68 THE DICTIONARY 
Apple Powdery Mildew— continued. 
produced, and these carry it over the winter. Many 
other Rosacew are attacked by this undesirable fungus- 
visitor to a nursery or plantation of young trees—Cherry, 
Peach, Hawthorn, Mountain-Ash, and Medlar. Stems as 
well as leaves are coated with the mildew. In very bad 
attacks the foliage is shed prematurely, and the seedling 
plants make little or no progress. All affected leaves 
should be collected and burnt; while, as soon as the 
disease is noticed, the trees should be treated to a 
solution of sulphide of potassium (loz. to 3Sgall. of 
water). 
APPLE ROT. This condition of Apples must be 
familiar do everyone, though its causes are to the majority 
obscure. It is, however, due to a well-characterised fungus 
—Gleosporium fructigenum. Popularly the disease is 
known as Apple Rot; but it is not restricted to that 
fruit, being found upon Pears, Peaches, Plums, &c. 
Sometimes it is called Ripe Rot, or Bitter Rot (the latter 
being a peculiarly appropriate name). Usually it is only 
observed by growers after the fruits have fallen, when 
perhaps nearly full-grown; or, may be, it is not observed 
until some time after the fruits. have been stored. 
Frequently, however, Apples are attacked when com- 
paratively young, and the disease not being readily 
noticed—at any rate, in the case of standard trees— 
it rapidly spreads. All parts of the fruits are liable 
to attack, though, as is the case with several other 
diseases, the calyx end is first involved. The symptoms, 
even at the outset, are fairly well marked, as the fruits 
are spotted with brown. The spots increase in size and 
coalesce as growth proceeds, and give place to large 
patches. If the disease is allowed to run, a very large 
proportion of the crop will be contaminated, and its 
market value will be practically nil. As the disease 
progresses, blackish pustules are formed over the whole 
surface of the skin; these rupture and release the spores, 
which inerease the trouble. Inside the condition of the 
fruit is still worse, for the mycelium has completely broken 
down the tissues, and the familiar rotten condition and 
bitter taste are the result. 
Once the disease has attacked the fruits, all Apples 
showing symptoms of the fungus should be removed and 
burnt before they arrive at that stage when the spores 
will be scattered by various agencies. All that is 
practical is to prevent the further spread of the disease, 
which is best done by spraying the trees at intervals with 
either Bordeaux Mixture or sulphide of potassium (loz. to 
3gall. of water). All fruits which fall and show signs of 
spotting should be burnt. In the case of Apples stored, it 
will be very necessary to go over them frequently, destroying 
all that are “ spotted,’ as the disease spreads just as 
rapidly, under favourable conditions, when the fruits are 
off the trees. In America the disease assumes even more 
serious proportions than here. 
APPLE SAWFLY (Hoplocampa _ testudinea). 
Though not as well known as many of the insects which 
infest fruit trees, yet the creature under notice is at 
times exceedingly troublesome to gardeners. Frequently, 
however, its depredations are put down to other insects, 
especially to the Codlin Moth. There are ten species 
of this genus found in Britain, but only the one above- 
named calls for notice here. The perfect insects are only 
about 12mm. in wing-expanse, and of a reddish-yellow 
colour. They are on the wing in early spring, the 
female depositing her eggs in the blossoms of the Apple. 
In due time the grubs hatch out, and make their way 
into the young Apple. Outwardly there is no indication 
of the presence of these pests, and it is not until the 
fallen immature fruits are examined that the depredators 
are disclosed. 
All such Apples as fall early should be at once collected 
and burned. If left on the ground undisturbed, as they 
OF GARDENING, 
Apple Sawfly—continued. 
not infrequently are, the grubs, about the first week 
in July, eat their way out and pupate in the ground 
in cocoons. 
Prevention is the only method of dealing with this pest. 
It is of little use attempting to treat the trees to au 
insecticide at such a season as the Sawflies themselves 
are on the wing, as the blossoms would be injured 
thereby, and the crop further endangered. 
By some entomologists this insect is known as Tenthredo 
testudinea. 
APPLE AND PEAR SCAB (Fusicladium pyrinum; 
F. dendriticum). These very common pests to Pears 
and Apples are responsible for the condition known 
as “Cracking,” and they have been dealt with at con- 
siderable length. (See Pear-Fungi.) At the time the 
article was written, however, the disease had baffled 
alike the grower and the scientist, and the loss to the 
former through the produce being rendered unsightly, 
and thus unsaleable, was enormous. More recent inves- 
tigations have conclusively shown that the disease may 
be combatted, like many others of a similar character, 
‘by the judicious use of Bordeaux Mixture (which 
see). This fungicide to be effective must be sprayed on 
directly the new leaves are in evidence, using a very 
weak solution. The spraying should be repeated at 
intervals of three weeks, or a little less, until the fruit 
is formed. Leaves and shoots are also attacked. 
APPLE-SHOOT MOTHS (Laverna vinolentella; 
Argyresthia curvella). The first species, a small moth 
under 4in. in wing-exypanse, is now and again respon- 
sible for a deal of damage to Apple shoots. It must be 
classed as local and uncommon. In the Caversham district 
in 1898 it was very prevalent, and was most injurious 
to the young Apple trees there planted. The Moth is 
black, and has two deep black erect tufts of scales on 
each fore-wing. During the day it is not often seen, as 
then it sits upon the Apple trunks and branches, ap- 
pearing on the wing towards sunset. The eggs are laid 
in July and hatched out in spring, the larve entering 
the shoots, causing them to die away. Directly this is 
noticed, all such dead shoots should be cut away and 
burned. 
Argyresthia curvella is a trifle larger than the first- 
named species, and commoner, though by no means 
abundant. It is on the wing during June and July. 
The fore-wings are white, strigulated with a darkish 
brown, while there are a small, transverse dorsal mark, a 
narrow band from the middle of the costa to the centre of 
the back, and an irregularly-shaped dark blotch towards 
the apex of the wings. The hind-wings are grey. At 
rest these Moths appear as if standing on their heads, 
by reason of the fact that the hinder part is obliquely 
raised from the surface. The larva is hatched in May, 
and feeds in the shoots, which should be treated simi- 
larly to those attacked by the Laverna above noted. 
APPLE-SUCEER (Psylla mali). Belonging to the 
same natural order (Homoptera) as the Aphides, or Plant 
Lice, is the destructive little creature above-named. Of 
recent years it has been very abundant wherever Apples 
are grown, and it has taxed the ingenuity of the most 
practical fruit-grower to keep it in check. In Germany 
it is a still greater pest. The insects extract the juices 
from their food-plants, hence the common name. The 
generic name (Psylla) is in allusion to the leaping power 
of the perfect insect. 
The Apple Sucker is on the wing in late spring, but 
is so minute (2mm.) that it may readily escape ob- 
servation. At pairing time it varies considerably as to 
colour—being green, with brownish-red, yellow, or red 
markings. The eggs are usually deposited singly, but 
sometimes in pairs, on the young twigs. The larve emerge 
in about a fortnight, and commence to feed upon the 
