REPORT OF STATE HORTICULTURIST. 5I 



BORER. 



The round-head borer has been as persistent as in previous 

 seasons. Once in the tree they are rather hard to oust. During 

 their first season's operation, they can be cut out easily with a 

 sharp knife and this method has been chiefly adopted. Later, 

 when they have burrowed about in the wood, it is a difficult pro- 

 position to combat them successfully. One grower has had 

 good success in using a small quantity of formaldehyde, inject- 

 ing it into the hole and sealing the opening with wax. The in- 

 sect is killed and the formaldehyde, which is already contained 

 in the tree juices, apparently does no harm. This method is 

 particularly effective when depending upon hired help as an 

 inspection of the trees will tell whether or not they have been 

 treated. 



Prevention is much more satisfactory and in most cases, 

 easier. Tar paper is eff'ective in keeping out the borer, but is 

 very apt to smother the tree and cause a diseased condition of 

 the bark, resulting later in diseased wood. Fine mosquito wire 

 painted to render it more durable, has been more successful 

 than anything else. Provided it doesn't touch the bark at any 

 point, it is an almost sure preventive as the beetle will not crawl 

 over the top in the attempt to lay the egg. In some cases the 

 beetle has laid the egg through the mesh of the wire, where it 

 fitted closely to the tree. Such cases can be prevented by careful 

 adjustment of the wire. Where the trees were sprayed with lime- 

 sulphur or washed with the soap solution, less evidence of the 

 borer was seen. 



15R0WN-TAII, MOTH. 



Owing to the prompt, and in most cases efficient, work of the 

 town officials, the ravages of this pest have been kept within 

 bounds, and the foliage of our shade trees in general has not 

 suffered to any great extent. The actual number of moths, 

 however, has greatly increased, and more egg clusters and nests 

 have been found this fall than ever before. Not only has the 

 number of nests greatly increased in the localities already in- 

 fested, but footholds have been gained in new locations and the 

 boundaries to the north and east have been greatly extended. 

 The nests penetrate much farther into the forest and will 



