I had often
observed that one particular part of a vine growing on the walls of
my house was covered in the autumn with a black dust-like
appearance, on which the flies fed eagerly; and that the shoots and
leaves thus affected did not thrive; nor did the fruit ripen. To this
substance I applied my glasses; but could not discover that it had
anything to do with animal life, as I at first expected: but, upon a
closer examination behind the larger boughs, we were surprised to
find that they were coated over with husky shells, from whose sides
proceeded a cotton-like substance, surrounding a multitude of eggs.
This curious and uncommon production put me upon recollecting
what I have heard and read concerning the coccus vitis viniferae of
Linnaeus, which, in the South of Europe, infests many vines, and is
an horrid and loathsome pest. As soon as I had turned to the
accounts given of this insect, I saw at once that it swarmed on my
vine; and did not appear to be at all checked by the preceding
winter, which had been uncommonly severe.
Pages:
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397