162 HALF HOURS WITH EN'SECTS. [Packard. 



the bark, nor any other apparent cause, and if it be a young 

 tree, it may be found on removing the soil from tlie roots 

 that a number of gall-like excrescences, sometimes a couple 

 of inches in diameter, are attached to them. On opening 

 the galls a number of small wingless plant lice, with larger 

 winged ones, will be observed in the crevices. Their bodies 

 are covered with a woolly exudation, whence their common 

 name, "woolly blight." Dr. Fitch, who has given us the 

 best account of this anno3dng blight insect, says that the 

 parent insect at the end of autumn works her way down 

 along the side of the root, there depositing her stock of 

 eggs, and then, the grand aim of her life accomplished, she 

 dies. When the ground becomes warm in spring the 3'oung 

 appear and forthwith plunge their beaks into the bark. The 

 beak thus inserted acts like a seton in the flesh of an ani- 

 mal, and keeps up a constant irritation. An abnormal 

 cell-growth sets in, bringing about a permanent enlargement, 

 which undermines the health of the tree. It is especially 

 injurious in nurseries of young trees. 



Dr. Fitch wisely recommends that when the tree is found 

 to be infested, it should not be thrown away, but the roots 

 should be dipped in soap suds, and when replanted a shovel- 

 ful of ashes should be mixed with the dirt. This insect is 

 a near ally of the famous Phylloxera of the vine. 



Another insect not usually suspected of injuring the apple 



^ ,„„ by suckiuG: the sai) of the 



Fig. 128. j o i ^ 



roots is the 3'oung of the Ci- 

 cada (Fig. 128, enlarged), 

 which lives for sixteen 3-ears 

 sucking the roots usually of 

 the oak, but is sometimes 

 Young Cicada. ^^^^^^ ^^ attack the roots of 



the apple. It may be imagined that sixteen years' drainage 

 of the sap of the tree is a pretty serious matter. The 

 vouno- insect lives a foot or two beneath the surface of the 



JO 



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