THE BLACK PEACH APHIS. 17 



has the peaches planted alternately, a tree of the " Royal 

 George " standing between such varieties as " Salway," 

 "Early Rivers," &c. The Black Aphis on the latter varieties 

 was very bad indeed, whilst the "Royal George" (sup- 

 posing this variety to be true to name) was, so far as I could 

 discover with the aid of a lens, absolutely free from blight 

 of any kind. Here, thought I, is a discovery which, on 

 mentioning it confidentially to my old friends, C. Draper 

 and Geo. Neilson, caused them to shake their heads 

 ominously, which, however, only made me the more 

 determined to follow the matter up further. The trees 

 were watched carefully, and on the 26th of the present 

 month, June, 1892, I again visited the trees and found to 

 my astonishment that the " Royal George " was the only 

 one of the varieties attacked. I have mentioned this 

 matter to point out the danger of superficial investiga- 

 tions of any kind, and more particularly in matters of such 

 moment to our rural industries. 



I still hope, however, that something may yet be 

 discovered, as in the case of the resistant vines and apples, 

 which, if not actually blight-proof, may be of such a nature 

 as to help us to keep this and kindred j)ests in check. 



The strictest watch should be kept on all imported 

 trees, whether peaches or otherwise, and these, before 

 planted, ought to be thoroughly treated according to the 

 advice given in Part I. of this handbook. This is a 

 matter that must be insisted upon, that is if we desire 

 that the importations of new pests should cease. 



Our tiny insect friends, the Ladybirds, should be 

 protected by every grower throughout the land ; and so 

 that there may be no mistake as to the kind which needs 

 to be protected, I have given some figures of same on 

 Plate XVI. Many of the insectivorous birds, too, are 

 great destroyers of aphides, and should be carefully 

 protected from the senseless attacks of the " Pot-shot- 

 man " and others not so vicious or mischievous, but none 

 the less dangerous. 



Spraying is a work that must be done with intelligence 

 and care, and as one of our best American writers has 



