OF FRUIT TREES* IDS' 



clearing away the earth to the roots, and then, with 

 a sharp pointed knife, a chisel, or gouge, (and a small 

 wire to probe, if they were deep in the tree,) they 

 were easily destroyed. I employed him in June for 

 this purpose. I believe there was not an apple tree 

 on my farm but had some worms ; and from some of 

 them twenty-four were taken ; and the trees almost 

 entirely girdled, and would not, probably, have lived 

 through the year. After taking out all that could be 

 found, the wounds were covered over with grafting 

 clay, and a large proportion of dry wood ashes, mix- 

 ed, and the earth then returned to the tree. I shall 

 have them again examined this fall, and looked at ev- 

 ery spring. The trouble is much less than would be 

 imagined, till tried. One capable man will dig round 

 and turn the sods, two or three feet from the tree, 

 (and which is also extremely beneficial to young trees 

 in grass ground,) and examine at least thirty trees in 

 one day ; and in garden, or ploughed ground, one 

 hundred. 



When it is found how little expense is required to 

 extract these destructive little worms. I do hope those 

 persons who have young trees particularly, would ex- 

 amine them as soon as possible. They are soon dis- 

 covered by the worm casts, or saw-dust borings, which 

 should be followed, and wholly extracted. 



I have also lost several mountain ash and quince 

 trees by, 1 believe, the same destroyer. 



The borer, says Mr. Hersey, rarely exceeds one 

 inch in length ; it has a reddish head, and its body is 

 white. It is sometimes mistaken for the apple worm, 

 but it differs in its nature from that insect. The egg 

 which produces the borer is deposited very near the 

 surface of the earth, and is seldom found more than 

 three or four inches below or above the surface of the 

 ground : it sometimes however is discovered in the 

 crotch of the tree. The insects enter the trunk of 



