No. 125.] 
465 
Fqrther with regard to the extent of the geographical range of 
this species, I only know that a specimen of this moth was among 
some insects gathered at Saratoga Springs in July last; and another 
occurred in a collection in Albany which had been chiefly made in 
the valley of the Housatonic river the past season. 
This insect is so closely related to the Gooseberry-moth of Europe, 
that we may confidently infer, that those measures only which have 
been found efficacious for checking the ravages of that species, can 
be of material avail against this. Numerous remedies have there 
been resorted to; such as sifting the fine dust of soot, of ashes, &c., 
repeatedly over the bushes; sprinkling with lime-water, or with de¬ 
coctions of tobacco, of fox-glove, of elder, &c.; by successive shakes 
of the bushes, causing all the worms to descend to the ground, and 
then tying cabbage-leaves around the base of the stalks, over which, 
it was reported, the worms would not crawl to reascend. But none 
of these remedies have established themselves in public favor; and 
the only measure which is recommended with confidence, by all the 
more intelligent writers, is that of “ hand-picking,” as it is termed. 
This, though tedious, is said to be, in the end, the most economical 
of any measure known, and the only one on which full reliance can 
be placed. It is commonly accomplished by suddenly jarring the 
bush, and then with a forked stick or some similar implement, gath¬ 
ering those worms that have let themselves down by threads, and 
crushing them beneath the foot. This process requires to be repeated 
three or more times to free a bush from the worms, as but part of 
them let themselves down on the first agitation. 
This remedy should be resorted to with our insect, as soon as the 
young worms are discovered upon the bushes, and if perseveringly 
followed up, will, no doubt, be effectual. The task, however, will 
be a formidable one, to thus free a garden of the countless numbers 
of these larvm by which it is iniested; and the measure can only be 
resorted to with facility in those gardens where the bushes are kept 
well thinned by pruning. 
A less laborious mode of reducing the numbers of our moth, in 
badly infested gardens, it strikes me is so feasible, that some may be 
disposed to test its efficacy by giving it a trial. As already related, 
the worms having completed their growth, bury themselves slightly 
in the ground under the bushes, where they lie several days in their 
pupa state, and then the winged moths come from these pups and 
make their way out of the ground. Now if the surface of the earth 
beneath currant and gooseberry bushes be carefully levelled and made 
smooth with a rake, it will be but a slight labor, when the worms 
have mostly left the bushes and buried themselves, to closely cover 
[Assembly, No. 125.J 30 
