lviii PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



appearance similar to that of Pear Blister and Peach Curl, yet they are 

 certainly not suffering from either of those diseases, but what it is I am 

 puzzled to say. The microscope reveals no mycelium and no trace of 

 sporules. I can find no evidence of fungus. I am keeping the leaves in a 

 damp atmosphere for a few days in the remote prospect of some develop- 

 ment, but I imagine we must look for the cause somewhere else in local 

 conditions. There is not the least trace of insects or fungi." 



Dr. Cooke, having again examined them very carefully, on account of 

 the suspicious appearance of the midrib, which some members of the Com- 

 mittee suggested might be of fungoid origin, said that microscopical 

 examination showed the presence in the tissues (which were somewhat 

 disorganised) of myriads of minute bodies, which might possibly have 

 connection with some kind of Bacterium, but he would not like to express 

 an opinion without stronger evidence. 



Tomatos. — Mr. Lumsdaine sent specimens of some grubs found in the 

 stem of a Tomato, which were handed to Mr. Saunders, who reported : — 

 " I have examined the Tomato plants as well as I could, but they were so 

 covered with the soil that had been packed with them that it was 

 impossible to do so properly, and I was unable to find any of ' the lively 

 white maggots,' though I looked very carefully for them and split the 

 stems right down to the roots, but I could find no trace of them. It is 

 quite possible that they had got among the soil and had been crushed out 

 of all recognition ; this frequently happens when soil is packed loose in a 

 box. If your correspondent would send a piece of a stem free from soil, I 

 should be very pleased to examine it and could, no doubt, tell him what 

 the maggot was." 



Insect injurious to Apple Graft. — In reply to a question from Mr. 

 Dunlop, of Armagh, the following letter was read from Mr. Saunders : — 

 " The beetle you sent to me the other day, said to be the cause of injury 

 to Apple grafts at Loughall, co. Armagh, belongs to the weevil family, 

 and is known as the ' Brown leaf weevil ' ; its scientific name is Phyllo- 

 bius oblongus. It is a well-known pest, feeding on the leaves and buds of 

 various fruit-trees ; but I can find no record of its feeding on the bark. 

 It is said to be particularly fond of attacking grafts, and if it will feed on 

 the buds I can see no reason why it should not also feed on the bark, 

 particularly when it is young and tender. It is recommended that the 

 grafts should be smeared with grafting wax or clay, to keep the insects 

 away ; but I feel uncertain whether this would not be prejudicial to the 

 graft. These beetles can fly very well, but on a dull morning they might 

 be shaken from the trees on a white sheet. The eggs are laid below the 

 surface of the ground, and the grubs feed on the roots of various plants, 

 and undergo their transformation in the soil. The beetles emerge in the 

 Spring. It might be useful early in the spring to give a good dressing of 

 kainit, nitrate of soda, or soot, which would be injurious to the beetle 

 when it emerges in a tender state from its chrysalis, and tries to make its 

 way to the surface." 



The Raspberry Moth, Lamprouia rubiella (fig. 64).— The life-history 

 of this insect is rather unusual. The moth emerges from the chrysalis 

 in the spring, and the females lay their eggs in the open flower, the egg 

 being laid just below the surface of the receptacle (the core of the fruit). 



