Pear Midge. 
191 
should look out for signs of its presence on their pear trees, 
and should take instant measures against it if it occurs. The 
following extract from my 1899 Report may be repeated 
here : — 
Treatment . — Fruit growers unfamiliar with this pest are earnestly advised 
to inspect their pear trees carefully next May, and to take immediate action 
if the disease is found to be present in ever so small a degree. It is easily 
recognised by the stunted fruit, and the small jumping maggots they contain. 
If confined to one or two trees, it is well worth while to strip off the whole of 
the fruit and burn it ; but to be effectual this must of course be done before 
any of the maggots have left the pears and entered the ground. If the attack 
is observed too late for this measure, it is well to know that a heavy dressing 
of kainit beneath the trees has been found to destroy the puparia, and to 
prevent the emergence of the midge during the following season. 
The very similar pea midge, of which I gave an account 
last year, has again been sent for identification, and is probably 
a widespread though little-noticed pest. 
It is as well to record in these notes a case of wireworm 
attack on mustard, which occurred in the early summer of 
1905. Similar instances have been very rarely observed, for 
the pest generally eschews this plant, which, indeed, is often 
grown and ploughed in green as a cleaning crop. Such cases 
are not easy of explanation, for it is difficult to see that so 
omnivorous a grub can be short of more congenial food. 
Zoological Laboratory, 
Cambridge. 
Cecil Warburton. 
