A FEW OF THE VERY FINE EXHIBITS WHICH WERE A FEATURE OF THE AUCKLAND SHOW.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 25, 20 December 1911, Page 39

A FEW OF THE VERY FINE EXHIBITS WHICH WERE A FEATURE OF THE AUCKLAND SHOW.

No. 1: Mr. Lippiatt's splendid show of roses No. 2: From Messrs. I>. Hay and Sons' stand. No. 3: Mr. H. Brett's table of carnations, witli failure. No. 4: Mr. Gilbert J. M aekay's table. No. 5: Mr. Harry Jones' sweet peas

Surface Caterpillars, ur ground worm*. These are grubs of a family of night living moths; all are of a dingy, earthy colour, and all live on or just below the ground during the day. emerging at night Io feed. I’nless the crop is a large one, the best remedy is to trim over the ground carefully near the young plants, and to hand pick all the grubs that an* obMived. The Fea Weevil and the Pea Moth aic both exceedingly troublesome pests to all who are growing swert peas for -< • d. The former is a little brownish gi<*\ lieetle about 15th inch in length; two black -post on the end of the ad-

doinen render it easy of recognition. The mature beetles appear about the same time as the blossom, and lay their eggs on the young pods. The grub enters the |mm|s, and one grub attacks each pea. In the pea the grub takes up its abode, turns into a chrysalis ami eventually into a perfect hectic. The grubs may Im* killed by fumigation with carbon bisulphide each l(M)lb. of peas should *.e shut up in a closed vessel together with loz. of carbon bisulphide for forty-eight hours. The fumes from this chemical will kill all the insects in the peas. The Pea Moth is about ’ inch from tip to tip of its dull slate grey wings.

Like the pea weevil, it lays its eggs on the young pods a nJ the young grubs bore their way into the young peas on which they feed. Unlike the pea weevil, however, the full fed caterpillars leave the pods and form their cocoons just below the surface of the ground. This pest may be eradicated by spraying with Paris green wash just after flowering. The wash is made up of 4ozs. of Paris green, 1 lb. of soft soap, and 25 gallons of water. This spraying may be repeated with advantage after a week’s interval.

The ground on which the peas have been grown should be deeply dug, after cropping. in order to bury the cocoons deeply, and prevent the moths from reaching the surface. Pea Leaf Spot.—Occasionally the stems of sweet peas exhibit extensive areas of dead tissue, extending in some cases right round the stem. The backs, too, have round or oval dead patches, and even the pods and seeds may be similarly attacked. The diseased parts on the pods are peculiar in that they are

gpWßy* e—«ifer«bly smdken br the MWiafog wrilw, Thexe patches are lay a Jiseaae known mt i’ea leatBpot. Spraying with ftordeanx mixturefan the time Ute ptanta are about tour inetuH high, at weekly intervale, wilt keep the ffmeasa in cheek. >La rust w not very ewnuaaon. but it deserve*, mention. Pule brown runt-cwt-oared spots appear on the leaves, these give place later to darker Sftota.' A* the disease develops wit Im. the tissues and only appears on the surface after the plant has .been damaged considerably, ’ little can lie done by way of * cnre. Late in the season the stems and leaves of sweet peaa may become covered with a white powdery fungus know* os Pea Mildew.—The time of its. appearance often coincides with the end of the flowering season, so it cannot be deemed a very formidable enemy. If, however; it is accessary to save the plants for any reason, Bordeaux mixture will be found an effective spray. C. A. EALAND.