6 



APPLE. 



fear of hurting the plants, and soft-soap, well rubbed in, 

 would probably be a very effective and lasting remedy. 



It is also recommended that about the end of February the 

 trunks and large branches should he scrajjcd, excrescences 

 cut off, and the whole well scrubbed with soap-suds, after 

 which a good coating of lime and water is recommended. 

 Probably the form of " whitewash " that has some " size " in 

 it would be better than the simple lime and water, as the 

 " size " makes it stick better, and thus it is more injurious to 

 the aphides. 



Besides the above applications, so many others are men- 

 tioned as being used with more or less success, it may be 

 worth while to give the list in some kind of order. It in- 

 cludes tar, kerosine, paraffin, turpentine (diluted), also resin 

 (with an equal quantity of fish-oil, and put on warm) ; oils 

 of various kinds ; soaps of various kinds ; ammoniacal'liquor 

 from gasworks, and ammoniacal animal fluid, especially 

 drainings from stables ; tobacco-water ; paints of lime and 

 soaj) ; lime and sulphur ; whitewash ; oil and soot ; and also 

 plaster of grafting-clay to stop up chinks with the blight 

 enclosed. 



Of this vast collection of means of remedy, probably the most 

 serviceable are thorough drenchings of some of the soap-tcashes, 

 ap2)licd by means of the garden-engine to the tree directly the 

 attack is noticeable, accompanied by special applications of thick 

 mixtures of soap, or of any kind known to be desirable to kill 

 such of the blight insects as may have remained sheltered in 

 crevices of the bark. 



A careful watch, and something done as soon as the ivool 

 appears, is what is wanted ; but if the small tufts are left 

 alone, as of no consequence, the insects will soon spread far 

 and wide, and a thoroughly infested tree may be a serious 

 injury to a whole neighbourhood. 



Apple Aphis (Green Fly). Aphis mail, Fabr. 



This kind of aphis is found in great numbers on the twigs 

 and in the leaves of Apple trees distorted by their attacks, 

 and likewise to some degree infests Pear trees. Quince, Med- 

 lar, and Hawthorn ; but the great mischief which it causes as 

 an orchard pest is by the young aphides puncturing the back 

 of the Apple leaves with their suckers, and thus causing 

 them to curl backwards, and form shelters for the insects, in 

 which they are safe not only from weather, but from being got 

 rid of by artificial applications. 



