Have you considered using ladybugs?

http://www.thebeneficialinsectco.com/aphid-control-ladybugs.htm

From AlBore bloviating about carbon footprints from the hatchway of his private jets, through John Edwards' pandering to the poverty pimps from under his $400 haircuts, down to the eco-insane neighbors so obsessed with herbal this and organic something else that they can't find time to wash their windows, the liberal world is fixated with improving everyone but themselves.

No price is too high or inconvenience too great - for someone else.

My son-in-law, the botanist, points out that Ladybugs are already near the end of their life-span when you buy them. And that if they were really interested in eating all the aphids on any particular plant or tree in any specific place at any certain time, they would already be there.

Welcome back to Seattle, Gerard.

Nuke 'em. For what it's worth, I'd do the neighbor as well. Coronas indeed!

One of the first things you can do, right now, is to get a spray nozzle on your hose and blast the undersides of all of the branches and leaves. Seriously, aphids that get washed off have a hard time getting back on. (The is the recommended basic aphid treatment from the gardener whose radio show I run.)

Also, once you've done the aphid treatment, get some Tanglefoot (sticky stuff) to paint around the trunk since a large aphid infestation is often prompted by ants, who farm the suckers. Stop the ants from climbing the tree and there's less chance of a major reoccurrence.

My first cure for everything that ails is hydrogen peroxide...other than that, I sure hope you can get this tree healthy again....what a worthy project....

Years ago, a friend and I were hiking in the woods when we saw a live little dogwood tree seriously bent under the weight of a huge fallen limb. I couldn't stand it and so we worked, tugged, lifted and pulled until we had freed the little sapling. Finally it sprung back to vertical position, but tilted mightily.

Years later, we when pass that spot on the trail, I am happy to report that it stands tall if not almost straight. It may still have the memory of being momentarily subdued but seems to grow straighter every year towards the sun.

Maybe you can get a carbon credit for saving your tree. Call the Goracle.

So, Gerard, is the tree still standing?

I'm hoping the tree still stands?

The article is 8 years old, but I'm sure they're still blaming all of the worlds ills on Bush/Cheney today.

There is an insecticide (horrors) that can be watered in to the roots. Works very well with my pecans. We haven't had a aphid outbreak in several years so i can't recall its name

Yes.... the tree is now fine. Nothing like a little serious pest elimination to eliminate the pests.

So....... Did you get the hardcore "real stuff" to save it????

Why of course I did. Mail order over the internet is a wonderful thing.