378 



Insect and Fungus Pests 



[JULY, 



by this disease, and the same remarks apply to this fruit* 

 Occasionally, instead of the apple rotting and producing 

 its concentric layers of spores, it becomes dark and purple 

 in colour and then dries up. Such fruit, which is usually 

 found amongst stored apples, will, however, produce spores 

 later when conditions are favourable. 



Where Codling Moth is present, as will be noted by apples 

 falling prematurely and being found " maggoty," the windfalls 

 should be collected or pigs turned in where possible. Haybands 

 should be placed around the trees so that the caterpillars, 

 which are pinkish in colour, may pupate beneath their shelter. 

 Later in the season the whole may be burned. (See Leaflet 

 No. 30.) 



Cereals. — Farmers will now find the Smuts dA\d. Bunts showing 

 on their corn, and nothing can be done to check these diseases 

 this season. Every effort should be made, however, to prevent 

 wastage of good corn by such parasites next year. Bunt in 

 wheat, Smut in oats, and Stripe in barley can be controlled by 

 *' steeping " the seed. For this purpose the Ministry recom- 

 mends formalin or copper sulphate (blue vitriol). These 

 substances are by far the most efficient steeping solutions, and 

 should be used in preference to other substances of doubtful 

 value. (See Leaflets Nos. 92 and 328.) 



Wheat Bulb Fly has been very destructive to winter wheat 

 this season, and has occurred especially on wheat after bare 

 fallow. Evidence is accumulating to show that the pest is 

 always most serious on land which has been fallow or only 

 partially covered by such crops as potatoes during the latter 

 half of the summer. In the case of fallows, at all events, it is 

 very probable that the trouble may be avoided by sowing such 

 a crop as mustard after the land has been cleaned. The mus- 

 tard is ploughed in previous to the wheat being sov/n, and is, 

 of course, a valuable preparation, quite apart from its pro- 

 bable effects against the Wheat Bulb Fly. 



