Hunting Borers 295 



in neglected areas. This is both because. the insects find 

 places of lodgment in neglected orchards, and because the 

 fruit-grower is so seldom present that he does not discover 

 them in season. Orchards should be gone over every 

 spring and autumn for borers; this is patient hand-and- 

 knee work, but it is the only sure way. The grower is 

 certain of the borer when he has him under the knife. 



Borers in the stalks of currants and raspberries are 

 despatched by cutting the canes and burning them. The 

 affected canes usually show lack of vigor, yellowing or 

 wilting leaves, and are sometimes limp. 



Peach trees are attacked by two very destructive 

 borers, the regular large borer larva, % inch long when 

 mature, and the very small borer beetle known as the 

 bark-beetle or pine-hole borer. The treatment for the 

 former is to dig out in spring and autumn, and at the 

 same time to apply gas-tar or coal-tar from the roots to 

 1 foot or so from the ground. The bark-beetle usually 

 attacks trees that are not in full vigor, as those that have 

 been shattered by winter cold or lessened in vitality by 

 other borers, lack of tillage, overbearing and general 

 neglect. The first thing to do is to put the trees in vig- 

 orous condition; then whitewash the trunk and branches 

 late in March, in July and in October (in the North). 



Some of the protective devices or materials are more 

 or less effective against borers in orchard trees; but the 

 grower should not lessen his vigilance. Wire screen is 

 good if made tight about the top and where the edges 

 come together and if it stands far enough from the tree 

 to prevent the beetle from ovipositing through it. Tarred 

 paper is sometimes used, but it often injures trees if 

 allowed to remain in warm weather. Gas-tar may be 

 applied about the crown of peach and other trees, extend- 



