APIUM. 



APPRAISEMENT. 



" Two varieties of insects that are destruc- 

 tive to and very much disfigure evergreens, 

 the Balsam or Balm of Gilead fir in particular; 

 one an aphis, the other very much like the 

 rose-slug. 



" The above insects are all destroyed by one 

 application, if properly applied to all parts of 

 the leaves ; the eggs of most insects continue 

 to hatch in rotation during their season ; to 

 keep the plants perfectly clean, it will be ne- 

 cessary to dress them two or three times." 



As every plant has its insect destroyers, so 

 have these their created enemies to keep them 

 in check. If this was not so, the astonishing 

 fecundity of plant-lice would make them far 

 more formidable than at present. Indeed it is 

 difficult to say where the plague might end. 

 The destroyers of plant-lice described by Dr. 

 Harris are of three kinds. The first are the 

 young or larvae of the hemispherical beetles 

 familiarly known by the name of lady-birds, 

 and scientifically by that of Coccinella. These 

 little beetles are generally yellow or red, with 

 black spots, or black, with white, red, or yellow 

 spots ; there are many kinds of them, and they 

 are very common and plentiful insects, gene- 

 rally diffused among plants, living upon plant- 

 lice, and thus performing a great service to 

 the husbandman and gardener. 



The second kind of plant-lice destroyers are 

 the young of the golden-eyed lace-winged fly 

 (Chrisopa per la), a fly of a pale green colour, 

 with four wings resembling lace, and eyes of 

 the brilliancy of polished gold, as its generic 

 name implies. But, notwithstanding its bril- 

 liancy, it is extremely disgusting, from the 

 offensive odour it exhales. It makes great 

 havoc among the plant-lice. 



The third and last enemy are the maggots 

 or young of various two- winged flies belonging 

 to the genus Syrphus, many of which flies are 

 black, with yellow bands on their bodies. The 

 eggs are laid and the destructive maggot 

 hatched immediately among the sluggish lice 

 which become its victims. 



The more minute account given by Dr. Har- 

 ris, of the nature and habits of all these in- 

 sects, is extremely interesting. (See his Report 

 upon Destructive Insects submitted to the legis- 

 lature of Massachusetts in 1841.)] 



APIUM. See CELERY and PARSLEY. 



APOPLEXY. In farriery, is a disease which 

 is often called the staggers, to which horses 

 and other animals are subject, and by which 

 they drop down suddenly, without sense or 

 motion, except a working of the flanks. (See 

 SHEEP, DISEASES OF.) 



APPETITE. Horses, more than most other 

 creatures, are subject to diseases of the sto- 

 mach, particularly to a want of appetite, and 

 a vitiated or voracious appetite. 



Want of appetite is when a horse feeds poor- 

 ly, and is apt to mangle his hay, or leave it in 

 the rack, and at the same time gathers little 

 flesh, his dung being habitually soft, and of a 



Ele colour. This state of the stomach evi- 

 ntly arises either from some error in respect 

 of diet and management, want of grass, or from 

 a relaxed constitution, in which the stomach 

 106 



and bowels are more particularly affected with 

 debility. This weakness of the digestive or- 

 gans may be either accidental or constitution- 

 al ; and it may proceed from the use of food 

 administered in an improper state, such as too 

 much scalded bran, or hot meat of any kind, 

 which relaxes the tone of the stomach and 

 bowels, and ultimately produces a weak di- 

 gestion, and consequently a los of appetite. 

 The best method to strengthen and recover 

 horses in this state, is to give them gentle 

 exercise in the open air, especially in dry 

 weather; never to load their stomachs with 

 large feeds ; and to keep them as much as 

 possible to a dry diet* indulging them now and 

 then with a handful of beans among their oats. 

 But where the disorder has been caused by 

 over-feeding with dry food, and the neglect of 

 proper evacuation and exercise, mashes, with 

 gentle saline purges, would seem to be the 

 most suitable remedies ; and where horses do 

 not gain strength under the above manage- 

 ment, a run at grass will most probably be 

 the readiest method of removing their com- 

 plaints. 



APPLE. See MALUS. 



APPLES OF LOVE (Poma amoris / to- 

 mato'). These apples are juicy, and large fruit, 

 growing upon a low plant in gardens. The 

 flowers are yellow and small ; when the fruit 

 ripens, it becomes red, containing soft juicy 

 pulp and seeds. Its juice is cooling to the 

 system, and is applied externally to remove 

 eruptions upon the skin. (L. Johnson.) See 

 TOMATO. 



[APPLE-TREE BLIGHT, and Apple-tree 

 lice. See APHIDES and BLIGHT.] 



[APPLE-TREE BORER. The larva of a kind 

 of beetle. See BORERS.] 



APPRAISEMENT. It is not only custom- 

 ary, but essential to the maintenance of the 

 good condition of a farm, that the outgoing 

 tenant should be induced to carry on the pro- 

 per course of husbandry up to the period of his 

 quitting the farm ; notwithstanding that much 

 of the labour and manure he bestows is for the 

 benefit of crops which a succeeding tenant will 

 reap. Hence the good practice has arisen, that 

 the outgoing tenant shall be allowed for these 

 matters, according to agreement, or, in its ab- 

 sence, by the custom of the district, which 

 varies considerably. (See CUSTOM OF THF. 

 COUNTIES.) 



The following real appraisement of a farm 

 in Surrey, by Mr. Hewitt Davis, an eminent 

 appraiser of the Haymarket, London, will af- 

 ford the young farmer a complete view of the 

 matters usually included in such appraise- 

 ments. It is usual for these valuations to be 

 made by appraisers, one being appointed by 

 the outgoing, and the other by the incoming 

 tenants, who choose an umpire to decide in 

 case of difference. 



[The document cannot fail to be acceptable 

 to the American farmer, since it communicates 

 so many interesting facts relating to the esti- 

 mates of putting in crops, the value of manures, 

 various workings, rent, rates, taxes, &c., in 

 England.] 



