268 



Effective Farming 



Borers. Fruit-trees are attacked by borers (Fig. 115) 

 that burrow underneath the bark of the tree near the base 

 and in many instances girdle the tree. The only practical 



way of combating these borers is to dig 

 them out or kill them by running a wire 

 through them in the burrow. A descrip- 

 tion of the peach-tree borer and methods 

 of handling it will show how borers in general 

 are combated. The female of the peach- 

 tree borer lays eggs on the bark of the tree 

 near the ground during the summer. These 

 eggs hatch in a short time and the larvae 

 enter the bark of the tree. If not removed 

 the borers will soon girdle the tree. An 

 exudation of gum about the base of a peach 

 tree usually indicates the presence of a borer 

 in the tree. The soil should be dug away 

 from the trunk and when burrows are found 

 they should be opened with a knife, the insects found and de- 

 stroyed ; or a stiff wire may be pushed into the burrow and 

 when the borer is reached, it should be killed by pushing the 



FIG. 115. The peach 

 borer, a, enlarged ; 

 6, at work on root 

 of tree. 



