THE CURRANT AXD GOOSEBERRY 



INSECT ENEMIES OF THE FOLIAGE 



The most destructive insect enemy of currant 

 foliage is the Imported Currant Worm. Early in 

 spring four-winged saw-flies deposit rows of small, 

 whitish, glassy eggs on the principal veins of the 

 under side of the lower leaves. In about ten days the 

 small worms hatch and eat circular holes in the leaf. 

 At first these larvae are whitish in color ; they moult at 

 short intervals, first changing to green, then to green 

 v ith numerous black spots, and at last back again to a 

 plain light green, with a tinge of yellow at the sides 

 and ends. The full-grown larvae descend to the 

 ground, where they spin tough brown cocoons beneath 

 the leaves and rubbish, within which they change to 

 pupae. From these cocoons the flies emerge early in 

 summer, to lay eggs for a second brood, which passes 

 the winter within the cocoons. 



Remedy — Spray with hellebore — i ounce to 3 

 gallons water — as soon as holes appear in lower leaves. 

 Spray again ten days later. Or spray with arsenites 

 (7^ soon as tlic Icaz'es expand, but never after the 

 fruit sets. 



Currant leaves are often specked with white bv 

 the Currant Leaf-hopper, a small, pale-green insect, 

 one-tenth inch long, that lives on the under side and 

 sucks the sap. The chief damage is done by the first 

 brood, the insects leaving the bushes in early summer, 

 probably preferring at this time the more succulent 

 foliage of other plants. 



