A[)j>le  Snck'er  ; Ap^de  Hlossot)i  W e<^r/l. 
starving  the  caterpillars,  may  be  made  of  the  (>xtract  of  (I  II). 
of  quassia,  obtained  by  boiling  or  soaking  quassia  chips  in 
w'ater,  and  7 lb.  to  8 lb.  of  soft  soap  to  100  gallons  of  water. 
Some  growers  use  arsenates,  as  Paris  Green  and  London 
Purple,  Avhich  poison  their  food  and  so  kill  the  caterpillars.  Paris 
Green  is  largely  used  in  America.  It  is  mixed  in  powder  or 
paste  form — the  latter  being  better  and  less  dangerous — at  the 
rate  of  1 lb.  to  from  200  to  280  gallons  of  water  according  to  the 
kind  of  fruit  trees,  and  the  age  and  condition  of  the  blossom  and 
leafage.  If  used  too  strong  these  will  be  burned.  Great  care 
must  be  observed  not  to  make  this  wash  too  strong,  and  not  to 
put  stock  under  trees  on  grass  that  have  been  sprayed  until  rain 
lias  washed  the  grass.  This  wash  should  not  be  employed  where 
there  are  gooseberry  bushes  or  vegetables  under  the  trees. 
Apple  Sucker  (Psylla  malt). — The  harm  done  by  this 
insect  is  not  realised,  as  it  is  so  small  and  so  closely  concealed 
in  the  buds,  and  is  at  first  coloured  like  the  leafage,  that  it  is 
easily  passed  over,  at  all  events  by  casual  observers.  The  larvae 
exhaust  the  juices  of  the  buds  and  cause  decay,  aud  prevent 
fructification  of  the  blossoms.  Eggs  are  laid  in  September 
and  October,  and  even  in  November,  on  the  youngest  shoots 
of  fruit  trees.  These  hatch  on  the  first  ap])roach  of  spring, 
and  the  tiny,  flat  larvae  get  into  the  nearest  buds  and  feed  uj)on 
them,  causing  much  harm  in  some  seasons. 
It  is  not  possible  to  affect  the  eggs  of  the  Psylla,  or  of 
the  Winter  Moth,  or  indeed  of  most  insects,  as  they  are 
protected  by  hard  shells  ; but  infested  trees  should  be  sprayed 
early  in  the  spring  with  the  quassia  and  soft-soap  washes,  as 
used  for  Winter  Moth  caterpillars,  or  with  a Paris  Green  wash 
to  ])oison  the  young  larvae  or  to  make  their  food  distasteful. 
Aphides  of  various  kinds  infest  apple,  plum,  and  damson 
ti’ees,  and  currants.  These  can  be  cleared  off  by  early  and 
frequent  sprayings  with  quassia  and  soft-soap  washes.  And  as 
to  spraying  generally  it  may  be  said  here  that  to  be  effectual 
it  must  be  done  early,  and  repeated  if  necessary.  Some 
growers  spray  regularly  and  systematically,  beginning  very 
early  and  continuing  late,  as  a matter  of  ordinary  treatment, 
with  the  greatest  advantage,  and,  as  the  insects  which  attack 
fruit  trees  increase  alarmingly,  it  is  incumbent  on  all  growers 
who  wish  to  succeed  to  follow  their  example. 
Apple  Blossom  Weevil  (Anthonomus  jwmorinn)  is  often 
very  troublesome  to  the  apple  and  pear  crops.  The  mischief  is 
frequently  attributed  to  caterpillars  or  the  Apple  Sucker.  On 
