AMEBICAN BLIGHT. 281 



Aphis) ; and from Chermisincs, in which this third vein is 

 absent (as in Lavch Aphis and Spruce Aphis). 



Winged Woolly Aphis, magnified. 



The Woolly Aphides are without honey-tubes (or have them 

 in rudimentary form), and underneath the wool are mostly of 

 a yellowish, reddish, or reddish plum-colour. The winged 

 specimens are described as pitchy between the wings, and 

 green, or with the abdomen of a chocolate-brown. The wing- 

 less females may be found packed closely together in the 

 cottony masses, with the pale reddish young moving about 

 amongst them. Winged specimens may be found in July and 

 August.* 



Pkevention and Eemedies. — The great harbouring points 

 of this Aphis, and the nooks from which the broods come forth 

 in spring to infest the trees, are crevices, especially such as 

 are formed of young bark sheltered under old dead masses. 

 It is therefore very important to keep up a clean, healthy, 

 well-trimmed state of the branches, such as will not allow of 

 lurking-places, or, if they do exist, will allow of these points 

 of attack being carefully watched. Boughs must be removed 

 in pruning sometimes, and where the Woolly Aphis exists it 

 is certain to try to effect a lodgment under the ring of young 

 bark that comes rolling forward over the stump ; but an eye to 

 this matter, and a few strong soap-suds brushed on the first 

 bit of wool seen, will keep all right ; whilst on trees with the 

 boughs maimed by beating the crop off, bad pruning, pieces 

 torn off' by the wind, &c., the Aphis gets such a hold in the 

 rough bark as can hardly be got over. 



It is also very desirable to keep the trees from touching each 

 other, to keep the ground below them in decent order, at least 

 not totally overgrown with weeds, and to have the soil properly 

 drained. By this means light will be let in, with a free and 

 healthy circulation of air, and the insect-feeding birds will 

 have a chance at getting at the " Blight " ; whereas in many 

 of the orchards in the west of England, where the principle 

 is held " trees should touch," the tops look well enough to the 

 passer-by, but there is a different story beneath. Here a pale 

 green hght struggles through the thick canopy of leaves. 

 Nettles and rubbish are often knee-deep, and the Hmbs of the 



* For S. lanigcra and other species, see Buckton's 'Brit. Aphides,' vol. iii. 



