I’r((rfin(l  Unit  a 
on 
Fruit  Farminif. 
Woolly  Aphis  {iSchizoneiira  laniijem). — Tliero  has  l)een 
an  incroase  lately  in  the  injuries  caused  to  ap])le  trees  by  the 
“ Woolly  Aphis.”  It  is  especially  injurious  to  young  trees 
whose  hark  is  tender,  and  easily  pierced  by  its  sharp  beak. 
It  appears  in  the  form  of  bunches  of  a white  woolly  or 
cottony  substance  on  the  stems,  branches,  and  twigs  of  apple 
trees,  ])articularly  in  scars  and  cracks  caused  by  bad 
pruning,  careless  fastening  to  stakes  or  supports,  and  by  hail. 
After  the  extraordinarily  severe  hailstorm  in  a small  district  in 
Kent,  in  U)02,  which  made  deep  wounds  in  many  young  trees  and 
young  shrubs,  and  the  smaller  branches  of  trees,  it  was  noticed 
that  there  was  an  unusual  attack  of  the  Woolly  Aphis.  These 
woolly  bunches  contain  groups  of  aphides  in  various  stages, 
some  of  which  are  clothed  with  fine,  woolly  coverings,  and  are 
})iercing  the  denuded  surfaces  and  sucking  up  the  sap.  Extrava- 
sation of  sap  occurs  and  warty  excrescences  are  formed,  affording 
food  and  shelter  for  the  numerous  generations  of  larva?  which 
soon  cause  the  whole  branch  or  stem  to  lose  vigour  and  fruitful- 
ness. When  fruit  bearing  spurs  or  twigs  are  attacked  they  soon 
die.  Plum  trees  are  sometimes  infested  by  this  insect.  It  also 
affects  the  roots  of  apple  and  plum  trees,  causes  them  to  form 
warty  growths  and  to  lose  sap,  and  consequently  vigour. 
Prevention  and  Remedies. — Infestation  is  principally  occa- 
sioned by  the  aphides  being  wafted  by  the  wind,  by  means  of 
their  woolly  coats,  from  tree  to  tree.  Continuity  of  existence 
is  ensured  by  females,  which  hibernate  in  the  bark  among 
lichens  and  mosses  and  lay  eggs,  and,  principally,  by  larvae, 
which  also  hibernate  snugly  in  their  woollen  coats  under  the 
bark,  in  wounds  and  scars,  and  upon  the  roots. 
It  is  most  important  that  apple  trees  should  be  kept  clear 
of  lichenous  and  mossy  growths,  which  harbour  all  kinds  of 
insects,  and  keep  light  and  air  from  the  branches.  There 
cannot  be  too  frequent  iteration  of  the  injunction  to  keep  all 
l)ranches,  shoots,  and  twigs  clear  of  these  parasitic  intruders. 
To  get  rid  of  them  very  finely  powdered  quick  lime  should  be 
thrown  all  over  the  trees  in  damp  weather  in  the  winter,  by 
men  having  scoops,  like  flour  scoops,  fastened  to  long  poles. 
Sul{)hate  of  iron,  dissolved  in  water  in  the  pro[)ortion  of  1 lb. 
to  one  gallon  of  water,  sprayed  over  the  trees  in  late  autumn 
or  winter  wilt  kill  lichens  and  mosses,  and  interfere  with  the 
woolly  a[)hides.  When  they  are  discoveretl  in  wounds  and 
scars  these  should  be  smeared  in  the  late  autumn  with  a thick 
compound  of  soft-soap  and  ])araffin  oil,  in  the  ))roportion  of 
