:,71 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



growth. In small trees they often penetrate to the very heart of the trunk, and seem to bur- 

 row there for the winter. 



How have they found their way to our orchards? — Tiny seem to follow the progress of improve- 

 ment, and to keep pace with the planting of trees and shrubbery of all kinds. They appear 

 to go from the older portions of the country to the more newly-improved regions, making a 

 few miles' progress every year; we are inclined to think that they can spread quite rapidly 

 by the transportation of young trees from distant nurseries. It behooves us to look well to 

 the trees we buy; we do not know certainly tli.it nurserymen can detect the presence of the 

 grub in all cases, but we think it can be ascertained whether the tree has been stuny. 



7 we re.si.st the borer? — In all ways; no one thing will do the whole work; under 

 the head of prevention, we would suggest several things : 



1. Buy none but sound trees; sound, we mean, in every sense; trees of vigorous growth, 

 of fine roots, of unbroken bark, and that never have been stung by the beetle. 



■1. All. r Betting the trees out caret "ally, proteOi them from the attacks of the beetle by 

 washing them with the following preparation: To two quarts of soft-soap add half a pound 

 of sulphur, and dilute the mass till it is as thin as paint, by pouring in strong tobacco-water. 

 The tobacco-water may be prepared by breaking up fine two ounces of strong tobacco, and 

 pouring on two or three quarts of soft warm water, and letting it stand two or three days 

 before the wash is made; apply the wash with an old broom freely to the trunk and lower 

 branches, after the rough bark has been scraped off. Make one application about the middle 

 of May, and another about the first of June. It is said the beetle will not touch a tree that 

 has thus been treated. 



3. Before the weather becomes very hot, we think the trees should be well whitewashed with 

 lime, or protected from the sun by a board or by wrapping a wisp of straw or hay round the 

 portions most exposed to the heat. White does not absorb heat as darker colors do. If the 

 tree- are whitewashed, or one of the other covers for the young trees are used, verj few, W« 

 think, will be injured; always supposing that the preventives mentioned fir.-t are faithfully 



employed, 



1. A little circle of ashes should be placed at the root of the tree close around the collar. 

 Tin-, i' i- believed, will prevent the beetle from disturbing the tree at that point, if it be done 

 early enough in the season. 



thaii wt destroy the borers we have? — In the case of trees that have been seriously in- 

 jured, we can say nothing better than that they should be pulled up, root and branoh, and 



the part that contains the grubs destroyed. If they have been but little hurt, the grubs should 

 be carefully extracted and killed, ami the wounds covered with grafting-wax or -hell-lac. and 

 th< tree washed as above suggested If young trees have been much punctured, we i»-, 

 tin;, tter be destroj ed al once. It will be of little use to try to save them ; and if the? 



do live, they would be weak and nearly worthless. Vf* repeal that the tree- already infested 

 should be treated with the wash mentioned above, after the grubs have been taken out. This 



Would, it i- hoped, prevent their return. - Ohio Farm r. 



Prevention of the Weevil. 



Tin: following plan f>r the prevention of the weevil Is Bald to be adopted with suooe 



in Vermont : The season alter it make- it- appearance, they go through their wheat- 

 fields about the time the wheal la heading. Immediately after a shower, or while the dew is 

 on it, and scatter uewly-slaked lime broadcast, bo thai it will adhere to the heads and stems 



Of the grain. They DM about a hu-lnd to the acre. Good lime should be -'-enn d. BJ 1 



slaked by sprinkling a little water over it. jo at to retain all it- strength. A paddle may be 

 used in scattering it. The remedy has, it i- said, been bo effectually tried, as to have no 

 doubl of it- success. The "Akron Beacon" (Ohio) also states that the plan has proved an 



efficient remedy, during the pad -eason, in the county of Mu-kingum, Ohio. 



