Spirits of tar have been recommended, is well as several other things - such as train and linseed oil - but to paint a tree all over with any of these would be to adopt a cure as injurious as the disease. The boiling water applied at the time we have recommended, and directed over every branch and crevice of the tree, will at once and for ever eradicate the whole colony.

The Aphis pyri-mali, or Pear-and-Apple fly, often makes great havoc upon the young and tender leaves. One year they may be very bad, the next they may not be seen to any extent, while the following year they may begin with renewed vigour. They commit the whole of their damage upon the leaves, inserting their proboscis into the leaf, from which they drain the life-blood, after which the leaf withers and dies. Mr M'Intosh, in his ' Book of the Garden,' has recommended several remedies, the best of which we believe to be syringing the tree with a strong decoction of tobacco or tobacco liquor. He further recommends "1 lb. quicklime, 1 lb. snuff, 1 lb. sulphur vivum, 1/2 lb. lamp-black, 1 lb. soft-soap, mixed together in water until the whole forms into the consistency of thick paint, applied by a painter's brush to the branches in February, taking care that every part of the tree is covered with the mixture".

Another very destructive insect is the Curculio pyri, which by some has been believed to be the same as Curculio pomorum, which attacks the Apple. Although in a perfect state these two weevils are identical, yet in their first stages of development they are widely separated, both as regards their form and habits of life. The Apple weevil does not commit such wholesale destruction as the one belonging to the Pear. The one contents itself with the blossoms only, while the other attacks flowers, flower-buds, as well as the wood-buds. Kollar has said regarding the Pear weevil of this family, that "if a Pear-tree is examined at the time of blossoming, it will be seen that many buds are brown at the points, as if affected by the hoar-frost. If these buds are examined closely, there will be found a dirty-white rugose maggot, with a dark-brown head, which in time is changed to a small weevil. It is scarcely more than 3 lines long, brown, with a white uneven band almost in the middle of the elytra, and two black shoulder-spots, therefore perfectly like the Apple weevil.

This insect probably passes the winter under the bark, or in the earth near the stem [the latter position being in our opinion the most likely place]. Early in spring, when the Pear-tree begins to bud forth, the female lays her eggs in the buds, which become brown by degrees, and fall off when the insect has attained its most perfect state." As will be seen by the foregoing, the destruction made is very complete; and as it would be almost impossible to gather the larvae with the hand, the most effectual cure is to sacrifice the crops for the time being by removing every bud which appears infested, and in the following year, early in spring, to bind a piece of cloth round the stem of the tree of a few inches in breadth, which must be painted over with tar, and have repeated paintings whenever the first coat becomes dry, which will prevent the little insect from rising out of her winter bed to make havoc for another year.

Luperus rufipes, or the red-footed beetle, is one of the greatest enemies the Pear cultivator has to contend with. Its depredations are confined to the foliage alone, but in the course of a few days it will riddle almost every leaf upon a good-sized young tree if not caught and destroyed. On a stock of young Pear-trees brought here last year I found it to some considerable extent. Being from home for a few days in the beginning of May, on my return I found about twelve trees out of six dozen had suffered rather severely. When I left, no trace of them was to be found; and on my return I found one tree, in particular, had nearly all its foliage destroyed. The leaves were perforated over and over, in many cases perfect skeletons, and those which were not so much eaten were curled up, and from three to twelve of its little enemies inside thereof. The body is of a dark shining or maroon colour, while its feet are of a bright red, hence its name. Like all the beetle family, it is rather impatient of strong sunshine, and therefore commits its deeds in early morning, and from sunset till dark.

This, therefore, is the best time to destroy them; but as the least movement of the tree is sure to cause them all to drop to the ground, much caution has to be exercised in order to get them - in fact, approaching the tree in a quick hurried way will cause them to drop. To destroy them, approach the tree with caution, spread a sheet or two underneath it, and give the tree a gentle shake, when they will drop thereupon; then pick up the sheet, carry it away, and sink it for the night into a tub of water. This done for two or three nights in succession will probably destroy them all. There are several other weevils and beetles which are said to infest the Pear to a greater or less extent in Britain, but the foregoing being all with which we are familiar, we must just refer the reader to the leading works upon gardening, where the most of them are described.

There are several of the moth family which must be familiar to every Pear cultivator in Britain, and which do no inconsiderable amount of damage to the leaves and wood in some localities. The first of these which we shall notice is the Selandria atra, which is perhaps the most common as well as the most curious of them all. In its caterpillar state it is of a black slimy appearance, resembling very much the little black slug so familiar to all kitchen-gardeners - hence is it popularly known as the slug-worm. Their depredations are always committed during the night, for although they generally remain during the day on the under part of the foliage, they never appear to do any injury there, as all the eating is done upon the upper surface. They change their appearance several times, giving off a greenish skin, which is followed by one of a buff colour. In a week or two after this transformation they descend into the soil, where they remain till the following June, when they appear in their fly shape, and at once begin the propagation of a fresh generation.