The Apple Aphis

J. O. K., La Veta, Col., states that h8 Rel Astnieliíui applo trees blossom profusely, but when tho apples aro tüo size of peaB thcy al! fall off. His pears aUo fall, and the lcaves aro, many of thcm, curlod up. Ilis orcharda aro at an elevation of 7,000 or 8,000 feet. He luis twieo sent us specimen of the fallen apples, in which there wero some evidenccs of tho codlin moth, though not enough to account for the dropping of all the fruit. This season, howover, after mailing to us a lot of the dropped apples, hediscovered on tho voung leaves of tlio applo and pear eomo very small iusectH, which he mailed to us, and wbich ixplain the whole trouble. These insects are the applenphis, a species of plant louse. They ure not mudi largor t li m ii a pin-bead, of a yeliowish color wlien grnwn, andin thespringarogcnerally found without rlngd. They live by sucking the juices from tlio young leaves and the tender sterns of tho young fruit, and tima cause the fruit to drop. Tlieso inserta are produccd in the sprinj; from black, ibinj and very minute eges, which were laid the preoading fall on tho twigH und in tho bark of the tree. The sgga batch in the warm weather of the spring, the .young lice at first lwing whitUh, oböaging o green and yollowish as thoy giow. During the Summer thoy roproluco by birth, a témale bringinfí forth about two per dav for ten or twelve days, and in this inannor the number becomes eiiorniiun by lall. In the lattor part of tho snisini winged males are produced, together with perfect témales, which deposit eggs, u which form tho peciea is preserved through the winter. Spraying the trees with strong soapsuds, while in bloom, has been recominendel as a preventivo against the attacks of these insects, but probably the chenpest and most efficiënt remedy would be to introduce inte the orchard some of tho Hpecies of Iady-bird (coccinm'lliilac,) the ladybird belng not a bird, but a small, heinispherical bug, about the sizo ot a split pea, or smaller, and of various colors, one ot the most coinmon being brick red, with nlne black dota, uh shown in the accompanying cut, w liich is a litI tic moro thun lifeaixa, the black liuo Rhowing tlic actual Irngth I of the bug. Tlüsis n carnivorous insect, 11 ring apaa the ogs nnrt yoting of otlier Hpivn h, aml is ono of the most useful of insects toman, probably liardly Becond to the bec in tliis respect. It íh gtfted witli a voracious uppotito, and comparutivelyfcw of tliein would be rei[iiired to clean a tree of tho aphis. Thoro are many species of tlio lady-bird, of various sizoB and markina, but penoraüy of the vliape lioro sliown. It in r lia bic that BomOBpccioH ol Uiíh insoot iiimv be louiid in the vicinity of thls tnfected orchard; hut in caso of failuro, it would be well to write to. Prol. G. V. Hiley, Chicf of the División qI Kntomology, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C, thioii;;li hom, no doubt, a stock suitable for the pnrpose