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turbed possession and perpetual inheritance of the 

 Saperda. Did this slovenly and indolent practice 

 affect only the owner of the neglected domain, we 

 should have no reason for complaint ; but when the 

 interests of the community are exposed by the har- 

 bouring of such hosts of noxious insects, which annually 

 issue from their places of refuge and overspread the 

 neighbouring country, when our best endeavours are 

 thus frustrated, have we not sufficient cause for serious 

 accusation against those who have fostered our assail- 

 ants ? No plants are more abundant in our forests 

 and fields, than the native medlars or aronias, that 

 originally constituted the appropriate food of the striped 

 Saperda. Taking into view, therefore, the profusion 

 of its natural food, its ample means of migration, and 

 the culpable neglect of many of our farmers, we cannot 

 be surprised that this insect is so generally and con- 

 stantly prevalent. On the means that have been used 

 to exterminate it I shall make but few remarks. Kil- 

 ling it by a wire thrust into the holes it inhabits, is one 

 of the oldest, safest, and most successful methods. 

 Cutting out the larva, with a knife or gouge, is the 

 most common practice ; but it is feared that these 

 instruments have sometimes been used without suf- 

 ficient caution. A third method, which has more than 

 once been suggested, consists in plugging the holes 

 with soft Avood. To this it has been objected, that 

 the remedy is apphed too late, or after the insect has 

 issued from the tree. Now this is a gratuitous assump- 

 tion, and made without adverting to the habits of the 

 insect. The presence of the borer is detected by the 

 recent castings around the roots of the tree ; and upon 



