THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 



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ever, remain under the scale all 

 winter, and in early spring- the 

 egg's are deposited in the fluffy, 

 cottony masses. The application 

 of water by hose connected with 

 the city or town waterworks has 

 been found effective, in dislodg- 

 ing the egg's, and in brushing off 

 the lice while moving about. 



The Spruce Gall Louse {Chermes 

 abietis) is undoubtedly a serious 

 pest of the White, and other 

 varieties of Spruce. During the 

 last few years it has done much 

 damage throughout the province. 

 In early spring, about the first 

 week of May, wooly, fluffy mas- 

 ses may be seen on the terminal 

 twigs of the spruce, and if these 

 be examined large numbers of 



eggs can be found. In another „ r. ^ x , ^ , 



b Ki. 1761. Spruce Gall Lousk — a, summer form of nymph ; 

 week the lice hatch, and settle at ^ ^ ^p^^g ^^ ^hite Spruce, with one twig affected by galls 

 the bases of the young shoots, produced by the young lice, 

 which soon show the character- 



■S^ 



istic curl. (Fig. 1761.) The base of every 

 infested leaf becomes enlarged and g'all-like. 

 The larvae are safe from insecticides as theV 

 now live within the base of the leaf. 



About August loth, the winged female 

 adults appear, and prepare to lay eggs for a 

 second brood. Lice soon hatch, and spread 

 over the limbs, but those that survive the 

 winter seek shelter at the base of buds. The 

 second brood of adults appear at the begin- 

 ning of May, when the fluff}', woolly <t^fg 

 masses are seen. 



If the trees are sprayed thoroughly with a 

 mixture of soap-solution and tobacco solution 



soon after the eggs are observed, most of 

 the young lice will be killed. The operation 

 should be repeated in August, when the 

 second brood of lice make their appearance. 



Although several armored Scales were ob- 

 served on shade trees during the past season, 

 and perhaps some damage done to the trees, 

 yet no general complaint has been made 

 against their work. 



My next article will deal with the Fungous 

 diseases of shade trees, and the remedies 

 which have been found effective. 



W. LOCHHEAD. 



O. A. C, Guelph. 



