LOCAL NOTES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 15, Issue 2016, 23 December 1870, Page 3

LOCAL NOTES.

Serious damage lias beeu done to trees in various parts of the province, this season, by the ravages of a flying insect, which appear at dusk iv immense swarms, settle upon a tree, aud proceed to devour its leaves. The peach aud aectariue trees have been the principal sufferers, but other kinds, even willow trees, have been attacked. The depredator is doubtless the common cockchafer (JMelolontha vulgaris). The caterpillar is this year very troublesome, appearing in immense numbers aud doing considerable damage. We do not know whether this is the larvas of the cockchafer or some other species of coleoptera, aud should be very glad to havo communications on the subject from gentlemen who may have paid attention to entomology. So far as we at present know, the only remedy for the evil is the acclimatization of English birds, a work in which the settlers of this province have been very dilatory. Notwithstanding the showery weather, the hay crops (unusually large this year) have been generally gathered and stacked in safety. Grass seed will, we believe, be largely produced this season. We hear of immense breadths of grass iv Poverty Bay, which is intended to be mown and thrashed. Not long ago, a landed proprietor there (Mr. Caulton) purchased in Napier and shipped for that locality, a mowing machine recently imported. Wool is being extensively sent to town, as long strings of drays on the road amply testify. In flax, owing to the discouraging accounts from home, there is, we regret to say, very little doiug. We hope, however, to have more activity to report in this branch of industry.