278 Couper on the destruction of Apple-trees 



ARTICLE XXVII. — On the destruction of Apple-trees hy 

 Saperda Candida in Districts surrounding Quebec. By 

 William Couper, Quebec. 



I have been frequently told that apple-trees will not prosper in 

 the districts surrounding Quebec ; the reason is stated to be long, 

 severe winters. " In ascending the flank of the hill, (St. Hilaire,) 

 fine orchards of apple-trees were once more observed on the poor 

 granitic gravels, and many of the trees were loaded with fruit. 

 The apple trees do not thrive on the clay soils of the flats of the 

 St. Lawrence, in consequence, I suppose, of their tenacious na- 

 ture, while good orchards are met with throughout the island of 

 Montreal, where the soil rests upon the limestone, and is more 

 friable." — N. America^ its agriculture and climate, hy R. Russell. 



I have quoted the above to show how conflicting opinions are 

 published without proper investigation. I know little regarding 

 the chemical properties of the clay soils or flats of the St. Law- 

 rence, but am informed that apples were at one time produced 

 in large quantities in the Quebec districts. 



I have taken the following extract from the Montreal corres- 

 pondent of the Toronto Globe , June 13 : — 



" I regret to say that there is a poor prospect of fruit this year. 

 Apple, pear, and plum-trees are decaying, as they have been for 

 three years back, caused, it is alleged, by severe frost, and the 

 caterpillars swarm in the orchards." 



In my entomological excursions into these districts, I captured 

 the insect which is considered the chief cause, and lost no time 

 in visiting several gardens to examine the trees. The gardeners 

 informed me that the trees were invariably imported from the 

 United States, hence, the insect has been introduced within the 

 young trees from our neighbours' nurseries. I rest satisfied re- 

 garding the introduction into Canada of this tree-borer, and will 

 state one reason, that during a residence of seventeen years in 

 Toronto, I never captured the insect ; nor will it fill a place in 

 the Upper Canada fauna while they depend on their own nur- 

 series for young trees. 



In a garden on the north side of the Beauport road, upwards 

 of twelve trees contained the insect, and had to be taken up, tbus 

 affording me an opportunity of cutting them up to obtain their 

 destroyers. In doing so, I discovered what I think is new in 

 entomology, i. e., that in trees containing males no opposite sex 

 were found, and those that contained females had that sex only. 

 The illustration is a fac-simile of a young tree cut oflf at the 



