SECRETARY'S REPORT. 187 



it remains boring in all directions, living on the live bark and 

 sliver; but not as Dr. True asserts, on the surface of the sap- 

 wood beneath patches of dead bark. See third annual report of 

 the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, page 115. 



The insect frequently found under patches of dead bark is not the 

 cause, but the effect of this injury. They are flatish, have very 

 large heads and feed on the partially decayed sap-virood after the 

 borer kills the bark. The bark borer is much smaller, rounder and 

 has a redish head. From its smallness and insidious attacks it 

 generally baffles the closest scrutiny till its ravages have extended 

 some inches, (if the branch be large,) when the dead appearance 

 of the bark gives evidence of the concealed enemy. Large 

 branches long infested frequently present a scabby appearance and 

 throw out numerous shoots. . 



Last season I observed that one fine scion (with two branches) 

 was frequently visited by woodpeckers. Last May one of the 

 branches appeared nearly dead, and the other looked sickly. On 

 examination I found the branch nearly girdled, and several holes 

 made by the peckers in the bark of the live one ; and although I 

 saw nothing else which indicated the presence of borers, I began 

 to cut carefully with the point of a sharp knife, and soon discov- 

 ered traces of the little rascals, which I followed till I took six of 

 them out of a branch less than two inches in diameter. I have 

 spent weeks removing the dead, and examining the live bark of 

 trees infested with these borers — have probably killed thousands, 

 . but seldom found any of them in or " under patches of dead bark." 



The remedy is to cut them out, if to be found ; remove the dead 

 bark and cover the wounds with a mixture of tar and finely pul- 

 verized brick dust laid on quite warm with an old paint brush. 

 This mixture, or composition, (if well supplied with the brick dust,) 

 will effectually preserve the wood and last longer than two coats of 

 ochre and oil. It may be safely applied, even hot,, to all wounds 

 on the apple and other fruit trees. I have frequently found 

 branches and their laterals so badly injured that it was necessary 

 to cut them off, and when thus removed from the tree they ought to 

 be immediately burned. I have examined many orchards in this 

 and in Piscataquis county, all of which are more or less injured by 

 these borers. 



The most of the grafting in this vicinity has been done by the 

 job at a certain price per scion for all that lived till autumn ; thus 

 allowing the operator to cut as many or as few branches as he pleased, 



