DISEASES INJURIOUS INSECTS, ETC. 11 



often brings on the canker. The exuding of gum, 

 a kind of gangrene incident to stone fruit, may 

 be owing, in some degree, to injudicious pruning, 

 bruises, or injuries received in the wood or bark, or 

 by cutting the shoots to short stumps in summer. It 

 is often seen where large limbs have been lopped or 

 broken off. Among the insects destructive to our 

 trees, the borer worm is the most annoying ; and we 

 know of no better method to adopt for his extirpa- 

 tion, than that recommended some time since by 

 A. J. Downing, of Newburgh, which is to examine 

 the trees in early spring, as also in the fall, and cut- 

 ting them out. The method we adopt as a pre- 

 ventive to their again entering, described under 

 the article " Peach," we believe to be one of the 

 most effective. After cutting out these worms, as 

 also all decayed wood from hollow wounds, the 

 holes should be covered from the heat and moisture 

 by applying the following composition, which will 

 ordinarily prevent further decay. It is given thus : 

 Take one pound of Burgundy pitch, half a pound of 

 beeswax, and one pound of tallow, melted and 

 spread upon brown paper or cotton cloth, (the latter 

 is preferable) and applied closely to the wound. 

 This compound we use also for grafting, as it will 

 ordinarily resist the force of rain, frost, drying winds, 

 and the influence of a changeable atmosphere. With 

 regard to what is called fire-blight, which occasion- 

 ally affects the pear tree during the months of June 

 and July, causing the branch to wither, and which 

 may be caused by forcing, or high manuring, we 



