AMERICAN BLIGHT. 273 



the air. Upon examining this substance, we find that 

 it conceals a multitude of small wingless creatures, 

 which are busily employed in preying upon the limb of 

 the tree beneath. This they are well enabled to do by 

 means of a beak terminating in a fine bristle, which, 

 being insinuated through the bark, and the sappy part 

 of the wood, enables the creature to extract as with a 

 syringe the sweet vital liquor that circulates in the 

 plant. This terminating bristle is not observed in 

 every individual ; in those that possess it, it is of dif- 

 ferent lengths, and is usually, when not in use, so closely 

 concealed under the breast of the animal as to be in- 

 visible. In the younger insects it is often manifested 

 by protruding like a fine termination to the body ; but 

 as their size increases, the bristle 

 is not in this way observable. The 

 sap-wood (alburnum) being thus 

 wounded, rises up in excrescences 

 and nodes all over the branch AMERICAN BLIGHT. 

 and deforms it ; the limb de- (Magnified.) 



prived of its nutriment, grows sickly ; the leaves turn yel- 

 low, and the part perishes. Branch after branch is thus 

 assailed, until they all become leafless, and the tree dies. 

 "Aphides attack the young and softer parts of 

 plants; but this insect seems easily to wound the 

 harder bark of the apple, and by no means makes 

 choice of the most tender parts of the branch. They 

 give a preference to certain sorts, but not always the 

 most rich fruits ; as cider-apples and wildings are 

 greatly infested by them, and, for some unknown caiise, 

 other varieties seem to be exempted from their depreda- 

 tions. The Wheeler's russet and Crofton pippin I have 

 never observed injured by them. This insect is vivi- 

 parous, or produces its young alive, forming a cradle 

 for them by discharging from the extremities of its 

 body a quantity of long, cottony matter, which, becom- 

 ing interwoven and entangled, prevents the young from 

 falling to the earth, and completely envelopes the parent 



