APPLE TREES. 
275 
APPLE TREES. 
" Inutilesque falce ramos amputans 
Feliciores inserit." HoracIb. 
Many a time have I helped to cut away the 
branches of decaying apple trees, and to Insert 
healthy grafts in their places ; noping to restore the 
tree to the sound and fertile state in which it once 
had been. Revolving seasons did but tend to show 
that I had completely lost my time ; for the Ame- 
rican bug, supposed to have been unknown formerly, 
in this country, attacked my labours in such formi- 
dable array, that nothing could withstand its fury. 
Every lover of the orchard must have observed 
this white pestilence in the enclosures sacred to Po- 
mona. It is seen on the branches and on the bole 
of the apple tree in the month of June, when it gives 
them the appearance of being dotted over with little 
patches of a downy white. 
I Long ago I turned my thoughts to the extermina- 
I tion of the spoliator, which had nearly rendered the 
j choicest parts of the orchard a sickly, sad, unprofit- 
able waste. 
I began by trying to make the branches, upon 
which these diminutive harpies had settled, as dis- 
i agreeable to them as it were possible, hoping by this 
i manoeuvre to starve them out of house and home. 
? With this in view, I applied unctuous preparations to 
i the injured parts of the trees; but finding, in the long 
I run, that this availed me nothing, I made a decoction 
I from walnut leaves, and washed the branches well 
T 2 
