The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1868-06-09
From tlle SarAtsgiAu.
rROP. FEEoH e.e TRR GUnm.srr 40 mn

~--a aaa
A lady a. this place haa handed ns the follow
lug interesting letter from Prof Fitch, of Wash
ington County, the distins suished Enlomologist
in which he gives a history Of that terrible post
the currant worm;
slrGH N. u, June II, 1867.
My DEAR FnIESD The currant worm Of whicl
You wish To be Informed, has rather intorestins
history.
When visiting The celebrated nursery Of biessrs
Ellwanger and Barry, Rochester, in the autumn
q 1852, Mr. Barry, among other insects called m,
attention 70 new and most yoracious aud d.
structiye worm, which had that season appeared
clustered together IN aocks on their currant
bushes We found the worms had all vanished
at that time, but spot where the bushes we're
wholly stripped o. their leaves, attesied what All
important depreciation tlis waa Tho next yeai
this worm showed itself in Albany, Utica and nu.
merous other places ali through the eentrai aud
aud western parts Of The State having been mad.
yertantly distributed 20 these localities. IN ali
probability IN The packages Of trees and shrubs
sent out from the extensive Rochester establish.
ment. Upon rearing some of tho worms 10 their
perfect state, found they became a four winged
hy, which was evidently the species scientifically
named Nenidtas t,6nacuidt,ts, or the 1hree-spot-
ted saw-iy, an insect long known in Europe as
The most notable cncmy TO the ourrant and COOS
berry, with which Che gArtlnors there have 10
contend and Il was no doubt brought to this
country in somo Of the tnportations Of plants
and trees made by Messrs r. 4 b., in the autumn
Of 1851, or the following spring In 1864 IL had
50 multiplied in most Of the placos where Il had
appeared the year before, as to keep every cur.
rant and gooebefry bnsh stripped ofts leaves the
whole season through, leaving the stalks and
bAsehes as nakoa ~. - she -s,,ts. ts,,t..s ~
die stems Of fruit hanging upon them shich
tic worm does not eat From being thus denuded
Of the foliage, the bushes, not Killed outright,
are 10 weakened and puny as 70 require years to
regain their accustomed thriftlnoss The insect
rs each year spreading itself more and more over
the country. IL first showed iteolf IN the garden
Of my neighbors last year Ia June, the second
generation coming ont in August, and now for
more than week past It has been appearing In
greatly augmented numbers. infor from your
letter, It il showing itselfin Saratoga Springs in
similar threatening manner The worms Of
which speak are Of greenish blue color, with
black dots, and yellow cloud or band near each
end You enquire respecting the changes through
which they pass. When the worms are grown 10
three fourths Of an inch in length, they cease
feeding and crawl slightly under the ground and
there lay dormant in their pupa state a fortnight;
they then hatch four-winged fly, Of pale bright
yellow color, with head black, and three black
spots on the thorax or forcbody, which spots are
frequently run together more or less The fly
measures three-tonths Of an inch 10 the end Of its
body, and to the tip of its closed wings almost
four-tenths. Soon after ii il hatched il LAYS IT,
eggs on the cnrrant leaves placing them end 70
end ii rows, glued along the prominent veins on
the under aide Of the leaf, and where tlloy are
numerous there Il succession Of these flies
coming abroad aud dopositing their eggs through
the whole season, whereby new broods Of worms
are continually appearing 70 deYour every leaf
AZ soon ar il puts forth.
You find gloyed fingers tedious remedy
against these worms, and are an1ious 10 know
some equally effective and more expeditions way
ofdcstroyng them Nov HE you 10 the druggists
and invest twenty five of fifty cents in pulverlzod
white helleboro, put some u thia into 4 pepper
box or similar vehicle, and dust Il among tho
leaves, wherever brood u these worms can IL
found. Every worm that ewAi0wsa few pArti-
eies Of THE powder Immediately sickens and dios,
IL operates like charm Of tho whole nock, You
win not find worm remaining next day, when
the powder has been suitably sprinkled on the
leayes
II this substance should be used when The cur
rants are ripe, any u il adherng 70 them when
gathered can readily b. removed by washing
and It il important that they b. thoroughly
washed before they Are used although il swal-
l6Wed q small quantity would scarcely have any
eiect upon person IN health. This
remedy ought y b. known aud used wherever |
THE worm shows Itself, Il Is 80 readily applied
and 20 effective. Very truly your,
AsA FfTcB.