DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ITS KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. 



VOL. III. 



SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 1851 



NO. 13. 



RAYNOLDS eSc NOURSE, 

 Proprietors. 



OFFICE, QUINCY HALL, BOSTON. 



S. W. COLE, Editor. 



THE APPLE TRSB BORER. 



One of the greatest of all evils that the fruit 

 grower has to contend against is the apple tree 

 borer, which also attacks the (juince, mountain ash, 

 white ash, locust, hawthorn and the aronias. 



This borer is the larva of the two-striped saper- 

 da, (Sapcrda bivittati,) which is truly represented 

 by the following cut. This is the beetle or insect 

 in its perfect state. 



This figure shows the size of the insect. The 

 upper part of the body is marked by two longitudi- 

 nal white stripes, among others of a light brown. 

 The face antennae, the under side of the body and 

 legs are white. 



This beetle comes forth from the tree in June, 

 in the night, flying from tree to tree for food or 

 companions, resting in the day time among the 

 leaves on which it feeds. In June, July and some- 

 times in August, it deposits eggs on the bark of the 

 tree, at or near the ground. 



The larva or young borers from these eggs are 

 fleshy, round, whitish grubs, without legs. This 

 grub eats through the bark, and remains there the 

 first winter. The next season it penetrates the 

 wood, throwing out dust or cuttings, like saw dust, 

 by which it may be traced, generally ascending, as 

 it proceeds, and boring deeper into the tree. Its 

 whole passage is usually about 12 to 15 inches. It 

 becomes a full grown liorer as here represented. 



trance, it approaches the surface, where it under- 

 goes its final transformation, becomes a beetle and 

 leaves the tree. 



Rarely the borer gets off the trach, and descends; 

 sometimes it enters the tree several feet above the 

 ground, and seldom it enters the limbs of the tree. 



Keep the trees well washed and the bark smooth, 

 and keep the grass, weeds, and rubbish away from 

 the trees that they may be examined conveniently. 

 During the time of depositing the eggs, wash the 

 trees occasionally with a rather strong lye of wood 

 ashes, or a solution of one pound of potash to two 

 gallons of water. A strong lye is liable to injure 

 the trees. These and other corrosive substances 

 may destroy the eggs, or annoy the insects; but 

 they are not always sure. The borers may enter 

 between the roots that branch high, where washes 

 do not afiect, or the eggs may not be destroyed; 

 therefore keep the trees smooth and clear of every 

 thing around them, and examine them often; and 

 when the young borers have just penetrated the 

 bark, they are easily destroyed. So attend to them 

 the first season. 



Make a wash of two quarts of soft soap, oi whale 

 oil soap, half a pound of sulphur and two gallons of 

 water. Add also camphorated spirit, asafcetida, 

 tobacco and other ofifensive substances, and wash the 

 tree with it. A little clay or lime added will make 

 a coating holding these substances, which may be of- 

 fensive to the beetle or young borers, and prevent 

 their operations. 



After the borers have penetrated the trees they 

 may be cut out with a chisel oi gouge; or they may 

 be destroyed by running a wire or other flexible 

 substance into the hole. They have also been de- 

 stroyed by putting a match of burning brimstone 

 into the hole, or a piece of camphor and plugging 

 the hole. 



The third season, nearly two years from its en- 



Whale Oil Soap. — In answer to the in(iuiiies 

 of a subscriber on this subject, we remark that this 

 article can be had at the agricultural stores in this 



