PEACH-TREE. 



237 



gradually to spread from thence in every direction, and appeared in New Hamp- 

 shire, near the northern Hmit of the peach region, in about tlie year 1805, and 

 has since extended to the southern states, and west of the Alleghany Mountains. 

 "The eggs, from which these borers are hatched," says Dr. Harris, "are depos- 

 ited, in the course of the summer, upon the trunk of "the tree near the root; the 

 borers penetrate the bark, and devour the inner bark and sap-wood. The seat 

 of their operations is known by the castings and gum which issue from the holes 

 in the tree. When these borers are nearly one year old, they 

 make their cocoons either under the bark of the trunk or 

 of the root, or in the earth and gum contiguous to the base of 

 the trees ; soon afterwards they are transformed to chrysalides, 

 and finally come forth in tlie winged state, and lav the eggs 

 for another generation of borers. The last transformation takes 

 COCOON AND PUPA P^^^^ ^^^"^ June to October, most frequently, however, during^ 

 the month of July, in the state of Massachusetts. Here, 

 although there are several broods produced by a succession of hatches, there is 

 but one rotation of metamorphoses consummated within a year. Hence borers, 

 of all sizes, will be found in the trees throughout the year, although it seems to 

 be necessary that all of them, whether more or less advanced, should pass 

 through one winter before they appear in the winged state. Under its last form, 

 this insect is a slender, dark-blue, four-winged moth, having a slight resemblance 

 to a wasp or ichneumon fly, to which it is sometimes likened. The two sexes 

 differ greatly from each other ; so much so, as to have caused them to be mistaken 

 for two distinct species. The male, which is much smaller 

 than the female, has all the wings transparent, but bordered 

 and veined with steel-blue, which is the general colour of the 

 body in both sexes ; the palpi or feelers, the edges of the col- 

 lar, of the shoulder-covers, of the rings of the abdomen, and 

 of the brush on the tail, arc pale-yellow, and there are two 

 rings of the same yellow colour on the shins. It expands 

 about one inch. The fore-wings of the female are blue, and 

 opaque, the hind-wings transparent, and bordered and veined 

 like those of -the male, and the middle of the abdomen is encircled by a broad, 

 orange-coloured belt. It expands an inch and a half or more. This insect does 



not confine its attacks to the peach-tree. I have repeatedly 

 obtained both sexes from borers inhabiting the excrescences 

 which are found on the trunks and limbs of the cherry-tree ; 

 and moreover, I have frequently taken them in connection 

 on the trunks of cherrj'' and of peach-trees. They sometimes 

 deposit their eggs in the crotches of the branches of the 

 peach-tree, where the borers will subsequently be found; 

 but the injury sustained by their operations in such parts, 

 bears no comparison to that resulting from their attacks at 

 the base of the tree, which they too often completely girdle, and thus cause its 

 premature decay and death."* Hitherto, various means have been resorted to 

 for repelling or destroying these vile offenders, and many of them have been more 

 or less effectual, but none have been attended witii complete success, except in 

 removing the earth from the base of the tree, and crushing the borers to death, 

 and destroying the eggs and cocoons. A small quantity of leached wood-ashes, 

 or of newly-slaked lime, added to the roots and then covered with earth, has 

 proved advantageous, not only in warding off the borers, but in promoting the 

 vigour of the trees. On this subject, Judge Peters remarks, in the ' Memoirs of the 



MALE. 



FEMALE. 



See Harris' Report, p. 233. 



