REPORT ON INJURIOUS INSECTS FOR 1903. 



The soil was in each case treated as described above, but nothing 

 beyond the millipedes was found. 



PREVENTATIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES. 



The only treatment of any practical value on a large scale is liming 

 the soil, but for gardens, nothing is better than pieces of mangold 

 or potato which have been dipped in a strong solution of Paris 

 green (Slut id ell's). These should be put down at night and covered 

 with a cabbage leaf. 



III. INSECTA. 



The Woolly Aphis (American Blight). 



Schizoneura lanigera, Hausm. 



Although but few complaints have reached me of the presence of 

 this aphid during 1903, I have learnt from many sources of, and 

 personally seen, its ravages on apple trees throughout the Midland 

 Counties, and particularly so in Warwickshire and Worcestershire, 

 especially the latter county. 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 3. 



THE WOOLLY APHIS (Schizoncnra lanigem, Hausm.). 



Fig. I. Queen Aphis, Fig. 2. Apterous viviparous female. Fig. 3. Pupa. 



Fig. 4. Winged female. Fig. 5. Winter form. 



(All greatly enlarged, after Buckton.) 



The damage has been most serious where the roots of young 

 trees have bfen attacked. 



As is well-known the insect attacks the roots as well as the 

 trunk and branches of apple trees and other plants. The root form 

 is by far the more injurious, especially to young trees. Infested 

 roots develope at about a depth of a foot or more, peculiar clubbed, 

 knotted growths, consisting of hard fibrous enlargements, in the 

 crevices of which the aphids live. After a time these gall-like 

 bodies commence to seriously interfere with the root functions 

 and in addition set up centres of decomposition. 



