INSECTS INFESTING FRUIT TREES. 



1. THE APPLE. 



AFFECTING THE ROOT. 



Wart-like excrescences growing upon the roots, sometimes of an enormous size ; 

 containing in their crevices exceedingly minute lice, often accompanied with 

 larger winged ones having their bodies covered with a wliite cotton-like 

 matter. 



The Apple-eoot Biaost, Pemphigus Pyri. Synonyms, Eriosoma Pyri, Fitoh, 

 Fourth Report of the N. T. State Cabinet of Nat. Hist., A. D. 1851, (Sen- 

 ate Document, No. 30) p. 68. Pemphigus Americanits ? Walker, List 

 of Homopterous Insects in tue British Museum, 1852, p. 1057. 



Upon the 29tli day of October, 1849, I was occupied in setting 

 out a number of young Apple trees which had been brought me 

 from the nursery at Glens Falls, Warren county, when, on the 

 roots of one of these trees, I observed some very singular excrescen- 

 ces. I was conjecturing as to the cause of this remarkable dis- 

 ease, which appeared to be sufficient to destroy the tree, when, 

 nearly concealed in one of the largest excrescences, a woolly Plant- 

 louse was perceived, and on further inspection, a second one was 

 found, similarly secreted — one of these being dead, the other alive. 

 And on examining the crevices of this excrescence with a magni- 

 fying glass, they were discovered to be occupied by numerous 

 lice, so minute as to be wholly imperceptible to the naked eye. 

 These, there can scarely be a doubt, were the young of the larger 

 winged lice, first noticed. 



Upon the wing, in groves, late in the autumn, I have captured 

 numerous individuals of this same species, where no apple trees 

 were growing within a half mile. These were probably bred 

 upon the roots of the Thorn or the Shad-bush {Amelanchier 



