57 



8. DATANi^ MiNISTRA AND NOTODONTA CONCINNA. 



These insects are, each of them voracious feeders ; the whole brood working together 

 on a selected branch of the tree will strip it to the tip ; they then descend and repeat the 

 operation on another, and thus they soon defoliate a tree of moderate size. But the char- 

 racter of their work soon makes them very conspicuous, and they are easily destroyed by 

 removing them from the tree as soon as observed. I have no apprehension that they will 

 become very troublesome, or succeed to any very great extent. It is well to be cautious 

 however. 



9. The Pea Beetle {Bruchus pisi). 



This insect has now become an old resident, and his appearance may always be safely 

 calculated upon. The pea crop this season has suffered much in loss of weight from the 

 effects of this weevil. I shall not soon forget being in one of our grain stores in Septem- 

 ber, the mass of active beetles there made it appear more like a bee hive than a grain 

 store, the numbers of them flying about was something immense. Nothing appears to be 

 done to check them, and our farmers consequently suffer much. 



10. The Cabbage Worm [Pien-is rapce). 



This importation promises to be more than a visitor, and is something to be dreaded. 

 Its rate of increase will render cabbage growing a difficult and hazardous task, and any- 

 thing but lucrative at five cents a head. The familiar white butterflies were remarkably 

 thick during the months of August, September and October, and their vigilance in obser- 

 ving was something remarkable, not a solitary specimen escaping their visitation. In 

 every case they soon rendered the fair leaves of cabbage, a mass of rags tattered and torn, 

 as though subject lately to a heavy charge of fine shot. 



11. May Beetles {PhyUopaga querdna.) 



This old beetle is very much on the increase, and the ground in nice, dry and warm 

 situations is plentifully supplied with its larvae. They are heavy feeders, and devour the 

 roots of plants, &c., and especially are their feedings felt by potato growers ; they eating 

 unsightly holes in those tubers, and thus very much injuring the crop. We know of no 

 efi'ectual remedy in this matter. 



12. The Rose Leaf Slug (Selandria roscp). 



This inconspicuous insect is growing much more troublesome, and is on the increase, 

 and, if neglected, is likely to prove disastrous to the interests of rose growers. It matters 

 but little how fair and lovely the variety, or how much labour has been lavished upon it, 

 if only neglected a few days in June, it will become as though singed by fire, and every 

 part of the green removed from the leaves, and nothing left but a sere and faded speci- 

 men of what was before a beautiful rose bush. This is the work of this insidious insect 

 Soap suds or dressings of tobacco water are effectual, so also is hellebore and water, in re- 

 moving them, and it is only the negligent and careless that are most apt to suffer. 



13. Woolly Aphides {Aphis lanigera and also the Black Aphis of the Cherry) 



have been remarkably abundant and injurious from the commencement of the season. In 

 the case of the cherry, this was very noticeable. I never saw them so badly aff'ected from 

 this cause. A dense mass of black, active aphis gathered rapidly and thickly upon the 

 young growth, and fed upon the juices of the tender shoots and leaves, and caused them 

 to curl up in unnatural shapes, and eventually resulted in a total suspension of growth, 

 and, in short, withered away. This effect we felt most severely upon small trees and young 

 budded stocks ; but the same was noticeable also on larger trees. The woolly aphis we 

 complain of feeds mostly upon young apple trees, and does them much injury. The only 

 remedies we know is anointing the parts with oil or varnish. 



