APPLE LEAVES, PLAHT-LOUSE — REMEDIES, SOAP. 57 



parallel with each other, or in some instances are nearer at their tips than at their 

 bases. In ^phis Mali the first fork branches from the third vein beyond its middle. 

 Here it is given off much lower down, at about A third the distance from the base to 

 the tip. Commonly the second fork is here half as long as the first fork: in jlphis 

 Mali it is much. shorter. The tip of the fourth vein is as near that of the rib-vein as 

 it is to that of the second fork. The callous point on the outer margin of the hind 

 wings is much more distinct in this species, and here the two oblique veins branch 

 from the rib-vein at a much less acute angle than in Aphis Mali. 



We come next to speak of the remedies for destroying these 

 vermin. 



Drenching the vegetation infested with any of the species of 

 Aphis with strong soap-suds or weak lye is a measure which has 

 been much recoriiniended, and is certainly one of the most effica- 

 cious within our knowledge. But it is those insects only which 

 are wetted by the solution that are destroyed. These are crea- 

 tures which "sprinkling" will not cleanse from the tree; /'im- 

 mersion" must be resorted to. As it is the green succulent ends 

 of the twigs of young thrifty trees, and the leaves growing from 

 these parts that are most infested and liable to be seriously in- 

 jured, they may be rid of these vermin to a great extent by pre- 

 paring a solution of soft soap in a tin pan or other convenient 

 vessel, and whilst one person holds this under the infested twigs, 

 let another person bend them one after another down into it, 

 holding them there for several seconds. This will, in most cases, 

 destroy all of the lice upon the twigs and leaves, which are thus 

 immersed, and will cleanse and impart new vigor to them. But 

 this is by no means so infallible a remedy as some writers have 

 represented it to be. Some of the lice, perhaps from being more 

 hardy than the generality of their race, will survive. It, how- 

 ever, will reduce their numbers so far as to allay all fears of im- 

 mediate injury to the trees from this pest. 



Instead of a solution of soft soap, a writer in a late number of 

 the American Agriculturist (vol. xiii. p. 295) recommends 

 thoroughly rubbing this substance about the trunks and limbs 

 two or three times a year. It is very probable that thus applied, 

 a sufficient amount of the alkaline matter would be absorbed and 

 taken into the circulating fluids of the tree to render these fluids 

 distasteful, and perhaps poisonous to the Aphides. We have al- 



