INSECTS INJURIOUS TO VEGETATION. 449 



These lice are easily destroyed by the application of suds, made 

 from whale oil soap. The downy plant louse, called improperly 

 in England, the American blight, from the erroneous supposi- 

 tion that the insect came from this country and spread itself over 

 Europe, we have occasionally seen in the orchards of Essex 

 county ; but they have never increased in such numbers, as to 

 produce the mischief they have in England, and do not merit 

 particular attention. Should they, however, in future become 

 troublesome, they can be destroyed by removing all the old rug- 

 ged bark, and scrubbing the trunk and branches with a hard 

 brush. ^English authors recommend many ways to destroy the 

 downy plant louse, such as the application of spirits of tar, spirits 

 of turpentine, oil or soap. I would here notice, that I have seen 

 this insect in my own grounds for several seasons, under the 

 clay used in grafting, eager in collecting the sap exuding from 

 the wounded stump. I have also seen it on English beeches, 

 walnuts and thorns. 



The Bark louse can be destroyed by the application of a wash 

 of the consistency of paint, composed of lime, clay and cow-dung, 

 applied with a white-wash brush to the bark of the tree. 



Among the insects annoying to the cultivators of fruit, we 



may mention the curculio and codling-moth, otherwise called the 



apple worm. These pests have greatly increased in our orchards 



within a few years, and have become so numerous,' that great 



■ exertions should be made by all cultivators to destroy them. 



The curculio is a native insect, and has long been known in 

 this country. That distinguished early naturalist, John Bar- 

 tram, in a letter to his friend, Peter Collinson, of London, under 

 date of April 16, 174G, says : " All our stone fruit is bit with 

 the insect ; but the peaches, and some kind of cherries overgrow 

 them." Collinson, in reply to Bartram, says : " Now friend John, 

 to prevent the depredations of the beetle, I confess is not so easy 

 as some other bad effects. Suppose as soon as this beetle is 

 discovered, the trees are smoked with burning straw under them, 

 or the trees were squirted on by a hand engine with water, in 

 which tobacco leaves were soaked ; either of these two methods, 

 I should think, if they did not totally prevent, yet, at least, 

 would secure so much of these fine fruits, as would be worth 

 the labor of people of circumstances, who are curious to taste 

 these delicious fruits in perfection." But notwithstanding the 

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