0 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
(fatoiMlflflital, 
THE WOOLY APHIS OF THE APPLE- 
TREE. 
(Schizoneura laninera. Hausm.') 
PROFESSOR CYRUS THOMAS. 
I send the following notes on the above- 
named insect, to be added to what is said by 
Mr. Mann in the Rural for Dee. 28. 
As stated by Mr. Maun, the species was 
named by Hausmann in 1801 as infesting all 
apple trees in Gtmnauy. Serrille and Amyot 
assert that it was unknown in Europe previous 
to 1787, at which time it was first observed in 
England, having been, as it was supposed, im¬ 
ported from North America. Tougard (Ann. 
Soc. iTBort. <h> Parts) asserts that it was un¬ 
known in Belgium previous to 1829. The first- 
named authors also state that it was not ob¬ 
served in France until 1812. Harris, relying 
upon the authority of Salisbury (“ Hints on 
Orchards”), declares that it was unknown 
to French gardeners fer a long time previous 
to the date of its supposed importation into 
England. If it was imported into England in 
1787, it did not reach France and Belgium 
until 1813, yet wo find it in Germany in 1781, 
and that without any hint as to its recent im¬ 
portation. Scrville and Amyot appear to have 
overlooked Ilausmann’s statements, although 
they must have had before them Vol. 1. of lin¬ 
ger's Magazine, in which they were found. I 
may also add that M. Eudes Deslongchamps, 
in a prize essay read before the Agricultural 
Society of Caen in 1830, and M. Blot in a paper 
of the same date, maintained that it was not 
introduced from America, but was indigenous 
to Europe : that occasionally, under favorable 
circumstances, it was greatly multiplied iu 
certain localities, and then for a time would 
disappear, and hence the idea of importation. 
The name “American Blight.” given to it in 
England, indicates, on the contrary, the popu¬ 
lar belief in that country of its American origin: 
but such popular names are about as often 
wrong as right. Prof. Riley in bis third re¬ 
port. asserts, upon what authority I am unable 
to say, that it is conceded on almost all sides 
that it was imported from America into 
Europe. 
Its habits, all the facts that can be ascertain¬ 
ed in reference to its history in Europe, the 
discovery by Messrs. Walsh and Riley of its 
identity with the Apple-root Louse, are suffi¬ 
cient, in my opinion, to render it highly prob¬ 
able at least, that Harris was correct in sup¬ 
posing it to he an importation from Europe 
into America. 
The generally accepted opinion in reference 
to the manner and place of depositing its eggs, 
as stated by Mr. Mann who follows Harris, is, 
I think, theoretical, lie speaks of the winged 
females of the fall brood Hying from tree to 
tree, depositing their eggs in the crotches of 
the branches, chinks of the bark, etc. I know 
not what personal observations lie has made, 
but it is certain that Harris copied from Haus¬ 
mann and Knapp his statement in reference to 
this matter; also that these two authors were 
not so fortunate as to discover a single winged 
specimen; in fact, they were of the opinion 
they never acquired wings, aud Harris appears 
to hav .1 coincided with this opiniou. It is also 
certainly true, as demonstrated by Walsh and 
Riley, that the winged specimens described by 
Dr. Fitch did not belong even to the same 
genus as the Wooly Aphis, but to Pemphigus. 
While it is true that winged, oviparous indi¬ 
viduals occur among the Cherraesimr and al¬ 
lied genera, the oviparous females of Aphid- 
inn are always apterous, and the same is prob¬ 
ably true of the Schizoneurinaj: in fact. Katten- 
back believed the species of this group were 
always viviparous, but this is now known to be 
a mistake. Koch, in his admirble work on the 
Plant-lice, fails to notice this species, but 
Bpeaks of the “Altmuttcr” (colony founders), 
of one species of this genus ( Schizoneura) as 
being winged, though in most cases they are 
described as apterous. But this does not prove 
they are “oviparous.” as in a large majority 
of cases the winged Aphides which found col¬ 
onies are “viviparous.” 
While it is very common for the Aphidimc or 
higher types of the family, especially those 
which feed on the leaves, to hibernate iu the egg 
state; on the contrary it is very common for 
those of the lower types, which are oviparous, 
to winter over as larvie. especially those which 
infest the roots as well as other parts of the 
plant. 
