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 
