. The book of the garden. Gardening. 536 FRUIT GARDEN. spring, when it appears as a beetle, and again begins the work of ; We have given this long extract because it shows the habits of this and similar insects, and points out pretty clearly how we are to rid ourselves of them. As the fruit continues to be cut off day by day, and as a few weeks are necessary to accomplish this and the hatching of the grub, during that time every plum found on the ground should be carefully gathered up and destroyed before the grub quits them for its earthy abode. The eggs are laid from the la
. The book of the garden. Gardening. 536 FRUIT GARDEN. spring, when it appears as a beetle, and again begins the work of ; We have given this long extract because it shows the habits of this and similar insects, and points out pretty clearly how we are to rid ourselves of them. As the fruit continues to be cut off day by day, and as a few weeks are necessary to accomplish this and the hatching of the grub, during that time every plum found on the ground should be carefully gathered up and destroyed before the grub quits them for its earthy abode. The eggs are laid from the latter end of June to the end of July. It is only by a knowledge of the economy of insects that we can ever expect to find out the proper means for their destruction, and in this case it is exceed- ingly well exemplified. The brindled beauty-moth (Biston hirtarius), fig. 23S, appears often in March, as soon as the leaves upon which it is to feed begin to ex- Fig. BISTON HIRTARIUS. pand themselves. More generally its appear- ance occurs in April, in which latter case it is most destructive. Those appearing earlier are often killed by the frost. The catei'pillars ap- pear in May, and feed on the leaves of the plum, as well as on those of other fruit trees. They are of a greenish-brown colour, with greyish marks and numerous tubercles. The moths measure from an inch and a half to two inches from tip to tip of the wings. They are of a dark yellowish grey, or light brown, thickly spotted with dusky atoms, and three or four dark equi- distant streaks on the hind margin. The pos- terior wings are similar in colour, having gene- rally three streaks, which in general are nearly imperceptible. The wings of the female are more transparent; their transverse bands are nearly indistinct, and the colouring less dis- tinct. The caterpillars change to the chrysalis state early in July, and remain in that state till spring. The larva of the plum saw-fly (Tenthredo morio Fabr.) is one of thos
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectgardening, bookyear18
