igoy.] 



Insect, Fungous and other Pests. 



293 



Weevil on Cabbages. — Specimens of cabbages from Witham, 

 Essex, were found to be attacked by the grub of a weevil 

 of the genus Baridius. This genus includes the Cabbage Stem 

 Weevil, an insect which is rarely found very harmful. The 

 beetles lay their eggs on the stems and in the leaf-axils, and 

 the maggots on hatching tunnel into the stem, &c. Prac- 

 tically nothing is known as to the harm caused in this 

 country by Baridius, and nothing can at present be recom- 

 mended in the way of treatment except pulling up the 

 infested plants and burning them with the enclosed larvae 

 The plants should not be left lying about or the larvae 

 may escape, but should be collected in pails and at once 

 destroyed. 



Amongst specimens of galled willows (see below) one larva 

 of the beetle Galeruca lineola was found. Should this pest 

 appear in numbers the willows should be sprayed with Paris 

 green or arsenate of lead. Other beetles and their larvae 

 submitted for identification were wireworms (see Leaflet 

 No. 10) attacking potatoes at Prestonkirk, and in Lincolnshire ; 

 the larvae of Chafer Beetles (Leaflet No. 25) attacking mangolds 

 at Mildenhall ; a chafer beetle (probably Phyllopertha horticola) 

 attacking pears at Lydney ; and the Apple Blossom Weevil 

 (Leaflet No. 15) from Wigton. 



Flies. — The Frit Fly appears to be widely distributed this 

 season, and specimens taken from badly-attacked fields of oats 

 were sent from Southampton, Swanley Junction, Broxbourne, 

 Castle Hedingham, and Malmesbury. An account of the fly 

 appears on p. 297 of this Journal, and a leaflet on the subject 

 is in course of preparation. Many farmers describe the attack 

 of this pest as " bottling " of the oats. 



Cabbage Root Fly. — Specimens of this pest were received 

 from South Lincolnshire, where much damage was being done to 

 cabbages. A full account of the fly is given in Leaflet No/122. 

 The second measure recommended in the Leaflet has justified 

 itself in the United States of America, but in Ireland has, 

 according to Carpenter, " proved uneconomical." In con- 

 junction with this insect wireworms and millipedes (Leaflet 

 No. 94) were attacking the plants. 



The Pear Midge (Diplosis pyrivora), described in Leaflet 

 No. 53, was sent from Chepstow, ■ and " leather-jackets " 



