44 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



parts were thickly bespattered with earth splashed up by the 

 rain, and there must have been a great deal of suppression. 

 The fungus was feeding entirely on the dead parts of the 

 seedlings, and although the mycelium overran the living leaves 

 and stems to a limited extent there was no sign of penetration 

 of the tissues. The main axes, though surrounded by mycelium 

 for a considerable part of their length, were still healthy, and 

 neither the roots nor the tops of the seedlings appeared to have 

 suffered from failure in food condition. 



On the other hand, it is probable that the fungus aided 

 in the suppression of the lower needles and branches by 

 shutting out light and air, and parts killed in this way would 

 subsequently be penetrated by the fungus. The fungus may 

 thus be harmful to young trees in the same manner as the 

 saprophytic Thdephora laciniata. 



Owing to my being abroad for the greater part of the year, 

 I was unable to carry out infection tests with the fungus, but it 

 appears probable that, had these been performed, negative 

 results, similar to those reported by Tubeuf in 1920, would 

 have been obtained. 



W. E. HiLEY, 



School of Forestry, Oxford. 



Green Spruce Aphis. 



Towards the end of May I sprayed several branches ot 

 spruce trees, ranging from thirty to seventy years old, with 

 " Katakilla," a powder insecticide wash, using it much weaker 

 than the strength recommended for garden use. The aphis 

 were all dead in about ten minutes, and the branches remain 

 clear of the pests at the date of writing (June 20). They are 

 bright and clean as compared with the branches not treated. I 

 consider that ornamental spruce can be sprayed with good 

 results by anyone possessing a sprayer, using any of the garden 

 insecticides. 



On unsprayed branches the aphis have been certainly in- 

 creasing in numbers in the last three weeks. Trees about 

 thirty years old are affected to the top, especially those having 

 a southern exposure \ trees about seventy years old are affected 



