WRINKLED FRUIT-TREE BEETLE. 79 
had tried painting the bark with a strong mixture of whiting and 
Paris-green; ‘but this had little or no effect on the perfect insects ; 
they bored through it and laid their eges.”’ 
But though the above did not answer, possibly the mixture recom- 
mended by Prof. W. Saunders, Director of the Experimental Farm of 
the Dominion of Canada, and a most excellent authority on economic 
entomology, for prevention of various kinds of fruit-tree-bark borers, 
would be found very useful for preventing perforation of the bark for 
egg-laying when the insects have emerged. This consists of soft-soap 
reduced to the consistence of a thick paint by the addition of a strong 
solution of washing-soda in water ; “this, if applied to the bark of the 
tree, especially about the base or collar, and also extended upwards to 
the crotches, where the main branches have their origin, will cover 
the whole surface liable to attack, and if applied during the morning 
of a warm day, will dry in a few hours, and form a tenacious coating 
not easily dissolved by rain.”’ * 
For the special bark-borer attack for which this has been a com- 
plete defence, it is recommended to give a coating of the above solution 
early in June, and a second time early in July, and this date would 
probably answer as well for defence against our Plum-bark beetles; 
but at any rate the principle would be the same,—to give a protective 
wash as soon as the beetles begin to appear, and another somewhat 
later. 
The fact of their emergence being begun may be known by the 
appearance of little perforations, like small shot-holes, in the bark, and 
fine dust from the workings of the insect having fallen from them. In 
the case of the pieces of branches sent me, there was a good deal of 
this ‘‘frass”’ thrown out. 
- For special application where it is desired to protect valuable trecs 
from infestation, Dr. Taschenberg recommends the use of Leinweber’s 
mixture. A good recipe for composition of this will be found in Prof. 
W. R. Fisher’s exceedingly useful work on ‘ Forest Protection’ + :— 
‘Five pounds of tobacco mixed with half a pailful of hot water, kept 
hot for twenty-four hours; the water is then squeezed out of the 
tobacco, and mixed with half a pailful of bullock’s blood, one part of 
slaked lime, and sixteen parts of cow-dung. This is kept in an open 
tub, and stirred once a day, and used after fermentation has set in. 
The rough bark-moss, &c., is trimmed off the tree, and the latter 
painted with the mixture for three successive days until a crust is 
formed which the rain will not wash off.” 
* See ‘Insects Injurious to Fruits,’ by W. Saunders, F.R.S.C., &c., p: 19. 
+ ‘Forest Protection,’ by W. R. Fisher, Assistant Professor of Forestry, Royal 
Indian Engineering College, Cooper’s Hill, &c., p- 250, Bradbury, Agnew & Co., 
Bouverie Street, London. 1895, 
