The Peach-Tree Borer. 



213 



1895-1896. 



The tobacco was applied about a moiitli too earlv in 1894, wliicli 

 may explain much of the difference in the results for that year 

 from the two following years. Note that tlie percentage of 

 untreated trees which were infested during the last two years is 

 from four to five times larger than the percentage of infested 

 treated trees. This indicates that tobacco kept out from two-thirds 

 to live-sixths of the borers during 1895 and 1896, whicli is decidedly 

 a good showing for the method. In fact, but very few other appli- 

 cations gave us as good results. Tobacco stems can usually be 

 obtained very cheaply from cigar manufacturers, and when thus 

 available the evidence indicates that they can be depended upon to 

 greatly aid the peach-grower iii his fight against this insect. 



We are not sure just how the tobacco stems act on the insect. 

 It is doubtful if they act as a mechanical barrier, and we are also 

 loath to believe that their odor is offensive to the insect. Perhaps 

 the licpiid leached out of tlie stems by rains may kill the young 

 borers. 



The 7nounding method. — This consists in simply hilling up 

 the soil around the base of the tree. It was one of the fii;st 

 methods devised and has been extensively practiced by peach-grow- 

 ers for a hundred years. Perhaps no other method has been so 



