1909.] Insect, Fungus, and other Pests. 387 



(3) Shake infested fruits off the higher trees — they fall 

 easily — and collect and burn them. 



(4) Collect at once and burn any fruits that have fallen and 

 are lying under the trees, before the larvse leave them. 



(5) As the cocoons lie in the soil from summer to the next 

 year, the soil below trees that were infested should be dug 

 and worked, the turned-up layers being beaten. 



During the month of July a large number of complaints 

 reached the Board that the oat crop was suffering from some 

 insect attack . The letters came from 

 Notes on Insect and most parts of the country, but in only a 

 other Fungus Pests, few cases were specimens sent to the 

 Board. Those that were in sufficiently 

 good condition to admit of satisfactory examination were 

 found to be affected with the maggots of the Frit Fly (Oscinis 

 frit) or the Stem Eel worm (Tylenchus devastatrix), the 

 former predominating. The description of the infestation was 

 in most cases the same. The affected plants were said to be 

 doing well till the middle or end of June, when they ceased 

 to grow, and remained stunted, while other oats in the 

 immediate neighbourhood appeared to be flourishing and 

 growing in the usual way. Many of the correspondents had 

 themselves examined the plants and discovered the maggot 

 that caused the injury. The Frit Fly has clearly been very 

 abundant during the present year, and the Crop Estimators of 

 the Board have commented on the loss sustained in many 

 districts when making their reports. It is well known that 

 the best means of combating the Frit Fly, which appears in 

 great -numbers from time to time, is to sow early in the year in 

 order that the plants may make substantial progress before the 

 issue of the April and May brood of flies. The present year 

 offers an excellent opportunity for securing fuller statistical in- 

 formation on the effects of early or late sowing, as well as on 

 the varieties of oats attacked. The Board are therefore engaged 

 in an inquiry on these points, and would welcome the assist- 

 ance of any farmer whose crops have been seriously affected 

 this year. A schedule of questions has been prepared, and 

 can be obtained from the offices of the Board. It is hoped that 

 the information obtained from the replies to these questions 



e e 2 