While I cannot say that the Wooly Aphis of 
the apple tree does never hibernate in the egg 
state, I do know from personal observation 
that it does (and as far as I have observed 
only), winter over in the larva, or preparatory 
state. In January, 1877, after one of the 
coldest spells we had experienced for several 
vears, I found them, while the snow was yet 
on the. ground in considerable numbers on the 
trunk of an apple tree in my yard. Ami now, 
while writing this communication (Dec. SI. 
1878), while the spow is stj.ll several inches 
deep and after most severe cold, I find them on 
the trunk of an apple tree, torpid, it is true, 
but reviving and moving about soon after 
beiugjj^rought into a warm room. 
Another significant fact to which my atten¬ 
tion is now called for the first time is. that 
they appear scattered over the trunk iu little 
colonies in such fissures and chinks as they 
could find. In these colonies the few (from 
one to three or four), apparently full-grown 
individuals, which are thickly covered with 
cotton, are all dead, the larvae alone remaining 
alive. These full-grown individuals are all 
wingless. Were they the founders of the col¬ 
onics? Or wore they deposited by wiuged 
females? I have failed entirely to find any 
eggs, although I have examined closely for 
them. I fyid minute yellowish-white globules 
in the cottony materia), but these little vesicles 
are not eggs, they arc Local matter discharged 
from the anal aperture. The same thing is 
common with the Elm-leaf Aphis (Schizoneura 
ulmi), a species which, on account of the annu¬ 
al decay ot its habitat, most probably hiber¬ 
nates in the egg form, but the reason for this 
is wanting in the case of the Wooly Aphis of 
the apple tree. Taking all these facts into se¬ 
rious consideration, I am disposed to seriously 
doubt the correctness of the statement Harris 
lias copied from Hausmann and Knapp con¬ 
cerning this matter. 
Most orebardists are aware that the work of 
these insects can generally be detected even 
after they have disappeared. They usually 
cause the surface of the spot they infest (on 
the trunk or branches) to become granulated 
aucl roughened. If present, they are easily 
recognized by the bluish-white, cottony sub¬ 
stance they secrete from their bodies. At cer¬ 
tain times, and especially iu winter, this ap¬ 
pears to he more abundant, longer aud of a 
purer white than at other times. When they 
locate on the trunk or branches, so far as my 
observations extend, they usually select as a 
starting point some fissure, cut, break or 
otherwise injured spot in the bark ; or. if these 
cannot be found, the wrinkles about the axils 
of the larger brandies. In 1870 J noticed, dur¬ 
ing the summer, little scattered colonies even 
on the smaller limbs and twigs. If a tree is 
neglected and allowed to send up sprouts from 
the base of the trunk, the point of junction at 
or below the surface will be found a favorite 
resort for these insects. 
REMEDIES. 
For those on the trunk and branches, Mr. 
Mann has already mentioned the chief topical 
remedies. Kerosene, if carefully and properly 
applied, will probably be as effectual as any¬ 
thing else that cun be used. Blot was of the 
opinion that topical applications were of com¬ 
paratively little use, probably because the 
truuk continues to be supplied from the root 
colonics. His reliance was chiefly on prevent¬ 
ive measures, and to this end he recommends 
the following culture: Avoid giving to the 
nursery, where the young trees are, more 
shade than absolutely necessary; avoid plac¬ 
ing the trees in too flat or humid ground ; give 
to both the nursery and orchard all the vent¬ 
ilation possible, so that they may be thorough¬ 
ly aired, and keep the heads of the trees open, 
so as to favor the circulation of air and the 
dryiug of the soil ; use the plow frequently, 
and do not permit rubbish or twigs to remain 
under the trees; surround each tree with soot 
or tobacco and fine sand. 
For the destruction of the root-lice Dr. Fitch 
suggests clearing away the earth from ilie 
roots, as far as it. can conveniently be done, 
then pour stroug soap-suds upon them in suf¬ 
ficient quantity to penetrate and saturate the 
crevices in the excrescences. The soil taken 
out should be removed and other soil substi¬ 
tuted ; or, if returned, ashes should be freely 
mixed with it. I think it would be well in any 
case to substitute light and very sandy loam 
mixed with ashes or lime. Another method 
which was long ago practiced bv French hort¬ 
iculturists, and strongly recommended by Blot 
iu his celebrated essay on this insect, aud 
which lias also been recommended in this 
country by Harris, Walsh and Riley, is to 
drench the roots with hot water, applying it in 
sufficient quantities to penetrate to all parts of 
the roots which have been attacked. So far as 
I can ascertain, this species appears to infest 
the truuk and branches more ubuudantly in 
the northern sections, retiring more and more 
to the roots as we move southward. 
