THE CODLIN MOTH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2568, 9 April 1887, Page 2

THE CODLIN MOTH.

This pest of- the apple and pear ". growers has been exceedingly pretalent both in Victoria and South Australia during the present season. In the latter colony an inspector bag been appointed' to examine orchardi,. ■ . ; but it is difficult tovcomprehend.in ..... v.. ; . ■what manner official knowledge of tbe;, ;.f? presence of' the -moth will conduce' to - • •,-. I the extinction of the peat; Growers '''- know full well the lpaes' they' are aas- >."".".' taining, and some of them endeavor, to" : ' £?i cope with the evil by. adopting the'-'■•"'''•' usual measures for entrapping moths '"'- ; and destroying chrysalis• »fctheprpper ■■ season, of the year. Ohe;,of'"ihe.'beiit '•' steps is to gather into an;iron hnekot ■.' every.applo and pear in.their youngest :;'•'• stage, bearing tho well known indication of the presence of the insect withiß j, them. In that early stage the insect /** is not sufficiently advanced to effect jtai-j escape. • If the fruits are left to faUW; vthe worm will usually have left the fruit, and taken, refuge in eome of tho decayed vegetation beneath■ tfifr-.tram,-We have often advised that .all such. matter J be • burnt early in tbe autumn, while- the ohrysalia arejthere, " If, in addition, the trees are,exami'md and the cracks in the hark»Wprobed " V. with a flat pointed stick-'by, which ■'■ larva or pupa? may be crushed/a great deal will havq been/ doao' towardi diminishing the nuinbet of motbj, and preventing tbe damagei complained" •" of. But air Such ,'proyeut>ti?o ' steps must be continued .at-eash ~ proper season, or the- "eyfS'wiJl V}\ soon regain its old proportion's.:' Thora ',.-'.. • :.- can hardly bo a doubt that the increase [ ■ ' of tbe pest is duo to the destruction -of - iM'atural onomies. The sparrow is, , • without exception, the greatest evil ■:.■ .'•'. ■ with which-growers have to.cqmpota. Not only does it spoil and .wninime au immensequantity of soft fruit; it abio j ÜBes as ipod. the' gardener's beet friendM- - -'the .iady-bu'ds -or" 1 natural enemies of all of- aphis','" arid the large spiders, which spin-Vebs • from tree to tree and entrap such-prey as the codlin moth. In "taking, stopa. fwjhe destruction of sparrows', growers will thus be indirectly advaucic'g" their own iutcrejta in the.-maiter.'.df moth - destruction, MiasOrmerpdKConsulting entomologist of the Royal Agricultural Society' of Englaud|^as. ; lbn| sinw- •• withdrawn the'-protection of her:'gcicjjir--„--;.: )\ tific-ffigisfrom.the.sparrow. '-.;■ r '-.;.v'": : : "v ''s^