November 15, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
425 
shoots will be. On this same high stone wall I noticed an extraordinary 
crop of Trophy Tomato, and in this garden Tomatoes, I am informed, 
seldom fail to ripen heavy crops. The soil of the garden seems extremely 
fertile, and nearly everything in the way of vegetables, hardy fruits, and 
flowers succeeds admirably in this highly favoured spot.—W. Iggulden. 
THE INSECT ENEMIES OF OUR GARDEN CROPS. 
No. 9. 
In consequence of its mode of growth the Strawberry is a plant 
peculiarly exposed to the attacks of insects that are accustomed to 
secrete themselves, when not feeding, beneath the soil or under the 
shelter of chance objects. Much injury may be done, and the cause 
escape detection, if the rows are not examined both by day and 
night. Washing and syringing cannot always be carried out, even 
if this were of proved utility in the case of some insect pest, nor can 
the plants be beaten or shaken with advantage, and- searching for 
small species is tedious work, yielding unsatisfactory results. Some¬ 
thing may be done in the way of trapping certain insects whose 
habits are known, but the destroyers at the roots are apt to escape 
notice until the injuries are well-nigh fatal to the plant. We have an 
advantage over these subterranean species with those crops that can 
be shifted from place to place in a way that is not possible with the 
Strawberry. It is one of those plants occasionally attacked by the 
grub of the crane fly (Tipula sp.). We had an instance reported to 
us this summer, and so numerous were the enemies that it was found 
necessary to destroy the bed, no remedial measures answering. 
We proceed to notice the beetles that are hurtful to the Strawberry 
in various stages of its growth, and begin with those species which 
have been mentioned in this Journal of late as decidedly mischievous 
to the ripe or unripe fruit, but which, if previously enemies, had 
somehow been overlooked. Indeed, when the circumstance was first 
reported to me, I replied unhesitatingly that I believed there was an 
error, and that the beetles in question had visited the Strawberry 
rows to devour smaller insects and molluscs. But one lives and 
learns. Both in Britain and in America observations in several 
localities prove that more than one species belonging to the family 
of the Carabidse, carnivorous by habit, and reputed formerly to be 
friends and not foes, will destroy quantities of Strawberries. One of 
the conspicuous species has been identified as Harpalus ruficomis, 
fig. 82, and it is most probable some others in that 
genus act similarly when they have opportunity. 
The beetles of the genus are variable in size and 
colour even in the same species, and are therefore 
: tarsi n or feet of the 
the wing- 
Fig. 82. 
The 
joints dilated, and 
dotted over with numerous 
they hide under any 
the weather and soil 
cracks of the earth, 
perhaps by hundreds, 
difficult to classify, 
males have the basal 
cases are generally 
punctures. During the day 
convenient object, or, should 
be dry, they will get into 
After dark they come forth, 
where they have established a colony in a Strawberry 
bed, and feast upon the fruit much to its damage. Why they should 
devour this instead of, or in addition to, their natural food is at present 
unexplainable, the chief point with the gardener is to puta^top to their 
proceedings. Trapping them has answered well. At first putting down 
pieces of board and slates was tried ; the beetles concealed themselves 
under these, but their agility enabled them to escape frequently when 
they were turned over. It was found an improvement to lay in 
suitable spots drain pipes filled with hay, which served to attract the 
beetles, and from which they could readily be shaken and killed. 
Samples of beetles belonging to another genus, Araara, have also 
been forwarded, accompanied by the statement that they were caught 
in the act of feeding upon the fruit. These, like the Ilarpali, are 
predatory and combative, so much so indeed, that several of them 
cannot be kept together in a box without a skirmish speedily 
commencing amongst them. Popularly they are called Sunshiners, 
because they love the sunshine, and therefore differ from the 
preceding in appearing by day and only hiding when alarmed. An 
old superstition is that ill luck or misfortune will befall the person 
who kills a Sunshiner ; but in spite of this the gardener must 
protect his Strawberries from beetles of such an eccentric taste if he 
can. Trapping might be tried with these also, as they are supposed 
to hide at night. Having wings of good size, which they readily put 
into use, they arc not always to be caught by day when they are seen. 
