The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-06-20
ANOTHER ARMY ARRIVES.
Many Million Strong, 1t Dcsccnds On
Maryland Cities and Towns.

NIuEyltallu OlAlcS anu 1ONlhSs
The State Board of Forestry has,
had so many inquiries of late III re-
gard to serious trouble which is
affecting the foliage of shade trees
all over the State, that it takes this
opportunity to call the attention o.
the tree-Ioving public to a recogni-
ton of the damage which this army
can do to the young growth on trees.
Have you noticed the White Oak
leaves curled up and brown have
you observed Maple and Elm leaves
which gives them an appearance Of
being varnished,-has your atten-
ton been called to the swarms of
ants marching up and down the
trunks of affected trees? Follow up
any or all of these clues and you will
find the twigs and the under side of
leaves literally swarm with little
insects, which are known as plant
lice or aphids. This is the invad-
ing army, and it should be met, not
with flags afiying and showers OF
candy, but with spray pumps and
showers of poison spray.
Though the entomologists tell us
that there are about 325 species of
the plant lice so that there is kind
for almost every variety Of plant,
yet they all have the common char
acteristic of being small and so soft
bodied and tender. that you can
hardly pick up one without killing
it. The question then naturally
arises how can such delicate
organism become such mena"e to
thrifty trees, and the answer Is
numbers, sheer overwhelming num-
bers. The aphids are the charter
members of the anti-race -suicide
club. The young aphid, when about
three days old, is mature enough to
produce young aphids alive at the
rate of about ten d day-and each
of those ten in turn, when from
three to five days old, is capable of
producing young aphids at the same
rate as the mother-so at the end of
the first two weeks we have the
amazing total of 1,548,726 aphids.
Now, if weather conditions are
favorable, this would continue until
fall, at which time the original
female would have become the pro
genitor of nearly six billion off
spring. This year the recent sue
cession of hot, muggy days has en-
abled the aphids to get good start
toward that six billion mark.
The aphid does not eat the leaves
or tender shoots, he sticks pump
he has for that purpose into the
leaves and sucks out the plant
juices. Deprived of their proper
amount of moisture, the leaves at
once start to curl and then wither,
while the young shoots become wilt
ed; and eventually die. The sap
after passing through the aphid's
body, is elected in those sticky drops
known as "Honay Dew" which
gives the leaves such vanished APP
pearance. The ants are very fond
of this honey, in fact the aphids
have been called the ants cows,
because the ants take this dew from
them so regularly.
Damage.
These aphids cannot kill trees in
one season, but they can appreciably
retard the growth and prevent the
maturity of fruit, and they can make
city's shade trees unsightly to look
at and unpleasant to walk beneath.
Remedies.
Since these insects are leaf suck
ers and not leaf eaters, you must
meet them with spray attack, a
chemical solution powerful enough
to kill the aphids the minute IL
strikes them. One that will not
harm the foliage but will be never
theless effective is nicotine sulphate,
preparation which can be obtain
ed, with proper directions for
strength of mixture and method of
application. from any reliable seed
house.
The private owner will of course
take care of his own trees in lawn
and orchard. In the case of street
trees in towns, the municipal au-
thorities should take the matter in
hand. Under the Roadside Tree
Law, the State Board of Forestry
can see that street trees are planted
and properly trimmed, but our funds
are extremely limited and municipal
expenditure is necessary to give
adequate protection to city tree.
from insect and fungous attacks.