PROCEEDINGS OF THE SUMMER MEETING. 133 



for this. The insect is somewhat longer and larger than the other one, 

 and I think you would be able, with a little examination, to distinguish 

 it with the naked eye. 



There is another insect which is becoming quite troublesome, and 

 possibly to be feared fully as much as either of those mentioned, from 

 the fact that it works under ground. During the last few years the fruit- 

 growers in Delaware and New Jersey, especially, have been greatly 

 troubled by what they called yellows, which in this case was not true 

 yellows. It did not exactly have the appearance of yellows, and when 

 they came to examine it they found the roots covered with black aphis. 

 During parts of the year they appeared also upon the young twigs and 

 branches and leaves; and, as many nursery trees have come from these 

 sections, we have frequent reports of their presence in this state, and 

 trees attacked have«in most cases died as a result. The insect is much 

 like the black aphis, spoken of on the cherry, but it is distinct from the 

 other varieties of aphis, and being underground it is of course very hard 

 to treat. The trees you purchase from the nurseries, particularly from 

 infested sections, should be examined and all insects upon the roots 

 destroyed. We resort again to the same remedies mentioned for the 

 scale insects. Either dip the roots in kerosene emulsion or in whale oil 

 soap solution. Either of these would destroy the insects, if the trees be 

 left there a very few minutes, and if your emulsion were properly made 

 it could be used without harm. When it comes to treating the older 

 trees, we have more trouble. Of course, those on the branches would 

 yield, but when they have grown two or three years it is difficult to reach 

 the insects; and, too, in that case, the chances are that the trees have 

 been so injured it would not pay to bother with them. As to remedies, I 

 would suggest, in sections where you can get tobacco stems readily, that 

 they be used. In them you w^ould have a cheap and effective remedy, by 

 scraping back the soil down to the roots and spreading there a layer of 

 tobacco stems, using from a peck to a bushel per tree, according to size 

 of the roots; and then, unless the soil be very moist, soak it with water. 

 Or, if you prefer, you can make a tea, steeping the stems, and apply the 

 water from this source. The tobacco water would be the safest and best 

 remedy. Kerosene emulsion could also be used, and in some sections they 

 have made use of potash salt; but the trouble there is that, unless you 

 use a liberal amount, it does not kill the insects, and if you use a little 

 too much it kills the trees; so I scarcely like to recommend that, if there 

 is any possibility of saving the tree. You can use this at the rate of one 

 thousand pounds to the acre, and if you figure out the number of feet your 

 roots occupy, you can use it without much danger. If you permit this 

 to come in contact with the roots directly it will be pretty sure to destroy 

 them. These are some of the most troublesome of the recent insects, and 

 the remedies are about the same for all. I might mention one or two 

 hundred of these scale insects, and the same treatment could be recom- 

 mended for all. 



There is one insect which is an exception, the pin-hole borer of the 

 peach, the one which mines the trunks of the trees. It is a small borer 

 which works its way around through the wood and in time destroys it. 

 That being understood, it is difficult to in any way fight it, and the only 

 thing I could recommend, if you know the insect is in your orchard, if 



