(1EXKRM. PRACTICE. ENEMIES. 255 



does not run or touch the leaves and young wood. Pursue this through the season, and 

 the trees will be freed of woolly aphis. 



Spirits of Wine. Apply with a small soft brush to every speck of American blight, 

 whether on leaf or tender shoot, or wherever situated, and " touch up " other infections 

 as they appear. One season suffices to exterminate the pest, contingent on all the 

 affected parts being dressed with alcohol. Methylated spirit may be used, provided it is 

 free from spirit of tar, which injures the bark and tender growths. 



These remedies are of little avail on large orchard trees through difficulty of applica- 

 tion. The latter, however, may be reached by a stream of water through the nozzle at 

 the end of a hose pipe when there is sufficient pressure in the main, or a powerful garden 

 engine would deliver a stream of water with sufficient force to drive the woolly aphis from 

 the worst infested places on the branches and stems. This repeated a few times greatly 

 reduces the pests and benefits the trees. To effect a cure, follow, after two or three good 

 washings of clear cold water, with a petroleum emulsion made after this formula : Dis- 

 solve 1 pound of soft soap in 2 gallons of boiling water ; remove from the fire, and add 

 | gallon of kerosene (petroleum) while hot. Churn the mixture with a force-pump for 

 five minutes, add 80 gallons of water, in which 7 pounds of soft soap have been dissolved 

 by boiling, for use. Spray the foliage and syringe the branches and stems. The mixture 

 must be kept well agitated by one person whilst another applies it with a syringe or 

 engine to the trees. Repeat as necessary, but only upon the reappearance of the enemy. 

 This work is best done in the evening. 



Much good may be done by washing the infested trees, directly the leaves have 

 fallen, with a solution of soft soap, 4 ounces to a gallon of water. It should be applied 

 with a brush to all parts of the tree, thoroughly reaching into the places sheltering the 

 insects. Strong soapsuds that contain only the usual hard (soda) soap and a small 

 proportion of washing (refined) soda are as efficacious as a soft (potash) soap solution, and 

 cost nothing. Soapy solutions should be used at a temperature of 90 to 100. 



If the roots are attacked, remove the soil from them and wash the affected parts 

 with the soapy solution. Removing the old soil and supplying fresh is an advantage, 

 but saturating the old soil with ammoniacal liquor from the gas-works, diluted with 

 five times its bulk of water, destroys the pests and enriches the soil. Where " gas 

 water " cannot be had, a thorough soaking with soapsuds as far as the roots extend, 

 and repeated a few times during the winter, has a beneficial effect. 



Anfs (Formica). These profit by the sweet limpid fluid ejected by aphides, which is 



