2IO 



Insect, Fungus, and other Pests. [June, 



in the previous year those on the matured clover were nearer 

 ten or twelve paces. It took the farm bailiff and an assistant 

 about half a day to go over the seven acres, cut over the 

 affected spots with a plate-spade, strip round the edges of the 

 patches, lump the scrapings on the centres, put on old rough 

 dry litter (old thatch), and burn it. The total cost was perhaps 

 5s. Captain Smith concludes that the chief points in connec- 

 tion with dodder are : — 



(1) To discover it on the young seeds in the first autumn, 

 and not postpone search for it until the following spring. 



(2) Where dodder is present, to insist on the removal of a 

 part of the healthy plants around the edges, it being better 

 to sacrifice a little in the autumn than lose whole perches in 

 the next spring and summer. By this means the young 

 tendrils of the dodder are caught. 



Burning after paring over the patches is much cheaper 

 than the lime treatment. It is also suggested that a little 

 trifolium may be sown on the burnt patches a few days after 

 burning, for although it will be ready before the clover in 

 the spring, it at least results in the provision of useful fodder 

 and obviates the bad appearance of the attacked field. 



Pear Leaf Blister Mite (Eriophyes pyri). — During the 

 month of May several cases of an attack of the Pear Leaf 

 Blister Mite were reported to the Board, 



Notes on Insect, and there is g° od reason to believe 

 Fungus, and other that this pest is increasing in frequency 

 Pests, in Great Britain. The most interest- 



ing of the records came from Hun- 

 stanton, in Norfolk, where the owner has observed 

 the attack for at least three years. Two "Marie Louise" 

 pears were planted seven years ago, and one did well till 

 1907, when it showed signs of a bad attack by the mite. 

 The other tree, which had never borne any blossom, remained 

 free. In 1908, however, the second tree was attacked to 

 nearly the same extent as the first, which in August, 1908, 

 had nearly every leaf affected. The leaves were sprayed in 

 the autumn with paraffin emulsion. In May 1909, the trees 

 were at first reported to be as bad as last year, but towards 

 the end of the month it was stated that they were in much 

 better health than they had been for three years, and many 



