INSECTS. 203 



Fumigating a nursery of young vines is out of the question ; 

 arid syringing with tobacco water or any other material is 

 entirely impracticable. The only effectual method that I 

 have found is to go over the young vines and cut off the 

 ends of the laterals that are infested and throw them into 

 a basket, then take the terminal shoot in one hand, and 

 with a good stiff brush clean off the aphis. A few up- 

 ward strokes will usually kill every one, without materially 

 injuring the young shoot. A good leather glove will be 

 needed to protect the hand that holds the shoot. The 

 generic name of this insect is Aphis / the specific name is 

 usually taken from the name of the plant upon which it is 

 found; thus, when found on the vine, it is called Aphis 

 vites / when on the apple, Aphis mali, from malus, the 

 specific botanical name of the apple. 



The larvae of a small spotted insect called the Lady Bird 

 feeds upon the aphis, devouring vast numbers of them. 

 The lady bird is the gardener's friend, and they should never 

 be killed if it can be avoided. These little beetles are 

 usually red or orange yellow, with small black spots ; some 

 kinds have only three spots, others have as many as nine. 

 They are very common, and many has been the crime that 

 has been laid to them of which they were entirely innocent. 



RED SPIDER. 



The Red Spider, Acarus tellarius, is one of the small- 

 est insects that infest the vine. It is so very minute that 

 it appears as only a small red speck, and can scarcely be 

 seen by the naked eye. It usually confines itself to the 

 under side of the leaf of vines in the house, though it will 

 sometimes make its appearance on vines in small gardens 

 and do considerable damage. 



They spin a fine web over the under surface of the leaf 

 as a kind of nest or protection ; 4iere they live in large 

 numbers, and by puncturing the leaves for food, cause it tq 



