108 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



to make this application to all young trees, at the 

 time of transplanting, especially in places where the 

 worm is known to prevail. 



It appears that this destructive worm is rapidly 

 extending its ravages among our orchard trees. In 

 attending to the examination of my own trees since 

 writing the above, (September 4th,) 1 was astonished 

 to find that more than half of them were suffering in- 

 jury by the borer, in considerable numbers, fifteen 

 being taken out of a single tree; I was struck with 

 the remark of the workman, that those trees which 

 were surrounded by a cluster of root suckers, were 

 in particular the greatest sufferers ; and when the tree 

 had suckers on one side only, the worms were found 

 on that side of the tree. It is not improbable that the 

 suckers and leaves facilitate the operation of deposit- 

 ing the eggs by affording a convenient shelter for the 

 fly or moth ; but we are destitute of the natural his- 

 tory of this insect. The suckers and worms all being 

 removed, I dirceted the wounds made in the trees, 

 and also the whole trunk near the surface of the 

 earth, to be covered with a mixture of clay and cow 

 dung, with a little hair to render it more adhesive ; 

 and afterwards a circuit of about three feet round 

 each tree, to be covered with tanner's bark, or sea- 

 weed. It is now known that the ravages of the bor- 

 er are not confined to the root of fruit trees, but are 

 found in the whole extent of the trunk, and even to 

 the larger branches; and that in some local situations, 

 instead of abandoning the trees in June, they contin- 

 ue to perforate the bark and prey upon the wood 

 the most of the summer. It seems requisite, there- 

 fore, to guard diligently against this insiduous enemy 

 during the whole season. 



