. The book of the garden. Gardening. THE PEAR. 473. thoroughly destroy them. The gall and pear midges usually attain their full size during the second and third week in May, much depend- ing on the weather whether it be cold or hot. The common elm-destroying soolytus {Saoly- tus destructor Oliv., Hylednus scolytus Fabr.), fig. 204, although called elm scolytus from its attacks on that Fig. 204. tree, is never- theless as inju- rious to other trees also—the pear and apple in a particular degree; and al- though nearly related to the Scolytus hcem- orrhousotMey, ,itisevi- dentlydistinct. D
. The book of the garden. Gardening. THE PEAR. 473. thoroughly destroy them. The gall and pear midges usually attain their full size during the second and third week in May, much depend- ing on the weather whether it be cold or hot. The common elm-destroying soolytus {Saoly- tus destructor Oliv., Hylednus scolytus Fabr.), fig. 204, although called elm scolytus from its attacks on that Fig. 204. tree, is never- theless as inju- rious to other trees also—the pear and apple in a particular degree; and al- though nearly related to the Scolytus hcem- orrhousotMey, ,itisevi- dentlydistinct. Dr Hammer- schmidt has, however, en- deavoured to establish an- other species, viz. Scolytus pruni, or plum scolytus; this other entomo- logists regard as identical with S. destruc- tor, found also on the plum as well as on the apple and pear. The perfect insect, or beetle, has the head and thorax black and glossy, very thickly dotted with very minute dots. The antennas are of a light blackish brown, terminating in a sort of knob. In size the beetle varies from two lines in length, and half a line in breadth, to nearly a third less. In form it is nearly cylindrical. The wing-cases are cut off somewhat obliquely behind, and are somewhat hollowed near their base, are of a brownish-black colour, marked with dots in very fine lines. The legs are of a reddish brown, the second joint being pretty broad. The larva is yellowish white, with a yellowish shining head and brown mouth, from one to two lines in length. They confine their operations entirely to the inner bark of the tree, which they often so completely destroy as to cause the death of the whole branch, and often of the tree itself, when they attack the main trunk. Their de- struction is difficult, for their presence is seldom discovered until their effects give unmistakable evidence of it, when the branch had better be removed entirely, or that portion of the bark removed under which they burrow, and the inner bark with the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectgardening, bookyear18
