APPLE LEAVES, PLANT-LOUSE REMEDIES, SOAP. 57 



veins arc parallel with cacli other, or in some instances arc nearer at their tips 

 than at their bases. In jlphis Mali the first fork branches from the third vein 

 beyond its middle. Here it is given off much lower down, at about a third the 

 distance from the base to the tip. Commonly the second fork is here half as 

 long as the first fork ; in jlphis Mali it is much shorter. The tip of the fourth 

 vien is as near that of the rib vien as it is to that of the second fork* The cal- 

 lous point on the outer margin of the hind wings is much more distinct in this 

 species, and here the two oblique veins branch from therib-vien at a much less 

 acute angle than in jlphis Mali. 



We come next to speak of the remedies for destroying these 

 vermin. 



Drenching the vegetation infested with any of the species of 

 Aphis with strong soap-suds or weak lye is a measure which has 

 been much recommended, and is certainly one of the most effica- 

 cious within our knowledge. But it is those insects only which 

 are wetted by the solution that are destroyed. These are crea- 

 tures which " sprinkling" will not cleanse from the tree; " im- 

 mersion" must be resorted to. As it is the green succulent ends 

 of the twigs of young thrifty trees, and the leaves growing from 

 these parts that are most infested and liable to be seriously in- 

 jured, they may be rid of these vermin to a great extent by pre- 

 paring a solution of soft soap in a tin pan or other convenient 

 vessel, and whilst one person holds this under the infested twigs, 

 let another person bend them one after another down into it, 

 holding them there for several seconds. This will, in most cases, 

 destroy all of the lice upon the twigs and leaves which are thus 

 immersed, and will cleanse and impart new vigor to them. But 

 this is by no means so infallible a remedy as some writers have 

 represented it to be. Some of the lice, perhaps from being more 

 hardy than the generality of their race, will survive. It, how- 

 ever, will reduce their numbers so far as to allay all fears of im- 

 mediate injury to the trees from this pest. 



Instead of a solution of soft soap, a writer in a late number of 

 the American Agriculturist, (vol. xiii. p. 295,) recommends 

 thoroughly rubbing this substance about the trunks and limbs 

 two or thee times a year. It is very probable that thus applied, 

 a sufficient amount of the alkaline matter would be absorbed and 

 taken into the circulating fluids of the tree to render these fluids 

 distasteful, and perhaps poisonous to the Aphides. We have al- 



