NOTES AND ABSTRACTS. 
207 
Apple Aphis, Rosy. By A. G. Baker and W. F. Turner (Jour. Agr. Res. 
vii. pp. 321-343, Nov. 191 7 ; plates). — The authors consider the proper name 
of this insect to be Aphis malifoliae, not A. sorbi as it is usually called. Other 
synonyms are A. pyri Koch, and A. kochii Theobald. The structure and life- 
history of the insect are dealt with at length. The eggs hatch (in Virginia) in 
the early half of April, and the first stem mothers begin to propagate about 
April 25. Five to seven generations occur on the apple (but in some cases the 
pest appears to be present all through summer). The first generation is wing- 
less, and succeeding generations contain larger and larger percentages of winged 
forms. Migration to plantain (Plantago lanceolata) commences about May 20, 
and few^remain on the apple after the end of June. There are from four to 
fourteen generations on the plantain. About the third week in September 
migration to the apple occurs and egg-laying thereon commences about the 
middle of October, continuing until the oviparous females are all dead, even 
into the latter part of December. — F. /. C. 
Apple, Black Root-rot of the. By F. D. Fromme and H„ E. Thomas (Jour M 
Agr. Res. x. pp. 163-173, July 1917 ; 3 plates, 1 figure). — The black root-rot of the 
apple is an infectious disease which has become very prevalent in Virginia, 
U.S. A, The chief symptoms are the formation of black incrustations on the 
surface of attacked roots, and it was found that the disease is infectious. Newly 
planted apple-trees on fresh land are very liable to this disease. The authors 
have isolated three species of Xylaria from affected roots. Of these, Xylaria 
hypoxylon proved to be the most deadly species. Since this species of fungus is 
commonly met with on stumps of forest trees, land which has been already under 
cultivation is more suitable for apple-growing than newly cleared land. — A, B, 
Apple, Effects of Blackrot Fungus, Sphaeropsis malorum, on Chemical Com- 
position of. By C. W. Culpepper, A. C. Foster, and J. S. Caldwell (Jour. Agr. Res. 
vii. pp. 17-40, Oct. 1916). — The variety 'Red Astrachan ' was used in the 
experiment. The fungus caused considerable reduction in amount of total 
solids, and various changes occur in the products extractable with alcohol, etc., 
but there is no reduction of acidity|by formation of purin and hexone bases 
as was found in attacks of Glomerella rufomaculans, though the acidity rapidly 
diminishes. Mineral matter is brought into solution, and sugars rapidly decrease. 
Starch is not attacked. The alcohol content is largely increased. — F. J. C. 
Apple, Laying Out the Orchard. By J. Farrell (Jour. Agr. Vict. Sept* 
1 91 6, pp. 522-532). — Well-described and illustrated methods for setting out 
commercial orchards, by the use of a wooden frame to set off the right angles, and 
fencing wire of No. 8 or 10 gauge, with distances (say 20 feet apart) marked by a 
piece of finer wire soldered on to the wire, a loop being made at each end, about 
5 feet from the end marks, into which two iron pegs or crowbars are placed to hold 
the wire, when fixed in position for marking off. — C. H. H, 
Apple Stocks, Double-worked. By J. Farrell (Jour. Agr. Vict. Oct. 191 6, 
P- 57 8 )- — In Victoria the stocks mostly used are 'Northern Spy' and 'Winter 
Majetin,' as they resist the attack of woolly aphis . A double-worked blight-proof 
stock consists of two portions of the blight-resistant variety intended for use. A 
piece of root is employed as a " starter," on which is grafted a scion, or portion 
of yearling wood, which produces the shoot on which the desired variety may 
be either budded or grafted. Double-worked ' Northern Spy ' root grafts are 
the stocks recommended, as they are most favoured by the fruit-growers in 
Victoria. A piece (A) of ' Northern Spy ' root 2^ inches long is cut with a grafting 
knife and tongued ; a piece (B) of yearling wood of the same variety 4 inches long 
is cut and tongued. The root and scion are then placed together and the tongues 
put into each other to make a firm graft, and tied with a piece of soft string. The 
root graft is planted- during early spring, the top bud of the scion is allowed to 
project above the soil level. The sap commences to move in the starter, fibrous 
roots are thrown out, and cambium connexion formed between stock and scion ; 
fibrous roots are also thrown out at the buds under the soil in the stock, and from 
these the future root system of the tree is mainly formed. The shoot is budded 
with the desired variety, or should this miss the stock is cut and top-grafted about 
9 inches from the ground. — C. H. H. 
Apple Tree Tent Caterpillar, The. By A. L. Quaintance (U.S.A. Dep. Agr., 
Bur. Entom.y Farm. Bull. 662 ; May 1915 ; 7 figs.). — This species is subject to 
attack by numerous parasitic and predaceous insects. The caterpillars are also 
subject to destruction by a bacterial disease, especially when nearly full-grown. 
V.G.J. 
