DISEASES OF FRUIT TREES. 247 



drop off prematurely, with the little enemy within. If this 

 fruit be gathered up, or immediately devoured by hogs, 

 geese, or other animals, a check may be put to their 

 ravages in succeeding years : but if suffered to remain on 

 the ground, they will supply food to myriads of their 

 destructive race, which may not be so easily extirpated. 



The canker-worm is another enemy to our fruits, for the 

 destruction of which many experiments have been tried. 

 Some apply bandages round the body of the tree, smeared 

 over with tar or ointment, to annoy or entrap the females in 

 their ascent to the tree ; but as these tormentors are fre- 

 quently on the move from November to the end of June, 

 this must be a very tedious as well as uncertain process. As 

 this insect is supposed to exist within four feet of the trunk 

 of the tree, and not more than three or four inches from 

 the surface of the earth, good culture, and a moderate use 

 of lime, ashes, or any other pernicious ingredient, is the 

 most likely way to destroy them. 



The bark-louse is another pernicious insect ; they resem- 

 ble blisters, and are so near the colour of the bark as to be 

 imperceptible ; they often prove fatal to the Apple tree, by 

 preventing the circulation of the sap. These insects may be 

 conquered by washing the trees with soap-suds, tobacco 

 water, lime water, or brine, or a wash may be made of soapy 

 water and lime, thickened to the consistence of cream or 

 paint, with sifted sand or clay, which may be applied with 

 a brush to the trunk and limbs of the trees ; this should be 

 done at the latter end of May, or early in June, and the 

 cracks in the bark should be completely covered. 



The Apple-tree borer is said to deposit its eggs beneath 

 the surface of the soil, and the worms are often to be found 

 in the Spring of the year, by digging round the tree, and 

 clearing away the earth to the roots, and may be taken oat 

 with a knife or gouge, and destroyed. After the worms are 

 removed, the wounds should be covered over with grafting 

 clay and wood ashes mixed, and the earth then returned to 

 the roots of the tree. Some use bricklayers' mortar early 

 in the Spring, around the base of the tree, so as to cover the 

 part where the deposit is made, and prevent their attacks, 



