The Peach-Tree Borer. 239 



in connection with the " digging-ont " method. The mounding 

 method evidently lias considerable value as a preventive and is 

 perhaps the cheapest method yet devised. It is perhaps the only 

 method that is practicable in nurseries. 



Pajper protectors. — In the early days, cloth, and similar protectors 

 were used, but all were soon superseded by the less expensive and 

 equally as effective i^cvper hanclages (p. 215). We kept out from 

 one-half to seven-eighths of the borers with the tarred paper protec- 

 tor shown in figure 54. And doubtless where rains and winds are 

 not too prevalent to interfere with an ordinary newspaper protector^ 

 it would give equally as good results as the tarred paper; some 

 report injury to the trees by the use of tarred paper, but our trees 

 suffered no injury from its use. Paper protectors, when carefully 

 put on and kept intact during the danger period, will prove a valu- 

 able and very cheap preventive measure, especially when combined 

 with the " digging-out " method. 



Wire cages. — AVooden boxes or tiles placed around the trees are 

 too expensive and the evidence (p. 218) shows that they afford little 

 protection. The device shown in figure 55, however, is strongly 

 recommended by most recent writers, and, theoretically, it is an ideal 

 protection from the ravages of this pest. We confidently believed 

 that we had solved the problem of how to keep out the borer when 

 we placed these wire mosquito-netting cages around some of our 

 trees. But it was a case of misplaced confidence, for our theory was 

 completely demolished when we examined the caged trees the next 

 year. The cages apparently proved an attraction to the insect, for 

 nearly twice as many borers got into the caged trees as into those 

 untreated. Read the detailed account of this demolition of our pet 

 theory or preventive device on p. 220. 



Washes. — The favorite method of preventing the ravages of the 

 peach-tree borer has been, for at least a century, by the use of a 

 wash of some kind. More than 50 different washes have been con- 

 cocted, most of which are valueless as preventives, and some of 

 which will injure or kill the trees. We tested 18 washes. 



All asafetida and aloes vjash (p. 222) was not offensive enough. 



Talloio (p. 222) should have given good results theoretically, but 

 it proved ^vhoUy useless ; this "was a great surprise to us. 



