26 



end of June, or during July, when it may be found hasking on the tree trunks in the 

 hot sunshine. It is very lively when danger threatens, and will take wing instantly if 

 an attempt is made to catch it. Its blackish colour above so much resembles the bark 

 of the tree that it readily escapes the notice of an ordinary observer ; but beneath it is of 

 a beautifully burnished dark copper-colour, looking as if it were made of metal, beneath 

 the wing covers it is bluish. While the figure gives the shape of the insect very correctly, 

 it much exaggerates its size, which seldom exceeds three-eighths of an inch ; the light spots 

 on the wing-cover are also erroneous in being very much too conspicuous. 



The presence of the grub in the tree may be detected by the discolouration of the bark, 

 and its flattened, dried appearance. All such spots should be opened with a knife, and 

 the insect at once despatched. The burrows may be discovered by the presence on the 

 bark of the fine sawdust cast out by the larva. 



The insect attacks not only the apple, but also different kinds of oak, especially the 

 white oak, and according to Prof Riley, the mountain ash, linden or bass-wood, box-elder, 

 beech, plum, pear, cherry and peach. 



With regard to remedies, one important fact — we quote from Prof Keily, (7th Mis- 

 souri Report, page 76) should be borne in mind. The natural breeding place of the insect 

 is undoubtedly in the old decaying oaks of our woftds, and I have known it to swarm in 

 old post-oak stumps from which the tops had been felled for a number of years. In fact 

 it prefers partially dead or injured trees to those which are thrifty and vigorous, and 

 partly for this reason, and partly because rough, cracked bark forms a better nidus to lay 

 her eggs, the species is most abundantly found on the south-west side of young apple 

 trees where they are most apt to get injured l^y sun-scald. Sickliness in the tree, or 

 injury from any cause predisposes to its attacks. It is for this reason that transplanted 

 trees, checked as they are in their growth, usually fare badly. But there is yet one other 

 predisposing cause which few people suspect, and that is reckless and careless pruning, 

 especially of the larger branches. Many a fine orchard tree, and many more city shade 

 trees, receive their death shock from the reckless sawing off of limbs without effort being 

 made to heal the wound by coating with grafting-wax, clay or other protecting substance. 

 Around such an unprotected sawed limb, as around the frustum of a felled tree, the rain 

 and other atmospheric influences soon begin their work of causing decay between the bark 

 and the solid wood ; and this is but the forerunner of greater injury by insects which are 

 attracted to the spot, and which, though hidden meanwhile from view, soon carry the de- 

 struction from the injured to the non-injured parts. Among the insects thus attracted, 

 the Chrybothris plays no mean part, where, had the wounded limb been protected, its 

 presence would never have been known. It thus becomes of the first importance in 

 treating this insect, to keep the young trees vigorous and healthy, and the bark as smooth 

 and as free from injury as possible. Young trees are far more liable to be attacked than 

 old ones, and consequently require greater care." 



As a preventative against the insects' attacks there is nothing better than coating the 

 trunk and larger branches with soap at least twice a year, once toward the end of May, 

 and again in July or August. The soap is not only obnoxious to the beetle, but it tends 

 to keep the baik clean and smooth, so ius to offer no attraction to the female, and is withal 

 beneficial to the tree. The trees should also be examined carefully late in the fall. At 

 this season, or even in the winter time, the young borers which have just commenced 

 work, are easily detected and destroyed by a knife before they have done much harm. 



VI. Saperda Caneida, Fab. — The Two-Strited Apple-tree Borer. 



This insect, which rivals the foregoing species in the injuries it inflicts upon Apple 

 trees, is a pale- brown beetle with two chalky-white longitudinal stripi-s running from the 

 head to the apex of the wing-covers ; its under side, legs and lace iire also chalky-white, 

 and its antennaj a little darker; its length isaliout three-quaiters of an inch. The larva 

 IS of a pale yellow or whitLsh colour, with a brownish polished head and black jaws ; it 

 is destitute of legs, but like other larvse of the same family, it is enabled to move in its 

 burrows by the contraction and expansion of its well-defined .segments ; when fully grow^i 

 it is about an inch long. It may readily V)e distinguished from the preceding species by 



