Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-07
MR., APH|DES CAUSES
ODD F-SHEOD|NG
Tree-Louse's Work, as Seen
Throughout City, Neither
Deadly Nor Dangerous.

Wilmingtonians sufficiently fortunate
10 posscss homes boaSting trees roundabout
need have no fear that the mysterious
premature shedding of leaves SO notice
able this summer means the trees affected
are diving or have been smtten by any
particularly Hunnish tree disease The
trouble is due To Il minute insect organism
krown scientifically as aphides, but
commonly called plant lice but they
are bv no means deadly, or even danger
GUS They can very easily be eradlcated
bv treatment extremely slmple and
inexpensive, or they can he lett to be
attended to by Dame Nature herself,
who puts them to rout by n sudden change
In weather.
The Street and Sewer Department
recently has been pretty well beSleged
by INQUIRIES from houscholders who
posscss trees as to why leaves should be
falling Mt this period of the year, and If
the trouble be due tn disease or parasites
what means should he employed to do
AWAY with the malady or the tree
pirate. All trees have been more or les
objects of attack. but the leaf-falllng
seems TO trouble naples more than others.
Now the Street and Sewer Depart
ment knows lot of things. and IT had
il suspicious about what was wrong with
the trees. but to make sure of the ground,
Highway Commission Piers0n wrote to
the batonical and bug sharps of the
United States Department of Agriculture
AT Washington, describing what was
going ON here and asking information.
Evidence of infcStation During the
growing season aphldcs or so-called
plant lice occur in winged and wInglcss
form in greater or lesser numbers on the
.,N1
on the sap which they suck M from wit hin
the tissues by means OF their pointed
/ eaks hence ale claSSed aS sucking in
scots
Under favorable conditions aphides
suddenly appear IN great numbers partic-
ularlv in the spring Their presence Is
indicated by an abundance of sticky
honevdcw on and under the infested
plants bv tho presence of ants which feed
on the honevdew but do not harm the
plant and by the curling and the abnormal
falling Of leaves. also. when in great
abundance. the honey dew. hy virtue OF
dust and mold spores adhering 10 1t and
he latter propagating in II. results IN the
formation OF 4 black film on leaves and
other portions OF the plant
Control: Notwithstanding their great
numbers. however, aphIdes are usually
incapable of doing permanent harm 10
an otherwise vigorous tree or shrub.
They never abide long in great numbers,
being declmated by their numerous insect
enemies, and sharp change in t he weather
to hot and dry makes their disappearance
aS sudden a~ their appearance Hence
treatment. which involves labor and cX-
penSe and requires m adequate equip
nent j. III most cases safely dispensed
with. But. wncn conditions warrant
it, il Is impossible and nof difficult TO
check aphid injury artlticIally IN the
following manner
Remedies Being sucking insects,
aphideS cannot be reached with stomach
poisons such insects are usually con-
troled liz covering them with i liquid
substance which. without injuring the
plant. Will Kill the insects by cloggIng
their breathing pores or penetrating 10
their vltals or both.
The aim must hc. therefore. to cover
every aphiS. The covering i affected by
appIying such substances with spraying
device which may be tin atomIzer,
bucket. knapsack or barrel sprayeT or
power spraying machine, depending on
the extent Of spraying contemplated
Substances for spraying plants lnfest-
ri with aphideS After Or. Qualntance1
EtItN Xxi ttiii tfseltN- " III Il -
\ tobacco dcc0ction procurable in the
market with directions for dIlution and
application gwen on the container.
'Fish-oil soap solution, uslIg | pound
81 the soap to / gallons OF water. Hero
>eue Emulsion Is effective and safe if
properly prepared. Its preparation, how
ever. Is somewhat complex and not very
suitable for small quantities.
Strength of solutions should be varied
with the delicacv of the plant to be
SPRAYED. Thoroughness and early appli-
cation, before the leaves begin TO curl, is
Indispensable 10 success. Often a force ul
stream d water out Of a hose directed
against the aphides will dislodge and
destroy them Cooperation with neigh
bors III equipment and operations or
engagement of reliable parties making
2 speciality Of the work IS desirable where
feasible