I send herewith cuts of three principal forms 
of wing venation found iu plant-licc. In No. 1, 
the third oblique vein is twice forked, which is 
the form found iu most of (he leaf-inhabiting 
species, as the rose, cabbage and apple plant- 
lice. No. 2 has the third vein but once forked; 
this is the form seen in the Wooly Aphis of 
the apple tree. No. 8 has (lie third vein sim¬ 
ple. uuforked aud is seen in the genus Pemph¬ 
igus or gall-making species. 
Carbondale, Ills. 
THE GAPES IN CHICKENS. 
GEN. W. H. NOBLE. BRIDGEPORT. CONN. 
Advent of the Post 
I have always dreaded a visit of the gapes 
to my poultry. Till a few years since it had 
never been known in this neighborhood. But 
in an evil hour, I was tempted to cross a large 
white hen with tuy fowls of that pet color. 
She came from a farm where about one-third 
of the chickens yearly died with the gapes. 
Often whole early broods were swept away. 
I had often seen the poor wee things gasping 
for breath, sickly-looking and stunted. They 
stood around in torment when they should 
have been on a joyful hunt after worms and 
grubs. Those which lived through the virulent 
season of the pest were greatly behind the size 
and vigor to which they were entitled. I be¬ 
lieve in the doctrine of the survival of the 
fittest. But I don't think the fittest survive 
in any better shape for runniug the gauntlet 
of disease and hardship for dear life. Now I 
did not suspect that those contraband gapes 
would have hid somewhere iu the substance or 
apparel of that old hen, and traveled with her 
to torment me. 1 don’t know of any theory 
about the pest which furnishes it with a lodg¬ 
ing or resting-place in the precincts of a full- 
grown fowl. Yet as it came and set down a‘ 
big death list in my llock with the advent of 
this white lien. I cannot but think that the 
seed of the gapes took passage with her. like 
rate on a ship. At any rate, the next spring 
lots of my nice chicks gave tip life under the 
painful ail. 
Untrustworthy Nostrums and .Sale Remedies. 
i tried to conquer the trouble by fishing the 
worms from their throats with hair snares and 
feathers; but I am not handy at such work. 
The business, too, is tedious, aud one which 
can not be safely deputed to Patrick. If this is 
done, the gape worms and the chicks will be 
buried in the same graves. In throat swabs of 
kerosene or turpentine, or in anti-vermin cures 
mixed in food, I never put much faith. The 
first might kill the worms, but would be pretty 
sure to kill the chicks, too. As to the food 
mixture, I never could see exactly how a cure 
taken into the stomach, would kill a worm in 
the windpipe. The remedy would have such a 
round-about road to get at the gape cause that 
I fear it would tire out on the journey. 
Then I bethought me of the iuseet-smiters, 
lime, sulphur and carbolic acid. I slaked a 
barrelful of lime-wash to about, the thickness 
of paint. Into this I stirred from ten io twelve 
pounds of sidphur-llour. Into each pailful 
used, I mixed about a tablespooulul of carbolic 
acid. With this on a broom or brush I sloshed 
over every part of my hennery, roosts, floor 
aud walls, as well as every chicken coop, out¬ 
side and in. Particularly over the floors of 
the latter a heavy coating was flushed. Iu the 
chicken coops this regimen was renewed agaiu 
aucl again, especially with each now brood in 
the breeding season. The work is done very 
quickly. When Patrick finds out that he has 
not a job of delicate and artistic whitewash¬ 
ing on hand, he soou learns to despise econo¬ 
my of materials. The result is that the gapes 
have left. I have not lost a chick from it in 
more than two years ; nor have I seen a symp¬ 
tom of its life in tuy broods. 
I say, therefore, here is a remedy that suits 
all phases and years of lien life. IPs just as 
good for the old as the young; for the mites 
of spider lice and for those bigger crawlers 
that so torment our fowls, as for killing 
throat worms. I have no doubt that other 
methods of defence and cure, Horn time to 
time put forward in the Rural and kindred 
journals, have great aud perhaps equal merit. 
The fumigation of a brood with tobacco or 
sulphur smoke in close quarters or coops ; the 
thorough saturation of the dwelling and prem¬ 
ises of our feathered pets with the dust of 
hellebore or Persian insect powder, well di¬ 
luted with fine dry ashes of wood or coal, or 
with flour of sulphur, all do a blessed work 
for our poultry. These fumes and dii6t, 
breathed and blown into the throat aud lungs 
and into the plumage of our birds, strike the 
vermin where they live, and stick to their hides 
to kill. 
