148 Second Report on Economic Zoology. 



Treatment of the Orchakd. 



1. The cherry trees should be sprayed in January or February 

 with the wash recommended in Leaflet 86, and later with Bordeaux 

 mixture. 



2. All the trees should be sprayed with soft soap and quassia 

 wash as soon as the buds commence to burst and again whenever 

 lice {^Aiphides) are noticeable. 



3. It would also be well to spray all the trees with caustic 

 alkali wash in winter. 



4. All diseased and dead wood should be cut away and burnt. 



Aphis Blight {Aphis jwiuii) on Plum Trees. 



Some plum trees referred to by a correspondent from near Cre^^ e 

 were suffering from the combined attack of (1) Plum Aphis (Aphis 

 jn-uni), and (2) to a small extent from the larva' of Tortricid Moths 

 {Tortrix ribcana, Antithcsia i^mmana, and probably others). 



The Plum Aphis (Aj^his prunl, Keaumur) is one of the most 

 destructive plum pests, and has been unusually severe in its attack 

 this year. Complaints have come to hand from all parts of the 

 country regarding the harm done by this Aphis. Its attack is very 

 characteristic, the leaves shrivelling up, the edges gradually rolling 

 around and forming nests for the rapidly increasing insects ; the 

 fruitlets soon commence to fall and the leaves die right off. During 

 the present season I observed that the young leaves tliat were attacked 

 fell prematurely when still green, but, as a rule, they hang on and 

 the tree presents a strikingly characteristic appearance. 



Damson plantations often suti'er most severely from this blight. 

 A good show of blossom may be seen in May, and by June scarcely 

 a fruitlet or leaf will be seen on the trees. Plums of all kinds and 

 greengages sufier nearly as severely. The same species may be seen 

 on peach, apricot, apple and, according to Buckton, on the aster. 

 It is subject to considerable variation in size and colour and probably 

 occurs on other plants, amongst which have 1)een mentioned 

 chrysanthemums and the goosebeiTy. Wild prunes, as the sloe, afford 

 a constant means of invasion of our plantations. This species must 

 not be confused with the Hop-damson Aphis {Fhorodon humidi, var. 

 mahaleb), easily told by the frontal tubercles, which are absent in 

 this species. 



