. Destructive insects. Insect pests. — 18 — Black Aphis of the Peach. Aphis persica-niger, Fig. 24. The danger of importing eastern nursery stock is not altogether con- fined to the Yellows or borers, but the black peach aphis is to be dreaded upon the peach as much as the woolly aphis upon the apple. Dr. Smith, who described this insect, says: In Delaware, Maryland, and parts of New Jersejr and Virginia this aphis was reported everywhere to be unusually prevalent and destructive. In April, when the leaf buds were" pushing, I saw them clustered upon so many shoot axes and so compa
. Destructive insects. Insect pests. — 18 — Black Aphis of the Peach. Aphis persica-niger, Fig. 24. The danger of importing eastern nursery stock is not altogether con- fined to the Yellows or borers, but the black peach aphis is to be dreaded upon the peach as much as the woolly aphis upon the apple. Dr. Smith, who described this insect, says: In Delaware, Maryland, and parts of New Jersejr and Virginia this aphis was reported everywhere to be unusually prevalent and destructive. In April, when the leaf buds were" pushing, I saw them clustered upon so many shoot axes and so compactly as to kill young trees, and even very considerable branches i;pon older trees. They were especially destructive to nursery trees and to orchards just planted. I saw one nursery in which at least one hundred thousand trees had been killed outright in two or three weeks' time. I also heard of half a dozen nurseries which were entirely destroyed or very seriously affected, and of orchardists who will be compelled to replant hundreds of trees. Such trees are badly dwarfed, and make only a feeble, sickly growth. Tlie leaves are light green or yellowish, more or less rolled at the margins, and red or purple spotted from the attack of fungi. It will be seen from the foregoing that this is a very serious pest, and eastern-grown trees should not be planted till properly disinfected; or, to be safe, the practice of planting eastern-grown trees ought to be dis- continued. The description of the species is herewith given, so that it can be identified. The winged form is well represented in the figure, so far as shape and general appearance are concerned. It is of a shining black or very dark brown color. The legs are deep brown on the thighs, the tips of the shanks, and the tarsi, else yellowish. The cornicles, or horny tubes, are quite long, moderately slender, and of the same color as the body. There is a series of deep pits on each side of the abdomen. The wingless form diflFer
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectinsectpests, bookyear