Lots of Sure Cures, 
I think we should criticise and charily 
adopt all cures put forward for ails, which 
dojiot hint some trial or reason for their use. 
We know that everything in my mixture is a 
terror to insect tribes. But virtues are claimed 
for many things which are mere whim-whams 
and senseless fancies. No untried remedy 
put forward for any ail, which does not logi¬ 
cally sanction a hope of cure, deserves our 
testa. 
I am often amused at the thousand and one 
remedies put out for the ails of animals, trees 
or fruit. Lots of them are mere enlhusings of 
those who are always ready with a cure, The 
curculio has had ruin threatened to his waste 
and life over and over again; but thn rascal 
still lives aud hurts. A good specimen of these 
random remedies was given by an able lawyer 
aud senator to a professional friend, as sure to 
keep his plums from curculio ravages. It was 
to bore in the plum-tree trunk a hole large 
enough to admit a roll of sulphur, and after 
placing it there, to plug the opening; "then 
the sap currents would absorb the sulphur and 
kill the insect.” This is a good deal worse than 
doctoring the stomach for a worm in the wind¬ 
pipe. But it is about as logical as that funny- 
medley which Mark Twaiu recorded as the 
kind suggestions of friends to cure his cold. 
Know About What You Prescribe.’ 
Therefore, let uo one put out iu word or 
print a cure for ails in man, beast or tree, un¬ 
less he can tell us of a trial of it, or give us 
somo logical reason for hoping good therefrom. 
The old extinct Globe newspaper, tlio organ of 
“ Old Hickory," flaunted at its head the sensi¬ 
ble motto, “The world is governed too much." 
Some medical books or papers might well set 
up a paraphrase of it, “The world is doctored 
tdo much.” 
-♦ ♦ ♦- 
FEEDING HENS FOR EGGS IN WINTER. 
If a man has a comfortable place in which 
to keep his hens, he can keep them laying 
through the winter, if he chooses to give them 
the necessary care and attention in the prepa¬ 
ration and variety of food. As to variety of 
food, though either corn or buckwheat, as well 
as other sorts of grain, are excellent feed for 
poultry, still neither corn nor buckwheat alone, 
meets the requirements for egg production, 
but either or both of them with the addition of 
other food of different kinds, to make a varie¬ 
ty suited to the birds' wants, will answer the 
purpose, aud produce a supply of eggs which 
will well repay the expense aud labor involved. 
1 have had excellent results from feeding 
mainly with buckwheat, giving daily, in addi¬ 
tion, some kiud of cooked food warm, as, for 
iustauce, a pudding of corn-meal, or some 
small potatoes baked, and occasionally season¬ 
ing the moss well with cayenue pepper. 
An occasional feediug of scraps of meat or 
something of that kind, is also necessary in the 
winter when the fowls are confined to the 
house aud there are no insects or anything of 
that nature which they can procure—at any 
rate if this is not a necessity it will be found a 
very beneficial addition to their diet. A supply 
of bones or oyster shells burned and powdered, 
or in some other way rendered fine; or 
some other material containing lime for the 
formation of the shells, should always be kept 
within reach of the hens. They should also 
have access to the earth in some manner, or a 
quantity of gravel should be kept iu the poul¬ 
try house, as it is necessary to the health of 
fowls that they be able to obtain something of 
this nature to aid in the process of digestion. 
Perhaps it may be unnecessary for me to say 
anything of the necessity of a supply of water 
always being accessible to them, but I have seen 
fowls kept where they could obtain no water 
in the winter except by eating snow, and 
though they may live through that bleak Boa- 
sou despite sueli treatment, still no one who 
treats hens with such neglect deserves, or will 
receive, anything from them during the winter 
months to pay for the food consumed by them. 
Now, let any who want, a supply of eggs this 
winter, follow the mode of treatment here sug¬ 
gested, and I think they will be satisfied with 
the results. e. j. b. 
--- 4 -^*- 
A GOOD EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW. 
A correspondent in Ottawa, Illinois, sends 
us an interesting account of a Poultry and 
Dog Show, which lately entertained that 
town through the efforts of the La Salle Coun¬ 
ty Poultry Association. There was a liberal 
list ot premiums for all kinds of poultry aud 
% foultrii gari 
