American Blight, (Aphis la-nigera - Eriosoma lanigera.) The cottony matter in the cracks and excrescences of apple tree branches in the spring envelops an insect known by the above names, and which, when crushed, exudes a reddish fluid. These insects are injurious by piercing the sap vessels with their probosces, sucking the juice of the tree, and causing wounds which ulcerate and finally destroy the branch attacked by corroding through all the sap vessels. The cottony matter is abundant, and, wafted to other trees, probably conveys to them infection, by bearing with it the eggs or embryo insect. But this is not the exclusive mode of diffusing the disease, for although the females are usually wingless, yet, like many other insects, some are probably produced with wings at the season propitious to colonization. The males are uniformly winged. In the winter these insects retire under ground, and prey upon the roots of the apple tree. A tree thus ravaged at all seasons will soon be killed, if prompt and vigorous remedies are not adopted. The affected roots may be bared and left exposed for a few days to the cold, and the earth, before being returned, be saturated with ammoniacal liquor from the gas works.

In early March the branches should be scraped, and scrubbed with the same ammoniacal liquid, or a strong brine of common salt; but whatever liquid is employed, the scraping and hard bristles of the brush should penetrate every crack in the bark. This treatment, repeated and persevered in so long as the least appearance of the insect is observed, never fails of a cure. Linseed or rape oil or spirit of tar applied to the infected part, and repeated a second or third time with a brush, are also effective remedies. They suffocate the insects. Strong pyroligneous acid applied in the same mode is also said to destroy this as well as the scale insect. The codlin and June eating, are particularly liable to be infected; hut I never observed it upon any of the russet apples: and the Crofton pippin is also said to be exempted.