68 
HOPS. 
Mr. Hart noted from Kingsnortk, that great complaint was being 
made of the attack of Aphides on Hops, and on the 8tli Mr. White- 
head mentioned, from Banning, that he had never seen the Aphis 
blight so prevalent; and observations were also made of the great 
quantities of Aphides on Apples, Plums, Damsons, Cherries, &c. 
Mr. Turvill reported the appearance of the Fly near Alton, Hants, 
about the 20tli of May, and by the lltli of June they were in masses 
on the Bines. 
There was also in some places a scarcity of the natural check of 
the “ Fly,” namely, the Lady-birds and their grubs, known as 
“ Niggers.”* This was noticed specially in North Kent, where their 
scarcity, compared with other Hop districts, was remarkable; also by 
Prof. Fream, at the College of Agriculture, Downton, Wilts, on the 
26tli of June; and by Mr. A. Mannington, Nortliiam, Sussex, a few 
days previously. 
As summer went on the published reports of the Hop districts in 
Kent, Sussex, Farnliam, &c., showed for the most part the presence 
of ‘‘blight” in overwhelming quantities, together with the weak 
growth of the Bine from attack of the Aphis, and also from 
unfavourable weather. Want of sunshine, with low temperatures and 
sometimes cold nights, are reported again and again as accompanying 
* The Lady-bird Beetle is well known everywhere, but its slaty or brownish six¬ 
legged grub, spotted with orange or scarlet, does not seem, from enquiries sent 
during the past season, to be as generally known as it ought to be; and as I have 
recently received a communication from Mr. Shipman, Forest Gate, mentioning that 
he found it was very often destroyed from want of knowledge of its useful habits in 
living on Aphides, or Green Fly, I add the following figures:— 
Lady-birds: 2, egg, mag.; 3 & 4, grub, mag., and line showing nat. size; 7, Cocci - 
nella bipunctata; 8, C. clispar ; 9, C. septern-punctata. 
These give a good idea of the grub, somewhat larger than life, and also of the 
chrysalis-case on the leaf; and these insects should never be destroyed, as the 
voracious appetite of the grub—and its strong jaws, by which it can nip hold of an 
Aphis, and shortly suck out its contents—makes this larva, as well as the Lady-bird, 
to which it presently turns, one of our best helpers, and often the only one we have 
in keeping down Aphis attack on Plums, Hops, Apples, Ac. 
