Inclement Weather, Diseases, Etc, 317 



able friend to the grape-grower, as it is stated that the fa- 

 vorite food of the tree-cricket, (Ecanthus niveus, was aphides, 

 particularly those from the pear and the grape. This, the 

 Editor well observes, is an important fact. The observer, 

 by the by, is a lady, living in Port Byron, 111. Her first 

 observations of this insect eating the aphides, are recorded in 

 Vol. I, p. iz6, of the same periodical. 



The order Hemiptera, the true bugs, furnishes us a vast 

 number of injurious insects. Here we find the scale insects, 

 or bark-lice, and the aphides, or plant-lice. 



Of the former subdivision. Dr. Fitch mentions a bark-louse 

 found on grape-vines, in June ; believed to be the Lecanium 

 vitis, of Linnieus. It is hemispherical and brown. A cot- 

 tony substance was extruded from beneath the shell until July, 

 when minute insects crept out, and scattered over the bark, 

 upon which they fixed themselves. 



It is believed that this insect is not very common ; I have 

 not seen it myself, but it should be watched for and destroyed 

 before it can increase. 



The history of the Aphides, and their wonderfiil procrea- 

 tive powers should be familiar to every one who has to do with 

 vegetation, since almost every kind of leafy plant has one or 

 more species, peculiar to itself. The insects, individually, 

 are very small, but their numbers are almost beyond calcula- 

 tion. They live by suction only, and draw the vital fluids 

 from the plants, which suiFer exceedingly from their attacks. 

 Fortunately, these creatures have insect enemies that keep 

 them in check. Among these are the Aphis-Lions, or larvs 

 of the Golden-eyed and Lace-wing flies, belonging to the 

 order Neuroptera, and the Coccinelidae, or Lady-birds, belong- 

 ing to the Beetles, Coleoptera, 



The grape has its peculiar Aphis, called Aphis vitis (?) which 

 is described by Mr. Glover, in the Patent Office Report for 

 1854, p. 79. It is found on the ends of young shoots, during 



