816 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



disadvantages, since water allowed to stand in an orchard will sooner or 

 later kill the trees. 



Natural Enemies. 



I did not succeed in finding any egg parasites, but within a pupa I 

 found a pupa of a Hymenopter, but the parasite did not emerge. It was. 

 probably a Pwipla. In another pupa I found many pup^e of a Hymeno- 

 pterous parasite, which died before becoming adults. Under some neglected 

 bands were many silk cocoons, probably of a Microgaster. Although they 

 are not bred directly from the codling moth, there is little doubt but that 

 they were from this insect. 



While the larvae are seeking a place to spin their cocoons in the day- 

 time they are preyed upon by ants and birds. Chickens allowed in an 

 orchard eat them readily. Often I have observed holes in the bark, and 

 upon examination found empty cocoons. One evening several bats were 

 noticed flying around apple-trees and probably feeding upon the moths. 



Preventive Measures. 



One of the best preventive measures is following the best general 

 horticultural practices, such as keeping the soil and trees in healthy and 

 vigorous condition and keeping a close watch upon the orchard. If a 

 fruit-grower has no codling moths, what should he do to keep them out 

 of his orchard ? The answer to this question has many conditions, 

 according to location, c^c. To begin with, every grower should be 

 familiar with this insect in all its stages and know how to fight it. An 

 orchard may be at such an altitude that the insect will not be a very 

 serious pest. In this case the small amount of damage should not be an 

 excuse for letting it alone. It would be well for the grower to be careful 

 in importing infested fruit, and to exercise utmost vigilance in watching 

 his orchard, and if the moth is found, even in small numbers, no expense 

 should be spared to apply the proper remedies immediately. 



One source of trouble that can be easily prevented is that when apples 

 are stored the larva? emerge from the fruit, spin their cocoons, and upon 

 emerging as moths in the spring find easy access to the orchard. I 

 studied two well-marked cases of this. At Mr. C. M. Kiggins's place 

 apples were stored in boxes in a cellar, in which there were open venti- 

 lators. I found many old cocoons in and about these boxes. When I 

 examined the orchard, July 9, I found that in trees nearest the cellar 

 practically all of the apples were infested. In going from the cellar a 

 noticeable decrease was observed, and in the farthest part of the orchard 

 the injury varied from 5 to 30 per cent. 



In the well-kept orchard of Hon. Edgar Wilson a similar case was 

 noted. 



These examples show the futility of remedial measures when the moth 

 has such a start. Both Mr. Wilson and Mr. Kiggins are fully aware of 

 the above conditions, and will take care that the mistake is not repeated. 

 Either of three courses may be followed : To fumigate with hydrocyanic- 

 acid gas w^hile the larvae are in the cocoon, to put screens over the holes 

 and crush the moths which will collect there, or not to store apples on the 

 premises. 



