206 Bulletin 176. 



all the trees, whether treated or not, every year since the orchard 

 was set. 



The methods which have been devised for fighting the peach- 

 tree borer may be classed as destructive methods, which aim to kill 

 the insect, &n^ preventive methods, which do not intend to let the 

 borer get into the tree. 



1. Destructive Methods for Fighting the Insect. 



It is against the larva or borer and the pupa stages only of the 

 pest that a destructive warfare can be successfully waged. The 

 eggs have too hard a shell and are 'scattered about over the bark too 

 much to enable one to effectively reach them with an insecticide 

 that would not injure the tree. One method has been suggested 

 for killing the adults or moths. Neal (1889) recommends that 

 " small fires at sunset in the orchard during April (in Florida) will 

 destroy many of the moths." As the moths are rarely, if ever, 

 attracted to lights and are most active during the early part of the 

 day, we do not believe they can be lured to their death by tires. 

 And it is doubtful if the insect can be successfully fought at all in 

 the adult or moth stage. 



The "freezing " method. — This method was much in vogue among 

 peach-growers a century and more ago. It was one of the first 

 methods employed against the insect, and consisted in removing the 

 earth from around the base of the tree down to the roots in the fall 

 and leaving this portion, in which the borers usually work, bared to 

 the fros.ts of winter. Many found it did not kill the borers, and as 

 trees often died from the winter exposure, the method was discarded 

 early in the present century. 



Boiling water or similar applications. — As early as 1823 it was 

 suggested to remove the earth and gum from around the base of 

 infested trees and pour boiling water on and around the base. There 

 is no question but what the water will kill every borer it reaches. 

 Several have had fairly good success with this method (Grossman, 

 1888 ; Smith, 1890) and one (Peticolas, 1860) killed his trees as well 

 as the borers. Smith suggested the use of kerosene emulsion 

 instead, and some have used boiling soap suds. Coquillett (1891) 

 dipped the lower portion and roots of infested nursery trees for two 



