278 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. c September ai, im. 
light a nature for fruit trees generally, yet it is in every way 
suitable for the first two varieties. They could not flourish and 
fruit with greater freedom in any good soil or locality. It is 
strikingly evident that these two varieties of Apples are at home 
when planted in a light dry soil, for the majority of other fruit 
trees in a dry season become infested with red spider, while these 
retain a healthy vigorous appearance, and are not subject to the 
attacks of this troublesome enemy.—L. D. W. 
THE SPRUCE-GALL APHIS (CHERMES ABIETIS). 
We have received during the present summer examples of the 
above insect from counties as widely separated as Yoikshire and 
Sussex, and it would appear that this pest is now decidedly on 
the increase throughout England. With regard to Scotland, we 
are not at this moment possessed of observations that would 
enable us to form an opinion. The species, also known as the 
Spruce Adslges, has been noticed during many years in Germany, 
though its life history has not yet been satisfactorily made out. 
As the name indicates, it is particularly attached to the Spruce, 
but doubtless several other Conifers are liable to its visits. Mr. 
Carter of Keighley, who has seen the Spruce-gall aphis in a 
variety of places, attributes the spread of the insect, at least 
partly, to the wholesale destruction of wasps. He has often, so 
Fig. 45.—Chermes abietis. Tbe Spruce-Gall Aphis. 
he informs us, watched the wasps busily engaged amongst the 
Spruce Firs, and believes they clear off Chermes Abietis very 
effectually. Hence he argues that foresters ought certainly to 
protect wasps, although gardeners may wish to reduce their 
numbers on seemingly good grounds. 
The insects that are placed in science under the genus 
Chermes occupy a place somewhat intermediate between the 
aphis or fly, and the coccus or scale. Unlike the aphide a , they do 
not winter in the egg state, but larvae are hatched out in autumn. 
Whether these form or live in galls is uncertain ; these are, it is 
supposed, full-fed before the winter, and after pupation they 
show themselves during the spring upon tbe buds of the Spruce as 
wingless females. These are oval, flattened, and woolly, of 
various tints, mostly green or purple, and certainly very mis¬ 
chievous, since each one deposits about a couple of hundred egg«, 
besides which they cause the irritation that produces a gall bv 
driving their suckers into tbe young twigs. While these 
are gradually increasing in size, the Chermes larvae are growing 
and feeding on or around the galls, within which at last they are 
hidden. This is a singular fact in the history of these larvae, 
considered by some naturalists to arise from the enlargement of 
the morbid growth of leaves, which, as they become puffy, over¬ 
lap the tiny insects. Miss Ormerod, however, explains it dif¬ 
ferently, her observations, which are generally accurate, lead¬ 
ing her to the opinion that at a certain stage a crack opens 
along the gall, towards which the Chermes larvne direct their 
course, and so shelter in the chambers within the gall. 
About six weeks are required to bring the Spruce galls to their 
full size, when they begin to hardeD, the larvce enclosed having by 
this time entered the pupal state. The pupae are of a dull white 
colour and powdery. It is just as they are ready to produce the 
mature Chermes that the galls crack, and the flies soon appear. 
These seldom fly far from the tree on which they have been 
reared, the females ere they die depositing small parcels of eggs. 
These are small in number, probably not more than a tenth of 
those laid by the females of the spring brood. The economy 
of the second brood of larvae has not been fully investigated. 
Evidently these autumn feeders develope into the flies that are 
troublesome in spring. Afterwards the empty galls, as is com¬ 
monly the case, if unremoved afford a home to sundry mites or 
Acari. 
It is agreed that no remedial process can be of any good when 
mature trees in a plantation are found to be badly infested. Not 
unfrequently it happens that the pest makes its appearance upon 
a few scattered trees in a plantation. It is worth while to sacrifice 
these, because they are likely to prove centres of infection. If 
the gall-covered shoots are not removed and burnt they may, 
should they be laid by for a few weeks amongst underwood, 
after all produce a swarm of the Chernies. Trees that are but 
partially attacked in the early part of the season may be washed 
with one of the liquids which are proved to be effective in the 
destruction of aphides and cocci. In the event of an arrival of 
Chermes Abietis upon saplings of the Spruce, it has been recom¬ 
mended to carefully examine them and cut off the shoots that are 
beginning to show galls. Plantations that are too thickly set 
are specially liable to this pest, which is seldom seen in open and 
elevated positions. 
The woodcut (fig. 45) represents the insect of its natural size, 
and greatly magnified.—J. II. S. C. 
ROOT-PRUNING. 
As the time will soon arrive to commence this useful operation, 
it will be well to carefully note all those trees that are making 
too much wood and bearing no fruit, also those that make hardly 
any wood, and those that are in bad health. Lifting and root- 
pruning will be the best practice to adopt for improving all 
trees that are in an unsatisfactory state. Apples on the Paradise 
and Pears on the Quince are naturally free fruiters and shy 
growers, but they require lifting occasionally to keep them in 
good health ; and if any trees are given to canker it will help to 
remedy that evil. The best time to root-prune is when the leaves 
commence changing colour. 
In the case of trees that are producing too much wood it will be 
best to open a trench about 6 feet from the stem, work the soil 
carefully from the roots to within 2 feet of the tree, cutting the 
tap-roots well back, removing those that have a tendency to de¬ 
scend, but retaining the fibrous roots, which are tbe fruit-feeding 
roots. When working the soil back mix plenty of lime rubbish 
and burnt earth with it, so as to encourage fibrous roots. 
Trees that are not making sufficient growth should have the 
soil removed from the roots, adding fresh rich soil, and top-dress 
with manure in summer. Dig a trench round those that are un¬ 
healthy and work the soil from the roots, supplying good dry 
fibrous loam, with little lime rubbish mixed with it. Top-dress 
in the summer, and keep the fruit off for a year or two, when 
the tree will regain its former health.—A. Young. 
GOOD NECTARINES. 
All who have these fruits to produce as early in the season as 
possible should secure a tree of Lord Napier for the early house. 
It is not wise to throw out any tree that annually produces a good 
crop of fruit, and plant a young tree, thus losing a crop for a 
season or two. Much the better plan is to grow the tree in some 
light position, under glass.if possible, until it is in a fruit-bearing 
condition, when it can be removed to the early house, and the 
other tree removed and planted somewhere else or destroyed. In 
the latter case the tree of Lord Napier can after the first season 
be planted in the early house, and the other cut away as the young 
tree developes, by which means the house will rapidly be furnished 
and no crop of fruit lost. From my experience of Lord Napier I 
am inclined to believe it will become a very popular early variety. 
It is a vigorous grower and produces fruits of a very large size, 
which colour well when fully exposed to the sun. I was under 
the impression that it did not colour really well from several 
examples I had seen exhibited before my tree commenced fruiting ; 
but with me its fruits coloured much more highly than I had 
anticipated, but to accomplish this they must be fully exposed to 
light. I have heard this variety is rather shy, but it has not dis¬ 
played this faulty disposition here or in a neighbouring garden, 
as it commenced fruiting freely in a very small state and has 
continued prolific ever since. 
The tree I have is very vigorous in spite of being lifted every 
