, or a dry 
mixture 1 ounce of Paris green to 6 
pounds of flour may be dusted over the 
foliage after a shower or when the leaves 
are damp with dew. For the second brood 
Paris green must not be used, but white 
hellebore; this is dusted on as a dry pow- 
der, or a decoction of this powder. 1 ounce 
to 2 gallons of water, may be sprayed over 
the bushes. It is, of course, far better to 
treat the first brood thoroughly, so as to 
reduce the number of females which 
would lay eggs for the second brood. 
Four-Lined Leaf Bug 
Poectlocapsus lineatus Fab. 
An occasional injury of no very great 
importance, as a rule, to the leaves of cur- 
