256 TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



Aphides are devoured by the larva of the Myrmeleon For- 

 micarius, or ant-eater, of Linnasus. Ants are like wile very 

 fond of them, on account of a fweet liquor which they eject 

 from the anus. Aphides are extremely common. 



Fruit-trees are frequently very much infefted with different 

 fpecies of the aphis ; the Plum, in particular, fuffers greatly 

 by them. Thofe which I have mod frequently found on 

 Plums are, the brown, the green, and the light fea-green 

 aphis ; but, as before obferved, different forts of trees gene- 

 rally have different fpecies of aphides. Great care Ihould be 

 taken to deflroy thefe pernicious infects at as early a period 

 of their growth as poffible ; otherwife they will confume the 

 leaves and fruit for that feafon. The beft method that I have 

 found for this purpofe is, to take Ibme fine wood-allies mixed 

 with one third part of fine unflaked lime, and throw it on 

 with a common dredging-box, till you have covered the 

 underfides of all the leaves where you find the infects : this 

 fhould be done in the morning early while the dew is on the 

 leaves, which will caufe the powder to adhere to them ; 

 letting them remain fo covered with the powdered lime for 

 three or four days. Then mix unflaked lime and foft water, 

 or water that has been expofed to the fun a week at leaft, at 

 the rate of half a peck to thirty-two gallons, and Jtir it well 

 two or three times a day for three or four days. If you have 

 many trees that are infected with infects, mix up a large 

 quantity in the fame proportion as the above. I generally 

 mix as much at once as will fill a cittern * about feven feet 

 long by three and a half broad, and three feet deep, and that 



* If it be a leaden ciftern, a little loam, enough to cover the bottom, muft be thrown 

 in, and then trod down,, before the lime and water are put in : the loam will prevent 

 the lime from corroding the metal. 



con- 



