Report of the State Geologist. 680 



tree, to furnish shelter for cocoons, and then taking off an 

 burning, or scalding it ; removing all rubbish from near the 

 trees, which could afford shelter ; allowing cattle or pigs to 

 run in the orchard to pick up the fallen fruit, and many 

 other things are devised, but all fail in keeping them only 

 temporarily in check. It is a great task to do all this, but 

 in the spring the destruction of one cocoon, and many may 

 often be found where apples have been kept through the 

 winter, saves at least one hundred apples from contamina- 

 tion. It will be seen that their destruction is of great 

 importance. 



The Apple Tree Borer. 

 Saperda bivitata, Say. 



", This is a native American, born and bred in the moun- 

 tains, feeding upon the wild crab, mountain ash, and various 

 other trees. It comes out of the trunk, usually in June, and 

 always in the night, in its perfect state. Resting by day, in 

 the night time it flies from tree to tree for food and compan- 

 ions. Though they feed upon the bark of branches where 

 it is tender and succulent, they lay their eggs on the bark at 

 the foot of the tree, where the young, as soon as hatched, 

 commence to burrow in the bark. J^'or the first year they 

 live mostly in the bark, but, towards the last of the season ^ 

 advance into the sap wood. Frequently in young trees the 

 bark over them will crack and allow their castings to fall 

 out, and thus they may be detected. They remain in the 

 tree three years. As the time comes for their exit, they eat 

 their way to the bark, thin that somewhat, and go into the 

 pupa state, to emerge perfected in about four weeks. 



