l82 



Aphides. 



and the apple weevil [Anthonomus pomoru77z). The materials 

 used for spraying apple trees are the extract of 6 lbs. or /lbs. 

 of quassia chips and 6 lbs. or 7 lbs. of soft soap to 100 gallons 

 of water. Paris green added to this in the proportion of 

 4 ozs. to 100 gallons of the mixture is of great advantage, 

 as it poisons the food of the insects and does not hurt the 

 foliage or blossoms. 



The multiplication of pests like the apple aphis and 

 of other insects is much influenced by the neglected and 

 unpruned condition of the apple trees. Where the bark is 

 thick and full of deep fissures, and the branches are thickly 

 twisted together, and when lichens and mosses are allowed 

 to cluster densely upon the boughs and twigs, insects are 

 generally far more numerous and destructive than upon trees 

 that have been pruned properly, well scraped, and cleared 

 from foreign growths. The lamentably neglected condition 

 of many of the apple orchards of this country serves to 

 intensify and to perpetuate the visitations and injuries of 

 the apple aphis, the woolly aphis, the whole tribe of winter 

 moths, the ermine moth, the apple blossom weevil the Psyllay 

 the codlin moth, and other pests, to say nothing about 

 equally dangerous fungi. Other insects also depend upon 

 these neglected apple trees for their subsistence, or make 

 them their shelter and refuge, from which they emerge to 

 blight or destroy other crops. 



Among aphides which were particularly abundant and 

 troublesome to black and red currants during the past season 

 was the Rhopalosiphttm ribiSj the currant aphis, which makes 

 galls, or swellings, upon the surfaces of the leaves of black or 

 red currant bushes. The galls are usually of a red colour, and 

 upon examination of the under surfaces it will be seen that 

 there are companies of larvae engaged in sucking up with 

 their club-shaped syphons the juices from the leaves, 

 causing them to blister, curl up, and eventually fall. The 

 currants in these circumstances often " shank " and "run off/' 

 like grapes in vineries where the conditions are unhealthy. 

 The winged viviparous female (i) has large long translucent 

 wings, and is prettily marked, having a yellow body with 

 black and green bars and spots, a black thorax, and yellow 



