13 



Fig. 14. 



Fig. 15. 



The enormous number of these plant-lice upon the apple, and their wonderful powers 

 •of reproduction, cause them oftentimes to inflict very great damage upon an orchard. 

 In such cases it it desirable to apply a remedy if practicable. The most highly recom- 

 mended remedies are : (1) Dusting the affected leaves with lime or sulphur ; (2) watering 

 them from beneath with strong soap-suds by means of a syringe or garden engine ; and 

 ,{3) a similar application of a strong decoction of tobacco, one pound of stems and rough 



leaf being boiled in a gallon of water. The best 

 of all remedies are, however, provided by the good 

 Providence of the Creator, and consist of small par- 

 asitic insects which prey upon the plant-lice. The 

 most common of these are the various species of 

 jPIP^J lady- birds, both in their larval and beetle states [fig. 



14 represents these two conditions of a common 

 species, the nine-dotted lady-bird (C occinella novem- 

 ■notata.)] The lace-winged or golden-eyed flies (Chrysopa), fig. 15, so called from some of 

 their most striking characteristics. These flies have four 

 deiicate, transparent, white wings, like bits of fine lace, bright 

 golden eyes, and a lovely green body ; but though so pretty to 

 look at, most horrible to handle, the odor they emit being 

 of the most sickening and offensive character. Their larva 

 {fig. 16) i3 equally destructive to aphides with the fly itself; 

 the eggs curiously placed upon stalks are represented on the 

 right in fig. 16. Yet another friend to man and enemy to plant-lice is depicted in 



fig. 17; the larva of the Syrphus fly, which is a two- 

 winged insect of various colors, oftentimes resembling 

 a wasp or hornet. Other enemies to the 

 Aphides that may be mentioned, are dragon 

 flies, ichneumons, etc. But for the as- 

 sistance rendered by these useful insects, 

 the plant-lice would speedily increase to 

 such an extent as to sweep away all vege- 

 tation from the face of the earth. Fig. 17. 



8. The Rose Beetle (Macrodactylus suhspinosus, Fabr). — Among the insects in- 

 jurious to the apple in this country, Mr. Beadle includes the Rose-beetle (or " bug " as it 

 is commonly termed) ; Dr. Fitch also enumerates it amongst apple-tree insects in his New 

 York Eeports. Our own acquaintance with it has, happily, been so slight, and its tastes 

 are so omnivorous where it does occur, that we should have been inclined to place it in 

 some other category, as for instance, under the grape insects, and leave it to our friend 

 Mr. Saunders to deal with in his portion of this report. As it is, however, oftentimes 

 very destructive to the leaves of the apple where it does occur, it will be well for us to 

 give a short description of it here. 



The Bose- beetle is slender in form, tapering a little towards each end, and about two- 

 fifths of an inch in length. Its general color is yellowish, fresh specimens being covered 

 with a dull ochre-yellow down or bloom ; when this is rubbed off, the head, thorax and 

 under side of the body appear shining black, the wing-covers brownish-yellow, and the 

 legs reddish-yellow. These last mentioned appendages are long and slender, and furnished 

 with excessively long spinous feet or claws, from which peculiarity the insect derives its 

 scientific name. Towards the end of J une these beetles appear, where they occur at all, 

 in vast numbers and continue to devour almost everything of a vegetable character that 

 comes before them for about a month or six weeks, and then they entirely disappear till 

 another summer comes round with a fresh horde. Before their disappearance, the females 

 lay about thirty eggs an inch or so below the surface of the earth and these hatch out in 

 about three weeks. The young grubs feed upon any tender roots within reach, and attain 

 their full size before winter sets in, when they are about three-fourths of an inch long and 

 an eighth broad, of a yello wish- white color, with a darker head. When the autumnal 

 frosts set in, they descend some distance into the earth to escape the danger of freezing 

 •and thawing in the winter, but on the arrival of spring they come towards the surface 



Fig. 16. 



