1920.] 



Insect and Fungus Pests. 



377" 



holes which the young larvae have eaten, and destroying the 

 larvae before they have scattered. (See Leaflet No. 109.) 



On celery, the damage done both by the Celery Fly and the 

 " Celery Blight" may be found. It is somewhat late to 

 begin treatment, but some steps may still be taken. If the 

 attack of " Fly," which causes blisters on the leaves, is slight, 

 the larvae may be pinched between thumb and finger or the 

 leaves pulled off. This will go far to prevent damage later 

 in the season. In the case of the Blight, which is caused by 

 a fungus, spraying with Bordeaux mixture may prevent further 

 spread of the disease, but another season this should be put on 

 much earlier, while efforts should be made to obtain seed which 

 is guaranteed free from the spores of the fungus causing this 

 disease. (See Leaflet No. 238.) Prevention in the case of 

 the Celery Fly consists in spraying with a strong smelling 

 wash, such as a paraflin emulsion, which will mask the odour 

 of the celery and therefore prevent the fly from being attracted 

 to it to lay her eggs. This method should be noted in connection 

 with flies which attack other vegetables, such as the Carrot Fly, 

 Cabbage Fly, Onion Fly, etc. These can seldom be destroyed . 

 once they have attacked the host, but may be prevented from 

 laying their eggs by a method similar to that suggested above, 

 although in the case of these insects, ashes or sawdust damped 

 with paraflin may be used to sprinkle at the base of the plant. 



Fruit. — In some plantations and gardens a further brood, 

 of Gooseberry Saw-Fly larvae will now be in evidence. Here, 

 again, hand-picking in gardens is most effective if it is done- 

 while the larvae are still young, for then they are largely con- 

 fined to a few leaves, which are indicated by a large number 

 of small holes where they are feeding, and the removal of such 

 a leaf will mean the destruction of 20 to 30 caterpillars. YeTy 

 small caterpillars may be destroyed by a carbolic soap solution, 

 while, since all the berries will have been picked, the pest may 

 easily be dealt with by means of a poisonous wash. (See 

 Leaflet No. 12.) 



Brown Rot on plums will also be manifest by the rotting and 

 the frequent massing together of two or three fruits. These 

 plums, either now or later, produce concentric rings of spores, 

 and may either fall off or, more frequently, remain on the 

 trees and drv up. Little can be done at this season beyond 

 removal and destruction of the dressed fruit ; if such fruit is 

 left on the tree it dries up and remains for the winter, only to 

 produce a fresh crop of spores, and so reinfect the young growth 

 in the following season. Apples may also be found aftected 



