90 THE KANSAS CHERRY. 



as the plum, peach, cherry, etc., there is a considerable exudation of 

 gum.' To show how the insect may riddle a tree, a piece of bark less 

 than an inch square, taken from an infested cherry tree, contained 

 nineteen perforations about the size of a pin-head. 



The insect that is the cause of the mischief is a small beetle about 

 one-tenth of an inch in length by about one-third as wide. It is black 

 in color, with the exception of the wing-covers and the lower part of 

 the legs, which are reddish. 



With the beginning of scoring the beetles appear, and commence to 

 bore small round holes through the bark to the sap-wood, where they 

 make a central burrow or brood-chamber, on each side of which little 

 pockets are made, in which eggs are deposited. As the larvae hatch 

 from the eggs they commence to make burrows away from and at right 

 angles to the brood-chamber, which become larger as the larvae de- 

 velop in size. 



The larva is a small grub about one-tenth of an inch in length. It 

 is footless and white, with the exception of the head, which is brown- 

 ish. 



When the larva has attained its full growth it makes a slightly en- 

 larged chamber, in which it pupates. Upon becoming an adult, the 

 beetle makes it way out through small holes in the bark, and escapes. 

 It takes about a month for the insect to go through its various stages, 

 so that during the summer there may be several broods. Many of the 

 beetles upon emerging will return and renew their attack upon the 

 tree, thus increasing the damage that has already been done. In time 

 the tree becomes completely girdled by the numerous channels, and 

 dies. 



Strong and vigorous fruit-trees may resist for a time the attacks of 

 the beetles through the exudation of the gum, which seems to be ob- 

 noxious to both the beetles and the larvae. But if the attacks are con- 

 tinued for a length of time, the tree may be so weakened that the flow 

 of sap will not be strong enough to repel. In such a case it is not 

 long before the fate of the tree is sealed, unless vigorous and prompt 

 measures are taken for its protection. 



To prevent loss from this insect, the tree should be kept in a healthy 

 condition. The stronger the tree the better it can resist attack. Trees 

 that are diseased or are suffering from the attacks of scales or other 

 insects seem most subject to attack. 



It is a good i^ractice to remove and destroy all dead wood in the or- 

 chard, as it furnishes excellent breeding-places for insects and is a 

 source of danger to surrounding trees. 



Badly infested trees should be cut and destroyed. In the early 

 spring the trunks of trees liable to attack should be coated with an 

 alkaline wash, consisting of soft soap reduced to the consistency of 



