APPLE-TWIG 150RER: INJURIES AND REMEDIES. 131 



Injuries from the Insect. 



The injuries reported from this insect have not shown it to be a very 

 dangerous pest. Dr. Fitch simply states of it that it occasions the wither- 

 ing of particular twigs, and their leaves to turn brown through con- 

 suming the heart of the twig a few inches in length. — It burrows in the 

 pith of the young branches of the apple-tree during the spring ; the 

 branches above the seat of the attack soon die (Harris). — The only 

 damage it occasions is that the bored twig generally breaks off at the 

 bored part with the first high wind (Walsh). — The bored twigs most 

 always break off by the wind, or else the hole catches the water in spring 

 and causes an unsound place in the tree. If tlie twig does not break 

 off, it withers and the leaves turn brown (Riley). 



The amount of harm above stated would not be serious in orchards 

 where the moderate pruning of the last growth could be borne, but in 

 nurseries it would be of much more account ; and, in the event of the 

 abundance of the insect, might cause the death of the trees. 



The injuries to grapevines, noticed in a preceding page, were more 

 severe, but it is by no means certain that other species were not associ- 

 ated with the Amphicerus in that instance, and were instrumental in the 

 death of the vines. 



Remedies and Preventive. 



Until the early stages of the insect are known, no serviceable remedies 

 can be suggested. It may be both practicable and desirable to employ 

 them against the larvae when their food-plants shall be discovered. But 

 when the beetle stage is reached, and its operations apparent in the 

 withered twig, if, as we believe, its eggs have already been deposited, no 

 further harm can result from it, and it would be but a waste of time to 

 collect the tunneled twigs for burning, as hitherto recommended. 



In a nursery where a strong attack is expected, it would be well to 

 make the effort to prevent the attack. If, at about the time when the 

 beetles make their appearance, the young trees are showered with Paris 

 green in water, the beetle, in attempting to enter the twigs, would prob- 

 ably be poisoned in eating through the bark. 



A Beetle of Similar Habits. 

 In the American Naturalist for September, 1872 (page 747), we find 

 the follovving notice : 



We lately received from Mr. Matthew Cooke, of Sacramento, Cal., 

 some pear-twigs in which the above-named beetle [Polycaon confertus 

 Leconte] was boring in exactly the same manner as our common apple- 



