20 THE REPORT OF THE No. 19 



The Shot-hole Borer (Scolytus rugulosus), 



Mr. jARVis : Tlie Sliot-liole Borer or Engraver-beetle lias been doing 

 considerable injury, or at least we tbink it bas been doing so, during tbe 

 past two or tbree years. At one time it was tbougbt tbat tbe borer only i 

 worked on decaying wood or on unbealtby trees, but some of our fruit- | 

 growers are beginning to tbink tbat tbey cause tbe deatb of tbe tree. We 

 would like to bear from any of tbe members wbo bave bad any experience 

 witb tbis beetle. 



Mr. Caesar : Tbe Sbot-bole Borer was brougbt up and discussed last 

 year at tbe annual meeting of tbe Entomological Society. We bad boped 

 that its ravages would be cbecked bv tbis year, but it bas been so destruc- 

 tive tbis spring and fall tbat it is necessary, in justice to tbe Society, T 

 tbink, and in justice to tbose wbo are interested in tbe work of tbe Society, 

 tbat it sbould be brougbt to tbe attention of tbe members. 



Wben I was down near St. Catbarines on tbe lOtb of June examining 

 a fungus disease tbat was attacking tbe peacb trees, Mr. McCalla — one of 

 our best and most scientific fruit-growers, — asked me to come and look at 

 bis cberry trees. He bad fifteen fine sour cberry trees apparently flourisbing | 

 so far as tbe foliage sbowed at tbat time, but every brancb up to balf an ■ 

 incb in diameter was practically covered witb exudations of gum. Tbere 

 were thousands of exudations on tbe trunks and all over tbe trees. Of 

 course a tree cannot stand tbat sort of thing very long. On removing the 

 gum with a knife one could see a little round hole quite clearly. A black 

 beetle about a quarter of an incb in length was causing the trouble. Last 

 year I found in about ten different districts perfectly healthy trees, both 

 sour and sweet cberry, attacked by this same Shot-hole Borer, (Scolytus 

 rugulosus) . Figs. 3, 4, and 5. 



Not more than two weeks ago a man near Grimsby, to whom I had 

 recommended a method of treatment last year, wrote me that be had again 

 this fall millions of these beetles. "I believe," he said, "it is the most 

 difficult pest there is in tbe Province to combat. I have already this fall 

 removed sixty of my cberry trees out of three hundred. I have taken out 

 twenty loads of branches in addition and I am afraid I am going to lose 

 every cherry tree I have got." 



Just the other day I had a letter from Mr. Beattie, of St. Catharines, 

 stating that his peach trees were being severely attacked. I have often 

 seen a peach tree here and there throughout tbe district attacked but the 

 sweet and sour cherry trees are bv far the most commonly assailed, occa- 

 sionally plum trees are rather badly attacked. 



Dr. Felt : You bave found that they attack the healthy cherry trees as 

 well as diseased ones? 



Mr. Caesar : Yes, the fifteen cherry trees belonging to Mr. McCalla 

 gave every appearance of being perfectly healthy wben attacked. Many of 

 the trees I found attacked last autumn were also healthy ones. 



Dr. Felt : Is it not probable that there is a orreat deal of dying wood in 

 that district? 



Mr. Caesar : There is a great deal of it. I am afraid tbat unless old 

 orchards that have been killed by San Jose scale or trees tbat bave died from 

 other causes are cut down and burned, these may afford such excellent breed- 

 ing grounds for the beetles that the fruit-growers may lose very seriously 

 from tbe attacks of great numbers of them on healthy trees. The beetles 

 certainly are increasing at an alarming rate. 



