1102 THE FRUIT INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK STATE 



of the beetles for winter quarters caused the healthy young trees 

 to lose a large amount of sap. In some cases the ground was 

 covered with gum. By the next spring two hundred and fifty 

 of the trees were dead, for freezing winter weather had sapped 

 the remaining moisture of the trees. 



It is always easy to trace the source of an infestation by noting 

 the direction from which the insects came. The following pre- 

 cautions should be taken : 



1. Burn all refuse wood or brush before June first and Sep- 

 tember first. Leave no such refuse near peach orchards at those 

 periods. 



2. All frozen or otherwise weak trees that will never recuperate 

 should be removed and destroyed between June first and Septem- 

 ber first. 



3. Healthy trees seriously injured by fall or spring broods may 

 be cut back and stimulated by the application of manure to the soil, 



4. If trees about woodlots or buildings are subject to con- 

 tinued attacks from various sources, an application to the bodies 

 and limbs of the trees of the solution recommended for the lesser 

 peach borer on page 1097 will check the work of the adults. The 

 wash should be applied just before June first and September first 



Peach-Tree Borer. This insect (Sanninoidea exitiosa Say.), 

 the most serious enemy of the peach in New York, is one of our 

 native insects. Originally, it undoubtedly inhabited our native 

 plum and cherry trees, but when the peach was introduced into 

 this country by our forefathers the insect immediately began to 

 infest the peach tree, and today is generally established in every 

 peach section east of the Rocky Mountains. 



This borer differs from the lesser peach-tree borer in that its 

 common place of attack is at the crown of the tree, and it is a 

 very heavy feeder. In western New York trees that are located 

 in the heavy gravel or stony loam soils are frequently badly in- 

 fested with this species. The pest is never serious in trees on 

 clay soils. It is apparent therefore that the insect needs an open 

 soil condition as a natural environment. 



The full-grown larva of this species is a white or light yellow 

 grub about an inch in length and one-eighth inch in diameter. 

 The head and first regiment are brown. The larvae cause much 

 irritation, which is followed by an exudation of sap that fills the 



