106 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



stead o/ the brush, we may use, with nearly equal success, a small 

 mop or sponge, dipped as often as necessary into a pailful of refuse 

 soap-suds, strong white- wash, or cheap oil. The mop should be 

 thrust into the nest and turned round a little, so as to wet the cat- 

 erpillars with the liquid, which will kill every one that it touches. 

 These means, fo be effectual, ,*iould be employed during the proper 

 hours, that is, early in the morning, at mid-day, or at night, and 

 as soon in the spring as the caterpillars begin to make their nests ; 

 and they should be repeated as often at least, as once a week, till 

 the insects leave the trees. Early attention and perseverance in 

 the use of these remedies will, in time, save the farmer hundreds 

 of dollars, and abundance of mortification and disappointment, be- 

 sides rewarding him with the grateful sight of the verdant foliage, 

 snowy blossoms, and rich fruits of his orchard in their proper sea- 

 sons. Under the third head, declare war against these caterpillars, 

 a war of extermination, to be waged annually during the month of 

 May and the beginning of June. Let every able-bodied citizen, 

 who is the owner of an apple or cherry tree, cultivated or wild, 

 within our borders, open the campaign in May, and give battle to 

 the common enemy. If every man is prompt to do his duty, the 

 enemy will be completely conquered. 



LOCUST-TREE BORERS. The locust-tree, Robinia pseudacacia, is 

 preyed upon by three different kinds of wood-eaters or borers, whose 

 unchecked ravages seem to threaten the entire destruction and ex- 

 termination of this valuable tree within this part of the United 

 States. One of these borers is a little reddish caterpillar, whose 

 operations are confined to the small branches and to very young 

 trees, in the pith of which it lives ; and by its irritation it causes 

 the twig to swell around the part attacked. These swellings, being 

 spongy and also perforated by the caterpillar, are weaker than the 

 rest of the stem, which therefore easily breaks off at these places. 



The second kind of borer of the locust-tree is larger than tho 

 foregoing, is a grub, and not a caterpillar, which finally turns to the 

 beetle named Clytus pictus, the painted Clytus. In the month of 

 September these beetles gather on the locust-trees. Having paired, 

 the female creeps over the bark, searching the crevices with her 

 antennae, and dropping therein her snow-white eggs, in clusters of 

 seven or eight together, and at intervals of five or six minutes, till 

 her whole stock is safely stored. The eggs are soon hatched, and 

 the grubs immediately burrow into the bark, devouring the soft 

 inner substance that suffices for their nourishment tiH the approach 



