— 205— 



Prof. Uhler believes the eggs are deposited in Autumn under 

 the bud scales. I have not observed these, nor taken the male or 

 female. The Autumn forms are probably not very abundant, save 

 in exceptional years or locations. 



This aphis has been called " The peach phylloxera," and the 

 injuries due to it are very considerable. The "Yellows" itselt has 

 been ascribed to it, but on insufficient evidence. On the whole, it 

 is more to be dreaded than the borer or the curculio. Often, how- 

 ever, its ravages are overlooked or ascribed to other causes, because 

 they are carried on underground. But when, owing to favorable 

 seasons or other causes, they appear above ground in great numbers, 

 as in 1874 or 1890, they attract general attention and cause much 

 alarm. 



After one season in the orchards I could pick out root-infested 

 trees with little difficulty. Generally, such trees are badly dwarfed, 

 and make only a feeble, sickly growth. The leaves are light green 

 or yellowish, more or less rolled at the margins, and red or purple 

 spotted from the attacks of fungi. Frequently I have seen three- 

 year old trees so badly infested that they were only a little larger 

 than when set. The farmer prunes, tills, and coaxes such trees to 

 no purpose. They will not thrive. If this sort of root pruning is 

 pushed far enough, i.e., if the aphis is very abundant, the tree dies 

 outright. Frequently, another tree set in its place succumbs in the 

 same way, and another still, so that certain portions of the orchards 

 get the evil reputation of being "dead spots," yet such spots are 

 not ' ' dead' ' to vines or other fruit trees. 



As already stated, nursery trees and young orchards are espe- 

 cially subject to injury by this aphis. If orchards pass through 

 their first two years in safety, they become so vigorous that later 

 attacks are not very harmful. The greater part of the mischief is 

 done soon after planting, or at least before the trees are extensively 

 rooted. I have known orchards in which several hundred trees 

 were killed the first or second season, and have heard of many such. 

 In most of these cases the. roots were badly infested, while the parts 

 above ground were not molested. Very badly infested orchards also 

 occasionally outgrow the injury and become profitable. I have 

 known of several. 



The wide spread occurrence of this insect under ground will 

 account for much of the trouble experienced in starting new orchards 

 in certain old peach regions. Very few peach growers have any 

 adequate notion of its prevalence. Extensive observation has con- 

 vinced me that few orchards along the Atlantic coast from New 