In form they are somewhat squat, with the thorax broad behind, and 
the wing-cases striated, are small in size, colour mostly blue or bluish 
green ; some individuals are bronzy, or even black. The larvie of all 
these species are supposed to be feeders upon other insects of subter¬ 
ranean habit, and therefore they may help to check some of those 
which damage roots. 
Miss Ormerod, in her excellent “Manual,” gives a prominent 
place to the green or rose chafer, Cetonia aurata (tig. 83), as a foe to 
the Strawberry, but I do not think it has been often complained of by 
the cultivators of this fruit. The mature insect is said to injure the 
blossom, and from its size and appearance could hardly fail to attract 
notice where abundant, as I have sometimes seen it hovering in parties 
about Privet bloom or Roses in full flower. From its underground 
life, however, the larva or grub might escape observation easily, or be 
unrecognised if turned up with sundry creatures of similar habit. 
June is the month in which the beetle usually emerges. On the 
upper side the colour is metallic green with whitish streaks 
resembling cracks across the wing-cases ; the under side is coppery, 
tending to a rosy hue. The structure of the thorax prevents the 
wing-cases from opening widely, so that although the insects fly well 
they cannot raise these when on the wing in the manner beetles 
commonly do. The clubs of the antennae are composed of tiny flat 
plates, which are moveable like the divisions of a fan. All the older 
entomological works state that the larva feeds upon wood ; in reality 
it is, as noted above, very commonly a destroyer of the roots of low 
Fig. 83. 
plants or shrubs, but lives also in decayed wood or wood soil. 
Resembling somewhat the grub of the cockchafer, it is rather thicker 
than that insect, and clothed with short hairs. It is usually discovered 
lying in a curved position, the hinder part of the body being thicker 
than the head ; their life as larvae is reckoned to last about two years. 
Rooks are reported to hunt them eagerly, and the application of 
diluted gas lime or a weak solution of paraffin has been recommended 
where their presence is suspected. There is no great difficulty in 
securing the beetles by a hand-net. 
When killing beetles amongst our Strawberries we must avoid 
injuring any species that is beneficial. Carabus auratus, for instance, 
one of the ground beetles, we are likely to see running eagerly about 
in search of its prey ; it seizes caterpillars, 
snails, and other beetles, fearlessly laying 
hold even of the bulky cockchafer. This, 
insect is golden-green, with a larger body 
than the rosecliafer, and we at once distin¬ 
guish it from that species by the three 
sculptured ribs on the wing-cases. The 
blackish larva or grub is also a killer of 
insects. This only comes forth at dusk to- 
hunt. There are, however, other beetles 
that are now and then foes to the Straw¬ 
berry, but which I merely name here, as 
their history belongs to that of other plants 
they visit more habitually. One of these 
is the bracken dock or June bug, Phyllo- 
pertha horticola (fig. 84), an enemy of 
fruit trees ; but the beetle has in some 
seasons stripped Strawberries of their blossoms. Then Otio- 
rhynchus sulcatus, also called the black or Vine weevil, has been 
taken on the fruit of Strawberries ; and the grub of another, the 
red-legged weevil, 0. tenebricosus, occasionally infests its roots. 
The particular aphis of this plant is named from it Siphonophora. 
Fragarise. It is a shining green with long antennae and red eyes, 
very like the aphis of the Rose. Some years few are to be perceived, 
in others they cluster on the fruitstalks during May.— Entomologist. 
PANSIES AND VIOLAS. 
I must thank “ H., Notts,” and Mr. H. Cannell, jun., for their 
excellent endeavours to answer my query—namely, What is the difference 
between a Pansy and a Viola as at present grown, sold, and exhibited T 
I emphatically disclaim any intention of throwing discredit upon our 
so-called Violas as bedding plants ; on the contrary, I grow them largely, 
but as Pansies and Violas have of late years occupied a place in almost 
