STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 55 



INSECT PARASITES. 



Quite as abundant and much more visible are the numerous insect 

 parasites wiih which we have to contend, and great progress has 

 been made in the knowledge of their habits and methods of destruc- 

 tion, thanks to the labors of such men as Riley, Comstock, Forbes, 

 Fernald and a host of others. 



Among the most injurious- are the borers. The flat-headed borer 

 is more abundant than the round headed one, but is much more 

 easily destroyed from the fact that it feeds only near the bark. 



The round-headed borer often works deep into the trunk and can 

 only be destroyed while young. To detect their presence the rough 

 baik must be scraped off two or three days before the examination 

 is made, when the chips thrown out of the hoks may be easily seen. 

 A stout pointed knife is the best implement for destroying them. 

 To insure the destruction of all, the trees must be examined in June 

 and August. 



The peach borers are often numerous and much of the decay 

 called the yellows may be accounted for by their injury. They are 

 more easily detected than the apple boi-er as gum always exudes 

 where they make their puncture and fresh chips in the gum is a sure 

 indication of their prei-ence. The knife is the onl}' sure remedy, 

 examining the trees in June and August. 



The tent caterpillar is a very abundant yet easily destroyed pest 

 which does qaore harm than it ought. We have found the best way 

 to get rid of it to destroy the eggs in the winter, (they may be dis- 

 tinguished in the winter on the twigs by standing under the trees 

 and looking against the sky), and by drawing the web together 

 around the cluster soon alter they have hatched out, and taking 

 them off and crushing with the foot. There is no excuse for an 

 orchardist having his trees injured by this insect except that of 

 negligence. 



The cay\ker loorm in some sections is very abundant but by the 

 nse of the tar or ink band and Paris green or insect powder (pyreth- 

 rum) they may be easily destoyed with proper care. Syringing 

 with Paris green mixed with water at the rate of lib. to 100 gallons, 

 or pyrethrum powder in the same proportions, when the first insects 

 that hatch are one-fourth of an inch long and again one week later 

 is less trouble and not much more expensive than the ink band, 

 which requires constant attention from December to April or May. 



