62 THE APPLE. 



sap. It is destroyed by strong lye-water, by whale oil soap, or a 

 mixture of lime soft soap and water, of the consistence of common 

 whitewash, and applied to the bark witl a hard brush, in winter or 

 early spring. 



The Wooly Apkif {Aphis lanigera) makes its appearance in the 

 form of minute white down, in the crotches and crevices of branches. 

 It is easily destroyed by washing the tree with ley-water, lime wash, 

 or whale oil soap. A good wash for all insects is made of, say five 

 gallons of weak ley, one pound powdered sulphur, and four ounces 

 soot, or " lamp black," thoroughly mixed. 



The blight or blackening and decay of terminal shoots we have 

 elsewhere written on, and refer thereto. Boring holes in the trees, 

 and plugging them with sulphur, are about as remedial as whistling 

 to the moon. 



Rust on the surflice of the leaf is a disease said to affect some of 

 the older plantations in Southern Ohio. We have never seen it, but 

 suspect from accounts, that it is caused from an unhealthy state of 

 the tree in exhaustion of elements in the soil, and therefore a result 

 not a cause of disease. 



Of terms used in description of varieties. — Thomas, in his " Fruit 

 Culturist," has the most perfect explanation of terms in general use 

 in the description of fruits, form of trees, etc., as yet published. We 

 therefore adopt most of them, in order to continue uniformity. These 

 terms, as applied to the growth of tree, in its shoots, has refer- 

 ence mainly to young trees, and comparatively, as follows : Erect^ 

 as in the Early Strawberry. Diverging^ as in the Domine, or Rib- 

 ston Pippin. Spreading^ as in Rhode Island Greening. Droop- 

 ing^ when they fall below the horizontal, which many spreading trees 

 assume, as they grow into the larger branches of older trees. ^5- 

 cending^ when they curve upwards, as in Gravenstein. Irregular^ 

 as in black Gilliflower. Straggling^ similar to preceding, but 

 more slender and curved, as in Jonathan. Straight^ as in Northern 

 Spy. Stout., as in Red Astrachan. 



" The color of the shoots varies greatly in the same variety at dif- 

 ferent periods of the year, as well as with different degrees of ex- 

 posure to the sun, arid with a change of soil, climate, and season. 

 When fresh, or very young, all have a greenish color, but gradually 

 assume various shades of yellow, olive, brown, red, purple, and 

 nearly black, as the season advances, and as they become bare, and 

 are exposed to the sun and weather. For this reason, in describing 

 the color, the terms must be relative, and can only be correctly ap- 

 plied by a comparison at the time with the color of other sorts. 



