178 



Aphides. 



Boussingault states that in Switzerland these aphides often 

 kill lime trees by their persistent attacks. 



The beech aphis [Phyllaphis fagi) belongs to another genus 

 of the Lachnince. It seriously injures the common beech 

 [Fagus sylvestris), as well as the Copper" or Purple beech. 

 There were many complaints of harm caused by aphides 

 t ) Purple beech trees in gardens and shrubberies. The 

 insects swarmed on the under sides of the leaves and 

 changed their rich glossy colour to dull sombre tints. This 

 aphis covers itself with a waxy exudation resembling white 

 cotton or silk, which with the *'honeydew" forms a nasty, 

 sticky mass on the lower parts of the leaves. The wingless 

 viviparous female is green when deprived of its cottony coat, 

 with a rather narrow body, large red eyes, and a short beak 

 or rostrum. 



With regard to remedial measures against these aphides 

 infesting trees, it is impossible to adopt any in the case of 

 fully-developed and large trees. Young trees and fair-sized 

 trees in gardens, public parks, and in shrubberies may be 

 syringed with soft soap and quassia by means of specially 

 constructed garden engines, having strong pumps. In several 

 instances purple beeches were syringed in this way with very 

 great advantage. The mixture used was 7 lbs. of quassia 

 chips and 7 lbs. of soft soap to 100 gallons ot water. 



Peach and nectarine trees were infested with the aphis 

 named Aphis aniygdali. As the fungus Exoascus defornians, 

 causing what is termed the " curl," was abundantly present 

 in many gardens, this aphis was not always held to be the 

 author of much harm, though, in fact, it did incredible 

 mischief to the trees as well as to the crop of the present 

 year. Spraying and syringing with soft soap and quassia, in 

 the proportions of 6 lbs. of soft soap and 6 lbs. of quassia 

 chips to 100 gallons of water, was successfully adopted in the 

 case of this insect. Spraying, too, with a weak solution of 

 sulphate of copper and lime, at the rate of 5 lbs. of sulphcite 

 of copper and 2\ lbs. of lime to 100 gallons of water, was 

 useful against the " curl " fungus. 



The " blight," as the attack of aphides is termed in Kent, 

 sorely beset the hop plants. There has seldom been such a 



