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year 1807 the sea shore at Brighton and all the watorinj^ places on the 

 south coast of England, was literally covered with lady bugs, to the great 

 surprise, and even alarm, of the inhabitants, who were ignorant that their 

 little visitors were emigrants from the neighboring hop-grounds, where 

 each had slain his thousands and tens of thousands of the aph's. 



These several kinds of destroyers of the plant lice were every where com. 

 mon upon the hop vines tlic past summer. I believe that in every instance 

 in which leaves with the lice upon tiieni were sent irie by correspondents, 

 I found one or more of these destroyers also upon the leaves ; and in one 

 box that came to me, not one of the lice was remaining, all having been 

 devoured by several of these enemies which had happened to be inclosed 

 in the box. These destroj'crs having been so common, it is quite probable 

 tliat they have now subdued these lico to such an extent that the coming 

 season the crop will be much less if at all damaged by them. 



It is of great importance that we should have some remedy, wliereby, 

 when these insects do fall upon the hop vines in such myriads as they have 

 done the past two years, we may be able to promptly destroy them. 



As the lice remain stationary upon the undersides of the leaves and are 

 so very tender and delicate that the slightest pressure suffices to crush and 

 kill them, Mr. Kirby recommends to take the leaf between the thumb and 

 finger, and move the fiugcr so as to gently rub over the under surface of 

 the leaf, whereby every aphis upon it will be destroyed. He thinks women 

 and children can be employed for a small compensation to do this work, 

 taking every leaf in succession between the thumb and finger, and thus 

 wholly ridding the vines from these vermin. But we all know it will be aii 

 immense labor to thus take hold of every leaf upon the vines occupying 

 whole acres of ground. Many of the leaves, too, arc quite large, being five 

 or six inches broad, and the finger is but three inches long. It will there, 

 fore require one hand to hold the leaf steady, whilst the thumb and finger 

 of the other are drawn several times along it, mowing down the vermin 

 by successive swaths. Moreover, the veins on the underside of these large 

 leaves arc studded with prickles, whereby I doubt if a dozen leaves can 

 thus be rubbed over before the skin of the finger will be cut through to the 

 quick. I need not specify other obstacles which occur to my mind, all con- 

 curring to convince me that this proposed remedy, of the success of which 

 Mr. Kirby is quite sanguine, is wholly impracticable. 



Washing and syringing the plants with strong soap suds has been often 

 veconnnended for destroying the aphis upon them. I have recently been 

 experimenting with this remedy, upon the plant lice which so badly infest 

 the beautiful verbenas of our Flower Gardens, and I find it to be of but 

 partial efficacy. It oidy kills the young, tender lice ; those which are ma- 

 ture are so robust that they are i;ot destroyed, even though the infested 

 stems and leaves are immersed in a strong solution of soap. 



There is one remedy, and one only, which we know to be efficacious and 

 perfectly sure for destroying the different species of plant lice. This is the 

 smoke of tobacco. It operates like a charm. It never fails. But to apply 

 it, it is necessary to place a box or barrel over the plant, burning the 

 tobacco in a cup underneath, until its smoke has filled the inclosed space 



