28 SECOND REPORT OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



much experience with this borer in the West, gives this advice (yth 

 Rep. Ins. Mo., p. 79): "It is best for those having trees subject to 

 attack, to look them over every week, if possible, or every two weeks 

 at least, from the first of June until autumn, for exudation of sap from 

 the bark, which is a sure indication of their presence. When noticed, 

 the borer may be removed by cleanly cutting out a small slice of bark." 

 The above means involve labor, but if not resorted to, apple-trees 

 cannot be grown in localities where this borer abounds, particularly in 

 portions of several of our Western States, where as many as a hundred 

 of the borers have been taken from one small tree. 



Saltpetre for the Striped Cucumber Beetle. 



Saltpetre dissolved in water has been recommended for use against 

 both the larva and the perfect insect of the striped cucumber beetle, 

 Diabrotica vittata (Fabr.), and also for protection from cut-worms, as 

 appears in the following paragraphs taken from agricultural journals. 



To destroy bugs 011 squash and cucumber vines. — Dissolve a table-spoon- 

 ful of saltpetre in a pailful of water, put a pint of this around each hill, 

 shaping the earth so that it will not spread much, and the thing is done. 

 The more saltpetre the better for vegetables, but the surer death to 

 animal life. The bugs burrow in the earth at night but fail to rise in 

 the morning. No danger of killing any vegetables with it ; a concen- 

 trated solution applied to beans makes them grow wonderfully. 



Wetting the soil around cucumbers, squashes and other Cucurbitce 

 three or four times at intervals of as many days, with a solution of salt- 

 petre — an ounce per gallon of water — is referred to as preventive 

 of ravages of the borer; and sprinkling the leaves with the same is sug- 

 gested as useful against " the striped bug." 



One year ago I had a patch of beans entirely destroyed by cut-worms. 

 I planted it over ; as soon as they came up the worms began again. I 

 dissolved half a pound of saltpetre in three pints of water, mixed that 

 thoroughly with one-half bushel of dry ashes, and sprinkled the ashes 

 on the^ beans just as there was a shower coming up and the rain 

 washed the ashes all off into the ground. I had no more trouble with 

 the worms but had a good crop of beans. — [R. K., Franklin Co., Mass. 



A saltpetre solution is frequently recommended to be poured about 

 th'=; roots of plants infested with cut-worms. It kills the pests and is a 

 nitrogenous fertilizer. — {New England Homestead.) 



The experiment with this material can so easily be made, that it 

 deserves trial with several of our smaller root-insects, as for example, 

 upon the radish, cabbage, and onion maggots, Atithomyia raphani 

 Harris, Anthomyia brassiccR Bouche and Fhorbia ceparnm (Meigen). 



