INJURIOUS INSECTS AND DISEASES 287 



THE PLUM 



The plum aphis or green fly {Aphis pruni) is to be found on apple, medlar, 

 peach, and apricot, besides the plum, and is exceedingly destructive. Multi- 

 plication of the insects takes place by millions, and these close up the pores 

 of the leaves by their tenacious excretions and the mealy exudations from their 

 bodies. They are to be found collected in numerous colonies on the under 

 sides of leaves of the young shoots, and are sometimes found in parties on the 

 stems of the green fruits. 



As A Remedy, washes with a foundation of soft soap are the most desirable, 

 because they have the great advantage of sticking in some degree to the aphides, 

 which is necessary in order to kill them. 



The winter moth [Cheimatobia hrumata) is perhaps the most injurious of all 

 our orchard insects. In some years, when favoured by drought and heat, the 

 mischief is widespread. The caterpillars prey on the leaves and buds of plum, 

 apple, pear, cherry, and nut, and sometimes on currants. In regard to this 

 pest it may be well to call attention to the fact that where young trees are 

 fastened to stakes it is necessary that something be done to stop the traffic up 

 these supports, and thence to the trees ; also where bundles of sticks are tied 

 round the trees to prevent their being gnawed by animals, the guards themselves 

 will probably be a source of caterpillar attack at hatching time in spring unless 

 well looked after. The guards or stakes, therefore, should be well tarred, and 

 a greased band placed on the tree above the supports or protections. 



The following method of grease-banding for fruit trees was suggested by 

 the late Miss E. Ormerod, LL.D., which recommends itself by its simplicity 

 and cheapness, a consideration when some hundreds of trees have to be attended 

 to. The material employed is a kind of tough paper, which is used by grocers 

 for wrapping up butter, lard, and the like, and is known as grease-proof paper. 

 This is applied by a band, as many inches wide as is thought fit (the wider the 

 better), being passed round the stem of the tree. The band should be cut long 

 enough for the ends to overlap well, and these are fastened by paste. The 

 whole is made secure by a piece of bast mat tied round the paper near each 

 edge. This work can be rapidly and well done by women. On the paper 

 bands the grease may be spread in any way preferred, but the best way is 

 considered to be to lay it on with a thin, flat piece of wood, and plentifully, 

 both as to width of band and thickness of layer. 



THE VINE 



Probably of all the fruits under hot-house culture the vine is subject to 

 far more diseases than any other. The most troublesome is that known as 

 shanking, the next worst being mildew. 



Shanking generally makes its appearance just when the berries begin to 

 change colour, and is continued with more or less activity until the crop is 

 ripe. It is first detected by the formation of a slender black thread round the 



