SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE, FEBRUARY 9, 



xix 



heavy cropper, and, the fruit being more readily shed, it is not so 

 useful as the Baldwin for market purposes. Mr. Berry sug- 

 gested that experiments might be carried out at Chiswick to 

 discover which was the most resisting variety, as had been done 

 with some other plants in the Horticultural Gardens of Victoria, 

 to aid the fruit industry of Australia. 



Mr. McLachlan gave some account of the general habits of the 

 Phytopti, remarking that this species was first noticed by West- 

 wood some thirty years ago. It is nearly legless, and lives inside 

 the bud, consequently it is very difficult to reach by means of 

 insecticides. He could only recommend hand-picking, unless a 

 mite-proof variety could be found, as they had raised more or 

 less Phylloxera-proof vines. 



Mr. Michael also contributed further details, observing that 

 all the species of Phytoptus were parasites, and that while many 

 species might attack the same plant, a single species might also 

 live on many kinds. They were excessively minute, possessing only 

 two pairs of legs instead of eight, and always protect themselves, 

 so that it becomes a very difficult matter to reach them, as, 

 e.g., in the curled-up edges of leaves, and within buds. It had 

 been found that kerosene emulsion continuously applied by 

 spraying had been more or less effective against P.pyri, but acari 

 are far less sensitive to chemicals than insects. The eggs 

 especially have a dense cuticle, so as to render it quite impervious 

 to the chemical action of insecticides. The only chance was to 

 repeat the process of spraying, and catch the successive broods. 

 The only thing absolutely fatal to Acarus life was boiling water ; 

 eggs and all were destroyed at once. 



Mr. Berry, in replying, observed that the remedy hitherto 

 suggested, of cutting down the shoots of the currant bushes 

 attacked, was quite useless. Mr. Veitch suggested that analysis 

 of the branches of the varieties most and least affected might 

 reveal some differences, but Mr. Wilks expressed himself as very 

 doubtful of any appreciable differences being discoverable even if 

 they exist. Mr. Engleheart raised the question as to whether 

 the Baldwin variety was weaker than others through over- 

 propagation, but Mr. Michael added that Phytopti do not by any 

 means prefer the weaker plants, but are found more usually on 

 perfectly healthy ones. 



Carnations and Caterpillars. — Mr. Douglas exhibited some 



